Our First Month of Homeschooling: Highlights, Challenges, and Takeaways

The first month of homeschooling is officially in the books! As we wrap up September, I wanted to pause and reflect on what we’ve been learning, what’s been working well, and what challenges we’re still figuring out. Sharing this journey feels important - not only as a record for ourselves, but also as a way to connect with others who may be walking a similar path.

Starting Slow and Building Routines

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this month is that it’s okay to start slowly. Instead of rushing to fit in every subject and every lesson right away, we focused on creating steady routines. Taking time to build habits and rhythms has given us a stronger foundation for the months ahead.

Our Learning Focuses

Math

For math, we’ve been using a workbook to ensure we cover the grade 4 curriculum. At the same time, I’ve been weaving in Montessori math materials to help deepen understanding and provide hands-on learning when needed. This combination has worked well, giving us structure while still leaving space for exploration.

I've also introduced "Daily Math" as a way to practice math concepts, such as multiplication facts, expanded notation and subtraction. I will talk about this in a future post.

Truth & Reconciliation Day

September gave us the opportunity to reflect and learn on Truth and Reconciliation Day. We watched videos, read books, and had thoughtful discussions together. These conversations were meaningful and reminded me how powerful learning can be when it extends beyond textbooks.

The Orange Shirt Day Society's website has some great resources.

Language Arts

We began reading Book Uncle and Me as our first novel study. Shared reading has already sparked some great conversations, and it feels exciting to see how stories can open up new ideas and perspectives.

Science

Our big science focus has been starting a biome study. This unit has been fuelled by curiosity - asking questions, exploring different environments, and thinking about the connections between living things and their habitats.

Highs & Lows

Every new journey has its ups and downs, and homeschooling is no exception.

Highs:

• Watching math “click” with the help of Montessori materials

• Deep conversations about Truth and Reconciliation

• Diving into Book Uncle and Me

• Following curiosity during our biome study

  
  

Lows:

• Struggling to fit everything in some days

• Still working on consistent routines

• Balancing the structure of curriculum we need to follow, with interest-led learning

  
  

Looking Ahead

As we move into our second month, I’m reminding myself that homeschooling is a journey. It’s not about cramming everything into each day but about learning together, following curiosity, and finding balance.

One month down - many more adventures to come.