Mommy Plannerista

Planning. Passions. Parenthood.

Charlotte Mason-inspired Homeschool Planner Flip Through

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A new homeschool year started for us a week ago. Planning for it is what kept me so busy these past several weeks. Homeschool planning is definitely not a walk in the park. However, I find that it can be made more manageable if you have a tool to use that helps you organize things. In my case, it’s a planner. (What else, right? I’m a planner addict. Duh!)

If you’ve been following me on this blog and on my Instagram accounts, you’d know that for the past couple of years, I’ve been using a pocket size travelers notebook as a homeschool planner. This year, I decided to go for a personal ring planner instead because I’ve been using a ring planner (pocket size) for my everyday planning too.

I was lucky enough to have found this Kikki.K personal ring planner on super sale at National Book Store online for only PHP 100.00 (approximately $2). Super cheap! Originally, this planner would have cost me around PHP 4,000.00. So anyway, I figured it would be perfect for homeschool planning so I decided to use it for that purpose.

I also decided to make my homeschool planner Charlotte Mason – inspired. We’ve been incorporating Charlotte Mason methods to our homeschool last year. This year, I wanted to immerse ourselves more on the methods.

So I included some CM-type sections in the planner that I didn’t have in my previous homeschool planners, such as:

  • Charlotte Mason quotes to inspire me
  • Process lists (ex. how to do narration, how to do dictation, picture and composer study, etc)
  • Preschool priorities
  • List of living books for family read-alouds
  • List of living books for independent reading
  • List of additional books to read per subject
  • List of afternoon occupations

It is by no means a complete Charlotte Mason homeschool planner. That’s why I’m saying it’s only a Charlotte Mason-inspired one. I actually researched for ready-made ones online but decided not to purchase any of them. There are quite a selection to choose from but they’re also expensive especially if you add in the cost of freight. All of the CM planners I’ve seen are from abroad so the freight cost is expensive.

I’ve also found a few printable ones online but I just felt like I could save money by customizing my own using free planner inserts that can be downloaded online. There are a lot of generic and free printable inserts that you can definitely turn into anything you need. I just took note of the common sections from the CM planners and incorporated those I would need into my planner.

Aside from the CM sections though, I still included general sections such as some calendars, notes and lists, lesson plan lists, field trip planner, and grading sheets.

I really like how the planner is working for me so far. If you wish to see a flip through of it, please watch the video I published on my YouTube channel, which you can see below.

I hope you enjoy the flip through and that you will find it helpful for your own homeschool planning. Please let me know what you think of my planner and don’t hesitate to give some suggestions on how you think I can improve it. If you have questions about my set up, please let me know too.

Happy homeschool planning!

Shop for your School Supplies at the National Bookstore Grand Back to School Fair

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Yes, it’s that time of the year again when parents of school kids are busy back-to-school shopping. Even though we are homeschooling we are not free from that because we still need to stock up on our own school supplies too.

Aside from the supplies though, I’m also currently re-organizing our homeschool room. So, I’m going to need a lot of storage items to properly organize all our new books and supplies.

That said, I’m so happy to learn that the National Book Store Grand Back to School Fair is happening this weekend. Yay! It’s the perfect venue for parents like me to go and shop for school supplies.

National Book Store is inviting you all to shop for the school supplies you need at their Grand Back to School Fair, happening from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM on May 24 to 26, 2019 at the Glorietta Palm Drive Activity Center in Makati City.

There is so much to look forward to at the event! Enjoy all of the special offers for the back-to-school season. Get a backpack for Php 100 or a lunch bag for Php 75 with every Php 300 single-receipt transaction with any participating item. You will also be gifted a Php 100 NBS Gift Card with every Php 3,000 single-receipt transaction. Be one of 6 winners of Php 5,000 NBS gift card or 30 winners of Php 1,000 worth of school supplies.

Save time and energy with the Grab & Go packs and get big savings with the Budget Bundles. For quick and easy shopping, get the Backpack to School for Grades 1 to 3 (P345) and Grades 4 to 6 (P445).

Shop for the supplies and accessories you need for the new school year, whether your kids are in elementary, high school, or college.

Special thanks to all of the participating brands: Adventurer, Berkley, Bic, Biotop, Canson, Deli, Dong-A, Dymo, Faber-Castell, Fabriano, Limelight, Liquitex, Livinbox, Mongol, PaperOne, Pilot, Sakura, Sharpie, Titus, Tombow, Veco, Uni, and Winsor & Newton.

We are definitely not going to miss this! Hope to see you at the National Book Store Grand Back to School Fair! Happy shopping!

How We Inject Christmas In Our Homeschool

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Each year, I try to find more ways to be more intentional in our homeschool. So I thought, why not do something to be more intentional in celebrating Christmas, right? We want our kids to be reminded of what Christmas is really about aside from just giving and receiving gifts.

Like other families, we have our own Christmas traditions. However, this year I tried to start new traditions by incorporating them into our homeschool. Here’s what we’ve done so far this Christmas season.

DIY Advent Wreath

I remember making my own advent wreath as a Christmas project in school when I was a kid. I thought it would be fun to help Ziggy do the same. Besides, he’ll be having his First Communion already next year and I wanted him to be more familiar with Catholic traditions.

We made this advent wreath by reusing some random materials we found at home after I looked at some photos on Pinterest. We didn’t spend a thing on this, except for our time and effort. We made it in time for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Ziggy, and even two-year-old Zander, enjoy the activity because it involves lighting and blowing out candles. But we say our advent prayers too, of course. That is the whole point, after all.

DIY Parol

For this project, I had the hubby assist Ziggy. He actually had some wood shaped into a star from last year’s Christmas. It was supposed to be for his office but was never used. So we only had to buy some cellophane and other papers to wrap the star with.

Too bad we weren’t able to light it up. But that’s okay because we weren’t planning on putting it outside anyway. We just placed it behind our Christmas tree.

Christmas-themed Worksheets

While I usually follow the lessons in Ziggy’s textbooks, every so often I also get lessons and worksheets from other sources. There are lots of Christmas-themed ones online. The ones I found were even free.

I got a Christmas activity sheet for Ziggy’s math lesson on geometry. He had to cut out and color some shapes and combine them to make a Christmas tree and a reindeer.

I also found one for his English lesson on adjectives. It involved completing a Christmas-themed story by throwing candy (ideally a candy cane) on a sheet full of adjectives. When the candy lands on an adjective, you’re supposed to use it on one of the blanks in the story. It was actually such a fun and silly game and Ziggy really enjoyed it.

Christmas Stories and Carols

I was searching our collection of books to look for Christmas-themed ones and found this book called The Lion Book of Christmas Carols. It contains the story of Jesus’ birth starting from the Angel Gabriel telling Mary that she was to be the mother of our Savior. Each Bible story has its corresponding carols.

I started reading the stories to the boys a week before Christmas, one story each day. Then I found videos of the carols on YouTube so that we could sing them with music. We really love this activity because we are a music-loving family. I think reading the Bible stories also made Ziggy learn more about the origins of Christmas, making it more meaningful to him.

Visiting Christmas Light Shows

We make field trips a part of our homeschool as often as we can. For this quarter, we made visiting Christmas light shows a homeschool field trip too. We first visited Pixar Playtown in Bonifacio High Street. Too bad we didn’t have our girls with us then.

At least, Zoe and Ziya were finally able to join us when we went to the Ayala Triangle Gardens Lights and Sounds Show. We enjoyed this one more because of the Disney theme. Plus, the light show was grander and longer than the one at Bonifacio High Street.

All these activities have really made our Christmas celebration more fun and most importantly, more meaningful. We’re not done yet though. We’ve actually been decluttering our house lately and have already segregated a lot of items that we plan to donate. We’ll be donating clothes and toys but haven’t decided where yet. But for sure, we’ll be including our kids in that activity too.

You don’t have to homeschool though to do these activities. There’s lots of things you can do as a family. Next year, I’m actually planning on doing an advent calendar activity too. How do you make Christmas more meaningful for your family? Do give me some ideas.

For now though, let us greet you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!!!

#OnFirePHC2018: Quotes from the Philippine Homeschool Convention 2018

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Last September 22, 2018, I had the privilege of attending the Philippine Homeschool Convention 2018 at SMX Convention Center, SM Aura. The theme this year was On Fire!

I was super excited to attend because I missed the ones from the past two years. I was only able to attend the one held in 2015.

Aside from the prospect of seeing and reconnecting with my homeschool mom friends, I was of course excited to learn from the various speakers. This year, the Philippine Homeschool Convention line up was especially generous with 9 speakers during the morning plenary session and 3 from the breakout sessions in the afternoon.

With my friend, May Palacpac, of FullyHousewifed.com

 

With my bestie, Darla. It was her first time to attend the convention and she’s thinking of homeschooling her youngest child.

Going into the convention, I really felt like I needed inspiration to keep lighting my fire for homeschooling. While homeschooling has been going great for us, I’ve been feeling burnout recently because it’s hard to balance it with doing chores, taking care of the kids, and working part time too. I needed a reminder of why we decided to do this and I certainly got that from listening to the speakers.

Lessons and Inspirations from the Philippine Homeschool Convention

The speakers shared a lot of valuable knowledge and inspiration and I’d like to share some of my favorite ones with you. Please bear in mind that I might not be quoting them exactly but I tried to capture the essence of what they shared to the best of my ability.

 

Cassandra Shepherd: You Can Homeschool!

  • Homeschooling is for teaching real people to prepare them for real life.
  • You don’t have to be the expert.
  • Leave room to breathe.
  • Your curriculum is not your servant not your master.

 

 

Jayson Lo: Homeschooling with a Vision

  • Treat your kids the way they want to be treated.
  • Dreams do not come true, visions do. Visions are dreams with a deadline.

 

 

Michelle Padrelanan: Homeschooling Through the Mountains and Valleys of Life

Keep on!

K – know your goals

E – entrust your children to the Lord

E – enlist help when needed

P – pray

ON – onwards and forward

 

 

Dr. Teresa Moon: The Secret to More Time and Energy

  • We gain more time by doing less and gain more energy by loving the less we do.
  • A calm mind brings clarity, contentment, and compassion.

 

Laksmi and Vishnu Maluya: Spreading the Fire of Homeschooling

  • Focus on the child.
  • Give kids time to play.
  • Dream:

D – determination to finish

R – respect others

E – eagerness to learn

A – always be patient

M – make God our center

 

Lia Cua: Making a Difference as a Homeschooled Kid

  • Homeschooling allows kids more time and opportunity to find and pursue their passions.

 

Jen Wi-Bellosillo: Homeschooling Special Needs Kids – A Life Changing Vocation

  • Find the structure that works for you.

 

Camille Paguio: Homeschooling Works!

  • Fail better, fail faster.
  • Think out of the box.
  • Teach kids how to value time.
  • Defy the norm.

 

Nove-Ann Tan: Homeschooling 101 – Beginning Homeschooling

  • Know your why.
  • Know your what.
  • Know your how.
  • Prepare to make a mistake.
  • Find where your child is now and move from there.
  • Don’t let your schedule run you. Be flexible.
  • Be the person you want your child to become.

Moira Bulan – Bunyi: Finding Your Village – Starting and Sustaining Co-ops and Support Groups

  • Identify goals: academic, social or extra-curricular
  • Define level of involvement, rules, schedules and modes of communication in relation to your goals as a group

Gina Guerrero-Roldan: How to Inject Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in Your Homeschool

  • It’s not enough to know a lot of truth if it doesn’t change the way you live. Be doers and not only hearers.
  • We can know beauty because God is beautiful and His entire creation resounds with His glory and proclaims His nature.

The convention truly reminded me of the reasons why we homeschool. I guess it’s just normal to question yourself every so often, which I realize is still a good thing because it forces you to take a good look at your homeschool journey. We’re currently in our fourth year now and it’s just normal to experience some highs and lows. What’s important is that it still works for us and we’re committing to it for us long as our kids continue to thrive in this set up.

Thanks to the Educating for Life team for organizing a successful convention. I’m definitely looking forward to joining again next year.

“On Fire!”: 2018 Philippine Homeschool Convention

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We’re on our fourth year homeschooling this year. I can’t even believe it has been that long already. I wasn’t so sure we’d last more than two years. Haha! But seriously, it has been such an interesting journey, to say the least.

I love that Ziggy and I have been successful in homeschooling so far. He’s learning. He’s enjoying homeschooling and doesn’t want to go to a regular school yet. I also enjoy teaching him and seeing him learn new things. At the same time, I get to really bond with him as well.

However, I’ve honestly been thinking of quitting after this school year already. It’s mostly due to my feeling that I have so much on my plate already. Homeschooling takes a lot of my time. Add to that the time I need to spend on taking care of my family, doing chores, blogging, and working. As it is, I only work part-time. I really want to earn more and the only way I think I can do that is if I increase my work hours.

Nothing’s final yet though. I still wish to homeschool for as long as possible. I guess, at this point, I just need some encouragement and maybe some inspiration so that I can figure out how to manage everything on my plate and still homeschool.

That’s precisely why I want to attend this year’s Philippine Homeschool Convention. I was only able to attend the first one, which was a few years ago and I really enjoyed the experience. I’m hoping that this year, I’ll learn more things and rekindle that fire I have for homeschooling.

If you’re interested to attend the convention as well, here are some helpful info you need to know.

On Fire: 2018 Philippine Homeschool Convention

This year, Educating for Life (EFL) and SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier are pleased to invite you to the 2018 Philippine Homeschool Convention (PHC). To be held on September 22, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, this year’s convention aims to gather Filipino parents and provide them with inspiration and encouragement to keep the flame burning as they fuel and kindle their children’s passion and purpose.

The Convention, with the theme “On Fire!”, draws its inspiration from the quotation commonly attributed to the poet William Yeats, but is said to originate from Greek biographer and essayist Plutarch’s original words that say, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”

As homeschoolers, we believe that our approach to education is characterized by this very concept. In homeschooling our children, we do not merely fill their minds with information. We aim for character-building that goes beyond the academics. We strive to guide our children to find what fuels them. We kindle these passions and vocations in the hopes that they find their meaning and purpose in life.

Thus, “On Fire!” is also a call to all Filipino homeschoolers—parents and children alike—to make a difference in a world that seems void of hope, empathy, and compassion. As we kindle the fire within our children and teach them life’s most important lessons, may all homeschooling families become tiny sparks that together will set the world ablaze.

Speakers, Program and Activities:

This year’s Philippine Homeschool Convention features inspirational speakers and seasoned homeschooling parents who aim to rally all homeschoolers to “Light the Fire”, “Fan the Flame,” and “Spread the Fire” of homeschooling within their families and communities.

The line-up of speakers consists of both international and local speakers who will leave the participants inspired, encouraged, empowered, and equipped to start or continue their respective homeschooling journeys with even greater passion than before.

Among them are homeschool student-turned-homeschooling veteran mom and advocate Cassandra Shepherd from New Zealand/Singapore, homeschooling dad, bestselling author and sought-after motivational speaker Jayson Lo, veteran homeschooling mom, author, and speaker at major U.S. homeschool conventions Dr. Teresa Moon from the U.S., and homeschool coach and author of the first homeschooling book in the Philippines Nove-Ann Tan.

Click this link for more information about the speakers.
Click this link for a copy of the program.
Click this link to view the PHC topics for the plenary and breakout sessions.

Similar to the past conferences, there will also be an Expo and activities for kids and teens.

Registration:

Interested PHC participants can register online via this link.

Below are the registration fees:
* Early bird rate – Full access (With access to plenary talks, breakout sessions and expo) – P1000 per participant
* Expo only ticket – P100 per person
* Walk-in and on-site payment rate – Full access – P1200 per participant
* Kids 3 and below are free (lap seating only)

Physical tickets are also available at the following:s
Catholic Filipino Academy
OMF Literature Bookstores
Peniel Integrated Christian Academy of Rizal
The Parenting Emporium

Hope to see you there!

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