BellaOnline Forums Education Homeschooling Lesson Plans -- do you use them?

When I was homeschooling my young ones (who are now in college), I vacillated between making my own lesson plans (whether mentally or in writing) and using lessons prepared by others. I remember one year I used a book which featured a complete curriculum for preschool through grade two. But I supplemented it with lessons that I made myself.

What do you use?

We're do it yourself on this one for the most part. We may pick up the preformulated plans for a lesson here and there, but its atypical for us.

No lesson plans here. It's not that I am against them; I just don't have the ability to plan what we're going to have for dinner most nights, never mind what the kids will be doing for schoolwork! We wing it, as we do with most things, and I try to document what materials were used or what was learned after the fact. My latest thing is that I have switched from a narrative format to portfolio for each kid. This way, I don't feel obligated to document each and every day, but I can still do brief narratives and slip them into the portfolio from time to time. Sample worksheets, writing , and so forth go in as well.

I've occasionally tried to plan out what to do -- but through trial and error, I found that it doesn't always work well. A general list of what to do -- not specifics like "pg. 54-62", but "math" or whatever, for a checklist works well. But I'm not organized enough that I did it regularly. Now that we are basically down to homeschooling just one subject, we kind of know what subject to cover.... (He goes to a couple different schools for the others.)

We don't use lesson plans. I'm too much of a rebel!

I enjoyed keeping portfolios on my kids -- and its such a thrill to look back at them to see how they've progressed!

Ms A -- are you a member of a homeschool cooperative? We never had one where I live, but I did have an arrangement with another mother who gave my daughter drawing lessons while I did craft activities with her daughter and my son.

We unschooled--no lesson plans. I did keep track, after the fact, of what each child was into--just made myself a list from time to time and dropped it in a folder. This came in handy when we were preparing college applications which needed "transcripts." I was able to draw up transcripts based on what each child had pursued. (They both got into college. One has graduated with honors; the other has maintained a 4.0. for two years pursuing biology and physics studies. Unschooling worked for us.)

We use Sonlight, so the lesson plans are all set for me. I just add Math, my electives, other special things (like piano, dance, etc.). It's great to have a weekly record all laid out for me, especially because I have to prepare quarterly reports for our superintendent (I live in New York).

I like having boxes to check off but take advantage of the flexibility that homeschooling offers to "do my own thing".

:-) Cate

I've heard really good things about Sonlight. I understand that it can be used to any extent desired--as a full-out curriculum system or simply a resource for books your children may want to read. Although my daughter plans to unschool, she plans to order resources from Sonlight.

I do use lesson plans... but I go through a charter school, and they give me funds to use so I can pick and choose as I please. I like having the guidance because I feel I have so much going on, the lessons keep me on track. And my kids help me pick... so they enjoy what they do too.

Homeschooling rocks!

Anita -- we aren't members of a co-op, but briefly (then moved a month or so into it) tried one in VA. In FL, one mom kindly ran a high-school level literature discussion group, which we enjoyed participating in, and I did some logic stuff with a small group who were interested. But nothing formal.

Where we live now, there really isn't anything for older kids in that vein. A couple co-ops are trying to get worked out and off the ground, but I think they are better suited for the younger set. And ds is about to graduate. I often feel like I have one foot in each of at least three worlds. (I realize I must look funny with at least three feet!)

Cela--

Yes, you can really be as flexible as you want using Sonlight. People are all over the map on what they think about it, but I have found that the company itself is very easy to work with and very supportive of doing what's best for your family.

I just can't say enough about the literature they offer. Being a bit of a "classics" snob, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading books to the kids that I never picked up when I was a kid or would have incorporated into my own lesson plan. We just finished "Across Five Aprils", for example, where I learned more about the Civil War than I ever did in my own studies. ;-)

One of the things I love best about Sonlight, besides having it all laid out for me, is that it's intellectually honest but with a Christian worldview (so at the very least our faith isn't ridiculed--at the same time, it shouldn't be held up without a blemished past, if you know what I mean); Charlotte Mason with a bit of classical thrown in; lots of great literature and reading; a bit of unschooling for good measure; and incredibly supportive with what I think are some of the best homeschooling forums around!

I've also heard that Tapestry of Grace has great reading lists, although I've never personally explored them.

:-) Cate