Planuary: A Homeschooling Mom of Three Young Children Shares How She Plans

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Apologia

This is our last Planuary post for January. Liz Corson, homeschooling mom to three young children, shares how she uses Debra Bell's Ultimate Homeschool Planner. Liz is also the Director of Events and Conference Manager  for Apologia. Thank you, Liz, for sharing with us!

 

 

I am an organizational tool nut, note that I didn't say I am an organizational nut.  I love the tool,  but I am not always organized. The Ultimate Homeschool Planner has helped me follow through with my homeschooling. It keeps me focused and helps prevent me from forgetting projects or subjects.  *blush*

This has been perfect timing for me! My oldest started Kindergarten this past fall so I am very fortunate to start my process with this amazing tool. The planner can serve as attendance records in addition to tracking educational progress in each subject.

I also use it to make sure that I'm getting mommy time in with my younger kids. This sounds silly, but if I have an activity written in for my 2 year old, I will sit down and do it with him.

My favorite 2-page spread is the One-Year Planning Grid. These pages help me plan my schooling around normal holidays as well as my travel schedule. I love being able to see my whole year at a glance. As you can see, we  school year round to maintain consistency for the younger kids. As they get older I may change that. I am also hoping to add more vacation style field trips. =)

What is your favorite feature in the Ultimate Homeschool Planner? Are you looking to add some new activities to your homeschool this "semester"?

Read more about The Ultimate Homeschool Planner and view a sample PDF by clicking here.

Planuary: Non-Core Subjects

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Apologia

As part of our Planuary celebration, Debra Bell is sharing her homeschooling advice and inspiration with us throughout the month. Presented in a Q & A format, you'll enjoy short snippets of helpful ideas and information. Read other posts and articles in our Planuary focus by clicking here.

In this Q&A we talk about the subjects outside of the core courses:
 
Q: How important do you think the "extras" are in daily homeschooling? I am thinking about subjects like art and music. My kids are exposed to both, but I find when crunched for time, these are often the first to go. Neither my kids nor I are particularly gifted in either.
 
A: What I did was is put some extras I thought were important in my 5 year plan. Then I would focus a chunk of time on that (say cooking) or maybe, in your case, the history of music for a year. Rather than trying to fit 7 subjects into the schedule of every day, I would do something very different. I often did history one semester and science in the other. You might try something like that with the extras you sometimes find trouble getting to.
 
"Though not considered core subjects, it's important that we not neglect study in these areas. Music and art as expressed through human history are the best ways for our children to understand the impact of philosophical ideas. These are concrete expressions of the abstract forces that shape a culture. 
 
"Further, it is important that our children learn to express themselves creatively. Our ability to create is a part of "being made in the image of God" and reflects the divine image within us. God intends us to create for His glory and our own enjoyment in life. Integrate art and music appreciation into your study of history and cultures, and cultivate your child's creative expression through art and music opportunities."
 
How do you integrate the arts into your homeschooling? Have you changed your approach as your children have gotten older?

Twitter Party – January 19, 9:00 p.m. ET

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Apologia

The Planuary celebration continues this week with a Twitter Party on Thursday, january 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET. We'll be using the hashtag #planuary.

We'll talk homeschooling, share ideas, and enjoy exciting giveaways of some favorite Apologia products!

You won't want to miss the grand finale giveaway! Join us to get the details.

it's so easy to join in the fun–simply follow Apologiaworld on Twitter, set a reminder for this Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, and  follow and use the hashtag #planuary.

Bonus! Did you know that all through the month of Planuary (January), if you Tweet about our Planuary posts and Twitter Party, each Tweet will enter you to win a DVD set from the Apologia Live Retreats or Homeschool Moms. This is over 10 hours of encouragement from Rachael Carman, Zan Tyler, Jeannie Fulbright, and all of the Apologia Live speakers. They are veteran homeschooling moms who have been in the homeschool trenches–through the triumphs and trials of homeschooling!

Get the details of this fun giveaway here.

See you at the party this Thursday!

 

Planuary: How One Family Keeps God as the Center of Their Homeschool Planning

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Apologia

Sally Faulkner, blogging at With Eager Hands, joins us for our Planuary celebration! Below she shares how she records God's plan for homeschooling their four children. The Faulkner's enjoy a Charlotte Mason-based approach. You can read more about their homeschool adventures and the the full blog entry about The Ultimate Homeschool Planner here. Sally shares her  how-to's and photos below. Thank you, Sally, for sharing with us!

I struggle with the day-to-day planning of our homeschool–in a mighty way.

When I stumbled on The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, at some blog 5 miles south of somewhere (you know how it is with reading blogs!), I blew it off. Then some things happened that required I rethink the HOW of our homeschool.  I have full confidence God  planted that seed in my mind.

In the midst of who knows what, that random blog came back to my mind, and I had to find it.   I searched, and when I found it, I read through the entire sample of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner.. 

And friends, I wept.  This is no lie.

Here is what I knew I needed in a planner:

  • Plenty of room for each of my children and myself (at this time, I need 4 spaces)
  • Weekly spaces as well as month-views
  • Space for longer-term planning
  • No frills or fillers at all. I will be carrying this with me everywhere!

Inside the Ultimate Homeschool Planner I found:

  • Detailed explanations of how to plan with a year-long (or longer) view, down to the day-to-day lessons
  • Pictures of what this all looks like!  Pictures, friend, pictures!  I am so visual, that simply reading it doesn’t work for me.
  • All the charts needed to plan your year, down to your day
  • Incorporating check-in and review sessions with each child – brilliant!
  • Pages for listing materials, resources needed for all your children
  • Goal setting pages for each child, for academics and character

(You will notice that my planner is in a 3-ring binder.  It comes spiral-bound, but I am the odd one in the bunch and need a binder!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the core of this entire Planner is . . . God. Not curriculum. Not plans. Not projects or grades.

My favorite part of the whole planner – what literally brought me to tears – is what this Planner has each and every week!

Before you look to the 6 x 6 grid for the week’s learning, you see a two-page spread entitled The Lord's Day, which includes ample space for:

  • Your Bible Plan for the week
  • What you feel you are struggling with
  • A space to record a Bible verse (or more) to help you overcome
  • Prayers
  • And here’s the best, a place to record Hospitality & Outreach!  

Debra Bell makes a point to equip us with His word in different ways, but gives us the space to actually make service a part of our week!

I could just hug Mrs. Bell!

On the right page is a space for recording memorable moments and achievements throughout the week, as well as evidence of God’s provision, mercy, love, grace, and faithfulness!  This alone sets The Ultimate Homeschool Planner apart and has made all the difference in our homeschool!

As I begin to train myself to see God’s hand in our days and to live in the moment with my children, my pages are slowly beginning to fill!

God is so good!  I am so thankful that I have this Planner, because it has helped me to keep God at the center of our homeschool, which in turn has helped me be a more productive homeschooling mother!

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Record God's plan for your homeschool and journal His faithfulness in your homeschool path with The Ultimate Homeschool Planner. Read more about Debra's Ultimate Homeschool Planner and take a sneak peek inside by clicking here.

 

 

Planuary: Tweet #Planuary and You Could Win

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Apologia

All through the month of January, we're celebrating Planuary!

If you are on Twitter, follow the #Planuary, tweet about the event or retweet our links and at the end of January, we'll pick a winning TWEET. Yes, not at Tweeter, but a Tweet.

So, the more you Tweet about #Planuary, the more times you are entered to win a DVD set from the Apologia Live Retreats for Homeschool Moms. This is like having 7 veteran homeschool moms visit you right in your home. You'll enjoy hearing encouragement and inspiration from Debra Bell, Rachael Carman, Zan Tyler, Jeannie Fulbright, Sherri Seligson, and Elizabeth Smith from HSLDA. We are also going to include a surprise–a book by one of these speakers!

We will pick two winners! What a great way to brighten up winter!

Simply Tweet or Retweet about #Planuary. Each Tweet/Retweet serves as an entry. We'll select two winners on February 1, 2012 and notify you via Twitter. You can view all of our Planuary blog posts by clicking here.

 

Planuary: How to Beat Homeschool Boredom

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Apologia

As part of our Planuary celebration, Debra Bell is sharing her homeschooling advice and inspiration with us throughout the month. Presented in a Q & A format, you'll enjoy short snippets of helpful ideas and information. Read other posts and articles in our Planuary focus by clicking here.

In this Q & A we talk homeschool boredom.

Question: The "second semester" is a time when homeschool burnout can easily set in, what are a few suggestions for fending off burnout?

Debra Bell: You need to build ways to refresh yourself more often into second semester than first. Here are several ideas:

  • Figure out what you and your children love to do and build that into your schedule. If you love crafts, then figure out an art project related to your history or science studies. If you love to cook, then figure out how that can be integrated into your math or cultures study.
  • As soon as spring rolls around, get some field trips on the schedule. You can also bring field trips to your homeschool group by inviting in hobbyists or senior citizens. In The Ultimate Guide toHomeschooling Debra lists several resources for field trip information and ideas, including AAA, your state and local tourism Board, and the Web site kidslovetravel.com
  • Give your children opportunities to take more responsibility for their homeschooling. In The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling, Debra encouragesus to give our children opportunities to have some control over their schedule–maybe determine in which order they'll complete their subjects or a choice of which subjects to complete first. Debra reminds us that children learn best when they take responsibility for their learning.

You can enjoy more homeschooling information and boredoom-busting ideas from Debra Bell in The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling and The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens.

What has been a favorite field trip for your family?

 

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Record God's plan for your homeschool and journal His faithfulness in your homeschool path with The Ultimate Homeschool Planner. Read more about Debra's Ultimate Homeschool Planner and take a sneak peek inside by clicking here.

 

 

Planuary: What High School Work/Papers Should We Keep?

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Apologia

As part of our Planuary celebration, Debra Bell is sharing her homeschooling advice and inspiration with us throughout the month. Presented in a Q & A format, you'll enjoy short snippets of helpful ideas and information.

Debra Bell is the author of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling, and The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens. You can visit Debra's site at www.DebraBell.com.

 

Question: For a high school student, how do you decide what school work/papers to keep?

Debra Bell: I would keep major papers and tests from the core subjects. Beyond that, keep whatever the student wants to keep. A funny story– I have still EVERYTHING from our homeschool days stored  in the basement. When my sons left for college, the last thing they said was, "Don't throw anything away!"  They know me well.. And even though they have their own homes now, I still have to keep it in my basement.

So, how do you store some of your child's school work? Do you have a cabinet, storage boxes, etc.? Do you ever turn their work into a scrapbooking project?

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Record God's plan for your homeschool and journal His faithfulness in your homeschool path with The Ultimate Homeschool Planner. Read more about Debra's Ultimate Homeschool Planner and take a sneak peek inside by clicking here.

 

 

Kick Off the New Year with a Planuary

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Apologia

Are you on Twitter? Follow #planuary all through the month of January for special planning information from Debra, contests to win a ticket to hear Debra speak at an Apologia Live retreat for homeschool moms this March, and other surprises! We're celebrating God's plan for our homeschools and rejoicing in His faithfulness as we walk His path for us.

Kick off the New Year with a Planuary

By Debra Bell

If your home school year runs like mine did, then you‘ve been using your Christmas break to retool and recharge. This time around the Apologia gang wants to make it a festive occasion for you. We’ve got a Planuary January on tap; including Facebook parties, giveaways and some new products to help you out. So stick around and enjoy the fun.

Let me get the party going with my recipe for a no-fail New Year’s resolution:

  • Resolve to focus on God’s faithfulness in your home school in 2012. I can guarantee that He’ll keep His promises.

Even when we home school moms know well that God is caring and providing for our family in all other areas, we still tend to put the burden for our home school success on ourselves. Am I right? Too often at Christmas, I spent the holidays mulling over all the things that had gone wrong during the first semester.  There is nothing wrong with reflecting on our home schools thus far; but my solutions were fatally flawed: I would resolve to turn over a new leaf come January—I’d make lists, posts schedules, buy new stuff, throw out the culprits I’d cornered and talk myself into a do or die disciplined lifestyle for sure this time! By golly, by gosh!

Why did all that resolve dissipate within two weeks? 

Because I was putting my faith in my faithfulness (for which I had no objective evidence).  I needed to functionally put that faith in God’s faithfulness (for which I have plenty of objective evidence). How to do so? I need a daily reminder to look for God’s activity in our home school.  And I need to resolve to point that out to myself and my kids, and to let that testimony build faith in me.

Don’t You Know? Have You Not Heard?

Faith in God — the immutable qualities of His eternal character (His faithfulness, His love, His mercy, His righteousness) —is the fuel our souls were designed to run on. That’s when our joy can be complete and our own faithfulness secured. Knowing that God is at work within us both to will and work for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13) will produce Christian maturity. And that in turn produces fruit in our home schools—God’s fruit, in His way and His time.

Note to Self

So how do we remember not to forget? Post these reminders where you start your day – the bathroom mirror, the coffee pot, the kitchen cupboard, the screensaver on your computer, etc. Find the verses that focus on who God is and what He has promised to do that feed your soul and make sure they are in plain sight.

Talk About It, Talk About It

The next step is to write down weekly what God has done as a record of His faithfulness to your family. This in turn is your source of encouragement when doubt and disappointments assail you. The new Ultimate Planning System I’ve developed for Apologia Press is designed to help you do this. Here is where you will have a memory book of God’s unique activity in your home school journey. And this testimony can be a part of your family heritage that is passed on to future generations.

Celebrate Good Times!

The start of a New Year should not be a painful reminder of past resolutions that came to naught. But a joyous occasion to begin a new season of recording God’s trustworthiness once again.

Now that’s something to celebrate.

Have a Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

Read more about The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, take a sneak peek inside, and order your copy by clicking here!