Planning for 2012

I am not planning too much.  The last few years, I had to plan because we belong to a public school program.  My planning this year consists of just a few steps:

1. Talk with the children.

2. Come up with a pile of books and see which ones they want to work on for the next few months.

3. Accept  that they all have a difficult time seeing an entire years worth of work. They are all content to see what they are going to work on right now. 

4. Print out logging sheets without dates.  I like the build your own schedule sheet at Simply Charlotte Mason. I think seeing what we actually accomplish each day feels good for everyone.

5. Consider everyone's weaknesses when picking work that they "must" do.  Each child has a so called weakness.  Math, Reading, video games.  I consider making plans an opportunity to work on our weaknesses.  None of these weaknesses are bad per se.  I am not throwing out all of our TV's. But, a certain child, who shall remain unnamed, will need to prioritize his work if he wants to get to his play.  We are considering a move this year to a state which has ridiculous homeschool laws.  I am, personally, concerned about certain weaknesses that may cause a child to test poorly. 

6.  Don't write anything down unless it is something fun that I need supplies for or should be done on a certain date.  Those things can go on the calendar. For the most part we use curriculum now, read lots of books, journal, draw, and create.  There just isn't a lot to plan anymore.  Plans seems to ruin the creativity around here. Creativity is important to us. 

7.  No dates.  We have plenty of time to finish things.  We don't need to date everything and then have to redate everything when we are a day off because we wanted to go bowling or chocolate hunting.

Peek into...the desks.

I thought I would share.  I'm not sure why.  But, I've spent a good part of this Saturday cleaning our main living areas.  In this house, it is all one great open space.  Kitchen, Dining Room, Living Room, and Homeschool Central.  I used to think open was nice. But, I really wish every room was smaller with a nice door I could close.



I admit to not cleaning my desk often.



The kids usually get a cleaning once a week.  I have been aiming for a once daily clean-up.  But, it did not happen this week.  And, honestly probably won't happen this next week either.

Just about the last week of October...

Middle Ages

Everyone is listening in on King Arthur now. I always forget the title. It's really good and they love it!

That sometimes useful television

Warrior watched Between the Lions. We haven't watched that since the big boys were much younger. He really gets cranky about the time it comes on and I think it might be a good thing to let him do a few days a week as a "nap" and it can be some extra phonics and reading instruction for him.

Ambleside History & Literature

AO readings are all doing well. I've been filling out their Book of Centuries for them and I think this week they can start doing it themselves. It's not fancy (just construction paper that we will staple together later), but it's getting the job done. It's a record without all the detail-ya know.

Schedules & Character

We started a new schedule for the boys. They seem to be adjusting well to it. They each have an hourly schedule and are expected to get up and do what they helped plan. We have been discussing Obedience and Joyfulness a lot this week. Nothing was planned but it seems like those things really came to a head this week. The boys thought Obedience is behaving well enough to get to play video games. I kid you not. You would think they played all day long. We dealt with that and they now understand what Obedience is and why we are Obedient. I'm thinking this is something that has to be gone over a few times through the years.

Math

Prophet is still in MUS Gamma. He just finishing up Lesson 26. He will probably be done in the beginning of November. I'm not sure if I can work Delta into our budget right now. So, I'm thinking I might just pick up a smallish workbook at the bookstore for him. It might be nice to have a change of pace at this point.

Peacemaker is about finished with MUS Alpha and we have plenty of Beta worksheets left for him to work through that book. Hopefully he will be caught up to grade level by next year.