How do you get ready?

[Dorla]

I am wondering how you get ready to start a new school year, regardless of when you begin.

Some of you go on retreats - how do you dig deeper into the curriculum?

Some of you have goals - what are the questions you are asking?

Some of us plan to open the book and go - will I still get the big picture?

just wondering....
Dorla

[inHistiming]

I keep telling myself I need to 'get ready', and then wondering where I should begin! I still have to store away our work from last year...

I plan to take a very close look at the manual (Bigger) to see exactly what I need, like binders, index cards, etc. I already have some of these things. I also need to find out what storytime books, extension pack books (for ds), and DITHOR books I need for the first several weeks so I can request them from the library. Whatever the library does not have, I guess I will need to buy. So that might mean a trip to the library to search for every book, then make a list of those they do not have, and place an order with Carrie? I'll have to think about that one. I need to print out my schedule for R&S 3, for DS; and I'll need to create a schedule for Singapore Math 4A, unless I decide to buy the Preparing... guide when ds gets to 4A, because he's doing 3B and 4A this year with Bigger. I still need to create an overall schedule for how our days will go; in what order and such. And I need to re-stock things like paint, glue, scissors (where do these disappear to?), construction paper, etc. for our school crafts, plus any crafts the kids want to pursue on their own.

As for goals...I would like to be finished by noon each day, though I don't know if I can manage that. I'm hoping as we get into the year, it will get easier to do that. Also, I would like my kids to become more skilled in their chores. How to clean the bathroom, how to scramble an egg, why we need to bathe, etc. For the 5 year old, becoming more independent with his chores, under my supervision. As well as staying dry overnight! Another goal is to really get the WORD of God into their hearts so that it overflows into their everyday lives. I feel confident that HOD will help us meet this goal this year, as we will be focusing less on tweaking programs, and more on the content we have in Bigger...

I'm not sure if that's what you were asking for, but this is my thought process. I know there will be other posters who will have some great thoughts and goals to share, and I plan to glean from them as much as I can!

[LeAnna]

Hi Dorla!

Nice to meet you! I just usually look at the week ahead on Saturday or Sunday, and see what I might need for supplies, such as O cereal or paper, etc. The great thing about HOD is that you don't need to dig deep through it, like a traditional teachers manual. It's pick me up and go!

The only thing I try to plan for how my day is going to be layed out. How can I schedule school into field trips, ballet lessons, etc., and lunch, naptime, cleaning the house, dinner, etc.

As far as getting my planner ready ahead of time, I just made some school forms, with information such as curriculum using for the year, a calendar that I write the lesson we do each day ( Unit 3, day 2), a form for writing any books we read together, a form for extracurricular activities and fieldtrips. I don't do grades, but if you need to keep them or would like to, you could easily add a grade sheet. There are a lot of great forms from http://www.donnayoung.org

Hope this helps!
LeAnna

[Jen in Va]

Whatever the library does not have, I guess I will need to buy. So that might mean a trip to the library to search for every book, then make a list of those they do not have, and place an order with Carrie?

Does your library have an online catalog you can access to check if the books are available that way rather than checking in person?

[inHistiming]

Yes, I can check online. That's actually what I'm doing right now. Well, I'm dividing my time. I just started looking so I'll know which ones I'll need to order.

[water2wine]

I fall into the category of initially setting everything up so I can find it and then not worrying it after that because it runs well on its own. So when I first got HOD I organized all the books by reading level and genre, color coding them and writing the reading level on the spine. I also coded them by what part of the program they went with so I could easily find them. I sort through all the books that will be used in the first month and put them in a basket so they can easily be found with the manual. I use a square wire basket so they can be put in with the spines showing. I have one for each program we use. I organized all the program books in a cabinet that is off limits to the kids (otherwise they would read it all). Then I use the post it divider stickies (they look like file dividers) to mark all the section. I type into Startwrite all the copy work and Bible verses. I do this my the month. I have binders and protector sheets and a mini card file binder for each child. This is for their History and Science notebook. I usually print off free paper on Notebook.com for them to use. I use the mini binder for vocabulary and bible memory verse. I make sure all my kids have bound notebooks (I use composition books because the pages stay put) for Math and English. I will look ahead maybe a week just to make sure I don't need anything for science but usually I have it or I can improvise and still have work. The last thing I do is I coordinate anything I have that is extra like for instance we do Geography trails so I print those out ahead, those kinds of things. Make sure they all have pencils and the normal supplies and that is really it. As far as preparing for the actual program I really feel like Carrie took care of that for me. It is hard to get stuck with HOD. I have once skipped a box until the next day because I could not find cotton balls or something but it was not a big deal. It is super open and go. I mostly try to get things organized so I am not searching for things. If I have done anything major in the way of preparing it was always because I added something on my shelf and was coordinating it with HOD.

[Dorla]

Wow! thank you ladies for sharing!
Dorla

[netpea]

Hi Dorla,
I've been trying to read through the introductions to Bigger and Little Hearts and getting school supplies I know we need, like new markers, drawing paper, notebooks, etc... I've also been trying to get the schoolroom cleaned up and put into order. I built 2 new bookcases, the $20 walmart kind. I want to have a place for everything this year, I'm so tired of my house including the schoolroom looking like a war zone. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do as far as organizing books, but I like the idea some of the ladies here had about having a basket for each kid with the books you are using right now, then putting the rest on the bookshelves with color coded dots on the spines.

Also tonight I borrowed someone else's idea of the spiral bound index cards for memory verses. I copied all of the verses for Little Hearts into one, I used the verses as they are printed in the CD jacket, so they are from different translations, but they will match the songs. I bought another one for my son to use for his verses for Bigger, but I will have him copy those as we go.

I also want to go through and write extra stuff like piano practice and the like into my manual so that it makes it easier to check it off.

I am the most disorganized person you will ever meet, but I'm trying to get my ducks in a row this year before we start!

[Natreez]

Ahhhh....I'm thoroughly enjoying all of your replies!! I'm a self-professed "messie" (er... I mean I'm the "creative type"). I honestly really do function better when creating if things are messy but my messiness sometimes frustrates me while trying to do school. To make matters worse, I can never seem to come up with my own organizational ideas sooooooo..... I'm looooving getting ideas from all of you organized mommas out there!! Thanks!!

Natreez
mom to 8yr old ds and joining the "Bigger Buddies" this fall ...
mom to 14yr old ds going to public HIGH school this fall ...

[inHistiming]

I want to have a place for everything this year, I'm so tired of my house including the schoolroom looking like a war zone. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do as far as organizing books, but I like the idea some of the ladies here had about having a basket for each kid with the books you are using right now, then putting the rest on the bookshelves with color coded dots on the spines.

So this sounds like me...my goal is to get our school room cleaned up too because it's impossible to do school in the "war zone"!

[MamaMary]

I am wondering how you get ready to start a new school year, regardless of when you begin.

Some of you go on retreats - how do you dig deeper into the curriculum?

Some of you have goals - what are the questions you are asking?

Some of us plan to open the book and go - will I still get the big picture?

just wondering....
Dorla

Hi Dorla, (((Waving)))

As you know I go away every June for a retreat. I spend a lot of my time reading through the intro's, directions and then thoroughly go through the appendix. I then take my time looking at our spines, our readers, read a louds and get a good overall feel. Then I plan the first month and that's it. I never go beyond one month because I find that I always tweak things as we get started. Things I could not have forseen when I was planning.

I'm so glad you asked this question and I look forward to reading others responses

[Dorla]

Ladies, this is just what I need! thank you. Last night I went back and read the intro in the manual and then started to go through each day of unit 1 (fell asleep on day 3...). I took out all the books needed and read the stories, etc. and I can see the big picture and I like it!

MamaMary - your ideas are always great - I like the idea of planning only for a month - do you write your planning in a different notebook or in each manual?

inHistiming and Netpea - Yes! I also want to get our "escuelita" room organized and clean before Monday August 4....maybe I should not date myself!

LeAnna- thanks for reminding me about Donna Young! what forms do you use?

Water2wine - I'm taking notes on your post...I need to think more like this when planning.

Natreez - don't you feel organized just reading these posts?! I now feel like I actually have done something....

Please, please give me more!
Dorla

[MamaMary]

MamaMary - your ideas are always great - I like the idea of planning only for a month - do you write your planning in a different notebook or in each manual?

No...., I mark up my manuels!

[water2wine]

I'm just peaking it to see others replies and I thought of a few more things that help us to be organized. I have to have little systems because organization is an effort for me. These are just some general things I have done that have helped make it easy to just do our day each day. Sorry it is kind of in brain dump format.

We use a lot of baskets and mini bins with lids. It gives things a home and keeps your house neat. It helps to actually label the container. I have all our art supplies categorized in plastic bins with lids. We have general supplies the same way like pencils, erases, stick glue etc. Learning CD's have their own container away from kids so they do not get ruined. Manipulatives are that way as well. Flash cards and things like that are all in a small basket, all my many phonics tools are in a basket so when I work with my daughter I just take the basket and have everything I might need. I have printed things out like timeline figures and our trail guides we use. Some I put in files and put those in a basket on the shelf and others I actually put in a binder ready for them to use, like with notebook pages that I print out from notebooing.com and our Trail Guides to the US. They have them or I have them in a general binder depending on if I think they will get into them ahead of time but bottom line is they are done and easily accessible to them. Our books are categorized and on shelves. The categories are things like Bible references and general school references, things in the current programs that we will be using this year, extra things we will use and books that I want to read aloud to them that are not part of HOD. There is more but you get the idea. I have a ton of books and I do not have to hunt for them when I need them. I have taken my coat closet and made it into a book closet by adding shelves to it and I have other large cabinet storage that looks like furniture but really it hides our school and they are all categorized as well. I take all the books when we are done with them and put them in a plastic bin on a shelf in our garage or basement. I keep them all together by program that way I actually have an entire program to use again with my little ones. I do the same with Math and LA etc. I have a shelf area of these are books you can read anytime and a basket of these are books that relate to what we are learning so I want you to read them at some point. I have a couple of baskets for myself as well, one is things to grade or look over, things to read some spiritual and some school related, and then teacher manuals that are not the HOD manual goes in my separate bin. That helps a lot for me to be able to just grab things as I need them.

If you lapbook it is nice to have those supplies in a separated bin as well. I also like to use one of those paper sorter things that are like a big box with shelves to put pages we are working on in so they have a home. Otherwise six kids lapbooking at once makes you crazy. I use one side for paper supplies and one for projects we are in the middle of doing. Basically what I try to do is prevent ahead of time hunting for things, not having a place to have projects so it ends up all over my house and just having to think at all so I can just switch gears whenever I feel like it. But the key for me is have a place (meaning cabinet or closet to hide the bins when they are not being used. That keeps clutter down and you do not look like the house of many bins. Some I have hidden but in plain view just by having the basket look like furniture. For instance my main program bins are inside my coffee table. Many others are in what looks like a china hutch in my dining room. I have some baskets on a visible shelf but the basket is decorative and conceals the books. I love homeschooling but I love my house too.

I'm enjoying reading this thread and getting ideas.

[Dorla]

water2wine...awesome! Now all we need is PICTURES!!!!!!! just kidding. thanks for great ideas. I am now heading to Wal-mart to purchase a few more bins!
Dorla