Schedule Help Needed

[TechWife]

My son has asked to do his subjects "less frequently, but with more time when he does them." I totally understand where he is coming from - just as soon as you start getting interested in something, it's time to move along.

 

I am just not sure how to work out his schedule. This is what we will be using this year:

 

Bible (daily reading, devotional book and Precept Bible Study)

Math - Algebra I

Science - PH Science Explorer Physical Science

History - HO Modern Times, Level 2

Grammar - Analytical Grammar, Season 3 only

Vocabulary - Vocabulary from the Classical Roots, Book A; Learning Works Prefixes & Suffixes and Learning Works Greek & Latin Roots

Literature - Lightning Lit 8

Composition - The Elegant Essay from IEW (writing overlaps with history, literature and science as well)

Logic - local class for 8 wk, Art of Argument for the rest of the year

Fine Arts - Artistic Pursuits, Jr. High book 2; WP Later Am. Artists Picture Study

PE - weekly tennis

Co-op - this is for enrichment and to give an opportunity to get together w/other hs kids. One of his classes will be Middle School Essentials, taught by yours truly. The other one will hopefully be in art, music or public speaking.

 

I am having difficulty breaking this into time chunks and imagining it all getting covered.

 

So far, this is what I have come up with:

Bible – Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri

 

Literature – M,W,F (work assigned in weekly blocks)

Grammar – T, Th (15 weeks) do this first

 

Vocabulary – T, Th (22 weeks) do this after grammar is finished

 

Math – M-F (one lesson per day)

Composition – No idea how to schedule The Elegant Essay

 

History – M, W (complete two lessons each week, avg.)

Science – Tu, Fri - no idea how to break the information into blocks. It seems like taking two weeks to do each chapter is a good length to shoot for. This means, however, that he would have three days to work on the text, and one day for lab and test. Is this too much to ask of a disorganized 13 yo boy? This is my greatest reservation.

 

Fine Arts – Th

Co-op - Th

 

Tennis - Mon

 

After "traditional" school hours are over, he has Scouts on Mon pm and robotics on Fri pm and Sat am.

 

Does the way I am dividing things make any sense? I am just not sure about the pacing on science or The Elegant Essay. How do I work in the instruction on compositions? TEE isn't a long program, but do I break it up over the year or do it all at once to get over it?

[TechWife]

Shamelessly bumping.

[tampamommy]

I too have a ds13 who is a tennis player!! His subjects are very close to your son's. My ds has Algebra I, Reading/Literature/Great Books, Grammar & Composition, Physical Science, History, Geography, Logic, Technology, Latin, Bible, Music (piano), and Phys. Ed., and Art. Tennis is on top of that four times per week.

 

Eighth grade is an important transition year, I feel. I know some wait until high school to make a transition, but I thought ds needed to learn that this year. Then an increase in accountability will not be as much of a shock in 9th grade.

 

Our school year began June 1. This is what I did/do:

 

1. At the beginning of the school year, I made an "Individual Course Expectation" (ICE) document for each child (ds 13 and dd 11). This lists each subject, the resources we are using, what is included in standard assignments and how often assignments are due. For example, ds is doing Vocabulary from the Classical Roots B & C this year. This is what his ICE says:

 

 

"Vocabulary from the Classical Roots B & C

 

One lesson assigned each week. Written or oral quiz weekly on Tuesday mornings. Be prepared for either or both types of quiz.

 

Challenge words – In addition to the regular lesson, you are responsible for choosing ten challenge words you are not familiar with. Learn their meanings and spellings. Be able to correctly use them in a sentence. You must indicate these chosen challenge words by Thursday of each week, with a pencil dot next to the words in the book. This will allow me adequate planning time for quizzes. If there are fewer than ten challenge words in a given lesson, you are responsible for all of them.

 

If you fail to indicate your ten chosen challenge words by Thursday, you will be responsible for knowing all of the challenge words the following Tuesday."

 

 

OOOooo, I am so mean, I know!:tongue_smilie:

 

Yes, he has sometimes forgotten to indicate his challenge words. Yes, it has impacted his quiz grades. Yes, he is learning to check his ICE more frequently so he remembers to indicate his challenge words.

 

2. I prepare a "Due dates" list for him (and dd 11, 6th grade) each week. This lists each subject and when the next assignment is due, as well as some specific details (chapter numbers, page numbers, etc). Some assignments are standard; others vary. I go through this more carefully with dd 11.

 

3. I spend a good deal of time with each of them individually on most days. We do certain subjects as family work, together. Then I spend what I call "office hours" (for lack of a better term) with each of them. During individual office hours, I usually have specific items I want to cover first (going over homework, special writing assignments, discussing literature, going over math and assigning specific problems, etc.) Then they get to decide how to use the remainder of time with me. This works really well! Usually, both of them choose grammar/comp. Since this is a strength for both of them, we'll cover the week's worth of lessons sometimes in a 1/2 hour or so. Then they may have diagramming or other homework I assign due later in the week. If there is no written work, this allows them to do selected exercises orally with me.

 

Ds often chooses to read history aloud with me. He is doing all 3 volumes of America: The Last Best Hope and portions of the accompanying online roadmap this year for American History. Sometimes he reads this to me; sometimes I read to him. He also likes to go over his math for several days at a time, and clarifies specifics for geography, composition, and technology for the week. Sometimes he reads a portion of his literature to me and we discuss it. Sometimes he has other questions I didn't anticipate. You get the idea. The point is I have made this flexible time for each of them, so they can learn to organize their time with me. They weren't quite sure about it at first, but after six weeks, they not only really like it, but also they organize themselves well before meeting with me.

 

The dc have certain work that has to be done daily. Math is one of those subjects. DD 11 has more of these daily things than ds. DS is learning (and that's the operative word!) to self-manage the rest of his time and his independent work. We touch base during office hours regarding what he has already done independently that day and he usually lets me know what else he plans to accomplish that day (but I don't ask). We review his due dates sheet. Sometimes he needs coaching. "Are you sure you want to plan both of those heavy subjects for the same day?" "Did you see you have three assignments due that day? Make sure you plan well earlier in the week so you get all three done on time."

 

Ds very much likes being able to decide how to do his work in blocks. He usually does all his science in one day, with experiments another day. History is usually done in two or three blocks. Literature is usually two or three blocks. Grammar is lumped into one day. He groups miscellaneous subjects together like bible, technology and logic (the homework portion - we do the dvds as a family). Some weeks he changes it up depending on what he feels like doing first. The point is, he is learning to plan and organize his own schedule according to his own "most alert" times and according to how he learns best.

 

So, to answer your question, I'd let ds start deciding how he wants to group his work. I hope I gave you some helpful ideas to think about.

[Rhea]

I scheduled my daughter's labs on Saturdays - the last thing on Saturday. That way it can take as much time as needed. Might that work for your son? Twice per week on the text, and Sat. for lab?

 

Rhea

[ekarl2]

What about scheduling in units. What I mean is, spend a chunk (a few weeks) working on something and get it finished, then spend another chunk on something else. I think you'll find that depth is better that way then by sprinkling your days here and there as you've planned. It also switches your year up, too.