BBG580 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I'm in the middle of a sea of papers and plans and I'm guessing that math and phonics/reading are largely "do the next thing" and not easily planned out over the course of a year? We are using McRuffy Color Math 1 and Phonics Road 1 next year and I just can't see how I can possibly anticipate what we will do when aside from aiming to do each 5 days per week? If I am missing something here, please let me know how to schedule it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Year Round Mom Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 My kids are young, like yours, so we're new, too! I only plan for 6 weeks at a time. I photocopy everything I'll need and organize them into file folders. I started out this year trying to get all 36 folders filled, but realized I couldn't plan that far ahead (just like you!). Now I use only 7 folders - one for each week and one for worksheets that didn't get done this cycle, so I can use them the next 6 weeks. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 You might want to consider filing those in a subject folder, which you can grab from weekly/daily. If you need a visual reminder, you can include something in each weekly folder noting the goal to work on that subject 5 days/week. Some print a sheet that can be moved from week to week. If you are looking to complete the lessons in a specific period of time, you might create goals for yourself, noting what point you hope to be at when. For example, if you are planning 36 weeks, then you would hope to be at the half-way point at 18 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBG580 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 My kids are young, like yours, so we're new, too! I only plan for 6 weeks at a time. I photocopy everything I'll need and organize them into file folders. I started out this year trying to get all 36 folders filled, but realized I couldn't plan that far ahead (just like you!). Now I use only 7 folders - one for each week and one for worksheets that didn't get done this cycle, so I can use them the next 6 weeks. HTH! I am working on our first six weeks too. We are starting early this summer. I have actually thought to just plan the first six weeks and then hold off planning more so I can see our typical pace and how our days play out. I know myself - I can plan a lot of things but that doesn't necessarily mean they are going to happen according to plan. It would totally suck to do an entire year plan and then realize 6 weeks in that my pacing was seriously off and all the files need to be reworked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBG580 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 You might want to consider filing those in a subject folder, which you can grab from weekly/daily. If you need a visual reminder, you can include something in each weekly folder noting the goal to work on that subject 5 days/week. Some print a sheet that can be moved from week to week. If you are looking to complete the lessons in a specific period of time, you might create goals for yourself, noting what point you hope to be at when. For example, if you are planning 36 weeks, then you would hope to be at the half-way point at 18 weeks. Excellent advice. I love the idea of subject folders rather than weekly folders - thank you! It seems so obvious now that you mentioned it, but I'm sure I wouldn't have figured this out on my own. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I only do file planning for two subjects- Science and History. They each have thier own file box, and I can fit most of the kits and supplies either in the folders or in the back of the box. Those are the two subjects I have the hardest time keeping up with and the files have really helped this year. (We are a little behind in History and we had to move the bacteria folders to the end of the year, but it has all worked out well ;)). For my "do the next thing" subjects I make out a simple plan for the whole year that tells what ch. or lesson I hope they are at by the end of each month. Even if we get way off it is only, at the most, 10 or so small boxes to erase and replan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 For my "do the next thing" subjects I make out a simple plan for the whole year that tells what ch. or lesson I hope they are at by the end of each month. Even if we get way off it is only, at the most, 10 or so small boxes to erase and replan. :iagree: I did most subjects but others (like memory work, piano, phonics, Latin) I just mapped out possible sequences, mainly to make sure I had enough materials for the year. Some curriculums are easier to schedule than others. SWR was pretty easy - 20 words a week (we had a built in assess/review every 6th week). MEP math is pretty easy, there is enough variety and challenge that we've been able to plug along at 1 lesson/day. Now Webster's Speller I didn't schedule at all - we will work on it for 15m or so per day, and just keep going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I don't schedule math but throw the textbook in the file folder week where we will start it and then it stays in their workbox and we just do the next thing. With phonics, I schedule the concepts but I don't schedule readers. You can read all about how it is working for us now on my blog and mid-year advice for making it work. I also have a tab on organization that has links to blogs that post about the file folder system. Hope this helps.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I'm in the middle of a sea of papers and plans and I'm guessing that math and phonics/reading are largely "do the next thing" and not easily planned out over the course of a year? We are using McRuffy Color Math 1 and Phonics Road 1 next year and I just can't see how I can possibly anticipate what we will do when aside from aiming to do each 5 days per week? If I am missing something here, please let me know how to schedule it! With kids the ages yours are, having a goal of just doing school is probably enough planning. :001_smile: I had a very difficult time planning out for more than a couple of days to maybe a week or two. There would be times we would skip way ahead, or times when a playdate just took priority. I have found that now, with my son being 9, I really need to plan out way ahead, or I don't get enough done or push him at all. The plan provides the push because otherwise he'd worm his way out of school every. single. day. :tongue_smilie: I guess what I'm saying is that planning will come. Just relax and enjoy teaching your first couple of years. You'll know better when you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Each of my boys has one large binder (similar to this, but I think ours have 1 1/2 inch rings) with divider tabs for each book they're working on (so instead of having a math tab, they have a Saxon tab and a Daily Word Problem tab). I place worksheets, photocopies, notebook paper, etc. behind each tab, and include about 4-6 weeks worth of work. This cuts down on my weekend planning & preparation time, because everything is ready for the week's work. It also eliminates the need to reshuffle papers if we get off by a day or a week. After they've completed their work for the day, they remove their completed papers and give them to me, and I check them if needed and either throw them away or file them if I want to keep them. I also have some bright yellow sheets that say "______ needs more ______ (begin on lesson ______)" that I put in each section, about 10 days before they run out of what they need for that subject. This gives me several days to gather whatever goes behind that tab, so I'm (theoretically) never scrambling to get what they need at the last minute. I print out assignment sheets daily for everyone from HST+ (this is where I do my planning, and since it's on the computer it's so easy to reschedule things). This system also makes school fairly portable--they grab their binder, maybe their math or grammar book, and we're ready to go. Edited February 9, 2011 by JudoMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBG580 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) I guess what I'm saying is that planning will come. Just relax and enjoy teaching your first couple of years. You'll know better when you need it. I see these replies about relaxing in a lot of the early grade threads and I think that is a good ideal but not going to work for me personally! I have three tiny kids, a husband who travels M-F for his job and nothing will get done if I don't have things photocopied or library lists made ahead of time so I can get things on hold, or have the right craft materials ready so we are a go for projects. For instance, for week one I have some coloring pages, 2 geography worksheets, project materials list and instructions for a quick Colonial book project, some notebooking pages for her nature journal, a 5 word vocab list, and a book list for the library. So it isn't like I am going nuts with too many things, just simply being organized! My point here is that I think this must be individual for each family and if I relaxed we would not be able to homeschool! Right now I am doing our planning during my two littles nap times while my 5 year old is in public school. I don't want to spend the precious weekend time that my husband is here during our school year lesson planning. And when my daughter is home full time after school finishes this year we will begin homeschooling right away for year round school. I will then be using the littles nap times for work time with her on phonics/reading and math. Thanks for your thoughts, though, I enjoy this forum so much because I do get such varying advice and it makes me think my own choices through. :) Edited February 9, 2011 by BBG580 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 My point here is that I think this must be individual for each family and if I relaxed we would not be able to homeschool! Yeah, but your oldest is only 5 (or 6 next year). There are plenty of ways to get K or 1st school done that don't require photocopying or particular books from the library. I think the recomendations to relax are more about finding joy in your life and learning the way it is (especially with so many little kids), not making it a list and worksheets you have to get through. For instance, for week one I have some coloring pages, 2 geography worksheets, project materials list and instructions for a quick Colonial book project, some notebooking pages for her nature journal, a 5 word vocab list, and a book list for the library. This does seem a little crazy if it is things you "have" to get done and be prepared for. I imagine if you stocked some craft supplies so many things were avaiable for fun, and checked out books that catch your fancy, they'd still learn as much and you wouldn't be as worried. There is plenty of planning as they get older. Don't let yourself burn out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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