Meredith Ludwig Curtis
  • Home
  • Jesus
    • Bible Studies >
      • God's Girls Friends to the End Bible Study
      • God's Girls Beauty Secrets
      • God's Girls Talk about Guys, Virtue, & Marriage Bible Study
      • The Making of Real Men
      • Real Men Talk about Freedom, GIrls, & Marriage
    • Worship
    • Testimony >
      • Family
      • Church Family
  • Books
    • Maggie King Mysteries
    • How -To-Homeschool
    • Teach History the Fun Way >
      • Ancient History Cookbook
      • Ancient History Timeline
      • HIS Story of the 20th Century
      • Let's Have Our Own Ancient Greek Olympic Games
      • Let's Have Our Own Archaeological Dig
      • Let's Have Our Own Medieval Banquet
    • Celebrate
  • Courses/ Units
    • Unit Studies
    • High School Courses >
      • Who Dun It
      • American Literature & Research Course by Meredith Curtis
      • Economics, Finances, & Business Course
      • Economics, Finances, & Business Answer Key by Meredith Curtis
  • Speaking
    • Speaking Schedule
    • Family & Ministry Workshops
    • Homeschool Workshops
    • Homeschool High School Workshops
    • Meredith's Financial Workshops
    • Worship Workshops
    • Pastor Mike"s Workshops
    • Family & Friend's Workshops
  • Blog

Gear Up for a Great Year

8/9/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture


​I love summer: the beach, the sunshine, the lazy days, vacations, and chilling out. We do NOT homeschool during the summer, except for reading books. Here it is the beginning of August and it's almost time to gear up for the next school year.

Evaluate the Past Year

​
"The best part of this past year was history day," Shine shared enthusiastically. "I liked the Diana Waring tapes."

"I thought history was boring," Jimmy interrupted. "But I liked the food. (We had eaten our way through history with some delicious lunches at history co-op)

Look back over the past school year. What went well? What do you hope will go better next year? Pray about these things. Thank the Lord for all the great things that happened. Focus on the positive, not the negative. But, ask the Lord to show you how to be more effective in your homeschooling this coming year.

Picture
Choose Priorities for the Coming Year

Jimmy really grew as a reader this past year, but I still want that to be a priority next year. Shine grew so much in the Lord and now I want her to start passing on what she's learned.

If reading was a weakness this past year, you might want to make reading a priority next year. If there was a lot of rebellion in one or more of the children, then relationships and child training should be a focus in the school year coming up. 

Choose What You will Study and How

 What do you want your children to learn this coming year? One year we decided that we wanted to learn about England and British history. Though I had been homeschooling for 12 years, we had never studied English history in an in-depth way. We were excited to learn about our "mother country." What do your children want to learn about? What are their interests?

How do you want to teach these subjects? Do you want to use traditional textbooks or on-line classes? Do you want to do a unit study with lots of time for open-ended studies?

Choose Curriculum

Picture
Talk to other homeschool moms, read reviews, and peruse curriculum that you like. Remember that the curriculum itself is not as important as your decision as to what you are going to study this coming year. You can make boring textbooks come alive with some hands-on activities. Curriculum is your servant. You can cut out activities that don't help your family learn. There is no perfect curriculum out there, so don't panic while you are making decisions.

We have made some excellent purchases over the years: Understanding Writing, The One Year Adventure Novel, The Mystery of History, Introductory Logic, and Understanding the Times. I have also purchased some duds, but we have improvised and made do. The important thing is that your children learn the material!

Plan Schedule

I make a list of everything we need to do in a week: reading aloud, hands-on fun, writing, learning independently, lessons, fields trips, coop, church, mentoring times, family worship, cleaning, and time to relax. Then I squish all this stuff into blocks of time (before breakfast, between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner). I use blocks instead of hours when I make my homeschool and personal schedule.

Lesson Plans

Now lay out your curriculum or unit study plans for the entire year. This usually takes me a week or two, but is worth every second. I can glide effortlessly through the year, with a plan in place. If we get a little behind, it's easy to catch up and get back on track. 

Celebrate the Start of a New Year

 Finally, plan a special way to kick off the year. Lunch at Pizza Hut or McDonald's, a movie marathon, a party with cake and balloons, or a fun field trip. Have a great year!

Happy Homeschooling!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom & worship leader, is married to her college sweetheart. She is blessed with 5 amazing children, 3 adorable grandchildren, and an awesome church family!
    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abiding
    Baking
    Beauty
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Birthdays
    Book Reviews
    Books
    Business
    Celebrate
    Charity
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Christmas Craft
    Christmas Homeschooling
    Church History
    College Prep
    Cooking
    Crafts
    Curriculum Reviews
    Devotions
    Doctrine
    Easter
    Economics
    Exercise
    Family
    Father's Day
    Field Trips
    Finances
    Finish Well
    Food
    Friendship
    Geography
    Gift Ideas
    Government
    Great Commission
    Health
    Heroes
    History
    Holiday Craft
    Holidays
    Home
    Homemaking
    Homeschool Conference
    Homeschooling
    Homeschooling Book Reviews
    Homeschooling Conference
    Homeschooling Curriculum
    Homeschooling Curriculum Reviews
    Homeschooling High School
    Homeschooling High School Reviews
    Homeschooling Reviews
    Hospitality
    Humor
    Lapbooks
    Learning
    Literature
    Living Books
    Logic
    Marriage
    Math
    Mentoring
    Ministry
    Money
    Motherhood
    Mothering
    Mothers Day
    Music
    New Years
    Nutrition
    Parenting
    Politics
    Prayer
    Reading
    Recipes
    Reformation Day
    Relationships
    Reviews
    Sales
    Science
    Sound Doctrine
    Spiritual Warfare
    Teaching
    Teens
    Testimony
    Thanksgiving
    Theology
    Time Management
    Traditions
    Traditions Devotions
    Travel
    Trials
    Unit Studies
    Wedding
    Worldviews
    Worship
    Worship Leading
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Anders Ruff Custom Designs, Sugar Daze, scrink, trekkyandy, H.C. Williams, whitneyinchicago, Elin B, Dottie Mae, Tony A., t i b i, the.laus, the.Firebottle, SebastianDooris, robinsan, wwarby, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Dougtone, williamcho, Randy OHC, littlemoresunshine, Alex E. Proimos, matsuyuki, ChR!s H@rR!0t, AMagill, Teddy Delivery, abcdz2000, UF Digital Collections, ElvertBarnes, auntjojo, BdwayDiva1, swanksalot, missycaulk, Lance Shields, Walter Saporiti, ComputerHotline, Sam Howzit, LeonArts.at, garlandcannon, midiman, kmezon, mickbarry, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, DC Central Kitchen, stu_spivack, aussiegall, saebaryo, Fairy Heart ♥, Damian Cugley, Vince Alongi, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, momentcaptured1, epSos.de, davedehetre, 96dpi, geraldbrazell, bterrycompton, Lauren Manning, THE Holy Hand Grenade!, eser.karadag, archer10 (Dennis), Catholic Westminster, SmithGreg, flypig, jelene, rust.bucket, Robert Scoble, Sterling College, SharonaGott, timparkinson, Fire At Will [Photography], KitAy, mareeshastar, Dougtone, Ed Yourdon, California Cthulhu (Will Hart), John-Morgan, Monica's Dad, ktylerconk, doegox, Khairil Zhafri, floodllama, mattjlc, bunnicula, smithfischer, Ahmed Rabea, The Consumerist, blmurch, Sh4rp_i, dwstucke, dtcchc, arjin j, damian m, Panegyrics of Granovetter, ewan traveler, young shanahan, Rennett Stowe, singingwitness, ronnie44052, Tim Green aka atoach, russell pix, missbrendatoyou, Ambernectar 13, LancerE, riptheskull, rs-foto, Max Braun, Yoshimai, dbgg1979, TheSeafarer, Old Sarge, Ewan-M, rictulio, Gwydion M. Williams, quinn.anya, abbybatchelder, katmeresin, Mr. T in DC, tuchodi, SLV's, mealmakeovermoms, Hollingsworth, hoyasmeg, Monica's Dad, Shane's Stuff, frotzed2, Matthew Juzenas, bunkejer4, weeklydig, St.John'sFlowerGuild, InAweofGod'sCreation, Doc Wert, Nomadic Lass, Samdogs, Rojer, MASB Desenvolvimento Imobiliário, Calsidyrose, wallygrom, Tiberiu Ana, ZeroOne, Randy OHC, Betsssssy, georgiapeachez, Lars Plougmann, dtcchc, antwerpenR, Wiros, myfuture.com, ewan traveler, cliff1066™, Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ, 401K 2012, mikemol, Aranami, Randy OHC, Joan Lesan, jm3, Stifts- och landsbiblioteket i Skara, Lunatic Asylum Photostudio, Michael 1952, Zyllan, Images_of_Money, striatic, riptheskull, sanchom, Nick Harris1, S. Reachers, Matt McGee, fdecomite, Wesley Fryer, yenna, Daniel Dale, michael_swan, Rodrigo_Soldon, Barefoot In Florida, Bright Meadow, turtlemom4bacon, Svadilfari, Rennett Stowe, juliejordanscott, Emilio del Prado, Marysol*, avlxyz, Näystin, Belzie, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Etereal9, loco's photos, BigSéance, bigal_60714