Sahamamama Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hmmm.... what am I excited about for 2015-2016? :001_unsure: Sorry, I'm still in the Totally-Overwhelmed-with-Seeing-the-Big-Picture-and-Unable-to-Do-So-Because-My-People-Are-Continually-Interrupting-the-Thought-Process stage of planning out 2015-2016. Ask me in a month. I may be excited about something by then. :rolleyes: 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 DD asked to study Vikings and nature, so she'll be studying environmental science (using a high school course, eek!) and my own concatenation of Viking studies (one semester, using Great Courses lectures as the main spine). I'm both excited and a little afraid, since the material is more advanced than anything she's done up to this point, and I'm not sure that she won't be stretched too far. (Some days I long for a nice, neat box with everything for X grade on it, so I don't have to plan and research and tweak so much, even though I know it would never, ever work for my asynchronous dynamo.) She also has the opportunity to try out for the national team at her tumbling gym, and I'm considering letting her go for it, since Junior Olympics are MUCH closer this year than they have been the past couple of years, and the primary goal of the national team is to compete there. She was stuck on the state team this year since we couldn't afford to go. She's also been asked to join the drill team for horseback riding, and compete racing barrels and poles. If we do that (either activity), we'll have to scale back on my grand academic plans and drop Latin and some of the extra literature and things I have scheduled to make more time for practice. So I'm both excited and feeling a little trepidation about next year. My baby is growing up so fast! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystie Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I'm excited to be reserving time for a 1-on-1 "Colloquy" on Fridays with my 12yo. I'm excited to do Grammar of Poetry & Art of Argument. I'm looking forward to continued consistency in Morning Time and how much that brings us all together, from the 2yo to the 12yo – after 7 years, our singing is noticeably improved! I'm going to have the 10yo & 12yo illustrate and copy a quote from a chapter a week for a solid piece of literature (Pilgrim's Progress for the 10yo, The Odyssey & The Aeneid for the 12yo) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury449 Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Well! I'm excited about all the new recourses I just gained from reading all your posts! Just bookmarked all the websites pertaining to above mentioned curricula and programs. I'm also excited to be joining the homeschool community and introducing my 3yo. son to Latin, Spanish, science, geography, alphabet, numbers and how to grow and make food. Looking forward to not doing my back-breaking job as much too (only working 2 days a week from now on). The grandparents are also excited about being more involved in my son's education : ) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I get excited about everything - I always am!! Sometimes I wonder if I homeschool for my kids or for me :D In particular: Teaching co-op biology lab Henle with DS Writing with dd8 (finally, one of my kids likes writing!) Logic with dd The Elder My hair-brained history plan 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudge Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 My two are two years apart. We do English, History, Science together. This coming year we will throw some latin in the mix! I am excited for that, and excited to do more with Music and Art. We have no room for pianos here, and no extra income for other music lessons, but long ago I played the flute and still remember basic theory. So I ordered two Recorders today, and we are gonna learn to read music and play songs! Watch out family Christmas parties! :lol: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegs Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 We are halfway through K atm, and I am excited by how well we've done with conscientiously working on the basics, and with habit formation. DS is working hard at building himself a solid foundation, and we'll be ready to start some really cool stuff like Beast Academy and a LA program (too much to choose from!) at the beginning of 2016. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Brave Writer online Fan Fiction class (this summer) Brave Writer online Writing The Short Story class (this fall) NaNoWriMo Truthquest Ancient History Beast Academy Piano Wizard A live art camp with Mark Kistler! And we're moving into a new house this summer so I get to create/design a whole new school room!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I just want you to know momto2c's that I can focus on nothing else right now except planning this fairy tale study! Gah. There are so many other things I need to be doing! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathrynlyn Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I am really looking forward to working through the Big History project with ds. We're adding in complimentary science, and I think it will be a great start to his high school years! btw, what is the Big History project? I've never heard of it. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Trying again for a "relaxed" approach. I met with a local mom who unschools (not radically) and I gained some confidence from that discussion. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 The subject I most miss teaching is science so I'm excited (and a little nervous) about starting a new STEM 4-H club for September. I did a homeschool cloverbud club for a few years until I had to return to work so it's not completely new. But the kids are older and I'm worried about getting enough kids to get started. This won't be a homeschool group and will meet in the evenings so it will probably be mostly people I don't already know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 btw, what is the Big History project? I've never heard of it. Lisa The Big History Project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Narnia study! Ancients Writing for Dd - working hard to take things up a level for her this coming year. Friday mornings FREE! Both kids will be in an art & drama tutorial. 😀 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swainsonshawk Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Meh I'm trying. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Yes and No. If I can get all of my books here in time to get everything scheduled and planned...yes. If I can't, and have to work through substitutes again...no. Right now, because of medical bills, I'm back to planning with substitutes. It means a lot more planning work on my part, which gets downright exhausting with 5 kids. It also means more use of the computers again (instead of less), which means I'm constantly battling distractions, and more limited by what *I* can get done, while trying to keep kids on-task. I'm excited about the AP Chemistry (because it's all planned and laid out so nicely). I'm excited about the field trips we're planning (although, oldest is doing American history...so the field trips will have less to do with his history lessons). I'm excited about the books we'll be reading and that I've found reasonably priced Russian and German tutors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Not having to deal with the public school calendar and school times etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Not having to deal with the public school calendar and school times etc. This. We will be doing some specials at the PS that will require scheduling around, but I'm so excited not to have to rush through lunch to get to afternoon K, and then deal with all of the crazy traffic at pickup time everyday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorisuewho Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm excited to be done planning so I can spend the next two months second guessing everything I have planned for every child. :tongue_smilie: 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm excited about our Big Science (home made) and History of Science plans. We've gone through and tentatively selected the books we will use, and I've started pre-reading and creating lesson plans. The first book she will read is just great, perfect level and nice intro to the year's studies, and I"m having fun writing the lesson plans. So I'm excited about that. It's this one, btw: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9449985-the-clockwork-universe Everything we're planning looks great on its own. I'm concerned that, as usual, it's too much, and I'm *not* excited to do the requisite cutting! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm excited that we're finally at a point with oldest DD where we can focus on something other than teaching her to read! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Our drama group is what I am exccited about. We're doing a Classic Television Comedy production, including Abbot and Costello Routines, I love Lucy segments, Scenes from Petticoat Junction and Dick Van Dyke. I'm very excited about that! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobeatenpath Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I am excited that we have finally moved, kind of settled, and for the first time in a long time can plan for more than three months! There is a lot to be excited about: starting algebra 1 in August starting robotics with Edison robots next week that later in the year I will be teaching about Troy both as a literature and history/military history subject and then we get to go an actually visit Troy! starting some online courses (e.g. Bravewriter) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm trying to find something to be excited about. I'm kinda nervous right now. So this fact leads me to believe that maybe I'm not doing it right. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietchapel Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Looking forward to a year of using textbooks/worktexts that aren't teacher intensive but ARE quick and efficient, so I can pour my homeschool energy into fun and interesting extras (projects, field trips, etc.) as I have the inclination. I'm looking forward to a year (or a lifetime) of telling myself the truth about myself and being okay with the answer. I'm looking forward to finding REAL hobbies for myself that don't center around my kids or homeschooling and focusing on self-care. I'm buying nicer clothing for myself, losing the last 8 pounds that plague me, re-learning the guitar and dulcimer (haven't picked them up in over a decade :( ), taking up knitting and crocheting again, learning higher math, reaching some exercise goals, researching family history, and learning more about the historical music traditions of the south (esp. mountain music). Phew. That's a lot. I'm excited :) Me, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Up until last night I was not excited at all for next year. I was worried about keeping up with the kids studies, especially with the teens going into grade 11 and with my own studies because I will be taking 5 courses in fall term and of course still working etc. BUT yesterday I had to send an email to my school board that I am registered with. For years my kids have taken online classes with them, lit, latin etc. THey did not this semester and I initially planned to not do so for first semester next year. Well I needed to go to the webpage to contact them so I decided to see what classes they were offering 1st term. My teens are now registered for their brand new literature class, Victorian Gothic. I am so excited to have them do this one. I will do the readings alongside them if I can keep up, they have a 90 minute live class each week of socratic discussion of the readings. Check out the description and book titles they will cover over the 14 week course. Explore some of the most dramatic, mysterious, and thrilling tales ever told. Witness anew the gripping battle between good and evil. How are we to succeed in confronting the forces of darkness? What happens when man tries to play God? These beautiful works of Victorian Gothic literature shed the light of truth upon the desperate struggles of their characters. Some of the scenes are undoubtedly grim, but the subject matter is not written for mere sensationalist reasons, but rather to reveal the true nature of evil and affirm the triumph of beauty, truth, and goodness. So frequently evil will disguise itself, trying to hide what it really is behind an attractive façade. If evil never wore a pleasing mask perhaps no one would ever be tempted or led astray by it. Gothic literature tears the mask off of evil and exposes its lies, like a light shone into a corner that casts out and destroys the darkness. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (Weeks 1 & 2) http://literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/frankenstein/ Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (Weeks 3 & 4) http://literature.org/authors/bronte-emily/wuthering-heights/ Dracula - Bram Stoker (Weeks 5 & 6) http://literature.org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/ The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux (Weeks 7 & 8) http://www.literatureproject.com/phantom-opera/ The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (Weeks 9 & 10) https://www.gutenberg.org/files/174/174-h/174-h.htm The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson (Week 11) http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/ The Body Snatcher - Robert Louis Stevenson (Week 12) https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/stevenson/robert_louis/s848bs/ The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes - Rudyard Kipling (Week 13) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2806/2806-h/2806-h.htm#link2H_4_0003 The Telltale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe (Week 14) http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/telltale.html Now to plan the rest of the year :) I am feeling more excited for the year as a whole now that I found that course. And to answer the questions that I know will come up at some point. In Alberta we must register with a school board to legally homeschool. The one offering this course and more is called a willing non resident homeschool board, meaning it is a private board that caters to homeschoolers and is not limited in registrations to those in a particular geographic area. Unschoolers flock to this board because they focus on the character of the child when doing evaluations rather than just academics, and yet they offer online courses based on classical education. You do not have to be registered with the board to take the classes as far as I know. First dibs on spots goes to registered students but after that I believe anyone could register to take a course, even you guys. My teens will also be redoing Modern Classics which is technically a pre-req for the above, they took 1/2 of it in term 1 this year by life went insane at work and I was working 12 hour days ever day so they stopped signing into class. SO they will take both next year together. THat one is not as exciting as the top course but still good literature being read and discussed. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Up until last night I was not excited at all for next year. I was worried about keeping up with the kids studies, especially with the teens going into grade 11 and with my own studies because I will be taking 5 courses in fall term and of course still working etc. BUT yesterday I had to send an email to my school board that I am registered with. For years my kids have taken online classes with them, lit, latin etc. THey did not this semester and I initially planned to not do so for first semester next year. Well I needed to go to the webpage to contact them so I decided to see what classes they were offering 1st term. My teens are now registered for their brand new literature class, Victorian Gothic. I am so excited to have them do this one. I will do the readings alongside them if I can keep up, they have a 90 minute live class each week of socratic discussion of the readings. Check out the description and book titles they will cover over the 14 week course. Explore some of the most dramatic, mysterious, and thrilling tales ever told. Witness anew the gripping battle between good and evil. How are we to succeed in confronting the forces of darkness? What happens when man tries to play God? These beautiful works of Victorian Gothic literature shed the light of truth upon the desperate struggles of their characters. Some of the scenes are undoubtedly grim, but the subject matter is not written for mere sensationalist reasons, but rather to reveal the true nature of evil and affirm the triumph of beauty, truth, and goodness. So frequently evil will disguise itself, trying to hide what it really is behind an attractive façade. If evil never wore a pleasing mask perhaps no one would ever be tempted or led astray by it. Gothic literature tears the mask off of evil and exposes its lies, like a light shone into a corner that casts out and destroys the darkness. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (Weeks 1 & 2) http://literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/frankenstein/ Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (Weeks 3 & 4) http://literature.org/authors/bronte-emily/wuthering-heights/ Dracula - Bram Stoker (Weeks 5 & 6) http://literature.org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/ The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux (Weeks 7 & 8) http://www.literatureproject.com/phantom-opera/ The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (Weeks 9 & 10) https://www.gutenberg.org/files/174/174-h/174-h.htm The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson (Week 11) http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/ The Body Snatcher - Robert Louis Stevenson (Week 12) https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/stevenson/robert_louis/s848bs/ The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes - Rudyard Kipling (Week 13) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2806/2806-h/2806-h.htm#link2H_4_0003 The Telltale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe (Week 14) http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/telltale.html Now to plan the rest of the year :) I am feeling more excited for the year as a whole now that I found that course. And to answer the questions that I know will come up at some point. In Alberta we must register with a school board to legally homeschool. The one offering this course and more is called a willing non resident homeschool board, meaning it is a private board that caters to homeschoolers and is not limited in registrations to those in a particular geographic area. Unschoolers flock to this board because they focus on the character of the child when doing evaluations rather than just academics, and yet they offer online courses based on classical education. You do not have to be registered with the board to take the classes as far as I know. First dibs on spots goes to registered students but after that I believe anyone could register to take a course, even you guys. M y teens will also be redoing Modern Classics which is technically a pre-req for the above, they took 1/2 of it in term 1 this year by life went insane at work and I was working 12 hour days ever day so they stopped signing into class. SO they will take both next year together. THat one is not as exciting as the top course but still good literature being read and discussed. That class looks so good!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I'm most excited about our beefed up morning time. It should be awesome. The Fallacy Detective with my oldest should be fun as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Narnia study! 😀 Are you using FUFI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplecat Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I'm excited about not being pregnant or having a newborn anymore. My guys missed the art and science I cut back on this year due to exhaustion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Hmmm.... what am I excited about for 2015-2016? :001_unsure: Sorry, I'm still in the Totally-Overwhelmed-with-Seeing-the-Big-Picture-and-Unable-to-Do-So-Because-My-People-Are-Continually-Interrupting-the-Thought-Process stage of planning out 2015-2016. Ask me in a month. I may be excited about something by then. :rolleyes: Well, it's been a week (not a month), my husband was the Parent-in-Charge for a few days, kids have been outside swimming for days, and I'm finally getting my head wrapped around the upcoming school year. Got tons of work done, plenty more to do. I am excited about our independent reading plan. More on that here. I am beginning to be excited about Ancient History. Reading and studying through MOH 1 really helped with that. I think I've found the right course for us, and I think it will be a good year for us in History. Since you asked what we're excited about for 2015-2016, I am super excited that we are now officially in Summer Mode -- which means chores, rabbits, Math and Bible in the morning, followed by copious amounts of outdoor exercise, swimming, biking, playing, running all around the yard pretending to be horses..... (the girls, not me). And I am excited that in 2016, summer will come around again. I'm excited that VBS #1 will start up soon, followed by VBS #2 a few weeks after that. I am excited (and relieved) that my mother does not have leukemia. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 This is currently my favorite thread, I've enjoyed hearing about your upcoming excitement. I'm excited for science and math. I'm excited to use CPO. I'm excited to start leaving arithmetic and begin mathematics. This makes me so happy :-) I'm excited for robotics this fall. I'm really excited to just be with my kids and watch them grow. They're great :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Great news on your mother's health :) I am excited that my kids would be going to a after school weekly Chinese class this fall. More socialisation for the kids which they want and I'll get to chat in my heritage language while they are in class. We did intend for oldest to start Chinese classes in 6th. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I have THREE independent readers!!!! :party: :party: :party: This changes many things! :hurray: I'm looking forward to assigning more readings to the Big Three (instead of reading them all aloud) and spending more time with Baby Girl in my lap enjoying Peter Rabbit. :001_wub: I'm looking forward to A Picturesque Tale of Progress and Haliburton's Complete Book of Marvels. Those will be fun. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Well, i'm excited now because the plans I originally had, have changed. I'm even more excited about the new plans, we'll still get to the old plans, just not next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 AO 8 science! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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