Even though we are close to finishing school, mentally, I have already skipped over these last few weeks, and right into summer. I want to be free. School should be over already! As tempting as it is to say that we are, “close enough” and call it quits, I refuse. We are not done yet. I am going to finish strong this year -(at least that is what I’ve been praying). That said, here is my list of goals to accomplish before that glorious last day of school arrives:
1. Make a list of what I need to focus on with each child for the next school year.When I sit down to plan school a month or two from now, I won’t remember all the things that needed some work. The fix? I make a list for each of my kids of things that I want to work on. I also include any special activities or books that I want to remember to use. This makes my planning much easier, and helps prevent gaps in what they know later.
2. Pull out and organize any work that I want to continue over the summer. If I have to go digging through stacks of papers and used workbooks to find that one page that we were saving for later, we’re probably not going to use it. I have a folder that I keep handy through the school year to put unused pages into that we can do over the summer. Taking it out and accessible makes it more likely that I will use it.
3. Clean up the mess. Yes, I can admit that I don’t organize and clean up the papers and books from the school year when school is over. I am usually so ready to be finished that we just walk away and leave it or shove it into a pile. I am determined to clean it up this year and feel completely finished. Cleaning up will also make it much easier when it’s time to start school again.
4. Send any necessary reports to officials. Before the year is over we complete standardized testing. I then have to send those results into the school board. (It may be different in your area.) I also send along with those results my intent to homeschool for the next year so that is not on my to-do list for the rest of the summer.
5. Order any books that we need for the next school year. I like to get this done now so that the books are here for me to look over, at my convenience. This also helps to keep my items from getting on the back-order list because I waited to order during the busy season of August.
6. Go intentionally into summer. I’ve had summers where the first week off school I was mentally paralyzed. I did not know what to do first, and my to-do list for the summer seemed overwhelming. I have to make a conscience change in my schedule, set some goals, and make a plan to accomplish them. If I don’t do that my daily schedule will just happen, and the results won’t be pretty. I will whittle away my time on a never ending to-do list, and at the end of the summer I will realize those things weren’t really what was important to me. Prayerfully seek what the Lord really wants you to do, and what you should let go, and then make a plan. Don’t live by your to-do list.
Now that I have a focus, I am hoping that I will be able to concentrate on these last few weeks of school. I want to finish what is left to do, and have a plan to move consciously into summer. Skipping over these last few details that finish the school year might be easier now, but I am sure that I would regret it later.
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