How goes the homeschool planning?

In the US it's the beginning of another school year and the buzz is all happening with new curricula and planners. I love hearing what other people are doing and keeping track of ideas I'd like to try. My email box keeps receiving messages about new or updated products, and discussions happening on various forums does get one very excited.

Back here in Australia, though, we're in the middle of our schooling year. Even then, our homeschooling 'year' never seems to start in any one fixed position on the calendar. We phase from one book per subject to another on a sliding scale. If we stop for a vacation or term break, then we simply just pick up from where we left off once we return.

So, how do you schedule? What do you use to show others what your children have achieved, or even as a reflection on all those things the children have done over the years? How then do you plan ahead and anticipate what will be achieved in the next 12 months?

In our state, we don't currently need to have a planned report to present in application to homeschool. Many other states around Australia do have this requirement, however. Personally, I think there are some clear advantages to having this type of documentation completed, because it maps out the journey you'd like to take with your children. Sometimes the route may change a little along the way, but the destination is important.

Being realistic is of utmost importance. I've been guilty, as I'm sure many other homeschooling parents have also, of planning out the perfect daily schedule, only to find that there is no physical way that it will work out perfectly each and every day. Yep, I'm guilty! I've done the timetable thing, when Maestro was 6 years old and Mariposa a toddler, of saying we'll do one activity at 10am, then another at 10:45am, then we'll do the shopping, lunch, nap/storytime, swimming ...... It can't work like that everyday.

So, how CAN you schedule?

Everyone does this differently. I've picked up a few things from various homeschooling suppliers and friends along the way, but this is how I currently work:

Start by writing down the key subjects (or 8 KLAs as is known here), and write in how you like to achieve coverage in those areas. For example (I'll use Maestro's plan for this post):

Arts - violin, some piano, Artistic Pursuits
English - Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts, with Newsademic and Wordly Wise 6; Sonlight Core G readings
Health / Phys. Ed - dance (5.25hrs/wk), adhoc sports days with other families; nutrition/health as family activities at regular intervals
Language other than English - Spanish using Auralog
Maths - Singapore Maths NSM yr 7
Science - Apologia General Science
Studies of Society and Environment - using Sonlight Core G for history; current affairs with Newsademic.
Technology - responsible for some cooking per week, regular household chores/maintenance, woodwork/leatherwork classes in 1st term. Computer time regularly per week (teaching himself music technology), touch typing skills.

This is the thumb-sketch of our year, 2011. Other things will come up that can be added to our list, including all the excursions we'll be doing.

Next, I grab my planner and write in the weekly plan. The only times I have actually booked per activity are those booked as appointments. So, this includes the weekly violin lesson, and all the dance classes. We also had a dance competition on the weekend, so that was blocked out.

Now it comes down to the day-by-day homeschooling lessons. There are a number of things Maestro can work through on his own, but I still need to keep my finger on the pulse. How do I do that? Well, I actually had asked Dr Jay Wile how he worked that with his teenage daughter, when he was visiting for the seminar a month ago, which helped me with this method. What Maestro and I are doing is meeting together just after chores are done in the morning and going through the day's plan. We grab out his books and I go through the texts to see what he can manage. If I need to tutor him for a bit, we start there and then I write notes in his diary for what he can then proceed with alone. We move through all the key subjects in this manner, and I note where I'll be needed for more time together later that day (for eg: with read alouds). He tracks pages and assignments done in his diary, and then we get together at the end of the day to recap and check what may need to kickstart the next day should anything have been missed. We don't block in time periods for 1/2 hr math, 1/2 hr science, etc. There hasn't been any need for this as the day moves quite smoothly from one subject to another. Generally speaking, he's all done by around 2pm if he's started around 9:30am.

One thing I haven't yet ever done is to write up an actual report for each child. It is something I'll start doing, though. I've seen some great ideas and heard reports of how friends are making up reports and certificates to mark their child's milestones. I think that a portfolio as Renelle has done HERE is a great idea.

We do have a type of portfolio coming together for each child, but it's more a collection of all their certificates, exam results and such that could be used as a reference folder when the children are older. I had made up one when I was growing up, and it has come in handy many a time for interviews with the Dept. of Education, and character references. I think we'll still continue to keep this, but add it to a binder with regular reports of homeschooling successes.

Lots of people do set out their homeschool plans in different ways. Often the state requirements have dictated the need for different details. Here are a couple places you can visit if you're looking for planning ideas:

• Renelle at Dove's Rest
• Michelle at Homeschooling Down Under
• HEA's Articles on Programming with real examples of people's planning submissions.

If you have some planning suggestions, especially if you are required to keep records as per state requirements, please leave a comment and a link back to your relevant post.  I'd love to see what others are doing, too!

You may also be interested in a timely reminder from Julie at Bravewriter: Beating the Homeschooling Blues (Instead of Singing Them). We need to remember not to overburden ourselves and enjoy these times we have with our children.