Lesson Planning at Rossmont

 

You would think with the Blog Cruise scheduled for every two weeks this year, I'd manage to participate each time! :P Nope; missed one or two already!

This time our topic is: What does lesson planning look like in your homeschool?

Lesson planning used to be the funnest part of homeschooling, for me. I used to be a real big planner, trying to plan out the whole school year. To some extent, I still do that, but now it's more of a "skeleton outline" I prepare.

To start with, I use a form, like this:

Our core curriculum is Five in a Row (for Little Bit), and Beyond Five in a Row (for Botanist Boy). In order to allow room for a little flexibility, I only schedule three titles a month, for Little Bit. Since the Beyond titles are chapter books, I schedule those to cover about 6-8 weeks or so.

I also note what resource we will use for math for the year, at the bottom of this form.

In actuality, I have these roughly filled out for each of the boys, from now through 12th grade! Talk about planning freak!

But hold on!! For the next three years, I have them roughly filled in using the Five in a Row, Beyond Five in a Row titles. Next year we have plans to use the Prairie Primer, together, so have those titles filled in. But once Botanist Boy hits high school, I only have the resources we plan to use for math and science listed. No other details filled in, yet.

For each FIAR/Beyond book the boys are doing, I do have those lesson plans filled out, using the FIAR/Beyond planners. On those forms, I can also fill in math, language arts, etc., and tend to do that on a weekly basis. Little Bit has only 4 books left to "Row" from volumes 1-3, and will be ready to begin volume 4 in December. So at this point, I only have the lesson plans filled out till then.

Now, for my high school senior! I plan to pretty much just go as far as filling in the chapter/s she should complete in each subject for each month....actually filling things in together. I had thought to just let her fill it in herself, but that doesn't seem to be working.

I know, here it is the end of October, and I feel like I should be better organized than I am! But we seem to be "accomplishing school" anyway! In math, we just do the next X amount of pages each day; read the next chapter in our science; do the next lesson in social studies/history, and so forth. Some weeks we accomplish more than others. I guess it's more about finding that certain "rhythm" for our family.

I want to share some wise words from Steve Lambert, which you can find here.

Have you found the Lord's rhythm for your homeschool this year?

"Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Mt. 11:28-30 (The Message)

Finding the right rhythm for your homeschool is different each year. Your children are all a year older this year. Maybe you've added a new baby since last year, or maybe you're pregnant this year. Maybe your mother-in-law lives with you now. Maybe your oldest (and best helper!) has graduated and gone away to college this year. Maybe your husband is home more because of work hours being cut back during the recession. Or maybe he's home less this year because he's working a 2nd part-time job. Each year is different. Each family is unique.

As you discover the Lord's "unforced rhythms of grace" you'll find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Being out of rhythm in your homeschool is like trying to push a chain up hill.

• When do you begin your day?
• Which days do you homeschool?
• How often do you take breaks during the day?
• How long do you spend with each child today?
• When do you take a day off to recharge?
• When do you begin this school year?
• When do you wrap up this school year?
• How long do you spend on phonics each day?
• How long do you spend on fractions each day?
• Which child needs the most attention this year?

The list of choices is endless and your options vary from year to year, from season to season.

One size does NOT fit all!

One size fits NO ONE!!

• It doesn't matter what your co-op leader is doing this year.
• It doesn't matter how your sister-in-law does it.
• It doesn't matter when the public schools do it.
• It doesn't matter how you did it when you were in school.
• It doesn't matter how you did it last year.
• It doesn't matter how you did it when your oldest was age 8.
• It doesn't matter...

What matter is finding HIS rhythm and stepping into HIS grace for this unique season of your life.

If you're already "pushing a chain uphill" on most days take time to ASK HIM about what HE wants you to do this year- and HOW He wants you to do it.

You just might be surprised at His answers.

Blessings,

Steve
__________________
Publisher
Five in a Row

You can find another good message from Steve, by going here.

What does that "rhythm" look like in your homeschool? How does the lesson planning look? May the Lord bless you throughout the rest of this school year...and beyond. Pin It Now!