January Plans

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Even though I don't make New Year's Resolutions, I definitely view a new year with a brand new calendar as an excellent opportunity to get started on making changes and starting new habits. It's also a time to look ahead to what the new year and even just the new month might bring, and making some plans to make those things happen. 

So here are a few things that I plan to work on during January, at least in our homeschool and in my blogging world.

Most importantly, we need to get back to a productive routine in our homeschool, and make sure we're on track to get the schoolwork done on schedule. Our routines usually suffer in the month of December, and I do plan ahead for that, but I think this past month was even less productive than I'd anticipated. We traveled more than I'd originally expected to, and the Christmas season was just different and more spread out this year, so it feels like a long time since we've put in a solid school day. So today, I made sure the kids were up on time (more or less) and we are doing our best to get caught up as best we can. I'll need to spend some dedicated time on the assignment lists and see what needs to be adjusted. It's especially important for Landon to focus, since grad is coming up in just a few months, and that means there's not much room to procrastinate!

Related to that, first semester ends in January, so that means I will be getting all the grading caught up so I can give the kids their report cards and submit updates for their transcripts. Amazing how an upcoming deadline makes me feel like I need to hurry and catch up, no matter how well I've planned ahead for it! Or maybe I realize that I didn't plan ahead well enough after all. In any case, I need to work on the grading. Thankfully it's fairly easy and even enjoyable, because I use Homeschool Tracker Online to do it.

Although it was pretty nicely organized at the beginning of the school year, my homeschool "stuff" needs tidying, so I've decided to try and keep up with an Organize Your Homeschool in 20ish Days challenge, co-hosted by The Canadian Homeschooler and DownshiftingPRO.com. (You can join in using the above link - it's a month-long Facebook event, and you can join in any time. There are some prizes that will be offered, but only participants from Canada will be eligible.) For Week 1 we will be working on organizing all of those things that are considered homeschooling supplies; and each day will have a specific focus. Today is Day 1, and the challenge is to sort our collections of pens, pencils, and erasers and make some sense of them. Just yesterday I was thinking that my so-called desk organizer was not very organized and could use sorting out, so that's timely. I think I'll try to include a brief update on my progress with this challenge in my Homeschool Weekly posts each Saturday this month.

And speaking of my blog posts, I have some writing to do! Coming up this month here on Homeschool Coffee Break, I am planning to share things like:

- some favorite books for a Schoolhouse Review Crew round-up

- my One Word post for 2016 (I have to finalize my word too!)

- the final installment of the Homeschooling High School blog hop series

- artwork in the Virtual Fridge link-up each week

- High School Lesson Book link-up posts each week

- Blogging Through the Alphabet posts

- and maybe some other goodies too!

The new Schoolhouse Review Crew year is under way, and although I don't yet know all the details, there's a good possibility that my family will be able to start working with some products before the month is out. In the meantime, be on the lookout for the SchoolhouseTeachers.com reviews that I and other Crew members will be sharing this week! (Visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog starting on Tuesday to find links to all the reviews.)

And finally, my book blog should be busy in the weeks ahead as well. Just A Second is where I share thoughts on books and a few other things, and I'm looking forward to some 2016 Reading Challenges there, so please stop by and see what I'm reading. 

(Plus - Just A Second also starts with J.)

Goodness, that seems like a lot on my to-do list, and it's only the homeschooling and blogging things! There's also a long list of things that I'll be planning on in my family, homemaking, church, and social circle worlds! I'd better get busy! I'll need more coffee!

What kind of plans do you have for your homeschool in January? Leave a comment and let me know!

This post is linked at Blogging Through the Alphabet, hosted by Cristi at Through the Calm and Through the Storm and Meg at Adventures with Jude. This week participating bloggers are featuring the letter J.

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