The planning is driving me crazy!!!
Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I opened my mouth. I found a link that discusses the one college class at a time. Oh my! Z would love this, I thought. I mentioned it to him. He was excited, about an academic thing. "That would be a cool way to learn," says he.
What did I get myself into?
This is either a bright idea stirring in my head or my subconscious telling me to keep my mouth shut in the future.
Anyway, I look at our schedule. I know Z is not yet old enough, focused enough to handle one class at a time, not for four to five hours a day. So..... (hear my brain whirring?)
I decide we COULD do some classes in that manner. In fact, that sounds like a cool idea! Less subjects per day, same information covered in a year. Yes, I start to like this idea. So....
I spent the last two days figuring out how to make it work. I was almost out of printer ink already, I thought my binders/planners were complete. OF COURSE NOT!!!
This is how our new schedule is going to look:
These classes will be done all year, but we will rotate weeks:
- Latin (odd weeks)
- Math (even weeks)
- English writing & Mechanics (odd weeks)
- Literature (even weeks)
We may cover less Latin in this manner, we'll spend more time each day in math, yet it will work with what I have planned.
Our yearly schedule is approximately six weeks on, one week off. We'll have six total sessions of school. These subject will be done in pairs, five times per week, allowing two sessions each for completion.
Session 1 & 2:
- Art History
- Formal Logic
Session 3 & 4
- Japanese
- History
Session 5 & 6
- ICT (Information, Communication, & Technology)
- Philosophy
We'll continue with read-alouds and assigned reading throughout the year. Z will also be pursuing computer programming studies throughout the year.
This allows me to pull out philosophy and art history, which I had integrated in logic and history, and allow more emphasis on them. I've also tried to pair an easier subject with a harder one. Philosophy and ICT were purposely put at the end, in case this whole thing crashes and burns. It won't be the end of the world if we miss a little bit of those subjects.
I also think this is a more realistic plan as far as how Z and I operate in the classroom. We'll still have time for rabbit holes. In fact my cover for my teacher's folder in a folder from movie Alice in Wonderland. I also added this quote from the book as it reflects how I feel some..okay, most of the time.
"Do you think I've gone round the bend?"
"I'm afraid so. You're mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I'll you a secret. All the best people are."
4 comments:
I really like this idea. It would mean you would have an option to really dig in and learn the subject, going off on all of your rabbit trails. ;-) I get so tired of trying to cram every subject into every week, and I guess I had debated about whether or not they would somehow 'lose' the information if I allowed for the extended break, but they aren't going to lose anything with your schedule. The odd/even weeks for writing and math are brilliant. It's not enough time to lose info, but perhaps gives the student enough of a break from the subject to keep from making it mundane and mindless.
I also like how you integrated the remaining subjects into Sessions. You did a brilliant job. I am wondering how this might work for a 3rd & 5th grader. lol
I've heard that this kind of schedule helps to put the basics into long term memory, whereas our daily schedules ensure that math stays in our short term memory.
I can see how that sort of schedule could really work. Wish I'd been able to do that in high school! Would you be interested in submitting this to the Classical Homeschooling Carnival?
I'm sure you'll really get into each subject this way! We like to use this approach to consolidate when we've fallen behind and it has often been a rich a rewarding time.
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