I am a Christian and a wife and mother of three trying to live out God's purpose for my life. Our homeschooling journey was not a typical beginning. My husband and I had attended public school and had planned for our children to attend there as well. My oldest had attended a pre-k program at a Christian school to get him ready. It had been a bumpy start but he finally settled down and got used to it. When time came to tour the elementary school that our son was zoned for (which was known to be the best one in the county) we decided it wasn't for us. I was floored at what they had planned on teaching them in kindergarten and the learning environment was not inviting. We therefore decided to leave him at the private Christian school he was at and that is where he stayed until 3rd grade. By that time my middle child was ready for pre-k and I signed him up that year as well. Things went pretty well for him but my oldest through the years was bored and didn't want to go. He almost always got perfect scores and never studied. I tried talking with the teachers and they said there was nothing they could do until he got into the upper grades just to be happy that he was bright and "didn't need help." I was tired of paying big bucks for my son to sit and not be challenged so that is the year I took the plunge and pulled him out. It has been a learning road and I have spent many hours studying and learning what is best for my children. Everyone has a story and what works for their family. This blog is what has worked for mine. I hope that what I write will help others who are beginning or those who are always looking for things to help deepen their children's learning. Blessings!

Monday, September 23, 2013

A Day in the Life: Fall of 2013


          Our homeschooling has changed each year due to a change in curriculum, outsourcing of classes or a new addition.  This year we are settling in and even though we have gone to year round schooling our days run pretty much the same.  We basically run our days the same but take more time off and have it spread out throughout the year instead of all during the summer time.  For instance we are taking about 2 wks. off in October for family coming to visit, 2 wks. for Christmas, some time off in the spring or if we are having a bad day I let them take a day off if needed.  I just try to complete the year assignments by the end of May and then we take about 3 wks. off before we start our new year which is normally in the middle of June.  I used to be so stressed about not messing up our scheduled weeks and making sure everything was completed Monday-Friday but I have found that to be too stressful for everyone so I just work it out as days not the day of the week.  For instance normally I would have work scheduled for the whole week Monday-Friday week I day 1-5 etc. but now we do the week and day and wherever we are or leave off we start back the next day so we don’t always do “Monday’s work on Monday but just whenever it falls.  (hope this makes sense).  I have an 8th grader this year but he is doing high school work so he basically is on his own, a 5th grader and a toddler.  We only have one class Latin for my 8th grader that is set during the school year and a meeting at a particular time therefore he has to stick with that class and not get behind as well as both the older boys with their coop classes but that is all.  The rest of the day they can take off. 
   
      On Monday’s it is considered our run/errand/coop day.  I start my day pretty early, but I use the early time to read to my toddler about 15-30 minutes when he wakes up which is usually about 6-6:30 it is a great time that we can snuggle and gets some reading in before a busy day!  We usually start the actual school day for my older boys around 8am and we have our Bible time, memory verse/hymns and we go over our character quality for the week as well as an additional reading of our music study.  This all takes about 45 minutes.  I then give my 8th grader a list of assignments that need to be completed for the week and he then goes and plans a schedule for the week.  I don’t interfere with this unless absolutely necessary!  I am teaching him to manage his time and since he wants to start college classes in the next year or so he needs to be prepared!  He usually works on Literature in the morning before we leave the house and that is about all he gets in.  I then go over my 5th graders assignment for the day which is light due to coop.  He works on Reading Detective, Math Detective, Editor-n-chief and his memory work by himself while I work with my toddler for about 15 minutes or so on a project before we leave.  We have to leave the house about 10am and head for the library.  I usually play the music we are working on in our music study during this time or work on memory songs.  My oldest has a Latin class on Monday’s and Wednesday’s so he goes into a room and takes his class before having to attend the local coop.  We look for books and run errands.  My 2 oldest attend a coop from 12-4 and get 3 classes accomplished during that time.  They are responsible for finishing their homework there and staying on top of it.  I monitor when needed and give out tests and grade when required.  My 5th grader has one hour of study hall during this time where he uses it to work on his reading from our list of History or Science extra reading and he also works on his life problems for Math which is about a page.  When they get done at 4pm they are done for the day but might work on some reading in the evening.

              Tuesday’s-Friday’s are pretty much the same.  I read with my toddler in the morning and then we have breakfast and do chores (during breakfast since my toddler eats earlier we work on his Bible and memory verse separate from my older children and sometimes phonics during this time as well).  At 8ish we begin our Bible time, hymns, memory verses, character quality story and on Wed. we read out of Prudence and the Millers this all takes about 45min- 1hr.  I go over my 5th graders assignments for the day and he heads off to complete all of his work on his own.  This includes:  Literature reading, spelling pgs, memory work, history class, and readings, science readings, questions, Latin pgs and studying, typing, handwriting, exercising)  I am slowly tapering him into learning to work totally on his own and except for my teaching Grammar and Math hopefully he will be doing mostly everything by next year. My 8th grader goes and works on his plan and then after some chores I work with my toddler on his assignments and activities.  Around 10:30ish I take my toddler outside for about an hour and work on some nature things as well as free play.  My main goal for him right now is to get in about 1 ½ -2 hrs. of reading with him and some outside time.   I also aim for my older boys to read at least 2 hrs. a day.  My two older boys work on their work until about 10:45ish and then they start their exercising routine except on Wed. (when my 8th grader has Latin class).  We break about 11:45ish for lunch and during this time I will check on their progress and I will read aloud a chapter book for all of my kids to enjoy but it is mostly for my toddler at this age and my 5th grader.   They start back work around 12:30 and finish up on their own.  I will read about 15-30 minutes with my toddler before he lays down for bed.  He usually naps about 2 hrs and during that time I work with my 5th grader on our read alouds, Grammar/Writing depending on the day we alternate that, Math, Science experiments, and any spelling or Latin that we need to go over together.  This takes about 1 ½-2 hrs.  I also at this time give any tests that either my 5th or 8th grader need to take since it is quiet!  I will also spend about 15-30 minutes with my 8th grader if he needs anything.  Depending on the day and how they manage their time they get done around 3-4.  However, my 8th grader does do some studying and reading some at night before bed about 30 minutes or so.  Also my 8th grader is doing some of his Math with his dad on Saturday’s since he is teaching Geometry to him and that is a good time for them to work on it but besides that we don’t do school work on the weekends.  Luckily, in the evenings my husband takes my toddler and usually my 5th grader for about an hour for me to go over my oldest assignments that he has completed or to do some minor planning and also an hour or two on the weekends for me to finish up!  Hope his helps some see how we get it all in.  Under subject’s covered I have what my 5th grader does each day and I have a sample of what my toddler does as well for his work. 

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