For this week’s Homeschool Memoirs we are to share our 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. We have not changed much from my original plan posted July 18, Book Choices. I had forgot to add Vocabulary Cartoons-SAT for my son to the list. Also, after looking over the SOS History for my daughter, I have decided to create some different studies for History. She still wants to do SOS, so she will do both. We have slowing added the ‘extra’ subjects over the past few weeks, easing into a full schedule. This has proved to make the first weeks of school a little more hassle free. I have also begun to score their work a bit different than I had in the past. Instead of checking the work for errors immediately like I had done in the past and having them make corrections right away, they are now correcting their work the following morning before starting that day’s assignments. For some reason I have noticed that less mistakes are made and they have a more positive attitude towards making the corrections. There seems to be a whole lot less arguments and frustrations. Go figure. I always thought it was better to correct everything as we made the mistakes but the way we have been doing it this year seems to be having better results.
I chose most of the books this year after much research and prayer, trying to match the kids’ learning styles with the curriculum. Some things we have been using right along, like Saxon Math, LLTL, Spelling Power and Apologia Science and others are very new, like the Power Glide Spanish, US History Basics, Movies as Literature and Write with the Best (all HS courses).
I have finished entering all their lesson plans for the year into my Homeschool Tracker. While this was originally time consuming, it has made and will make it so much easier to assign the work and keep track of it. So far, so good.
Proverbs 15:22–
Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
I'll be interested to hear how you like the Movies as Literature material! Sounds interesting!
smallworldathome.blogspot.com
You sound really organized! We did SOS for science a couple years, and I liked the ease of not having to actually "teach" but sometimes I felt like I didn't exactly know what they were doing. (that little control issue, ya know?) LOL
That's great that you are making them do corrections before beginning the new day's work. Especially in math, we can't let that add up and only score once a week! Yikes!
First of all, I love the look of your blog! Great design!
Last year, I did something even less effective than correcting as you go. I would do all the checking of papers on the weekend because it seemed that's the only time I could find the time to do so. That meant that every Monday, everyone would have to do all their corrections from the week before! Talk about dreading Mondays!
Now, I check all the wok in the afternoons and the kids do their corrections the next day. We, like you, have found this to be very effective.
And, Mondays aren't so bad anymore. lol
Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
http://hsmomof3.blogspot.com/
You're using some great stuff. I'm starting Power Glide Spanish with Harrison this year too. I've had it for a while now, but it just never got off the fround with Annaleigh. Now she's moved onto RS French.
I just love your verse!
Blessings,
Trina @ Daddy's Chick's
http://daddyschicks.blogspot.com
I've been doing the correcting the following day as well this year and it has been very well received. I brace myself each day for the arguments we have had all throughout our schooling, they haven't come. Interesting…
Sounds like a fun year! Happy Schooling!
Hope you have a great school year! 🙂
I love those vocabulary cartoons for the SAT. I do them with my kids and it has really improved my son's vocabulary. (He's 11.)
Thanks for sharing,
Pam
I like the idea of having the kids make corrections the next morning before beginning the new assignments, I may try this in the new school year.
Elaine
http://akhmmm.wordpress.com
Looks like you have your year under control! I hope you ahve a great one.
We've been easing into the year as well. I've already made some changes to the curriculum (that I worked so hard to plan over the summer lol.) I like your idea for self-correction. My ds gets so frustrated when I correct his writing assingments…he sees it as criticism instead of correction. I guess that may just be the nature of the beast with writing…it's pretty personal. I enjoyed reading your post! Julie http://funinthesunmom.blogspot.com
I would love to enter all of our lesson plans into homeschool tracker, but then what if we miss a day?! (Trust me, it happens here a lot!) Do you have the free version or the pay version and if you have the pay version is it easy to move things back a date?
http://theshadesofpink.blogspot.com
Love your idea on correcting mistakes the next morning! Sounds like a great plan!
Blessings,
Nikki
http://scrapwithnikki.com/blog.html
Looks like ya'll will have a full year! =)
Blessings,
Laurie
Thanks for sharing! I never thought about doing the correcting the next day. I may try that this year.
Sounds like a Great Year.
I am interested in the `Movies as Literature`,
Is it possible to find it online somewhere?
Blessings,
Michelle @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/journeyhome/
Edited by Michelle122161 on Friday, August 29, 2008 at 3:40 PM
I think I will try your "corrections" idea. I really dislike the arguing that happens and would love for them to take ownership of the errors in a more positive light.