1. Pray. Pray. Pray (and then Pray some more)
What does the Lord want our homeschool to look like this coming year? What are HIS plans, not ours? Sometimes, if I sit and wait on Him, He provides direction better than I ever could have found myself. It's when I try to rush planning that I often overspend on curriculum or a class we don't end up using, or join a community or extracurricular group that doesn't end up being the best fit for our values.
2. Choose our baseline curriculum guide.
When the kids were little, I used a specific simple Charlotte Mason guide, and for two years we were in a Classical Conversations community. When I created Simple Studies, I started using my own guides. And around ages 8+, I've used a combination of Ambleside Online (our choice again this year), The CMEC, and The Alveary. We are Charlotte Mason homeschoolers through and through, and we've seen the fruit of leaning on this main method in our homeschool.
3. Plan out each subject and which books we'll be reading together.
After 11+ years of homeschooling, I've realized how God created each subject to overlap with all the others. Therefore, I don't pile on as many reading plans and lessons as I used to, trusting the Holy Spirit will guide us as we navigate each term together. This specifically relates to what we're covering for our "riches" in our Morning Circle together. Bible, reading, writing, math, science, history, and foreign languages tend to stay steady. But for our Morning Circle, one term we'll focus on poetry or Shakespeare. Another we'll do composer studies and Plutarch. Another we might find a fun topic to explore together. Regardless, it's fluid and I'm very flexible depending on where our family and each individual is mentally in those terms. The goal has always been to choose things that work well for two children who are four years apart.
4. Gather the BOOKS!
I love purchasing used books from places like AbeBooks or Thriftbooks or my local used bookstores. Sometimes I splurge on special editions or antique books, but for the most part, we rely on used books. When using my Simple Studies guides, we love NewWestPress but also rely heavily on Living Book Press and Yesterdays Classics. There are many more independently published options today than there were when we first started homeschooling!
5. Choose our community and activities.
Depending on what each child needs in each season, this could range from sports to music to local homeschool gatherings, tutors, and classes. I do my best to find low-cost options but have found many of our favorite classes have higher rates because we believe in the person/company offering those classes. We also offer Simple Studies LIVE classes each semester for children grades 2-6. For me, I'd rather my child be inspired than come away with knowledge they didn't enjoy pursuing. If they want to attend community/class/said sport, then we're doing something right with that extra expense and time invested.
Bonus Tip: Include them in the planning!
As the kids get older, I love getting their input. By their teen years, they're piecing together their own curriculum and class plans. Having that buy-in really changes their attitude—knowledge isn't happening to them, they're in charge of their own learning journey. This ownership transforms everything.
And really quick, speaking of planning, for the past few years, we’ve always included WORLDWatch in our daily routine. Right now, they’re offering a whopping 4 MONTHS FREE (which is insane because that’s the most they’ve ever offered).
And this month only, I'm offering my complete Simple Studies collection at 30% off. It's my way of helping you start the year with less stress and more joy in your homeschool.
You can grab the collection here.
I hope this has been helpful!