Refreshed, Recharged, Rethinking…

I just returned from a 3-day Classical Conversations Parent Practicium.  If you read this post, then you’ll remember that we will be joining a local Classical Conversations (CC) community next year (beginning in August).  I went to the practicum because I will be tutoring one of the Foundations (K4-6th grade) classes, and I needed to learn more about how to implement this model of learning/teaching.  I learned a LOT…so very, very much!  All of the knowledge that I gained had me re-thinking my entire plan for next year.  So, after much thought, deliberation, and discussion with Caleb…here’s our new game plan for 2012-13.
Classical Conversations only meets for 24 weeks of the year, and it doesn’t start until August.  Being as we start school in June (year-round for more flexibility), here’s our schedule for June and July…

• Calendar work
• Bible
• Latin
• Spelling
• Vocabulary
• English
• Reading – independent and read-alouds
• Math
• Exploration – this will replace our fun school.  Caleb will be able to choose topics (people, places, subjects, etc) that he wants to learn more about, and we’ll delve deeper into those using books, the Internet, and projects.

Once we join in the CC studies in August, our schedule will look like this…

• Calendar
• Bible
• CC Memory work
• Math
• Spelling
• Reading – independent and read-alouds
• Essentials – this is the CC program for 4th-6th graders that covers grammar, writing, and math drills.  There will be lots of work for us to do at home after our weekly CC meeting.
• Exploration – we will use this time to delve deeper into any topic that we’ll be learning about during our CC memory work.

So, there’s not much change, but there’s still a little.  I will list the resources I’m using for each subject area in the sidebar.  Now, I’ve got to get busy getting everything ready and in order for the first day of 4th grade which is MONDAY!  Wish us luck…