Jul. 26, 2006 - Planning for your planning
Well, my planning week is over. I’m not totally done planning, but I made GREAT headway! In fact, I feel I could start tomorrow if I had to.
Something that helped me was a wonderful workshop given at my state homeschool convention (NCHE) by Deb Erbach Burger (tape available at Manna Taping, NCHE conference tapes, “Planning a Successful Year”). Her workshop helped me approach my planning by getting the big priorities in order first and working down through the details.
I thought others might appreciate an outline of her talk to use as they look at planning for the year. So, here it is!
An Outline of “Planning Your Year” – by Deb Erbach Burger
I. Start with goals and fill in details that support these goals.
A. Consider the main reason you homeschool.
i. “The main reason my family is home educating our chidren is…
ii. “If ______ happens, 25 years from now we’ll feel we’ve succeeded.”
a. Independent thinkers, self-starters, etc.
B. Determine specific goals for this year
i. For each child determine: spiritual/character goal, life skill goal, academic goal.
a. Main character goal: primary area of needed growth in character or spiritual area.
b. Main life skill goal: (ex. Dishwashing, pet care, yard care, etc.)
c. Main academic goal: one thing that if you finish the year and this isn’t done, you’ll feel like you failed that child.
C. Determine family goals for this year
i. Consider any major family event or project that might affect kids’ goals/skills.
a. New baby, house renovation, devotional time
ii. Consider if you have any academic goals for the whole family
II. Plan for those known interruptions
A. Recognize the real time you have available
i. Weekly, monthly, seasonal events
B. Write down foreseeable events
i. Family events, family trips/parental trips, baby/pregnancy, holidays, vacations, work
ii. Recitals, plays,
iii. Field trips
C. Parental travel
i. Re-orientation with return of parent (return to normal family life); Relationship re-entry
a. If parent is gone over a few days, there will need to be some re-orientation and relationship re-entry.
D. Family travel
i. Getting unpacked and life back to normal
a. Different for weekend trip vs. long vacation, but both require a return to normalcy
E. Think “outside the box”
i. You can “start” school anytime – regardless of the time of year!
ii. Plan field trips that are inside during particularly hot and cold times of year.
iii. Too hot/too cold to be outside – do school
iv. ** Dad’s read alouds – school books!
F. Leave some time for LIFE: accidents, emergencies, messes, training, discipline, etc.
III. Now you are ready to begin planning!
A. Consider your weekly calendar
i. Classes, church, meetings, ministries, sports, etc.
ii. Look at times that are not available
iii. Consider the amount of time daily life takes (meals: prep and clean up, too)
B. Consider best time of day to do school activities (esp. challenging subjects)
IV. Use your goals to evaluate your children’s success
A. A good percentage of goals met = success.
i. Public schools often consider a chapter “covered” if 75% of material is presented to students.
V. Realities to Remember
A. You can’t be in 2 places at the same time
B. You can’t function with every minute committed
i. Kids need equal teaching and down times to absorb and process what they’ve learned.
C. Surprises will happen
D. You rule the plan; it doesn’t rule you!
i. Look at what you have accomplished and decide what needs to be carried over (based on goals) and what can slide.
E. Use goals to settle time/event conflicts
i. Don’t feel you need to do what doesn’t help you reach your goals.
Comments
Jul. 27, 2006 - Oh another good one
Posted by debdillon
I'll have to get this one copied and pasted as well.
I enjoy lecture tapes these days far more than books on those subjects. I don't know why, they just seem to hold my attention better.
Thanks
Deb
Aug. 1, 2006 - What a great Idea....
Posted by grace4gayle
to reset your vision and your goals each year. I should be doing this. That way if it's a rough year I can revisit why and how I'm going to finish.
Come visit my blog. I'm having a contest you might be interested in!
Gayle
Aug. 3, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by humpty
Thanks, I copied this of and printed it. I did most of my planning already, but I noticed some things I forgot to think about.
Aug. 23, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by mumsy
What a great planning sheet! Wish I'd had this years ago! Thanks for posting!
Apr. 9, 2007 - Planning Workshop
Posted by Deb Erbach Burger
I'm glad my workshop was helpful to you!!!! Not quite sure, though, how I feel about having a whole outline published online, without my input. I love serving the homeschool community, and also make my living doing so.... so if my work gets sent around the whole internet without people visiting my website, or attending my seminars, it's much harder to support my family, and I have no control over how the emphasis may be changed by the interpretations of others. Anyway, just thought I'd let you know my reaction when I saw the outline on your blog. Blessing and grace to you and your family! ~Deb
