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

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!

Ever feel like you have just got this homeschooling thing on a roll and then all of a sudden it is time to change things up again?

You have finally found your rhythm and groove with your toddlers, 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade kiddos; then spring comes, homeschool conferences start up and you realize something.  

It suddenly hits you that you are a mom/dad to kids who will be entering the Middle School and/or High School years!

Whoa! How did that happen?  

You also find all your friends and family are throwing a whole new set of questions at you.

Homeschooling Middle School and High School

Questions like:  “How will you homeschool high school…especially Math and Science”?

My basic answer:  One lesson at a time!

How do any of us teach anything?

We do our homework and then we make a plan.

Yes, high school can be more complex, but we live in a time where we have more information at our finger tips than ever before!

We are able to be in the comfort of our own homes and use the internet to research v.s. the going to the library and looking books up in the old card catalogue system. (Remember that?)

As well, we are able to make some amazing connections with others via social media and on-line community forums.

Curriculum companies know this too!

I often see them offering webinars, on-line co-op classes as well as keeping in touch with and encouraging homeschoolers via social media channels like Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. 

We don’t need to be the experts to teach a subject, we just need to know how to find the experts. 

My Plan

• Lay the foundation to help my kids become independent learners

• Research different curriculum along side of my children; find something we both feel confident in

• Look for on-line classes, co-ops, webinars, and possibly tutors to fill any gaps and to assist us

• Be involved with other homeschoolers, both in real life and on-line

• Form study groups

• Explore the multitude of free on-line academies like Khan Academy, Coursera, Google Science Fair, Discovery Education, etc.

• Always be willing to ask for help

• Take the time to recall why you started homeschooling in the first place (See my reasons: 23 Reasons Why We Homeschool)

• Be brave enough to continue the journey

We are very lucky to have friends who are engineers – mechanical – civil and aeronautical, some who are lab technicians, medical doctors/nurses; as well as highly trained, talented and successful musicians, artists, writers and dancers.

Everyone has someone in their life who can be a helpful resource when exploring new subjects and projects.

Reach out to them and add a dose of some real life, hands on learning to your day!

As for being brave enough?  Sometimes we can let fear sneak in when we are faced with the next new step.  

Rather than letting that happen to you, stop and take a look at where you have been, then look at where you can go!

Where can your homeschool story end up?

Picture it, write it down then go back and start to make your plan for the highschool years.

I bet you will find the next few chapters really aren’t that scary at all; in fact, I bet they will be full of excitement!

My plan is far from complete, it is just a start.

What are some of your ideas and goals as you plan to take on the high school years?

The Live iHomeschool Studio event has past but the MP3 recordings are still available, click on this link: iHomeschool Studio MP3 Recordings, or on any photo to purchase.

iHomeschool Studio 2014 MP3’s

*Affiliate link

Ever wish you could pack up and escape to a Home School Conference?

Then reality hits and you realise this year it won’t happen for you.

It could be due to combined costs, let’s face it the fees can add up quickly!

• Travel

• Registration

• Hotel

• Meals

• Babysitting

This year is different!  

This year you CAN attend a 4 day educational event made just for Homeschooling Parents!

iHomeschool Network had pulled together some Amazing Homeschool Speakers, for people like you and me who can’t get out to a 4 day conference. iHomeschool Studio is an online webinar event which takes place February 11-14, 2014 and it is only $25!!

*This post contains affiliate links to this event

Not only can we listen in the comfort and of our homes but it is also very affordable!  When you register you will also be provided with the mp3 recordings, so you can go back to listen again and again.

Sessions range from organizing and frugal homeschooling to personality and learning styles. We will offer help with intense kids, high school students, and lazy kids. Although we cover academics like science, music, and geography, we also delve into matters of the heart as we help you instill a love of Christian missions in your children and build positive character traits all while maintaining the spark in your marriage. There is something for everyone! ~iHomeschool Studio

 

What’s Included in your Ticket Price?

• 24 live sessions 

• Audio recordings of all 24 sessions (MP3 format)

• Discounts, door prizes, give-aways from the sponsors and speakers

Don’t forget the convenience factor!

• You can watch/listen at your own pace.

• You can get the kids going on a project, make yourself a hot cup of coffee/tea, sit for a session or two and soak up all that encouragement.

• You can even fold the laundry while you are watching.  (Who am I kidding, we all know I won’t fold the laundry! )

• You can declare a p.j. day, kids can play games or do arts and crafts while you tune in.

I also love that the mp3 audio recordings of ALL 24 sessions are included in the ticket price.

Now we don’t have to worry about all our Mom taxi duties or grocery runs, just download and take all the encouraging iHomeschool Studio talks on the road!

Speakers:

 I am very excited to listen to these awesome speakers as I am not able to travel to the other homeschool conferences this year.

This online webinar is a perfect way for me to get a little “Professional Development” for our homeschool!

What are you waiting for?

Grab your tickets to the iHomeschool Studio and join me in the audience for some homeschool encouragement!

Run Your Own Race

In this age of information overload with social media sites and instant messaging our world is noisier and more connected than ever.  While it can help us learn more and even develop new friendships, it can also lead us to get caught up in what everyone else is doing.

Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to share and help one another with:

• What books we are reading

• How we handled a Math melt down

• Ideas on preparing our kids for College

• Spelling tips and tricks

• How to make learning come alive

• Organizing all the supplies

• Encouragement when the tough days hit

• etc.

The thing is, we can easily get caught up in it all and start comparing ourselves to what everyone else seems to be doing.

We forget to run our own race!

I had a gym teacher a few years ago   (ok …it was many years ago, just humour me!),  coaching us for our track and field meet, stop us mid race because we were looking back over our shoulders to see who was coming up behind.  He said, every time we look over our shoulder, we are slowing ourselves down.

Now it didn’t feel that way, but once we got used to just powering through the race focusing on ourselves, pushing ourselves to do the best we could each do…we all got faster.  We also all became much better at being in tune to what is going on around us.

Don’t Keep Looking Over Your Shoulder

While it is necessary and great to connect with friends, to network and help one another out, it is also necessary to just be present and mindful of what you are up to in our own homes.

The time comes everyday where we just have to focus on our families and where we are at in our “race” and not slow ourselves down by looking over our shoulder.

Our Time – Our Journey – Our Race

Each and everyone of us can share similar experiences, but we also have our own unique circumstances.  We will slow down our progress if we keep looking over our shoulders and comparing ourselves to other families.

Don’t worry if  you see the other family who seems to do a lot of Art and you don’t.  Take note that you would like to start adding more Art to your children’s studies, but please don’t stress about it.

Nor should you worry if you feel like some academics are behind…

We all learn at different rates, we all have life throw different things in our path from time to time.  If in fact, you truly are behind…again please don’t stress, it’s just time to make a new plan.  A plan which is right for your family and your circumstances.

We can find a pace which works for us!  Our friends (whether in real life or via social media networks) can help us keep our pace, encourage us, and even give us a nudge from time to time.

Good friends will even give us reminders, like my gym teacher, to focus on our own race should they notice we are starting to look over our shoulders.

Run Your Race-Enjoy Your Journey and Encourage One Another!

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?