Five Things to Do This Summer to Get Ready for Next School Year

three red and orange popsicles sit on a blue and white distressed wood background

I am a true savorer of the seasons. I’m not one to rush through to the next thing, but instead, I like to embrace the season, let it sink in and enjoy it. Even so, there’s nothing wrong with following Helen Keller’s advice to “be thankful for what you have while working for what you want.” So even though I can be thankful for slow lake days and Popsicles melting down to my kids’ elbows, I can also be thinking ahead to the approaching school year. Here’s five things I’m doing this summer to get ready for a great homeschool year to come.

1. Purging the Schoolroom

When school is in session, there never seems to be a good time for a deep clean of the school room. Summer is the time to discard or donate used up art supplies, forgotten books, and outgrown learning tools. Clean and vacuum under desks and tables. It will feels so good going back to school in the fall with a clean school room! 

2. Evaluating Curriculum

We all get very buy-happy this time of year when it comes to curriculum. But before you buy, wait! Carefully go through the curriculum you already own. You might have things on your shelves that didn’t work for your child before, but over the course of the school year, their learning style has changed or your teaching style has changed. It could be that something you already own will work for you now. Searching your own home library may save you time and money. I’ve been surprised before at how little I actually have to purchase over the summer when I take an inventory of what I already have. Then when you know what you truly need, consider what programs to buy.

3. Making Grade Level Plans

Five Things to Do This Summer to Get Ready for Next School Year

In our house, we are fast approaching high school! I plan on taking some time this summer to lay out a rough plan for high school and see what courses my son will take. I will also do this for my younger kids in grades 3 and 5. I will make lists of what subjects they will cover and what things I hope to highlight in each of those subjects. This doesn’t mean I’ll be plotting out dates with matching math lessons, but I might write down something like this:

Sophia, 3rd grade

Handwriting: learn cursive

Writing: complete 4 writing projects and weekly free writes

Math: cover 75% of 3rd grade math book

4. Reading

We try to stay proficient with math facts and add in fun studies of bugs or other outdoor subjects, but the main thing I like to do is keep my kids reading all summer. Since it’s summer and fun is the theme of the season, I give my kids incentives for finishing books. Things like coupons for a trip to get ice cream, a pack of gum, or even a new book are great prizes! I like to give my kids a book list that they can choose a certain number of books from to read over the summer.

5. Scouting Out Changes

One thing I’ve learned about homeschooling my kids is that no two years are alike. Every year my kids change a little bit, and so do I! And this is a good thing! We should always be growing which brings changes. So over the summer, I like to look at these changes and plan accordingly with our new school year.

I love summer and I love the break we get from the regular school year, too. But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about the new school year. Have a great summer and may your new school year be better for it!

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About the Author

AliciaAlicia Hutchinson is the homeschooling mom to four.  She and her children love reading and history and exploring outside. They are just settling into their new home in the Minneapolis area, where they just relocated from North Carolina.

You can read more about Alicia and their homeschooling adventures, current projects, and thoughts on motherhood at her blog Investing Love.

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