Looky What I Did!
I'm such a homeschool geek. I love the scent of new texts, divvying up the lessons and figuring out the next year's schedules and events almost as much as the schooling adventure itself. Some people claim that I'm a micro-managing freak (but they just don't know me); I say it could be because in a previous stage of life I was forced to organize books that lie -- for strangers, with little pay and even less benefits. Now I get to do it to disciple beloved kidlets who won't appreciate me until they have kids, for no money but the best of benefits!
And now we segué not-so-smoothly into the whole point: I have worked out the 2006-7 school year's tentative weekly class schedule and I want to share it with you! Okay, so Hub is generally apathetic and the girls are blinded by the summer sun right now. I guess I'll have to toot my own horn cuz I feel like a 5yo who just did the whooooooole puzzle by herself for the first time!
This schedule is everything I could have asked for to present to the Municipality; it fulfills the class and time obligations (yet shortens the average 7 hour time spent each day in classes to a more decent 4.5 hours). From breakfast in the morning until parents pick them up after work, the average Swedish child spends 12 hours a day, year round in school because - once kids are enrolled at age 6 - school also becomes daycare. How's THAT for state control?
Anyway, a few explanations. TeenGirl is supposed to begin studying world religions this year, so I figured we'd start with Judaism. *wink* Geography ties into religion class, as we can learn about the countries of the different faiths.
As I stated earlier, we will be doing the Ambleside art/music rotations. Why change what is working so well? At 10:15 is a stretch and potty break; English and Swedish are mostly reading practice and copywork. Natural science is a favorite of ours; I know the research will continue on well after "school hours".
Handicrafts is probably a new subject to Americans (unless you're a Charlotte Mason family). Handicrafts class isn't just woodshop or papier-mâché; its goal is to teach the child something useful that he/she can use throughout life. So we will be sewing and knitting and cross stitching -- but we'll also be learning things like basic carpentry, house/vehicle maintenance and self-sufficiency. This will be our first project.
Gym class was purposely set to be the last class of the day. We are outdoor people: we bicycle, swim, go hiking and do garden work almost on a daily basis. All of these (as well as dance class and a lot of the other things we do) can be described as exercise. After a long day, the first thing I want to do is get outside and play in the garden! Home Ec is also intentionally set for the last 2 classes on Friday, as Friday afternoon is when we prepare for Shabbat -- and the girls love to make bread and cook dinner together.
No, I'm not a stickler for a schedule, but it is nice to have a guideline to send to the school board and it adds to our credibility. If you read all the way to the end, you're doing better than Hub right now *winks*.
Posted by Alyx at 7/03/2006
9 Comments
Yeah, you've definitely got a good looking schedule. Don't know what say really, as you know we do it totally opposite - no schedule, no curriculom, etc :-)
"Besides, if I have to have a schedule, it might as well be a good one, right? :-D"
Yes, you might as well. I just can't help but think there HAS to be a way to unschool in Sweden. I suppose that would mean going underground to do it, and you probably don't want to do that, right? Like you say, you're just doing what need to do, nuttin' wrong with that. *hugs*
Thanks for sharing all of this! I love the idea of incorporating basic carpentry and car care into your school plan. Won't my boys love that when they are bigger!
Looks like a great schedule. My daughter hasn't reached school age yet, but we have already begun discussing homeschooling.
Hi--I love your enthusiasm for what you do! Your children are truly blessed. (Come to think of it, they'll be rising up and calling YOU blessed. Cool, huh?)
Looks good! I picked up a planner today to start getting our upcoming year worked out. I had a computer program (Homeschool Tracker), but I am a paper and pencil girl at heart. So old fashioned! And by the way, I updated my Xanga! Stop by!
Found you on blogging chicks blogroll and love this! I, too, homeschool and I LOVE THE PLANNING AND GETTING READY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. It's exciting to me, but generally not-so-much to anyone else in my home....so I appreciate this post very much!
Be blessed!
Looks great, Alyx! Now that we are back from our jaunt to Canada and about settled in this duplex, I'm going to get much more serious about what we are doing this year. Gaelyn will be 7 in September so we will be working on learning to read (if she isn't turning everything backwards yet.) It is amazing how children get labeled dyslexic, etc, when if you give them time for their brains to develop they get past that stuff. It took Jared until almost nine and now he is a reading machine like his older sisters. I know Gaelyn will be a bookworm when she learns to read and I will look forward to "Mommy, I have nothing to do" being a thing of the past.
Love and shalom,
Serena
How cool that you are going to make a solar oven...I have the same project in mind for my kids for next month-not as a part of school work, but just for fun.
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