Topic Approach

Well for a while now, we have been alluring to just focusing on a topic or subject a day. Late last term, Brid was becoming quite tired, so apart from reducing activities, early bed etc, all those things you do as a Mum, we fine tuned her daily work.
Her timetable looked very schooly, and for many years it suited us. Can you see the word timetable.
Late last term we reviewed her daily work and reassessed it, I realised that she need not do so many subjects in a day. She has moved from a little girl to being  mature in her approach to her bookwork. She was needing to spend more time embellishing an area of learning.
She did this successfully, in a notebook approach to a topic Ballet. I noticed her focus and her need to remain on one topic for a long period of time.
So in saying all this, we chose to try just one subject after her Faith, and Maths. ( English is interwoven in her bookwork, using the IEW framework). I jotted all her secondary key learning areas subjects (s.k.l.a's) down on paper.  There is around 5 areas.

This week, we are looking at Music & Music Composers. We spend many years using Classic for Kids, but she has moved past it. I was recommended a Book, called The Gift of Music..-Jane Stuart Smith..,  so with that book , and U tube, she is studying each individual composer. So far, she has looked at Bach, Handel, and Haydn. She has plans to move onto Mozart today.
After Morning Tea, she begins reading or being read too, summarising, and writing notable information to make up a report each day, with Music playing in the background. She has plans to use these in her newspaper column, that she is writing.
She also has plans of highlighting her work, with a powerpoint presentation. All in the pipeline, but I am sure she will make it happen.
Next week, we focus on Geography, particularly Rivers of the World. I was reading a thread on here and someone suggested using rivers as a framework. I didn't have a book or curriculum to go by, I just wrote a plan for Brid to follow.

We will see how this approach goes and we will review it mid term. Although, Brid is already saying she feels much more relaxed. She isn't chopping and changing between work.