The Plan

I always have a backup plan, but this plan is more than that. This is THE plan. The plan I would have done in the first place if we did not need a free curriculum at the time.

Well, that is not totally true, this is the revised plan as my husband and I have made some compromises. My husband had some requests and I am more than willing to implement these ideas. I have always had control and final say as the kids teacher, but his requests are very reasonable.

1) Rob asks that we follow a typical course of study for each age group. He would like this to be a checklist that we do every year. Done! I will happily implement this. This will ensure Matteo is doing what his peers are so that when he enters high school in two years he will have covered subjects most peers his age have. I will follow the typical course of study that World Book offers here. For Nicko we will use the 3rd grade, and for Matteo I will use 7th grade.

Another issue is the decision to keep Matteo back a year. Some might question the necessity of this, especially considering his reading level, (lower college range) but he needs the extra year for two reasons. One thing we learned by the public school experience is that Matteo needs extra work in math. He needs a repeat of the Epsilon by Math U See. Math is the one subject he has not taken to, and needs extra work in. The other reason is maturity. Homeschooling has allowed Matteo not to have to grow up too quickly, and he is not a typical 13 year old. Don't get me wrong, if you meet him he is mature and well spoken. But he is also still a kid. He is still into pretend play and is often outside in some sort of swordplay with Nicko. He's not into the teenage scene, and I can't see him feeling comfortable next year in high school. Not a biggie, especially as a lot of people are held back a year just because of their birthday. He sees this as a plus as it gives him two years to get in great shape.

2) Rob would like us to have more accountability. Before, strictly doing the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling, I did not keep grades or administer testing. My husband asks that I keep grades, and that I give a unit test after each unit, semester tests, and do end of year testing. He asks this as a way for him to take part. Before, he would ask what the kids were doing in school but he didn't get to look at a report card or praise the kids for a well taken test. Done, and done...

3) Rob also asks that the kids complete unit projects. This was one thing that he did like about the online academy. He has fond memories of science and history projects and this is easy for me to add in. Another done!

4) And the last of the requests was for us to do a minimum of four hours a day during the week. He doesn't care how we spend our time, or if we are doing outside classes, just that we take a sort of attendance and bye bye to our unschooling sort of schedule. Okay.......this one was reluctantly done. :0 But done. :)

So what IS the plan? Well, I can't actually get the kids books until the end of September. So there are things that we will be using in the meantime. Firstly is that the kids are requesting to do the contests for the big Rennisance fair that is coming in October. Both older kids want to enter the poetry, art, and for Matteo the essay contest. The deadline to enter is October 1st so this will keep us busy.

What each kid will work on for now: (things we already have or free on Internet)

Matteo 7th grade:

Math-Math U See
Grammar-Rod and staff (we like secular usually, and this is not heavily Christian. I feel it is VERY comprehensive as a grammar program and love it-the kids do to!)
Copywork-just one of the many Charlotte Mason methods we will keep.
Language Arts-will be poetry, and essay studies to prepare for contest.
Art and Drama-to prepare for contest.
Nature studies-a CM method for studying nature
French-will list resources later
Spanish-
Latin-

Nicko 3rd grade:

Math-Math U See
Grammar-This is just a gem of a find! I love this website and will use these old fashioned grammar online books until his Rod and staff get here. There is a big list on the right, just scroll down.
Copywork-
Language arts-preparing for contest
Art and drama-preparing for contest
Nature studies
French-
Spanish-
Latin-

I think I will try to list our daily lesson plan from now on. I will also add what my littles are doing in preschool later in the week.

I am so excited. I'm so relieved, and feel like a big weight has been lifted. I can't wait to show and tell the ideas I found too for each unit we will do and how I will organize it all. Yay! We are HOMEschoolers again. :)