A Message From the Superintendent
Dear Home Educators, Students, and Families,
As October sets in, the back-to-school excitement gives way to daily routines and the work of learning. Homeschooling at Horizon gives us incredible freedom and flexibility, but success requires daily grit and clear leadership at home.
Vince Lombardi, the legendary American professional football coach, put it simply:
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary .”
Now that you’re in a rhythm and groove of learning for the year, here are four strategies that may support your student’s success at home. I suggest you
discuss these with your students to hear their voice on how things are going for them.
1. Audit Your Routine
What worked in August might be dragging now. Take an honest look at your daily schedule. If mornings are sluggish or study blocks are dragging, fix them. Adapt the routine, shorten study windows, or move heavy subject areas to periods of the day when parents and students have high energy. Adjusting your initial strategy is not failure; it shows you are flexible and can adapt for the best results.
2. Drive Real Engagement
Engagement isn’t sitting at a table for a set number of hours; it’s active ownership.
- For Students, this means taking initiative in their learning. It is healthy for students to wrestle with tough material before asking for help, and take pride in quality work and products.
- For Parents, this is not just monitoring; it is taking the role of coach/mentor. Replace “Did you finish?” with “Explain how you solved this problem” or “What have you learned from this lesson.”
3. Focus on Learning, Not Box-Checking
Rushing through a task list means nothing if the material is not retained as a building block for future learning and/or application. Speed creates a false sense of achievement. If your student finishes an assignment but can’t explain the core concept, learning has not taken place. Prioritize actual mastery over just finishing the to-do list.
4. Stack Daily Wins & Set Targets
Big results come from small daily wins. Notice and celebrate when your child pushes through a tough lesson or takes self-initiative. When an adult, or even better, a student is able to call out hard work, resilience is created. At the same time, provide clear, measurable targets for where they need to be by Thanksgiving and the end of the semester.
Thank you for stepping up every day to lead your child’s education. Let’s make October count.
All the best,
John Garrard, Ed.D
Superintendent, Horizon Charter Schools