School Goals for 2020-21

Goals for the School Year 2020-21

Teaching Five Grades!

My preparations for school this year involve trying to plan around our Kindergartener's cancer (neuroblastoma) treatment, much of which simply can't be planned. How can I know when Thomas will have a good day or a bad day? How can I know when I will take him to a one-hour clinic appointment, but he ends up needing a six-hour blood transfusion? One cycle might involve a single day of chemotherapy while another cycle involves three days in a row of chemo.

Not only do I normally plan out each week's lesson plans for the whole year, I plan out each day's lesson plans and I have an hourly routine in the home for each child. All of that organization and rigor is a licit good, but I must not make it an idol: this year God is helping wrench that from my grip.

While I very much liked using Homeschool Planet online planning software last year, I am not going to do so this year because it requires too much rigor (and several hours per weekend of my work). Instead, I went back to Pam Barnhill's style of planning your year with a procedures list for each subject and master homeschool binder for each child (click here for a 5-minute overview, and I highly recommend reading her book or taking her online, self-paced course, which I did a few years ago).

Each child is given a master school binder. Each subject has a labeled tab. Behind each tab is a procedure sheet and all the lesson plans for each week for the year. The child should check them off as he goes (getting the child to do so will be its own job!). I can check at any time and see if he is behind, on track, or ahead, and I can make relaxed decisions about that, knowing our whole family is going through Thomas's cancer treatment. 

Also, this year, I chose some workbook style books (e.g., Seton) for my ease: children know to do the next page with its instructions even in my absence. I had the bindings cut off and put them in each child's master binder in order to reduce how much time is spent looking for lost books, or when I find out that the child's such-and-so book has been lost for two weeks and he chose not to mention it.

An example of my sixth grader's master binder

I organize my desk really well only a few times per year, so it is clean and ready to go for the new academic year!

This summer I spent much time thinking quietly (and feeling emotional) about how much I could teach together as a family versus each student doing his own work. There is great efficiency in my teaching the same subject to everybody, such as science or history. However, if I am unreliable and absent, then nobody is going to learn those subjects and they will fall far behind rapidly. In contrast, there is a lack of efficiency in each child studying his own science, for example, as I have all those subjects to assign and supervise. The benefit, though, is that the children can all work independently, even if I am at the hospital or tending to Thomas feeling sick.

An example of an absolutely beautiful school plan that is very much group-based was published by my friendly acquaintance Stephanie Weinert over at her blog, which I share to inspire people. It reminds me so much of what I consider our homeschool's halcyon days, which, in retrospect, were through my oldest student's fifth grade. Once my oldest reached sixth grade and middle school, his studies greatly increased and he departed from being able to study as a group. He needed more than that and needed to learn to study each subject more intensely, not learn broadly a little bit about everything. Now I have two middle schoolers. Thus, after much agonizing over which direction to take, I decided not to teach too much as a whole group. 

I intend (hope) to have a morning basket time over breakfast, as I have for the life of our homeschool, in which I cover a few subjects before dismissal for independent studies: In the earliest years, morning basket time took two hours and was the bulk of our homeschool, but now it is 15-20 minutes long. My vision is that my sixth and eighth graders will be learning almost entirely independently. My fourth grader will be learning somewhat independently, but with more of my guidance (she was the one child who very much wanted all Seton-style workbooks this year). I am going to teach my second grader and Kindergartener together as a group. On days I am gone or otherwise occupied, the two littlest boys just won't get any formal learning AND THAT HAS TO BE OKAY (I am shouting to myself), while the older three might learn some, as much as they are willing to do independently AND THAT HAS TO BE OKAY ALSO THIS AUTUMN. 

Morning Basket Topics (Covered with Mama at Breakfast)

With the whole family:

• Catechism: Baltimore Catechism Q&As, Character Calendar, Catholic Sprouts daily podcast
• Science: If Animals Could Talk
• Vocabulary: WordUp! DVD (10 video lessons at 15 minutes each, run flash cards)--Trying this for the first time
• Poetry: The Harp and Laurel Wreath (review/enjoy 2 poems/week--not memorizing)

Dismiss the older grades and continue with grades K, 2, and 4:

• Memory Facts: CCE Memory Facts booklet (math facts, Latin prayers, etc.)
• Art Appreciation: CHC Art Cards (study one painting/week)

John (8th grade)

He is taking only two online classes this year. Nobody else is taking any online courses. Having these two courses will give my eighth grader a good taste of following an inflexible schedule with outside teachers, but without too much rigidity that would be overwhelming during a year of his brother's cancer treatments.

6 days/week: Piano

5 days/week: Composition--Trying Seton Composition 8 for the first time.

5 days/week: Uncle Eric: Nature of Gov’t, Civics, and Economics Course (a seven-book course over the year, John is so excited!)

5 days/week: Logic I (online) with Rolling Acres--Logic was probably John's favorite class last year.

5 days/week: Henle Latin (online) with Memoria Press

Probably 5 days/week: Catechism

• Faith and Life 8 online using My Catholic Faith Delivered 1 day/week
• Finish reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• Read The Soldier of Christ by Mother Mary Loyola
• Complete syllabus for confirmation at our parish
• Fraternus on Mondays
• Altar server practice on Mondays

Math

• 4 days/week--Trying VideoText Interactive DVD series this year
• 1 day/week--Life of Fred middle school series

1 day/week: Science--Tiner's books on Biology and The World of Mathematics--just reading, no experiments

1 day/week: Art Appreciation--Seton's Art Through Faith

Nightly reading: Literature--Goal of six books chosen off of Angelicum Academy Good Books List--I'm reducing this from nine books for a lighter load this year.

Study Area

John's desk is actually inside of a closet in his dad's home office.

Mary (6th grade)

6 days/week: Piano and Violin (Orchestra on Saturdays)

5 days/week: History--Connecting with History (formerly RC History)--This will involve reading a ton of living history books and covers reading the Old Testament this year!

Math

• 4 days/week--Going back to Teaching Textbooks this year. We switched to Saxon last year, it was brutal for student and teaching, but Mary's math scores rose three grade levels. However, I have to give her math for which she can be entirely independent this year.
• 1 day/week--Life of Fred middle school series

Probably 5 days/week: Catechism

• Faith and Life 6 online using My Catholic Faith Delivered 1 day/week
• Mother of Divine Grace lesson plans reading Gospel of Mark and Gospel of Luke and writing summaries
• Finish reading Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen
• Fidelis on Mondays
• Girls' Latin choir--might be cancelled due to COVID restrictions

3 days/week: Spelling--All About Spelling (her sister dictating and grading it)

3 days/week: Grammar--Seton English 6

3 days/week: Art Appreciation--Seton's Art 7 for Young Catholics

2 days/week: Language Arts--Seton Reading Comprehension 6

2 days/week: Economics--Uncle Eric: Business, Economics, and Entrepreneurship Course for Middle School Students

1 day/week: Language Arts--Seton Reading Thinking Skills 6

1 day/week: Science--Tiner's Biology and History of Medicine--just reading, no experiments

Nightly reading: Literature--Goal of six books chosen off of Angelicum Academy Good Books List--I'm reducing this from nine books for a lighter load this year.

Note: No attempt at Latin this year due to Thomas's treatments. Mary might continue to pursue her self-study of German.

Study Area

Mary's desk is on a large IKEA table in our School Room. However, she is good at grabbing her books and studying efficiently in her bedroom.

History and Economics Study Area

In trying to solve a problem of years past, I have created a reading nook for all students who are studying History and Economics/Government. I have a library for those subjects anyway, so I put a comfortable reading chair right there. Those two subjects involve all of the students sharing various of the books; they do not each have their own discrete text book. I am so tired of one child losing a book that another child needs, and books floating around, and books being lost for long duration, so this year I am trying to enforce that these books must stay on their shelves. When it is time to read for Economics or History that day, go sit in the reading area and pull the necessary books off the shelf, reshelving them when done. Wish me luck.

History and Economics/Government Study Area

Margaret (4th grade)

6 days/week: Piano and Violin (Orchestra on Saturdays)

5 days/week: History--Connecting with History (formerly RC History)--This will involve reading a ton of living history books and reading through the Old Testament this year!

Math

• 4 days/week--Teaching Textbooks
• 1 day/week--Life of Fred Fractions

Probably 4 days/week: Catechism

• Faith and Life 4 online using My Catholic Faith Delivered 1 day/week
• Morning reading of My Daily Bread (1954)
• Choice of seven saint books (half male, half female) and writing a report about each

4 days/week: Grammar--Seton English 4

3 days/week: Spelling--All About Spelling (her sister dictating and grading it)

Science

• 1-2 days/week--Apologia's Astronomy (fall semester) and Human Anatomy (spring semester)--just reading, no experiments
• 2x/month--No Sweat Nature Study (online nature and art lesson)

1 days/week: Language Arts--Seton Reading Comprehension 4

1 day/week: Language Arts--Seton Reading Thinking Skills 4

1 day/week: Art--Vintage Drawing from The Good and the Beautiful

Nightly reading: Literature--Goal of six books chosen off of Angelicum Academy Good Books List--I'm reducing this from nine books for a lighter load this year.

Note: No attempt at Latin this year due to Thomas's treatments.

Study Area

This year I am experimenting with making the Quiet Study Room the official location of Margaret's desk. This room (a closet!) is right off of the Bonus Room, which is the central school room. Margaret is a person who very much needs silence and solitude, so I think this arrangement might be very beneficial. Margaret is pleased at the prospect!

Thomas (Kindergarten) and Joseph (2nd grade)--taught mostly together

Core teaching with both boys: 2 hours

Plus 1 hour just with Joseph

Plus 45 minutes reading at bedtime

Four Days Per Week (at least one day per week is spent at the hospital)

15 mins. + 15 mins. daily--Phonics--All About Reading (different levels)

15 mins. + 15 mins. daily--Math: PACES Math for K and for 2nd--trying this for the first time!

5 mins daily--Handwriting: The Good and the Beautiful for K and 2nd--trying this for the first time!

15 mins. daily--Catechism: Loop schedule of these read-alouds:

• Chats with God’s Little Ones
• Leading Little Ones to Mary
• Angel Food
• Treasure Box for Children series

One or Two Days Per Week: Nature/Science and Art

• Read aloud great science books off the shelf for ~15 mins.
• Watch our collection of science videos: Mr. Wizard, Moody Science, and various creation-science videos.
• 2x/month--No Sweat Nature Study (online nature and art lesson for 45 mins.)
• Maybe once weekly: Vintage Drawing series from The Good and the Beautiful

Two Days Per Week: History/Social Studies

Thomas only--15 mins.

• Fifty Famous People
• Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks

Reading aloud to Joseph with Thomas listening as he pleases: Connecting with History: Ancient Cycle--Many living history books! Includes Old Testament stories from the Bible.

Extras just for Joseph (about one hour with Mama):

• 15 mins. 1 day/week--Catechism: Faith and Life 2 through My Catholic Faith online
• 10 mins. daily--Spelling: All About Spelling
• 10 mins. 4x/week--Grammar: Seton English 2

~45 mins. at bedtime:

• 10 mins. nightly at bedtime--Catechism: Read aloud New Testament stories from Golden Children’s Bible
• 30 mins. nightly at bedtime--Literature: Read aloud classic children's literature.

Note: I pulled Joseph (7) from piano lessons this year due to Thomas's treatments.

Study Area

Thomas's desk is on a large IKEA desk in our Bonus Room. I sit between him and Joseph.

Study Area

Joseph's desk is on a large IKEA desk in our Bonus Room. I sit between him and Thomas.

And lastly . . . 

David (3 years old)

David will soak it all in, listen to Kindergarten read-alouds, scribble, paint, build stuff, and play nearby.