Anyone starting to plan for next year?

[Whereneverever]

Now that we're in the second semester, I'm starting to plan for next year tentatively already. Am I alone? Insane? Over planning?

Anyone want to join me?

 

So far I've got math pretty set- we're sticking with the status quo of Singapore standards and Math Mammoth.

We're going to stick with the same science.

I'm really up in the air with grammar, writing, history, and spelling, though.

And I still haven't found a French program that I like.

[EKS]

I've been planning for next year since the beginning of this year. Of course part of my problem is that I have a high schooler and I'm freaking out.

[Whereneverever]

I've been planning for next year since the beginning of this year. Of course part of my problem is that I have a high schooler and I'm freaking out.

 

I tihnk that freaking out with a high schooler is completely justified! I'm freaked enough looking for second grade stuff!

[TechWife]

Now that we're in the second semester, I'm starting to plan for next year tentatively already. Am I alone? Insane? Over planning?

Anyone want to join me?

 

 

I am in that I am planning to keep what is working: History Odyssey, Prentice Hall Science (although we will do Physical Science next year), Analytical Grammar.

 

Math is up for grabs right now, although I haven't ruled out continuing with Chalk Dust, I am just not sure how good of a fit it will be long term.

 

Just thinking off of the top of my head:

Drop spelling

Add logic study (?)

Add something to introduce literature analysis (plot, characters, etc.)

 

That's all I'm up to for now.

[Mynyel]

Haha, half way here and already have bought stuff for next year.

 

Lets see I switched math, language and science. The rest is the same. I don't thing it is over panning it is a case of...lets get it done! :grouphug:

[Whereneverever]

Haha, half way here and already have bought stuff for next year.

 

Lets see I switched math, language and science. The rest is the same. I don't thing it is over panning it is a case of...lets get it done! :grouphug:

That's true- although even after it's done I'm going to keep fretting. ;)

[2cents]

Oh yes! I think I'm always in 'planning' mode though.

[elegantlion]

I finalized (I think) what I will be using just last week. I've already started ordering the more inexpensive items. My goal is to have most of the lesson planning done before the end of this school year. A few subjects are going to require more prep than I'm used to so I'm getting a head start.

[Tree House Academy]

Nope, you are not alone. I started planning last October or so. I am set with most things. I am still up in the air with French for my youngest. My oldest wants to switch from Spanish to French next year and I am not sure that is a good move. We are still debating. I think his Spanish program just wasn't so great. I really want to get a French that we can all love. I studied French for 4 years and I know I can teach it to my kids if I can just get the right materials in my hands. :)

[abbeyej]

Yep, keeping some things, making some adjustments, researching new things...

 

And panicking about having two years (after this one) before high school. Ack!!! :)

[Lostinabook]

I shouldn't need anything for ds for next year.

 

For dd, I need to figure out math as we'll be done with RightStart by then. I do have LoF Fractions & Decimals & Percents so we'll work through those as well as CWP 5, but I also want to have a "main" program. I'm leaning toward Horizons at the moment, but that could change.

 

I need to buy whatever books I can't get from the library for Ambleside Year 5.

 

I have to decide if I'm going to bail on Latin for the moment or buy something (First Form??) or use the Henle or Latin Book One I already have.

 

I need to figure out what I'll use for LA. I have CW-Aesop B & CW-Homer A. We need to get going on the Aesop so that we can start Homer for 5th grade I suppose. I need to decide if I'm going to use CW-Poetry or Matt Whitling's poetry books or MCT's poetry. Also must choose a grammar program--KISS, R & S, or MCT.

 

I'm planning on doing Chemistry for science. I'll buy The Elements & Exploring the World of Chemistry & use The Periodic Table & The Mystery of the Periodic Table (already own those).

 

However, before I commit to anything I need to re-read CM's Book 6 again for some perspective!!

[Mynyel]

That's true- although even after it's done I'm going to keep fretting. ;)

 

Or start thinking about next year!! :lol::001_huh:

[coffeegal]

Now that we're in the second semester, I'm starting to plan for next year tentatively already. Am I alone? Insane? Over planning?

Anyone want to join me?

 

.

 

:blush: If you're insane and over planning, I'm completely nuts. I've already purchased everything I need for next year. It's the first year I'm not jumping ship in at least one subject, since everything is working so well for my family. We'll continue on with the next in the series for virtually all subjects. DS 7 will return to Saxon and DS 13 will switch from Hey Andrew to Athenaze.

[LoveBaby]

I'm gathering a few materials, but no too many because I *love* shopping, so I want to be able to look forward to a few things in the mail later next year. :tongue_smilie:

 

Math will stay the same (MUS & MM)

Biblioplan w/ SOTW 2

Queens Language Lessons

Writing Tales

 

We may add AAS for spelling for all 3 of the older's and I'd like to get some fun stuff for my 3yo to do while the rest of them do school. She wants to "do school" too.

 

 

I need to purchase the next levels of MUS and the Biblioplan but I'll wait until convention and summertime for both of those.

[TXMary2]

Yes, I have started planning for next school year. I am still working on curriculum decisions and then I will begin ordering. I need more time for planning this year because I am putting together our American History study by myself. I will be doing AH with a 1st and a 9th grader so I need to carefully coordinate. I was going to go with Winter Promise, but I tweaked WP so much this year that it doesn't make sense to spend the money on it.

 

Does anyone ever feel that planning is more fun than actually executing the lessons? LOL Sometimes getting to the actual lesson or project is a letdown because I have built it up so much in my mind and on paper.

[Julie in Monterey]

My goal is to have everything figured out by the end of February. I order the next years curriculum before the end of the current school year so we can slowly ease into over the summer.

 

So far, I'm sticking with SOTW, Singapore, R.E.A.L. Science for Kids, Rosetta Stone Spanish, Wordly Wise, Artistic Pursuits and D'Nealian handwriting workbooks.

 

I'll be adding in Megawords for both kids and really need to ponder and figure out Grammar (we currently use Easy Grammar and First Language Lessons).

 

I do get all scrambled up doing school this year but thinking ahead for next year.

 

Julie in Monterey

[LanaTron]

For 9th: deciding on whether to let ds drop Latin and do a .5 credit computer course of some kind; thinking about science; deciding on whether to go with the History Odyssey I purchased a while back, or do something else for Ancients; considering using MCT LAs.

 

For 8th: wondering whether she'll be ready for pre-algebra, and if so, what resource/s to use--it won't be the same as ds; wondering whether to group her with 9th grader or 5th grader for science; considering having her give Latin one last go; figuring out what to use for writing

 

For 5th: science, again, and continuing to work on his attitude :tongue_smilie:

 

For 2nd/3rd: deciding what Latin to use after Song School Latin

 

For me: leaving my position as Committee Chair of our Cub Scout Pack; I'll probably work more hours at my job, and hopefully we can get this family onto a better financial track

[Osaubi]

I am working on our own AH curriculum for next year, so I have also started planning.

 

I have about 1/2 of everything that I need. I have started picking up pieces as I see them on the board.

 

I am going to try and coordinate a weekend to plan maybe at a hotel this year. I can crank out a plan if I get in the grove and I am left alone for awhile.

 

3rd I am adding cursive, latin, and american history most of everything else will be the same

 

K5 more of the same. She is rolling along at a good pace so I am not sure what she will need by the fall.

 

Feels good to get started so early. I kind of flailed earlier in the year and now our schedule is not on track.

[Closeacademy]

Before Christmas, I started investigating science for next year. Then took a look at history and ended up buying a boxed curriculum that we just started. Be careful with that planning if you decide to make a big switch you may not want to wait. :tongue_smilie:

 

We're keeping our math--Singapore backed up by Rod and Staff but are giving Life of Fred Fractions a try.

 

We didn't have a spine for history or science which I have had an extreamly hard time finding something I liked. So I threw in the towel and picked up Oak Meadow. :001_smile:

[kalanamak]

Now that we're in the second semester, I'm starting to plan for next year tentatively already. Am I alone? Insane? Over planning?

Anyone want to join me?

 

 

Planning is good. I am more likely to end up someplace I want to be, and relaxed, if I plan.

 

I just ordered GWG 3 after a few fits of doubt ("maybe there is something out there better" and "anything going so smoothly and easily has to be twaddle, right?")

 

I'm looking at chem for 3rd grade. There is not a lot of nifty hands-on stuff when you are studying Venus, so I'm looking forward to a year of experiments. I got the RSO chem at the damaged sale last year and I'll dust it off soon and start looking at materials. Maybe a chem kit as well? Should I buy that beautiful but expensive book The Elements?

 

Should I try MCT? Will kiddo be ready for this? Since someone posted they took a return graciously, perhaps I should order it and get my paws on it and my nose in it. If not, how I will I fill this huge void known as LA?

 

I think it is time to find a piano teacher.

I think it is time to start Minimus.

 

I think I will drop History Odyssey. I just don't get to enough of it. There are so many resources out there, and we read so many books, and we aren't "project" people.

 

Ah, the tension of planning, the labor of enactment, the sweet fruits of accomplishment: homeschooling is much like any other large and worthy undertaking, but harder, it seems to me, to keep in perspective. One curriculum wrong will not ruin a child.:)

Edited January 10, 2010 by kalanamak

[Laura Corin]

Starting to think about it. It will be our last year of home education, if all goes to plan. There will be some required classes (English, maths, languages, science) but I'm going to drop a lot of the extras that we normally do, and instead ask the boys what extras they want to do. And Calvin can choose what history he wants to do. It will be a stage in my letting go.

 

Laura

[runamuk]

I've started planning for next year, too.

 

I'm rethinking LA/Grammar; we're using R&S and Elle is flying through it. She's always been strong in vocabulary, reading, grammar, spelling and writing, so I'm going to be looking for something a bit more rigorous.

 

I'm looking for a different Latin program. We loved Prima Latina, but Elle doesn't like Latina Christiana I at all.

 

We're using NOEO science and, while I'd like a stronger secular program, it will do.

 

We're sticking with MUS, CWP and LoF for math.

 

We'll be starting music lessons.

 

I'm not sure where I'm going for History. We've been enjoying SOTW, but she'll be in 5th grade next year and I don't have any idea where we'll be going next.

 

For my son, we'll be continuing ETC, MUS, and Zaner-Bloser for handwriting. We'll start SOTW 1. That's all I have for 1st grade right now.

 

I can see there will be a great many posts asking for help, advice and opinions in my future. :D

[MariannNOVA]

In a word, yes.

 

I intend to keep going over the summer - not full throttle, but I do not intend to take a total break.

 

The kids are loving CLAA Grammar I (which is essentially Latin). DD10 is great at it and loves it and it is so much meatier than Prima Or LCII. The twins did not care for LCI but they are doing well in this course. I am learning so much, I cannot believe it. :w00t:

 

I know we will homeschool the 2010-1011 school year, but I am looking for 7th grade for DD10 - IB programs, classical Christian private high school -- I do not really want to do high school at home.

 

Mariann

[Annie Laurie]

We school year round so I guess I just tweak and buy as we go, so I always have the latest plan worked out. Last summer we took more time off than usual and started our new year in the fall, but I want to get back on track to starting the majority of new things in January- we'll be starting new things year round as we finish them, as I said, but the big things like history cores, I'd like to start in Jan and end in the fall. That way we can take our longer break around Christmas and then start new again in Jan. I seem to do much better if we have some fresh new things in Jan.

 

Anyway, my younger set started some new things this month and it's been going great. But I do have my plan of what will be next. And my high school son needs to work through the summer to catch up on his work, then he'll start fresh stuff in the fall I guess.

 

But my goal is to try less curriculum and stick to the tried and true- we finally have a good list of things that are working well.

[Stacy in NJ]

He'll be in 8th grade, and most likely this will be our last year of homeschool for him. He'll attend our local ps for high school. So, I'm freaking out a bit. I want him "ready" for institutional high school.....but how does one do that???????

 

I'm so much more relaxed with my little guy, having used up all my anxiety on the elder.:001_smile:

[Matryoshka]

I did a ton of planning and panicking last year as my kids finished elementary and started middle school (yikes!), so I already have a middle school plan mapped out. Since most things in it are working well this year, I think it'll mainly be a continuation.

 

I've started pondering what we might do for high school, but I figure we've got a couple years yet. They may even go to school. Or not.

[Whereneverever]

Starting to think about it. It will be our last year of home education, if all goes to plan. There will be some required classes (English, maths, languages, science) but I'm going to drop a lot of the extras that we normally do, and instead ask the boys what extras they want to do. And Calvin can choose what history he wants to do. It will be a stage in my letting go.

 

Laura

 

How bittersweet- I hope it goes well!

[Whereneverever]

Wow, it looks like a lot of people are planning and getting ready to send their kids to high schools- can I ask if that was always the plan or if it came about as the time got closer?

[Aurelia]

I think I started planning once I bought all the stuff for this year. :lol:

 

We're sticking with math, grammar, composition, reading, and handwriting, which, with the exception of WWE 2, I have already bought. :D I already purchased science (BFSU, I'm excited!) and social studies (MBTP) to appease DH, Latin (SSL) and spelling. I'm still kind of up in the air about history, but we will probably go with SOTW 2, though it likely won't get started until October, since we didn't begin Ancient Times until nearly November this year.

 

I still need to get the next level of art and decide what, exactly, we are doing for music next year. It will probably be the next level of Bastien piano, though we do have the option of enrolling Ariel in a fairly reasonably priced homeschool music class. She's also asking to learn violin. It mostly depends on how much her PE stuff costs, since I'm fairly certain she will continue with Irish dance and will either go back to gymnastics or swimming. I think I will have Ariel do Foreign Language Friends for Spanish, so I won't sign her up for that until she finishes her current Spanish curriculum.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Aurelia

[MamaHappy]

Oh yes, I'm always planning, lol. :) I'm 99.9% sure we're gonna stick with HOD next year so it would be Beyond Little Hearts for my oldest and Little Hearts for my youngest.

[HollyDay]

just posted some ideas for next year and asking for feedback.

[Matryoshka]

Wow, it looks like a lot of people are planning and getting ready to send their kids to high schools- can I ask if that was always the plan or if it came about as the time got closer?

 

I'd always thought I'd go all the way - I think the people over on the high school board scared me a bit! That and starting middle school for 2 kids and having my younger in 4th - a bit overwhelming (I have no idea how people with more than 2 levels to teach are doing it!)

 

Of course, then the other day someone posted about all the wonderful reasons to hs all the way through. I may find my groove and wonder what I was worried about by the time high school hits. We'll just have to see how things develop and if I can find a good source for lab sciences - that's my biggest concern. If the high school in my town didn't have such a wonderful reputation, I wouldn't be thinking about it at all. More research to do!

 

One thing I did want to make sure of is that my middle school plans would get them ready for high school in 9th if that was the path we took. Don't want to close any doors!

[Dinsfamily]

I just changed and finalized (as final as can be anyway) everything for ds's 1st grade year. I have a general plan up to 6th grade, but I needed to reevaulate it and some changes were needed. We officially start 1st grade in June, but some subjects are continuous so we just go up a level when needed.

 

I get to buy my first stuff in March to start in April and I'll buy the rest in May to start in June. Then I don't add electives until September, so I'll buy those in August. Math hasn't followed any of my plans, so I just buy that as needed.

[Mommyfaithe]

Now that we're in the second semester, I'm starting to plan for next year tentatively already. Am I alone? Insane? Over planning?

Anyone want to join me?

 

So far I've got math pretty set- we're sticking with the status quo of Singapore standards and Math Mammoth.

We're going to stick with the same science.

I'm really up in the air with grammar, writing, history, and spelling, though.

And I still haven't found a French program that I like.

 

I am always planning ahead....

I am now seriously delving into next years work and hope to have it all entered and ready to go for September by the end of July. That is my goal anyway ;-)

 

Things do have a way of changing!

 

~~Faithe

[Jenileigh]

Yes, I have one that is going into highschool next year too. I love My Father's World and I am planning to use it along with Apologia's Physical Science, Saxon Math 8/7 along with either the teaching cds or teaching dvds. (She is using Saxon Math 7/6 now. She is finishing Lightening Literature 7 now and getting ready to move into LL 8, I'm not real sure which direction I'm going after that. MFW uses Notgrass History which I love. I need to do a foreign language but I'm not sure I can afford it this year. I think it may be easier-even cheaper for me to just go with either BJU dvds or Abeka dvds, I'm just undecided.

 

For Meadow my youngest dd she is going into 4th. I'm pretty sure we are going to move in MFW ECC, use TT Math 4, and few other odds and ends I have here.

[nmoira]

We school year round, and I have a rough idea of the sequence we're going to follow without a firm time line. However, I did make my first projected 2011/2012 purchase yesterday: Singapore Interactive Science Level A.

[mazakaal]

Yes, I'm eagerly awaiting my husband's return from the States, as he's bringing Biblioplan Ancients. I want to spend time reading through it to plan for next year's history study. I'm set on science, math, grammar, and writing for the 11yo, but I'm trying to find something for poetry. I'm still trying to figure out science and language arts for the 7yo for next year.

 

And then what's really scary is looking at things to use for the 11yo for high school. What am I thinking????

[Laura Corin]

Wow, it looks like a lot of people are planning and getting ready to send their kids to high schools- can I ask if that was always the plan or if it came about as the time got closer?

 

I would have carried on home educating them. We are now in Scotland where there is an excellent local school. Hobbes is very active and would love to do more sports, as well as to be surrounded by lots of little mates. I'm out every night ferrying them to activities, but there's a limit to what I can do.

 

Calvin is starting to want input from more than just me - from other teachers, other students. There aren't any local colleges where he could take the odd course. He's taking an online course, but that's not satisfying him.

 

So it has all come together in the decision to put them both into school in August 2011. It's the right decision for us, I think.

 

Laura

[The Governess]

I am. :D

 

I have chosen to continue with WWE and AAS for next year. We'll also be continuing with Singapore Math and Better Chinese. So these are already set and ready to go.

 

We will also be adding/switching up a couple things. For History and Literature we will start TOG ancients. I started planning this out last year, so I have about half a year ready to go. We'll be adding R&S grammar and Latin for Children A. So those are things I have already chosen but will need to do some planning/prep work on before we start.

 

The things I am still piecing together/deciding on are 1) Science, 2) Art and Home economics, 3) Music, 4) our bedtime read-aloud list. I hope to decide on all of this within the next couple months so I can start making purchases and getting things ready to go. We do a more year-round schedule, so our new year will probably be starting up in July.

[Paula in PA]

Oh yes! I think I'm always in 'planning' mode though.

 

Me, too. Sometimes I think it drives my dh and dd bonkers. :tongue_smilie: I have most of next year planned and have already made some purchases. My sticking points right now are grammar and art.

[tdeveson]

I've started to plan.

 

Let's see: we're keeping Analytical Grammar, Classical Writing, Teaching Textbooks and Singapore Math. Lively Latin is working for us, so we're keeping that too. We'll also keep Rosetta Stone Spanish and Typing Instructor. And we'll keep plugging away at TimezAttack if he's not done with his times tables this year.

 

We're switching from Real Science-4-Kids to Singapore Science. I already bought that and was wowed. Ds loves it and begged to start with it this term. :001_huh:

 

I'm still up in the air about history. We're doing SOTW3 this year, and I'm not sure if I want to get into twentieth century history before I've had a chance to do a year of American History. Ds will be in 6th grade and so far all we've done formally are the Mike Venezia Meet the Presidents books and 100 American Stories. As an aside, Venezia manages to get a surprising amount of American history into the 43 books. We're reading one or two per week and are about half way.

 

That's it so far. I'll have it all thought out by spring, when I usually purchase all our curricula.

[Moniksca]

I feel as though I'm always planning since I like to take a look at what others are using to see if it would be a fit for us. I have a pretty good sense about what we are using for next year except for history. I had intended on doing ancients this year and now we will finish CHOW and how it goes. We using saxon, ILL, WWE, nallenart french, ambleside year 2/3 next year, at least that's what I'm sure about...for now. I design my own science so haven't planned that yet though will do that in the summer.

[Bee]

I've already got some curriculum picked out but nothing ordered yet.

 

Younger dd seems pretty set on going to school for 4th grade. I plan to have her trial several days at the local ps soon. I've already contacted them to arrange things and find out what will be required to enroll her.

[Tracy]

I started planning next year almost at the beginning of this year (doing K this year). But this is our first year homeschooling, and I found that within a couple of months of ordering materials, I had stumbled upon other philosophies/curricula, and I wanted the time to research. My goal was to find an integrated history/literature, science and math programs that we could stick with throughout the elementary years so I don't have to do this research again for years to come.

 

I have settled on TOG, CSMP math, and Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. Also, we will continue working through the Spelling Workout series and using spelling words to practice handwriting.

[jenL]

I'm planning too. I like to purchase most of our things used, so I try to have decisions made early. I actually have to review 2nd grade in WTM to determine some things.

 

I know we'll definitely stay with Singapore for math (already have that), and we'll move to SOTW Vol. 2 for history as DS loves both. We'll also finish FLL 1/2 next year. We'll most likely do WWE still since that is working well. I think Science is going to be my issue as I had a hard time finding a program for this year. I'd also like to add a foreign language, possibly Spanish.

[Mommy22alyns]

I'm starting to plan too - I like to use tax refund $ to pay for curriculum. :D

 

We just started SOTW 2, so history is fairly set, although I did just drop History Odyssey in favor of Paige's SOTW 2 plans. I'll probably go with her science next year too (Elemental Science). R.E.A.L. doesn't seem heavy enough on the reading for us, and with the number of experiments I'm kind of too tapped out to plan a ton of extra readings. I want something with it all scheduled in.

 

Grammar is very up in the air. We're getting restless with FLL 3 and from what I can see, FLL 4 is more of the same. We'll have to switch anyway, but I'm still so unsure about riding the MCT train.

 

Math is set - Right Start C. We'll end up there in a month or two. Supplementing with CLE 200 right now... that's new, so we'll see how that goes.

 

Spelling... we'll probably stick with AAS and move on to Level 4.

 

Writing - depends on what we do for grammar. I priced the separate elements of MCT Island minus Sentence Island and there's only a $10 difference vs. buying the basic homeschool package. I like WWE though, and we're about to move on to WWE 2. What to do, what to do?

 

Eventually she'll finish up the Greek Alphabet Code Cracker and we'll do Song School Greek. I give up on Latin for now. I'm undecided on LL vs. LfC for the following year. LfC just looks overwhelming from the samples, but maybe that's because Becca's still a bit young for it.

 

 

And what is poor Sylvia going to do? Hmm, maybe I've learned to take K a little easier and Sylvia will have the benefit of that. ;) She already reads, writes, counts, and does a little math, so most K skills are accomplished. What do you do with a bright second-born K'er?

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I am already planning but really cannont buy anything until after we move. It looks like I will be going towards more workbooks and less living books since hubby will be deployed. This will school a bit easier and once we are done we can go exploring our new home. Than after that go back to what we do.

[dragons in the flower bed]

This is the seventh homeschool year I'll be planning for my kids. In the past seven years I have taught 11th, 12th, K/3rd, 1st/4th, 2nd/5th, K/3rd/6th & 1st/4th/7th.

 

This next year I will teach K/2nd/5th/8th.

 

I so far can't bring myself to think about it.

 

Tax refund is on it's way; I really need a plan NOW.

 

Ugh, maybe I could do that instead of dishes this evening. It's always better than doing dishes.

[mcconnellboys]

I just ordered the bulk of my books and am starting to work on my history/lit plan..... I do the same every year....

[mom31257]

The plan so far:

 

History: American History study in one year

Dd: BJU 8th grade text as a spine

Ds: CLP A Child's Story of America as a spine

Lots of books and hopefully field trips, too

 

Science:

Dd: Rainbow Year 2(Biology, Earth & Applied Science)

Ds: RS4K Pre-Level 1 Biology, will study other topics big sis does

 

Dd:

CLE Reading 8

CLE LA 8

Possible LOF Pre-Algebra or Glencoe

Fallacy Detective, other critical thinking books

 

 

Ds:

CLE Reading 2

CLE LA 2

CLE Math 2-3 (just started 2nd grade now)

Critical Thinking books

 

I have no idea what we're doing for Bible next year. We're doing some composer & artist studies this year, as well as some poetry reading/memorization. We will continue doing those.