Lesson Planning and Grace
Lesson plans. The two words that could send a shiver down my spine during my education classes in college. I remember my mom sitting at her desk at 10 o'clock at night writing lesson plans for our schoolwork. I always wondered why she didn't just toss us a book and tell us to read a certain number of pages. Lesson plans...they are more than just writing page numbers under the subject. For me in particular, they keep not only my children on track, but myself. They are a worthy extra step to homeschooling that truly gave me a much more organized way to conduct my kids' school day. I should tell you...I refer to my planning of each subject each week as lesson plans...but curriculums also come with lesson plans which are the actual materials and directions for each lesson. Sorry for the confusion...someday I will come up with a different name for what I'm doing, but really...ain't nobody got time for that right now.
This is my style of lesson planning book. Enough room for each subject...simple layout...extra room for notes on the side. Let me tell you something about those ginormous planners with flowers and quotes and everything else inside that screams at you when you open it up: Distractions are overwhelming. Simple is good. Now, add stickers, quotes, Scripture or whatever pleases your mom/teacher heart after you've written your schedule for the week. Trust me...just get the planning over with first. "Why do I need this if the curriculum already has lesson plans?" Fantastic question. Planning in this manner makes you open up the curriculum plans in advance before teaching your lessons. The struggle is real if you wake up on Monday morning and discover you're teaching fraction multiplication and this is the first you've heard of it. Give yourself a break by preparing in advance. Writing out your schedule also gives you a heads up for upcoming tests, quizzes, activity pages, or science expirements you need that extra bag of cotton balls and glue for. (No last minute trips to the store needed.) And hey, if you have a kid that is really independent when it comes to bookwork, just send them to check your lesson plans while you finish your morning coffee. I have used this kind of planning for 4 years now and I love it. And yes, I have two separate planners, one for each kid....because it works for me. Find what works for you and run with it!
This is my style of lesson planning book. Enough room for each subject...simple layout...extra room for notes on the side. Let me tell you something about those ginormous planners with flowers and quotes and everything else inside that screams at you when you open it up: Distractions are overwhelming. Simple is good. Now, add stickers, quotes, Scripture or whatever pleases your mom/teacher heart after you've written your schedule for the week. Trust me...just get the planning over with first. "Why do I need this if the curriculum already has lesson plans?" Fantastic question. Planning in this manner makes you open up the curriculum plans in advance before teaching your lessons. The struggle is real if you wake up on Monday morning and discover you're teaching fraction multiplication and this is the first you've heard of it. Give yourself a break by preparing in advance. Writing out your schedule also gives you a heads up for upcoming tests, quizzes, activity pages, or science expirements you need that extra bag of cotton balls and glue for. (No last minute trips to the store needed.) And hey, if you have a kid that is really independent when it comes to bookwork, just send them to check your lesson plans while you finish your morning coffee. I have used this kind of planning for 4 years now and I love it. And yes, I have two separate planners, one for each kid....because it works for me. Find what works for you and run with it!
2020. Also a term that sends shivers down my spine. It was a tough year for all of us. The closures of schools during quarantine sent parents into a frenzy. Kids were forced into a different kind of learning environment and parents started seeking out different options for their children's education. Homeschooling became a household term and for once it wasn't just used as a joke. But seriously...I've heard all the jokes. Heck, I make some of the jokes now. All jokes aside, homeschooling was finally looked at as a legitimite source of education by the majority of the population. (It's about time.) I'm glad the media eventually started using the correct terminology for virtual schooling via public and private versus homeschooling (granted there are virtual homeschool programs)....because the confusion was real for a while there. Families started dropping out of virtual completely in an attempt to homeschool thinking that would be the better option. But y'all...reality check here. Homeschooling is not for everyone. And that is 100% okay. Every child was created in God's image...but each child learns differently. My husband and I have always agreed that if we see the need to educate any of our kids in a different manner than homeschooling, we'd jump on a path that benefits that child.
I think the picture I am trying to paint for you is this: When the atmosphere encourages learning, the children will learn. But that atmosphere takes time, effort, energy to create and sustain. There are plans, decor, supply checks, field trips, late night study sessions, curriculum expenditures...and this doesn't particular blog doesn't include extracurricular activities. (Why did I sign all three of my kids up...each for a different sport...this spring?) I am far from perfect, and truly, I've only just begun the trek up our homeschool mountain. Give yourself grace if you've chosen to homeschool. Goodness knows we can all use a little grace today.
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