Curriculum Planning For Next Year

[Zelda]

I notice that many people are doing curriculum/lesson planning for fall. Is this because you really, really like planning or does this mean that I shouldn't expect to have time to do it over the summer? This is our first year and I was thinking I could wait and work on it over the summer, no prob, but now I'm wondering. Help a girl out?

[dragons in the flower bed]

In my case, it means I'm anxious to change something but need to be reminded of the need to meet my current goals before moving on to others.

 

I do find time to plan over the summer, but generally I have to gather the materials I am going to plan in spring so that they all arrived in time to schedule and coordinate them.

[Amy loves Bud]

Well, I like to plan ahead when something hasn't worked so well. This gives me time to think about all the other options. But for the things that have gone well, then I just pick up what I need in the summer without a lot of advance planning. Although this year I had everything done by May because I was having a baby in July and I didn't want to have to plan with a newborn.

 

I'm not changing a ton for the fall, so I'm not too incredibly wrapped up in the planning process right now, though I do love to read what everyone else is doing.

[Plaid Dad]

I tend to plan way ahead because (A) I'm obsessive that way, (B) we need to spread the expense of new curriculum out over a number of months, and © we start our school year right after our dd's birthday in July. But if those three factors weren't in play, I probably wouldn't worry about next year until summer.

[Pster]

I don't know about everyone else but....I did some planning over Christmas when I had some grandparents in the house so I could steal away some uninterrupted time and get some planning done. I did planning just to get thru the spring / summer.

 

I have been reading the curriculum boards and taking notes anywhere I see people commenting and giving opinions on curriculums they like for the ages of kids I have. I continue to do this year round and have a file to reference for each subject. I figure this at least gives me a starting point when it comes to when I need to look at the next step in their studies. Many of our subjects won't end by fall either. With many things they just keep going - we just do the next thing.... and then when that is over - then we move on. Does that make sense? I make wonderful schedules but just can't follow them exactly - life just gets in the way!

 

I like to plan (or at least am trying to plan) things out every few months to keep up with what I want to be covering - and to see if I'm doing it in a timely manner.

 

hth!

[Karen in CO]

I plan in the early spring right after I pay for the cc classes my ds takes. I plan for a few months. Then I order and wait. That gives me a month or so in the summer to read all the material and do my lesson plans or whatever I need to do with the it.

 

I also check out as many books from the library as I can during this time and see which ones I will want to buy and which I will just plan to check out when the time comes and which ones I will just need to find a substitute for.

 

This obsessive planning and summer reading probably is overkill since I will only have one in homeschool next year. But I really needed it the last four years doing high school. All that history and literature reading at the high school level about did me in.

[Myrtle]

Some suppliers are not reliable about having items in stock and I want to start early in case there is some unanticipated wait. There have been two years where I couldn't start school when I wanted due to late shipments.

 

I'm waiting for the new Singapore science textbooks. Once they get here I'll have to figure out what lab supplies to order and then hunt around for the best place to get those things. Meanwhile, I have to wait for them to get 3rd grade MPH Science tests back in stock. I also need to get the Explode the Code phonics early from my homeschool bookstore. Last time I discovered that they only ordered that twice a year and they were out of stock when I wanted them. One year Rainbow Resources had me on back order for MONTHS, etc.

[Wendy in ME]

I also love just flipping through the new stuff in my free time so I don't have to do tons of reading over the summer. I hope to have everything actually in the house this year by June so I can make out the fall schedule and spend the summer reading.

 

Wendy

[Elinor Everywhere]

I school year-round, so I am always planning since my kids finish their subjects at different times throughout the year. We just immediately move into the next book. Many subjects, like grammar & math, don't require me to plan--I order the next book.

 

I happen to be doing a lot of planning right now, because coincidentally we are finishing up history, grammar, math, Latin, & science by the end of February. We will be starting our new year in those subjects at the end of March. Plus, we're starting TOG for the first time and that is taking a lot of planning.

 

Luckily, planning is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling. ;)

[Amy loves Bud]

Wow, Karen, did you read everything your son did ahead of him? That's a lot of reading for the summer!

[awanama]

I start planning early for a couple of reasons. I like to plan early so I can watch for any good used prices. Anything I know has worked for us is first on the list to get bought. I find this time of year the used prices are a little cheaper. Then, I usually make a final order in June or so. I also have to watch ebay regularly because we do use some public school texts and I have to get them when they are available.

 

I also like to plan early so that I have plenty of time to watch the boards for reviews by others. Sometimes something I find that I think is really neat will get nothing but bad reviews.

 

Last of all, I get obsessed with curriculum this time of year because it's my down time. My spring and summer months are filled with outdoor work, swimming daily with the kids, and running our cowboy shooting range. I don't have the time available like I do now when it's to cold to be outdoors.

[rafiki]

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[two2homeschool]

I agree! I also take advantage of the spring sale at ads-academics (Canadian) which really works out perfectly because then I avoid the summer rush (when it takes longer to get your order) and I like to have everything so I can lesson plan during the summer. In the summer I spend about a week or two (and it is summer, so they are *short* school prep days) to input what I want into Homeschool Tracker and organize my library list for science, history and read alouds and finalize my lesson plans.

HTH!

[RhondaM.]

I start planning this early because I need to mentally 'try out' different curriculums before making a commitment to actually buying one.

[Karen in CO]

That's a lot of reading for the summer!

 

Yes I did and yes it is. I felt like I had to read it in order to be able to discuss it with him and give him essay and comprehension questions. I did save some for co-reading with him . I am a fast reader so that helps. Also, reading them myself helped me to have a better idea of the work load I was giving him. Most of the years I made my own plan so I had to do a lot of leg-work. It is the old time for money trade off.

[mcconnellboys]

I agree with lots of the folks who've already posted: I love to plan! So I do it when I have a chance - recreationally!

 

I had some time over Christmas, so I made out my outline of books for both history and science next year.

 

I like to order in January or February, for the most part, because when you wait until summer it's so busy that things may be out of stock and you may not get them until the start of the school year, so you don't have a chance to look over them first and add them to the schedule.

 

I do finish up my scheduling over the summer, a little at a time. I write it out by hand, so I can only do a little at a time as I get hand cramps, LOL.

 

Regena

[siloam]

Serious, hard core planner. :cool: Love it!

 

We also hs year around.

 

Heather

[Daisy]

I plan early because I like to buy with our tax refund and while R&S is having their yearly sale. So I'll buy in March. That gives me the summer to work out pacing, lesson plans and supplimental resources.

[midwestbelle]

trying to figure out where to go from here. I have a new one starting K this year and the twins are starting 3rd grade. I've always said that we weren't going to get too serious about school until 3rd grade and now it's sneaking up on me!

:eek:

[Jenny in Atl]

We too school year-round, so I'm always on the look out for new resources and ideas. I also like to step back and see what things are working and what's not.

[Lisawa]

I plan in the summer... We use the same thing for math each year now, same for science and we use Tapestry of grace as well... so I am comfortable with the knowing what we use, but take the summer to plan the how. *?*

 

When the kids were smaller and I was changing things year after year trying to find the "one" I began my planning and searching in Feb.

 

Lisawa

[Trivium Academy]

Last year at this time I was hammering out earth science/astronomy lessons. This year, at Christmas break I realized I need to make some changes and planned accordingly. Now that we're using bought curriculum for all the major subjects- I'm on cruise control.

 

All I have to do is push "Place Your Order" and 3rd grade (which starts Sept 15th unless 'life' changes it) will be delivered to my house but really I have no reason to do that this year. We'll be in 2nd grade material until June 2nd and then I have 9 weeks of TOG2, Unit 4 to finish before starting 3rd grade after a two week break.

 

We 'might' be moving this June but won't know until April for sure.

 

I'm resolved to only plan 1 quarter at a time, to do school for 9 weeks then take 1 week off (which will be my time for planning the next quarter). I like doing it, it refreshes me so instead of planning an entire year- I'll give myself something to look forward to.

 

I would be bogged down with planning but I decided to switch to Tapestry and they have everything laid out for me, now I just get to cherry-pick. I can't wait to see Living Learning Books' Chemistry lessons though!

[Ali in OR]

Not detailed "read pg 13-25 Oct 5th" type planning. I like selecting what books we are going to read. For many items I can wait until summer. There is no thrill to ordering the next math workbook or spelling workbook now. But I love to start getting the next year's history books in winter and spring. We use Biblioplan for history which we love. They have a long list of suggested readers and read-alouds and reference books too. I go through the list and check what is in my library, decide what I want to buy, and start comparing prices at Amazon, Rainbow Resource, used, etc. Like others have mentioned, I like having the extra time to find good prices, spread out the buying over several months, and get the books with plenty of time to go over them myself. I have found that I plan and buy from January through August.

[nukeswife]

It's only our second year but I love planning.

 

I also don't want to get caught in the summer rush as we usually start school in early august so we can take a long winter break.

 

I also buy my curriculum with money from the tax refund. Dh and I like to know about how much things will cost (full price) then we actually transfer part of our refund from our main account to a seperate checking account I set up just for school. I also like to have time to look things over before I start teaching from them, just in case I need to gather books or supplies.

[gardenschooler]

I plan in advance for a number of reasons, mainly because it's my hobby! If you click on my name, my blog has all of next year planned out already (in the sidebar). I agree with the 'trying it on mentally' - I have to get to know it for awhile before committing. I require a lot of time to do this.

 

I also plan by subject, not grade. I want to see where we're going for high school.

 

For the lower grades, I didn't do so much long-term planning as far as curriculum, but I had a general idea of where we were headed.

 

I also like to buy it a little at a time, to savor it. :D

[Free Indeed]

I just like the planning of what's next! Our school year starts in May, and right now I am seeing what is out there, :D and planning because I do not buy a prepackaged curriculum. Well, I say I don't, I did this last year and have not used it as intended. This year I am going back to "do it yourself" using MOH, SOTW, and Apologia. ;) Five in a row is my longest used curriculum. I have used it for all my little ones.

[WTMCassandra]

I like to plan during Jan-Feb because it (1) Gets me out of the winter blues (2) Gets me ready to go to convention in April and (3) Gets me motivated to keep moving this year so I can get to next year's stuff! Seriously, our conventions are early, and I like to have my lists made.

[Trivium Academy]

If you click on my name, my blog has all of next year planned out already (in the sidebar). I agree with the 'trying it on mentally' - I have to get to know it for awhile before committing.

 

 

Me too! I actually go through a cycle for a while, changing it out as I discover something else or learn more about what should be next in the learning journey.

[Zelda]

Wow! Excellent stuff. I'm a big fan of the planning aspect of homeschooling too. Its addictive. But I can see that there are also other very compelling reasons (besides just liking it) to start planning for next year before the summer starts. Thanks for your great responses!

[Closeacademy]

We homeschool year round with different subjects starting at different times of the year.

 

January--Math, foreign language

June--history

September--language arts, writing level

 

I also like to know what I want so I can buy used as much as possible. Many used curriculum sales take place in the spring/early summer and I also pick stuff up at garage sales--so I like to have my list on hand.

[Rhonda@LivingWater]

so I just can't help myself. It helps me also to financially plan what all I need to buy and what I have already on my shelf. :)

[Heather in VA]

For me it helps make sure I'm meeting this year's goals. If I look into what I'm going to do next year and the skills required, it helps me to focus on making sure I'm emphasizing the skills now. Also, if I find that I am not doing something I need to be, I can make sure I prioritize it.

 

I don't buy anything until later though since things can change.

 

Heather

[awanama]

For me it helps make sure I'm meeting this year's goals. If I look into what I'm going to do next year and the skills required, it helps me to focus on making sure I'm emphasizing the skills now.

 

I agree! I find when changing programs that there are skills my dc are lacking. That gives me a semester to emphasize these skills and get them on par for next years curriculum.

[angela in ohio]

For me, it's because I hope to buy most of my materials at a used curriculum fair in March!!

[Stacia]

Just echoing what some others have already said....

 

I like to take stock of where we are, where we're going, what's working, what's not working, etc....

 

I, too, like to mentally 'try out' curriculums before buying.

 

And, I like to make a list of serious contenders so that I can check them out in person (and possibly purchase) at a curriculum fair in the spring.

 

Plus, it's just fun to look at everything! :)

 

Stacia

[Guest Lorna]

I am planning and changing plans all the time. The only real long-term plans I make tend to be whether a curriculum we choose has a good follow-up. For example, I like to know if we can do a certain course for a certain numbers of years. This is especially important for cumulative skills such as maths, languages and science. Otherwise I add and subtract as we go along. This is led by the children's interests and whether a curriculum choice is working for them. This board is fundamental in my decision making as is my copy of 'The Well-trained Mind'

I also try to be aware of the rate of progress the children are making in maths. If they are struggling with a concept and we are ahead anyway then we can take time out to supplement. If they are obviously understanding everything and we are getting behind we step up the pace a bit and only tackle every second question perhaps.

The children's reading is very dependent on their interests etc and I try to anticipate a week or two ahead for this so that we can have the book they will want at a certain time. For example, we were coming up to studying the 11th to the 13th century. People on this board gave some excellent reading suggestions and I ordered 'The Brother Cadfael Omnibus' and 'The Story of Roland' for this week.

I keep a daily record of everything we do and I can see how much progress we are making.

Best wishes,

Lorna

[Narrow Gate Academy]

1. It helps me make sure that we are on track with my goals for the year so I can adjust this year accordingly.

 

2. If I know that I'm going to stick with a certain curriculum, it gives me time to hunt around for a used copy to keep down expenses.

 

3. It gives me plenty of time to either research curriculum or put together my own curriculum.

 

4. This year I'm starting a little earlier because of the new baby in May. I'd like to spend a few weeks enjoying the baby instead of stepping right into planning like I usually do when the kids finish up for the year.

[NancyNellen]

it feels like we always have something that's about to end, since we school pretty much year round. For instance, my 4th and 5th graders just finished CW-Aesop, so I am planning, reading, and familiarizing myself w/ CW-Homer right now.

 

I am also considering adding in some more math for my 5th grader, so I am researching and planning there.

 

For those of us who school year round, there always seems to be planning/researching happening. If I stuck to the public school schedule, I would do most of my planning in the summer.

 

HTH,

[ArwenA]

I usually save planning foe later but I'm thinking this will be a busy summer (I'm pregnant with twins) so I want to have all the planning stuff done and out of the way so I'm not in a frenzy a week before we start. :)

[Jenny in Florida]

in time tim write my nuts-and-bolts lesson plans over the summer. This means that I do all of my research and purchasing for next year during the second semester of the current year. That way, I have time to preview and pre-read the materials and get familiar with them before I sit down to write up actual schedules. (It also means I can spread out the costs of purchasing by watching for things on sale.)

 

Then, once I have everything in my hands and know what I've got, I can use the time while my son is in camps and activities over the summer to sketch out my lesson plans for the year.

 

--Jenny

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I plan now because I live in a country where I don't have access to any library or resources I can use. That means I have to have everything on hand when I start school.:eek:

 

This can be overwhelming since getting mail here is also a tough situation! So, I plan now and order now, have everything sent to my parent's house and they send it to people who will be coming down for missions trips to bring to me! It works great, and I save hundreds of $$$$ for shipping.

 

When I lived in the States, I didn't do that. I bought as I needed and went to the library to find out what I could use from there and that helped me to plan out what to buy.