Friday 25 January 2013

Its that time of year again ....

                                       Well our holidays are nearly at an end.       Sadly.
As you would have been in the post above, We have worked pretty hard to get a plan for 2013 school year together.
Brid and I throw a few ideas around and then we had to see how it would all fit together.
This was important, but couldn't be done until we had our ballet timetable.
So now we are set.
Next week Brid will begin her Ballet classes.
The following week, our schooling will begin.
But you know, learning still goes on, as many of you are aware, Brid just chose different types of learning. Art, drawing, reading, watching history programs and documentaries.
So after two intense weeks, one with Our Lord at a Retreat and this week at a Ballet summer school, we will return home ready to enter into our new year refreshed and invigorated.



 

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Are you ready???

Well its that time of the year, getting ready for school again.
We have had a very long break, but a most needed one.
So What does our school year look like this year?. What resources are we using?
We structure our day around the Key Learning are-KLAs. Our secondary key learning areas are broken up into week long blocks. These make up her afternoon lessons.
Religion:- I was going to use a set program, but after spending a week at a retreat, I decided that we would just continue doing various readers, such as A Heart of Europe-story of Blessed Charles of Austria and Empress Zita. Various others suggested on Mater amabilis. Along with this Brid has asked to study the Catechism.
We will be using The word among us to centre our family Faith. We have been using this for a few years now, its been a great resource.
Key Learning areas
Maths : -
Continue using Teaching textbooks. Its quite a nice fit for Brid.
English:- Well this one is quite intense. We have quite a lot happening with this KLa.
Firstly we will complete the final 2 lessons on Teaching the Classics- An IEW resource. This will allow Brid to use the socratic list to answer questions regarding her assigned Literature books.
Brid will correct a new story with Fix It Grammar . Its quite simple and takes about 20 minutes a day. 4 days a week.
In term 3- July. The Elegant Essay will be implemented. We have spend a lot of time in preparation for this program. I bought it a year ago, but put in on the back burner as Brid wasn't ready for it to be implemented.
Literature -  Brid and I have a list of Literature books, one / term, that she will write a report on.
This area may look top heavy, but there is room to move if necessary.
Science:-  Apologia Biology. This will be part of her afternoon subjects. We have for a very long time, studied a either science or history/ geography in the afternoons. It makes for a variety and an in depth study at the same time.
So her other afternoon subject Brid wanted to learn about is US History. I had in on my shelf and when we were putting our ideas together, this book was amongst them. We have barely studied any US history so it will be quite a lot of fun for us both. Seton always puts together a great resource. 
PHPD- Personal Health and Physical Development.:-
Personal development will involve using All things Girls- Truth for teens. It ha been a really good sounding board to allow quite intimate conversation to take place between Brid and myself.
Physical Development will be focusing on Ballet. We are so Blessed to have the facility in our area, with such dedicated teachers.
Creative arts and Music:- her 2 electives
Ballet -overlaps here and will take up a huge part of this.
Music- Practical Piano, The Composers and their influence.
Home Economics:- shopping, costing, meal preparation and writing out her recipe.
Friday afternoons is dedicated to dance / ballet/ history. This will be set by her ballet teachers.