by Barbara Whitlock

Created on: July 29, 2009

Back-to-school time for homeschoolers involves reconnecting with homeschool communities, signing up for after-school enrichment opportunities and getting prepared for the learning year - similar to school-going families. Homeschooler parents also face teacher-like duties. But homeschoolers get to decide when to start and how they style their home-learning environment. For homeschoolers, back-to-school allows more flexibility than the back-to-school deadline for most parents.

But the press of the school-going dominant culture factors in as well. Like all children seduced by advertising, my homeschooling children want "new stuff." Fortunately we hit the back-to-school specials after the fact, when everything hits clearance ranks. Those bargains come in handy, as we make sure we've purchased curriculums, paid for homeschool coops, outside classes, music lessons, tutors, etc.

In the early days of homeschooling I reveled in being a rebel. We followed nature's seasons, and declared summer's end on September 21. Of course, we still wanted that early Memorial Day summer start too. Fortunately, homeschoolers have freedom to pace their learning, and loads of time to keep pace with learning interests and goals during the long school hours that others keep. One-on-one instruction does not take 6 hours a day - fortunately. Plenty of time to fit in learning needs and take advantage of each season to the fullest.

The school year schedule impacts in other ways too. Music lesson sign-ups follow the school year schedule. Same with art classes, gymnastics, town sports, theatre troupes, dance companies, etc. In order for homeschoolers to feel in the flow of things homeschool coops start in and around traditional school times. This also helps families who have "gone bi" (some kids homeschooling and others in schools) time vacations and other scheduling needs.

As a result of all these seasonal scheduling pressures, many homeschoolers also begin their "school" year at about the same time as those going to formal schools outside the home. In light of this, homeschoolers, just like teachers, must:

* Gather curriculum material.

* Organize learning spaces.

* Plan scope and sequence.

* Think ahead to related field trips.

* Work on socialization challenges among the children.

* Adjust domestic life to the demands of a new school (going-back-to-work) year.

* Homeschoolers often have to submit home education plans to school officials, in similar ways that teachers are accountable

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