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Mary G
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| Posted: June 28 2008 at 6:36am | IP Logged
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I don't know how many of you know aboutSimply Charlotte Mason or read their blog. They have great ideas for implementing CM in a home setting and seem to be very Christian.
Today, they had a post about "project weeks" -- where you do 3 weeks of "book-learning" and then shift over to a week of projects. The projects can be one project that lasts the week (stripping wallpaper and redoing a room and having the kids do the math for how large an area to paint, how much to buy; project costing, etc) or multiple projects that have piled up -- sewing extravaganza or field trips to a few museums or whatever.
I thought this was an intriguing idea -- what do y'all think?
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: June 28 2008 at 7:47am | IP Logged
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I read this also, and initially the thought appealed to me. But when I really thought about it, I don't think it would work in my house. First, my daughter wouldn't happily go 3 weeks between "project" time. She needs her "book learnin" broken up with hands on more often than that. Also, I would lose too many teaching moments if I waited 3 weeks to do a hands on project. We might have moved on from that topic by then.
We do hands on projects on Tuesday and Thursdays after lunch. Large projects are usually saved for the weekend.
Just my household, and how we work.
LeeAnn
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LeeAnn
Wife of David, mom to Ben, Dennis, Alex, Laura, Philip and our little souls in heaven we have yet to meet
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domchurch3
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| Posted: June 28 2008 at 10:10am | IP Logged
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I thought about doing this very thing with my soon-to-be 1st grader even before reading that great post. I ditto all the author's reaons for doing so, I just don't know how I'd feel about doing school year round. Of course, maybe it's my pregnant 1st trimester brain thinking, but I rather like having a break. I think it would work out a lot better for me, but I'm curious how it would affect my daughter who thrives on a strict schooling structure, Ex: poetry HAS to come after handwriting and it has to be DAILY not once a week.
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: June 28 2008 at 10:31am | IP Logged
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I read that this morning.
We sort of do this...sometimes toward the end of the month......I think of the end of the month as my trigger to do a few days of fun project stuff.
I always sort of felt a bit "manic"  when I did this, (trying assuage my guilt about being a no-fun-mom) but I guess it actually had some merit.  
I like it, cuz it gets the house messy all at one time!!!
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Suzanne in ID
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JeniferS
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| Posted: June 29 2008 at 10:25pm | IP Logged
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sewcrazy wrote:
We do hands on projects on Tuesday and Thursdays after lunch. Large projects are usually saved for the weekend.
Just my household, and how we work.
LeeAnn |
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I like this idea, LeeAnn! Maybe if I actually schedule some projects in on regular days, we'll actually do them! TFS
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Jenifer, mom to Harrison, 7 and Olivia, 5
The Way We Learn
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sweetiesmom
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| Posted: June 30 2008 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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We tried this last year, and it worked pretty well. It gave me a chance to catch up on written work/corrections/scheduling, and it gave the kids a chance to concentrate on some fun stuff. We will be working our schedules this way again next year.
sweetiesmom
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TracyQ
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| Posted: June 30 2008 at 9:32am | IP Logged
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If my kids were young, it could work better. When they're in Jr. High and High School, it's too difficult for us. Plus, living in a cold, snowy climate (Buffalo, NY) where Spring and Summer are at a premium, having our schoolyear basically the same as the district works better for our purposes. Also, we have a huge extended family, and their 50 cousins + all have vacations through the school year, and the summer off, so it's easier for us to have their schedule so our kids can be available to do things with them, etc. 
But the idea is a great one for those it would work for!
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Tracy Q.
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 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Willa
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I always liked the idea. Some homeschool book I read long ago recommended the approach. But in actual fact, it breaks up the momentum too much for us -- especially for ME. Things work better around here if we just grab an occasional project breather spontaneously rather than scheduling it in.
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Leonie
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Valerie Bendt talks about something similar in her Unit Studies book - a " rabbit trail" unit followed by a Basic Skills unit ( working on bookwork/basics) - unttl interests and time are ready for more exciting rabbit trails again....
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Leonie in Sydney
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amethyst
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 6:55am | IP Logged
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Willa wrote:
| But in actual fact, it breaks up the momentum too much for us -- especially for ME. |
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Same here. I *love* the idea, but the reality for us doesn't work. If we take that break it seems we unravel for the next few weeks and then I have to re-enthuse everyone back to the books. It's probably a personality thing for our family as I know some families who can do this, AND do it well.
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Jenny in Australia
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Project Weeks
