Goals... Current & Future...

The Thinker, Rodin

Without goals, we have nothing to strive for. With that in mind, I've been doing some serious thinking about goals for each child over the next year or so.

THE GIRL:
Goal 1. Get her reading at grade level. This is the single most important goal I have for her right now. The problem is, while she's doing well with her Reading Horizons lessons, she still has no interest in being a reader. She loves having me read to her, she just doesn't want to do it herself. There are moments when she says "I'd like to read this or that book", but then she goes back to saying she doesn't care. I'm really hoping this will change as she becomes better at the actual act of reading.

Goal 2. To master basic multiplication and division. This is a goal we're tackling over the summer, with a variety of living books, and the work/activity book, Right Brained Multiplication & Division.

Goal 3. To foster good, basic writing skills. This will be a focal point during the 2013-2014 "school" year. I've chosen a few resources I think will help, among them Kilgallon Story Grammar for Elementary School and Write Source 2000.

THE BOY:
Goal 1. To effectively master multiplication & division. Okay, yes, he's pretty good with this stuff, but still refers frequently to a multiplication chart he made himself, and I would like that to be a more automatic process. This is a summer goal, again with a variety of living books, and the work/activity book, Right Brained Multiplication & Division. And this will be extremely beneficial whichever way he makes his math-for-2013-2014 decision (A versus B).

Goal 2. To be able to write a solid (can be brief!) essay. This is a longer term goal, but something I'd like him to accomplish over the next year. Once more, I have a few resources at my fingertips, among them Kilgallon Grammar for Middle School and Write Source 2000.

FOR BOTH:
Goal 1. To build a sense of autonomy. One of the reasons I am trying out a more interest-led approach with the kids over the next year (in the content areas like history and science), is to help them build a sense of autonomy, of independence. As they get older, and move closer to the adult world, I think this is increasingly important. This, I am hoping, will give them a chance to really get to know themselves, to figure out where their passions lie, while at the same time being exposed to a liberal education.

Goal 2. To build good habits. This is an always continuing goal! I want them to have a sense of responsibility to themselves and others, to follow through on tasks, and to have a good sense of routine, or rhythm, to their days. This goal is definitely a parent-assisted one, something I am working on instilling in our home.

Goal 3. To become more familiar with local flora and fauna. Maybe not the most important of goals, but I do think children should have a good awareness and understanding of their local climate and region. To this end, I plan to take them out on more nature walks, with guides in hand, during different seasons, so that together we can see how the environment changes, what the animals are up to, when the plants begin to leaf out and bloom, and so forth.

That's what I have so far!