Setting a Course of Study, or Planning your School Days for Success

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The next Blog Cruise poised the question “What does lesson planning look like in your homeschool? “

 

Well, like many other aspects of homeschooling, lesson planning is fluid.  However, I do still map out things to a degree while still allowing for flexibility.

 

First off, I utilize Homeschool Tracker Plus to both create lesson plans in advance and add in other activities and assignments as they are given.  With the need to turn in grades twice a year, this really helps me stay organized and know that I have documented things should any questions be raised.

 

One of the features the Plus version has is lesson planning.  I can share lesson plans I’ve created with other HST+ users and they can share with me.  Or, I can sit down and put in everything I plan to assign so it is ready when needed.  Some subjects are easy to set up, e.g. math.  I found them already on a HST+ user group, but could have just set up as many assignments as there are pages to complete.

 

Now, the fluidity comes in with when I actually assign out the work.  Sometimes things end up handwritten on the printouts as I just didn’t get it into HST+ before printing.  And, I have been known to adjust what comes next based upon how well they’ve tackled an earlier assignment.

 

For some, a computer program like HST+ might seem excessive.  But, I can honestly say from experience that it helps me to better manage what each child is doing.  And, when I decide we need to go down a rabbit trail, I can easily record it all for future reference.  With younger boys coming up the ranks, I’m already reaping the fruits of my labors in subjects where I am using the same materials an older sibling used.  Then it becomes a few clicks to assign it out and no investment of time to type it all up.

 

Be sure to check out the TOS Blog Cruise page in just over a week to see what other TOS Crewmates have to say on this topic.  I, for one, am curious to read their posts.