Not-Back-to-School: Curriculum 2012-13

If I had written this posts a couple of months ago, it would have been completely different. Actually, if you asked me just a few weeks ago, it would have been different. I would have had lists of curriculum and plans arranged by kid/grade. Maybe a copy of my lesson plan spreadsheet I use every year. I would have told you that we will be using Teaching Textbooks for math and Saxon for language. I might have told you the plans for Lakin's kindergarten year. But not today.

I mentioned in my last, rambling post about how I was taking a leap of faith this year. So this year will look different. If you want a list of curricula, the only thing I have to tell you is we will still be using Teaching Textbooks. That is it. Rylan will be starting Pre-Algebra, Cale will finish Math 4, take  few weeks to better master multiplication and division  then jump up to Math 6. Cohen will complete Math 3 and move on to Math 4, while also taking a little bit of time to brush up mastery.

So, what is our curriculum?

It's an idea board. Where I will pin up ideas I find that might be of interest to the kids as they explore their topics.

It's a weekly meeting with me to discuss progress. To go over projects. To share and edit. To ask questions- both theirs and mine.

It's getting out of the house, going places to spark new interests.

It's going to the library to research and collect resources.

It's a shelf, fully stocked-  with most of the basic science experiment supplies, paper, notebooks, art supplies, etc.

It's books. It's chores. It's life.

There is a blog- Project Based Homeschooling- that I have read over and over again. And every time I read through, I think: this is how I want it to be. But I was lost on how to implement it- so I wouldn't. Then I would come across it again and read it all once more. If you get a chance- go and read, all of the past posts on project based learning, they are very good with a lot of good information in both the posts and comments (note- they have recently changed sites, the old one has a very easy to navigate side bar with lots of the posts highlighted).

I am still not exactly sure how to implement, so we are doing our own thing and seeing what comes from it and what it morphs into.

What will I expect from them?

• To choose a project topic to study, research, explore. 
• To spend at least a week on that topic. (no maximum)
• To spend a minimum of 2 hours working per day.
• To own the work that they produce
• To work to the best of their ability

What can they expect from me?

• To provide them with the materials they request or need
• To suggest ideas
• To stand back and let them work, research, etc without doing it for them
• To be a partner in their learning

That is my rough plan. I have a feeling it will change as we go along and feel our way. I am sure we will all go through a deschooling period.  I am excited to see where this leads. I am apprehensive too- and have to actively push back the 'what-ifs' that tend to take over.