So, who else is elbow deep in planning?

[Jenny in Florida]

I love this part. I really do.

 

This year, though, I'm feeling like I've bitten off more than I can comfortably chew.

 

I've more or less finished figuring out weekly assignments for government, chemistry music and art history and English. Creative writing was simple, since it's basically workbook pages and instructions to write something.

 

I finished determining which labs to do when and making my supplies list today.

 

But a few subjects still need lots of work.

 

U.S. history, for example, is a huge project. I've gotten as far as matching up basic reading assignments with online resources and folding in projects and papers. But of the 23 movies I need to pre-watch and write background information and questions for, I've so far managed to get through only four. My husband has helped with two more. But, still, that's 17 more films.

 

I still need to match up the math text with Khan Academy and any other supplements I decide to throw into that mix.

 

I have to parcel out Spanish and add the extra grammar exercises.

 

And I haven't even touched the two second-semester electives.

 

I do enjoy the planning. I love seeing in my head how it all fits together and imagining how wonderful it will all be . . .

 

It just feels like a lot this year.

 

Anyone else in the same boat?

[happygrrl]

I am right there with you! Today was spent swinging wildly between excitement and despair. :D

 

With no wine or chocolate in the house, despair seemed to rule.

[Jenny in Florida]

I am right there with you! Today was spent swinging wildly between excitement and despair. :D

 

With no wine or chocolate in the house, despair seemed to rule.

 

So glad I'm not alone!

 

Now, why did I not think of chocolate?

[Bee Happy]

I think I've finally chosen curriculum for my 9th grader and will move on to the younger kids, then I'll be right there with you.

[bugs]

I am kind of in the middle of it (or should be). I'm on/off with task avoidance. I have only progressed partly through Conceptual Physics for ds. I still need to work on his English and history :glare:. Maybe I should just go have some whine...I mean wine ;).

[BakersDozen]

I'm trying to plan but with only a few minutes without interruption here and there during the day, not much is getting done. I'm starting to panic as I'd hoped to have everything ordered/planned by the end of June (not going to happen!). I need at least 3-4 days by myself to focus and lay everything out without my toddler thinking he is helping me by coloring in the books.

 

Chocolate is my friend, unfortunately. Along with my goal to have all the planning done by July was a goal to lose the last of my baby weight...yeah, right! Not as long as school planning (or the lack thereof) is causing me this much stress and I keep raiding the pantry! :D

[jessicalb]

I am just now getting excited about the upcoming year and really getting into planning. Up until the last few days I have been despairing of finding anything I felt really good about, so I am glad to be excited finally. I still need to finalize the history schedule (including scheduling readings on the science, music, and art of each time period), generate a world literature schedule to go along with history, choose readings from across all curriculum for IEW, write a schedule for philosophy, and revamp the Quarks and Quirks Biology to work for a co-op of mixed believers on the sticky evolution topic. And then order the last few books, and all the biology supplies, and and and and and... all the little details that I haven't thought of yet.

 

Oh, and we need to finish that last bit of 8th grade. Eek!

[ChicoryChick]

I'm on that swinging pendulum of excitement and maybe not despair but feeling overwhelmed. This will be my first year having a high schooler, plus I am adding my baby into the mix with Kindergarten and will be teaching 5 this year. I am using MFW AHL so at least most of it is already planned. Math is do the next thing, almost done with my science schedule and am finally at peace with her fine arts credit when I realized that he Ballroom dance lessons and practice/performance time for the play that she is going to be in this summer (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) will all count towards that. My new delimma (my kids are always saying I have a delimma) is making sure RS Spanish is scheduled so it counts as a full credit. I didn't buy the lesson plans from MFW and didn't realize until this week that I needed to beef it up for a full credit. *sigh*

 

I do love this time of year. Sometimes I think I loe the planning more than the teaching.

Edited June 27, 2012 by kayinpa

[Jenny in Florida]

I do love this time of year. Sometimes I think I loe the planning more than the teaching.

 

Me, too.

[Jenny in Florida]

I think I've finally chosen curriculum for my 9th grader and will move on to the younger kids, then I'll be right there with you.

 

See, that gives me perspective: I'm teaching (and planning for) only one these days.

 

Although I have to admit I used to enjoy figuring out how to keep my kids on the same page with different levels of materials. I just loved solving the puzzle of making it all make sense.

 

Still, planning for just one is easier.

 

I am kind of in the middle of it (or should be). I'm on/off with task avoidance. I have only progressed partly through Conceptual Physics for ds. I still need to work on his English and history :glare:. Maybe I should just go have some whine...I mean wine ;).

 

My son is volunteering for a theatre day camp every day this week, which should mean I'd be getting all of my planning done. And I am making strides. But I'm also taking lots of "breaks" to do things like re-stock my freezer with different kinds of cooked beans, bake bread, make multiple library trips . . .

 

I'm trying to plan but with only a few minutes without interruption here and there during the day, not much is getting done. I'm starting to panic as I'd hoped to have everything ordered/planned by the end of June (not going to happen!). I need at least 3-4 days by myself to focus and lay everything out without my toddler thinking he is helping me by coloring in the books.

 

Chocolate is my friend, unfortunately. Along with my goal to have all the planning done by July was a goal to lose the last of my baby weight...yeah, right! Not as long as school planning (or the lack thereof) is causing me this much stress and I keep raiding the pantry! :D

 

When my kids were younger, the only way I got through the planning was when they were in day camps or I got to go out a few evenings when my husband was home with them. I'd pack up all of the materials for a single subject, take my pad of lined paper and multiple colors of pens, and go camp out at Barnes & Noble. With a cup of coffee at my elbow, I'd spread out all of the books on one of their tables and sit there until I got to a logical stopping point.

 

When I got home, I'd type the day's work into my master document.

 

Then, the next day, I'd go back and do it again.

 

Over the course of a week or so, I could finish the whole year. But I was never able to be as productive at home. (See my comments above about cooking beans and baking bread.)

 

I think better when I'm eating, too. I'm actually a little terrified to get on the scale. The combination of snacking while I plan and not being able to walk in the mornings because of the contant rain is doing a number on my weight.

 

Don't panic, though. You still have several weeks to find your three or four days. I'm sure we'll both (all) get it done.

 

Oh, and we need to finish that last bit of 8th grade. Eek!

 

I hear you! We're still trying to stumble through the end of Spanish and math for last year.

 

Thanks, everyone! It's great to know I'm not alone!

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I just finished deciding on everything ds will do. Now it is time to see what I still need to buy, place orders, and then make schedules. He starts in Aug. so I am not feeling too rushed since most things I have and the only thing I really need to schedule out is MOH, the rest is "do the next thing" type of curriculum or "have it finished by the end of High school" type of course.

[Jen the RD]

Yes, indeed, I'm planning for a few subjects and still researching/trying to decide what to do for a couple others. And I'll be farming out geometry & French. Last night I started putting together my cart for Amazon & Rainbow and when I saw how much I was spending I freaked out. :ack2: So did dh! But we keep telling ourselves even though this is more money than we're accumstomed to spending for school it's still better & cheaper than private school!

 

Hats off to everyone and I'm glad to know I'm not alone!!!

 

Jennifer

[Jenny in Florida]

Yes, indeed, I'm planning for a few subjects and still researching/trying to decide what to do for a couple others. And I'll be farming out geometry & French. Last night I started putting together my cart for Amazon & Rainbow and when I saw how much I was spending I freaked out. :ack2: So did dh! But we keep telling ourselves even though this is more money than we're accumstomed to spending for school it's still better & cheaper than private school!

 

Hats off to everyone and I'm glad to know I'm not alone!!!

 

Jennifer

 

Every year I do a little experiment. I add up the cost of buying "curriculum" versus sourcing used materials and doing my own planning. It always reminds me of one of the biggest reasons I do plan my own.

 

But this year, it just feels like a lot, especially considering I have one student and won't be able to re-use anything.

[elegantlion]

Me. I just printed off term planning forms to make sure I have not verwhelmed any weeks. Most of my classes are finally to the framework stage. Now to figure if they will mesh well or not.

[shanvan]

I'm still in the 'planning to plan stage', alternating with the 'rebellion against planning and anything to do with next school year' stage, which means I'm cleaning house, thinking about my goals for Ds sorting out books to sell or donate and in between taking time off to fool around in the garden, read for fun, go to the pool, etc.

 

My biggest problem right now is that there are too many options too many choices!! in curricula, for extracurriculars, and even approaches or methods of teaching! I have to make decisions in several subject areas and about extracurriculars. Ds is no help b/c he likes it all and is interested in everything. So, I am having a hard time making decisions. When I'm done rebelling, I need to take a day to sit down and write through my thinking.

 

I look at the books I have and think they all look great, but realistically I know Ds cannot use them all. Then I get confused about which is the best choice. That's when I start entertaining thoughts of trying to fit them all in. Then I end up deciding it's time to do some cleaning or gardening project or anything else but look at curriculum! Which is why I'm back to thinking about goals and praying I don't get crazy and try to schedule too much.

 

Also having to decide if Ds will participate in a local Biology lab or do labs at home w/ dad. I don't feel like the teacher is giving enough info for me to make a good decision and I had already planned to use a completely different curriculum so I'd have to change my curriculum--though fortunately I didn't buy it yet. The local lab is the less rigorous choice with less rigorous curriculum. I have to decide if that is what Ds needs or if he should be challenged more.

 

What really helps (sarcasm here) is when I start reading threads about interest led learning and revisiting the breadth vs depth thread and just feel like my head is going to explode.

So, I suppose I'm more immersed in thinking than planning right now and decision making is driving me crazy. I *wish* I were elbow deep in planning and I hope to be there soon. And, oh, yes the cost is making me :w00t:

Edited June 27, 2012 by shanvan

[shanvan]

Me. I just printed off term planning forms to make sure I have not verwhelmed any weeks. Most of my classes are finally to the framework stage. Now to figure if they will mesh well or not.

 

Congrats! I am jealous! Where's the green with envy smiley? I'm also curious what your term planning forms look like.

[angela in ohio]

Yep. And I'm way behind most years, because we haven't made final decisions on some classes (in or out of the home.)

 

I decided to start with the little guy, because he is the easiest, and his plans should be done this week. I also have half of the Great Books plan done out for next year for oldest.

 

That leaves History, English, Logic, and Programming for middle. Deciding what to do with her for Math. Math, Physics, Programming, and Rhetoric for oldest. Art for both, as we won't be able to continue the outside art lessons due to time issues. I'm going to try submitting three AP syllabi, if I can get them done, too. If not, they will just take the tests.

[ereks mom]

I love this part. I really do.

 

This year, though, I'm feeling like I've bitten off more than I can comfortably chew.

 

I've more or less finished figuring out weekly assignments for government, chemistry music and art history and English. Creative writing was simple, since it's basically workbook pages and instructions to write something.

 

I finished determining which labs to do when and making my supplies list today.

 

But a few subjects still need lots of work.

 

U.S. history, for example, is a huge project. I've gotten as far as matching up basic reading assignments with online resources and folding in projects and papers. But of the 23 movies I need to pre-watch and write background information and questions for, I've so far managed to get through only four. My husband has helped with two more. But, still, that's 17 more films.

 

I still need to match up the math text with Khan Academy and any other supplements I decide to throw into that mix.

 

I have to parcel out Spanish and add the extra grammar exercises.

 

And I haven't even touched the two second-semester electives.

 

I do enjoy the planning. I love seeing in my head how it all fits together and imagining how wonderful it will all be . . .

 

It just feels like a lot this year.

 

Anyone else in the same boat?

 

I'm still buying books. I only have a couple of things to get, and then I'll start sorting it all out. My goal was to be done buying by the end of June, so I should be good. :)

 

Then I'll work on plans an hour or two each day during July, but I told dh I was going to mostly take July off. If I don't take a break for awhile, I'll burn out WAY before next May! In August, I'll work really hard for the first week or so and finish it all up.

[FaithManor]

I LOVE PLANNING!

 

However, this year is full of angst because I would normally have everything here and my schedule set in stone for the first week of August - beginning of new school year for us.

 

BUT, the boys will be involved in the Student Launch Initiative with NASA through our rocket team and it's going to be a massive, time consuming, brain draining 200-300 hr. engineering project. It's going to be a huge amount of advanced math and physics so they should receive credit, but I can't figure out how to list it and will probably put it under extracurriculars. The biggest issue is figuring out how to fit it in and still keep up with foreign language and electives.

 

So, I'm still fleshing this out and trying to make room to go to Brazil and Germany, one week each, with DH on his business trips. I really, really want to go, but I'm worried about it negatively affecting their school schedule and the rocket team.

 

Faith

[Mom2boys]

I am right there with you! Today was spent swinging wildly between excitement and despair. :D

 

With no wine or chocolate in the house, despair seemed to rule.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Mom22ns]

I do love this time of year. Sometimes I think I love the planning more than the teaching.

 

I have been deep in planning mode this week and having a great time. I just got home after a bike ride and was thinking maybe I could get another subject finished. The thought actually ran through my mind, that although I love teaching, I think I love planning more.

 

Then I opened my computer to plan, did a quick pass by TWTM and here you guys are, all in the exact same boat with me. This is why I love it here!

 

Oh, and the chocolate idea - I am SO going to keep that in mind!

 

Hey Jenny, will you share your possible movie list for American History? I have my AH planned for next year, but I have a few days left over and I was thinking of trying to add some movies.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Momto2Ns

[elegantlion]

Congrats! I am jealous! Where's the green with envy smiley? I'm also curious what your term planning forms look like.

 

Oh it sounds more spectacular than it is. Id link it but our internet is out and i'm on my phone. I made a table with 12 rows and 7 subject columns. I printed one sheet for each term, 3 . Then I am putting a one word snyopsis of what were covering that week in each subject. That way I can make sure I don't have too many big things on one week. Like testing in multiple subjects or too heavy on the reading.

 

I have already taken a break to try and finish the camp nanowrimo story I am working on. I've never not finished a writing challenge and I'm about 15k words behind where I should be. But I have three more days, so the school planning may be on hold again.

[Mom22ns]

I have already taken a break to try and finish the camp nanowrimo story I am working on. I've never not finished a writing challenge and I'm about 15k words behind where I should be. But I have three more days, so the school planning may be on hold again.

 

:lol:

That is the only thing interrupting my panning to! I have less than 8,000 words left though. Ds is a couple thousand ahead of me, but has to finish Friday because he is leaving on a mission trip at 5:30 am Sat.

[Chris in PA]

Planning here as well. Still slogging through my plans for Greek mythology with my dd. I have read Theogony and wanted to poke my eyes out. However I think she will love it. Next week I go at it full force. I will be watching Vandiver lectures, planning writing, and working on history for my ds. Just placed the final RR order this morning. I agree with the others who like the planning more than the teaching. This is the fun part!

[katilac]

I LOVE PLANNING! <snip>

 

 

So, I'm still fleshing this out and trying to make room to go to Brazil and Germany, one week each, with DH on his business trips. I really, really want to go, but I'm worried about it negatively affecting their school schedule and the rocket team.

 

Faith

 

You need to make this happen. Do all that you can to plan ahead and have things run smoothly while you're gone, and then GO.

[ladykayaker]

My eldest will be starting high school this year, and all I really did was select which curricula to follow, present ds with the books, and let him get on with it. Am I missing something? I feel a bit concerned that I should be doing more planning, but planning exactly what?

[katilac]

I love planning, and my kids love it when I plan. We had some major changes in business and such that had us scrambling this past year - we got a lot done, but it was a bit chaotic. Oldest dd in particular can't wait to get back to our usual detailed plans and checklists!

 

This will be our first official year of high school, so I'm nervous but most subjects are falling into place. One challenge is going to be working out a schedule/routine when my rising 7th grader won't need nearly as much time hitting the books. She will probably tend to zone out too much on the computer and ipod if left to her own devices, so I'm trying to think of positive ways to occupy that time that she will enjoy. Maybe a short list of things to choose from, like you do for toddlers, lol.

[Jenny in Florida]

Hey Jenny, will you share your possible movie list for American History? I have my AH planned for next year, but I have a few days left over and I was thinking of trying to add some movies.

 

Sure!

 

I bought American History on the Screen to sort of jump start the planning. We're doing modern US history, though, post-Civil War to present, because he did up through the Civil War last time. So, I'm not using all of the units in the book. And my husband and I just kept thinking of more movies we wanted to add. So, I've ended up writing my own units for a bunch of additional movies, more or less using the format and approach in the book as a template.

 

Here's the combined list, showing both films covered in the original book (underlined) and the ones we're adding. It's in "kind of" chronological order, meaning I put them in order (based on setting, not production date) and then juggled them around a bit to accomodate other reading.

 

I should also mention that we haven't finished pre-watching all of the films, meaning I can't vouch for the content of all of them. And, in fact, I can say that several of the films we have already watched have content that would likely be considered unacceptable by many families (language, violence, sexuality, etc.). We have opted to forge ahead with plenty of discussion, but I'd hate for anyone to look at this list and assume I was recommending any of the films without mentioning that caveat.

 

That said, here you go:

 

 

 

 

 

Combined (kind of chronological) List

 

 

1. My Darling Clementine / Gunfight at the OK Corral / Tombstone (OK Corral, 1881)

2. Dances with Wolves (West / Native American experience)

3. Hester Street (Jewish immigration, 1896)

4. Shoulder Arms (WWI)

5. Flyboys (WWI)

6. Sergeant York (WWI)

7. Eight Men Out (1919)

8. Iron-Jawed Angels (suffrage)

9. Great Gatsby (Roaring 20s)

10. Matewan (1920s, labor unions)

11. Seabiscuit (Great Depression)

12. Paper Moon (Great Depression)

13. Spirit of St. Louis (Lindberg, 1927)

14. Amelia – OCLS (Amelia Earhart, 1937)

15. Grapes of Wrath (Great Depression)

16. Air Force (WWII)

17. Flags of our Fathers / Letters from Iwo Jima (WWII)

18. League of Their Own (WWII)

19. Tuskegee Airmen (WWII)

20. Patton (WWII)

21. The Chosen

22. Thirteen Days (Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962)

23. Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

24. Long Walk Home (Montgomery bus boycott)

25. Mississippi Burning (civil rights)

26. The Right Stuff (space)

27. American Graffiti (1960s)

28. Apocalypse Now (Vietnam)

29. Good Morning, Vietnam

30. Apollo 13 (space)

31. All the President’s Men (Watergate)

32. Black Hawk Down (Battle of Mogadishu, 1993)

[amyable]

I am right there with you! Today was spent swinging wildly between excitement and despair. :D

 

With no wine or chocolate in the house, despair seemed to rule.

 

:iagree:

 

Luckily I just bought some cookies. ;)

 

I thought I had things mostly figured out, but then we actually TRIED making it work. And I just can't seem to do it.

 

I blame TOG. :lol: I *love* it, but my oldest is dyslexic/ADD. She is entering 9th grade this year. I'm not sure how much to cut out for her, and reading aloud so much of it is taking DEEP chunks out of time I just don't have. So I'm looking at ditching it for something else for everyone... and possibly even signing up the oldest (or more) for something like MODG, Kolbe, or American School. I'm despairing that the homeschool I'd always thought I'd have just isn't a possibility, and I'm so burnt out. I feel like throwing textbooks at everyone and just calling it good. (Not that that would work for my oldest anyway. :glare:)

 

Can't somebody *else* drag my dyslexic dd through high school for me??

:tongue_smilie:

 

So I guess I'm not even planning yet - just researching to plan!

[Jenny in Florida]

My eldest will be starting high school this year, and all I really did was select which curricula to follow, present ds with the books, and let him get on with it. Am I missing something? I feel a bit concerned that I should be doing more planning, but planning exactly what?

 

Well, I don't buy a lot of "curricula," meaning things that are already planned out with assignments in neat chunks by the day or by the week. Instead, I gather materials and write my own assignments.

 

So, for example, my son will be studying modern U.S. history next year.

 

I'm using the following materials in my plan:

 

- Hippo Campus U.S. history course, selected lessons

- Don't Know Much About History, selections

- American History on the Screen, selected units

- Additional units I'm writing myself to cover more films

- Original books on which five of the films are based

- Hewitt's honors syllabus for project ideas and general requirements

 

For each week of our school year, I need to decide which online lessons my son should complete, which pages of Don't Know Much About History he should read to match the topics covered in the online lessons, which film(s) he should watch, how many pages he should read of which book, how to time the reading of the books so that he finishes reading each one the week before I've scheduled him to watch that film and which projects or papers he should complete.

 

I'm also writing one or two pages of historical background about each of the films we added to the list, pre-watching the film and writing questions for him to answer after watching.

 

This is the kind of work that is done for you if you purchase prepared curricula or lesson plans. But I like the freedom to select my own materials (and I much prefer the price of buying or swapping for used books).

 

Essentially, I think to homeschool effectively you have to invest either time or money or some combination of both. I have more time than I do money.

[Mom22ns]

We're doing modern US history, though, post-Civil War to present, because he did up through the Civil War last time.

 

Thanks!!

We're doing the first half of history this coming year, I don't suppose you have a list you used this past year?

 

We'll be doing the second half next year though and your list is terrific! Some great films I wouldn't have thought of. Now I can say I've started planning 2013 too. :lol:

[bugs]

I agree with the others who like the planning more than the teaching. This is the fun part!

 

I too enjoy planning more than teaching. I think planning is optimistic and opens up possibilities. Teaching, well, it's reality :glare:.

[kwickimom]

I have a master list and sub lists of what I need to plan :D Now, if I could just get rid of my kids for a week or so I could be all planned and organized!!!!!

[happygrrl]

Then I am putting a one word snyopsis of what were covering that week in each subject. That way I can make sure I don't have too many big things on one week. Like testing in multiple subjects or too heavy on the reading.

 

 

Oh. My. Stars. This is such a great idea! I use a term form too (that later gets broken down into weekly plans) but often get off track in the desire to squeeze in more breadth.

 

This idea is a gem!!! Thank you!!! (again)

[elegantlion]

Oh. My. Stars. This is such a great idea! I use a term form too (that later gets broken down into weekly plans) but often get off track in the desire to squeeze in more breadth.

 

This idea is a gem!!! Thank you!!! (again)

 

This is heading off one of my weaknesses, which is trying to remember he has 8 classes (7 credits) this year. I do this every year, plan as if he only has one subject. :lol:

[jessicalb]

My eldest will be starting high school this year, and all I really did was select which curricula to follow, present ds with the books, and let him get on with it. Am I missing something? I feel a bit concerned that I should be doing more planning, but planning exactly what?

 

I don't buy very much that is already planned, and when I do I tend to tweak it a lot. So it takes me quite a bit of planning.

 

Which, honestly, I love! I would love to be a professional curriculum designer after I am done raising and teaching my own. :)

[Mom2boys]

Normally I really enjoy planning. This year I can't seem to muster any enthusiasm for it, so I haven't started. I've been homeschooling for ten years, and I'm a little burnt out.

 

And, I am considering switching to an online planner (My Well Planned Day) so I don't want to start writing it all out on paper if I'm going digital.

 

Maybe the real problem is a serious lack of chocolate! :D

[Belacqua]

I'm with you all on the chocolate. It motivates like nothing else (I remember rewarding myself while studying for the bar exam; read five pages, get a chocolate chip).

 

The planning is going pretty well here, but I'm resisting buying our math texts. I know, logically, that textbooks are expensive. I know also that I need them, so I might just as well hold my nose and buy the darned things. But more than $150 for a single book, for a one-semester course, no less, just rankles. Can somebody please tell me to stop whining and just buy the math books so I have them in time for class?

[lovemy9kids]

I'm trying to plan but with only a few minutes without interruption here and there during the day, not much is getting done. I'm starting to panic as I'd hoped to have everything ordered/planned by the end of June (not going to happen!). I need at least 3-4 days by myself to focus and lay everything out without my toddler thinking he is helping me by coloring in the books.

 

Chocolate is my friend, unfortunately. Along with my goal to have all the planning done by July was a goal to lose the last of my baby weight...yeah, right! Not as long as school planning (or the lack thereof) is causing me this much stress and I keep raiding the pantry! :D

 

 

I can so relate to this! Hang in there ;)

 

Renee

[Jenny in Florida]

Thanks!!

We're doing the first half of history this coming year, I don't suppose you have a list you used this past year?

 

Unfortunately, he took an online course (middle school level) last time. So, I don't have a list for you.

 

We'll be doing the second half next year though and your list is terrific! Some great films I wouldn't have thought of. Now I can say I've started planning 2013 too. :lol:

 

Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful.

[angela in ohio]

My eldest will be starting high school this year, and all I really did was select which curricula to follow, present ds with the books, and let him get on with it. Am I missing something? I feel a bit concerned that I should be doing more planning, but planning exactly what?

 

We use classical methods for most of our subjects, and so there isn't much open-textbook-and-go stuff. I also teach many subjects directly, so I need to plan out what I will be teaching and what the assignments will be.

 

Even with science, which is from a textbook, I still need to plan out experiments and supplies, because we usually add different experiments and dump some of the ones in the book. And I need to decide what I will assign from the book, because I would rather assign papers than comprehension questions any day. :001_smile:

 

If you use a more independent method and/or more pre-packaged materials, it wouldn't take much planning.

Edited June 27, 2012 by angela in ohio

[1Togo]

ladykayaker,

 

No, you are not missing anything. I've bought everything, put it on the shelves, and other than reading ahead with literature, I've finished planning. I've put courses together in the past, but not this year. I found materials we like, and I am using the student and teacher guides. So, this summer I am working on my health and fitness and dejunking our home. I am trying to rest and relax. Love it! I also love reading these planning threads. Maybe next year.

Edited June 27, 2012 by 1Togo

[AngieW in Texas]

I thought that I had my oldest dd's senior year planned out.

 

She was going to do Thinkwell Calculus and Fantasy/Sci-Fi Literature at home and then take at cc:

summer - Chemistry I

fall - Chemistry II, Biology I, Government I

spring - Biology II, Government II, Programming

 

It turns out that Biology II is only offered in 3 sections for the entire district and the one that's 30 minutes from us has a horrible teacher. The other two are downtown and the teacher for those isn't great either. Then I researched the science requirements for neuroscience at UTD and she only needs Chem I/II and Biology I. The other biology course she'd be required to take is a UTD-only course with no equivalents and only has Biology I as a prerequisite.

 

So now her spring semester at cc is going to be Government II, Programming, and probably Logic (to count for the 3 credit hours of humanities she's required to take).

[happygrrl]

This is heading off one of my weaknesses, which is trying to remember he has 8 classes (7 credits) this year. I do this every year, plan as if he only has one subject. :lol:

 

Lightbulb moment!

 

I have so much fun planning the details of each subject; adding this, throwing in that, and planning films, lectures, and cooking! and trips!

 

Since I plan each subject separately I never really look at how each subject plays with the others (in terms of load, not content, because intertwining content is the hidden jewel). Then I wonder why we can only get to one subject a day. :001_huh:

 

You have really helped me here!

[happygrrl]

:iagree:

 

Luckily I just bought some cookies. ;)

 

I thought I had things mostly figured out, but then we actually TRIED making it work. And I just can't seem to do it.

 

I blame TOG. :lol: I *love* it, but my oldest is dyslexic/ADD. She is entering 9th grade this year. I'm not sure how much to cut out for her, and reading aloud so much of it is taking DEEP chunks out of time I just don't have. So I'm looking at ditching it for something else for everyone... and possibly even signing up the oldest (or more) for something like MODG, Kolbe, or American School. I'm despairing that the homeschool I'd always thought I'd have just isn't a possibility, and I'm so burnt out. I feel like throwing textbooks at everyone and just calling it good. (Not that that would work for my oldest anyway. :glare:)

 

Can't somebody *else* drag my dyslexic dd through high school for me??

:tongue_smilie:

 

So I guess I'm not even planning yet - just researching to plan!

 

You might want to pop over to the "tchnmoountain" thread that OhElizabeth started. There is some discussion there about doing ToG differently. My oldest is begging to do ToG again this year (he is my aspie who loves loves history and is woefully below grade level on everything else). I am headed over there now to see what exactly they are talking about... :auto:

[elegantlion]

Lightbulb moment!

 

I have so much fun planning the details of each subject; adding this, throwing in that, and planning films, lectures, and cooking! and trips!

 

Since I plan each subject separately I never really look at how each subject plays with the others (in terms of load, not content, because intertwining content is the hidden jewel). Then I wonder why we can only get to one subject a day. :001_huh:

 

You have really helped me here!

 

I do love melding courses together, although nothing pre-planned like TOG would work here. I think it's the LCC attraction. I'm trying to keep the multum non multa approach in mind, which was what saved our homeschooling in 5th grade.

 

If some of his skills were further along we could create a more cohesive curriculum, but he's all over the board.

 

I scheduled a two hour block of time in the morning to work on Great Books, history spine, and philosophy. That's my big overlap area.

 

It would be nice to layer subjects, like the food pyramid. Start with the basics one week, move into another layer the next. I wonder what that would look like.

 

Jenny, I want to thank you for listing your Am Hist movie as well. That looks great for my future planning.

[jibaker103]

I am also in the thick of planning 10/11 grade for my son and 7/8 for my nephew. Thank goodness I am part of TOG Yr 2 Virtual Co-op to keep me on the straight an narrow with pacing (9 weeks on 1 week off). Although for the most part history, literature, government, and philosophy is taken care of I like to supplement with movies, projects, and writing assignments. I have an idea of what I want I just need to flesh it out a little more create syllabuses and enter info into HST+.

 

I also need to figure out pacing for MUS and CW to get it all done before graduation. I am waiting for science to come in the mail so I can plan out labs. I think ASL will be completed at CC and I'm pretty sure both boys will want to have creative writing and participate in NANO Young Writer's Program.

 

I am trying to be a good girl and enter information into HST+ ahead of time so I do not continue to live my current nightmare (I am still entering stuff from last year)!

 

Why do I feel like I am forgetting something!?!?!?!?!?

[happygrrl]

I do love melding courses together, although nothing pre-planned like TOG would work here. I think it's the LCC attraction. I'm trying to keep the multum non multa approach in mind, which was what saved our homeschooling in 5th grade.

 

If some of his skills were further along we could create a more cohesive curriculum, but he's all over the board.

 

I scheduled a two hour block of time in the morning to work on Great Books, history spine, and philosophy. That's my big overlap area.

 

It would be nice to layer subjects, like the food pyramid. Start with the basics one week, move into another layer the next. I wonder what that would look like.

 

 

I already have Tog, and my history-loving aspie wants to do that again this year. I think it worked a few years ago because he could see an over-arching structure for the year (he is all about knowing the 'plan'). I am not one to be slave to the plan, so we used it in a slap-dash sort of way. Each week (or group of weeks) gave us our topic, we read the spine for the entire topic all in one chunk (day one). The rest of the time was spent in rabbit-trailing to our heart's content. He does not 'do' historical fiction, but spent hours reading non-fiction, watching films, making films, making a comic-book, etc. The thoughts on interest-driven high-school take me back here. This guy wants to be a wood worker and live a simple life (perhaps in a monastery) so we can learn without keeping Harvard acceptance in the back of our minds, you know? I can see him doing math, science and foreign language in the mornings, with the afternoons devoted to ToG. Thinking, thinking.

 

My dd, on the other hand, is an opposite beast. She wants to read the great books, so I think we'll keep a History rotation with her brother, but focus on just a few works so we can explore the depth. I am not sure how I am going to do this exactly. She excels at everything, but it is a tiny bit lazy. Quite the challenge. She is my LCC girl, and is excited about high school and college.

 

My youngest is dyslexic, so I need some extra time to devote to his language arts. He is a naturalist, so wants to do nothing but science this year, unless it is history of science, or maybe a survival course :D.

 

I have no idea why I shared all that, except to say that I am trying not only to layer one class with another, but also to layer all my students as well... it reminds me of some sort of sci-fi chess game. I can catch glimpses of how it could be, but have only shimmers of ideas as of yet.

 

Whew!