Today’s post is sponsored by The Tuttle Twins, a great resource for homeschooling and family’s who are committed to truth and reason.
For many of the past years I’ve set a homeschool goal each fall in hopes of it guiding how I structure our learning for the year. Sometimes it is a huge success, other times medium so. I like having a theme, a purpose … something that offers a checks and balance when I’m reviewing what all we hope to fit into a year.
Here’s a little trip down memory lane, the goals we implemented – sometimes in big ways, other times in little ones:
- 2019/2020 – Read aloud everyday
- 2020/2021 – Make more art
- 2021/2022 – Settle and survive
- 2022/2023 – Seek homeschool mom professional development
- 2023/2024 – Lessen the load
- 2024/2025 – Rewrite the rules
You could say this last year was a launching pad for what I suspect will become a new season for our homeschooling. I’m more confident now it what I can handle, what each of my kids truly need, and what is essential for their long-term education and growth. For 2025/2026 the goal is to “use what we have”.
That’s right! Our shelves are rich with stories and books, my littles are ready for repeats that I did with the older kids in previous years, and I’m veering away from pre-made worksheets/fill-in-the-blanks. It just feels right to capitalize on what we have and dive in to new ways of learning.
That means many subjects we’ll be doing together and that’s one of the things I love most about homeschooling!
Now, caveat, math is still an individual subject – except for when we cook together … the best kind of math! And this year, math will be woven into our economics as well. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s take a look at homeschool curriculum the whole family will enjoy; what we have that I’m excited to use again.
Bible
Last year we joined Community Bible Study. It meets once a week and you dive into a book of the Bible through study and discussion. Everyone has their own class and it is RICH and wonderful! We studied Matthew and next year is Psalms – we can’t wait!
Science
I’ll admit, science isn’t my strong point. I don’t love teaching it and it’s something I outsource for the older kids. On that note, outsourcing is a GIFT! Don’t be afraid to go this route when something isn’t working at home. Jemma took Biology this year from a former teacher who now homeschool who own kids. She loves science and thus Jemma learned to love science … even dissections.
Back to the plan for this year, Max is going to read Revealing God In Science with Dominic and I and we have about a thousand amazing nonfiction books that I plan to highlight together during our daily reading and assign as rest time reading. Jemma is starting dual credit at the community college so no official science for her, in the fall at least.
Language Arts
Language arts is my favorite – discovering new books, creative writing, teaching grammar, and such. I think I could teach just language arts and be very content that my kids are getting a solid education since so much of reading encompasses other subjects.
For Reid and Eli, we will continue our subscription with Read Aloud Revival – the author meets alone are worth it – as well as Beautiful Feet’s Around the World with Picture Books. These are built as one year studies, but we’ve taken two years on each part. Grammar will be worksheets, but books we already have – they know the basics and now it’s just for review so I’ve found the grade listed on the cover isn’t really essential when you’re just practicing.
And I’m circling back to First Language Lessons and Writing with Ease – two narration based books I used with Jemma and Max during their foundational reading years. I have them, I love them, why not get back to them?
There are a few other things, more grade level specific, that I’m still narrowing down. Trying to figure out what works best for each child as they all learn so differently! And with that, Max is taking his Language Arts with a former teacher/homeschool mama/friend – I need to just be mom for him so, again, outsourcing as a tool to keep us both happy and growing.
History
For the last three years we’ve been working through U.S. History from Masterbooks, America’s Story, together. I’ve leveled assignments – listening and artwork for Eli, paragraphs or complementary documentaries for Reid, and full papers for Max and Jemma – I was planning to jump into their World History trio next, but on further review it looks like it’s geared a little older than our average, sooooooo … we’re taking a year break from history and focusing on economics + government!
Economics + Government
Last, but not least, and definitely most exciting for this year is our new economics study! I had the opportunity to review the Tuttle Twins collection and I’m thrilled to pause history this year and explore lessons that are often not considered “core”, but 100% impact kids and adults. Honestly, I’m preparing to learn a lot!
Reid has already started the series … even though I told him we’d be reading them all together very soon, and he is throwing out vocabulary and concepts not many 9 year olds know. I’m impressed! The Tuttle Twins books make hard concepts accessible and we’re all here for it! The Tuttle Twins have options for toddlers, kids, and teens focused on personal freedom, entrepreneurship, free markets, inflation, and more so if you’re looking to supplement your history or go rogue for a year like us definitely check out all the options.
Electives
I’m still exploring our elective options. The kids are all involved at church in theater, and some seasonal sports, but I like having unit studies here and there that lend themselves toward the elective category. Then again, when I’m evaluating a fresh year I try to reflect back on past goals and maybe we’d all be well-served with a little 2023/2024 … lessen the load.
