We’re heading into our fourth year in Classical Conversations which means this is our second time in Cycle 3. Much has changed since the last time I was thinking about Cycle 3. The amount of kids I’m schooling tripled, and I cut my available school planning by at least twice that. However, I also have increased my understanding and trust in CC which led me to a simpler game plan for this year.
Because Ty needs lots of structure still, he’ll need a little more planning, so we can all stay sane. I was not super-excited about finding time to plan for him which is why I was ecstatic when Colleen at Solagratiamom.com offered me a copy of her Cycle 3 Teaching Plan to review for you all.
First, be sure to read her intro. Neither of us want to promote that all she suggests is necessary. Her grid is filled with suggestions should you (or, more importantly, your kids) want to go deeper. Please, don’t get all Type A (like me, three years ago) and stress you, and your kids, to get “it” all done.
Colleen also publishes a Wonderful Wednesday curriculum containing ideas for hands-on activities. They can be incorporated throughout the week or, as recommended, you could set aside a “fun learning” day. She even has ideas for how to do this as a community or group.
The only thing I wish she had done was left the specific days off of the columns since not all communities meet on Mondays. Headings such as Community Day and At-Home Days 1 through 4 would be better for non-Monday families.
Have you used these Teaching Plans before? How have they worked for you?
Want to enter to win a free set? The bundle includes Teaching Plans, Wonderful Wednesday, and Pin Map printouts.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for this post.
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If you don’t win, click here to get your own and use the code “thecorkums” for 30% until December 31st.
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It’s an entire year-at-a-glance.
The possibilities are so endless, I haven’t decided what to do with mine yet.
Do I simply check off the days in 2013 as they fly by to give my Ethiopians a better sense of time?
Do I leave it blank and let them use it for elapsed time problems?
Do I use it to visually mark everyone’s Tae Kwon Do progress?
Do I use it for our business and non-profit we are launching to goal plan?
Do I use it to just keep track of everyone’s extra curriculars? I could even color code it!
Here are some things to note about it:
Two-sided. One side is landscape for an area like above your desk. The other side is portrait. Perfect for the back of a door. Ours is currently hanging landscape in our front hall.
Surface. Available in a dry-erase surface or uncoated if you want to be more accountable for your goals.
It’s academic. They recently added an academic version. This could be an invaluable tool for us homeschoolers.
No Gaps. “Unlike other calendars, this one has no space between months. The philosophy here is that the week is the currency we think in, so this calendar focuses on presenting 52 weeks, rather than 12 months. This feature helps you plan across months easily, and see clearly the distance/days between any two dates in the year. It will also motivate you to see weeks passing, deadlines approaching and goals accomplished.”
Weekends. At first I was annoyed that the weeks started on Monday. Then I realized that this design puts all the weekends together. When you pair that with the no-gap design, you get a great visual of just your weekends. Perhaps in a future design, the weekends could be lightly shaded so they stand out.
Are you ready to try one?
For the next week, you have the chance to win one.
If you don’t win, click here to get your own and use the code “thecorkums” for 30% until December 31st.
]]>I’ve always dreamt about wall letters for my kids. Now with 3 kids in a room, there’s not much wall space. Not to mention we’d need a lot of letters!
Besides wall letters, Pink Taffy Designs carries lots of boutique items for babies. There’s even clothes for the big kids. It’s the kind of store where you discover things you need that you didn’t even know existed. You should definitely check them out.
This giveaway will last for two weeks starting September 3rd and running until midnight, September 16th. You’ll enter by using the Rafflecopter below to enter. We wish you the best of luck! And make sure give the form a minute to load 
