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.
