Thinking About the Next Learning Year Yet? We are.

The true LOVE of Learning and printables to help you stay focused on your goals.

Although many families are just beginning to finish up their lessons for the summer and are NOT thinking about the next learning year yet, we are.  We are contemplating the true LOVE of learning and how we can bring that to fruition.  One of our family's goals for all of its members is to cultivate the love of learning.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit dispensed to the apostles and Mother Mary on Pentecost are also given to each one of us in the Sacrament of Confirmation.  This allows for us to be continuously challenged to better know and understand our Lord and the world He made for us including how we interact with it and with each other.  That is a tall order, we know, but it is our calling as Christians and Catholics.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit include:  Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.  So, how does this translate into our learning year, you may be asking.  It is the factor of LOVE that needs to be incorporated into our school year.

Look to and allow the Lord to lead you.

Keep the Lord at the centre of your learning and planning.  Select curriculum that heeds the teachings of the church.  Choose books, curriculum and resources that reflect God's truth.  Avoid those things which require you to filter out errors, opinions and beliefs that do not fit into your faith and the teachings of Christ and the Church.  If we are to constantly rely on making due with something, unavoidably when we are tired or weakened, errors will get through and make their way into our lessons and permeate our homes and teaching sessions.  Do not under estimate the power and patience of the evil one to wait for us to become weak, to then infiltrate our Christian homes.  Be on Guard.  Confirmation makes us a soldier for Christ.  We must function as one for our children.

Omit Chaos and Be Realistic.

In our pride and vanity we many times forget that we are human and our children are as well.  We tend to want to see the value in every possible thing provided to us - every fieldtrip, play, free concert, co-op, study group... We often times overwhelm our children with resources, activities, outings and busy-ness.  We create goals based on theories or what other families are doing and burn ourselves and our children out in the process.  Omit the chaos of homeschooling by setting realistic goals which take into account your time constraints, budget, your natural abilities and talents as well as the appropriateness of the topicality and your child's personality and skill level.  Children will do what we set out for them, but it is up to us to discern what is best for them. 

Vary Your Routine.

When our Lord created the earth, He gave us so many options for food.  They range in colour, taste, texture, purpose, and availability.  He knew that each type of food would provide something we needed to remain healthy; it would enhance and strengthen our bodies when used in moderation. He provided us with a well rounded and balanced diet that would meet all of our nutritional needs.  We can learn alot from our Lord when we apply this to our teaching and learning.  Too much of any one thing is not good for us - whether it is too much of one kind of resource, too much of one subject, too much of one topic, or too much of one activity.  Our Lord taught us to vary our routine to create well rounded Christians capable of growing in knowledge rather than being stifled by it. 

Expect Setbacks.

If we remember the parable of the vine and the branches we will recall that it is the pruning that causes the growth and production of fruit and that the vine dresser is the one who does the pruning.  Setbacks are our opportunity for growth.  It is the pruning that the Lord gives us to help us grow in virtue and truth.  We must expect setbacks to occur in our learning year.  Our plans for achieving the goals we set within certain times frames, parametres, using certain programs, in a certain budget, or under a certain guide may be put on hold or may have to change permanently for our very own good.  We cannot get so caught up in goals and outcomes that we overlook the joy and knowledge that is occurring with real learning no matter how slow or small it is.  When illness, financial hardship, death of a loved one, emotional distress or any of a number of other factors take hold of our lives, we must remember that it is our personal opportunity to test the virtues that we have, to see how strong or weak they are.  We must know setbacks will come and we should plan for them by giving ourselves some breathing room in our yearly planning.  Every homeschooling family will go through setbacks at some point, the key is to remember that we are called to do this task and that our behaviour, however good or bad it is, will definitely impact the life of our children.  If they see us pray in time of need, reach out to others in crisis, receive the sacraments in time of weakness and sin, they will know it is what they should do in the same situation when it arises.  We must be exemplary examples of the truth and faith for them.  We must teach this to them for everything else can be learned in a book on their own.

Our offerings today include some neat little sheets from Shell as well as some new freebies from our own collection.

Shell over at Thinking Love, No Twaddle blog has created some little printables to help children become more independent learners.  When you feel your learner is ready or when are ready to help them become a bit more independent, this five page set may be just what you are looking for.  Children can note down their own info or mum could help with a few notes as well.  There is a space for prayer, chores, what we are reading, weekly tasks and more.  I also love the little learning quotes that are on each page too.  Each page has a different theme focus including dinos, animals, science, Christ and the children, and there is also a lovely simple journal page too.  See a few sample pages below.

Find this and many of her other cute printables HERE.

From our creative side, we have designed some goal planning sheets to help you to figure out the goals you have for each child, by subject, and then the core and supplemental resources/activities that you intend to use to meet your goals.  There are a variety of bright themes that parents or even older learners could use to see their year at a glance.  There are even check-off boxes to help you keep track of your accomplishments.  These were designed to help you remember that although teaching our children is a tough and encompassing job, there is always room for joy and smiles.  My pastor always reminds us that the mark of a good Christian is a joyful heart.

Here are a few sample themes from our goal planning sheets:

Click HERE to see our entire collection of new goal planning sheets.

We hope our resources have got you happily thinking about your next learning year.

Blessings,

Kalei