Creating a Homeschool Compass
You know that sweet sound of silence and the overwhelming peace that comes when the little people you have been caring for all day have gone to bed? It was one of those nights, when I first learned about homeschool compasses.
At the time, my kids were 7, 5, and 2. I was also a newb in this homeschool world (a little over a year under my belt) and just wanted to do a good job at this homeschool mom gig, you know?!
And so, instead of getting the sleep required of me to be a fresh and functional mama the next day, I stayed up late scouring the interwebs for homeschool wisdom and inspo that I desperately needed.
I landed on a specific post from my fave blog at the time, and … my homeschool journey was forever changed.
Seriously. That post was a game-changer and I honestly don’t know what our homeschool now would look like without something called homeschool compasses.
Sooooo, what is a homeschool compass and why should you create one?
WHAT IT IS:
We all know that a regular compass is a navigational device that can help keep us on track to our ultimate destination by giving us direction. With a compass, we can stop at any point along our journey to determine whether or not we are still on course, based on our orientation.
In the same way, a homeschool compass serves as a navigational device for our family’s ultimate vision. It is a tool to help us recalibrate, as needed, the steps we are taking so that we can stay on track with our family’s long-term objectives.
WHY YOU SHOULD CREATE ONE:
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
You may have a vision for your homeschool, but what good is a vision if you don’t create a path for reaching it?
Clearly, it is impossible to map out every single detail of your homeschool journey, so I’m not saying to do that.
What I am saying is that it will serve you well to take time every 3-6 months to determine your orientation.
Is what you have been doing in the last several months getting you closer to your vision or moving you further away from it? How about the plans you are making for this next season of learning? Are you putting things on your homeschool plate that aligns with your family’s “true north”?
Creating homeschool compasses along your journey is like checking a regular compass – it gives you opportunities to assess where each of your children are at and whether your entire family is on track or not.
HOW TO CREATE A HOMESCHOOL COMPASS:
- Carve out one-on-one time with each child; this is such a special time where each child has mama’s undivided attention and can freely download their heart’s dreams
- Review the last 3-6 months with him/her to determine how much progress they’ve made and if they are on track with their goals
- Together, create a new compass to help direct the next 3-6 months of learning
I actually unpack these tips in more detail in my guide, Homeschool on Purpose, which walks you not only through the process of creating a family homeschool vision, but also dives deep into how we utilize this compass method in our homeschool (including a done-for-you printable that you can use).
As unschoolers, the homeschool compass system has helped my kids take ownership of their own education and have guided them along the way as they intentionally pursue learning about God’s world.
It’s also helped them stay accountable to their goals, which is a life skill that not many people possess! With compasses, my kids have been able to assess and reflect throughout the year and make necessary adjustments that are in alignment with their own God-given vision and mission.
Frankly, I believe this practice alone has served them way better than the actual studying of academic subjects!