Ontario curriculum Archives

Why Pausing Ontario’s Curriculum Overhaul Might Be the Best Thing That Could Happen

by Lindsey Casselman

When I think back on our homeschool journey — and honestly, even my time as a classroom teacher — one thing that always struck me was how often we tried to fix learning by changing the curriculum.

I’ve been watching the news about Ontario’s decision to pause its major curriculum reforms, especially the overhaul to kindergarten, and I’ll be honest — it felt familiar. Not because change is bad, but because too often, we mistake activity for progress.

As someone who’s both taught in public school and built curriculum from the ground up here at Schoolio, I’ve seen how these sweeping changes tend to go. New documents, new standards, new language — but very little impact on what really matters to kids and teachers. A few years later, we do it all over again.

It’s not reform. It’s spinning.

Somewhere along the way, we started treating education like a business — always marketing, rebranding, looking for the next system-wide breakthrough. But kids aren’t products. And learning isn’t a marketing strategy.

The truth is, what drives real learning is rarely found in a government PDF. Students thrive when their curiosity is sparked. When their teacher has the freedom and energy to explore a topic from a new angle. When lessons connect to the real world — to questions they actually ask.

But most curriculum overhauls don’t get at any of that. They shuffle standards. They update timelines. They insert buzzwords. But they rarely ignite joy — in students or teachers.

If you’ve ever sat at the kitchen table with your child, trying to make sense of a lesson that feels totally disconnected from real life, you know exactly what I mean. That glazed look. The frustration. The deep feeling of “why are we even doing this?”

That’s not a learning problem. That’s a relevance problem.

What we need isn’t a brand new curriculum every few years. What we need is a mindset shift.

Instead of building everything from the top down, what if we started from the ground up? What if we trusted teachers to lead the way, using their experience and insight to shape lessons that actually land? What if we listened — really listened — to the kids?

That’s how we design our units at Schoolio. We start with questions students already have. We build flexibility in, so families can pause or pivot. We make space for creativity, discussion, and the moments that stick.

And we don’t pretend that a perfect curriculum will solve everything. What we offer is structure, yes — but with enough room for learning to feel alive again.

So while the pause in Ontario’s reforms might seem like a step back, I see it differently. It’s a chance to stop the spinning. To ask better questions. To start designing for joy, not compliance.

Because if we’re really serious about helping kids learn — we have to remember why they learn in the first place.

Lindsey,

Certified Special-Ed Educator & Co-Founder, Schoolio

? Want curriculum that’s built around real questions, flexible structure, and student joy?

Explore our project-based bundles, download our free samples or start a 7-day trial to see what modern learning can look like at home.

Daily Homeschool Planning Tips And Free Resources | How To

Daily Homeschool Planning Tips

Rewind to last year; chances are you probably had no desire to homeschool your children yet, here you are. You are doing precisely that. The pandemic threw a wrench into everyone’s lives. And now you’re struggling with trying to get all your child’s Curriculum done and keep them from falling behind. What an insanely large task to take on – Are you overwhelmed? Don’t be. More often than not, we receive messages from parents asking the questions: ‘Should we be homeschooling all day?’ ‘Will my child fall behind if we only do two hours of school a day?’ Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling. The word schedule can often bring up a large amount of anxiety in many people’s minds. Why? Because, if you’ve ever over-scheduled yourself or under scheduled yourself, you’ll know that it’s either burn out or the feeling of being unaccomplished that you will feel. Both are not a feeling that we want you to handle, especially when it comes to your homeschooling career.

Many families are worried that their children will have their education compromised because of all the chaos around them. And that’s why we started Schoolio and developed our Ontario based Curriculum. We believe that access to the Ontario Curriculum and Canadian Curriculum guidelines is essential for homeschoolers.

But now you’re feeling over the top frustrated because your child is sitting at the kitchen table whining for hours about the math problems they don’t want to do. Or, you’re zipping through the lessons faster than a rocket ship shooting into space, and you’re worried that you’re going too fast.

So, what do you do? How do you schedule your homeschool correctly so that you get that perfect balance that your children (and you) need?

Step one: Stop stressing! Stress is going to do absolutely nothing for you and your family.

Step two: Realize that a homeschool schedule doesn’t have to look like a regular school schedule. In-home learning is meant to be different, and that’s a good thing. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be getting the same amount of education; it’s just that homeschoolers hit their curriculum goals much faster than regular school. There are several reasons why this is. And to find out more, you need to listen to The Schoolio Podcast episode ‘Scheduling your Homeschool the right way’. In this episode, we cover the grounds of a good schedule.

We talk about what your homeschool day should ideally look like if it’s ok to go fast or slow. Should you have an epic schedule that leaves little breathing room? Or should you be completely relaxed with your child’s education? What is the best choice?

So that’s step three: Listen to the podcast! We share all the answers that you’re looking for and more. When you’re finished listening to the podcast, you’ll have an incredible feeling of clarity.

Step four: Remember the truth; the truth is, you’re doing a fantastic job. You always have made the best decisions for your children, and you always will. Sure, things are weird and confusing right now. But despite all that, look at the fantastic job you’re doing! You are amazing. So don’t let a mixed-up schedule make you feel inadequate. It takes time, patience, and testing to know what works best for you and your family. You’ve got this!

Why Your Kids Are Driving You Nuts.

You’re now a few weeks into homeschooling and hopefully by now you’ve started to find a groove. Or you’ve learned 82 ways that DON’T work and you’re still searching for a peaceful rhythm.

Let me ask you this: Are your kids driving you crazy?

Are you wondering how on earth the veteran homeschool moms handle this gig? How do they stand being with their kids so much? I mean, you love those kiddos to pieces and you would literally jump in front of a bus for them, but they’re like, literally always here, am I right?

You’re probably wondering, when do you get a break? When do you get time to yourself? Your kids seem to need a question answered or a snack approved or a fight resolved every 5 minutes!

So, here’s the veteran homeschool mom secret: Homeschooled kids are actually more independent.

I’m sorry to say it, I hope you don’t feel offended, and I know there will be people who disagree. It just doesn’t fit the stereotype that homeschooled kids can’t “cut the apron strings” or “have no real-world experience.” (Trust me, if there was a fake world I had access to, I’d be seriously considering moving in as 2020 carries on, but no matter where I go, here I am in the “real world”.)

People ask me all the time about when I get “time to myself” as a homeschool mom. And at first, I wasn’t sure how to answer. I mean, when I think about it, you’re right, they ARE always here aren’t they? I hadn’t really noticed… I mean, I know they are here. What I truly mean is, I have LOADS of time alone. Half the time I’m really not sure WHERE my kids are. They are home, that I know. But are they in their rooms reading, in the basement playing a boardgame, outside in the backyard? I don’t know. It’s possible I haven’t heard a peep from them in an hour or more.

I write for a living and my desk is in the living room. The living room! Does that blow your mind? I can work in the living room with my kids also in the living room and no one bugs me for long stretches of time. Did your head just explode? My kids aren’t special. They are totally regular kids. Homeschooled kids.

The problem could just be that the school system actually teaches kids to do all these behaviors you are finding obnoxious. And the only way to really fix it is to wait. This is a matter of time, and patience, while your children unlearnsome of the non-academic things school has taught them. I’ve written a list of things the school system has taught your kids that may be driving you bonkers in your early days of homeschooling, and how to help minimize this type of behavior:

1. Asking permission.

Kids in school learn that they have to ask permission for ev.er.y.thing. Need to get a tissue? Sharpen your pencil? Use the washroom? Get a drink of water? Ask. Permission.

I understand why they do this in school: classroom management. You absolutely cannot manage 30+ children with one adult without a lot of rules and asking permission to do anything that’s different than what the rest of the group is doing. It’s a necessity of the school system. But remember now that your kids are at home, they are used to an environment where they can’t make their own decisions and get up and do something on their own. So when you’re trying to get some work done and hoping your kid can do one simple math page independently, but two minutes after you sit down he’s standing beside your desk chair, saying something like, “Ummm, I need my pencil sharpened…”looking lost and confused and you’re thinking to yourself, “SO SHARPEN IT!!! Why does this need to involve me?!?!!?” Don’t pull your hair out just yet. Take a deep breath, and remind your child that he can sharpen his pencil on his own, he can figure out where and what to do, and in the future he can just do it, without your permission first. Be careful not to simply give the permission they’ve asked you for, or this will just continue. Simply empower them to make their own decisions by gently reminding them every time that they don’t need permission, and they can do what they need to when they need to do it, because you trust them to make those decisions.

2. Being constantly scheduled.

Odds are, if your kids have spent time in the school system, they’ve gotten pretty used to having every moment scheduled for them. Classes are scheduled, breaks are scheduled, which subject is delivered when, for how long, and the content of that lesson, is all planned out by adults, and your child had zero say in any of it. And if you’re anything like us when our kids were in the system, school takes up so much of your life that your evenings and weekends are usually pretty planned out too with extra-curriculars, obligations, errands, scheduled playdates, and family outings. Your kids are just not used to making decisions for themselves or deciding for themselves how to use their own time.

This is why you get the “I’m bored”. And you look around at the dozens of toys, games, books, and technology that litter your house and think, “HOW?!? HOW are you not entertained?” But it’s not a matter of not having anything to do, it’s a matter of not knowing what to, because they aren’t used to that kind of choice.

If you think the solution is to micromanage their time, it’s not. I mean, you certainly can, if that brings you joy, and it’ll get rid of the “I’m bored” dilemma, but it won’t teach them anything. Instead, help them brainstorm a mega list of all the things there are to do in your house, and pin it up somewhere. Forbid the words “I’m bored” under threat of chores if you want to, and encourage them to figure out their own entertainment, without (gasp!) any direction from you.

3. Rushing

When my kids were in school, life was a constant rush. As soon as they got up in the morning it was rushing to get breakfast, get ready, get lunches packed, get everyone out the door on time. Kids are rushed and hustled around all day at school:

“Quickly and quietly through the halls please!”

“The bell rang, let’s get a move on!”

“I’m going to count to 3 and by the time I’m done I want everyone in their seats!”

“Get your snowsuit on! Get your boots on! Let’s go, you’re going to miss the bus home!”

The peaceful pace of homeschool can be such a culture shock, for your kids AND you. You now have the ENTIRE day to get 2ish hours of schoolwork done. Do you ever get that anxious, twitchy feeling that there are things that you need to be getting done? You know, that feeling you must be forgetting something important? Kids can feel that too! But they’re less capable than adults of labelling their feelings and anxieties and the roots of them. So, while you might just ring your hands, they might jump around on the living room furniture while you’re trying to have a Zoom meeting with your boss.

Try writing a schedule and putting it somewhere they can see that shows them all their free time blocks. Let them visually see how much free time there is going to be today and talk with them about what they think they might choose to do in those times. This will help them feel less uncomfortable with having open time, and help them learn to entertain themselves, if you begin with helping them make those unfamiliar decisions initially.

4. Fitting In

I’ve talked about the armor our kids wear to protect themselves at school, so I won’t bore you with that rant all over again. But I will say, fitting in is a survival necessity in school social culture.

When it comes to academics, kids also learn to assimilate and blend in. They learn that the “right” thing to do is to have the “right” answer. No outside the box ideas, no brain dumps, rants, or long trains of thought allowed- you’re holding up the class!

As a teacher I know that there’s always those kids who wants to tell you a 20 minute story about what their dog ate for breakfast, or go on and on about the new Pokémon card they got- and you half-listen while bustling around the room trying to get everything prepped and set up. Nodding and giving an “uh huh” as often as you can. Until you finally have to interrupt them with a gentle, “That’s really lovely, but I need you to take your seat now so we can start the class” or “That’s a great story, but we need to let someone else have a turn to talk now.” That child has unfortunately been shut down, shut up, and discouraged. It’s not the teacher’s fault- a classroom is a busy place and s/he has other things to do, other children to attend to. S/he DOES need to start class and other kids DO need a turn to talk. The longer your child has been in the school system, the more this natural curiosity, and love of learning, speaking and expressing their thought process has been shut down.

With your kids learning at home, if your aspiring veterinarian wants to talk about what the dog ate for breakfast in great detail, you can listen. You can google a YouTube video on dogs, you can talk about carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores, you can look at pup’s teeth to see how they differ from our own. You can make that train of thought an entire lesson if you want! Try not to stifle their thoughts when they come pouring out!

Maybe your child isn’t like this though. Maybe when you try to “make learning fun” (what a weird saying- when did learning stop being fun?) by letting them choose topics of interest all you get in response is “I don’t know”.

Maybe you try to teach in a Socratic fashion by asking questions, and all you get for answers are “I don’t know”.

Remember that they’ve learned in school to give the right answer, briefly, so class can move on. And they’ve also learned that if they don’t have the right answer, someone else will. So, what’s the point in giving it any lengthy thought? The answer will be provided by either another classmate or the teacher within 30 seconds! This is why your child is so quick to answer with “I don’t know”. In school, you don’t need to think about the answers to questions, you either have the answer or you don’t, and if you don’t, class moves on.

They’ve also learned to only learn what they’re told to (and because that rarely interests them, they’ve also learned to do the bare minimum required). When you ask something as open ended as “What would YOU like to learn about this year?” that question may just be so big and new that they actually “don’t know”.

They’ve never had a choice in their education before, so that may just be too big a question right now. Grab some pre-made curriculum or make your own plan on a topic you think they will like based on their interests and go from there. Help them re-open their minds and imaginations and rediscover their love of learning, and their ideas will come back to them!

The bottom line is, hang in there parents. You and your children are brand new to homeschooling, and you both have a lot of unlearning to do. Your groove will come. Your rhythm will be found. Be patient, be kind, be forgiving, take it slow. Lower your expectations. Now lower them again. Hang on to your sanity in these early days of this crazy new ride, and before you know it, you’ll have smooth sailing ahead of you.

Lindsey Casselman is a writer, teacher, and mom. She is the founder of Linden Tree Learning and a valued team member at Schoolio. Lindsey is passionate about helping all parents gain the tools they need to have a successful homeschooling journey.

When Homeschooling is Hard.

When you were considering homeschooling you probably heard the experienced home school moms says “We finish school in a couple hours, then the rest of the day is play time.” So, when you shifted your mindset, to actually stay home with your kids, you thought: ‘This is going to be awesome!’ But now you find yourself sitting at the dining room table, listening to your child whine about how they hate math. They literally have 3 math problems left and you’ve been stuck there for an hour. You’re probably wondering what you’re doing wrong. Wondering if your kid needs the school setting. Or if homeschooling was a huge mistake?

Now you sit here in your frustration, your anxiety, your feelings of inadequacy as a teacher. This right here was not what you signed up for. You signed up for something that made you feel connected to your child, something that helped them learn in a one on one setting. But you’re scratching your head thinking ‘WHY DID I DO THIS?’ Then there’s the whole virtual learning challenge. Maybe you didn’t take the full plunge into homeschool, but you decided to keep your child home and do the virtual learning option. Only to be overwhelmed by frustrations when the technology doesn’t work, or your kid can’t hear the teacher over all the other children’s noises.

You still find yourself sitting at the table with your child, as they spend countless hours sitting in front of a screen. You notice that they are beyond frustrated, but there’s not much you can do to soothe them because you also are extremely overwhelmed by this whole situation as well.

You find yourself longing for the days when you could just put your kid on a bus and let someone else educate them. Giving you some time to work, rest, clean, shop or visit friends. Let’s face it, life is completely different for so many of us. The overwhelm that we are facing today can be overtaking. It’s hard to manage your time and patience when so much is new, and more challenging. But you need to remember that you are an incredible human being, that has given up so much to help your child learn in a safe and healthy environment.

How can you keep calm on those days that just never seem to end? How can be a pillar of peace for your child when everything has turned crazy in their lives and yours?

First, remember that they are struggling too. For many kids this new virtual reality and/ or homeschool adventure can be really challenging to undertake. It’s not that they’re at you. They’re mad because their life has changed. They had no say in what happened, none of us did. No one had the chance to avoid a global pandemic. Remember, that your child is just trying to navigate this new reality. So, when he gets frustrated with you, or his virtual teacher, or his homeschool math problems – that’s not your fault.

Second, take breaks. It’s OK to walk away from the schoolwork. It’s OK to say “Hey you know what? We need the day off.” A day off doesn’t mean that they won’t be learning. Give them some Lego, let them build. Give them some paint, let them create. Get them an apron, let them bake. There’re so many ways to learn that don’t involve workbooks and schedules. There’re so many opportunities for them to learn about the world, about creating things, about having fun, and about taking care of themselves.

Third, model good behaviour. Obviously, you don’t want to throw a tantrum in front of your child about how much you despise homeschooling and or virtual learning. But if you’ve accidentally done so. Move forward. Show your child that it’s ok to become frustrated, but that we don’t sit in that frustration. We recognize the frustration and we move forward. Nothing is normal right now, and that is something that your child is feeling also. Connect with them, tell them that you’re also struggling. Model to them that it’s OK to share your feelings, that it’s OK to be frustrated.

Fourth, talk to your child. Ask your child whether there are ways that she thinks you both can improve this new chapter in your lives. Sit down, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY. Talk to your child like you are talking to your friend. Not a student, not your kid, a friend. Ask them how they are feeling, tell them what you’re thinking. Brain storm ideas to move forward.

Change is hard for everyone. We here at Schoolio understand that. Some of us handle it so much better than others. So, teach your child that even though change can be challenging, it doesn’t have to mean that you will both be miserable. There’s no instruction manual for how to homeschool during a pandemic and an increasingly changing world. Just take it day by day. Don’t be hard on yourself, don’t be hard on your child. You’re both trying, and there’s a lot to be said for that.

Jaymee Davis is a stay-at-home/work-at-home/homeschool mama. She wants you to enjoy homeschooling, even when it can be challenging. And is dedicated to helping you succeed in this new chapter.

Welcome: Schoolio Planning Freebies

What do you need to accomplish in each day when homeschooling? How can you keep your homeschool on track and set realistic goals that can be easily obtained without throwing you into a frenzy? We love our Schoolio Community, and we care deeply about how you are feeling as a homeschool parent. We don’t want you to feel stressed or worried that you are missing something, or spending the entire day trying to reach unrealistic goals.

So what is the best way to have a successful school day? Planning is the best strategy to begin with. So we had our expert planner, Lindsey, create some awesome free schedule planning tools to help you stay on track and not get overwhelmed.

One Month Calendar

Starting out by planning your month is a step in the right direction. You can include field trips, school days and days off on your monthly planner. Pro tip: Use pencil to fill out your monthly calendar, so you can easily erase and update.

Sometimes the plan has to change, that’s totally normal with homeschooling, so be sure to use pencil or erasable pen.

Now let’s break it down to a one week plan, Lindsey created an excellent template for planning out the week. In this planner template, every day is slotted to include Math, Science, Language, Art and so on. Be sure to write down what lessons in which subjects on what days they should be accomplishing them. Remember the Pro Tip, changing up the plan is totally normal.

Weekly Planner

The weekly planner comes in 1 student or 2 students form. If you have more than one child learning from home, you can take advantage of the Weekly Planner for 2 students. If you have more than 2 students, print out more than one page to match the number of students.

It’s beyond important to us that you are happy with your homeschool journey. Because we believe that homeschool should be enjoyable for you and your child, it doesn’t have to be ‘another stressful thing’ added to your already full plate. It can be such an enjoyable ride, that you and your child will never forget.

Take advantage of our free weekly planner and monthly planner downloads. Made free, because we care about your success, time and happiness.

Download our FREE Weekly Planner and One Month Calendar:

Weekly Planner – 1 Student

Weekly Planner – 2 Student

One Month Planner

The Homeschooling Mindset.

When it comes to living a happy life, experts agree that mindset is key. Changing your mindset to one of positivity is essential in your life journey, but what about your homeschool journey? Sathish Bala –CEO of Schoolio- asked Lindsey Casselman –Schoolio Team Member and founder of Linden Tree learning- how to get into the mindset of wanting to homeschool. She answered with ‘The biggest thing is to set your mind to being flexible.’

Why is flexibility key in homeschool? As Lindsey said “you have to be willing to let go of your plan.” Realizing that sometimes certain things are just not working for you and your child is key. All too often we compare homeschool to traditional school. We try to make them one in the same, when in all actuality homeschool is different. Obviously, you want to keep the education the same (which you can accomplish by using Schoolio’s Ontario Curriculum) but they’re different and It’s important to embrace the differences. Flexibility being on the top of the list.

Flexibility in homeschool is important for many different reasons, one being that it’s important to give our children a say. As Lindsey said she will sit down with her kids and say “Something isn’t working, what do you guys want to do differently?” Allowing your child’s voice to be heard is huge. And with homeschooling they get the opportunity to do that. In traditional public school, the child must learn the same way as the others. The child must accomplish what the others are. They must maintain that locked in schedule. The child’s voice becoming one of the hundreds of others in the school setting, easily being drowned out. The beauty of homeschooling is that your child has a say. Your child is heard. You can swap out the schedule, you can take an ‘explore nature day’, you can help them learn other important life lessons, like how to do laundry or cook. Things that are overlooked with traditional schooling yet are an essential part of living life.

Something I’ve learned with homeschooling is that EVERYTHING is a lesson. It’s not like I’m a teacher for 3 hours out of the day and the rest of the time my kids just have free reign of our household. No way! I’m a teacher all the time. I teach them to cook, to clean, to paint, to exercise, to enjoy life. A simple question from my child can become a lesson all on its own. There is no perfect way to homeschool, and that’s ok. Embrace the imperfections, teach your kids about flexibility in their schedule. Teach them that it’s OK to take breaks and do something other than the designated plan. Being a teacher is something that -believe it or not- you’ve been since your child was born. Teaching them to walk, talk, eat, interact, go to the bathroom. All these things you’ve done. So, teaching them core educational subjects is something that you CAN do. But you have to allow yourself space for flexibility and peace of mind.

What else matters when it comes to the best mindset for homeschool? Patience. Patience goes hand in hand with flexibility. Be patient with yourself and with your children. Emphasis on yourself. When you are impatient with yourself and allow the negative thoughts to take over your thinking frame, then you are destined to be short tempered with your children and just about every other aspect of your life. Be patient. Be flexible.

Amp yourself up. When you think to yourself ‘What am I doing?! Why am I doing this?! I’m not a teacher, what makes me think I can teach my kids?’ Let go of that negative self-talk. And replace it with thoughts that lift yourself up. ‘I am a good teacher.’ ‘I taught my child to read today!’ ‘I’m an exceptional parent, putting my child and their education first.’ Not everyone can homeschool their child, but look! You’re doing it! That is something that you should be insanely proud of. There’s absolutely no reason for you to treat yourself like garbage. You are a champion!

No day is going to be perfect, in fact most days may end up messy (especially when you’re beginning). And that’s ok. Teach your child to enjoy the imperfections. Teach your child to balance things out just like you are. Show your child how to love themselves by demonstrating it through kindness towards yourself. Remember, words hold power. Words of kindness, words that build you up, those are the best words to have in your vocabulary when it comes to your homeschooling mind-set. Don’t limit yourself by thinking negatively about yourself. You and your child can accomplish anything, today, tomorrow and every day. Homeschooling is freedom, so gain the freedom mindset. You’ve got this.

Jaymee Davis is a stay-at-home/work-at-home/ homeschooling mama. She is here to be your personal cheerleader, reminding you that you are able to accomplish anything, and homeschooling is definitely one of those things.

Let’s Talk About: Planning

When I talk about planning, I’m planning in two different ways: Long-Range and Short-Range. My Long-Range plans are my overall scope for the entire year, which I do before the year begins. My Short-Range is planning week by week, which I plan continuously all year long.

Let’s start with Long-Range planning. First I make a list of all the units I’m going to cover within each subject. If you’ve purchased an all-in-one curriculum like Schoolio, you basically already have this list in your table of contents.

I have two kids, and for efficiency of teaching, I teach them both all of each other’s Science and Social Studies. What does this mean? Well life gets crazy if I’m trying to teach my sixth grader a unit on Electricity in Science at the same time I’m trying to teach my fourth grader a unit on Animal Habitats, so instead they both learn Electricity, and then they both learn Animal Habitats.

When we do the sixth grade unit, my focus for understanding the content is on the sixth grader, for my fourth grader this is an introduction to a topic she’ll understand better in two years. But there’s no reason she can’t participate and learn now. When we turn to the book work, I either photocopy it for my fourth grader (if I think it’s level-appropriate for her), or they work on it as a team with the sixth grader at the helm doing the writing.

When we do the fourth grade unit, my focus for understanding the content is on the fourth grader. For the sixth grader this is a review of a topic he learned two years ago. But there’s no reason he can’t participate and get refreshed on the topic. When I ask questions and when we move to the book work, I remind my sixth grader to let the fourth grader have a go at most of the questions before he provides any answers.

So all that to say, for two kids I am Long-Range planning twice the number of subjects.

The reason long range planning is important is because you want a general idea of how all your subjects fit in to your year. You may have certain subjects you want at certain times of the year (for example, if you’re doing a unit on plants and you want to grow something, you may want to save that unit for the spring), and you also don’t want to get so caught up in one subject that you run out of time at the end of the year for other subjects you were excited about. You also don’t want to move too quickly and complete everything you wanted to for the school year in March, only to wish you’d gone deeper on the subjects you’ve already finished.

Here is an example of a Long Range plan on our Schoolio template for my grade 4 and grade 6 kiddos:

Sometimes I space certain subjects out, and leave entire weeks blank. These are usually my kids’ least favourite topics, so I like to give them a break from it here and there to refresh their minds and not drain them.

I also like to wind down a term by dropping subjects gradually in the weeks before a break, and warm up to a new term by gradually adding subjects after a break.

I also know certain weeks (like mid-November all the way until the new year; or when the weather turns nice in mid-May until end of June) are going to be extra busy with travel, family, or field trips. I never want to have to turn down an experimental, hands on learning opportunity like a field trip because I feel like we’re “behind” in traditional academics.

Once I have my Long-Range Planning done, I’m ready to start my year feeling more prepared in the knowledge of what subjects we are covering, and when. If you’re writing your own material, or you’re trying to figure out how many days per week you want to do a subject, these are easier to backwards plan from this Long-Range plan. If your Science is 10 lessons and you want to complete it in 5 weeks, you want to do Science twice a week. If your Science is 20 lessons and you want to complete it in 5 weeks, you need to do Science 4 days a week, and so on.

Next step is Short-Range planning, or weekly planning. One thing I will say about weekly planning is this: Do NOT plan it too far in advance! You never know when something (or several things) will mess up your best laid plans. Maybe a math lesson just isn’t clicking with your child and you find yourself needing a bunch of practice days before moving on to the next concept. Maybe a spontaneous field trip comes up, someone needs a sick day, or your kids are loving the science topic and you do two lessons in one day. You just never know! And these days WILL happen. Planning weeks and week in advance will cause you to have to redo your schedule many times. I’m a planner by nature and as a teacher I learned to have most of the year laid out well in advance, and I’d love nothing more than to plan my entire year down to the hour, then laminate that sucker and put it on my wall. But in homeschool that just doesn’t work. Trust me on this. I’ve learned this lesson over the years, and now I never do more than two weekly plan templates at a time. Even then I sometimes have to make changes, and they’re a scribbled mess by the end of the two weeks.

Here’s an example of two weeks of weekly planning for my two children:

Week One is very straight forward. I’ve used my purchased curriculum and I’ve slotted in the prescribed lessons in the recommended order. Easy peasy.

As you can see for some lessons my kids will do the same material and for others they will use other material.

Like this:

Their Language (writing) have the same topics, I just have different expectations of the level of work handed in from each of them. This is really helpful to have them both working on “autobiographies” on the same weeks, even if they have very different skill levels in writing.
Both kids are doing Gr. 4 Life Systems in Science.
Both kids are doing Gr. 6 History in Social Studies.

For the subjects that they have different work, like math and grammar, I like to handle them one-on-one. This looks like, one child has free time, or I’ve assigned some silent reading, while I work with the other child alone. It really depends on the kids and their strengths in various subjects. For us, my kids can each work on their own grammar at the same time, because I know only one of them is going to need much help from me. But when it comes to math I want to work with them separately, because I know they will both need help from me. Remember, you are not a ping pong ball!

Week two is starting to show off the beauty of homeschooling.

First a note, see how I plan in practice days, especially in Math? Not every day needs to be a new lesson, in fact, it shouldn’t be, or you’re not going to have all the information well understood and solidified. After many years of teaching my own children, I’m getting more familiar with guessing where they will need more practice and where they won’t. This is based on their own unique needs, but even with experience you just never know. In Week One I guessed my sixth grader would need an extra day to practice integers. It turned out he didn’t. In week two I thought my fourth grader would need two days to practice adding and subtracting to 10,000, it turned out she only needed one day of practice. Yes, here we are in week one and two, and we’re already veering wildly off course. Welcome to homeschooling!

And then, Nana and Papa ask to visit us for the weekend, arriving on Friday – yay! There’s no academics more important than quality family time, so, out with the plan again!

Here’s the changes I made to accommodate their visit:

I switched Creative Writing (usually on Wednesdays) with the final lesson for autobiographies (meant to be on Friday) so that the kids can finish up their autobiographies before Nana and Papa visit, and then I’ll have them prepare to present them orally to their grandparents. The grandparents will LOVE it and the kids get to practice an oral presentation AND share their hard work – triple win! And while they do independent creative writing on Friday morning, I can clean some of the house in preparation for guests.
I’m going to bump our reading time slot on Friday over to Thursday. I’m doing this so I have more free time to prep for guests Friday morning. No big deal, that’s an easy change that makes my life easier.
We will do our spelling test as scheduled, that doesn’t take much time.
Let’s just straight up cancel math it’s a) Friday and b) company! Doing Math is just nuts at this point.
We’re going to add an extra Science lesson on Friday afternoon Because the kids love Life Systems and I know Nana and Papa would love to watch a lesson in action. This is a fun one I know the kids will be engaged with.

One of the greatest parts of homeschooling is flexibility. We can take Friday off entirely if we want to and just be present with the grandparents, and the kids won’t “miss” what’s happening in the classroom. Because the classroom waits for them. Remember never force your life to fit around school, make homeschool fit your life, because life is what’s truly important.

Lindsey Casselman is the founder of Linden Tree Learning and a valued team member here at Schoolio. She not only writes the curriculum for your children, she also homeschools her own children and manages her hobby farm. This woman wears a super-hero cape under her clothes as she works hard to ensure that every parent enjoys their homeschool journey.

Would you like a copy of these amazing planning templates? Simply fill out the form below with your name and email.

In the message section write “Would like free templates” And the templates will be emailed to you in pdf form.

Is Homeschooling Right for You and Your Child?

If you are a parent considering homeschooling due to COVID-19, you are not alone. Homeschooling is seeing a global surge; 10% growth in 2020, compared to 6% before Covid.

Homeschooling may not be the right choice for all families, so how can you find out if it’s the right fit for yours?

If you’re pondering with the options of homeschooling your children, or putting them back in school. There are many factors you should examine first, to ensure it will be helpful for both your children and you.

So, let’s start with the benefits.

Choice of Educational Curriculum. Probably the most significant benefit of homeschooling is the ability to choose your child’s curriculum. You decide what your child studies, when they study, and for how long. No one knows your child better than you. And no one cares about your child’s progress more than you do. If you want to spend more time studying math, you can do so. If history is of particular importance to your child, you can include it in your child’s curriculum. Homeschooling also gives children the opportunity to spend more time focusing their studies on areas of interest, such as art or science.

Scheduling Freedom. Just like all forms of education, homeschooling can be demanding of your time. But in other way, it can be a significant relief to a very busy out of home schedule. Homeschool families are not constrained by the public school system’s daily, weekly, and monthly schedules. Families may choose to set up a homeschooling routine that no longer orbits around the school’s calendar and school hours.

Increased emotional and physical safety. These days bullying is prevalent in most public schools. While not every child is bullied, it happens to quite a few – and the result can be devastating. It’s not only emotionally damaging, but it makes learning and receiving a good education close to impossible for some kids. Homeschooling avoids all of these potentially harmful influences. Other negative consequences that homeschooling can sometimes avoids includes: peer pressure, competition and poor self-esteem issues. Homeschooled children also don’t have to worry about the “fitting in” aspect that plagues just about every child in the public school system.

Increased productivity. Public schools have a scarcity of teachers. Growing class sizes means students receive less one-on-one attention. Kids attending public schools often have a ton of homework – because the classroom setting isn’t conducive to getting a lot accomplished in a day. Homeschooled kids rarely have “after school” tasks, as the assignments are completed while class is in session.

Better Sleep. Sometimes sleeping in, just a little bit, is just what you need. Early morning sleep can be beneficial, especially for kids that aren’t morning people. Homeschooling starts when the child naturally wakes up fresh and ready to learn.

What about the negative side of Homeschooling?

Heightened stress. Homeschooling your children can be stressful at times. Homeschooling takes a lot of time and effort from you as the parent. Day in and day out, lessons have to be prepared and taught. Parents who homeschool have to deal with many of the same issues as teachers do. They must also provide their children with hands-on learning experiences and activities. Homeschooling is not spent at the kitchen table with textbooks and worksheets – as many people envision.

It can be costly. Homeschooling isn’t cheap, primarily if you’re used to being in a two-income household. Almost all homeschooling homes are one-income families. Living off of one income is a result of one parent usually assuming the role of teacher for their children. This can be a big sacrifice if money is tight – but most homeschooling families find the sacrifice well worth it because of the many benefits of having their children learning in such a positive environment. There is also the cost of books and supplies to consider. As homeschooling is not subsidized by taxpayers dollars – as public schooling is – parents must cover all costs associated with homeschooling. (some states and provinces do offer some funding)

Heightened scrutiny. Even though there are more homeschoolers today than ever before, homeschooling faces increasing scrutiny, criticism and negative pressure from government and mainstream educational organizations. Some critics can’t handle seeing parents do a better job educating their children than the “highly” trained professionals in the public education system.

To summarize, the choice is yours. Both homeschooling and public education have their pros and cons. At Schoolio, we believe parents should choose the best method that empowers their child to love learning – stay curious and find passion in becoming a lifelong learner.