Next Year School Plans.

This year, even worse than last year, the annual - "choosing curriculum" has snuck up on us.  Though I can't say that this has been a great school year, pretty much anything other than core subjects has fallen to the wayside in an effort to keep on top of chores, sickness, and stress.

But, it is something I think about quite often, so I'm not exactly caught off guard.

We basically school year around, taking breaks when we need to, and a longer break at Christmas.  This allows us to skip or skim over review materials, so we really do move along faster than it sometimes seems to me that we are doing.

Kendra is a self teacher - I can give her a book or a topic, and if she is interested (easy to get her interested) she'll take off.  An informal approach has been working well with her this year.  I dare say that she has learned far more than I think she has or that I could put down on paper.  Her primary interest has been writing and English.

So our plan with her ... keep using Far Above Rubies and Polished Cornerstones to teach Bible and Character and Memory work.  For Science, I found two free "online academy" places.   http://www.khanacademy.org/    and    http://www.hippocampus.org/   ...  she is currently quite capable at finding errors in differing world views, often faster than I can, so I'm not overly worried about her stumbling on something we don't believe.   She also is quick to ask questions of her dad and grandparents if I don't know an answer.   She is currently using Rod and Staff English, and everything she needs is already purchased.  Other than that, we'll continue our study of the 50 states of America and for Core History we are using the book "All Through the Ages".  http://www.nothingnewpress.com/atta.shtml


Vannan is as much a spoon fed learner as Kendra is a self learner.  Often, Kendra and Vannan are using the same curriculum along with their friend Katie, so we can all work on the same thing.  (or at least that is the PLAN - I've really lost track of that since last November).

Much of what she is doing, is the same as Kendra, Polished Cornerstones and All Through the Ages.   She needed something more for Math - and today I was blessed with an offer to get her math curriculum for her ... WOW.  So she'll be able to have the Switched On Schoolhouse Alg. 1.  She needs the immediate feedback and "hand holding" that this will offer her and the ability that I will have to keep an eye on her while she works.   I am not totally sure what we want to do with Science.  I would like the get the next Apologia Science book for her ... but I do know we'll be starting the Fish?  book mid summer.  So I might not need the Mammals or the Birds until the following Spring anyway.  They are geared more for younger students, but since she is mildly dyslexic, she seems to learn more from the easier texts.   We do a lot of researching and extra reading in Science - and animals are her hot spot, so I'm gearing her up for Biology and Chemistry as she gets older - but probably not for another 2 years.  Right now, she is "leveling up" and concentrating on filling in holes and rough spots.  I suspect that in another year or so, she will find her wings and she'll fly through her High School requirements.

Joel is my little scholar.  He LOVES learning.  But I don't want to burn  him out.  So we'll finish using the Cubbie books for Bible, we didn't get far this year with as much as we have all been sick.  I'll be using the Rod and Staff Phonics books (already in my supplies - so no new purchase) and may go ahead and put the the small investment into the workbooks that go with the books - around $40 for all 9 books ... though I think I've got several via ebay purchases in the past.  I've still got to look.  We'll just read books on Science and History topics for now.  Math, well?   - I had a kind offer to help get second hand books (of all kinds) for first and second grades this morning. So, since Joel is rather ahead of the curve for 1st grade math and not quite ready for second grade math ... I'll just use what comes our way.  And maybe there will be plenty to share with my cousins (grub 2 and 3, and Shi, and Karen's Bethie and Matthew and maybe even with or PreK Esther and Marriana).   It looks like God will be providing all that we need for Joel - God never fails to give what we need.

So, that brings us to Marriana.  Everyone is pretty much unanimous that she is not really ready for formal Kindergarten learning.  We still have enough Preschool books for her to run a whole year more, and I think she needs it.  I may go ahead and get the 3 new Rod and Staff books (G, H, I)  that became available just this year to go with the earlier parts of the set (A - F) that we purchased last year.

LaRue will be my loose cannon.  I'm looking at having a 2 year old under foot.  Too busy to keep in a play pen, and too restless to sit at a table.  She is a non-stop explorer.  I am hoping to get the school room a little more open and sorted so that she can play with supervision.  But I may need help to get a good working plan, because what I have now is not working at all.

So, that is the "Plan" for now.   Please keep us in your prayers as I try to sort out a schedule and "floor plan" that will allow us to school with the maximum efficiency.  We really need a VERY good year this year.   Also, for me to stay focused and to be able to get enough sleep to function better.