Ask Your People for Feedback

The last couple weeks, we've been looking back at the previous school year. We've thought about what went well and what didn't go so well. This week, we're going to collect a little more data by asking our people to weigh in.

Who should you ask? I would start with these two groups of people: 1) your significant other, and 2) your kids. Anyone beyond that may be too far removed to give helpful feedback, but if there are other folks who spend a significant time contributing to your homeschool (grandparents, a nanny, etc.), you might ask them as well.

What should you ask? The same two questions you've asked yourself: 1) What worked well in our homeschool this year? and 2) What didn't work so well in our homeschool this year?

You don't need to ask for solutions at this point - you're just trying to assess the situation and take into account the opinions that matter to your homeschool. You might be surprised by some of the answers. (One year, my eldest told me she wanted to do math 5 days a week instead of 4, and math had been a battleground.)

Try not to be defensive when you hear the answers to your questions. If you are in charge of the homeschooling duties, it might feel like a personal attack, but it probably isn't. For instance, a child saying, "I didn't like that you made me repeat the same phonics lesson many times in a row" is not saying, "You are a boring teacher."

If you decide to ask your family for feedback, send me a message and let me know. I'd love to hear how it went for you!