I know not every homeschool family does, but I love taking a summer break. Since we live in a cold climate, when the warm summer weather finally comes we hit the ground running– going to the beach, boating, camping, hiking and being outside as much as we can!
It is so nice to take some time off from homeschooling. I personally need the time to recover and let my body and mind rest from the fast pace of teaching and homeschool activities.
Even though we’re not homeschooling, that doesn’t mean that I’m not preparing for the school year. The time off allows the dust to settle and it gives me time to do the tasks that will make the upcoming year go smoother.
Here are five things you can do over the summer too, that your future self will thank you for!
Pre-Read
If you are teaching a challenging book, new math curriculum, reading a chapter book that has some cautionary content or anything else that leaves you feeling unprepared, pre-reading is going to help you. Read through your teacher’s guide, watch any intro videos, test out a math lesson or listen to that chapter book on audio and take notes. It can take a lot of work, but whenever I do this I always feel 100 times more prepared. It helps me avoid scrambling later.
Organize & Clean
I know you are tired after a long homeschool year, and guess what? So is your homeschool space. I take a day or two in the summer to dust, clean, re-organize and purge any of the materials we’re done with. More markers have dried out through the year than I would have thought possible! Many times I’ve found bookmarks, crumpled math sheets, art projects and paper scraps hiding in places I thought were clean (they weren’t). Tangibly holding and sorting through what is on my shelf also helps me remember what I own and gives me a good idea of what I need to still purchase for the year. 
Research
Go and read reviews on that book (especially the one-star reviews that aren’t from paid influencers). Watch YouTube unboxing videos and recaps. Ask friends in person or Facebook groups for recommendations and advice. Taking an extra few hours to solidify if a curriculum or program is really right for you and your child could save you hours of heartache (and money) in the long run.
Schedule
Many curricula come with an open and go style plan, but still, each family has activities and events going on that will change the way a curriculum is applied. Whether it’s making your own schedule or making a time table for each day to see how it will all fit together, making a plan makes your days go smoother.
Rest & Pray
Bring your plans and your school year before the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate problem areas you might not be seeing. Pray for your children, the leaders in your extra curricular activities and for yourself as teacher. And take time to rest! If you can catch some vacation time or can intentionally carve out extra sleep over the summertime, do!
I hope these things will help you head into a new school year with fresh vision and feelings of preparedness!
