Guys, I’m a firm believer in the the classical model of education and believe it will only work for us, if we work the model. As a result, at home we approach our memory work in three basic ways: review games, classical notebooks, and reading. So, as I’m planning for this next year, I’m
1. Selecting a rotation of review games. This year we’ll be bringing home a tip I’ve seen shared among tutors. I’ll have a predetermined 6 week rotation of review games. We have some favorites already from previous years and I’ll add in a few more simple ones. Employing this tip will allow us to hit each game 4 times during the 24 week cycle and limit my prep work, time spent on direction giving, and space storing supplies. I like it!
2. Picking printables for our classical notebooks. Last cycle I planned out our printables for the whole year, but didn’t print all of them at once. This cycle, I plan to have everything printed, hole punched, and in their notebooks for them before we begin. It’ll make it easier for me to follow through consistently.
Last time, I sorted their notebooks by subject title, but this time I’m going to sort them by week number. I think this will make it easier for them to be independent with their work, which I’m sure I’ll appreciate with having a new baby at home. The type of copywork I give them will depend on their abilities. During their copywork time, they can do as much or as little as they want of that week’s work, as long as it’s all done by the end of the week. Grouping it by week will allow them to see how much needs to be done and divide their work accordingly. This type of time management will be a new skill for many of my guys, so I realize there will be a learning curve.
Last time, I sorted their notebooks by subject title, but this time I’m going to sort them by week number. I think this will make it easier for them to be independent with their work, which I’m sure I’ll appreciate with having a new baby at home. The type of copywork I give them will depend on their abilities. During their copywork time, they can do as much or as little as they want of that week’s work, as long as it’s all done by the end of the week. Grouping it by week will allow them to see how much needs to be done and divide their work accordingly. This type of time management will be a new skill for many of my guys, so I realize there will be a learning curve.
3. Preparing a reading list. As we did last year, we’ll continue our reading cycle with Ambleside Online. But, this year, I’ve also prepared our own recommended reading list based on cycle 3 topics. It is by no means a list that we intend to read all of during cycle 3, but a resource to pull from when we would like to read more on a topic. When I go looking for an Abraham Lincoln biography, I want to know which one on the library shelf is the best one to pick, you know?
So that’s it! Keeping it simply classical, these are the 3 main ways we’ll be bringing our memory work home. Stay tuned for future posts with the list of review games we plan to use and the printables I’m choosing for our classical notebooks. If you have favorites for either of these, I’d love to hear!
Happy planning!
So that’s it! Keeping it simply classical, these are the 3 main ways we’ll be bringing our memory work home. Stay tuned for future posts with the list of review games we plan to use and the printables I’m choosing for our classical notebooks. If you have favorites for either of these, I’d love to hear!
Happy planning!
This is great! Love the review game ideas….haven’t ever done that to it’s full potential. I too hope to print everything for their notebooks ahead of time. Last year I did not and I realize I had more gaps than I care to mention. Sorting by week worked great for us and I think you’ll like it. Haven’t looked into ambleside, but I will. Thanks again.
Hailey, I understand about gaps! I just wasn’t as consistent as I’d like to be. I’m sure this will work better 🙂
Ugg, blogger ate my comment =) Once again, I think we are doing CC next year, so all your info has been really helpful! I’ve been reading lots of your back-posts. Thanks for all the great info!
that’s great, Amy! I guess you won’t know if it’s for you till you try it, right? 🙂 Glad you’re finding the info helpful! Let me know if there is anything specific you’d want to know.
I love reading your blog – I always get great ideas! Thank you! 🙂
Thanks, Mary! Right back at you!
Thank you for sharing your ideas with http://www.solagratiamom.com at the weekly link up!
Last year was our first with CC and we loved it … to the point that the resources online can be somewhat addictive 😉 I really love your notebook from Cycle 2 and wondered if you planned on sharing again for Cycle 3? Your blog is a fantastic help to our homeschooling journey!
Thank you for your kind words! 🙂 And you’re right – there are a lot of options! I’m sorting through my favorites right now & hoping to publish my list for this year in the next week. 🙂
Awesome, looking forward to it!
I’d love to know about your Ambleside Online reading cycle that you do along with CC. We’ve done some of AO. In fact, my oldest did several of the upper years. Anyway, I was curious if you try to match up AO with CC or if you just read through the history readings, etc. Thanks!
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Hi Karen! Thanks for dropping by 🙂 I don’t match up the readings. Right now I’m moving one year at a time with all of my littles together. We do everything as a read-aloud. I can see that changing though as they grow to separate years and independent readings. I saw in your other comment that you’re just beginning with CC. While matching up reading lists is not a bad thing, it’s also unnecessary. You’ll be amazed at seeing the connections they make all on their own. I’m excited to chat more through this upcoming school year 🙂
Thanks for sharing how you use AO, Beth. I hadn’t really planned on using AO with CC, except for maybe an occasional book here and there…I was just curious how you combined the two since we had used AO before. I do have a number of books used in the AO curriculum though. 🙂 When I tried AO with my youngest, it didn’t seem to be a good fit as far as following it as our main curriculum; but adding in some of the books here and there as a supplement to CC might still be an option. 🙂 I’m still working on how we’ll structure our weeks with doing CC. I do know that I plan on doing a learning notebook for sure. Thanks for all that you’ve shared here on your blog about CC. It has been a great help!
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