Planning, how far a head?

[HomesteadMommy]

I was just wondering how far a head do you plan? I mean in years/grades not just weeks.

I'm trying to decide what subjects to cover and when...and it's turning my head into mush lol.

How many do two different history programs at the same time? We are working through SOTW 1 and my kids love history/geography. Dh wants me to do more geo/history with the kids. Just keeping it easy, read aloud and hands on "fun" stuff. I was thinking of starting some Canadian history with them after I finish our Canadian geography unit.

I know we'll cover all of this again, but when I'm not sure...So I'm just trying to get an idea how often most people go over the same subjects.

 

Sorry if I'm rambling little ones are driving me crazy today. :tongue_smilie:

[LisaKinVA]

I have general long term (through end of high school) plans, but my "detailed" plans are more along the lines of 1-2 years...

[elegantlion]

I have general long term (through end of high school) plans, but my "detailed" plans are more along the lines of 1-2 years...

 

:iagree: We use LCC as our foundation, but I'm not sure how it will evolve for our family past the next year or two.

[Renee in NC]

I know where I want my 10yo to be at 14, so I started there and planned backwards.

[Laura Corin]

I have a vague idea of what the boys will be studying for the whole of their schooling. It changes often, but it's there as a basis.

 

I only do one kind of history with each child at a time, but I put in lots of extra reading on top of SOTW. We also stop off for a year of Chinese history after our first pass through world history.

 

Laura

[beansprouts]

Do you mean a "plan" or a "vision"? I have an overall vision of what schooling will involve from the rest of 5th through 12th grade. I have a general idea of what curricula I will use and what I hope to accomplish for this four year period. I have curricula planned and purchased and in use for the rest of this year, and much of what I am currently using will continue for the next few years, though I know I will add and change as we go. I keep a detailed schedule of lessons a week in advance.

Edited December 29, 2008 by beansprouts

[mcconnellboys]

I do try to go through the history cycle three times, as WTM suggests. I cover geography in connection with history, but also do some separate geography studies that vary from year to year and are not tied to our history studies. We're doing ancient history this year, but I'm covering some U.S. geography using Beautiful Feet guides with the Holling books. I'll continue that next year, too.

 

I do some state history in the elementary years and we always do some field trips every year associated with our state history and local government.

 

I've done this before with an older child, so I do have some general plans regarding what I'll be covering during elementary, logic stage, and high school periods. I do map out my year ahead of time so that I have everything laid out and ready to go once we start school.

 

I just bought my planner for next year this week. I went through RR catalog and wrote out my order, which I may make tomorrow. I've been working on my science plans over the weekend, so I've got that pretty much set.

 

Because my children are so far apart in age, I did have two history/science programs going for a couple of years. If I had several who were closer together in age, I'd try to keep them all together in history and science studies if I could!

[Murphy101]

I have a loose plan all the way thru high school.

I fully expect to need to adjust it for various reasons as I go, but the general requirements and an idea of what it'll look like are outlined.

[swellmomma]

Normally I only plan one year at a time, HOWEVER, I have been mapping out my plans for history and science coverage through high school. My reason for this is my son hits grade 6 next year and I will have to make some decisions of what to do for grade 7, because the route I take for that will impact our plans for high school (there is 4 different options for high school while homeschooling in this province). Which means I basically have to know what his plans for college/university/work etc in the next 1-2 years, to make sure we chose the most appropriate avenue for high school while still working with his particular needs. My dd is right on his heels the year after, so currently I am roughly planning out the next 7 years of school for the 2 of them. Not particular lessons, but which courses to take when and by what method.

[Jen in PA]

I have about 18 months planned out, but with wiggle room for things that aren't a good fit. Beyond that, I'm basically following TWTM, so I'm not really worried about planning in too much detail, since I don't foresee us ending up with any serious gaps.

[sweetbaby]

I didn't have a plan with my oldest who was my homeschool guinea pig but I do have a plan for my younger ones now that I'm a little more prepared.

[PeterPan]

Well if I had the ages of kids you have and my dh told me to do more, wasn't doing enough, and ought to do two history programs, I'd tell him to go JUMP. :-P

 

There, hope that wasn't nasty, hehe. I like my husband, honestly, but that's just rediculous to tell a woman she's not doing enough. If you want to do more, do more, but I wouldn't do two programs and I wouldn't feel compelled. I'd do one thing as your main program (with the works, activities and all that) and do the other thing as a read-aloud, an extra. Don't feel so compelled to get to everything. It's not like you have to do everything AT ONCE. You can do SOTW now and cover Canadian during the summer, which after all is 3+ months! In our house, we take May to do what I call May Term, really getting out of the box and covering oddball stuff we've been missing. So rather than thinking of it as yes or no, think about WHEN it might be a nice time to do those extra things. Perhaps that geo can be gotten in as games or puzzles over the holidays and not even need a curriculum. Perhaps it could be using the Audio Memory Geography Songs in your memory work time. But I wouldn't feel compelled to do two programs. Streamline and make your life simple, sister. This is the fun age! :)