I'm up to my earlobes in school planning. I know a lot of homeschoolers plan as they go, and there have been some years in there that I have done it that way, too. But I find that it helps me when I have at least a basic over-all plan of where I want to go and how I plan to get there. I end the year much more satisfied with our results.
I wouldn't pile my kids in the car for a vacation without packing, planning for our needs, planning a destination, mapping out a route and setting a budget. I want our vacation to be enjoyable and safe for everyone, and I want to take advantage of the opportunities that await at our destination. If I don't even know where we're going there will be a lot of missed opportunities and regrets. For instance, I would really regret not stopping at that gas station for a fill-up and a potty-break if I find out later that there isn't another one for 140 miles. Really wish I had known that...
The same is true for homeschooling. I want to know where we are going. What are our goals as a family? What have we set out to accomplish? How will we achieve it? How much time and money are we able to dedicate to it? What are the learning styles of the children and what is my teaching style? How will I make them work together?
When I have a basic overview, it is easier for me to pace our studies, our home, and our church. If I know I am going to dedicate about 3 high school years to foreign language, then I know I haven't failed if my kids aren't fluent in Spanish by the time they are 6 years old. I still have time to work on this. I also know that if I only plan to spend 6 months on human anatomy, we will really need to study hard to accomplish our goals.
Having a basic plan also helps me keep my focus. Rather than being pulled in the direction of every other homeschooler I meet, or being wowed by every bell and whistle the curriculum companies flash at me, I can evaluate my available choices to see what would work in our situation and for our family goals. I can appreciate how much someone else likes the materials they are using without feeling inferior or that I should chuck mine and go buy theirs. I can also tell if something I am using isn't moving us toward our goals. I know when it is time to chuck it.
I have to tell you, though, that I always do my plans in pencil. With an eraser. Life throws curve balls. Children mature and needs change. Plans that seemed great at the beginning of the year may need to be adjusted as we go. Junior may rip through Algebra and be impatiently waiting for Calculus. Having a plan doesn't mean holding your kids back when they are ready to run.
It also doesn't mean pushing your kids to "keep up" with your plan. The plan is for the kids, not the kids for the plan. The plan is not there to impress the in-laws, either. If one of your family goals is to prove to the world how smart your kids are, then by all means, give them Plato in the 2nd grade. Make them recite War & Peace in its entirety. Just don't expect them to love learning. In my experience, kids have a lovely way of shutting down when you try to cram knowledge down their throat. I mean, do you remember cramming for tests when you were in school? How much of that information do you actually remember now? How about the things you learned about for the sheer fascination factor? Do you remember any of those? See what I mean?
So we use a pencil with an eraser. If the toddler needs some extra time, we make room for it and rearrange things a bit. If my high schoolers need extra help with Geometry, we can make a place for that, too. If the science experiment is just too cool to stop, we don't. Because I have a basic plan, I am able to see what isn't really important so I can make room for what is.
