It’s time for my annual convention plan post!

As you might have already read, we have completely changed our homeschool style and curriculum. At the rate we’re going, we’ll be still studying world geography for AT LEAST another year. We’re loving it. Parts of me want to hurry up because we’re “not covering enough material” and the rest of me absolutely loves that we able to dive in so deep and take our time getting through everything we want to study.

I already have on my agenda to order the recordings. And to renew our HSLDA membership which is about to expire. (For those of you who wonder if it’s worth it? Um, in our first two WEEKS of living in in Pennsylvania I had my first run-in with the local superintendent’s office. I will NEVER, EVER, EVER be without HSLDA for as long as we homeschool.)

This year, I plan to sell items at the USED Curriculum Sale, so I have to remember and drop off those items. And I’ve signed up to volunteer, so I can get into the Used Curriculum sale early! So, those times will have to go on my “schedule” as well.

What do I plan to look for at the Used Curriculum Sale? I’m going to begin by focusing on the literature and hope to fill my bag with “girl themed” books – ones I might not find easily here at home. I’ve been keeping my wish list on Amazon for easy reference for months! I want to look at science unit study resources. One of my girls is currently interested in “blowing things up.” (Feel free to send up prayers for me now.) I’m always on the hunt for math fact miracle-workers. And I might end up buying several different grammar programs there cheaply, in case I change my mind once again on next year’s grammar program. AGAIN.

Whatever I can’t find at the UCS, I’ll be scouring the Exhibit Hall for.

And beyond all that – I just want to soak up the lovely atmosphere that is HEAV – hang out with the cool friends I’ve met over the years and meet some new ones, having a bit of fun, and absorbing all the pro-homeschool vibes. Goodness, it’s got to last me all year long!

Still, I do need to think about the shopping  – I need to be prepared for this fall.

We’re staying with our World Geography – World Literature (Girl Power!) plan for next year. We’re going slowly and loving every minute of it. If I can find new books to add to different countries or literature unit studies that match what I have planned, I am going to be all over it!

We are going to re-do the first four books in Life of Fred next year – my girls are loving it. I don’t want to move too quickly through them because I fear my little one will get behind. We are also going to continue with Teaching Textbooks for as long as I can possibly get away with it. We are going to continue to supplement math fact memorization with the songs we’ve been working on, but also whatever other miracles I can find.

This year I made up my own grammar curriculum. The girls have truly learned a lot and have been thriving, but I hope to not have to do all that work any more. I am going to break down and do Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing next year, unless something amazing pops out at me, and is completely teacher easy.

The girls have asked to continue with SpellingCity.com. So I might do that. Or I might use Soaring with Spelling. I have no wish to do spelling, I’m more than happy to let the computer do that one for me!

At some point in the next year I want to teach the girls music theory. Once they have a strong understanding of how to read music and how that works, I would like to get them into music lessons (instrument).

Our foreign language will continue to be Spanish. Right now we have a Spanish speaking babysitter coming once a week to work with the girls. I haven’t had time in my schedule to do any more.

Our extracurricular activities include the Spanish once a week, which we hope to continue, dance once a week, and American Heritage Girls. I would love to do Upward Sports again, and I really want to add in music lessons. The question with those are more about my sanity – how much can I handle dealing with at a time. To answer that, well . . .

HEAV- Home Educators Association of Virginia – website

“I am excited to be a blogger for HEAV this year. In exchange for sharing my honest opinion about this convention, I was provided with a family registration at no charge.”