Whether you are a perfectionist or not an organized school day is not only a possibility but also a very beneficial use of your time. Once the preliminaries such as selecting and purchasing your curriculum and setting up the area of study that best suits your family are complete, you can begin your daily preparations in earnest.
An important first step is to divide each topic per student by the number of required teaching days. This shows you how many pages will need to be accomplished daily. Some grade school subjects such as "Health" are much smaller books than others. For these subjects I divided the amount of pages the amount of pages by the number of days in the first semester. During that period of time my children were required to do all the written answers and all the tests per chapter. During the second semester we would read through each chapter once again. This time, however, our children were given questions and quizzes verbally. This reiterated what they had previously learned, and made it more fun for them.
Contrary to the opinion of many parents, a proper bed time is important. Growing bodies need rest. From the time our children were one year old through grade school they were in bed by 8:00 pm. In Junior High they went to bed at 8:00 pm but could read from eight until eight thirty. In High School bedtime was by or before 9:00 pm. The exceptions were for church-related services and activities. They all did well scholastically. I believe proper rest to be a key factor.
Proper eating habits are a must. Bodies of any age need essential vitamins and minerals. Snacks should lean toward fresh fruits and veggies and away from ice cream and sweets. Our children's meals were at seven am, twelve and five pm.
Since students learn better when they are rested, it is wise to schedule their most difficult subjects during the morning hours. Some parents find it helpful to stagger these courses for their children. This allows them more freedom to help each child individually. Your older students can help the younger ones when they have time. It is also wise to allow some time for 'getting the wiggles out' or refreshing their minds. There are many ways to do this; for example, jumping jacks, running a few laps around the yard, or going up and down stairs. Our personal favorite was the mini trampoline (rebounder). Many things were memorized over the years as our children bounced, jumped, or jogged in place. Deep breathing is also very helpful, as it brings more oxygen into the brain.
Certain formalities were required in our academy. Our young scholars were to be dressed and in their seats by eight am, at which time we began our opening exercises. This requirement aided in teaching them character.
Although younger students need more attention, one of your goals should be to teach them to work independently. Once your child can read they need to read their instructions by themselves. If they do not understand it they need to read them over a total of three times. On the occasion that has not helped, have them read it out loud once. By now they know to read quietly. Then, and only then, they need to come to you for help. Lest you think this too harsh, allow me to say as a mother of multiples it was one of the best pieces of advice I have ever been given. It went a long way in teaching our children how to solve their own problems. Since our end goal is to have raised an intelligent, self-motivated adult, I believe this to be very beneficial in that regard.
To stay ahead of the game, grade papers while your children are working independently. For younger students, grade each page as you go over it with your child. Do not criticize their mistakes! Instead, teach them how to think through the situation and come up with the proper answer. Children do not know how to think and reason things out as an adult. They need to be taught this very important lesson as well. Another idea is to allow older students to help grade younger sibling's work. This helps refresh what they have already learned.
Keep a good supply of pencils, pens and paper for your class. Since 'repetition is the best teacher' we required an extra page of penmanship from each child daily. We also had them write out their math facts and spelling words. We did not, however, always use paper. We had dry erase boards and markers, as well as cellophane overlay sheets. We purchased those from a teacher supply store. Some of the dollar stores now offer teaching aids. Look around for the most budget-friendly supplies.
Example of class schedule:
Kindergarten
8:00 to 8:30 Bible/Religious Study
8:30 to 9:00 Mathematics
9:00 to 9:30 History/Social Studies
9:30 to 10:00 Science
10:00 to 10:30 Phonics
10:30 to 11:00 Reading
11:00 to 11:30 Penmanship
11:30 to 12:00 Music/Art/Gym*
First through Twelfth Grades
8:00 to 8:40 Bible/Religious Study
8:40 to 9:20 History
9:20 to 10:00 Math
10:00 to 10:40 English
10:40 to 11:20 Science
11:20 to 12:00 Home Ec/Shop
12:00 to 12:30 Lunch
12:30 to 1:10 Foreign Language
1:10 to 1:50 Health
1:50 to 2:30 Speech
2:30 t0 3:00 Music/Art/Gym*
*These can be two or three times a week. Rotate Weekly.
These schedules are only samples and can be adjusted to any curriculum and time frame that suits your family. Music, art and gym can be incorporated into the schedule or added after school hours.
Although being scheduled is important, some flexibility is necessary. Use great caution in this area. Do not allow yourself to be flexible to the point of going beyond a normal school year for unimportant reasons.
The first year of home schooling can be the most intimidating. Since "necessity is the mother of invention", you may even surprise yourself with new ways to accomplish your children's education. Every dream begins with one step. Take it. Then add another and another. Before you know it, your school year will be complete. The experience of every up and down, every good, and every bad day will prepare you for the next school year.