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Sep. 27, 2008

Week 5, 9/22/08, learning from last week

Posted in Homeschooling
One big lesson to learn when homeschooling--reevaluate every year.  Many times, things that worked so magically one year will flop terribly the next.  Up until now, I had a very loose schedule for the girls.  Sunday night I would write out all their assignments for the week in their assignment books.  During the week, I would designate a time (usually a different time each day) during which we would do our readings together.  Outside of that, they had free reign to get all their assignments done.  Then, of course, we had all of our extracurricular activities and classes. 

This worked very well last year.  Everything seemed to be in cruise control.  But it seemed to crash last week!

While we eventually got everything done, it was a lot harder!  The free time seemed to hurt K., who usually dislikes having a strict schedule.  Toward the end of the week, she was asking me if I could put together a schedule for her that would account for all of her free hours. 

And so I did just that.  I made a schedule for myself and both the older girls, accounting for every 30 minutes.  It's a full schedule, but at the same time, I have designated a lot of 30 minute time slots for just catching up.  I also have schedule in "car schooling" times, where they are to read their readers in the car or work on their memory verses in the car. 

It worked fantastically this week!  We got everything done and were a lot more focused.  We'll be keeping this very focused schedule for a while--it has really taken the stress out of our days!

Here is a sample of one of K's days (she's 9 years old):

9:00AM--Math, memory verse
9:30AM--Vocabulary, grammar
10AM--readings with Mom (Bible study, history, and read alouds)
11AM--science with Mom (including doing our experiments)
12P--Lunch (with all the family!)
12:30P--read her reader
1:00P--spelling, dictation
1:30P--piano
2:00P--Latin
2:30P--snack, pack for gym class
3:00P--Rosetta Stone Spanish (on the computer)
3:30P--catch up time
4:30P--Gym class

And one of A.'s days (she's 7 years old):
9AM--Math, memory verse
9:30--Vocab, advanced phonics, handwriting
10A--readings with Mom
11A--science with Mom
12P--lunch
12:30P--read reader
1P--piano
1:30P--discuss reader with Mom
2P--Rosetta Stone Spanish
2:30P--snack
3P--read aloud with Mom
3:30P--spelling
evening--catch up read aloud with Mom

And here is mine:
9A--read to FQ
9:30A--read to L.
10-noon--readings and science with older girls
12P--lunch
12:30P--rest!
1P--spelling and dictation with K
1:30--discuss reader with A
2P--Latin with K
2:30--snack
3P--read aloud with A
3:30P--spelling with A
4P--drive K to gym, dragging all her siblings along!
4:30P--drive back home, get dinner ready
5P--dinner
6:30P--catch up read aloud with A if needed
7P--drive back to gym to pick up K, dragging siblings along
7:30P--drive back home
8P--kids' night snacks, vitamins, get ready for bed
8:45P--bedtime!!!  for the kids
9P--shower, Bible study, exercise and possibly cook, and hanging out with the hubby
12:30A--this should be my bedtime but I go to bed much later sometimes.  It's bad. 

You should see my ICal calendars!  I have color coded calendars for A. too, and for myself.  Also I have a calendar for Daddy's work schedule.  It's a rainbow of calendars, but it is working marvelously.  I keep track of all of this with my lovely new Ipod Touch (thank you Aunt J!!!). 

God bless,
A.H.
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HELLO!!! This blog is a place for us to publish some of our children's work and just to journal our amazing educational journey.

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