I looking for advice as to how important organization is for homeschooling? I have considered it for the last 2 yrs, but have given in to sending her back to her private christian school. My 8 yr old daughter and I have clashing personalities. Also, I am trying to have her tested through my county school district for a Math disability. I also think she may have ADD. This year (2nd grade) she is literally failing math. The teacher did not bring it to my attention earlier in the year and I was always the one trying to get in contact with her. Here it is the end of the year and she has a D on her 3rd quarter. Finally now the teacher is willing to try different techniques with her for her to understand the math more ... Kind of late, huh. Anyway, I guess this has been what is keeping me back from making that commitment. I am not very organized and structured. Help!, any advice?

Thanks Giselle

Well I know it takes all types to make the world go around. I get daily opposition on homeschooing from my son, mother, etc. We fight and fight me and my oldest. I keep kidding with my husband saying when the 5 yo gets like this I am ready to send him to ps. HAHA Anyway, I said all that to say---there is no perfect way to HS. You have to find what is right for you--right for your kids, disabilities or not. I have my oldest has Autism. So he fights with me for no reason.

Anyway, you could always try for a year and see how it goes and then at worst case you only spent a year. I think you would be great at it. If I can do it anyone can do it. Just keep records records records. Of course I am saying all this and my oldest is 5 and I have only done this one year and I did not do everything right I know.

I bet there are some others out there who know more about this than me

Oh yeah and check out your states laws for Homeschooing

Don't just take my word for it. . .Ladies??????

Thanks Carmen, I am still researching and I have checked out the Laws for my state. I have a few friends who homeschool but I sometimes feel that I am inadequate. Thanks for the encouraging words and advice.

Giselle

I can't give you any advice because I am the queen of disorganisation. I have days when I feel like an utter failure as a homeschooler, because of my lack of structure and organisation. Despite this, I still feel that my kids are better off being homeschooled...on so many more levels than only academics.

Hmmmm, I am going to offer some advice after all...and I'm reminding myself here...your homeschool will work out if you can set yourself some loose goals about what you want to accomplish with your daughter. I'm talking about only a few really loose goals that involve the most important skills you want her to learn. Knowing a bunch of facts is really not all that important. Knowing how to learn and apply what is learned is invaluable. A goal I have right now is to get my middle son fluent in his reading, for instance. I am letting that guide a lot of our activities and my teaching.

Once you have some goals, write them down, keep them in a prominent place. For my son's kindergarten year I had a list of goals on the wall and it served as a constant reminder of what we were working towards. When your lack of organisation gets the better of you, and you lose track for a day or two, (or more, like me ) just pick yourself up, take a look at that list and get going again. The awesome thing about homeschooling is that learning never stops. I often think I have missed it because I got sidetracked, yet looking back I realise that is not the case. The kids were just learning different things. And as long as I have a general idea where I'm going, and stick to that to the best of my (distractible, easy going, haphazard perfectionistic-procrastinator) ability, we're OK.

If the only structure we have is some good goals, and we are working towards that in our relaxed homeschool style, I'm happy.

I have no organizational advice except to use notebooks for different subjects. That's been a lifesaver for me! I'm not organized by nature - I'm one of those people who make wonderful lists and then forget to refer to them.

You have nothing to lose - your daughter is not doing well in her current situation. Why don't you try homeschooling for a year and see how it works? Missing the third grade certainly won't ruin her life (or yours), even if she doesn't learn ANYTHING at home. And that isn't likely!

Melanie

If you want to see disorganized, look in my closets. That's where I hide everything so the rest of the house doesn't look too shabby. That's my housekeeping method and I'm sticking to it!

Sumi and the their ladies had some wonderful words of wisdom. We have a daily routine for school work and as long as we cover that, I am satisfied. Everything else is like extra credit! I have one pantry dedicated to the homeschooling supplies and keep all the books we use everyday together ... so I can find them!

I also wanted to say that I got overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I read on homeschooling. It seemed like a monumental task with a million decisions to be made. I think if you jump in and get your feet wet, you will find it is easier to do than to plan. Allow yourself to make some mistakes (with scheduling or expectations or curriculum choices) and you will do fine.

And one more word of advice: do NOT compare yourself to other homeschoolers. What works for one family may not work for yours.

I understand completely what Mom of BunBun said about having one closet/pantry to keep stuff in. . .mine is a coat closet. . .pretty small but gets the job done. But otherwise I would loose everything. I am going through mountains of paperwork on each child from birth all the papers they have needed for this therapist or that dr to see them. I finally got each child a notebook (see FlyLady section Zone 5) I asked how some handled all the paperwork between bills and therapy plans for home and dr information. . .3 kids and lots of therapy and dr's and orthopedic devices. . .not to mention bills and church information about my husband being pastor so we have addresses on all members/I am involved in two groups one for Multiples since I have twins and one for homeschooling So have lots of papers to keep up with. So her idea in flylady section was to have one notebook per child for their therapy/dr's and all.

Then I have HS notebooks on (right now the oldest has ONE for Lesson plans and art we keep and pictures of field trips, then I have 4 folders. . .we are working on Lifepac-Alpha Omega K Math and Language Arts and they are divided into Book 1 Math/Language Arts and Book 2 Math Language Arts. . .so I have 2 Folders for Math--Book 1 in one folder and book 2 in another folder and LA Book 1 in one folder and Book 2 in another folder) and that is not including our reading books I have and Science for later and I can not even imagine what I will do when I have 12 folders for all children. . .really more because then the oldest will have 5 "academics" so I guess there will be 10 folders for oldest and in beg 8 folders for twins. . .till later when there will be 30 folders. . .wow!!!!!!!!!!!!

I barely can find my purse when it is time to leave the house!!! HAHA

Oh well. . .I know I am growing each day. . .and maybe by the time they are in College I will be organized and look back on all this and smile. Saying been there done that!!!

Car

Wow Ladies, you all have provided me with a wealth of encouragement. I am soooo happy to hear that I am not the only one who is disorganized and that I can still accomplish this task if I choose to. Of course, with all of you help and encouragement it may not be as difficult as I am thinking it is going to be. I continue to pray and ask for guidance as I make my decisions. Thanks you all!