Heather 'Blog She Wrote'...how do you do it?

[YoLanda]

I was looking at your blog and see how much you guys do! i think it's great!

I wanted to know how you get all the stuff to do, organizationally speaking.
How much time does it take you?

I'm thinking it takes me so long because I have so many sites with so much good info.
Do you have sites from long ago, therefore not taking up time to look for stuff? And do you stop collecting info and just use what you have, thus not taking that time to check out all the cool stuff that comes hs'er's way every 10 min.?!

I guess, in a nutshell, how do you organize what you will use, how is it organized in your puter, files whatever, and how long does it take you to prepare for a FIAR week, like the apple pie around the world book?

...........I know one of my problems is I keep collecting but feel convicted that I haven't done anything, or much, with what little I DO have! Therefore I don't get what I want done, done!

[Heather W]

Well uh...I do love to collect! Funny thing is I just asked Sheri (http://theshadesofpink.blogspot.com/) the same question about her work! You know...when do you decide that you have enough on a topic?

I do spend a bunch of time on the computer just checking out this site and fun blogs and suggested websites from various sources to see what's out there. I do have a finite number of places I continually check. I get the freebies from homeschoolestore.com and live and learn lapbooks and Hands of a Child. So, I generally know where to go to find a resource I might want to add in. One might say I do spend more time than I need to checking things out and so my scrapbooking isn't as caught up as it used to be and all that.;)

But it all starts with the FIAR manual. I go there for my primary lessons and what you see in many of those notebooks is the written expression of the lessons we do from the manual. If I can find a resource that makes that easier- like homeschool share then I probably will use it.

The notebooks for the Apple Pie unit mostly are the FIAR fold n' learn on apple pie. I did add a few items from the freebie apple lapbook from live and learn just for fun.

BYFIAR- Marie Curie all that metric system and lakes and magnets, etc are all topics to discover from the manual. My son made a lot of those folds from our lapbooking hardcopy resources. We have three Dinah Zyke books that I have him look through and decide on. So, if he has to display facts on a subject, I'll tell him he has the choice of how to present it and he pours through and decides what fits best and tries it. I'm a visual person so I require color whenever possible, but that's it.

So, my best suggestion is to start with the manual to decide which lessons you are going to do and then set out to find the resources you may or may not want to go with them.

A lot of times the notebooking stuff is just what lesson is written out so it might not be fancy.

As for how it is organized on my computer, I have a homeschool file where I save things, but it might be time to sort that some because it has gotten huge. You know I can put all the downloaded lapbooks and unit studies in one folder and begin to separate that way, but for now I can find things in my loonnng list.

I have also been sorting my bookmarks into categories because just "homeschool" isn't working anymore. I have folders for art lessons/ideas, one for homeschool stores, one for lesson ideas (homeschool share is here among many others), one for my favorite blogs. I just started that the other day so my general folders homeschool and homeschooling 2 are getting leaner and things are categorized more which is nice.

Oh on the school computer I have links to different sites for the kids sorted as well. The categories there are science links, math links, social studies links, general reference links, one general homeschooling (some of which has been sorted). Whenever the kids need to be on the computer to play at their sites or do research they can just click on the correct link found within that folder. General reference has our usborne quick links site, the library system (for reserving books), the webster online dictionary and encarta the encyclopedia. There might be more though I'm not sure. I don't have all my sites over there though I could. We can print from either over the network.

I definitely have more than I need, but part of the fun is just seeing what's out there. I think most of us can identify with that.

So, be encouraged! And use what you have and if you find that something is missing, then seek something out. I'm thinking you already have lots of fun links, but if you want to know where I visit pm me and I'd be happy to share.

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement! We've had a slow week this week so it's a nice pick me up!:)

[Heather W]

Oh- once I've printed stuff I put it in a little file folder labeled with the book title so I don't lose it in the mean time. I'm still working on using that to it's full advantage- like having things printed ahead.

I only plan for about an hour a week, but gathering the resources may take longer if I haven't spent time with it.

Like I said, my manual is the first place and then once I know what lessons I'll do, then I'll decide how to do those lessons and any written work and how that will be done and where it will end up, etc.

[YoLanda]

Thanks for the organized organizational post! ;)

I too had to finally separate my bookmarks into categories. And only recently did I start using the 'save to bookmark' option when i right click on a link. I used to just go to every link i saw that I liked and/or did it the long version but now I've got a whole 'nuther list of links to check out because I can save them easier!

I really enjoy your blog. ;), your ideas and your energy!

[Nancy Ann]

I really enjoy your blog and advice as well! :)

[Robin in Colorado]

:yes:

[Heather W]

Ok...how is it that this thread has been around since 2007 and showed up today??

Thanks guys!:)

[Sue C]

I also stand in awe of you. :) I snoop on your blog also. Great stuff!!

[DebB]

WOW...this is an OLD post. I realized it toward the end. Wonder how it got resurrected?

Deb

[YoLanda]

Me too!
I saw I posted something and wondered when I did that! Then I saw the date! How funny!

[TamaraUSA]

LOL! :roflol: I'm bringing this thread to life again, too! Being able to "see" FIAR in action through your blog has been so helpful. I'm on a learning journey to teach this way and it's not coming naturally..hehe!

Thank you again for sharing.

[Heather W]

Thank you Tamara!

This thread date is cracking me up and YoLanda you've had the same avatar for four years now it appears. :lol:

[Shelly L]

You guys are freaking me out! I thought I was reading something 'current'. So what I want to know is -- Heather, would your answers be the same almost 3 and half years later??? :lol:

[Heather W]

You guys are freaking me out! I thought I was reading something 'current'. So what I want to know is -- Heather, would your answers be the same almost 3 and half years later??? :lol:

EXCELLENT question!

For the most part, yes. However, I will amend a few things.


I have sorted my computer files! Because two years ago I got my own laptop and now everything is in a folder under homeschooling. I have folders for FIAR, B4, BY, math, notebooking, science, reading, etc. I can find anything easily now.
I do not use tons of extra lapbooking things and I no longer spend as much time trolling for freebies!! :clap: I use what I use and I make up a lot and if there is a FNL and I can afford it, I get it.
I let my kids do their own notebooking for BY- so that eliminates a lot right there. Want to see an example? Here is my daughter's recent notebooking (http://blogshewrote.blogspot.com/2011/01/sarah-plain-and-tall-notebooking.html)for Sarah, Plain and Tall.


I still stick with the manual primarily and I bring in what goes with what we'll do there. If I see a science thing that is easier than what is listed, I often use it. That is a science teacher's prerogative!

I've been paying more attention to art for my daughter in BY and really trying those out whereas my son loved all the science of the habitats in Sarah, Plain and Tall.

Oh and a resource I use often is Draw, Write, Now. My 5yo drew the best polar bear today to go with Very Last First Time. And he copied a sentence. So simple and so lovely. :)

Good time girls...good times!