A few years ago, I was furiously planning away and struggling to get my 2nd semester together even though I was only halfway through the work I'd intended to cover in 1st semester. I figured and re-figured, but could not get a way to catch up, no matter how much doubling up on lessons we did. Now, don't get me wrong - the kids did their math and reading and weren't behind or anything, but our focus subject is History. Our reading assignments hinge on our history studies. Our science studies relate to what was being discovered and studied within our history timeframe. Nearly all of our subjects were irreparably off schedule. After pulling my hair out, it suddenly occurred to me....I didn't have to follow a public school schedule. I was doing lessons not found in public school. Why did I have to replicate the school system's calendar? It was like breathing in sweet, fresh air upon stepping out of an outhouse. I could change my calendar. Yes!!!! So, instead of saying I was "behind", I changed our schoolyear from Sept - May and made it Jan - Nov. Well, lookee there...we're AHEAD of schedule boys! This worked well for me and studying the ancients only took 2 1/2 years to get through. lol. Then we had Middle Ages and it went beautifully.
This year, I don't know what happened. It's over halfway through our American History school year and Ben Franklin hasn't even been introduced yet. We've read about 20 different books about Jamestown. Interesting sidetrack. We've jumped around and not stayed dedicated with the pilgrims and the puritans and the quakers. And now....even if I double all our lessons, we can't finish by November. Not even close. And I don't want to double our lessons. I want to learn this stuff and enjoy it. Sooooooo......Guess what? Our school year now runs from September to May and guess what else? "We're AHEAD boys!"
2 comments:
I am so going to need you in about a year. Reading this makes me hyperventilate when I think about History and Homeschooling....
But it is healthy hyperventilation I promise!!
You are so like me, I would be obsessively counting the days on the school calendar as well.
Do you think this is another one of those Jennifer commonalities? Are all Jennifers cursed with this same problem? I know I am. I bought a pretty new planner at Walmart last week. I've done some of the things I planned at least, but I'm only on the first week of August. There's plenty of time for me to botch things.
Post a Comment