I often chuckle when I hear people say "Well, at least teachers get the summer off!". I'm afraid that is not accurate, and in my case (and many others I know) it's not even close!
The above is a rough guide that I put together the day after Independence Day. Yup, I essentially had all of June "off" (but I'll get to that in a moment) and then started in, the very day after fireworks, putting together a rough idea of our school year for 2019-2020.
Now, to backtrack a bit more...I had already been creating a new OneNote folder for next year.
What I do is this: I put the subjects in the first column (such as Language Arts, Math, Humanities, Arts, and Misc.) and then in the next column I break each one down into more categories (for example, under Language Arts, I'd then have pages for Grade 4 and Grade 7 individually, along with a separate page for our reading list that I attempt to keep up-to-date).
For each page, I like to include things in a list that I can add a check box to (I just love that feeling of accomplishment when I can check them off as completed!). I also include ideas, links, pics, videos, etc.
So, as I find something interesting or helpful for a specific topic, I will copy the link (or copy/paste the pic/photo, etc) and put it onto the appropriate page so that later on it's all in one place for me to consider when I'm doing that actual topic. Below is a screen shot to show what I mean...
As I decide on a new topic to add under the History category, I'll add another page for it.
It may seem, by looking at this screen shot, that my 7th grader will be covering a lot more topics in history than my 4th grader. Well, you would be correct. As I have noted in other blog posts, my 4th grader is autistic and has a language delay on top of that. As such, we take things a bit slower and dive somewhat less deeply into topics than I might with my 7th grader when he was that age.
Another reason for fewer topics for my 4th grader is that in the Waldorf-inspired methods that I like to use as a spine, it is suggested that we also include a geography block this year. As such, we'll do the Vikings (and Norse Mythology) for the first half of the year, and the second half of the year will be geography for her. There is a geography block included in that OneNote file, you simply cannot see it because it is continued at the bottom of the page, which was not captured in the screen shot.
This long-winded clarification was really just to show that planning has been going on in the back of my mind for some time now, but I am only now using dedicated "planning time" to start solidifying and shoring this up more officially "on paper".
I'm definitely taking time to enjoy family time and relaxing, but if I'm being honest here, I often always have ideas rolling around in my head, just waiting to be included (or poo-pooed by me later after I've pondered them for a while) into our plan for the fall. BUT, I am NOT complaining! I actually love this kind of thing, and find that my kids really benefit whenever I take the time to think deeply and plan ahead for some of what we'll be studying...but for those who have been following along, having said that I don't like to be held a slave to such plans.
Rudolph Steiner spoke many times on the freedom of being your own person, teaching to the child(ren) in front of you, and making it your own. I have read that he also said it was perfectly fine to toss out things that don't fit, that seem inappropriate for the situation, or that you simply are not energized about.
Don't be afraid to take out (or add in) things to your "plan". It's yours, after all, and if you aren't enjoying it then your children likely won't be either.
I hope everyone's summer is going well!
No comments:
Post a Comment