Let the Scheduling begin!

This will be my 15th year of homeschooling. I think. I have lost count. You'd think after doing this for so long, I'd have all the kinks worked out, but I don't. Not by a long shot. I think the reason for that is that every year there are new kinks! The ones you worked out last year are not there, but there are new ones and you've got to figure out what to do with those.

This year, my 2 oldest students (Gunnar in 11th and Ev in 9th) will be gone 2 days a week taking classes elsewhere. (Ev at our co op, and Gunnar at our co op and at the local community college for duel credit). For Gunnar, it's not to big of a deal, he's not really doing anything for me at home this year so I just have to make sure he's staying on top of his CC and Co Op classes and probably help out here and there. For Ev it's a bit different. She's got two classes on Tuesday at the co op and our usual Thursday classes. The problem is, she and her sister do some classes together at home, so I've got to figure out how to get it all done without holding her sister back because Ev's gone two days a week. Not an insurmountable problem, but a kink none the less.

I've also realized that we are now quite tied to the school schedule. As a family, we can't just pickup and go on vacation or a day trip or anything because of our kids schedules. Bryce is taking EMT classes (he finished Fire Academy in June) on M and W. Gunnar's CC classes are T and Th and Ev's co op classes are T and TH. That leaves Friday. However both boys are working, Gunnar every afternoon but Thursday and Bryce all day on T, TH and F.

There is a great deal of freedom in having older kids and some real perks, but sadly, this is not one of them. Gone are the days when we could just pick up and head to the museum for the day or hop in the RV for a last minute getaway. We have so many schedules to work around that we have to plan things months in advance if we want everyone to come. It's kinda sad.

So, Today...

I have purchased all the curriculum, signed all the kids up for their various classes at their various locations and procured all the necessary supplies; now it's time to plan and schedule.

Really.

I'm doing it today.

Seriously.

This Year's Curriculum Line Up: Girl Edition

The Girls Together -

History/Civics/Government – this year we’re going to go through several books. I am not so much concerned about grade level as I am the subject matter. Last year we did early American history, this year we’re doing Revolutionary War on. We’ll be using several different things.

Exploring American History

Land of Fair Play

Story of the Constitution

Story of US DVD Series

Map Work – You’d think with all the traveling we do that the girls would have a good grasp on how a map works, but I am realizing that they do not. I picked these simple workbooks up for us to go through.

We did a simple state study las year along with our History, so I thought this year a map study was in order. Again, this is below their grade level, but it had the material I wanted to cover. I imagine it won’t take us much time to finish this study. We’re also watching How The States Got Their Shapes on the History Channel together. I have learned a great deal watching that show!

Bible – Daily devotions. The girls both received some really nice daily devotional books from their grandmother recently, so we’ll use those. For a deeper more in-depth study of the Word they will be using Christian Liberty Press workbook E taking us from Genesis to Ruth.

That is the extent of what we will be doing together.

Evelyn will be taking at co op…

Biology using the Apologia book

Spanish 1

High School English ( She will be taking the Accuplacer to get into the community college after this school year and this course will be very good in helping her be ready for the essay portion of the test.)

Algebra 2 (She will do Geometry next year. I like to do Algebra 1 and 2, then geometry)

Annika will also be doing on her own, at home with me...

Several Amanda Bennett Unit Studies – This is one of the very few things that I like better in the digital version! Annika pops online, reads what she needs to read, clicks on the various links given to her, watches some videos, and then does the assigned work in her binder. It is really easy on the mom and Annika loves it.

Math - Saxon Math 7/6 with CD, also using MATH U SEE, Math Mammoth, and Keys To books as needed. (we’re struggle a bit with math here. I plan to use the scope and sequence of the Saxon, but we have several different curriculum with which we can learn the material if she begins to struggle.

Science - Apologia Elementary Anatomy with Journal

English – We will skip around some for English as well, using several different methods and curriculum. She will do copywork daily in her Unit Study. And she will write a 5 paragraph Essay after each study.

I have a couple Total Language Plus guides we may go through.

I also have the Learning Language Arts Through Literature Tan books. We will read the literature assigned, and do some of the unit.

Grammar - Grammalogues

Literature - She will be reading the books to go with LLATL and I will assign her several books that go along with our history studies.

For Co op Annika will take…

Helper in elementary PE Class
Strategy and Logic
Elementary Spanish 2
Speech Club
Art

Tomorrow...the boy!

A New Thing

This year is going to be a little different for this homeschooling family. A Lot different, actually. I am not doing reviews with TOS Crew this year. I did if for three years and loved it. But I felt like I needed a break this year. I may go back next year (if they’ll have me of course!).

This year, my kids are all old. I don’t know how this happened, really. One minute they were all sitting around the table bickering about whose books were taking up the most space on the table, and the next moment it’s just me and Annika!

This year Bryce, who graduated from our homeschool in '10 and who has already finished Fire Academy, will be taking EMT classes the first semester and then hopefully he’ll find a job as a Fireman/EMT after Christmas. His goal is to continue on to get a 4 year degree as he works as a Firemam/EMT. Bryce will be gone all day, every day.

Gunnar, my Junior, is taking Duel Credit classes at the local community college and at our Homeschool Co op. He is also running his own landscape/tree trimming buisness and working at a local auto shop. Gunnar will be gone all day, every day.

Evelyn, my Freshman is taking most of her classes at the Homeschool Co op as well. She’ll do a grammar curriculum at home, and History and Bible. The rest is at Co op. Ev will be gone Tuesdays and Thrusdays.

Annika, my 7th grader, is the only one really left at home with me. I guess no one will complain anymore who takes up all the space at the table.

Over the next few days I’ll be going over everyone’s schedules and what I am using with whom. (well, the three still officially in school, that is.

This blog will be changing up a bit too. I’ll post my homeschooling stuff over here, not just reviews. I will review some products, mostly just things that I really liked or disliked. Just to pass on the information. And I’ll be talking about what’s working and what’s not in my ever dwindeling little homeschool.

Happy Homeschooling!