I’m busy this week planning out our lessons, so here’s a {slightly updated} rerun from 2008 on how I plan to incorporate all the different philosophies I want to use into our homeschool.
The St. Joseph Academy for Wayward Children is an eclectic Catholic Masontorri Classical school. I blend a mixture of different philosophies, sampling methods here and there and keeping what works for our family.
But HOW does one plan the year, using 3+ philosophies? I took a cue from Three plus Two and planned a rainbow.
I used colored markers to write down what I was keeping from each philosophy, then wrote a very broad curricula overview.
Classical is Red: (This will be the backbone of our humanities program)
Original Sources
Parts to Whole
Linear History
Grammar
Latin
Memorization
Montessori is Blue
Hands On
Freedom within Limits
Independent self-directed
Self selected, not pointless drill
Concentration, 3 hour work period
Prepared environment
Charlotte Mason is Green
Nature Study
Notebooking
Living Books
Narration
Eclectic/other is purple
Religion (Open Wednesdays, Alphabet of Saints, Liturgical Teas)
Integrating technology. (Yes, this may include repeated viewings of The Most Extreme on Animal Planet and Shark Week. Also, I want to start the boys on Scratch.)
How does it all fit together?
Our school will provide an education based on original sources and living books, with freedom and hands on learning, including religion and nature study.
Most important are the basics of the humanities, reading, phonics, writing/narration, and history. Miquon math will include hands on practice. Science will be learned through lapbooks and nature notebooks.
Religion will include living books of saints, prayer tables and liturgical teas with prayer and Scripture memorization.
Students may select a topic of interest for in depth study, working during a deliberate work period.
Children may select practice activities within limits to complete themselves. Internet games, Leap Pad, and educational television shows will be permitted (within limits.)
Slightly off topic: have you seen the new “Well Planned Day” homeschool planner? I took a peek at it last week when I was at Mardel’s and it looks wonderful. I didn’t buy it because it only has room for four homeschool students, though. I think I’ll be designing my own custom made sheets because I can’t find one that’s “perfect”. What planner do you use?
Alicia (1)
Amanda (1)
Angie @ Bigbearswife (1)
Birdie (1)
christy (1)
Dawn (1)
Grandma Margie (1)
Jennifer (1)
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Re planners: When I was homeschooling eight, I used a traditional classroom teacher’s planner, cutting across the grid. I changed the days of the week that marked each column into the five main subject areas. Then I used the eight subject areas that marked each row into the name of each child. The only problem, of course, is that I went through three of these each school year, because the pages that lasted a classroom teacher one week lasted me only one day.
This year, I return to homeschooling, with one 11th grader pursuing a GED via Barron’s and online review, and one second grader who will fulfill those one-on-one, heads-together-over-the-immaculate-kitchen-table homeschooling fantasies I used to entertain when I was homeschooling eight and she was the toddler underfoot. We can NOT wait!
One nice thing about homeschooling a wider age spread of children is that they do learn to chip in and help each other when you are busy chasing down the toddler or helping an older child with one of the tougher subjects.
As for planners… I think I must be missing some key planner gene or something. I have given up on them and just started recording whatever we do (in some detail) on a clipboard. All the subjects do get covered and we do at least have a record of it.
i have always been so impressed with your homeschooling. Honestly I dont know how you do it everyday. You are such an inspiration to me and have always been a great model mom and example that I learn from.
Aw thanks Mary, that means a lot coming from you. Have you ever been over when we were doing school?
years ago when you guys lived here in Colorado I witnessed a little bit of your homeschooling. Yes I know you arent perfect but still you have more patience and organization than I could ever hope for. Yes. I said it. You have mad organizational skills despite what your banner headline says.
Hey, I Bing’d the planner you mentioned and it looks awesome! I saw that it’s also available by PDF download – you could always print out extra pages since you have more than 4 kiddos.
Just a thought…
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