I need help with my schedule!

[mkpierce95]

I've been perusing all of the posts in this topic and on the forum as a whole. So far, I haven't found the answer to my question specifically, but forgive me if I simply just missed it and am repeating a topic/question!

I have 4 dc: dd is in 2nd, ds is in 1st, ds is in K, and dd is our resident toddler who loves to "do school" but also loves to foil any attempts at in-depth schooling I make with the olders! We've homeschooled since we pulled eldest dd out of ps at T'giving time her K year, so 2 1/2 years. Up until now, I've kind of followed the same schedule. In a nutshell, the mornings are spent on one-on-one time with Mom tackling the 3Rs, while afternoons are spent doing electives and special projects. Usually dd goes first in her one-on-one time because she reads so well and thus has more independent work. Going first affords her the time to complete her work while I'm working one-on-one with the boys. The boys just haven't quite reached a point in their reading yet where I give them much to do independently (plus the K'er really doesn't need all that work anyway!).

My schedule has worked great up to this point, but here's my frustration: I generally spend from about 9-10:00 with dd in one-on-one time. Then we break for a snack and read-aloud time. From about 10:30-11:15 is time with one ds and then to about 11:45 with second ds. The problem is with the boys while I'm schooling dd. In an ideal world where I have all this planning time, I'd plan some "center-type" activities for them, but I just never find the time to plan all these extras on top of school for 3 1/2 kids! As a result, they are just kind of doing their own thing during this time--not that that's bad because they're learning as they build tents, construct with Legos, etc., but as they become better readers and older students, I feel they should be doing something a little more "schoolish"!

In short, I'd like to hear from some of you what your other children do while you're having one-on-one time with each child. And I don't really want to hear about what you do with toddlers and preschoolers because I've read books on that, attended seminars--there's really so much out there about that subject! But I want to know what your other school-age children are doing during one-on-one times. Are they doing something academic? Are they doing independent work--even if they haven't yet met with mom that specific day? Is it free-time for them?

I haven't been concerned about this with the boys so young, but as I mentioned, now that they're getting older, I feel they ought to be doing something a little more academic, you know? Sorry this is so long--I tend to get a little wordy sometimes!

I'd appreciate any advice you have to give!
Blessings,
Kathleen Pierce

[Elei]

Hello Kathleen.

For me it is a little easier because I only have to ocupy 1 when I'm working with the other. I'm even surprised that your boys don't always end up fighting if they are "doing their thing" together every day for 1 hour. Mine often do in their free time. So I think you are doing it pretty well. (mine are 9 and 7 years old, 4th grade and 1st grade)

What I do to keep them ocupied while I'm working with the other is:

- computer working time with educational software, revising spelling or math with computergames. There are a lot of good games out there and boys usually love it.

- my oldest started to do some type-lessons on the computer. I promissed that he will get his own computer if he learn to type well. It will still take some time but at least he's trying and wanting to type.

- silent reading. We have a lot of books at home and we go to the library every week. They like to do silent reading in those books, although the youngest doesn't read very well yet he likes "looking" in the books and magazines.

- copying. We don't do a lot of grammer yet but I do make them copy something every now and then to make them look carefully at the spelling. All words that are not copied properly have to be copied five times afterwords.

- drawing. We try to find out about different drawing contests and my oldest has already won twice. It really motivates them to draw and make a special effort.

- for the rest we also do legos and when they make something special we make a picture of it. This motivates to "invent" new and "complicated" things.

I hope this helps you.
I'm also interested in other people's ideas.
Elei.

[mkpierce95]

Elei (pretty name!),

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I'm going to print this out!! And, yes my boys fight as well...best of friends, worst of enemies! Such is sibling rivalry! Part of my problem is that I don't think I could get my eldest son to read silently to save my life. He does not like to read, and it's pulling teeth to get him to read with me. I have to bribe him, er, I mean provide incentives. Any ideas for reading motivation (new topic here! )?

Thanks again,
Kathleen

[Elei]

Hello Kathleen,

When I say "silent reading". It doesn't mean really "reading". I never ask them what they read unless he (only the oldest really reads) himself want to explain.

Silent reading for me means: take a book, whatever book you like, go and sit in a place, whatever place you like and "look" in it. At least for 1 minute, then if necessary take another one. My youngest for example can go and sit on the sofa with a pile of 20 books about animals and just look at the pictures. He finishes every book in about 2 or 3 minutes. But I can also see that now that he starts reading (he's 7 and it is hard for him to read) every now and then I see his lips moving, he's trying to read maybe only 1 word, but he is interested, he wants to read that word and he is trying and he will soon find out that by reading things he wants to read he will get to know things he wants to know. But I believe it is a process and we cannot force it too much (I do make them read out loud to me at their level but I keep it simple and short, with the oldest we normally do: I read a page, he reads a page)

I am sure your oldest is interested in something: dinosaures, animals, magic, comics, egypicians, romans...... whatever. Get him books about it from the library or magazines (mine like kids magazines a lot because they have short articles and lots of pictures). Then just let him choose what he reads (looks), where he reads it (bed, sofa, garden, chair, table....) and how long he reads (looks) in the books.

I think it is your job to get him interesting books or magazines and then it is his job to sit somewhere with them. Maybe you can start with a quarter of an hour or half an hour, set up a timer and tell him he can not stop reading "looking" at the books until the clock rings. But in this time he can change books whenever he wants, it doesn't mean you have to look at the same book for 15 minutes, he could do 20 books in those 15 minutes. If the books are about subjects he likes, I'm practically sure he will sit there with no protesting. Just don't expect him to actually READ everything there is in the book and make it books with lot's of pictures about things he likes.

For the out loud reading time with me I also give them a "star" (my incentive programme) and I also give them a star for their silent reading time. Actually I give them a star for everything they do well and all the work and take stars away for bad behaviour. Thay can exchange stars for priviliges and it works really well.

Yesterday for example it was "book day" in Spain. (St George) and then we go out to the centre to choose a book. They can each choose a book. Now my oldest (9years old) has choosen a huge enormous book. The first one of the triology of Philip Pullman: The golden Compass. It has got 423 pages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And NO PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My God, when I saw the book I thought Oh my God. But he really really wanted it and yes has already started reading it now!! I can't believe it, but it is true.

So I think the point is really: Let them choose what they read, make sure they can find out that reading is fun. Reading has to be fun. But it is a process and at the beginning it is looking pictures and maybe reading one simple word in the whole book. Don't force them into it, it has to be fun and make the out loud reading practice short and easy.

Good luck.
Elei.

[llchart]

I have three children 12, 11 and 7. Mine are a bit older but a few things that are REALLY easy and take NO prep work for younger kids are file folder games.

There are huge books of these at most teacher supplies. You just rip out the pages, give them an empty file folder, scissors and crayon and let them go.

There is a picture of what the game is to look like and they should be able to do it on their own.

My daughter is the youngest and when I just can't spare the time to get her started on something new, I just give her a new game to make. She loves it and ends up playing her new game with everyone when it is complete.

They make different grades, subjects and even seasonal. It's been a life saver in our home.

For older kids we do internet questions. I come up with some off the wall question such as... "What color is the Universe?" or "What is Van Gogh's home being used for today?" or "How many times would you have to jump if you could jump three steps at a time from the top of the Eiffel Tower to the bottom?" and even "What was so special about Earnest Hemingway's son's cat?" The questions are always tied to whatever we are studing at the moment and something just totally off the wall. It's a great way to get kids to read too. They end up reading dozens of pages in the quest for the answer. What is really fun is then giving them a really easy question after they have done the hard ones for a while and see what happens. Usually they get about 10 minutes into the search when the light bulb goes off and they realize they didn't need to get online.

[mkpierce95]

Lara,

I love the idea of the information scavenger hunt! My kids aren't real savvy on the internet yet (not that I want them to be yet!), so this would work with books too--great idea!

My youngest ds loves file folder games. I guess maybe they are getting old enough now to where they could assemble them. Up until now, I've been assembling them, and it takes so long--especially because I'm so picky about how they're set up. I'll have to let them loose on them!

Thanks for the great ideas!
Kathleen

[llchart]

I know what you mean about making sure the folder games look nice and can be used as a learning tool. I have found with my youngest that letting her do it has had many benefits besides just buying me some time.

The games are not quite as "pretty" but she takes great pride in putting it together and I think she enjoys playing them more. Plus just using the thought process to assemble them has been a benefit her logic skills have improved greatly. So, release some expectations of how the games need to look and let them show you their creativity.

"Information Scavenger Hunt", that sound's a lot better than "Internet Q's". LOL.... For the older boys, it's been a huge success.

I will let you know it does get easier, just hang on. My oldest does about 90% of his work unassisted which frees up time for the younger ones.

Our basic schedule looks something like this... This does change depending upon the day and if we go somewhere. I am sure you know how that goes. I don't really plan on strict one on one time with a child, but you should be able to see how it is "built in." It's really just an art of multi-tasking.
9-10 Math (The kids just rotate through for whoever needs help)
10-10:30 CC/DC Latin & Greek Roots/Vocabulary, CLC Reading
10:30-11 CC/DC Language Arts/Journal Writing, CLC Music
11-11:30 CC Internet Q, DC Music, CLC Word Families
11:30-12 Family Game Time (Made for Trade, Stargo, Clue, etc)
12-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1 Afternoon Chores (clean up after Lunch)
1-1:30 Free time
1:30-2 CC Music, DC Internet Q, CLC Art
2-4 Unit Study (We just completed Astromony, Greek/Roman Mythology , Ancient Greece & Rome and Basic Latin)
4-6 Free Time (sometime catch up work)
6-7:30 Dinner and Night time chores
7:30-8:30 CC/DC Reading (They both can read on their own. I am not sure how we started doing the reading after getting ready for bed, but it's worked for us). CLC is read to during the 7:30-8 and she goes to bed.

I hope that helps with your orginal question.

Lara

[momo3boys]

Everyone has sich great ideas, so I will just list a few of my own, (my boys are 10, 8 and 3)

Chores: one does chores while I work 1on1

Manipulatives: Cuisinaire rods and legos, and counting frogs, buttons...... Let them go, no planning, and lots of learning.

Books: one pile, one couch, one boy, an hour of learning!

Art: find an art book with easy crafts that they can follow the directions too. The libraries have tons of them. Clay, Sculpey, stickers, paper and scissors, magazines for collage....

Creations: We have a box that is designated the "creation box" it is filled with all of those great little trinkets that you know could be used "someday" like yogurt cups, and baby food jars, cardboard tubes, string.... the rest is up to your recycle bin and you!

Last but not least, if you can, let them run around outside! Sometimes if the boys are working hard I will let them trade off, one subject with me, then go outside and trade with their brother. They love all the great breaks they have outside, But that is only of they work hard (is that a bribe?

[homeschoolpop]

We use ACE PACE's Curriculum so when we're working you'll see "PACE work". This is our Daily Schedule set up for our two 10th Graders. Hopefully, whatever Grade your Students are in you may be able to adapt to your needs from our Daily Schedule. I'm sharing as purely an example from which you may be able to set up a daily Schedule for you and yours. And now for your viewing pleasure, The Daily Schedule.

8:30-8:50a.m.-Bible, Christian Flag, American Flag Pledges, Prayer, Read Morning Scriptures from Schedule to read through the Bible in a year. (2-3 Chapters per morning)

8:50-9:50a.m.-PACE work (if any Tests-Tests are first)

9:50-10a.m.-Break (snack, free time, or chores)

10-11a.m.- PACE work

11-11:10a.m.-Break

11:10-12p.m.-PACE work

12-12:30p.m.-Lunch

12:30-2:30p.m. PACE work until goals are completes, break as needed; enrichment after goals are completed.

We School 4 days a Week for 36 Weeks. Our Calendar incorporates Holidays. Our Subjects are Geometry, English II, World History, Physical Science, and 4 Electives (2/Student).