Are you new to or considering homeschooling but aren’t quite sure where to start? Or are you like us and have been homeschooling for a few years but still feel you could use a little guidance? Successful Homeschooling Made Easy offers an easy to follow program to help guide your homeschooling journey.
For my review I have been using the Successful Homeschooling Made Easy Course. It is a 26 week course with lessons delivered straight to my email each week as a downloadable PDF. Although they are delivered electronically, it is recommended to print them out and keep them in a binder or folder. If you’re like me and prefer keeping things digitally, I found I could print out just the sheets I needed and refer to the text/reading portion on my computer, though eventually I decided it was definitely best to print it all. If I needed to save ink and paper I may have tried to stick with that, but having it all in print is definitely helpful and even preferred.
Each lesson consists of both information to be read as well as assignments which definitely should be printed for writing answers. Many of the lessons are around 15 pages (though there are a few that are more or less) and though they can be completed in one sitting (for me I found they can take around an hour total), but with our busy schedule I think one lesson per week is definitely ideal. Breaking each lesson up into 15-20 minute segments I find is best for me.
Successful Homeschooling Made Easy starts with the very basics – what to focus on, what isn’t as important, and creating a schedule that works for your family. Right off the bat we’re encouraged to make sure we include some time for ourselves (and even for our own lessons as we work through the program)! Plus, it makes it possible to get started with homeschooling right away! So if you’re in a season in your homeschooling where you can’t take a break to do the lessons – don’t worry! This program is for you!
There are two different schedules to print out depending on if your family does best in the morning or afternoon and it includes time for household activities as well. The schedule starts out very basic, though I did build upon it as I went through the subsequent lessons. We are an afternoon family, but we already have a routine that works for us, so although I am mostly using the afternoon schedule as a guide, I did move the allotted break time to immediately follow lunch, which is when I go to the gym because it’s their least busy time. The schedule is straightforward and simple, but it’s important to stick to it when you have it in place! I plan to actually make a printout reflecting this instead of just having an arrow showing the shift, but I haven’t had the chance to do so. It works for now, though!
In Successful Homeschooling Made Easy there is a big emphasis on just that – keeping it easy! I think she makes a lot of great points about how we can overdo it. Do they really need to do all those subjects? Do we really need all that curricula? She really helps to express what is (and isn’t) important. For me, this was the biggest help of all because I tend to get worked up thinking I’m not doing “enough.” I often have outside influences constantly questioning me, which makes me question myself. I really needed to see this perspective!
In addition to the regular lessons, there are also bonuses that weave in nicely with the lessons. For example, around the time I received the lesson “Math Made Easy,” I also received a bonus “More on Math.” I loved this because I find Math, in particular, has always been a big hangup for me, so I loved that there was more information for Math. It includes game ideas, recommended books, and some charts.
Overall, I have been enjoying Successful Homeschooling Made Easy. It is such a helpful guide. As someone who has already been homeschooling, it has helped me to really simplify everything to this point (I have done 9 lessons so far), streamline my schedule, and not stress over the details that aren’t as important as I perceived them to be. I appreciate that it is just that – a guide. It isn’t just a “follow this schedule and use this curricula” type of course. It is relevant and practical to help you find your own way in your homeschool journey. I finally feel like we are “on track” and can’t wait to continue the course!
For more, be sure to follow Stephanie Walmsley on Facebook!
Many members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using the Successful Homeschooling Made Easy Course. Read their reviews by clicking on the banner below!
Im glad that there are lessons recommended like these.
Great info! I will definitely have to look into this later thanks! 🙂