More Planning 2008

In addition to deliberating the core subjects, a few days ago I asked the kids to consider a list of other work and activities available, both outside classes such as climbing and musical instrument lessons, and casual activities such as visits with friends and going for bike rides, and either order those activities from highest to lowest priority or group them into those they would like to do this year and those they are content to forego. The results of this exercise emphasise how hard it is going to be for me to achieve my New Years resolution to do less. Both kids came up with three activities they are currently happy to do without: music lessons at home, art lessons at home and learning a musical instrument. Everything else on the list, they hope to have time for.

Climbing is a high priority for both of them, as are visits with friends. Unschoolers group, technicraft classes, Boys Brigade and family excursions also placed highly. In addition, Josiah had "down time at home" fairly high on his list, which surprised me a little, and Tessa had bike rides rated highly. Josiah said he would have ranked bike rides higher but he knew he would get a weekly bike ride in the summer months - getting to Boys Brigade.

The children's outside commitments will be:

Climbing		(2 lessons a week plus 2 training sessions)
Unschoolers group		(fortnightly)
Tessa:	Technicraft class	(weekly for the first half of the year)
Josiah:	Boys Brigade	(weekly)

If the children want to, they will also be able to enrol in school holiday programmes during the autumn, winter or spring school holidays:

• Acting Antics


• Inverlochy Art School


• Swimming lessons

---

My preparation is going well ... in fact it's done! I have decluttered our shelves of resources and done the reading and practice for the first activities in each of our core subjects. School term doesn't start till 7 February; it's great to be ahead of things for once!

When we first started homeschooling, we tried to ignore the school terms, working, relaxing or holidaying when it suited us best. But these days, while we do take advantage to some extent of the flexibility homeschooling offers, we find it most convenient to follow a work routine during term time and a holiday routine during the school holidays, because of the various term-time classes the children attend. We will, though, be starting "work" early this year, either at the end of this week or Monday next week: Josiah has requested a gradual start to work rather than launching straight into it on day one of term.