Ask the Experts: How do You Avoid Unnecessary Schoolwork and Focus on the Essentials?

Parents are in Charge…

The first thing I would tell parents who may be overwhelmed by the lesson plans is to realize they are in charge of their homeschool, and Seton Home Study is a tool to be used for their schooling, not vice versa.

The lesson plans can give the parent an idea of what is available to teach, but they do not have to be used fully. For example, I only use the Comprehension/Thinking Skills workbooks by fourth grade as their daily reading assignments.

At the beginning of the year, I let my kids take the first Saxon Math test to see if they can skip several lessons before we begin.

I also have learned that Saturday is a good day to finish up any assignments that didn’t get completed during the week or to take tests so that they can start a new chapter on Monday.

We also extend our school year beyond 36 weeks. These are a few examples of what I do, and I hope it helps others look for ways to tailor the lesson plans to fit their family needs.

Susan Brock, North Carolina

Define Your Why…

You have started your new school year, and you may feel intimidated. But with a little pre-planning and reflection, you can succeed in your homeschooling venture.

First, define your “why.” Why are you homeschooling your children? What are the positives you are aiming for? What are the negatives you want to steer clear of?

Second, define your goal. What is the end goal you have in mind for your students? Remember that, as Catholics, we need to keep an eternal perspective when setting goals.
With a clear vision of your why and your desired goal, you can decide what subjects are essential. For example, Reading is an essential subject. A student who can read and comprehend the materials can pursue any subject.

Similarly, math is a critical skill to master to accomplish basic life skills like counting, measuring, buying, selling, etc. Good writing is necessary for effective communication.

So, Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic have always been and continue to be the essential R’s. Focusing on these essentials can help you feel more confident and less stressed in your homeschooling journey.

Teach the basics thoroughly. If your child masters a concept, assign only the odd or even practice sentences or problems. If science experiments and history timelines are too much right now, give your students enjoyable reading material that includes historical characters or scientific achievements.

It’s important to remember that you have the freedom and the power to pare down and focus on the essentials.

Tara Brelinsky, North Carolina

Lesson Plans are Guides to Help…

Our family has always been homeschooled year-round. That has helped us avoid the many weeks of review often done at the beginning of the school year.

We can continue where we left off from one year to the next. Lesson plans are guides to help parents as to how and what to teach. Often, they contain more material than what might be necessary to teach a particular concept or lesson.

It is good to go through the lesson plans and highlight important concepts to be taught.

Then, teach the lesson to the child and have them do a few practice problems with the parent either orally or on a whiteboard.

Assign only a few problems or items in the lesson to ensure they understand the concept. They don’t need to complete every item on the page or multiple pages if they comprehend the lesson.

Vicky Coughlin, California