Summertime Reading, Planning, and More

Summer is a great time to compile your student’s reading list, in preparation for college applications.  A reading list is simply a list of books your child has read, including title and author.  Often requested by colleges, and sometimes useful for scholarship applications, reading lists are an important part of your student’s high school record.  Include books you have assigned your children to read over the summer, books they’ve used in their coursework, and books they read just for fun.  Encourage your children to keep track of their own reading, if possible. Unfortunately, no matter what I tried, my children didn’t keep their own lists! They were excellent readers, but they had absolutely no interest in creating a reading list. Instead, I had them bring me the books they read and I added to their list each week.  However it works for your family, the important thing is to make the list.

Summer is also the time to plan ahead for the next school year.  It’s the time when you should purchase curriculum and develop your schedule and goals for the coming school year.  If you have a middle or high school student, think about what courses they’ll need to cover in order to get into college.  If you schedule the upcoming school year now, you can encourage independent learning in the fall—just give them the schedule to follow!  Another way to plan ahead is to read books that you will require your children to read for school. You can read the assigned literature during the summer, when you have more time, and you’ll be ready to discuss it during school

As you think about your homeschool tasks this summer, remember that you are a professional educator. Consider your own need for continuing education too.  Perhaps you can attend a homeschool convention, or buy books and videos that will help you be a better home educator.  Invest in yourself.  This is your chosen profession, and it’s worth the effort.  For some great ideas on summer planning and preparation for the upcoming year, I recommend ordering Getting the Most out of Your Summer.

And remember to include a little rest and relaxation. Don’t worry if you’re a little behind on your homeschool tasks.  Summer is here, and it’s the best time to catch up on these things.  Think how great you’ll feel when the fall comes around, and you’re ready to roll!



Your best strategy for keeping all those balls in the air is preparation.  The HomeScholar Gold Care Club will give you the comprehensive help you need to homeschool high school.