My #1 Homeschool Tip: Do What Works {week 11 lesson plans and recap}

This is Week Eleven in a year long series, all about lesson planning in an interest-led homeschool. Each week, I share a recap of last week’s plan vs. reality and then our new easy homeschool lesson plans for the upcoming week. This week is all about embracing what works and getting rid of the guilt when your homeschool is not going the way you “think it should”.

It’s my #1 homeschool tip!

Last week’s lesson plans were designed to be much lighter than usual for the simple fact that the time was changing on Sunday.

Experience has taught me, year after year, that it takes us a week to adjust. Moreover, because my son takes medicines three times a day, he is always “off” as we adjust to both the time change and his subsequent new meds schedule.

Rather than trying to force anything, I hold our plans for the week after the time change loosely as you’ll see in my recap below.

Do What Works In Your Homeschool

Table Of Contents

It was pure desperation that finally taught me this lesson, and about much more than just the time change. What I’ve learned is that it is far more important for your child’s overall education to do what actually works for them and your family, rather than what you think you “should be doing.”

This has been true across the board for us in our homeschooling including:

Allowing my son to discontinue educational therapy and instead practice reading at home
Doing all school related tasks after lunch
Not doing much of anything on a day when his anxiety is spiking
Skipping formal math for a few months to help my oldest develop a bit more confidence
Including tons of YouTube Videos (see our new list of 72 YouTube Channels perfect for Homeschooling All Ages)

This list could go on and on.

Doing what works in your homeschool means a higher likelihood of your child actually engaging in the learning, comprehending what is being taught, and retaining the information long-term. Doing what works is actually you doing the best possible job of educating your child!

Don’t let any homeschool blog or Instagram post convince you of anything less!

Doing what works in your homeschool is actually you doing the best possible job in educating your child!

Now, here’s what doing what works looked like in our homeschool last week.

Last Week’s Homeschool Lesson Plans vs. Reality

Monday

The Plan

YouTube Video – His choice
Audiobook and Discussion
Infusion – 4 hours

What Actually Happened

YouTube Video – Nile Red Chemistry
Audiobook and Discussion
Infusion – 4 hours
Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Tuesday

The Plan

Field Trip To Somewhere (maybe the aquarium, may a historic tour – it will depend on where my son wants to go the morning of…)

What Actually Happened

No field trip.
Drivers Ed Online
YouTube Video – Mike Shake Part 2
Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
Make your own eggs for lunch (life skills!)

When it was time to actually consider leaving the house, my son and I both said, “Nope.” It was a very relaxed day with a little bit of learning instead.

Wednesday

The Plan

Physical Therapy – 2 hours
Driver’s Ed Module
Audiobook and Discussion
Science: Human Body Study
Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

What actually happened

Physical Therapy – 2 hours
Audiobook and Discussion – The Lesser Known Works Of Edgar Allan Poe
YouTube – Fish Biologist
Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Thursday

The Plan

Audiobook and Discussion
Social Time with friends – 1 hour
Art class – 1 hour
Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours

What Actually Happened

Audiobook and Discussion – Lesser Known Works Of Edgar Allan Poe
Social Time with friends – 1 hour
Art class – 1 hour
Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours

Friday

The Plan

CTCMath
Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports
Creative Writing Activity
YouTube Video – his choice and educational
Science: Human Body Study

What Actually Happened

Ancient American History – The City Of Cahokia
GeoGuessr – video game exploring countries of the world
Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports
The Learners Lab – Online Dream Casting Activity
YouTube Video – Mark Rober Piano
Mythbusters Idiom Special (as a follow-up to our figurative language activities last week)

You’ll notice that we were essentially back on track by Friday. Taking the week to adjust was the best possible way to get us to a new normal with the time change.