9 Ways to Build Time Management Skills in Your Homeschool
In the whirlwind of my days as a home health care occupational therapist, time was both a friend and a foe. My job took me across three counties, weaving through traffic, indulging in heartwarming stories from clients, and occasionally encountering last-minute cancellations that sent my carefully crafted schedule into a tailspin.
“I’ll be there around 3 ish”
“I’ll be there around 3 ish” became my mantra, a habit that, according to my husband, was an excuse for poor time management. Little did I know that this casual approach would come back to haunt me as a homeschooling parent.
As we ventured into the world of homeschooling, my husband and I found ourselves reflecting on the importance of time management for our children. The easygoing “ish” attitude may have worked in the unpredictable world of home health care, but it was a shaky model for instilling a solid foundation of time management in our own kids.
I would find myself saying-
“We are leaving in 5 minutes!”- 20 minutes later, I’m still chatting with a friend.
“It’s time for dinner!”- kids arrive in the kitchen yet don’t know their role in preparing plates, setting the table, or even if the potatoes are actually done.
“It’s time for math” yet I haven’t gathered the supplies I need so everyone’s attention is straying.
Are any of these familiar?
As I look at my own behaviors through my occupational therapist hat, I can find many strategies to build time management skills for me and my kids in our homeschool. These strategies are divided into three sections as we look at how we can help our students by changing their environment for success, creating habits and expectations in their role as students to learn these skills, and how we can directly address time management with our kids.
Practical Strategies to Build Time Management Skills.
For the Students themselves
1. Build Time Awareness for your student
Recognize individual differences in time management preferences- My son feels stressed with timers or even a “let’s get this done” attitude. He needs movement breaks frequently and at his own fruition to focus. However, my daughter prefers to start and finish a task in one sitting.
Build awareness by discussing each family member’s unique approach to time.- Self-awareness leads to self-advocacy Use phrases like “Sally needs ample warning before leaving” to emphasize the importance of planning.
2. Teach your students about Clocks & Telling Time
Move beyond abstract concepts by actively teaching children about clocks and time. Explore creative resources for teaching time. I like the hands-on activities available from We Are Teachers.
3. Reverse Plan:
Talk with your student intentionally about their schedule and emphasize the importance of planning ahead. Guide your student through the different steps to get ready for an activity. Determine together how much time is needed for these steps to take place before being ready to walk out the door fully prepared and help them master them independently.
4. Remove Distractions:
Guide your student to prioritize tasks with deadlines and recognize potential distractions that make it difficult to focus. Work together to make a plan to eliminate these distractions so they can focus on the task at hand.
Change the Learning Environment
1. Stick to Predictable Points in the Day:
Establish predictable daily rhythms with key anchor points. This concept of habit stacking builds one new habit to something that naturally occurs during the day.
For example, we all eat breakfast at the same time every day. It’s easy to add a read-aloud to that time because we are all there. We are not creating entirely new systems yet we are building on something that already works.
2. Use Timers:
Employ visual aids like visual timers, alarms, or hourglasses to track and manage time effectively. These tools allow students to see time passing in a concrete way. Some students may want to use a timer for a work period and others may want to time their break and not have a clock while they are working.
Some timers can show both elapsed and remaining time. These timers can be be useful for building an enhanced understanding of time.
Technology can also be helpful for creating timers. Siri or Alexa can give warnings and help you know when to leave for an appointment. Just Ask them! For example, “Alexa, remind me we need to get ready to leave at 3:00.
3. Provide Visual Aids
Visual schedules are another way to help students with time management. Picture schedules are great for students who are not reading yet. Older students can use apps like Trello to create a visual schedule to help them see their activities and plan their time. Visual schedules tailored to each child’s preferences can make a big difference in a child’s understanding of their activities. Experiment with laminated papers, planners, or digital tools like Trello to find the right fit for you and your students.
Helping Kids Succeed in Their Role as Students
1. Practice Planning:
Help your students practice planning by involving them in the planning steps for daily activities. Involving them in the multi-step planning processes will help them start to transfer those planning skills to their own activities. Working together to break down everyday tasks into manageable steps gives students practice in a meaningful way.
2. Give Deadlines for Assignments:
As students get older it is good to give students deadlines for assignments so they can practice managing their time to complete assignments at a specific time. It builds responsibility and ownership for the student.
For planning deadlines for large assignments work with your student to build a timeline of the smaller parts of the project so the student can learn to structure their time for the assignments and not be overwhelmed.
Time Management Skills for Life Success
In the dynamic world of homeschooling, mastering time management is an invaluable skill that goes beyond academic success—it sets the stage for a lifetime of effective planning and execution. By understanding the unique needs of each family member, creating a conducive environment, and incorporating practical strategies, homeschooling families can empower their children with the tools needed for successful time management. Remember, it’s not just about managing time; it’s about cultivating a mindset that embraces organization, responsibility, and a proactive approach to life’s challenges.
For more on these strategies and other executive functioning skills, join the HomeschoolOT Executive Functioning class for parents.
Resources-
Clear, J. (2019). Atomic habits. Penguin USA.
Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “executive skills” approach to helping kids reach their potential. Guilford Press.
