A Heart for Homeschooling

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When I read blogs about planning for a new homeschool year, I am amazed when a homeschool mother sets out plans for an entire year. Though I think I could do that, the thought that those plans would be unlikely to be completed stresses me out. For this very reason, right from the beginning of our homeschooling journey I have only ever planned a term ahead.

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have general thoughts for the year ahead – what math curriculum we’ll be using, what unit studies I’d like us to do and what read alouds to pair with the unit study. But that is as detailed as I get beyond the term ahead. This helps me feel ready and organised, but flexible with the days ahead, because you just don’t know what the year ahead will bring (as 2023 was for us!).

Here in New Zealand, we are in the mid-summer season and, though schools still have a few weeks left of summer break, we are gently easing into homeschooling and routines from this week. I have finalised our plans for the term, and we’re only waiting on one piece of the curriculum puzzle to arrive.

Here we go!

Family Subjects

The beauty of home education is that you can do so many subjects together as a whole family. We have been doing this from the start and it is my favourite part of homeschooling – being together, reading good books, studying history, and diving into God’s Word. We love family learning so much that most of our homeschool is spent in this way, within very minimal independent work.

Faith

Long Story Short by Marty Machowski – we will walk through the entire Bible this year, helping the children understand the unfolding plan for God’s people (we also loved The Ology by Marty, too)

Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen Taylor – We started this last year and will continue this term. We love this story, the pictures are beautiful, and it’s just a moving depiction of the Christian journey.

Literature

I have quite a few chapter books prepared for us to hopefully get through this term. Some are books paired with history and our unit studies we are doing, whilst one or two are picked for just being good literature.

The Secret at Pheasant’s Cottage by Patricia St. John (I try to read one of her books at least once a year)

Lottie Moon: Changing China for Christ by Nancy Drummond (history)

Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O’Dell (unit study)

Mr.Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater (unit study)

Who Was Ernest Shackleton? by James Buckley Jr (unit study)

History

Twice a week we will be learning about history through a new (to us) curriculum, Generations. I am starting with their Grade 4 history course Taking Asia for Jesus with the workbook to go along with. This is the first time we are using something like this, and I am really excited to see how we go as I really like the look of it. I love that we will be looking at God’s hand over an entire continent, see His unfolding plan and work from an eternal perspective.

Social Studies

For the fourth year in a row, we will continue to use our favourite curriculum – Gather ‘Round Homeschool. It truly was, and still is, a blessing from the Lord for our homeschooling. It suits our relaxed nature of learning and is a great springboard for rabbit trails. We love it!

This term, we will be finishing the Oceans unit (which is our second time through it).

Halfway through the term, we will finish that and begin the Antarctica study – I’m very excited about this as it is not something we have really learned much about before. In our home city, we have the International Antarctic Centre, so I am hoping to organise a field trip there (either this term or the next).

Independent Studies

Math + English

We will continue using Khan Academy for math as this works so well for them – and me! I am terrible at math, but with Khan Academy, they are taught through videos and lessons. They have been progressing so well since we switched a term ago.

For English, we will continue with Abeka Language Arts (affiliate link). It is simple and yet, comprehensive. Definitely no changes for us here.

Reading with Me

I’m not going to require the children to do independent reading, yet. I still want to avoid any activity that might quench their love for reading and books. So in the afternoons, I will read to each child individually a book that I want them to have read in their childhood (and which they might not pick themselves).

With Josiah I will be reading My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. I’m looking to read books that model courage, manhood, and nature to Josiah this year.

With Rosalie, we will finish A Little Princess by Frances Hodgins Burnett, and then read Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I just want her to enjoy some of the beautiful classics for young girls this year.

Arts

For handicraft, the children are doing jewel art – sticking tiny jewels on a preprinted piece of art. They will do this as they listen to me read to them.

For foreign language, they will both continue to learn German and Japanese through Duolingo.

Lastly, for music, Rosie will continue piano (we are trialing Simply Piano as it is so much cheaper than in-life lessons) and we are hoping for Josiah to get drum lessons (this is to be confirmed). Rosie will continue with Choir lessons, and we’re hoping Josiah will join too.

Sports

I’m keeping things simple this term – we are joining a homeschool sports group that meet weekly. Last year in Term 4, I felt we did too many things, which was so much on top of learning to be a ministry family. So, simple is best this year!

And there you have it – our plans for the coming term. I hope this post is helpful for someone out there, as posts like these have been so helpful for me in the past.

Do you have any plans for Term 1, 2024?