Halcyon Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I am thinking it will make me feel more confident if I begin planning through 8th grade now (high school is too intimidating now for me to think about LOL). Does anyone do this? I have been planning "the next year' and the next year only up until now, and while I know certain curriculum I will be using going forward, a lot of the future is unclear. I am thinking of making a binder with tabs for each grade, where I write my thoughts, print out relevant threads on curriculum, put in ideas for the year, etc. Anyone do this? Does it make you more freaked out or less? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Because I've found curricula that I like, I'm just moving on to the next level each year. I'm not sure, yet, what we'll do when we run out of levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I do like to plan years ahead. I would, however, urge you not to BUY more than a year ahead (unless you get stuff dirt cheap), because your plans will probably change. But planning is fun! Enjoy the planning but know that you may have to change to meet your child's needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornerstone Classical Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 OK Time for confessions...I have a spreadsheet on googledocs with a schedule of our curriculum from 1st - 12th grade:leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I don't have curriculum planned all the way out. I do have lists of possibilities. I also know where I want the kids to be before they graduate, and I work backwards from that each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hankins3 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 OK Time for confessions...I have a spreadsheet on googledocs with a schedule of our curriculum from 1st - 12th grade:leaving: Oh to be this organized! :) I think that I would go nuts trying to put that together! LOL I usually plan year to year, because there are always new things coming out and my son's interests and learning styles may shift a bit. However, if I could get a general plan put together for through HS, I think it would be a huge relief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I am thinking it will make me feel more confident if I begin planning through 8th grade now (high school is too intimidating now for me to think about LOL). Does anyone do this? I have been planning "the next year' and the next year only up until now, and while I know certain curriculum I will be using going forward, a lot of the future is unclear. I am thinking of making a binder with tabs for each grade, where I write my thoughts, print out relevant threads on curriculum, put in ideas for the year, etc. Anyone do this? Does it make you more freaked out or less? :tongue_smilie: I look ahead, but I've found that my plans rarely pan out because I'm having to tweak things too much based on various factors. Sometimes my plans change because something isn't working for us anymore. Other times they change because something new and better comes out or I think we need more/less time on something else, etc. It's nice to at least have a framework in mind though... So that's what I do. I have a framework but understand that it's super flexible and any of it can change at any moment. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogMom5 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I don't plan exact curricula ahead but I do plan subjects and goals. I began thinking about and planning high school when my oldest ds was in 4th grade. And yes, I printed out threads and took notes on curriculum ideas. I don't have an organized notebook like you described. Just a folder w/tons of printed threads and notes grouped together by subject. I wish I had begun w/your more organized, divided notebook approach. It can take too long to rummage through all those papers. Anyway, your idea is good. Start now and you won't have as many "oh, wish I done that sooner" moments. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I plan about three years at a time, allowing for some flexibility if needed. Dd is finishing 6th grade now, and I've got everything lined up through the end of 8th. I've actually already got a booklist going for 8th grade and I'm slipping reading books away when I find them really cheap. I do have a tentative plan for curriculum that we'll use for high school - although I'm always researching, and I'm also keeping the option to send her to private school if it feels like the right thing to do at that time. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I "planned" k4-1st grade and by the time I was through that I knew how my son was doing. I then planned through 3rd grade. Now I'm getting to the end of that and I feel like I'm in a holding pattern because the logic stage is nowhere in sight. I intend to keep on plugging at SM and GWG, etc. but am holding off on books for science, art, music, and history as I *think* he's going to get a mental growth spurt here, soon. However, some of my sibs (and me, too) were late bloomers (and the others were "gifted"), and I don't want to plot out a few years in advance and discover my kid remains extra kid-like until he is 13 or so. I could use a crystal ball for this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janainaz Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Because I've found curricula that I like, I'm just moving on to the next level each year. I'm not sure, yet, what we'll do when we run out of levels. ditto:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamachanse Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I have a running list of possibilities through middle school for most subjects. I'm holding off on buying though. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I have a general idea of what we will use through 8th. We've also found what materials work for us and plan on continuing with them as long as possible. I don't actually buy curriculum more than a year in advance...unless you count living books. I figure we can always use a good book, no matter what curriculum we end up using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Well.. Since ds was two or three, I'd begun planning. First on Powerpoint, now on Keynoter (Mac). I like/need to see the big picture of where I'm going. I've tweaked and such, but so far everything's been pretty close to what I planned. This coming Fall I've decided to deviate a bit and do an entire year of American History. I've also postponed BFSU until 4th as per both planning and maturity issues, and we're trying out Singapore Science My Pals Are Here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I seize up with anxiety if I plan more than one year ahead.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Wanting to add: You go, girl! Plan away, and I will stalk you as the years go on...:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiknGirl Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I haven't planned more than a year ahead, but now I feel the need to. :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca77 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I'm looking ahead, because I'm very excited about NL science, and VP's self-paced online history courses for my ds. We'll start next year, and use them throughout his elementary years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I plan out. My 7th grader is planned out until 12th grade (subject to change though if we start moving towards a different direction, but at this point in time I am pretty confident I found her choices and they fit her needs nicely) I am getting close with my 3rd grader, there are a few things I keep playing with as I am not quite sure what is best for her yet. My two ds's though I have no clue. Based on what I know of my now K'er I have his 1st grade planned out for the fall. I will wait and see how that goes before going any farther. He is my autistic ds so his needs/weaknesses/strengths may change so I may need to be more flexible with him and my ds who will be in K next fall I have no clue. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 At the beginning of this current school year (3rd), I wrote out a tentative plan through 7th grade. Some subjects I listed specific curriculum, and some of it was just a general "logic stage ____" with a bunch of possibilities listed For the past few weeks, I've been working on updating that plan based on what happened this past year. Science & history are essentially the same (though I still haven't totally decided on a spine for logic stage bio & earth science). Math needs tweaking and LA I always had to take it semester-by-semester because of my DD's unpredictability in that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I do both - plan the next year more specifically (exact curriculum, online class or not etc) and more long term. But I also have a high schooler and soon to be jr. higher. So I really need a long term plan to make sure I'm following the path I want to be on for them. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I know where I want dd to be at the end of 8th grade. I've got some classes (English, math, science, history, French) somewhat sketched out to fulfill those goals. I only truly plan one year in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I've always planned a year ahead but with the future years in mind. I might think about where I want to be in the history cycle or know of a curriculum that I want to use in a certain grade and work toward that. This year has been a little different because dd is entering 9th grade. I've really got a plan for the next 4 years for her. I did more planning because I felt that decisions I made for the first year could really affect all the others. I will say that in researching for high school I found a few things that I wish I had used in 8th instead, but they aren't life changing or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyFernDotOrg Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I don't plan exact curricula ahead but I do plan subjects and goals. I began thinking about and planning high school when my oldest ds was in 4th grade. I think this is good - just a loose structure of what subjects or areas you plan to focus on for each year. This way, if you have a college-bound student you can make sure you have all bases covered and see if there are gaps or if things don't quite flow together. This also allows room for student-led studies, as well as predicting where you might be able to speed up (areas of interest and high ability!) or slow down (areas of challenge). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I'm always looking ahead but while I have some things planned all the way out, other things I plan less far ahead or even year to year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I "plan" in that I know we will be doing history and science on rotations and have plenty of material to do that through about a college level except for some lab equipment that needs to be bought when the time comes to use it. I have a general math plan but since I have no idea how long it will take dd to get through each level, it is just a general plan with no specifics and we just keep moving right along. For other subjects I have lots of stuff/curriculum I have bought or been given over the years, other things I want to use but don't have/need yet, and computer courses I want her to take. I fit them all in when the time comes or change/modify my mental lists as new things become available. I used to be a Type A incessant planner personality. I eased up on that a bit with my boys but homeschooling my dd has been the cure! Ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I started planning ahead in 5th grade. I needed to up my self-education, and I needed to know where we were headed eventually. I have a 100 different variables, put I have a rough plan through 12th. With high school looming I needed to get a solid plan together. Some of it is specific curriculum, some of it is a general idea. It also depends whether I need to plan the subject or not. For instance, Latin is Latin Alive, so buy the book, study ahead, do about a chapter a week, no real planning. For science in high school I'm putting together a two to three year plan. I'm already working on that even though we won't start until 2012-2013 school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I used to be more of a year-to-year person, but as I have found what works for us, and as my son is now beginning the middle school years, I have been coming up with more of a long-term plan. I have pretty much figured what I will use for math, grammar and writing for both of my kids through 8th grade. I think I know what I will use for math in high school as well. So, I am now spending more time familiarizing myself with high school options so that when we get there in 3 short years, I have a plan. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Because I've found curricula that I like, I'm just moving on to the next level each year. This is how I am currently approaching it now.However once my son gets into the higher levels/grades,I might change my mind LOL.We're about to start 3rd grade so I still have some time.That's not to say that I don't look at curriculum--I am always doing that-trying to find something new or seeing if something might fit into our studies..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I have a clear plan, a course of study, in mind. I am constantly looking and researching, tweaking and re-fining but I have a very good idea of what we'll do when. I do have a section in my Mom's management notebook about schedules and curriculum. I do like to stick with certain curriculum/suppliers but I want to be open to new stuff. I always find a few new gems each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.