Organizing Khanschool Part 1

This year I will be teaching my four girls, who range from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Here is a little summary on how I've organized during this first week of school.

The following are three simple, yet very helpful tools that I organize #khanschool with.

#1

An Agenda or Planner with different coloured pens

This agenda has tabs wit the monthly calendar at the beginning, where I write in all the activities that the kids do together and need to be logged. Things like Phys.Ed, Art, and Home Ec. I will also use it as a reference for myself when I'm not home and need to know whats going on in the near future. In other words this Agenda goes with me everywhere. Its been suggested to me a bunch of times to get acquainted with my Iphone Calendar, but I prefer this tangible old fashioned way. On a side note I do use my Iphone Calendar for my daughters Hockey schedule. Any hockey mom knows how crazy that schedule can be!

    

I chose to upgrade from the DollarStore version (which are still great), and got this beauty from #Target, the main reason being the large blocks of space that this agenda provides. The space you need depends on the amount of children you've got to log for. I wish I could have something small and dainty that would fit in my purse, but small and dainty are not words to describe this crew of mine! Big Family = Big Agenda. The space is great for logging daily activities and categorizing them into subjects. 

Since I'm dealing with four students, I just divided the sections into four columns. This makes it easier for the teacher to review what each child has done.

When you are in a DL ( Distance Learning ) program, as we are, communication with the teacher makes everyone's life easier. Its her job to keep us on track with the curriculum and my job to implement it. The use of this agenda, which will travel back and forth with my oldest twice a week (she attends a class) will provide both the teacher and I with a frequent  source of communication, aside from email.  There is a note section for us to leave reminders for each other and the children. For example, I've let her know which novels the three older girls are reading this month,
which are: "New Moon" (twilight series), "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" and "Nancy Clancy".

Its also pretty beautiful. ( Important )

#2

A large wall mounted Calendar

The Hubs picked this one up for FREE from a random business he visited. Advertising not intentional! 

Whereas the agenda is used as a means of communication between the teacher and I, as well as documentation of the learning going on at home, the wall calendar is a loose guide for the children and I to refer to on a daily basis. Each day will have certain subjects as well as activities that need to be accomplished. Anything that hasn't been completed will be assigned as "homework" before the next calendar week begins. The calendar gets filled in over the weekend for the upcoming week. (Which is why it appears blank here).  I've found that when I have over planned, by trying to fill in the entire month, it often led us to get behind and feel discouraged. I prefer to make weekly goals and therefore see success in shorter periods of time. That way if we do need  push in certain areas, I can accommodate them the following week.



#3

Ikea Expedite and Bins

Like it was perfectly made for me. 


This little system from Ikea is inexpensive and versatile. It comes in different colours and has an array of bins, cupboard doors and shelves to choose from in order to customize it. You can choose 2x2, all the way up to 4x4, in order to fit ones needs and space. I sound like an Ikea commercial but seriously- it really is the bomb dot com. I live in a small space with a lot of people, so my appreciation for attractive, space saving, not to mention pocket book friendly furniture is immense.

Four bins along the bottom, one for each girl, by order of age. They know which bin is theirs and they can easily find what the necessities for whatever subject that they are working on, and also put it away easily when finished. It keeps things simple, neat and tidy. I cant stress enough how important it was for me to have something that looks nice and can keep the essentials of four grades, with five subjects each, easily accessible and tucked away. organization is a huge key in getting things done.

It also serves as a bookshelf. #heckyeah

There you have it. That's two days of organizing. A few little things that make my life as a homeschooling mom a lot easier. Its the little things that go along way! 

!!! P.S. !!!

 Book Lovers/Collectors out there: Target has paperback classics in their dollar bin section right now! I cant wait to get some family reading time in with these!

{ A little Princess, The Jungle Book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows. }

Now to get this curriculum put away, the rest arrives tomorrow!

Setting Goals

When I was in school I was bored. Routines and structure are great and necessary- but there has to be interest. One of my goals as a homeschooling mom has been to create and maintain a fun and interesting environment. Involving my kids by having them set their own goals has proven successful. They choose things that they’re interested in, and with my guidance we can always fit whatever it is into the curriculum. Where there’s a will there’s a way! Accomplishment is as important as the learning process itself, so writing these goals down and hanging them up, provides a gentle reminder for them over the next few months. Happy 2014 School year everyone!

watch cute video here:

Sultana, Grade 8!

 Sultanas goals for term one include, Reading the rest of the Twilight series (New Moon and Eclipse), Learning to Play Beethoven’s ‘Fur Elise’ on the keyboard, writing a biography on Leonardo DaVinci, and creating an art project resembling something from the renaissance era.

Sanaa, Grade 5!

Sanaa, Grade 5: Sanaa will be reading 3 Novels this term, learning to Play the harry Potter theme song on the keyboard (yes that has already changed from the picture), Complete level 6 in  skating lessons, and keeping her clothing and room tidy.

Sahira, Grade 3!

 Sahira plans to read her first novel ‘Nancy Clancy and the Super Sleuth’, learn to play “Do Re Me” on the keyboard, score 3 goals by using the spin-o-rama move, and keeping your room clean

Sayda, Kindergarten!

Sayda is working to finish her “Explode the Code” level One book, she also is going to attend skating lessons for the first time and learn the song “Do Re Me” on the keyboard.

Samir, Preschool!

 Little Sammy is going to work on having patience and being part of this big busy homeschool family, he is also going to have a nap everyday!!!

As a group the girls will perform an act of random kindness by creating a gift basket for a neighbour and giving it anonymously. 

The Point.

As I enter my seventh year as a homeschooling mom, I reflect on the previous years and I’m just blown away. I could have never imagined the marvelous journey that it has turned into. I realize that the relationships that I’ve been able to develop with my children are second to none and I feel blessed and encouraged by the people they are turning out to be. I’m excited at the opportunities that they will have as they are being raised as life long lovers of learning. The concept of that is of such importance to me, and that is the point of my homeschooling. The idea that “school” is not a place, and that “learning”, is not a dreaded activity. Learning is as natural as breathing and as necessary as food, water and sleep. This is my approach, here on this blog will be our journey - welcome to it!