My Thoughts About Next Year

 Next year my daughter will be in her final year of high school.  When I began this journey, she was in the third grade.  She was my first homeschool student.  I was so afraid about pulling her from public school.  I had so many doubts.  Now, she is conquering the eleventh grade.

Next year I will also have a fifth grader.  

As I delve more into my college classes and see the time requirements that I must devote, I know that next year will need to be highly organized. My daughters will need to be independent often.  

I want a fun year.  One daughter will be in her final year of homeschooling, with little required to graduate.  She began receiving high school credit in the eighth grade, and now only needs her senior requirements. I want her senior year to be interesting for her.  I plan to mix things up a bit from what she has been doing.  I might ease some of her workload by focusing on a few subjects where she can go deep.  As of right now, she will take World Geography.  I'm planning a research-based plan with some amazing books to supplement.  I am also planning to order her a forensics/human anatomy class.  This will benefit the career area she is seeking.  She will do British literature for English. I might have her do a class called Foundations. She is also considering Accounting.  I am also desiring to work with her on poetry and prophets for Bible.  That is six classes, but I am considering having weekly goals and having her schedule much of the work on her own.  I feel that this would be a great way for her to learn to set goals and a schedule for herself. 

My plans for the upcoming fifth grader are less concrete.  She is scheduled to move ahead in Heart of Dakota.  However, I am considering taking a year off of Heart of Dakota to let her have a little more space in her learning.  She would continue in her math, reading, language arts, and dictation.  The next Heart of Dakota level is a bit of a jump in skill level.  My daughter could do the work, but I am seeing her lose some of her love of learning.  

There will always be a lessons that don't thrill my child.  I am considering a more child-led year.  We do tons of read alouds every evening.  We check out a large amount of books every couple of weeks.  I am considering letting my daughter have a year to explore the many interests she has. By the end of the year, I believe she would be completely ready for the next level of Heart of Dakota.

I haven't made any definite plans yet.  I am still praying for direction for both of my daughters.  However, my heart is certain that I want to enjoy this last year of my older daughter in our homeschool.  After all, "The days are slow, but the years are fast."