Progress update on your plans for next school year?

[CalicoKat]

How's it going? 4 more weeks until Sept. 1 and the start of the fall session.

 

4 more weeks to finish our summer school stuff too. :D

[Saille]

You know how it can simultaneously feel like it's all coming together, and like it's totally not? That's me. I suspect it's because I'm not getting time to simply sit down with everything and satisfy myself that what's in my head and on the computer and on various notebook pages does, in fact, gel into one fairy tidy course of study. I need an inservice! However, that's not going to happen until the last week of August...which is making me pretty paranoid. I think that if I could just get the copywork and memory work completely done, I'd feel pretty good. But that's a whole 'nother issue, b/c ds8 wants to learn cursive, and I'm not happy with Getty-Dubay's cursive...yeah. Sigh.

[prairiegirl]

I only have a few more days actually. We will be starting school in the middle of Aug. but we will be leaving on Thurs. for a two week trip, so the walls are closing in on me. :willy_nilly:

 

I have most of the planning done, now I just have to organize the files (I am doing the filing system this year) and get the supply lists and library book lists done. I can do all of that in 3 days, can't I? Can't I? ;)

[Capt_Uhura]

Planning is going....... is about all I can say. :001_huh: We're selling our house, closing is in 2 weeks so I'm packing....and buying a new house which is being built so lots of decisions to be made for that. And we'll end up in a hotel for a week or two so it's all pretty crazy. My 2 oldest stayed w/ their grandparents until closer to moving time - FIL is a chemist so they're getting lots of science as well as one on one soccer training so they are happy. The challenge has been keeping the 3yr entertained especially since she's missing her brothers terribly. She's going to a summer camp this week for 3days, 2.5hrs each day which she LOVED LOVED LOVED last week. This will be my planning time. I. am. not. packing. I repeat. I. am. not. packing. Packing I can do w/ her, she's happy as long as I'm chattering with her but planning, I need to be alone to think. Did I mention I am not packing while she's at summer camp? :001_smile:

 

I've done overview planning. I've listened to all of SWB's MP3s and taken notes, re-read WTM2009, now it's time to do nitty gritty for my first 8 week block.

[Jen+4dc]

You know how it can simultaneously feel like it's all coming together, and like it's totally not? That's me. .

 

Me, too!

 

History is done through week 22 (the middle ages) but the renaissance books just got here Saturday so they still need to be organized.....Of course, that's just for the logic stage. I have SOTW and AG for the youngers and have done nothing but make copies, no lesson plans or library lists.....

 

LL7 is done but I think it will only take us 22 weeks instead of 36 so I'm not sure what to do for the rest of the year for ds13.

 

LLfLOTR is sitting here staring me in the face. Thank heavens the woman I bought it from included her lesson plans with it:D. However, ds is only 11 in 6th grade and I think I'll need to go at 1/2 speed and do it over 2 years so he doesn't get burnt out. But, this is his dream program and he sooooooooo wants to do it.

 

Grammar for both olders is planned.

 

I haven't even ordered science yet but I have at least made a decision;). Supposedly it's set up to be open and go, do the next thing. I really hope so!

 

Math, thank heavens, is a do the next thing for everyone but the K'er. Or, camp for awhile if the concept isn't sinking in.

 

I bought Phonics and Reading Pathways but haven't really had a chance to look at them yet.

 

I decided on AAS for ds8 but haven't ordered it yet.

 

Grammar for ds8 is still undecided.

 

What's done has been filed. I'm hoping all this work in the summer will make the school year smoother and less stressful for me (and thus everyone).

 

Wow, typing it all out maybe I'm not as close to done as I thought I was. Sigh.:glare:

 

Back to work!

Edited July 26, 2010 by Jen+4dc

[patchfire]

We started today, and I'm still working on our memory work plan. :D

 

Luckily that's the only thing that is still outstanding. That, and I can't find our Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization book, which isn't horrible, but it has all of dd's memory work from last year stuff inside it, too...

[lanabug]

Two weeks left of "summer" for us, we will start kindergarten on August 9th. I finalized our school calendar this weekend, we will do a modified year-round schedule. I'm planning to do 4 weeks on, 1 week off, with the full month of July off before we start back next August.

 

I'm working on our circle time board that we will use each morning (calendar, days of week, months, letter/number of week, etc.). I have most of it printed and laminated, but still need to attach velcro and lay it out on the board.

 

Still finding/preparing activities to keep my 2 yr old busy while I have one-on-one time with my 4 yr old.

 

Most of the first week's lesson plans have been written. We will be using the Bible curriculum from Hubbard's Cupboard, OPGTR, MEP, and Miquon everyday. We will hopefully do social studies and science 2-3 times a week. I still need to sit down and finish the math plans and find more library books to complement our other subjects.

 

I'm still debating on whether I want to add Explode the Code at first, or wait till later. DD's fine motor skills have just in the last week or two progressed to the point I think she might be ready for handwriting.

 

I spent most of the last year researching the various aspects of hs'ing, so to see it all coming together at last is so exciting to me!

 

Lana

[Paula in PA]

We started 2 weeks ago. Everything's planned out, our first term is in HST, now I just need to finish off my classes for the summer (2 more days to go), then get the rest of the year put into it.

[Ali in OR]

I wanted to start one thing last week, but it didn't happen. Unless I say the one thing was P.E., because we did start swim lessons. I placed my last two orders last night. My plan book is made (not filled in, just printed and bound!). I am very slowly starting to go through each subject and do the master planning. Some, like MCT, require me to read through it all to really get it into my head. I think I still have a lot of planning and thinking to do...hope to start several subjects August 16 (and still hoping to get something going earlier than that). We won't be doing a full schedule until a week after Labor day when my oldest is back in school.

[HollyDay]

We only have a short time before we start as well. Friday, I sat down with dc and went through each subject, each book. We talked goals, lessons plans, objectives, etc. Oldest is set. She is pleased with everything and has a great picture of what the year will be. Youngest is not so happy with science choices or how I'm doing grammar this year. We will just have to wait and see on those lesson plans.....

[Mom_Abear]

I have been overwhelmed all summer! Usually, I start planning for the next year in January and take my time, but this year, I stalled. I also felt overwhelmed by lots of projects I wanted to tackle this summer.

 

Thankfully, most of my school prep stuff is done! We are heading to the beach next week and plan to start soon after we get back!

[*Amber*]

I have started.....

 

Math for both girls is done for me (horizons)

OPGTTR is just do the next thing,(I did sit down last night and figure out where to start the 1st grader)

Grammar and spelling are done for me

Writing is done for me

bible, art are done for me.

 

I got all my planning done for Apologia Astronomy last night (33 weeks of science done!!)

 

I need to get SOTW planned

I need to get our geography done

 

So I am getting there but still have a bit to do. IF any of that made sense. lol!!

[momto2Cs]

I only just came to peace with my choices for the year, mostly. I still have one bit of a sticky wickett, but I'll figure it out. I do have an order waiting in my Amazon cart that will have to wait one more week.

 

I'm not really planning much this year. I'm always really good at making plans, but not at following through, so I am using my "planner" as a record book instead. I did figure out approximately how many lessons we'd have to do in Saxon Math each week, and how many chapters of history and science I'll have to read through, but I'm not going beyond that!

[3Rivers]

All I have to say is..."AAAAAGGGHHH!" :willy_nilly:

 

But seriously, I JUST made a huge curriculum decision (MFW over SL) which means I can now go on with my life. lol

 

I still need to scrapbook LAST year...sell LAST year's books...buy THIS year's books and set up. :svengo: At least I still have my workbox system still set up from last year so my structure is fairly unchanged.

[Novafan]

We are in the middle of moving, so planning is a bit messy right now. I just hope I have a permanent home come September 1st or I will be starting the new school year in a hotel room.

[Karen in CO]

I'm far enough into my planning to be seriously second-guessing my plan. :D

 

I am going to hit the first 11 weeks with what I have. I have my checklist designed; I have many subjects planned out; I have all of the material in a box; I am pretty certain that it will never work. :willy_nilly:

 

I do so much better with just the next thing and free exploration. I need a solid plan because I am working full-time during the week and, and, it'll never work out.

 

Okay, I feel better now. I'll be back to filling in little boxes in Word again tonight.

[elise1mds]

I feel soooo less organized than I did at this time last year. We start next week, 8/5, and I feel like I should be prepping and doing and getting things ready. I have all the stuff. I even have a rough plan for the year worked out. But after putting in so much work last year to get things organized down to the nitty-gritty and having everything thrown out the window by mid-October, I just don't want to do it. So I think I'm going to just ignore my OCD and fly by the seat of my pants. I'll do the supply shopping when I do DD's for her kindergarten stuff next Wednesday. Assuming I have hair by then and haven't ripped it all out. :D

[La Condessa]

I've been so interested by all of the planning and filing threads that I started putting together a few things myself. Just creating some forms in excel, like a quarter planner checklist and an attendance calendar. The thing is, my first daughter is only seventeen months old and my second is negative three months.

[kwickimom]

We start August 2nd and I am all planned!! I cannot wait! Its my first year so we will see how it all plays out. I LOVE all my curricula choices, if they work well with DD we shoudnt have too many problems. I just keep wanting to add in things so I am anxiously wanting to get through 2-3 weeks and see how it goes, so we can see if we have room to add in Spanish, latin, and/or an actual art program.

[Kfamily]

I'm so overwhelmed it hurts...:lol: No, just kidding but I am very behind. The good news is that I am truly overhauling our whole approach and I'm really happy with this new path. It will be a lot of work initally but it will be worth it to finally have a plan in place that will be our framework (I know better than to expect everything to stay exactly as I have in mind...definitely have learned to be flexible) for both of my dds. My older dd is in 8th this year and I needed a better plan based on a vision that works for us and will have the added benefit of having this is place as younger dd starts 2nd grade. We're going to end up with an eclectic plan which leans heavily on CM but has many elements of WTM.

[dm379]

I'm still shedding tears over this year. Everything's a mess! Got dd's math curriculum in and figured out her little brother could do it no problem. So gotta start over with that. Still clueless for Spanish. I'm trying to plan around an unknown moving date or if we're moving once or twice this year. Plus dh will have the entire month of September off so I know we're not going to get anything done. And oh yeah, technically we started 2 weeks ago but finally got the majority of our stuff in Friday. They're off this week for VBS and so Mom can regroup.

[MissKNG]

We are rolling with what is in my signature but very light for the summer. I do have Kumon workbooks for handwriting and would like to do a "composer of the month" starting in September with German composers. We officially start in Sept.

[Capt_Uhura]

:grouphug: Dawn.

 

Here's my update from this AM. After spending about 20min doing household management stuff (calling insurance to get binder for new house, updating auto insurance, increasing coverage, etc and few other misc things) I did get 1.5hrs of planning done before going to pick up DD at her preK summer playtime. I spent about 40min talking to her teacher and learned that she homeschooled her DD her last 2yrs of highschool b/c her DD hated school so much. Her Dh just retired from teaching middle school for many, many years. I wondered why a few years ago she mentioned HSing to me! Now I know! We shared PS horror stories which was quite interesting consider they both are teachers. I'm now cleaning all the tile floors (kitchen and bath). Once that is done, I need to spend some time w/ DD. SHe's doing water color right now. I hope to get another hour or two of planning done tonight. I'm working on my 8 week block of Language arts. I read through Outlining book 2 and mapped it out. Next I need to make some math decisions - SM or MM for my son who has finished RS E.

 

Ok back to mopping I go....

 

Capt_Uhura

[rafiki]

.

[peachskittles]

My computer crashed with all that information. :glare: I have a horrible memory and links are the most important thing for me to ensure I don't forget something. Thankfully, I've got the basic idea down. I'm back to the beginning of everything that I had started though. I had a reading list I was typing up, all the links for what I wanted to get (even if I wasn't going to actually get it), links to lots of things online that I could supplement with for free, etc. I'm not starting until after Labor Day so hopefully that'll be enough time for me.

[Wildiris]

The planning is going in fits-and-starts. I'm using Home School Tracker Basic this year. Oh, MY! In putting information for each subject, then making sure the dates work, being sure that the days are not over-burdened, and hitting all the correct drop-down category for each entry makes my head spin. I can only do the planning for a few hours without making mistakes. BUT, working with the Tracker is forcing me to put down in writing the direction I want a course to take rather than leaving it open and saying, "I'll figure it out when I get there." Too often when I get there in the school year I'm too busy to figure out the next step and we wing it. Winging it can be both good and bad, but I'd rather not wing it this year. So I'm plunging forward with the Tracker.

[swimmermom3]

I'm far enough into my planning to be seriously second-guessing my plan. :D

 

 

 

That would be like getting to week 28 in the history plans and thinking, "This would be so much better if I rearranged a few weeks here and there and then added a project here and another..." See, if you are only at the second- guessing and not the fourth-guessing, then you are good to go!:lol:

 

At this point, the overview is done and so are the first six weeks with some tweaking left:

 

Math - Foerster's Algebra I w/ Patty Paper Geometry (probably 1 1/2 years)

Science: Oceans, Astronomy, Alternative Energy, Chemistry, Geology (GEMS units and self-written)

 

Language Arts - MCT Magic Lens, Level 1 series w/ Lost Tools of Writing, WTM Medieval classic literature suggestions with Prydain Chronicles for literary analysis utilizing LLfLOTR and own materials

 

History - Medieval/Renaissance/Reformation - DIY except for Duke TIP King Arthur study

 

Spanish - K12

 

Art and Music - tied to history studies

 

PE - swim team

 

Fridays - Swimmer Dude-led studies concentrating on King Arthur, Current Events, Technology, and Finance

 

I've cut history down to the bare bones : read and discuss. Then I have tried to make things do double duty. I'll probably be sorry on the K12 Spanish as they have a lot of busy work. We'll see.

[swimmermom3]

The planning is going in fits-and-starts. I'm using Home School Tracker Basic this year. Oh, MY! In putting information for each subject, then making sure the dates work, being sure that the days are not over-burdened, and hitting all the correct drop-down category for each entry makes my head spin. I can only do the planning for a few hours without making mistakes. BUT, working with the Tracker is forcing me to put down in writing the direction I want a course to take rather than leaving it open and saying, "I'll figure it out when I get there." Too often when I get there in the school year I'm too busy to figure out the next step and we wing it. Winging it can be both good and bad, but I'd rather not wing it this year. So I'm plunging forward with the Tracker.

 

I really want to use my HST but I'm still scarred from the last time out. I'll be curious to hear how it works for you. I need it to work for us. :tongue_smilie:

[Food4Thought]

I'm glad I opened this thread, because it reminded me that I had planned to start on August 3! I better get my books requested from the library now if I don't want to be behind during the first week. :lol:

 

I've got my history and science planned out for 36 weeks, but I'm second-guessing myself. I still need to prep a few weeks worth of copywork and come up with some strategic plan for going through the phonics rules, but I feel ready. I'm more ready this year than I was last year. I figure that by the time 3rd grade rolls around (and I have to file my intent & start evaluations), I'll actually know what I'm doing.

[Matryoshka]

The planning is going in fits-and-starts. I'm using Home School Tracker Basic this year. Oh, MY! In putting information for each subject, then making sure the dates work, being sure that the days are not over-burdened, and hitting all the correct drop-down category for each entry makes my head spin. I can only do the planning for a few hours without making mistakes. BUT, working with the Tracker is forcing me to put down in writing the direction I want a course to take rather than leaving it open and saying, "I'll figure it out when I get there." Too often when I get there in the school year I'm too busy to figure out the next step and we wing it. Winging it can be both good and bad, but I'd rather not wing it this year. So I'm plunging forward with the Tracker.

 

 

oh, heavens. Just spend the $49 and get Plus! It's soooooooooo much easier to enter things! And to move stuff around if "life happens" (and I'm pretty sure the data you've already entered gets saved if you upgrade). I'm getting a headache on your behalf just reading this! ;)

[Matryoshka]

Language Arts - MCT Magic Lens, Level 1 series w/ Lost Tools of Writing,

 

So you have decided to go with MCT mixed with LToW? Care to share details?? :D :bigear: :bigear:

 

I'm waiting to spend the (gulp) $157 plus shipping on this whale till someone tells me it'll be doable and worth it! :)

[Catwoman]

How's it going? 4 more weeks until Sept. 1 and the start of the fall session.

 

4 more weeks to finish our summer school stuff too. :D

 

:willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:

 

AAAAARGH!!!!! Don't remind me!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cat

[swimmermom3]

So you have decided to go with MCT mixed with LToW? Care to share details?? :D :bigear: :bigear:

 

I'm waiting to spend the (gulp) $157 plus shipping on this whale till someone tells me it'll be doable and worth it! :)

 

I am proceeding with some mixed feelings as I suspect I will be using LTW more to work on the thinking process than the writing process and it will tie into literary analysis. We will continue to review Essay Voyage as the longer I use it, the fonder I become of it and the essay examples are very good. I've bumped our time for language arts up as this is where we do the most of our "thinking" and have pared back on history even though Swimmer Dude enjoys it. He will probably flummox me again this year and I'll have to turn everything on it's head, except of course, MCT. His opinion of MCT is, "It doesn't waste my time.":tongue_smilie:

[CalicoKat]

:willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:

 

AAAAARGH!!!!! Don't remind me!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cat

 

:D

[CalicoKat]

I've been so interested by all of the planning and filing threads that I started putting together a few things myself. Just creating some forms in excel, like a quarter planner checklist and an attendance calendar. The thing is, my first daughter is only seventeen months old and my second is negative three months.

 

My oldest was 18 months old when we decided to homeschool. :) She's 11 now, time flies!

[CalicoKat]

You know how it can simultaneously feel like it's all coming together, and like it's totally not? That's me. I suspect it's because I'm not getting time to simply sit down with everything and satisfy myself that what's in my head and on the computer and on various notebook pages does, in fact, gel into one fairy tidy course of study. I need an inservice! However, that's not going to happen until the last week of August...which is making me pretty paranoid. I think that if I could just get the copywork and memory work completely done, I'd feel pretty good. But that's a whole 'nother issue, b/c ds8 wants to learn cursive, and I'm not happy with Getty-Dubay's cursive...yeah. Sigh.

 

The more I plan, the more I wonder "What was I thinking when I bought _______!" :)

[CalicoKat]

I'm far enough into my planning to be seriously second-guessing my plan. :D

 

I am going to hit the first 11 weeks with what I have. I have my checklist designed; I have many subjects planned out; I have all of the material in a box; I am pretty certain that it will never work. :willy_nilly:

 

I do so much better with just the next thing and free exploration. I need a solid plan because I am working full-time during the week and, and, it'll never work out.

 

Okay, I feel better now. I'll be back to filling in little boxes in Word again tonight.

 

isn't that the truth!

[Mom0012]

I feel pretty much set for the new school year, but planning for me is mostly about making decisions about which curriculum I will use. I don't design my own programs and I don't schedule everything out for the year. We just move on to the next page or thing each day. My kids have a weekly checklist of what subjects need to be done which days.

 

I am interested in trying to change my checklist into a loop schedule, so that's something I am going to work on. Though considering my son took almost 3 hours to complete one math lesson after a 2 week break, I'm not sure that's going to work.

 

I'm also questioning my choice of grammar -- Shurley, possibly doing it 2 days and then continuing with CLE the other days or dropping CLE altogether and just using Shurley. It feels safer to at least continue with CLE until I'm sure Shurley will work out. I really feel like R&S would be a good fit for my son, but I've agonized over my decision for 6 months now and I've already bought Shurley so I think that's the direction we're going to try. I kind of feel guilty about not using R&S and also about using 2 grammar programs. I'd like to just use one thing, but I always seem to find myself in this situation.

 

Lisa

[angela&4boys]

You know how it can simultaneously feel like it's all coming together, and like it's totally not? That's me. I suspect it's because I'm not getting time to simply sit down with everything and satisfy myself that what's in my head and on the computer and on various notebook pages does, in fact, gel into one fairy tidy course of study. I need an inservice!

 

Yes! That's where I am. [heavy sigh] You summed it up very well, Saille.

 

We were going to start Monday, but there is no way I'm ready. It'll have to be the Monday next... maybe. :tongue_smilie:

[Holly]

We've already started. I hate planning (and it nearly destroyed my love of HSing last year), so we're using HOD--as is. It's such a breath of fresh air!

 

I am planning some afternoon activities (handicrafts, cooking, health topics, nature studies, maybe a few FIAR books, etc.). I'm using KOF as a guide for this. Right now I just have a general list of topics I'd like to cover.

[mcconnellboys]

I've gotten side-tracked by all these other things this year and I'm not ready! My school starts in less than three weeks and I've not completed the work I want to do on my schedule YET! Yikes! You'd think after so many years I'd get my act together, but I have not.....

[swimmermom3]

I've gotten side-tracked by all these other things this year and I'm not ready! My school starts in less than three weeks and I've not completed the work I want to do on my schedule YET! Yikes! You'd think after so many years I'd get my act together, but I have not.....

 

:lol: I have complete faith in you, Regena! Are you teaching a co-op class this year?

[Whereneverever]

I think I'm doing really well! I know what we're doing for everything, I have everything ordered, almost everything is here, and I'm working through lesson planning and organizing. I feel great about where we're at!

[Guest aquiverfull]

All I have to say is..."AAAAAGGGHHH!" :willy_nilly:

 

But seriously, I JUST made a huge curriculum decision (MFW over SL) which means I can now go on with my life. lol

 

:iagree: I can totally relate to this. Planning is not going good. I made another switch in history curriculum so now I can start focusing on other things (like that awful planning I've been neglecting). I feel like my life stops when deciding on curriculum, it's the only thing I can concentrate on/think about until the decision is made.

 

We had planned to start on August 9th, I'm not sure if we will make that date. I have only one subject actually planned and filed for only one child...lol.

[Capt_Uhura]

Well, I had planned on maybe an hour or so of planning time last night but didn't get to it. I'm not feeling well, didn't sleep very much last night and I'm tired today. I only have an hour left before picking up DD from preK playtime so I'm brewing some caffeinated tea and will try to be productive for the next hour. We may end up closing on the sale of our house next week so I really must spend the rest of the day packing. :glare:

[Wildiris]

oh, heavens. Just spend the $49 and get Plus! It's soooooooooo much easier to enter things! And to move stuff around if "life happens" (and I'm pretty sure the data you've already entered gets saved if you upgrade). I'm getting a headache on your behalf just reading this! ;)

 

 

OK, I am off to Tracker's site to look at Plus. Anything to make the job easier. Thanks! :D

Edited July 27, 2010 by Wildiris