For those fortunate enough to live in this area, you need to complete a Program Plan.
This is a plan that outlines what you will do for the coming school year in your home.
Dear Government,
Here is my Program Plan:
Life...as it unfolds.
Thank you,
5 minute mom
A great idea but, in reality, we all need to have goals. And so, it just makes sense to have a Program Plan.
Last week, (King) Louis and Joyce, facilitator's extraordinaire, put on a workshop on the HOW-TO basics of How to Write a Program Plan. I was very grateful for this because I handed mine in last March.
It was due at the end of November.
Let this mean nothing to all of you about how efficient and on top of things I am.
A mere blip on my map.
Really.
Honest.
Well, anyway, for those of you building your FIRST EVER Program Plan I will attempt to divulge the secrets.
For those who want something really elaborate and amazing, you should probably go over to Cindy Rushton's website and hear an audio or two about pulling your life together. I can't offer that here.
Instead, I present to you: THE BARE BONES ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAM PLAN WRITING
Now, word on the street is that the first thing you need to have is a FAMILY VISION statement.
What that is translated to mean to me is a long conversation with my husband about what we want our family to look like.
This is a two hour conversation at my house.
I am on a deadline and so I schedule a talk for next week and get on with the planning....because here is a little unknown secret that I am going to give you for free.
I'm not even going to make you give me your email address in order to get it.
Are you ready?
Plans can change.
Plans are adaptable.
Plans are FLUID.
Yes, I wrote FLUID. Write it down because in about six months it will replace "iconic" as the new catch phrase that is tossed around on the net and in benign interviews with celebrities commenting on their co-workers.
You heard it hear first. Got that?
So, the point here is this:
If you can't squeeze in a chat with your main squeeze right away, go ahead and make the plan. You can always go back and adjust the plan to suit the Family Vision.
Just Make the Program Plan.
Don't use the unwritten Family Vision as an excuse not to get something in writing.
I find that it is more productive to make up the plan and share it with my husband. He then offers insight, affirms decisions and points out new goals.
We work better when he has something concrete in front of him to base the discussion on.
Make the changes once you have your Family Vision and then SUBMIT the final copy.
Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy
What I am about to unveil to you is not the actual plan that Louis and Joyce presented...this is how I interpreted it. This may work for some of you. For others, you may wrinkle your nose in disgust and head on over to Cindy Rushton's to find out who she is.
THE BARE BONES ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAM PLAN WRITING:
Start by praying and asking God for wisdom, then
1. Pick a child who is currently being homeschooled
2. Write down their strengths and weaknesses and abilities
3. Looking at the weaknesses, identify the character issues that need to be strengthened (diligence, initiative, excellence, etc.)
4. Take stock of what it is you need to be successful? What IS keeping you from being succcessful? How can their strengths be used to fortify the weaknesses?
5. Pick your subjects. Or, in my case, categories. I don't like seperating subjects because all of our learning has smudged edges that blend together like a charcoal drawing.
I choose categories like: Literacy, Numeracy, Nature, Community, etc.
You can chose Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Spelling, and all the other subjects, if you are so inclined.
6. Under each category write down your goal and the resource materials you are going to use.
7. Assess- write down how you will assess their learning (observation, tests, performances, etc)
TA-da. that's it. Seven steps to a new Program Plan.
In the words of Inspector Gadget, "Wowsers!"
Join me tomorrow when I will be discussing Goals and How to Recognize One.
Although, I'm sure by then, it will have a snazzy title.
Ciao!
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