Grace Week

In my post Education Is Not An Environment, I mentioned Mason's idea that students who are used to having others order their lives do not do the hard work of ordering their own. It reminded me of a post by Linda Johnson about "Grace Week."

Grace Week is a one week break every six weeks of instruction.  
During Grace Week, children take a break from academics, but not from learning.  At the beginning of Grace Week, each child sets specific goals (about a dozen) for what he or she wants to accomplish during the week, and submits the list to mom for approval.

Examples:
1)a handicraft
2)read from their independent reading list
3)write - book review, film review, blog, an essay, personal journal, poem, letters
4)practice musical instrument/master a piece/finish a composition
5)watch a film/film appreciation
6)kitchen project (bake, cook, add to recipe journal, preserve)
9)do for others (service project, making a get well card)
10)exercise
11)cleaning/organizing
12)art -sketch, paint a picture
13)play a game/practice chess
14)file schoolwork
15)science project
16)outdoor skill (learn archery, learn to ride a bike)
17)go on a field trip
18)book report alternative (examples: build something from a book, dramatic play from a book)

This is a great idea for teaching children time management and that they don't need someone to entertain them.

Typing on my phone. I'll add links later from my laptop.