Pen-Ultimate Week

There are only two weeks left until the term ends. So I have to think about how to wrap things up for the term -- what will change in our routine, if anything.

• There are a couple of changes I am planning. One is to have a given number of "unschool free pass" days where we get to just live life and count it as a day. Especially if there is travel or something enriching going on, like last week with Halloween and All Saints Day.
• Another is to have a given number of sick or medical appointment days. ... where we go to a minimum plus reading type schedule.

Yes, we already have some of these in effect -- but acknowledging them might be helpful.

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I also wanted to try to have an Ignatian review/exam/Charlotte Mason exam week for the 12th week.

I looked for exam week information online and found:

• Sample Exam Questions at Ambleside Online
• A PUS article on exams

Also:

• An end of term retrospective at CM, Children, and Lots of Grace
• A Second Grade Exam at Our Golden Apples
• Exams for a 13 year old at Higher UP and Further In
• Plus, general information on narration at SalmonMe's and at Dominion Family

This will all be helpful if I can assimilate it all! I will let you know what ends up happening!

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Now, as for temporal plans, two of my older kids are going to be visiting friends next week. I am going to count these days as school days for two reasons (1) because travelling and visiting are excellent education in themselves, and (2) because I'm having them bring some easy review type material with them. The family they are visiting is also a homeschooling family, so the schoolwork they bring will be things they can do while their friends are doing their academics.
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That means that week 11, for at least one of my boys, will be an away week. I think, THINK, that I will do review for the one at home as well. Plus a writing intensive. Then by week 12 I will be prepared to do some sort of informal exam/retrospective type week. That will be a shortish week anyway because Thanksgiving is coming up.
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Looking ahead even further:

Once Thanksgiving is over, we are heading into Advent. Since I am just SO organized this year :D I would really like to have the rhythm be a bit different during Advent. But the details remain to be worked out. I know I DON'T want to have a burnt out, frustrated feeling all during Advent like I did last year. I want it to be a time of peace, anticipation and preparation.

Help me, St Francis de Sales and St Brendan the Navigator! (my two patron saints for this year's homeschooling)