Orientation Day | Home Educating Family Association Blog

Do you enjoy new beginnings? I most definitely do. When the school year rolls around, I grin
with the excitement of New Year?s Day. My mind travels back to memories of new pencil boxes,
brand new outfits, and rows upon rows of school supplies, waiting for the ink and promise of a
fresh new year.

When our family began our homeschooling journey back in the Dark Ages that were the 90s, I
looked for ways to create ?markers? in the lives of my children. They were never going to need
a brand new outfit to impress their friends on the first day, nor a new backpack, lunchbox, or a
host of other special things. But what they did need ? and what I needed ? were tangible markers
to say, ?This is our journey. We dedicate it to the Lord, and we celebrate it together.?

With that in mind, my husband and I established a pattern for our first day of school, which by
the Lord?s grace hasn?t been broken in ? gulp ? 15 years. Here?s a look at how we make our very
first day of school special:

1. To start off, I must explain that our first day of school is affectionately called ?Orientation
Day?. This concept ? inspired by my husband?s suggestion ? frees me from the tyranny of the
stack of books and planned work, and allows me time to just focus on my children. No one
does any work on Orientation Day! We may set up notebooks or organize our books, but no
academic work is completed.

2. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Here?s where my formerly-scrapbook-obsessed personality
shines. I take a picture of each child at their desk, often with their favorite book, and then we
all head outside for a picture on the front steps of our home. After printing the pictures, I
display them right in front of my desk, where I work on plans and grade papers. One look at
my crew brings a smile to my face and often inspires me to keep on when the days grow long.

3. On my eldest daughter?s first day of kindergarten (1997!), I helped her to fill out a
questionnaire I developed. Called the First Day of School Questions, this page gives me a
peek into the heart and mind of my children. Each child answers questions for me; we start
with basic questions along the lines of ?How old are you?? and ?What grade are you in??

Further down the page they record, ?What is your yuckiest food?? ?What are you good at??
and ?What would you like to study this year?? I?ll never forget the year one of our three-year
olds just cut the bottom half of the page to shreds! Apparently she was working on scissor
skills that year. . . . . . I keep each list of questions with their permanent records for the year.

Yes, I actually have ALL thirteen lists of questions that my college student answered for me!
They are a treasure.

4. After filling out our questionnaires, I meet with each child individually for 20-30 minutes.
Together, without the pressure of deadlines and timetables, we look through their new
materials, discuss routines and schedules, and talk about their hopes, goals, and dreams for the
year. We pray together and prepare our hearts for the weeks and months to come. With a
family of five children, I look forward to this individual time to listen attentively and
prayerfully connect with each child.

5. Finally, we?re on to the fun part! We head out for one special school supply and either an ice
cream cone or lunch, as the budget allows.

I hope this peek at our Orientation Day spurs you on to think of ways that you can make the
beginning of school special for your children. May God bless and guide you as you seek to serve
Him faithfully in your homes this next year!

Now it?s your turn! How do you like to start the school year? Let us know in the comments below.Pin It

Source: http://www.homeschoolconvention.com/blog/orientation-day/

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