It was an interesting weekend here at Zane Education. I got involved in an online conversation with one of our Twitter followers that has led to an idea that we might be able to develop to improve the service we provide the Homeschool community that is so close to our hearts.
It had never really occurred to me before just how many homeschooling mums and dads out there might be preparing their own lesson plans out there. And if that is the case, I have to ask, “How many times would that lesson plan be used by that one family and then seldom used again?”
While many of those “lesson plans” might only consist of a few lines scribbled out on a piece of paper, I have to wonder if there might be others that are preparing a lesson plan that could be used by other homeschooling families.
The lady I spoke to on the weekend was writing a lesson plan that included the use of our Beethoven video, and whereas we would dearly love as homeschoolers ourselves to have the time to sit down and write a lesson plan for each of our 1,000 plus videos, the fact is we simply do not have the time available at the moment with other work we are doing to improve the website.
So if there are homeschooling mums and dads that are preparing their own lesson plans, maybe everyone would benefit if we created an online library where those mums and dads could upload the lesson plans, and in return they would be able to freely download the lesson plans that other homeschooling folks had prepared.
Here at Zane Education we would be prepared to build that online “lesson plan library” service into our website and maintain it as a free service if there was enough support and demand for us to do so.
In fact not only would we be prepared to make that service available at no cost, we would be prepared to go one step further by providing an incentive to each family that wanted to provide a lesson plan that included the use of one or more of our video’s by providing a free subscription to them.
There are many that believe that the coming of online video has the power to change the face of homeschooling, making it significantly easier and more effective to become involved in. If the idea of a free “homeschool lesson plan library“, where homeschoolers can upload and download lesson plans at no cost is feasible, then surely aren’t we really helping each other and at the same time helping ourselves.
And if Zane was prepared to offer a month free subscription for each lesson plan using one of our videos, then it would enable those of you that have the basic writing talents, to use our online video subscription service absolutely free.
Hmmm, interesting idea!!!?! So how many of you think this could work? How many of you think that you would like to take part and be involved? Is this a feasible idea? If enough of you take the time to come and comment here and indicate your level of interest, we will immediately do something about it.
Its my personal experience that writing a lesson plan sets goals. Its laying out a map to guide you on the journey of education. The goal to a good lesson plan is to put it in pencil. With any good journey there are side trips and pit stops. These allow for the experience of expanding the childs horizions. One of the main reasons parents homeschool is to escape the black and white plans that leave no room for our children to learn and explore at their own pace and ability. The lesson plan allows for goal setting, reviewing, re-evaluation and… Read more »
Angela, Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to provide your comments and feedback.I am so glad that you mentioned the importance of providing the a means to set the child free to learn and explore at their own pace and ability. If I had to select one key aim that we have above all others here at Zane Education, is to provide the video library and online testing to do just that. Many people look at education and learning as being a task that needs to be attended to, but we see it as far more than… Read more »
I do not use your product but I do make my own lesson plans…have for many years. Mainly because I don’t use just one curriculum. I use the “eclectic” method, something I talked about on my blog recently.
So with pulling my curriculum from here, there, and everywhere, I have to do my own lesson plans. On the other hand, with my 8-year old, I don’t bother. We just pull out what we feel like doing that day.
But…sounds like you are onto something with your product. Good innovation.
Thanks for your comment Anne, it is appreciated. I did not want this particular dicussion to be anything to do with our online video product, rather I want to see if it is feasible for us to start a free Lesson Plan exchange library on the site for homeschoolers that prepare their own lesson plans. To my way of thinking is we can encourage people like yourself to share what they have prepared and in return benefit from what others have prepared, we are helping to improve the quality, lesson the burden of being a homschooler, then everyone benefits. I… Read more »
My lesson plans involve writing down the subject at hand and then checking the current news to see if there is an applicable lesson I have a PhD in education and one in library science and I had lesson plans drilled into me. Hate them. I do follow recommended curriculum for their ages lest get the govt on my back but we are a go with the flow system — I educated my sister’s 8 kids and am working on my four. GREAT idea to offer them though — I would peruse and if they bring a new idea I’d… Read more »