Jump to content

Menu

Scheduling Mom-intensive subjects with several children


Recommended Posts

Last year, I used a block format, whereby we had four blocks of about an hour each, and I'd work with a different child during each of them, rotating who worked with me first by the day. (Since my fourth child comes along with my third child, I did them together, and the fourth block was for group subjects and answering any questions I hadn't gotten to yet.). When it wasn't their block, the small boys played, and the big two children worked on their independent work.

 

This worked well. Everyone got a chance to do tough subjects first, and I knew I was making sure to get to the stuff that the big kids needed me for, as well as time to do preschool stuff with my little ones. Everyone knew when it would be their turn, and I didn't feel pulled in fifty different directions. I spend some time after lunch discussing literature and history with my big two.

 

Working independently isn't the issue. They're good at that. But there ARE still some things that require Mom, and I'm unwilling to change that.

 

I started out intending to do this this year, but my fifth grader is balking. He doesn't want to do all of his time with me at once. He wants to be able to do math with me, then work on something on his own, then come back to me for writing, then work on his own, then come back to me for Latin, and so on. I'm not totally opposed to this (and I concede that it may work very well for this child), but I'm also not sure how to work it in with the other children. I usually spend about thirty to sixty minutes with my first grader and preschooler; it varies with the day, but if we hit reading, math, and writing, plus some picture books (they really like stories), that's close to an hour. Generally, they're good for about that long, but if I split up my fifth grader's Mom-work, then what do I do with the little guys? In theory, I could do a reading lesson with them, then do math with DS1, then a little math with the little guys, then Latin with DS1, and so on, but what do I expect the little guys to do while waiting for new? I don't want them to sit at the table with nothing to do, and more than an hour of sitting is too much for them. But if they go play, it's a big pain in the neck to call them back, especially multiple times. I don't see that working well. They, and my eighth grader, thrive on the big dedicated block with me. It just my sweet fifth grader. He does well with small amounts of focused work. I don't have more time in the morning to work with him, as I already get up early in order to be able to get everything done that needs to be done (and DH isn't an option; he leaves at 5:45 every morning for work and is unable to help in the mornings at all), and there is only so much instructional time I can leave until the afternoon because everyone's too tired to learn math and conjugate Latin. I can't combine DD and DS1 for any skill subjects because they're at very different levels.

 

I'm afraid if I don't have a good, solid plan, then I just won't end up getting around to stuff with DS1. Working within these parameters (not necessarily according to how you do stuff in your house), do you have any ideas for me on how I can meet everyone's needs better?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you divide his blocks between everyone else's and rotate just the remaining three?  So something like this:

 

DS1- First subject

Long block 1

DS1- Second subject

Long block 2

DS1- Third subject

Long block 3

DS1- Anything remaining

 

Not sure if that would work at all, but it's something to consider.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about breaking everyone in 30mins tutoring time with you? And while you work with one of your older ones the other one could read and interact with the littles? Then switch, work with the other older one while the one who was working with you tends to the younger ones? I am trying to implement 30min blocks, and have my 11, 9 and 7yr old help playing with 10month old

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still tweaking, but our day goes like this:

 

After breakfast:

 

Combined spelling lesson for ds8 and dd6

 

Ds8 then begins his independent work- grammar, math warm-up, French stuff.

Dd6 does her math lesson with me. Once she is working on the problem set, I begin checking do's pile of completed independent work. He does corrections if necessary.

 

Next, I explain dd's independent work to her (French stuff, math review sheet, copy work) and she starts that.

I begin math lesson with ds. Once he's on the problem set, I review dd's work and we do any corrections.

 

Dd goes off to play for a bit.

Ds and I finish his French LA- lesson or dictation or whatever.

I put baby down for nap and/or lunch then nap for baby.

Audio book during lunch

 

After lunch, read with little dd3, then she does a "reading lesson"

Reading lesson with dd6.

content subject for the day (combined generally)

BW type small writing project for dd

Writing instruction and assignment for ds.

 

What I still need to work in is a morning meeting, but I have a mess making one year old, so... Working on it...

 

In brief, I juggle them, and have a number of pre-made independent work items for each while they wait their turns.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you divide his blocks between everyone else's and rotate just the remaining three?  So something like this:

 

DS1- First subject

Long block 1

DS1- Second subject

Long block 2

DS1- Third subject

Long block 3

DS1- Anything remaining

 

Not sure if that would work at all, but it's something to consider.

 

I agree with this. Try splitting his hour into four 15 minute sections.

 

I think it's great that you have a system that works! We've always had trouble balancing, because my kids can't work for very long at a time without my attention (learning challenges, ADHD, etc.). I'd say to just tweak your current system;  if it works, don't change too much. Breaking your son's time into smaller segments but leaving the rest the same might work well for you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with this. Try splitting his hour into four 15 minute sections.

 

I think it's great that you have a system that works! We've always had trouble balancing, because my kids can't work for very long at a time without my attention (learning challenges, ADHD, etc.). I'd say to just tweak your current system;  if it works, don't change too much. Breaking your son's time into smaller segments but leaving the rest the same might work well for you.

Yes, we have some of those same issues with attention.  It's really hard to mesh everyone's different learning styles together without going insane and/or taking my entire day.  (Yes, homeschooling is my job, but I also do need to attend to my little ones and my housework too, so I can't be hands-on teaching eight hours every day.)

 

So I discussed this with the children.  DD, the oldest, didn't really have any thoughts one way or the other.  DS2, the first grader, said he would also like to try smaller blocks.  A lot of their subjects are small ones that only take 10-20 minutes (typing, math facts practice for DS1, DuoLingo lesson for DD, phonics lesson for DS2, geography for both older children, etc.), and most subjects that require my direct assistance or teaching also take about 20 minutes.  (In an hour block, I might teach DS1 math for about 20 minutes [and then he'll do practice problems on his own later, plus 10-20 minutes of facts practice in multiplication], do 20 minutes of a writing lesson with him, and do Latin for 20 minutes.)  So we are going to try 20 minute blocks for everyone and see how it goes.  If 20 is too hectic, we'll try 30.

 

So it might look something like this, although I'll let them choose what they do when:

20 minutes -- group work with everyone together -- Bible, memory work, poetry, etc.

20 minutes -- big two work on their stuff, either a small subject or two, or starting their larger ones; I do math and maybe some handwriting with DS2

20 minutes -- math with DD; DS2 goes to play with his little sidekicks, I mean, brothers; DS1 works on a couple of small subjects

20 minutes -- DD works on something; threelittleboys play; go over math with DS1

20 minutes -- Mom block -- big two work on their own; I switch laundry and such; read some books to the threelittleboys; maybe DD and DS1 take some breaks if they've done a bunch.

20 minutes -- phonics with DS2 (while he's already gathered to me from reading with them)

20 minutes -- Latin with DD

20 minutes -- writing and finishing mental math if need be, with DS1

20 minutes -- Mom block (sort clean laundry, make snack, play with/read to smallboys)

20 minutes -- project or mapwork or whatever with DS2 and his sidekicks

20 minutes -- go over writing and anything else with DD

20 minutes -- whatever else DS1 needs

20 minutes -- Mom block, to finish Mom-directed science or picture study or composer study

 

And so on, for the first several hours of the day.  We'll start the first group work block at about 9 am, after they've already had an hour to read or work on their own or to run around outside for a bit while I shower and clean up the kitchen and all, and we will stop about about 1:20 for an hour lunch break or so.  After lunch, I'll be available for questions as the big two finish their work, and if I didn't get to it before lunch, I'll spend some time reviewing and discussing their reading and all with them and checking their completed work.  We will rotate who gets to work with me right after the first group block, but most of the time, I will try to have DS2 and his little followers work with me right after a Mom block, so that they're already with me.

 

I'll report back in a few weeks and let y'all know how it's going. :)  Thanks!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All those twenties made my head spin. :ph34r:

 

I do bottom-up, but bounce around the older pairs. So I start with the kindergartner, when his phonics and writing is done and his math lesson is taught so he just has to do his worksheet at my elbow, I call the 2nd grader in. When her mom dependent work is done and she just has a math lesson left to do at my elbow I turn my attention to both the 5th and 7th. Whichever one I go to first is the one that seems most ready, and I go back and forth between them until they're pretty much done. By lunch they should have the mom stuff pretty much wrapped up, and after lunch I approach the teens in the same manner. The most available one gets to start and I'll go back and forth between them as needed. When I'm with the middle two the big two can interrupt politely for random little bits, and when I'm with the big two the middle two can politely interrupt if needed.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All those twenties made my head spin. :ph34r:

 

LOL, they do mine too. We shall see how it works. It might be too hectic.

 

I do bottom-up, but bounce around the older pairs. So I start with the kindergartner, when his phonics and writing is done and his math lesson is taught so he just has to do his worksheet at my elbow, I call the 2nd grader in. When her mom dependent work is done and she just has a math lesson left to do at my elbow I turn my attention to both the 5th and 7th. Whichever one I go to first is the one that seems most ready, and I go back and forth between them until they're pretty much done. By lunch they should have the mom stuff pretty much wrapped up, and after lunch I approach the teens in the same manner. The most available one gets to start and I'll go back and forth between them as needed. When I'm with the middle two the big two can interrupt politely for random little bits, and when I'm with the big two the middle two can politely interrupt if needed.

This might actually work now, if I'm not doing a full hour with the first person. I like the idea of doing the littler ones first, so they can go play, but when we did longer blocks, the big kids complained that they had to wait too long. And sometimes looking forward to having Mom time is incentive for the little ones to play quietly and not interrupt (DS2 will want to show something cool that he's built to DS1, which is adorable, but not so great for DS1's concentration).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...