2.
Determine what will be covered this year.
Determine what will be covered this year.3.Order appropriate materials to accomplish goals.
Order appropriate materials to accomplish goals.4.Decide on “school” schedule. Some suggestions:
Decide on “school” schedule. Some suggestions:Many new homeschoolers know only to have “school at home” and don’t realize it’s okay to have a different routine. For example, some families may use the regular public school schedule, and others may educate year-around, andothers may work eights weeks on, one week off, for five cycles (see article that follows). They may begin at 6 a.m. and finish by 10 a.m., or they may eat a late breakfast because dad works night shift, and they may work on lessons from 10 till 3. You should decide what works for your family. We chose a routine of eight weeks on, one week off, for five cycles, taking about four weeks off in December and July (I figured I could do ANYthing for eight weeks!). We used the "off" week to accomplish small projects, and I took that time to evaluate our progress and outline our next eight weeks in the planner; the "off" month was long enough for
larger projects, but not long enough to forget all we'd learned earlier in the year!
5.Peruse materials and determine what you will cover and what you will not. Your curriculum is a tool, not a master.
Peruse materials and determine what you will cover and what you will not. Your curriculum is a tool, not a master.6.Divide materials by number of weeks or number of days.
Divide materials by number of weeks or number of days.7.Build in some “down time.”
Build in some “down time.”Plan to succeed by recognizing that there will be tough days, sick days, good weather days, catch-up laundry days, etc. Consider adding an “educational games day” every few weeks, which can be used for educational play if they are “on track,” or for catching up if you feel you need some catch-up. When we participated in a co-op, I gave us a very light academic load on Tuesdays. I also built Friday’s math lessons (our toughest subject) as a four-day schedule with math games on Friday; if they were caught up, they played a math game on Friday, but could use that day to catch up corrections, etc. if needed. 8.Lay out a framework (1 math lesson per day M-Th with math game Friday; 1 LLATL lesson per week, 1 A Beka literature
Lay out a framework (1 math lesson per day M-Th with math game Friday; 1 LLATL lesson per week, 1 A Beka literature unit per month, etc.).9.Write out a plan to accomplish your goals (see examples – which are only that – examples!).
Write out a plan to accomplish your goals (see examples – which are only that – examples!). Use pencil! After I roughed-in my framework (see #8), I lesson planned eight weeks at a time on our planner pages, evaluating where we were at the end of each eight weeks.
10.Keep records:
Keep records:A lesson planning book can include a rough journaling of the basic assignments covered each day (week-at-a-glance format) and assignments can be checked off when finished. Grades (if desired) may be added in red pencil in the appropriate block (if the spelling test is Friday, put the score in red in the Friday language arts block in the planner). This gives you a record of your lesson plans for future reference, or to submit (if you are in one of the states requiring submission of plans). Other helpful items to keep (see Beginning the Homeschool Journey section of Home Education 101):
•Your school calendar, with field trips, outings, sports events, etc. marked (as well as any attendance records).
Your school calendar, with field trips, outings, sports events, etc. marked (as well as any attendance records).•Lists of the materials you used this year. I like to include how much I spent and where I purchased my materials, for future
Lists of the materials you used this year. I like to include how much I spent and where I purchased my materials, for future reference.•Report cards/grades, if issued, and any standardized test scores or evaluation reports.
Report cards/grades, if issued, and any standardized test scores or evaluation reports.•List of extracurricular activities and field trips.
List of extracurricular activities and field trips.•Photos of your child studying, playing sports, learning on field trips, socializing with others, etc. Also, photos of projects
Photos of your child studying, playing sports, learning on field trips, socializing with others, etc. Also, photos of projects your child has completed.•Reading lists of books completed.
Reading lists of books completed.•Projects and achievements.
Projects and achievements.•Samples of his best work. You might collect this weekly, then cull monthly.
Samples of his best work. You might collect this weekly, then cull monthly.•Checklist of life skills acquired.
Checklist of life skills acquired.•Audio or video tapes of your child reading, playing an instrument, reciting from memory, etc.
Audio or video tapes of your child reading, playing an instrument, reciting from memory, etc.•Standardized test scores/evaluation of progress
Standardized test scores/evaluation of progress 11.Measure yourself against the goals God has given you, not against your neighbor.
Measure yourself against the goals God has given you, not against your neighbor.Excerpted/adapted from Home Education 101: A Mentor’s Manual.
Lesson Planning & Recordkeeping
