Along with our habits, our weekly planning meeting helps build the ‘bones’ of our homeschool days. Our family meeting with all our children gives us an outline for the week ahead. There are so many benefits to this time together.
So, before I share how we are full throttle back to school, I thought I’d share a peek into how we do our weekly meetings. See, I have found a comfortable system that works for me and my children. Annual planning and goal setting and weekly homeschool meetings.
Do You Have an Annual Homeschool Planning Time?
First off, I do plan our year in rough form. I explain that time in detail in my Annual Planning and Goal Setting habit. But I honestly do not plan it weekly. I look at our resources, gather what we need. I also spend time praying for and making goals for each child. I note that I need to schedule the eldest for the PSAT. I see that certain days will be busy with music lessons so I know I will need to use the slow cooker and schedule certain learning for those days. I make note of field trips. So we have an outline.
Then, once we are in the nitty gritty of week-to-week homeschool, we make plans weekly.
Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40
Our Hodgepodge Weekly Homeschool Planning Meeting
Our homeschool planning meeting takes anywhere from half an hour to an hour depending on our week. My husband and I lead it with everyone together. It is so very helpful to have my husband there to give us all guidance. He is the principal of our homeschool. He sometimes reminds the children that He is the head of our homeschool and that while he is away at work during the day, he leaves me in charge. So, ultimately, we all answer to him. That is such a blessing when we run into a character issue – or problem with a math concept. Hodgepodgedad will be there to help! Of course, The Lord is the one that guides us and blesses our homeschool…the Lord of our home.
Our meetings happen on a Sunday afternoon so that my husband can be there. On occasion we have a meeting on a Monday morning when we have had a very busy and full Sunday.
We should make plans – counting on God to direct us. Proverbs 16:9
Weekly homeschool planning meeting with all of our ages – and Jiminy Cricket.
Everyone gathers their planners. I get my A Plan in Place Homeschool Teacher planner, my Tapestry of Grace plans and other resources we will be using that week. The older two get their High School Planners. And Middle Girl grabs her Student Planner.
At each weekly meeting we go over what we will be learning together first. Talk together as a family. Yes, the younger ones are often playing trains or ponies. But we are all together. We also make note of things coming up on the calendar. The further along in the meeting we get, the younger ones can leave to play. So we are left discussing details with our middle and high schoolers.
We meet in the family room or at the kitchen table so that our resources are within sight and reach.
The Benefits of a Weekly Homeschool Planning Meeting
- Written guidelines and recorded goals for the week.
- We go over the upcoming calendar with all the commitments and activities – together.
- In the midst of the craziness of the week – we have something to help us stay on track!
- Assignments written down by each of our older children results in ownership.
- The chance for our eldest three to rearrange their assignments weekly – to best manage their time independently.
- Boundaries often bring out character issues in myself and my children. These are tough but much needed life lessons. Yes, that assignment needs to be finished even though there is that fun thing planned for that day on the calendar!
- Consequences – both good and bad!
Time with parents weekly to plan, review, discuss and consult. Learning.
Yay! New planners for next year from @aplaninplacehomeschool 📚 We returned from college visit/audition for our eldest to find these had arrived. A high school planner for our rising 9th grader (our 3rd high schooler – wow!) and a #homeschool teacher edition for me. These are our favorite planners – customizable and a wonderfully practical record keeping tool. We use our planners for our weekly planning meeting for all our ages and of course, daily. So great for our Hodgepodge of needs! I love the brainstorm board for me, a place for meal planning, goals, checklists. (I make so many notes) and much more.
The high school planner not only has weekly planning sheets but also a spot for curriculum used, attendance, grades, weekly time keeper, character trait, week in review, book journal, progress reports, transcript builder and more – oh this is AMAZING! Highly recommend ❤️ You can get yours at www.aplaninplace.net
In Summary
- Yes, sometimes we have a reluctant planner.
- Yes, plans change – how well we know that with all the sickness, tonsillectomy, and needing to catch up last homeschool year!
- Yes, we get sidetracked. We even need to do a little homeschool reorganization (as I shared last week).
- Yes, we allow for spontaneous homeschool learning!
Someone had her second piano lesson this week!
More Homeschool Planning Resources
- Homeschool Planning at Hodgepodge
- My friend, Barb-Harmony Art Mom, was the one that inspired me to start homeschool planning meetings. She has wonderful ideas and resources for this.
- How to Plan Tapestry of Grace for Multiple Levels and Ages
- When Do You Plan for School and How Long Does it Take?
- Annual Planning and Goal Setting
- Return of the Routine: Six Steps to Success (my free ebook)
Be sure to check out A Plan in Place planners! There are student, high school and homeschool teacher editions available at www.aplaninplace.net
Many thanks to our Friday hostesses!
- Collage Friday hostess Mary at Home Grown Learners
- Weekly Wrap-Up hostess Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Ultimately, planning is a gift of learning independence, wouldn’t you say?
Planning meetings with my two kids I’m homeschool and my older kids who are in college is usually informal. Then I come up with a chart of progress and goals for the year. The older kids create their own. We put them on our goal wall (which isn’t a wall but the side of a bookcase, lol).
I like this idea a great deal. I have tried it sporadically in the past, but haven’t been successful at being consistent. My kids are getting older and I can see how this can be so beneficial for the whole family. Thanks for inspiring me to try it again! I’m looking forward to checking out the links you mentioned too. Have a great weekend!
It’s been a huge help for me – the mama – over the last few years. Especially now that my children are spread out in their ages from preschool to high school. Their extracurricular activities and church calendar makes for a serious balancing act. And having the whole family together for planning helps us all to see that it is a give and take and remind us of priorities. Let me know how it goes for you Jen – have a great weekend too!
Love this! We did something similar when I was in highschool, but not quite as formal. My sister and I would lay out our lesson plans and then meet with my mom for review. Her goal was much like yours – encourage ownership and initiative under the protection of accountability.
I love the idea of the family all meeting together. My husband and I have talked about how we want to keep him in the loop on things and this idea would be perfect!
Heather I really like that approach as well! Yes, encourage ownership and initiative under the protection of accountability – you say it nicely! And yes, this is all part of life skills – and continuing education for me (always learning!)
I always enjoy your book pictures!
Arranging books for easy accessibility is one of those things I love! That’s why we just try to get all the suggested books on our reading list – just have them all 🙂
Wonderful glimpse into an important part of your week. Thanks for linking to my post…had totally forgotten that I shared that part of our week. 🙂
Always grateful for your posts, your mentoring! Big hugs!
Hmmmm……. I wonder how my kids would do with this, the oldest are 8. It probably would help to give them some structure.
You can just start out with a short little meeting time. Build upon it slowly. And I always let the littlest ones play right in the room so they are included.
Tricia ~ We have started to do this on Tuesday evenings (which is right after our CC day)… we sit after dinner and plan and it has been very helpful. For a homeschool family that was very free and easy going, there have been some “reluctant planners”, but it is getting better each week.
Thanks again for all of your wisdom!
So smart to plan right then after CC – when it is fresh and all the assignments are before you. And I hear you about reluctant planners. Yet those are usually the most independent workers over here – that turn to that planner most often. Hmmm.
We have been enjoying a planning time – the whole family looks forward to it and since Dad works late hours, it’s been a great way to keep Him at the head of this house – and see what the children are learning (and keep me accountable).
This is a great idea! I think we’ll give this a try. I’ll be better able to communicate with the children and a meeting will help keep hubby in the loop.
I came across your blog at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers and so glad that I did! Thank you for all of these encouraging posts! I have preschool through high school as well.
Jennifer – thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment!
What a great idea! The kids and I always sit together on Monday mornings and review our week ahead. For now we use a dry erase board to list the activities we will do together. Since we are going to be starting high school in the fall I think now would be a great time to get them started in the habit of creating their own personal planners. I know I can’t live without mine!
Thanks for sharing at the Finishing Strong Link-up.