Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
I’m excited to have Vicki Bentley, HSLDA’s Early Years Consultant and longtime homeschooling mom, here on the program this week. Vicki, thank you so much for joining us!

Vicki Bentley:
Thanks for having me, Mike!

Mike:
Vicki, facing the huge pile of curriculum for a new school year can be daunting! Do you have some good tips for keeping yourself together as you organize your upcoming home school year?

Vicki:
Well, first, take a deep breath, because that pile of material is just your toolbox; it’s not a test. Outline a plan for the year—you may take some detours along the way, but at least you had a route planned and you can be headed in the right direction.

So for each subject, decide what you want to accomplish and remember that nothing says it has to be every page of every book. Then divide that roughly among your nine months and jot down those chapters or topics or units. Now, while I’d have a basic overview for the year, I’d actually lesson plan only about eight weeks at a time at the most—and be sure it’s in pencil, because it’s bound to need some adjustment!

The first year I homeschooled, when the box of materials arrived, I was so overwhelmed, I just sat down on the kitchen floor and cried. But the year went relatively smoothly and, by the end of the year, homeschooling was just a natural way of life for us! Just remember that God gives you the grace that you need.

Mike:
Thanks Vicki! That’s timely advice for all our listeners planning for this upcoming school year. Until next time, I’m Mike Smith.