Principles of scheduling

Last year's Year 0 books

It's FINALLY spring again, and I bet I'm not the only one working on homeschooling plans for next year!

I've been working on next year's schedule for weeks, it seems, and making very little headway.
Part of the reason, I realized, was that I didn't have a vision in mind--- or rather, I had an end goal but few concrete steps to help me achieve it.
I mean, yes, of course, we have the methods to go by.... we know what Charlotte wanted us to do, and how often. But the methods are only half  the battle in scheduling. I also needed to evaluate what things and activities were important to my family, to discern our strengths and weaknesses, and to give thought to my husband's and children's preferences. I need to consider what has been working for us and what needs to go.

I admit that I'm daunted by the prospect of having three kids in three different AO years and soon four kids in four different AO years. Those I've spoken with who have done it have called it glorious, but I'm not walking the path yet so from down here it just looks.... frightening. :D

Over and over I've worked out scenarios in my head. Should I teach all the children at once, which results in running around and heart palpitations and stress? Or one at a time? Should I be done by twelve or go all day? Should I do one subject per day or switch them up and do them all every day? There are so many decisions to make, and each one of them could be the critical thing that gets my school year off to the wrong start come the first fall breeze.

Over the past year I've tried and retried at least six different organizers, planners, scheduling worksheets, etc. Each one of them worked well but needed tweaking. So as I sat here, last night, trying to re-write next year's schedule, I suddenly realized that before I can write the schedule I need to have some principles, and not just the CM methods,  in mind.

Now yours may be very different, but I thought I would share what I came up with, because to me this is the stuff that makes this whole home education endeavor glorious--- when we inspire one another.

So, without further ado.... my new principles of scheduling.
1. We work around the liturgical year, and NOT the "school year."
2. We use CM's methods (short lessons/perfect execution/living books and narration etc.)
3. We schedule one subject per day of the week
4. We go by checklists and not time slots
5. We schedule a quiet time each day, masterly inactivity, and outdoor time.
6. We have each kid in their own year, but we combine subjects where we can.
7. We don't have to fit it ALL in each week, because when the weather changes here in the Carolinas,so does our schooling style.
8. A little bit every day goes a long way.
9.  We keep in mind that education is a discipline, an atmosphere and a life.
10. We schedule chores and habits into our work day and we know when to stop and play.

There are some things we do every day:

Morning and evening prayer
Hymn Study
Catechism
Bible reading and memorization
Crossfit
Yoga
Folk Song study
Habit training
Arithmetic
Copywork or dictation
Foreign language
Reading/Recitation
Voice or Musical instrument
Poetry
Masterly Inactivity
Outdoor Time
Quiet time
Free Reading
Chores

And some things we do once a week:

The Rosary
Confession and Divine Liturgy
Picture Study
Literature
Fine Arts
Geography
Science
History
Picture study
Music theory
Art theory
Music study
Shakespeare
Plutarch
Dance
Torah Study
Gospel Study
Handicrafts/ Life skills
Nature Study and journals
Map Drills
Prayer journals
Book of Centuries
Commonplace books
Shabbat dinners
Havdalah

And some things we do once a month:

Purge toys/books/clothes
History overview week
History Projects week
Formal science lessons
Family service project

And some things we do once a year:

Birthdays
Anniversaries
Liturgical feasts
Family events
Community events

Now, if I could just get that schedule written.... ;)