My goal when planning is to keep things as simple and non-complicated as possible. I do all of mine on Microsoft Word. I start by writing out a goals page for our homeschool (updated each year). Then I write a goal page for each child. Next, I choose curricula for each child for what I'd like them to accomplish for the year. For example, for math I count up the number of days needed to complete the chosen curriculum, and then figure if it will fit into a 180 day schedule. I write it all out and add the amount of available time to make sure it will be doable. Then I take the chosen curricula and break it down into a daily schedule for each child using Microsoft Word's Insert Table button. I save a file for each child. At the end of the week I check that file to see what has been accomplished and adapt it. Then I print it off (a one-week schedule of what has been done) and put in a binder, and then save the file to be used and adjusted for next week. Finally, I use the previous week's schedule for each child, and adjust it to the current weeks date and plans. I just keep doing this week after week, until the year is completed. ( I don't print off any forms from any other sites, I just use Microsoft Word.) Then I start a summer schedule in a similar way. I like this method, because I have a record of what we've completed for the past years. It has worked for me, but I know there are many other ways to plan and keep records. My goal is to just keep it simple. ;) Good luck.

For help with learning the Singapore word problems, I'd take a look at the Singapore Primary Math Supplement page. There are several book series linked to on this page that would help explain the process. The IP and CWP give examples and draw diagrams to get you started on some problems. Also for a more step by step option you could try the Heuristic & Model Approach (Process Skills in Problem Solving) which walks a student through the underlying process, or Visual Thinking in Mathematics (which encourages 'thinking routines' and 'parallel questions'.) Good luck. :)

It's a learning experience. Be patient with yourself. :) Wouldn't it be nice if many of the homeschool curricula providers provided a one-year money back guarantee. ;)

My daughter's 7th-grade schedule is in my signature. Note: I think I have her signed up to do too many things, but I will adapt it as we go. Some of it may take two years to complete. ;)

Thanks to all who posted here. :)

Thank you for this. :) :bigear:

But I do attend a Friday Morning Meeting group once per month. My children and I find it difficult to get back into school on Friday afternoon, and I often question whether to continue attending. ;)

Here is my more detailed list for my fifth grade son. I have been experimenting with things and updating since I last posted on this topic, but I hope to be done now. ;)

We use most of the IP (US Editions) and parts of the CWP (Standards Ed.) books at grade level. Both books give more difficult word problems and encourage visual problem solving. The bar diagrams are really interesting ways to solve algebra type problems, and my daughter has found them useful in sections of the Art of Problem Solving Intro to Algebra book. It varies, but some of the CWP do not get done until the summer around here. I am now using both MEP math and Miquon with my PreK son in addition to Singapore Math. With the middle two I am using MEP and Singapore. Math is a priority here, so I find ways to fit it in. I count up the number of days it will take to do the lessons and the number of days I have available and schedule that way. I will try to maximize the most useful parts of any math program with what time I have left. Math is also the first or second subject to get done during the day and my soon to be 5th and 7th graders usually spend at least one hour per day on it. Also, if I were going to keep a subject going through the summer, it would be math. One helpful tip I have found is that when teaching several levels of teacher intensive math, I often read through the various lessons the night before and have any manipulatives set up and ready to go. It saves time and helps the lesson flow more smoothly. :)

My PreK son is doing a combination of the above three. I just wrote a Review of MEP which you are welcome to view. I don't know that there is a perfect combination, but we are moving forward and playing with math as we go. He has finished Singapore Essentials K and is now working on MEP Reception and Miquon Orange. Good luck. :)

My 7th-grade daughter's plans are here. I think I'm done for the most part, because I'm taking the month of August off from planning. ;)

My soon to be 5th-grade son will do four days total (two for history, one for history supplement) and one for science because he takes an outsourced science class which is 2.5 hours in one day with lab.

My soon to be 5th grader's schedule is here, but his math is still 'up in the air' as I am experimenting with MEP Year 5 and 6 for the next two weeks to see if I'd like to add it in in the fall. So far he has had positive remarks, and there are some things I like; but I'll have a better idea in two weeks. ;)

:iagree: You may also want to consider these.

My daughter used a combination of books for Pre-Algebra 1) Sections from Russian Math 6 (for clear mathematical explanations) 2) Singapore Primary Math CWP 6 Standards Edition (for supplementary problem solving) and 3) Saxon Algebra 1/2 (for review and practice) She transitioned well to Art of Problem Solving Intro to Algebra. She told me it is her favorite text - but the other day she asked me if I would add in some CWP from Singapore for next year because she misses those. ;) Other books I have considered using with her (and that I think are very good) are Harold Jacobs Algebra and Geometry (2nd Edition), older editions of Dolciani Algebra I, Algebra II and Trig, Dolciani Modern Analysis, Foerster's Algebra I and Algebra II and Trig, Foerster's PreCalculus and Calculus, and also MEP Secondary Levels. We will probably stick with AoPS though. Good luck. :)

My son 9 year old son just finished BA 3A and 3B. In his experience, the CWP and IP (supplements from Singapore's Primary Math series) prepared him from the more challenging BA problems. Both CWP and IP encourage thinking outside the [traditional] box, approaching problems from different angles, and multi-step visual problem solving. Any program that encourages those types of thing would be helpful. :)

I keep my children in a set routine. This seems to help them stay motivated and moving in the right direction, because it makes it easier for them to know what is expected and when. For example, I print out a schedule for them and tape it to their assigned spot by their seat. They then know what is expected of them when they start and when it is expected to be done. They also know that when they are done, the extra time they have is theirs, and so they seem to want to get to that time. I also try to catch them 'being good', and compliment them on this. It seems to reinforce to them what I see as acceptable behavior. The above usually works, but when it does not I usually tell them they will lose some privilege. For example they could lose there 'computer time' for one day. Losing something they enjoy or look forward to doing seems to work effectively. It is at times necessary that they have to lose the privilege and 'feel that loss' for it to really affect them. Next time they will usually try to change their behavior for the better. ;)

My PreK (now 4 years old) son really WANTS to be involved. I do not push him towards schooling so young. He was reading at 3, but that was mainly because he was strongly influenced by wanting to be like his older brother. He also learned his phonograms by sitting in on his older brother's SWR lessons. The only thing I would do if he did not want to be involved in school at all would be to read to him often and maybe practice counting...but nothing too much. If your child shows a strong inclination to start young, then I would not hold her back. But I would also not panic nor push her in to preschooling if she does not seem interested.

I think the key to scheduling and minimizing time spent on 'seat'work is combining your priorities with time management. I would schedule what you feel are the most important subjects during when you think are their 'peak' hours of the day. For us, the prime time of day is mid-morning. This is when I assign what I think are the most important subjects and working during this time seems to reduce the amount of 'seat' work/time spent on school for our day. Other topics that I consider important, but not the most important, I would do in the early afternoon. But there comes a time/point in most days where you just know its time to be done. I have found that for us using the 'prime time' of the mid-morning well reduces the likelihood that we are not done by the mid afternoon slowdown. As for developing a love for reading, which is one of our top priorities, we do give our children a 'guided reading time' which is when they read for one hour books that we choose as assigned reading. We do not make them do literature questions/analysis until 5th or 6th grade (and even then only on about 3 to 4 books per year of the many they are chosen) as long as we know that they are reading the books. My husband will occasionally quiz them on something to see if they are reading what they are supposed to. Good luck. :)

We use them at grade level. I use the IP along side the workbooks for more challenging problems, and when my son has finished the level he is on, I go back and have him do the CWP books (at the same grade level) from the beginning. For example with one of my sons this past year, he did SM Standards Primary Math 4 along with IP 4A,4B (US edition). The US edition (which is what the current IP's are) does not line up exactly, but many of the sections do, so we made it work. When we finished level 4, he went through CWP4 Standards edition as a review. I particularly pay attention to the ending sections 'Mixed Problems' - to see what he remembers. On the differences between CWP and IP, I prefer the IP books because I find them to present problems in a more visual way; and visual problem solving is something I'm encouraging with all my children. I have found the challenge levels of the IP books in some cases to be more difficult than the CWP books, but it really depends on the problems and sections. The nice thing about the newer standards CWP books is that the sections line up with the Primary Math Standards edition that we're doing, and for that reason they will have more challenging problems for the sections not found in the IP books. At level 1, I prefer the IPs to the CWP because of the visual appeal of the IPs. What I did with my 1st grader this past year, is when he finished Primary math standards 1A,1B, I had him work through all of IP1A and the IP1B. The way the concepts are presented encourage the child to really think about what they've learned, but its not too big of a leap. Then we moved on to CWP1. Good luck. :)

My 9yo son just finished BA 3A and 3B (both guides and practice), and it seems to be ahead of typical 3rd grade level math in depth. He had finished Singapore's CWP 4 Standards before he did Beast Academy, so he was used to harder problems and able to get through most of BA3 pretty well. As for frustration, he did have to go back and redo some of the problems, but it seemed to be about the right level for an enrichment for him. So in our experience, for depth BA 3 is advanced when compared to most third grade math programs as far as challenge problems.

Our plans are in my signature, and I am continually adding things. ;)

It is hard to comment on what is the best math curriculum or way to teach math or way to teach technology because there are so many factors involved. The most important factor is math teacher competency. I agree completely with teacher training as a way to solve many of the problems that arise in math instruction. Perhaps requiring all teachers to take a class from a competent mathematician would clear up a lot of the confusion/ misunderstanding in math instruction - including how to implement technology. Another factor is the ability level of the individual child. Some children need more review than others. Some will get it faster than others. Some learn better visually, etc. For some, using technology may be not be as effective as using none at all. As far as conceptual understanding verses computational ability, I would focus on conceptual understanding first and make sure that the ideas are understood well before beginning computation "review and drill". Both are important, but order matters I think. Thanks for sharing the article.

:iagree:Most standardized tests measure both conceptual and computational understanding for good reason: both are important.

Thanks. This is good to know. I prefer not to use the teacher/student pages, but also don't want to miss something important. With our previous history progams, we have been happy with outlines and summaries along with individual interest research papers. ;)