Tomorrow is the local school district's teacher's planning day...it got me thinking about my own planning for next year. We have decided to go ahead and home school J.D. along with Emily. I'm looking forward to having everyone home. I think it will be good for E to see that I'm not just on her all the time...It is funny..in the home school world, it seems like as soon as Christmas is over, moms start thinking about the next year...what to change, what to do, books to buy, curriculum to check out..etc. It is certainly all the buzz in the circles that I am in. We are going to do a few different things for next school year. Over the summer, my plan is to continue math and other subjects until we are "done" with what I want to accomplish. I think schooling all year round may work better for us as a family. Math is something that I think Emily will need to do year around and as with anyone, it is easier to keep up and remember things when you work on them a little everyday! I want to do a creation study with them over the summer as well. We will continue book club as well.
John and I have decided to try a classical co-op called Classical Conversations. It is actually a national home school curriculum and we happen to have a very strong group in town. They meet every Monday for three hours. 4-6 grades can extend their day 2 or 3 extra hours but that is optional. It is a tuition based co-op where tutors are "hired" to teach the classical method of learning. I have been interested in the classical method but like anything there are pros and cons. For instance, can we do classical at home...sure but as human nature prevails, unless you really really know how to teach the curriculum, it would be very hard to just start new and do it yourself. You have to know the little songs, the trivium way of teaching, etc. I think it is possible though. From what I have read, a classical style of teaching involves filling the minds with lots of info, pouring a lot into a child and realizing that they are like sponges, they will soak a majority of it up. The idea is that at an early age, they may not understand it, but it is like pegs of knowledge that are stored in the brain. Think of a child that so easily memorizes scripture or a song...and then think of us adults trying to do the same...it is much much harder! The classical method says that as a first grader, the child may not understand exactly what they are memorizing but then 3 years down the road, when they go through the same material and hear the same words, phrases, etc...it triggers that previous knowledge, they remember a little bit about whatever it is, it builds confidence, makes it fun, and the second time they hear it...they grasp even more. I like the concept...I seem to fall right in the middle of all these different methods when I look at different home school curricula and styles...I like the structure and knowledge gained by the classical style...I like that every kid gets the same info...I like the freedom and love of learning that the Charlotte mason style seems to represent and the living books and classical literature is amazing..and I like the normal, old fashioned math and grammar of textbook teaching. But that is the great thing about home schooling I guess, I get to pick!
With Classical Conversations the kids will get Bible, History, Grammar, Latin, Science, Geography, Timeline, Art, Music, and Math. Next years cycle includes US History: Columbus to Current Events, Anatomy and Chemistry, American Masters in Art and drawing, Composers and Music Theory, Participles, irregular verbs, tenses, and clauses in English, translation of John 1 in Latin, Multiplication Tables, conversions, geometric formulas, and memorization of John 1: 1-7. That makes me tired even thinking of it and that might be why I am drawn to it...it seems so rich in content and maybe I'm just needing that for myself right now...the idea is that they get this info and pegs of knowledge on Mondays and then the parent draws on that the rest of the week. The parent joins the students in their class on Mondays so the parent knows exactly what is going on...and I get to learn all this stuff too! I still can manipulate it anyway I want....we can do as much or as little to dive into the material and it is somewhat of a classroom setting for one day of the week...you know listening to others, sitting still, paying attention to peers, taking turns, presenting a verbal report, etc. I like that I will get to participate with the kids in a group session and sing and learn with them...We will try it and see :) One of my favorite things about home schooling is that we can change the way we do things, try new ways, rearrange our schedules, etc. There is so much flexibility! I love love love it! And the cool thing is that NO homeschooling family is the same! They have also asked John to teach some CPR and First Aid classes for the kids!
I think we will also change our Math curriculum next year, continue book club (we will be doing biographies), Do the Exploring creation with Anatomy living book to go along with the co-op, I'm looking into Total Language Plus for E and sticking with Abeka for J.D. since that is what he started to read with in Kindergarten. It could all change though...it is only March.
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