October is an atypical month to discuss homeschool planning and assessment.
Typical is at the end of April when the end of a year is near completion, and a homeschool conference is around the corner.
Or at the beginning of August when the start of the next year is just around the corner. But October? Aren’t we in the thick of the year? A fall homeschool assessment?
At the point where we’ve spent a few weeks working on our plans, and we’ve ironed out the multitasking wrinkles, then we can take stock of how our plans are working. This is what I’ve learned through my fall homeschool assessment.
1. Change it up every day.
Writing projects can vary from pre-purchased curriculums teaching essays and research papers to spend time free writing stories or poetry writing exercises.
Really there are endless possibilities here. And when those get ordinary, we can change those up too.
2. Focus on math mastery.
…Not just getting the workbook done. Time will be spent incorporating manipulatives, with or without the math program, perhaps Khan Academy videos, or Pinterest activities.
Whatever gets the ideas of multiplying and dividing fractions firmly into the minds of my kiddos. Or the concept of area. Or multiplication facts.
And this year, I’ll find the book “Explore Math Art” by C. Ford Brunetto. A creative way to engage fractions.
3. Don’t spend endless hours doing each subject.
Quick changing intervals between subject areas can quell boredom…a concept utilized by Charlotte Mason.
But when the kids are in a groove, let them flow with that too.
4. Second language study.
Reinforce Latin concepts that were learned last year. Latin is a challenging language. The third year in and I’m finally coming to understand what declining a noun means. Since it’s not a spoken language, like our French study, no worries about getting pronunciation right.
Whereas French, spoken in France, Quebec, or the local French school, requires a certain savoir-faire pronunciation.
At home, we’ll keep exposing ourselves to French through the Ecoutez Parlez program.
5. Project time.
Reading through Lori McWilliams Pickert’s, Project-Based Homeschooling reminds me of many books on unschooling. But with a schedule. (Confused face inserted here).
Let the kids plan activities around their interests, but pursue them on a regular basis. This is an impetus for completing the kids’ scheduled studies, as they can then do project time. Research on lemurs, DIY their study space, write their resumes or cooking blogs, write their stories, and plan for Thanksgiving dinner.
There are certain things I want my children to be exposed to, but it is in the pursuit of their own interests that they learn to problem solve and develop the quickest learning.
6. Teach notetaking.
During our collective history or science reading, we read together. Notetaking encourages listening. And they are guaranteed to need this skill in post-secondary school all the way to marriage. It helps that we incorporate the things we’ve learned into a Jeopardy game each Friday. They win skittles instead of cash, so they’re motivated.
7. Daily current events discussion.
We’ll open Twitter or the Globe and Mail app or give the kids a stack of news magazines: Macleans, The Economist, and Newsweek. Ask them to highlight the who, what, where, when, and why and discuss the main thrust of the article. Might be one of the best ways to increase vocabulary too.
8. Obstetrics…at the request of two kiddos.
We will delve deep into this area of physiology. I’m not talking birds and bees discussion. We seem to routinely have those discussions, and in the oddest of locations, like a parking meter on the main street of our town. I’m talking 1st to 4th-degree tears, prenatal development, and footling breach rescues. Their dad has delivered enough babies to stir enough curiosity.
9. Explore Forces & Motion by Tom Derosa and Kooky Kitchen discovery box.
One of my kiddos loves mixing stuff. Cleaning products are for more than cleaning in this house. We already own and have used the National Geographic Chemistry box set.
Knowing that books are the minimum to a rounded education, I’ll remember not to let our books get in the way of learning. And we learned this in our homeschool assessment.
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Teresa Wiedrick
I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
re: “post-secondary school all the way to marriage.” I happen to be someone who chose to marry (although I do not happen to believe that marrying needs to be the ultimate goal for anyone, including my children), and yet I have used my note-taking skills plenty in the years since! 😀
Sure but since most people get married its great to know how to listen to my spouse;)
That’s hilarious you’re studying obstetrics. 🙂 And awesome. Maybe they’ll both be obstetricians or midwives someday. Or just very knowledgeable moms. I also debated posting my curriculum plans in August, when it was just “this is what I think we’ll do,” or waiting until later and saying, “This is what we’re actually doing.” LOL. I love the fact that we can be flexible with homeschooling! Thanks for sharing.
Yup exactly–‘this is what we are actually doing’…hahahaha thats exactly my blog stream for the next few weeks.