Cindy Rinna

  • Blog
  • Homeschool
    • Pre-School
    • Charlotte Mason
    • Curriculum
    • Life
  • Outside-the-Box Kids
    • Autism
    • ADHD
    • Dyslexia
  • Podcast
  • Booklists
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact
You are here: Home / Outside-the-Box Kids / On Planning Your School Year: The (Almost) Back to School Episode

On Planning Your School Year: The (Almost) Back to School Episode

Outside-the-Box Kids

22 Jul

I’m big on philosophy when it comes to education but at some point we need to stop thinking and discussing and actually do the thing. This is the nuts and bolts of it all. 

How do we actually homeschool? What is the super practical application of the beautiful Charlotte Mason Philosophy? 

This article is going to be chock full of links, but here are the very basic basics:
(psssst…pay special attention to link for the FREE Get Started Guide to break this down even further ;))

  1. If your child is under 6, get all thoughts of curriculum shopping out of your head and commit to these three things instead: 
    Read great books, Go outside, Work on habits. (Trust me). 
    That said, sometimes we are so excited about homeschooling, we just want to take it out on someone (i.e. your oldest child). If that’s you, consider this. 😉
  2. If your child is school aged or high school aged, decide if you want to rely on an all-in-one curriculum like Ambleside Online or Simply Charlotte Mason, or if you’d like to piece it together for yourself. 
  3. Figure out what you want to teach each child (individual work) and what you can combine (group work, aka Morning Time). Or flip these if that makes more sense for you.
  4. Use a planner of some sort to help you stay organized.
  5. If you are putting together your own curriculum, plan your year/term/week (this podcast breaks this down).
  6. Decide where these things will fit in your day (routine).
  7. Cut the fat (we always want to do too much; make Margin now or regret it later).
  8. Make your list and collect the curriculum and supplies you’ll need (Borrow, bargain-hunt, or buy). 
  9. Pick a start date. I suggest a Wednesday, not a Monday. You can also ease in and start Morning Time only on Monday, add individual readings on Tuesday, shoot for full day on Wednesday or whatever works best for your family. Make start day fun — cook a big delicious breakfast and take “back to school” pictures afterwards.
  10. Adjust the plan as needed. Remember, curriculum is a tool, not the master 😉

Read more on my Substack

Listen instead:

Share this:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Related

4 Comments

Previous Post: « On the High School Years: The Beginning of the End
Next Post: On Hymn Study: The Homeschooling by Subject Series »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 168jililogin says

    October 25, 2026 at 9:39 am

    Login is fast and the games start instantly. No lagging or crashes which is exactly what I need when gaming. 168jililogin makes everything so effortless.

  2. krvipkrvip125 says

    October 20, 2026 at 9:17 am

    Finally found a site that doesn’t lag during peak hours. The bonus offers are actually decent and not just bait. Great experience so far at krvipkrvip125.

  3. 888slotapps says

    December 8, 2025 at 2:00 pm

    Hey guys! Just discovered 888slotapps and it’s pretty cool. Lots of fun slot games to check out. Definitely worth a spin if you’re looking for something new! Check it out here: 888slotapps

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Hey there!

Hey there!

I'm Cindy Rinna...so glad you stopped by. I love to inspire other moms on their homeschool journey and share in the joys and challenges of homeschooling an outside-the-box child. Stick around to enjoy Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschool how-tos, expert interviews, carefully curated booklists, and curriculum reviews all seen through the lens of what can best serve our kiddos with autism, ADHD, and/or dyslexia.

View Full Profile →

Create a homeschool that fits your family

Top Posts & Pages

  • How to Start a Homeschool Group (and Why You Should) with Danielle Easley, Co-Founder of Connect
    How to Start a Homeschool Group (and Why You Should) with Danielle Easley, Co-Founder of Connect
  • Autism Breakthrough: a Book Review
    Autism Breakthrough: a Book Review
  • How to Teach Your Child to Do Chores: Try Zone Work Instead
    How to Teach Your Child to Do Chores: Try Zone Work Instead
  • Autism in the Teen Years with Raun K. Kaufman
    Autism in the Teen Years with Raun K. Kaufman
  • Our Favorite "Special Needs Friendly" Curriculum
    Our Favorite "Special Needs Friendly" Curriculum
  • Meeting Charlotte Mason: The Great Outdoors
    Meeting Charlotte Mason: The Great Outdoors

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • X

Categories

Search

Disclosure

This website contains affiliate links. When an affiliate link is used, it is clearly labeled in the post. "Affiliate link" is a fancy way of saying that I am lightly compensated by a company when you click on that link and purchase a product of theirs. Your price does not increase but I do get a tiny "thank you" portion from the company for recommending their products. I only have an affiliate relationship with products I use and love.

Archives

Search

a division of Rinnagade Productions

Copyright © 2026 · Refined Theme Theme by Restored 316

Loading Comments...