winter homeschooling

If you are an experienced homeschooler, you know what's coming- the 'February blahs'. Rather than dealing with it when it happens, the last couple of years we have actively tried to avoid it. Has it worked? Not perfectly, but things definitely went more smoothly than in previous winters.

We school very much like Lissa describes in her Tidal Homeschooling posts (please do read them all!), combining Charlotte Mason, a few aspects of Waldorf and the Brave Writer Lifestyle, with 'low tide' strewing and seasonal studies.

Schizophrenic? I guess so (and it's hard to answer the question, "How do you school?"), but the combination is a perfect fit since we pick and choose the aspects of each style that work for us.

And what does our schooling style have to do with the February blahs? We make our way through the dark (and cold!) winter months with a variety of studies and activities that keep us engaged and busy (in a good way!), but with flexibility and enough down time to keep burn-out at bay.

Sheesh, what an awkward paragraph. Oh well, moving on...

::some fun reading during a morning break::

Our first term (September- November) is usually pretty heavy academically, then we take a break in December to focus on the season- reading, crafts, making presents, baking... Our break usually takes us into the beginning of January, and we don't rush back to the academics. Hubby has holidays, I have a birthday, we usually have visitors, and the house is a wreck. All of that is done for this year, though, so we feel ready to start up a regular rhythm again.

One focus will be keeping the house tidy and clean. Since we're stuck indoors most days, we want our surroundings to be peaceful, warm, and uncluttered. This is a challenge for most of us since we are not naturally organized people (with the exception of Gracie), but with the steady picking away at our decluttering and simplifying projects, things are becoming more manageable.

Another focus will be seasonal studies. Animal tracking, feeding our wild birds and bunnies, scavenger-hunt nature walks, the science of snow (and weather in general), and the Olympics are on our list this winter.

::some helpful planning books::

Our morning academics will be streamlined and simplified, with fewer subjects but more depth. We will continue to tackle the three R's first thing when we are fresh and the morning sun is streaming through the family room/ library windows.

::working on the 3 R's::

We'll have a rotating list of readings and notebook work without days or times attached, giving us the freedom to draw a lesson out over as many days as we need (or want), or to do a couple of lessons on the same day if we have the time and inclination.

::very simple planning- a whole week on one page- and a random elbow::

This 'schedule' worked well for us last winter with the surprising result of going farther in almost every subject than I would have planned.

Afternoons will be a bit more unpredictable and depend on the weather and homeschool group activities. We have the option of playing shinny three times a week, with other group activities (art classes, rock climbing, field trips...) that come up on fairly short notice. We don't want to be so busy that we are out of the house more than home, so it will be an ongoing balancing act. We do want (and need) some afternoons free to add in the extras that make homeschooling a good fit for our family- art, nature study, living math and math games, family read-alouds, handwork, etc.

::our reading corner and read-aloud basket::

I am confident that we will get through this winter just fine; our new schedule and rhythm fit with my personal goals and our family motto for this year.

And to think- it only took me ten years to get it.

For more ideas for short-circuiting winter burn-out, see Sarah's Loveliness Fair at Amongst Lovely Things.