It's July! Time For Winning at Planning

I had every intention of beginning my planning long before this day, but as many of you can relate, life got in the way. If you've been with me for any length of time, you know that I am a planner. Flying by the seat of my pants is not the way I roll, so bare with me as I obsess about planning! After 30-something years (like how I skirted around an exact #), I have come to terms with my obsession. 

So, let the games begin! I have most of our curriculum picked out and purchased. As always, I am prepared to sideline anything that doesn't work and go on a hunt for a replacement.

Last year, I had a blog series called Winning at Planning. I have revamped the entire series to match up with my B.Y.O.B Build Your Own Binder Homeschool pages. I truly hope that this series continues to bless you and help you navigate your way through the early days of homeschool planning.

Is It Too Early To Plan?

Is It Too Early To Plan?

It is March and the next school year is already on my mind. This is the time of year when I start seriously evaluating our current curriculum choices. Man, I wish we could just buy a giant boxed curriculum that would be awesome. I would love to have something already planned day 1, day 2, etc. Thus, I am on the hunt for something to help me with the planning. 

My curriculum ramblings for 2013:

I love the idea of something like Sonlight or Calvert where it's all laid out, day-by-day. But I hate the costs. Actually, I don't mind spending the money but I have a fear of spending that much money only to be disappointed with the curriculum.

I need a stronger reading and writing curriculum.

I will have 3 students next year. My youngest did school this year when she felt compelled but next year it's go time!

My kids didn't fall in love with Teaching Textbooks the way I thought they would. My 8 year old actually asked for "paper math".

While I see the benefit of teaching kids together, I feel like the gap between my 8 year old and my 10 year old is growing, thus making it more difficult to teach them together. 

Although we are a Christian family, I tend to prefer secular materials. I have found that many of the Christian curricula have differing beliefs or the material is watered down.

I spend far too much time planning for 2 kids. I can't imagine what it will be like with 3! 

I realize that my reasons for homeschooling may not and probably do not match other's reasons. 

Do you see how I am driving myself down the path of insanity? I am sure that I am not alone, or at least I hope I am not.  I remember doing this just last summer. I read tons of reviews, visited dozens of websites, and downloaded countless pages of previews. 

I am starting now in hopes that I can use this extra time to help weed through it all. Again. 

12 Days of Teacher Freebies: Day 6 Organization Freebies

12 Days of Teacher Freebies

Breakfasts & Lunches & Dinners, Oh my!

Homeschool Meal Planner

My kids have gone to school before and I can tell you that I would rather do ANY chore than pack a lunch. I don't know why but making a sandwich at 6:30 in the morning, day after day, is enough to make me go postal!

Oh but alas, my sandwich making days are not over. The decision to homeschool brings a ton of new responsibilities like teacher, nurse, and lunch lady. Now while I don't hate lunch time as much as I do when it requires me to fix it at 6:30 in the morning, I still have a bit of dread surrounding that time of day. And in case you are wondering, I'm not totally fond of the other 2 mealtimes either.

I actually enjoy cooking. I don't enjoy playing short-order cook because let's face it, the tips stink.
I've learned that if there is a menu planned, like we're having THIS for lunch, then I'm more likely to not have to fix 3 different lunches.

I've created this printable for you to help you plan out your menu for the month. I've also included one that you could use weekly and has a place to make a grocery list. This is my favorite form.

You can download these for free on Teachers Notebook.

Free Workbox Tags

Workbox System Tags & Planning Sheet

Yesterday I told you about Sue Patrick's Workbox System. If you are struggling to homeschool more than one child, I highly recommend this system. You can get her book as an eBook from her website or from Amazon. You certainly do not need the book to set up workboxes, but the book is well worth the money.

If you're looking for the basic idea, let me explain.

Using workboxes is a work management system. The drawers/boxes hold a different activity in each one. The number of activities is up to you. 

A workbox can be any container you would like to use. Many people use drawers.

Some people prefer magazine boxes.

We use the Trofast system from Ikea.

What I like about the Trofast system is that the bins come in a variety of sizes. The green ones shown above are the perfect depth for almost anything. The white and red buckets are deeper and are great for work that has more bulky items. All the bins come in a variety of colors too. Ours are red and green.

How you decide on what your going to use depends on 2 things:
1. The amount of space you have to dedicate to this system.

2. The amount of money you want to spend.

So you get your boxes, drawers, bins, etc. Then you label them with numbers or subject tags. I used Velcro sticky dots. Put one part of the velcro on the bin and the other on the back of the tag.
Each of my kids have 6 boxes. On three of their boxes, I put an additional Velcro dot for a "work with mom" tag. I use these for activities like a spelling test, which can't be done by themselves. 

I fill most of the boxes with work that can be done without me sitting there and walking them through. The kids work through their boxes in whatever order they wish. BUT, if they see that their brother or sister has a "work with mom" box, they need to choose one of theirs that doesn't. Make sense? Of course, I am always available for a question. 

As the kids finish their boxes, they can either put them back or stack them up. You can create a laminated poster with Velcro dots for the kids to put their numbers on as they finish. The freebie today has posters with a variety of kids, so find one that looks as much like your kid as possible. If you wish, you can also just have the kids toss the numbers in a basket or keep them on the boxes. 

Another modification is to put subject tags on the drawers rather than number tags.

I've also created a planner for you.

Download FREE  from

Teachers Notebook

Teachers Pay Teachers

Winning at Planning: Step 4

This could also be called "research time", "going-insane-time", or "giving-your-printer-a-workout-time". The whole idea with steps 1-3 is to to hopefully make the arrival at step 4 a wee bit better. Finding the perfect curriculum is a goal of many homeschoolers. The truth is, it doesn't exist. What works for your friend's children could turn out to be a complete flop for yours. You can read 10 reviews that praise the curriculum you have on and you'll be ready to buy it. Then, just as you're about to hit the purchase button, you read 1 review that rips that curriculum to shreds. And there it is, the seed of doubt that will blossom into full hatred by Thanksgiving. 

I don't disagree with reading reviews. I habitually check Amazon for reviews before I purchase anything, even if I am buying something at a brick and mortar store. Just keep in mind this one little thing:

Curriculum is ONLY the map for your school year.
YOU are the PILOT.
You choose when to follow the map and when to go rogue.

But choose your map wisely. If you know that you are not a hands-on kind of teacher, don't choose a science curriculum that has you making something 3 times a week. I looked at one science curriculum that had a supply list longer than Santa's list! I can't imagine anyone not feeling like a failure with that set up.
On the other hand, if you have a child that is not content learning by merely reading, look for curricula that engage the learner and have lessons that are hands-on. The task of finding a good fit for teacher and student is daunting. 

I've created some planning pages to help you keep track of the information flood you are about to experience.

As you research various curricula, keep track of the information on the Curriculum Shopper.
Use 1 per subject, per child.

Once you've made a decision, record your choices the Curriculum Planner.

Use 1 per child.

If you can, print out the TABLE OF CONTENTS for each curriculum as you purchase it.
Many companies provide this as part of the preview and many times the lesson are divided evenly over the customary 36 weeks or 180 days. Now you can fill in the Scope and Sequence.

 A good starting point for actual lesson planning, is to create a Scope and Sequence.
It's basically a WHAT you teach, WHEN you teach it document.
Fill in the subjects along the top and then fill in the general lesson idea for each week.
Example: MATH- addition without regrouping, measurement (liquids)

All pages are available in my B.Y.O.B
Build Your Own Binder Homeschool Planner

Winning at Planning: Step 1

As you may have noticed, I am a planner. Not that I don't find spur of the moment activities to be fun, but for the most part, I like to have a plan. One thing I have learned from being a classroom teacher and now a homeschool teacher, I hate being unprepared.

My new goal for next year is to be ahead of the game, not one step, but several steps ahead. This idea inspired my new series I've created, Winning at Planning. If you are looking to get more organized, better prepared and just a happier person (yes, I'm promising happiness), then you will want to follow this series.

The foundation of your planning is deciding what subjects you will be teaching. Math, Reading, Writing, Grammar, Spelling, Science, History, Health, Bible, Latin, Spanish, French, Art, Music, etc.
This is the time to be very realistic. Be sure to include classes and activities that will be taught outside of your home. Piano lessons or Latin Club at the local homeschool co-op should be included on your list.

This step is just choosing what to teach, not choosing the curriculum that you will use for each subject. That's the next step. This step is choosing subjects and possibly even narrowing it down to a particular course. Instead of just math, you might write Algebra. Instead of history, you might write Ancient Civilizations.
I know this first step seems like a baby step but it is important. We are going to take this one baby step at a time so that we don't get overwhelmed or go broke trying to find the perfect fit.

If you're using my B.Y.O.B Planning Pages for Homeschoolers, you will want to fill in the subjects column of the Curriculum Plan page. Use one page for each of your children and it is ok if you need more than one page for each of your children.