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I don't homeschool, but growing up every kid in my neighborhood was home schooled but me. They all had a dedicated space for only school and a set routine. So it was always something like they'd do math right after lunch.

What are your goals for summer school? Enrichment or remediation? I'd approach the two very differently.

@PinkElephant: Do you plan to do all the subjects at once, or stagger them throughout the day? A popular motivator a lot of homeschoolers use are workboxes or work folders. you can search on pinterest for it, but it's basically a plastic set of drawers with one subject per drawer (or a binder with different folders, etc.). The kid has labels that they can stick on the front of the drawers when they've finished with each subject. So they go to their math folder or drawer, and everything they need to do that day (a photocopied or torn out worksheet, etc.) is right there, they do it independently or with mom as indicated, and when they finish, they put the completed work back in, along with the sticker. So they have a clear visual cue of how much they've done and how much more needs to get done before they can play.

Some parents have their kid do a certain set number of pages for a subject, while others just work until x number of minutes have gone by. If you think your kid would be less likely to dawdle by seeing a timer, we use the iPad timer because it's big and has that classic look where they can see how much time they have left. They also sell classic timers on Amazon that show the time left.

Some homeschoolers use uniforms to differentiate class time from play time. Kids generally love uniforms (think Harry Potter), and a simple uniform from French Toast doesn't cost much. You could give your school a fun name and have a mascot.

A lot homeschoolers also do something commonly called Morning Time (you can search it on pinterest). It doesn't have to happen in the morning. It's an opener to your studies that is focused on the good, the true, and the beautiful--things like songs, an art picture study, poetry or Scripture memorization, a read aloud, etc. Often, people will light a special votive candle, play soft classical music in the background, and give their kids a special treat to munch on while they do Morning Time. It creates a ritual that marks the beginning of their school time in a way that is gentle but still significant.

Let me know if you ever want to talk shop about homeschooling. We're total homeschool geeks over here.

we will be beginning with our kindergartener in the fall, and while our reason is actually to avoid early academics we do want to keep her at grade level so that she can transition in to public school (probably for first grade).

our plan is to just create a strong daily and weekly rhythm.
I think kids need to move their bodies and have lots of time outdoors to support any type of formal learning. After breakfast is cleaned up (while I tidy they can play) we will go outside to check on our chickens and play for a little bit. Then we come in and do a circle time, which includes jumping rope or beanbag play, then I tell a story (story changes each week). After story its time for "main lesson." Brief, because I think you can cover a lot more in a one-on-one setting than a school and because the play part of our day is more important.

Weekly rhythm could be helpful to you, too- maybe just have your lessons on a few days that are predictable to her.

Time: Our "school" time has a rhythm, but there are no timers or anything like that. Is summer school 45 instructional hours, or 45 hours total? How long is summer break for you? Not all school hours are instructional. You'll likely see when you start hs that you can cover the same material in less time at home than you can in a classroom. I'd aim for about an hour a day, although with a child who has just done K in school, I'd probably break that into roughly two 30 minute (or so) periods with a substantial break in between.

Location: I personally dislike working at the kitchen table because I feel like there's always the possibility that you don't clean the table perfectly and something gross gets on the books. We use a separate table. Also, you don't have to put things away to eat, which is nice.

Other signaling: I feel like with a rising 1st grader, you should be able to say "We're going to sit down and read/work through this book now," and have them do that with minimal grumbling (there will be some grumbling on occasion, probably). I don't think you really need to do anything special to reinforce the idea that she should listen and do what you tell her to. FWIW, my experience is that if you are genuinely interested in teaching whatever it is you want to teach, your student will be genuinely into it too and it won't be painful. That said, I sometimes use the "We're not going to go play outside until you've done X" threat, but I've used that since the toddler years so my child knows the drill by now.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I posted on your wall.