So, what's the plan?

A new academic year is almost upon us and I've been busy planning the start to Bear's Foundation Stage 2. Had he gone into mainstream school, Bear would be starting Reception next week and I plan to be a little more structured this year with our intentions.

I ordered my new planner insert from Personal Planner, a website I've used for years now for different reasons, but now it's perfect for planning and recording Bear's learning journey. I bought the leatherbound ring binder last year and just have to replace the actual organiser pages each year.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have filled in the planning sheets I included to map out some of the ideas I have for throughout the year. For example, seasonal studies, including our tree study, and this year we're going to add a pond study as Bear has shown an interest in frogs and tadpoles recently. I also want to include a dandelion study and maybe an apple study.

From here I added some other ideas too. We are going to start looking at the calendar, learning weekdays, months etc and including time, as Bear has a grasp on numbers and o'clock. So we're going to move on to other times. Plus I'd like to do some more work on emotions, and his body, so bringing in some science.

I have a rather precariously stacked pile of home education books that I'd like to get read over the coming months that I hope will influence and shape the style that we'd like to adopt going forward... I know some of the ideals that we'd like to go by, and I know that studies such as nature are going to be important to us, but finding our rhythm and what works for us is only going to happen over time.

September is a pretty busy month with all the Not Back to School events planned, plus several trips planned by the home ed community. Our normal groups are back on too so we have lots planned, all which, luckily have missed my work days so we can get involved with everything!

During the first week of September I hope to do some of the same activities that I did last year with Bear. We have our questionnaire to fill in, and a page in the back of the planner that covers what we did last year and what we hope to do this year. And of course, we have to take first day photos! 

What are your plans for the beginning of September? I'd love to hear what your traditions etc are for those first few days "back".

Mama Bear x