Since many of us moms will be remote schooling (partially or fully) this school year, I decided to get some homeschool organization tips from my friend Natalie. I call Natalie a homeschooling “expert” because she has successfully homeschooled her three wonderful daughters. (Two of them attend Harvard and one is a budding artist.)
I am a researcher by nature (and corporate training) so I wrote out what I thought were important tips and sent them to Natalie to see if there was anything that she would add, delete or change. I have indicated her input below.
Homeschool Organization Tips
1. Organizing Supplies
a. Make list of what is needed for school
b. Designate a place for everything. (Drawers, bins, plastic crates, etc.)
c. Get students in the habit of putting everything back when they are finished.
Natalie noted that it is more important to actually have the necessary supplies rather than having them be super organized. She is a big fan of using Staples and their $1 deals to stock up.
2. Organizing Books & Curriculum
a. Organize them by subject.
b. Get rid of old books and curriculum that you will no longer use. Sell or donate them.
c. Have bookshelves to hold everything if you have the space.
3. Organizing Record Keeping
a. Keep important records in a safe place.
b. Make sure that you know and keep the necessary information that is required by your state to record your student’s progress. This includes records, portfolios, projects and the like.
c. It is important to have files and a filing system and filing cabinets if you have space.
4. Organizing Planning Schedules
a. Plan your weekly schedule.
b. Although you can be flexible, it is important to have some type of structure.
c. The weekly plan should include time to learn the curriculum along with any other field trips and activities with your homeschooling support group/pandemic pod/etc.
5. Organize Your Food and Meals
For this tip, I asked Natalie,
What basics did I leave out? What would you tell a new homeschooling mom who asked you the question, “What should I know/think about regarding homeschool organization?”
Natalie encourages moms to think about organizing food and meals for the upcoming week. She cooks extra meals on the weekends and freezes them. That way, she always has an extra meal in case she can’t cook in the middle of the week.
Natalie also encourages parents to make a trip to Costco (or BJ’s) to get their kids’ favorite snacks in bulk. She noted that sometimes snacks can serve as an incentive for kids to get things done.
I loved Natalie’s answer. It was something that I hadn’t really thought about but it makes so much sense!
I hope that these homeschool organization tips have been helpful. While there are still so many unanswered questions about the upcoming school year, I’m trying to prepare for the things that I have some semblance of control over – like home organization.
Next month, I will be focusing more on the health aspects of remote schooling. I have several interviews with doctors and therapists scheduled so stay tuned!
P.S. If you are interested in homeschooling rather than remote schooling, let me know. I can connect you with Natalie who is currently working on her first homeschooling course.
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