What kind of planner are you?

I am a list maker, the “old fashioned” pencil and paper kind of list maker.

There is something about a pencil or pen in my hand which helps me to own my to-do list.

When we physically write something out, it helps our minds to own those tasks a little more than if we write it via a keyboard, in a virtual way.

 Although, having smartphones and apps certainly are useful too.

Organizing Your Day

In fact, at our house we have a virtual calendar for our family where each member is colour coded, to go along with my paper list.

My husband and I enter our appointments, business travel as well as our children’s sports and other out of the home activities into our virtual calendar.  As our kids become more involved with activities outside the home, this has helped my husband stay in the loop.  When he is out working or if he has been out of town, all he has to do is check our calendar to know what the rest of us are up to.

 It also helps me!

At the beginning of each week I enter all the activities or appointments we have planned as a family and as individuals.

Once all of that is entered I can let it go and allow myself to focus on all our other “to-do” lists.  As homeschoolers, we all have a lot on the go from planning each child’s subjects and projects to the regular household stuff like laundry.

(That never ending pile of laundry, or is this just my house?  Lol.)

What Goes on the Master List?

Making a master list is great, but you have to be picky.

Discern what is on your list and what can or should be on your children’s lists.

Then break it all down, into your daily  Action List.

1. Have – To’s

2. Should – Do’s

3. Want – To’s

I keep my “Have to’s” as focused and clear cut as I can, and try to attack at least 1 “Should Do”.

Once my “Have to” and “Should do” lists  are done I get to pick something from my “Want to” List.  I can work away at one of my hobbies, read a book, or just sit.

At our house the goal of our action lists is to provide our family with:

• organization

• direction

• strategy

• peace of mind

• a sense of accomplishment

This may sound all neat and tidy, but let me tell you, we definitely live a real life around here which also means it can all just be a whirlwind of organized chaos!

Once you jump into this homeschooling pool you soon realize there is an even larger pool of amazing curriculum you can choose from!

This post isn’t about planning out curriculum day by day, but focuses on the first stages of planning and choosing your curriculum.

Planning Your Homeschool

I usually start my curriculum search on-line. 

Window shopping on-line is a great starting point to your search without adding the clutter of magazines to your desk or counter tops.

While you are on-line, look up some homeschool bloggers who share the resources they are using or have tried.
This is a great way to find homeschool curriculum companies too as they often work closely with homeschool bloggers.  With the help help of bloggers, curriculum publishers can promote their products as well as educate us on how to effectively use their curriculum.

Need to know where to start to find amazing homeschool bloggers?

Check out iHomeschool Network, they have a team of wonderful homeschool moms who often do reviews and share how they use their curriculum.  As well, you will find many of them offer free or low cost printables which may be all you need for certain subjects.

Once you short list a few curriculum companies, publishers, or educational toy suppliers, you can then seek them out and ask for their catalogues.  Most curriculum publishers also offer sample lessons or assessments which is a great way to see if it is a fit for your child.

If you need to know where or how to request homeschool catalogues, check out this post by Jimmie Lanley  Where to Request Homeshool Catalogue. 

As much as I do search on-line, I love catalouges!

By the time I am done looking through my catalogues, they have sticky tabs everywhere, are highlighted, dog eared, and pen marked.

When I am in planning mode, my catalogues, sticky notes, pen and notepad go everywhere with me!

Get Your Hands On the Books and Materials

Homeschool Conventions are great for us to learn, expand our thoughts, to get encouragement, and also to meet up with friends; but they also have the Vendor Hall!

The first time I stepped across the hallway from the conference rooms to the vendor hall and walked through the doors I was overcome with excitement!

 I love books and games, not to mention all the music, art and science stuff!  I thought to myself — YES! This will be great!

I started out with a spring in my step eager to buy everything in one stop, however, I did become a bit overwhelmed.

Before I let that overwhelming feeling take too strong a hold of me, I zipped outside for a coffee break and began to focus on what our essentials were.

What curriculum did I need and what could I manage without. (Read: Choosing Homeschool Curriculum for more tips)

Yes, the vendor hall is great, you can get your essential supplies and books done in one fell swoop!

Another benefit of the vendor hall at a homeschool convention is you can hold the curriculum in your hands, and take some time to really look at it!

If you are debating between two Math programs or History for instance, the vendor hall is a great place to be.

You have the opportunity to speak with the publishers or representatives and you can look through their program.

Don’t forget other parents who use the curriculum are also there making their purchases.  Don’t be shy, ask if they have a minute to share why they like Math “XYZ”, ask how they use it in their home.

Often other Moms and Dads are willing to take a few moments to help out another homeschooler; after all, we have all been the ones standing there with 2 hands holding 2 different books wondering which one to go with.

Even after 8 1/2 years, I have times where I need to compare and contrast in order to figure out what will work best.  In fact, as I write this I am taking a break from looking through some different Science curriculum I borrowed from a friend and comparing it to what we are currently using.

Whether you are a new homeschooling parent or one who has been at it for a while, no matter what method you follow, we all have to plan our homeschool curriculum and books every year for each of our children.

We all have this in common.

What is your favourite way to plan and organize your homeschool curriculum?

Questions about curriculum are some of the most common, perhaps even running neck-and-neck with the ‘socialization’ question.

A vast array of amazing curriculum  exists to support you in this journey, no matter what method(s) you use or special needs you may need to address.

We have options!

In fact, it can sometimes feel like there are too many choices and you can feel overwhelmed.

Homeschool Curriculum

 (Remember the first homeschool convention you went to and the vendor hall? There is a lot!)

You don’t have to feel paralyzed when it comes to sorting through and choosing your curriculum.

Take Action

• Grab your pencil and notepad – Make a Pro/Con list

• Ask for sample lessons

• Ask fellow homeschool families what they use

Once you discover some of what is available to you and you start to browse and research, it can help if you keep these things in mind.

 Be Mindful of:

• Who is it for

• What is their learning style

• Will the curriculum support their learning style

• Will it span the ages of your children, or do you care if it does

• Will it help you achieve your end goal for your child(ren)

• Can you photocopy pages for use within your own family (check with publisher) “Homeschoolers Honor Copyright” (from iHomeschool Network)

• How will it fit into your schedule

• Can you easily adapt lessons for more than one child

• Is it available as a download

• Will it support your method of homeschooling  “8 Homeschooling Methods“

• Will this help fuel the love of learning within your children

• Do you even need a curriculum to educate your child that particular subject

Truth is, as homeschool parents we can have many different levels of feeling overwhelmed when it comes to choosing curriculum for our children.

We can feel both blessed and cursed by the sea of books available to choose from.  One of the most common questions I hear about curriculum is:

“What if it doesn’t work, what if I buy it and never really use it?”

And you know what?  We have all been there, and done that!

From those who unschool to those who follow a more aligned path (meaning very much like the curriculum of local schools) we have all bought something we thought would be great, which turned out to sit on the shelf.

We have all held onto those resources and tried it with all our children, some of us get to finally use it and some of us end up writing it off completely.

As much as we plan we also have to be ready for the detours and sideroads.  

A purchased curriculum which turns out not to be exactly what you needed doesn’t always have to be tossed aside.  Instead you can adapt the lessons or at minimum use them as a guide to help plan a study.  You can then head out to the library for books,  find some hands on activities, or search for some YouTube videos to support what you are teaching.  

Remember

• Break down your subjects and your goals for each child within that subject

• Get to know your child’s strengths and weaknesses

• Foster a love of learning

• Support your child’s curiosity, creativity and intelligence

• Have fun and be flexible – Seriously, this is your Home, not a stuffy classroom!

Homeschooling is not a contest, it is not a race and there are no “curriculum police“.

You are blessed with the freedom to choose, adapt and change if necessary.

Tip for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

For a peek into what we have been reading or using check out my  Reading List page; Resources page; and my STEM Resources page.

Ok, your turn…

Share 1 tip about choosing curriculum to help encourage and support your fellow homeschooler!

The holidays are fast approaching and with it comes excitement and anticipation.  No matter what faith or beliefs you hold close to your heart each of us have a few times a year where we are preparing for some type of holiday.

We celebrate Christmas, and I still get excited much like I did when I was a child.  Perhaps on some level even more.  As a Mom, there is something magical about handing down family traditions as well as creating our own.

Holidays and Homeschooling

Why Bother With Tradition?

Following tradition is nothing new.

We have been following tradition since the beginning of time; mankind and our beliefs are deeply rooted in tradition.  Stories handed down from one generation to the next, everything from our beliefs to family recipes. 

Having and following tradition speaks to our hearts, connects us to our rich history and builds up our relationship with one another.

There is nothing like sharing good food and great stories to bring a family closer.

Preparing for Holidays

I am a list maker!

Put a pencil in my hand, pass me a pad of paper and I can write “To Do Lists” like nobody’s business; everything from shopping to baking.

As handy as lists are, they will only be as good as the effort you put into them.  After I complete each list I make a note of my “most essentials” I require in order to pull off my bigger plans.

If I head out to do my grocery shopping without taking the time consult with my baking list, then chances are my trip to the grocery store will not be successful. I am bound to forget a crucial ingredient. (Yes, it is often the eggs, butter or milk.)

Prioritizing the essentials of our day and our holiday season is what helps me stay on track and not stress about little things like perfectly baked gingerbread cookies. 

We all have our favourite traditions, so taking the time to prepare and pinpoint your most treasured traditions will help you in the larger scheme of your holiday.

Homeschooling and Holidays

We are very lucky to enjoy the flexibility of homeschooling as we prepare for our family celebrations.

People will often ask me how many days  we take off and if we follow along with the schools in town?

My Answer is that we vary our off time from year to year.

Depending what method of homeschooling you follow, what your family traditions are, and the needs of your family will depend on how many days you take off.  Many homeschoolers I know take a year round approach to their studies which allow them to plan some more time off around special holidays.

Adjusting our Homeschool Schedule

December 1st is usually the start of us adjusting how we go about our homeschool studies.

We start changing up our routine and schedule to include extra crafts, more music, trips to donate items to the less fortunate, baking, reading Christmas themed stories and even Math by the fireplace.

Other things we take time to do include helping neighbours shovel snow, building snow forts and inviting other kids on the street to jump in to help out, as well as decorating our home.

The best part about all of this is we are teaching our kids things which cannot be found in textbooks.

We are carrying on and building upon our family traditions as well as celebrating our family, friends and neighbours – we are making connections!

These are skills and knowledge you cannot find in a curriculum, but will surely last them a lifetime!

Something For Everyone

This year I have also found some great studies to add to our adjusted homeschool routine for the holidays!

We love the Nutcracker and Christmas Carols!  Mary, from Homegrown Learners and SQUILT: Music Appreciation, has a wonderful Nutcracker Unit Study as well as Squilt Christmas Carols  for your music enthusiasts!

Christmas Carols – Music Study

What a great way to enjoy some of our Christmas favourites and learn at the same time!

I am also excited to share that Tricia, from Southern Hodgepodge, now has “A Simple Start in Christmas Chalk Pastels” available.  I share more information about these Chalk Pastel tutorials in “Think You Can’t Homeschool Art? Think Again!”.  Now we can continue on with learning more chalk pastel techniques while making some great Christmas art to hang! (Click on the book to see more details!)

 “Truth in the Tinsel”.  (Link listed below) is an e-book is full of crafts to celebrate the Christmas season; we also cannot wait to get started with this book!  In fact, I have planned ahead and have already purchased all my necessary supplies, my kids are so excited knowing they get to do a craft Everyday leading up to Christmas! I wrote more about it here: “Truth in the Tinsel and Homeschooling”

TRUTH in the TINSEL

Easy Printable Ornaments!

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Need more ideas on how to Homeschool and prepare for the holidays?  I was a panelist on this iHomeschool Hangout, along with other homeschooling moms who shared some great holiday preparation tips!

When I make the above statement my kids scurry around the house to find their library cards, backpacks and rolling suitcases; then place them by the front door.

They will grab a snack…usually apples and bottles of water, quickly dress and remind me to make sure I have change for the parking meter!

They are on it…no dilly dally!

They LOVE going to the library!

We have been so busy lately that I put  our trips to the library on the back burner.  We went from going every 2 or 3 weeks to going every 2 or 3 months!

We lost our Homeschool Groove!

Library Day Keeps Us in Our Home School Groove!

I didn’t even realize I had fallen out of our routine!

Which means I was far too distracted by our busyness than by what our true schedule should be…Ooops!

Have you ever been so distracted and caught up in life that you put off important things?

How To Stay in Your Groove:

• Make a list of special things each of your kids like to do. (lego, art, games, outdoor play, etc.)

• Make a list of special things you like to do.

• Find some common ground between all of your lists.

• Where do you like to go? Sometimes you just need to get out of the house. (We love our Library time as well as going on Nature Hikes)

• Try to stay on track with the little things. i.e.  chores,

• Music can help motivate us, find some tunes and let the music move you.

• Plan a family adventure.

• Keep creativity at the forefront of what you do each day. (Don’t forget we can be creative in many different ways; it isn’t just art or music.)

• Check in with your kids and your spouse as much as you can. Maybe a weekly meeting is a good idea. Even young children can contribute…they know what made them smile and what fun things they learned.  Older kids can also start to take responsibility for how their days go and contribute their thoughts.

• Always keep your WHY a part of your daily check and balance, and don’t be worried if your Why changes.

• Have a schedule of some sort.  I find as my kids get older the more detailed my schedule needs to be.  This also offers them a bit of security and independence, since they know what is expected, they can learn to carry on to the next task as you do your chores or help your other kids.

I knew we were losing our groove when none of us were all that excited to do anything.  Asking the kids to do Math was echoed with moans and groans.  My kids like Math…they are really good at Math!

Time for ACTION 

When you start to hear the moans and groans, when our kids (or even ourselves) start to “self-block” with negative talk it isn’t time to drill the Math harder; it’s time to close the books and take action!

Pull out your list of what you all enjoy doing and get after it!

We got back to the Library this week!  I set aside the whole day just for that and 1 chore each.  When we got home the only thing they had to do was just enjoy looking through their books.

Today I had a small schedule of Math, French, and Spelling; 1 chore each and time with me,  where I promised them I would look through library books with them.

You know what? 

They did it!    All of it!

No fighting

No tears

No negative self-talk.

We all lose our groove every once in a while, I don’t think it is something we can avoid…but we can decide on the action we will take to get back into our groove again.

It’s your turn…I would really enjoy hearing how you get back your groove!

Anything from nature study in your own back yard, to taking a trip to the zoo.  Take advantage of the weather and get out to do some real life, hands-on learning.

Our family goes about these field trips in a more relaxed,  unschooling type of way and it works so well!  The kids  constantly talk about all they learned from visits to old Forts and riding a real steam engine,  visiting a zoo,  to visiting beehives and learning how bees make honey!

We don’t make our kids carry clipboards and take notes on everything they see.  We do, however, get involved in every trip we take and “get our hands dirty” right along side of the kids.  Taking the time to really get in on the action with your children will enhance any learning experience…for both of you!

9 Tips for a Great Field Trip!

1. Decide on a great place to go.  What have you been learning about, what have the kids been talking about?  Try to arrange a trip around their interests.

2. Go on-line or call your selected destination to determine the costs.  Sometimes they will have discounts for homeschoolers.  They may also be extra activities you want to take part in which require an additional fee.

3. Pack your backpack.  Don’t forget things like sunscreen, insect repellent, a small first aid kit, sunglasses/hats, water bottles, snacks, and a camera.  Maybe even a small coil bound pad of paper and pencil, just in case someone really needs to write something down. (Usually this would be me, as my kids seem to have a better memory than I ;_))

4. Wear comfortable and appropriate clothing.  Have everyone wear shoes they will be comfortable walking in for the entire day.  Take light sweaters or jackets packed as well in case your beautiful day takes a turn for the worse.  Also keep in mind trudging around a pond collecting frogs requires much different gear than going to the zoo or museum.

5. Get a map &/or an itinerary of what is happening.  Plan your “must see” exhibits or events, then you can fit in everything else around that.  Also plan some extra time at the end of your day to stay and wander around.   There may be a special point of interest for each of your children,  let them go back and take it all in.

6. Keep a memory book or journal.  Once you are home you can print off some notebooking or journal pages for the kids to paste pictures, or brochures into.   Is there something your kids would like to recreate at home? Perhaps you can have a craft day to make a model or paint a picture about what they saw.

7. Get the kids to plan.  Having the kids help you plan your trip will not only have them involved, but will also teach them some valuable life skills.  Perhaps each of them can pick out 1 point of interest and can assist in deciding what snacks or extra clothing they might want to pack.  I also like my kids to help plan what kind of safety issues we will need to keep in mind for our various trips.  It is also good idea to review  appropriate behaviour for where you are going.

8. Don’t forget a meeting place. Once you arrive at your chosen destination, don’t forget to make an emergency meeting place in case anyone should get separated.

9. Have fun!  Think about your field trip through the eyes of your child.  This is a time of discovery and excitement for them.   When everyone is excited and having fun real learning just happens.

Let’s support one another in our homeschooling journey and share…

Where do you like to go as a family?  Do you have a MUST do annual family field trip?