Step 3: Mapping Our Current Lives

To have a good plan, I have to take the time to get a good look at what our lives are right at the moment and what they are going to be over the school year.

When I take a look at life in its current place I see:

*I have a 7th grader (12) and 11th grader (16 -17)

*I take a good look at my life and the family calendar and ask myself these questions:

1. How much time do I have personally to do one-on-one teaching: with each child and group?

2. What subject am I going to require independence? (This is based on strengths and weaknesses.)

3. What outside activities am we going to engage in this year? (For example: Kylah is taking driver’s ed, is involved in a co-op, and is studying to take her ACT. Katie is taking piano lessons and is also involved in co-op. Both girls have youth group events each week.) These are activities that I need to schedule our days around.

4. What landmark events happen this year? (Kylah is starting to drive; Katie is in those difficult pre-teen years.)

5. How much time am I going to allot for chores each day? (I’ll write about chores in another post.)

All of these questions help me to see what I need for the curriculum and materials to be.

After I have a list of clearly written goals for each child (based on their life stage, our current family dynamics, and what I feel God wants us to work on), I go to the next step – choosing materials to help us reach those goals. My goal is never to finish a given list of materials; it is to move ahead in our goals for our children. Academics are important, but they are second to character. (I have experienced that academics do better when they are in their place of importance – below God.)

Needed for this step: notebook and pen, and time to think through your family’s current location