Reviewing the Year

Reviewing the current year

Well, it’s that time of the year where I start to look back and reflect upon the growth and change in the members of our family, including myself. While we don?t have school report cards or achievement cards I will be writing letters to each of the children. I shall tell them areas where I think they’ve had growth or that they need to focus upon in the future are areas such as:

• SPIRITUAL LIFE ~Bible reading, study, worship, prayer, fellowship, devotional readings, journal writing.
• LIFE SKILLS~ Chores, serving others, life skills.
• RELATIONSHIP/CHARACTER~ Relationship to others, God and self. Exercise, sport, nutrition, hygiene, personal development, health.
• ENGLISH~The art of communication – copywork/dictation, grammar, poetry, writing/composition, spelling/vocabulary, literature.
• MATHEMATICS~ Problem solving, thinking skills, logic studies.
• SCIENCE~Nature study, typing/technology, study.
• HISTORY~Past people and events. History and biography.
• GEOGRAPHY~ people and places of the world. Government, Economics, Foreign Language.
• WORLD VIEWS, CURRENT EVENTS ~
• CREATIVE ARTS ~ Music, art, crafts, drama, Shakespeare, instruments, and other creative activities.
• AUDIO, VIDEO, TV & DISCUSSIONS~ Things I’ve discussed or learned by listening or watching.

This activity is much more important than an ‘A’ or 80%. Really, what does that tell a person? How does that encourage them? How does that help them to one day be self governed in the important areas of life? Our home learning journey is about real life, so I’ll want to let them know how they are going in those areas especially. So I’ll write them about their Spiritual Life, Life Skills, and Relationship and Character. I’ll probably spend more time in these areas than on the other academic areas. I have found that it?s of little use to focus heavily on academics if the child doesn’t have the ability to focus or apply themselves to a task. Similarly, it?s more important that they know how to relate to other people than have their touch typing skills at a high level. I find this sort of review helpful as I begin to pray, prepare, plan and ponder and peruse in preparation for a new year.

For those who don’t give grades or make yearbooks, how do you review the current year in preparation for the coming new year? I’d love to hear from you!

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