Jump to content

Menu

Time spent afterschooling???


Recommended Posts

How much time do you spend Afterschooling? What subjects do you afterschool? Do you spend more time on the weekends or on weekdays? How do you fit it all in?

 

These are just some questions I have while I plan for next year. I did a poor job in my opinion last year of afterschooling and didn't accomplish my goals. This next year I will have a 1st grader (at least one year ahead in math and reading) and a kindergartner (at grade level for now). The school does a poor job of teaching social studies and science and focuses primarily on test prep. My 1st grader needs to be challenged and gets bored easily in class. I'd like to touch on all subjects after school including art and music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My after-schooling varies--both with content & time. I also felt I did not reach my goals last year with my 1st grade daughter, mostly because I returned to work, was too busy, & she had lots of extra-curriculars. For this reason, I plan to scale back her extra-curricular activities this upcoming school year so we can spend more leisure time at home. I hope a less-demanding schedule will afford us more after-schooling time, say 5-7 hours per week.

 

In terms of content, it'll be a combo of interest-led topics & skill development (reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic fluency). She's learning to read in French too so that's on the list. Cooking & puzzles are per her request & she's insanely interested in science & art. I REALLY missed the read alouds last year so that is a MAJOR priority for me. Calendar-based themes are good too (i.e., spring, Halloween, etc.). Supporting & enriching her regular school day learnings are also a TOP priority. Last year, she had a sub-par teacher & I intend to be much more attentive this year.

 

I thank you for posting this as it's forced me to start mentally planning this year's at-home learnings. I believe planning is the best way to ensure goals get reached. Thanks for this reminder!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My DS11 was in PS for K & 1st. His school dismissal time was 2pm, we walk home or walk to the park and he has his snack time. 3pm we start afterschooling.

 

Math - he start SM2A in K and just proceed at his pace. That takes 10 minutes usually as he is very fast in computations. We did MEP and living math as enrichment and probably spent 30mins or more depending on his mood

 

Reading - he does an hour of leisure reading but he is my bookworm and will read longer. He is an early reader and natural speller so we didn't do any formal LA after school

 

Science - he and his brother would read up on experiments and would do them. Lots of documentaries and library books. Hard to estimate time but definately more than 5hrs of fun weekly

 

Music - he didn't want lessons so we bought Music for Little Mozart books and he self taught on my piano

 

Art - my boys did summer classes for art. Hubby and my art skills are all over the shop so we decide to spend on art classes. So minimum 15 hrs per year.

 

Social studies - we did nothing other than watching history channel. His school did social studies well enough

 

Weekends was their gym class and then just family fun time at bookstore or beach.

 

He didn't have state testing until 2nd grade so there was no test prep in school in K and 1st.

 

We didn't start a second language formally until he was in 2nd grade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my kids were in 1st, afterschooling was relatively easy because they were pretty cooperative about it.  They didn't have all kinds of other ideas about how evenings / weekends should be spent.  :P  Their homework load was relatively light.  Afterschooling for an hour or even two on a school night was do-able without much fuss, assuming we had that much time open.

 

I say "relatively easy," because schedules are a big balancing act regardless.  I insisted on having the kids do something physical most days, and of course bedtime is kind of important (though we pushed it at times).  It always seemed like the kids got the most homework on the days when we had the least time.  But most days, we would squeeze some review or enrichment work in between activities or after dinner at the kitchen table.  I found workbooks to be the easiest for us to use at that time.  They also read books every day.  They had piano practice several days per week, and they spent time on the weekends with our part-time nanny, who taught them a little art and Spanish.  Sundays were with an aunt, who did read-alouds and cooking in addition to about an hour of afterschooling work.  (I worked 7 day weeks.)  They also started horse riding at age 6, which included doing barn work with various animals.  When I could manage to make it fit, we would go to the natural history / art museums, but it was hard to work that in when they were in 1st grade.  When we traveled, I always tried to make it educational and I'd bring the workbooks along.  I know, I sound like such a fun mom!

 

When my kids were 7, I discovered some good educational videos that you might like for your kids.  Favorites here were Liberty's Kids, Carmen Sandiego, and The Magic Schoolbus.

 

The Magic Treehouse book series is good for combining reading and social studies (history / geography).  My kids enjoyed the series and got most or all of the way through it before they lost interest.  The books start at a lower reading level and work upward.

 

We didn't do much with writing that I recall.  They wrote about their travels on trips, and they wrote some letters.  My advanced kid loathed writing, so I guess I chose not to push it.  :)  You might consider a pen pal or a nature journal for writing.  In workbooks and homework, I always insisted they answer in complete sentences, reminding them of various mechanics rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would add that I don't really set "goals" for afterschooling.  I do what I can when I can, whether to support them in school or to keep their brain challenged.  It is very much affected by their personalities and by other events / distractions in our lives.  In general, anything is better than nothing.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I'm getting a better idea of how I'm going to do things this year. I am going to do a loop schedule with blocks of time. Depending on what night we have certain activities we will do scheduled blocks. Every night we will do at least 30 minutes of reading at bedtime. I am planning on going deep with our studies this year as I have done in the past. I hoping this works. Has any one do it this way?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We read about 10 mins of history most nights as part of about an hour reading (I like reading aloud). At the moment ds9 is doing the interactive version of MEP7 3 or 4 days a week. Ds7 has more homework but when he doesn't he does a combo of MM and games. Writing we do in chunks as ds9 doesn't like it. We do a science group fortnightly and we talk.

 

Next term I am going to try and keep ds9 out of school a couple of hours to do one on one science and maths.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, private school is not an option financially. If I could afford to put my kids in private school I would be homeschooling them. 😠. The charter schools in my area are too new to have much o a reputation and a lot of them focus on test prep. My girls go to the school I teach at, so I can at least keep closer tabs on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Ordinary Shoes about seizing teaching moments whenever possible and integrating learning into daily life as much as possible.

 

While I do set some afterschooling goals each year, particularly for math (I use Singapore math) and for grammar/writing, I try hard to build a reading-rich, math-rich, and learning-rich culture in my home as much as possible. When my kids were younger (K/G1), we did daily read-alouds, daily math, lots of puzzles/legos/math games, lots of educational field trips, and some basic writing. I have much less time to afterschool now that they're older, but I think that the early years laid a good foundation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the only way to keep things sane is to not try to cover everything. Pick what's the most important, and don't overload your kids. 

 

One person's "art afterschooling" is another person's "home craft time." Cooking is the original form of science experiments. Kids learn as well so much through play, and you can guide that to include reading (written treasure hunts), math (as with PP, we love Bedtime Math!), and writing (make a card for family). 

 

As far as us, my 3yo gets about 15 minutes of after-preschooling (his preschool is mornings only), and my 5yo generally just does about 15 minutes of reading (full day school). In the summer, I require an extra 15 minutes of workbook practice for my older boy, and my younger one will join in happily because he wants to. 

 

I second PPs that if you don't like the school, it's wise to find a new one, especially as a teacher. Can you teach at a private school and get discounted tuition? Can you apply to a better school and get your kids into it?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

 

 

With regards to your concern about your daughter being bored because she's not challenged, I don't think boredom is always a bad thing. Bored children are forced to be creative.  

 

I think the problem is that bored kids in a classroom are really not allowed to be creative. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the problem is that bored kids in a classroom are really not allowed to be creative.

We did not find that to be the case. Luckily living in a heavily unionized state means students who dont need the test prep and can do the seatwork in 2 minutes have a lot of time to fill, as they arent drafted in to peer tutoring, and they arent called on for the below grade level differentiated lessons. Typically they read or create....projects of their own, displays for assigned projects, art, music composition, whatever they are interested in. My kid spent third grade designing a videogame...some of the aides were a bit ticked off, but they know if they want middle class kids in attendance, they arent going to get it by forcing test prep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 4.5yo gets about 15-30 minutes. She goes to preschool for 3 hours a day 4-5 days a week. We only after school because she started reading last year and I decided to start phonics. Her school is play based and they do not do phonics yet. We do phonics and math. Dd does spend a lot of time drawing and writing, but I don't count those since she imitates and does it in her spare time.

 

I am not sure what we will do once she is in K. The school I want to send her to differentiates for math and reading and so she could go to the 2nd grade class for reading even if she's in K. So I am not sure it will be necessary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did not find that to be the case. Luckily living in a heavily unionized state means students who dont need the test prep and can do the seatwork in 2 minutes have a lot of time to fill, as they arent drafted in to peer tutoring, and they arent called on for the below grade level differentiated lessons. Typically they read or create....projects of their own, displays for assigned projects, art, music composition, whatever they are interested in. My kid spent third grade designing a videogame...some of the aides were a bit ticked off, but they know if they want middle class kids in attendance, they arent going to get it by forcing test prep.

 

I think this has more to do with the school and teacher than unionized. Our state is not unionzed but I also do not find my son is drafted in as peer tutoring (though he volunteers to do it in his after school program and is proud he can help). His teachers have differentiated lessons.  They do do a lot of reading.  I wonder if designing a video game is part of the third grade advanced curriculum? Or perhaps just something third graders like to do because I know he talked about that last year as well.  And brought home a large mural about an invention he and his group were working on. (Which I would have preferred to stay at school, honestly)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no 3rd grade advanced curriculum here. Its full inclusion, and nothing is taught above grade level.

 

Since its a union area, peer tutoring is simply not done. Aides are hired instead, and support services are offered. Kids dont even swap and correct papers...that job goes to an adult on the payroll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For my rising 2nd grader (she starts school tomorrow), we do 30 minutes of math (Singapore), 1 page of vocabulary workbook, and practice piano.  She goes to a private school, so her homework usually includes just AR reading and studying spelling words.  They write a LOT at school, and do a lot of science and art and foreign language, so I don't push that so much at home.

 

For my pre-K kiddo, we do 20 minutes of math (Right Start or Math Seeds or IXL or Miquon, whatever he's in the mood for), 1 page of Handwriting without tears, and practice piano.  Every other day or so we also do 20 minutes of Phonics (Hooked on Phonics, or Reading Eggs, or Bob Books, or Reading Raven, again he gets to pick.)

 

We generally do the above afterschool on M-Thursday, and then also first thing Sunday morning while everyone else we know is in church.  Fridays and Saturdays are "no-homework-days" to relax and recharge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My girls aged 5 and 8 are at school til 15:00 every day and then spend 2 days a week at gymnastics for 2 hours. Afterschooling is difficult. I stopped my eldest doing any mathematics homework that was coming from the school and made her do Singapore 4a/b instead. I read SOTW4 to them both in the mornings before school while they eat breakfast - but even that only happens 2-3x a week. I read to them while they bath at night from a novel. I leave books in the car that they read to themselves on the way to gymnastics or on the way to school (even though it is a very short drive). My 5 year old does a page of Singapore 1 on top of homework scheduled by her school and the school has stopped scheduling reading for her so I pick books for her to read to me that will advance her reading level (she is reading chapter books, but still needs some help with books that are print-heavy or with smaller text.

 

I choose the books I read to my children carefully and make sure they contain historical or scientific references or expand their vocabulary and then we also use google to look up any words we are unfamiliar with (usually cultural or historically influenced words). They joined our adult Bible Study the other night and listened very well and had advanced ideas on what they heard, so I was pleased with that too.

 

I read a lot of news articles and let my eldest read ones that may interest her and that are not too scary and we discuss these issues. Afterschooling I guess is just making learning part of our now not homeschooling life... its not easy though. I heard someone once say we should wake in the morning and say: There is enough time... it doesn't always feel like it and it sure isn't the type of thing people are heard to say, but, when I remember to say it, it does make things easier somewhat...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My girls aged 5 and 8 are at school til 15:00 every day and then spend 2 days a week at gymnastics for 2 hours. Afterschooling is difficult. I stopped my eldest doing any mathematics homework that was coming from the school and made her do Singapore 4a/b instead. I read SOTW4 to them both in the mornings before school while they eat breakfast - but even that only happens 2-3x a week. I read to them while they bath at night from a novel. I leave books in the car that they read to themselves on the way to gymnastics or on the way to school (even though it is a very short drive). My 5 year old does a page of Singapore 1 on top of homework scheduled by her school and the school has stopped scheduling reading for her so I pick books for her to read to me that will advance her reading level (she is reading chapter books, but still needs some help with books that are print-heavy or with smaller text.

 

I choose the books I read to my children carefully and make sure they contain historical or scientific references or expand their vocabulary and then we also use google to look up any words we are unfamiliar with (usually cultural or historically influenced words). They joined our adult Bible Study the other night and listened very well and had advanced ideas on what they heard, so I was pleased with that too.

 

I read a lot of news articles and let my eldest read ones that may interest her and that are not too scary and we discuss these issues. Afterschooling I guess is just making learning part of our now not homeschooling life... its not easy though. I heard someone once say we should wake in the morning and say: There is enough time... it doesn't always feel like it and it sure isn't the type of thing people are heard to say, but, when I remember to say it, it does make things easier somewhat...

I quite like your idea of using the newspaper as a springboard for discussions of topical events. I'm going to 'steal' that & bring it into our household fold of goings-on! Thanks!

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...