Step 5 - Our Family's Homeschool Planning and Doing
Read more about Step 5 - How to Plan and Do HERE
My most basic schedule is the weekly schedule.
In scheduling weeks, I follow a principle of a 4day typical school day and a 1day fun school day, per week.
Monday to Thursday we do all the basics:
- Discipleship,
- Languages,
- Maths,
- Social studies and
- Science.
On Fridays we have our fun day with:
- Science Experiments,
- Art and Music,
- Poetry,
- Technology and
- Research projects.
Most of the books I have for curriculum is therefore scheduled for completion in 36 weeks.
What really helped me plan a schedule is the decision I made to have an easy-to-remember 2months school, 1month holiday routine, resulting in a 36-week school year.
This results in four quarters of 9weeks school, which are separated by 1month of holiday. During these 'holiday' months, all sorts of other interest related, fun projects and activities can happen, because they usually require more focus.
How Did We Do It?
For my Annual/Yearly and Quarterly plan I use a simple black book in which I note a few overall goals for the year based on my Vision as defined previously.
Some years I have to focus more on certain aspects of character growth than other years. This depends on each child’s individual vision per year.
Some years, academics need more attention than other things.
Some years family changes (e.g. new baby), or trips or ministry affect the plan.
It is therefore necessary to rewrite a new vision for each child for each year. But you can use the previous years as basis for planning the following year.
For every subject, I take each individual book or books (which I use as resources) and determine the number of pages to do, per week, or per day, depending on how often we work on that subject each week.
If the amount of pages seem too much, I will try and see if the frequency of doing the subject can change.
If the amount of pages is not enough, I will know that I can still add to that by getting additional material.
You may be wondering how do I know whether it is enough?
My honest answer is: I don’t, but I do not care that much.
I believe and trust my instinct, and I pray for guidance.
You can also trust your instinct – you know your child the best.
It is amazing how quickly you will learn if you just start doing something.
The number of pages, sections, or lessons to complete per week, I write in the front of the book itself.
I then proceed with planning the children’s weekly schedules. Below an example of a schedule for the Foundation phase.
Our Schedules
Below a sample of my personal schedule, for a child busy with Foundation phase.
With my weekly schedules planned I am ready to start the DOING!
While DOING the plan there will be some changes, hiccups and not-planned events, activities or work. This is noted in the schedule or in my black book.
Then the next step of Measurement is done during the holiday month I have planned at the end of each quarter.
For more schedule samples for every phase, get the book...
Get the
Homeschooling Guide on a Personal Eclectic Curriculum
FREE to see how we have compiled our own curriculum over all these years!
For more information on the steps as we did it just click on the link:
Step3 Course of study personal
Step6 Measure and reward personal
Step7 Adapt to improve personal
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