South Australian Homeschooling Camp - 2012

HI all. The time is fast approaching for our 2012 Homeschooling Camp!

The dates will be Mon-Fri, April 23rd - 27th. This is Week 1 of Term 2. Anzac Day will be on the Wednesday, so we'll no doubt have Anzac activities and so forth on the day.

The camp site sleeps around 90 people in total. It is located just outside of Melrose, at the base of Mt Remarkable. The site provides dormitory-style accommodation, with bunk beds in each room, sleeping from 4-6 people in each room. There are 18 rooms available; some with ensuites, and some without.

Our Willochra Camp is very relaxed - our activities include hiking up the Mount, and a trip to Alilgator Gorge (hiking down the 150 or so steps into the Gorge), as well as evening activities such as a Bush Dance, Concert and Quiz Night. All activities are completely optional - if you'd prefer to simply relax, chat and put your feet up, that's fine too.

The costs are $21 per person, per night, which includes the booking fee. Pre-schoolers are free.

There is no camping allowed on-site, however, if you would prefer, you are able to camp at the local caravan park. It would then cost each person $10.50 to attend the camp as a 'day visitor'.

The site has a large kitchen and dining room, and each family brings their own food and meals. There is a large, walk-in fridge for food storage. We usually have a 'baked potato night', 'pasta night', 'BBQ night', etc., so everyone is having similar meals, but again, this is flexible, and each family does what suits them.

If you are interested in making a booking, please email me at: lindamaher08 at gmail dot com .



There are still several rooms available, so even if you cannot make it, we would appreciate you spreading the word – we would like to see more of the rooms booked, and the opportunity for some ‘time out’ offered to as many homeschoolers as possible.

For those who have booked rooms, I shall be in touch shortly with further details.

Please pass the word around to as many homeschoolers as you can!

Thanks and God bless,

Linda.

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner

Today I have finished my plan for our homeschool year, including curriculum, extra-curricula activities, and reading lists (I will blog soon about all the resources we'll be using this year).  Normally, I type everything up on my computer, and print it all out - including a record page for every day of the year, then bind it all together in a book.

But this year, I have found something new!   I have discovered 'The Ultimate Homeschool Planner' by Debra Bell.  This planner contains most of what I would normally make up and print out myself - calendars, planning pages, goals, Resource lists for each student, weekly planners (which I will use as a record of what we actually do), reading lists, activity logs, and test records.  As well, there is a space for each week to record 'This Week's Memorable Moments', and 'Evidences of God's Grace'.  Each week also contains an educational quote, and the whole planner is sprial-bound with a plastic cover - perfect in case of those occasional 'spiills' that happen when you do school work at the kitchen table.

One downside, though, for those with large families;  there is only enough space allocated each week for six students.  Of course, as two of mine have now left home, this suits us perfectly!  But two years ago, this would have been a problem.

I have still typed up our timetables and complete resource list, which has been stapled and slotted into the pocket included on the inisde of the front cover.  Another one of these pockets is included on the back cover - so any 'extra bits' you need to add are kept safe & secure.

For the sixteen years that we have homeschooled, I have always made up my own record book - this is the first record book / planner that I have ever found that suited our needs.  As you can tell, I'm most impressed, and it's wonderful to have all the planning done so early in the year.

You can find 'The Ultimate Homeschool Planner' at Christian Book:

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner By Apologia Educational Ministries Designed for the busy homeschooling mother, help bring order---and less frustration---into your life. A user's guide will help you set everything up; a one-year planning grid, student goal setter, pre-planning guide, monthly planners, weekly planner, records, teaching tips, and a high school planning guide are all provided. Yearly planning pages provide room for vision-casting with your family priorities, a review of the previous school year, a goal-setter for character and academics, and timing grids. Weekly plans provide room to write in your Bible plan, battle plan, prayers, hospitality/outreach efforts, memorable moments, achievements, and evidences of grace. Schedule pages may be filled in as you see fit-both the vertical and horizontal axes are blank for you to fill in days and subjects as you prefer. Boxes along the facing page include room for notes, supplies, and appointments. The plastic covers include folder pockets on the inside for handy storage. Spiral bound.

Happy Planning!

Linda.