I just read about a neat idea - Homeschool Open House.  Just for fun, and to introduce myself to new visitors, I'm going to tell you about my home, our homeschooling, and our typical day. 

I am the mother of 4 children and 3 stepchildren.  My husband and I have only one child left at home, 12 year old Dom.  We live in a very rural county in SE Iowa on an acerage in the country.  We did not homeschool any of the older chidlren, but Dom has been homeschooled since he started kindergarten.  We used to have goats and sheep, but dh decided he was tired of fixing fence, .  So now we have two inside dogs, one outside dog, a tame barn cat, and a wild cat or two that come and go. 

That said, our lives will be changing shortly.  My oldest son and his daughter, 11 year old Rose, are coming to stay with us following the collapse of his less than 1 year marriage until he can get a new job and a place to live.  The plan is to homeschool Rose so that she will not have to switch to yet another school now and again when they get their own place.  God willing, it will be someplace close so I can continue to homeschool her.  She has been through a lot and needs stability in her life at this point.  So, my schedule for the day will be changing shortly,

I have made up a chart that we use for homeschooling.  Each subject is listed and the chart is for the entire week.  I keep track of what is done each day and how much time was spent on it.  This allows both of us to see what we are accomplishing and how long it is taking us.  This helps us keep things simplified as much as possible.  I then also use a computer program called HER - Homeschool Easy Records.  Though not required in Iowa, I do put down the time spent in each subject each day and scores of spelling and math for grading purposes.  The program keeps track of total time as it accumulates and total days to help me keep in compliance with the 148 minimum days each year required by the state.  Actually, that is quite laughable, since we only take 4 to 6 weeks off during the summer and more or less homeschool year around.  The last several years we have had over 220 days each year.  But, again, it helps us to realize just how much we are getting down to help us feel we have accomplished something even on the days he has problems with "every" math question. 

We use Robinson Curriculum which will actually be quite easy to implement for Rose as well on her arrival.  It is literature based for all subjects except Math and writing.  We use Saxon Math and we have the books already with answer keys for 54 through Algebra I.  We also have The Life of Fred Beginning Algebra, Advanced Algebra, and Geometry.  So we are well prepared for math.  The literature is on CDs and I print out each book as we need it unless I find them in print at a reasonable price elsewhere.  We do supplement with SOS Bible as I feel he needs a more formalized Bible instruction, Trombone lessons with band in our weekly co-op schedule, and spelling using a computer program.  This year we are adding Apologia General Science as he is officially entering 7th grade.  We use both the book and the audio so he can listen to the book being read while he is following along in the book.  I may put this back for the first half of this year, however, and go back into it in January once we get more of a routine schedule set up with the addition of another student.  For writing, we are doing some copywork and some journalist writing (he is the Scribe in the local BSA troop) but it is not going well.  We are going to try "Igniting Your Writing" this year for some creativity.  I may let Dom and Rose work together on this, giving each other ideas, at least at first.  Dom seems to have a mental block against writing and is too critical of his own writing to the point he can write, erase, write, erase, for an hour and end up with two sentences.  To add to the difficulty, he has ADHD and most likely a learning disability or two as well.  So - we do not have to buy any more curriculum to homeschool Rose, which is a great thing. 

Currently (we just started our new year this week) we get up and have breakfast over by 8:30 a.m.  We weren't this structured before, but he has to have his medication the same time every morning, preferably at 7 a.m.  We then head up to the loft where the school area as well as my work area is.  He has his own computer so starts off on his spelling program.  This is animated enough it keeps his attention while the medication starts to work.  We use an old spelling book I found a long time ago and he gets new words every week to learn.  We pre-test and if he knows a word already, we do not add it and we keep going until we get from 18 - 25 words to work on.  His test at the end of the week is on paper, not on the computer, and it has to be readable as well as spelled correctly.  He works on his spelling until he has completed the next spelling bee on the program.  We keep track of his time. 

Next we go to Saxon math drill on the computer, 100 problems either mixed (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) or 25 problems of each, as he desires.  That score is recorded as well as his time.  Then he goes on to the Saxon book for the next lesson.  We have the DIVE CD that goes along with the book and he watches it and does the practice problems.  Then he tackles the lesson in the book.  He needs the repetition of different math problems, and Saxon is excellent for him. He does each problem on his white board and then we check that problem before he goes on to the next problem.  If the answer is wrong, he has to re-work the problem.  If he then gets it right, I count that problem as right.  If I have to help him with the problem, then it is counted wrong and I will often give him a similar verbal problem to work on to reinforce the process he had forgotten. 

Science is done on a twice a week basis.  We try to do some of the experiments, but don't really have time to do all of them.  At this level, the experiments use every-day ordinary objects and we rarely have to go out and buy anything to complete the experiments. 

Then we go to writing.  I forgot to mention that we have a book called  "Complete-A-Sketch" to strengthen his fine motor skills which will in turn help his writing skills.  This is the vision-dexterity-focus book, much like a complex dot-to-dot.  I can already see improvement in his ability to make a straight line without the use of a ruler, although he can use a ruler with this if he wishes.   He may do one or more of these pages, but only for about 10 minutes maximum.  He will follow this with either some copy work (handwriten) or typing on the computer.  He has his own private blog that is closed to everyone but me to encourage him to write, but apparently this is more scary to him than a help. We spend more time writing on the days he does not have Science and may only get the drawing done on Science day. 

Reading is a big part of the curriculum.  He reads a combination of the books on the Robinson Curriculum CDs, from our own personal library, and from the public library.  The books are not abridged, but the original wording of classics as well as other "old" books generally dated before the 1960s.  At that point in time, the books seemed to become "easier" and with less complex vocabulary.  Depeneding on what he is reading, I count it as "literature" or "history."  This year we are going to try to read one and a half hour daily out of the "required" RC books with other reading done of his choice beyond that time. 

Last, but not least, he practices his trombone.  And it may not be the last thing of the day as it MUST be done daily.  If we are having a slow speed day, we might skip something else to make sure we get his practice done. 

As far as Must Share tips, I have found that while my child does need some structure due to his individuality, I cannot stand things being too structured, so we do not do a particular subject for exactly 30 minutes, for instance.  It may be a little more or a little less and we must be a little flexible.  I may find that we must be more flexible or more structured with two students; we will see. 

So that's our system.  If you would like to see how others do it, check out http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Tiany/Homeschool%2BOpen%2BHouse%2B2007/  There are even prizes, but this enjoyable even without any prizes; a good way to get your school day organized and everything in order to begin the new year.   

Happy Homeschooling - Nancy