planning

[newbeee]

where do I begin to plan for next year? I made this hs decision so suddenly and am just beginning curriculum in january for year 1. how far before a new "school year" starts are you all prepared? cuz i'm just pluggin along as i go and buying books whenever i can. which is all i ever did anyway.

[KristinaBreece]

Next school year will be our first "official" year. (And by that I mean, we're starting kindy level work in earnest, but DS is young enough that we don't have to report to the Superintendent. We don't have to acknowledge that there's a public school system at all until he's 6. Hooray!) And I'm already pulling together materials.

[Blossom'sGirl]

I usually go here http://donnayoung.org/forms/planners/curriculum.htm

 

and use the planner called "Curriculum Planner" . I print one out for each child and slowly go through what I have and what I need. If you explore this website you will find she has all kinds of planning help from the more relaxed style to "must have something written for each day" style.

 

I usually start planning now and then buy over the summer. I like to let my plans "brew" for awhile just in case I change my mind. I do have some books I know I will use so I will but them now used or on sale.

[boscopup]

I just started, but my original research began in September. In late November, we made the decision to start homeschooling in January. I already had an Excel spreadsheet of curriculum I wanted to get, where to purchase it (best price), and what the price was. I ordered stuff starting Thanksgiving weekend, including HST+ so I could start learning how to use that (spent that long weekend playing with it and understanding it). Over Christmas break, I got everything printed/filed/planned. We started January 3.

 

For the next grade, I will probably order stuff around April or May, or whenever I see things on sale. I have a spreadsheet again and have made decisions already, though those things could still change until the point at which I buy them. :D

 

We'll be schooling year round, and we will be starting some things in the summer and some things in the fall. And the next grade of math starts in a couple weeks, but I ordered that when I ordered everything else, because I knew we'd move quickly through the current grade's materials in that subject.

 

Basically, I keep my spreadsheet stocked, and as I change my mind, I adjust the spreadsheet. I don't make purchases until closer to time to use them though, because it's harder to deal with a bad curriculum choice if you've already bought it. ;)

[PenKase]

FWIW, I'm still planning out this year, but I am drawn to the idea of open and go curricula, which for the most part is fine and reduces the amount of planning I had to do on the front end. I'm finding this veeerrrryyyy difficult to do in the logic stage, but mostly with our core subjects (and my planning hours are MOSTLY spent on my logic stage dc than my grammar stage dc). I do have a chart of what curricula my grammar stage child and logic stage will be doing for the four years of their stages and it helps me to see where we are and where we are going and I could easily make adjustments as needed.

 

Hopefully other will chime in here too. Good luck to you.

[Dana]

It's definitely something you can do.

 

The first year really felt out of control to me. I got more in control as time went on, although I continue to fine tune and make changes.

 

I started researching homeschooling when my son was in Kindergarten (probably in October). I think we made the decision firmly in December or January. Then I had to figure out curriculum!

 

The Donna Young site has good information.

First thing to do is be sure what your state law is. There are certain subjects we're required to cover in the year. We need to join an organization but we don't have to test.

 

Then think about what approach you'll be taking. Are you going to follow WTM very closely? Are you thinking of unschooling? In many ways, the approach to homeschool will help drive curriculum choice.

 

Once you know the subjects you'll cover & a bit of the approach you'll use (for the first part of the first year at least... plans change!), start picking curriculum. Some people like the boxed curriculum, some people like to pick & choose. This board has been amazingly wonderful for me for picking things. Be aware that you may have to make changes based on how your children learn. We switched spelling programs when my son was in 2nd grade. I'd already bought spelling for 3rd grade, so I was frustrated, but the switch has helped him learn SO much better.

 

I keep a spreadsheet where I put in tentative curriculum/subject plans for future years. It helps me organize my thinking. Of course, last week I decided that we'll start world history next year instead of in 5th grade, so now I need to pick resources. I'm attending a homeschool conference so I can look at some stuff rather than buying sight unseen. We'll see how it goes.

 

Sometimes I feel like I have things well planned out; other times I'm hanging off a cliff by my fingernails. Just do your best, try not to get overwhelmed (much easier said than done), and enjoy the journey!

[GaHadley]

I like to make a list of what subject areas each child needs, then I search by grade level here and skim through threads that have folk's plans for each year (so currently I'm looking at 2nd grade and Kindergarten threads). I make a note of everything that sounds good or interesting, then I search each specific curriculum to see pros/cons, look at the website, and try to borrow it from the library (our ILL has LOTS of things I never imagined they'd have like Hooked on Phonics, Writing With Ease, Phonics Pathways, Galloping the Globe, etc.)

 

If at all possible, get a list somewhat narrowed down and go to a convention. It's always helpful to be able to ask questions and to touch things to look at them.

[kristinannie]

I just made the decision to HS as well (in mid Dec). We are going to start in July (we want more time off when the weather is nicer and it is better to travel). Anyway, I have purchased a couple of things that I was completely sure about, but I am glad that I haven't purchased anything else because I keep changing my mind. There is A LOT of choice out there. I would ask about specific subjects on here and "eavesdrop" on a lot of the message board. Then I would order catalogs and let it all percolate for awhile. I think you only need to order books about 6 weeks before you plan to start (although if you wait until July, it might take longer...or so I have been told).

 

I would suggest getting some different books on teaching styles. I am going to do a mostly classical education with a lot of Charlotte Mason thrown in (especially in nature study, history, art, music and literature).

 

My biggest piece of advice that I have gleaned from looking at hundreds of threads on here is that you should not overdo kindergarten. I am trying to keep things as basic as possible and have a lot of fun in the process. Reading and phonics are obviously the most important things in kindergarten and I am going to also do math and catechism daily. However, science, history, music and art are going to be a couple of times a week and lowkey. I could even get rid of something if there is too much.

 

Best of luck and welcome to the world of HSing. I know that this is the best decision that I have ever made (thanks to God who led me to it) and I am sure we both have a lot of fun times ahead (along with some sleepless nights)!!!!

[boscopup]

Anyway, I have purchased a couple of things that I was completely sure about, but I am glad that I haven't purchased anything else because I keep changing my mind.

 

When I first started researching, I had everything picked out and was ready to purchase! Then over the course of the next 2 months, I changed on EVERY subject, some of them 3 or more times! :lol: When it came time to order, I even changed my mind on spelling at the last minute, then changed again after ordering, and then once we started, I realized I needed to go back to my original spelling choice (which happens to be the FIRST curriculum I picked out of any subject!), and I had to order that the week before last. We're now happily using it. :D I've also dropped my reading program as of this week, and I plan to change grammar next year but will stick with what we have this year (I like it, but don't think I want to do it every single year). I changed my mind again on science and now have a mixture of 3 different programs in my spreadsheet (planning to actually do ONE, but use the other two for reference). I'm crazy. But that's just how homeschool goes, I guess! ;)

 

Thankfully, I haven't been out a lot of money. The spelling programs I didn't like were only about $10 each, and I can resell them, so I'll get some back. The pricier things, I've ended up being pretty happy with. Phew!