I want to encourage you to plan out some of your own curriculum for the coming year. There are several reasons why you make the best “curriculum planner” for your own children:
- God has given parents the responsibility to train and teach their own children.
- You know your children better than anyone else.
- You are aware of areas in which your children need more training.
- You have special topics that God has placed on your heart, to teach to your children.
However, it can be overwhelming to think about making your own curriculum.
This is how I begin.
- I get an empty 3-ring binder.
- I fill it with a few dividers, plus some inexpensive notebook paper.
- For a few days (or weeks or months), I brainstorm all over several (or many) sheets of notebook paper.
- Before I start the official planning, I review our family’s homeschooling philosophy, goals, and methods. I’d bathe all the plans in lots of prayer.
- Inside the front cover of my binder, I’d keep a running list of books, websites, documents, and materials that I want to include in the curriculum.
Now don’t be overwhelmed! This sounds like a lot, but if you’ll take your time and slowly… over time… give your brain time to mull over things… it’s not hard at all.
At this moment, I have 3-ring binders for many different subjects going: history, science, Bible, character studies, Spanish, Hebrew, typing, math, phonics, spelling, vocabulary, Latin, logic… Seriously! I have a lot of binders! 🙂
Okay, when you’ve plotted and planned, it’s time to print out some planning sheets.
>> You can download Do-It-Yourself-Curriculum-Planning Sheets here.
- Print out 2 “Course Objectives” sheets. One is a rough draft, and the second is your final version.
- How many weeks per year do you homeschool, or how many weeks do you want this course to last? Print out that many of the weekly planning sheets, plus a few extra for mess-ups.
- Hole punch these sheets, and insert them into your planning binder.
- Start filling in the grids — in pencil!
I’d love to hear about the curriculum you’re planning!
Anne, this is basicly how I do it too, but some how it sounds so much neater and more organized in your bog than it does whe nI do it here at home.
Katie, this made me laugh out loud! If you could see my desk!!!!!!!!! The ONLY thing neat and organized is cyberspace…. LOL!!!
I’m a brand new homeschooling mummy in England! I started 3 weeks ago with my 6 yr old son and our 8 yr old daughter joins us in another 3 weeks. We had planned to start in September but circumstances meant we could start earlier, so I’d already been planning. I’ve written all of our curriculum apart from Science. After chatting online to a friend, I bought Considering God’s Creation to last a couple of years with other activities I’ve planned to fill out the topics. I’m so excited to get started properly when our daughter is home.
Oh and pinterest has been a life saver! I have a board for every subject lol. If you fancy a look I am http://pinterest.com/littlemisskooky/
Sarah, it sounds like you’re off to a great start! I absolutely love Pinterest, too… I wish it had been around when I first started. For that matter, I wish a LOT of things had been around back then. 🙂 Probably an issue you newer homeschoolers face, though, is too MUCH information and having to sort through it all. Please feel free to write, though, if you ever get stuck or have a discouraging day. We’re here! 🙂
Looking for idea’s on curriculumn for 5th gr
Once again Anne, you have provided me with tools right when I need them.
May the Ruach continue to fill you with wisdom. Thank you for blessing us.