My homeschooling plans for next year - skill subjects
Every July/early August, I like to solidify my homeschooling plans for the upcoming year. I don't go overboard with a lot of detail or individual lesson plans, but I do make sure I have an idea of of what subjects we'll study and what resources we'll use.
Today I thought I'd share my plans for skill subjects. For those who are unfamiliar with this term, skill subjects require a mastery to move on. In our house, skill subjects include the big three (reading, writing, and math) as well as foreign language and instrumental music for my eldest.
For my eldest:
Reading - I'll provide a list of novels, poetry, and nonfiction correlating with our historical studies and mix in a few contemporary titles with deep-conversation potential.
Writing - I'm still debating on this one. We may continue Writing & Rhetoric or rely solely on Brave Writer materials.
Math - We'll continue with Math Mammoth.
Latin - We'll continue Latin for Children, finishing last year's book before we move on to the next.
Greek - I haven't made the final decision on this yet. We completed an introductory program last year, but the same company doesn't produce materials going much further, so I'm considering switching to a new-to-us program with the potential to use longer.
Orchestra - We'll continue orchestra and group lessons through our local schools.
For my youngest:
Reading - We'll continue working through lessons in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, read leveled readers to improve fluency, and listen to read-alouds and audiobooks.
Writing - We'll work on handwriting using Zaner-Bloser and introduce short copywork passages. We'll use Brave Writer for creative writing projects.
Math - We'll continue Miquon and supplement with skill drill books as needed.
Just because these programs work well for my family doesn't mean they will work well for yours. My eldest chooses to study both Latin and Greek because of a deep love (and talent) for foreign language. This is not something I would automatically recommend for all kids. (I don't believe my youngest will study both.) You'll also notice my kids use different math programs. This allows us to cater to their different learning styles and strengths, which is one of the beautiful benefits of individualized education.
Have you thought of what you'll be doing for your skill subjects next year? If you need help sorting through options, I offer homeschool coaching services. Click here to learn more.
Next week, I'll share what we're doing in our content subjects, so stay tuned!
