mryann
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Posts posted by mryann
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We are more Charlotte Masonish in our house...so we use the Mater Amabilis schedule except for Science & Latin, I use different books. I would say that for the most part, my older 2 do not need intensive time with me. They might need help with something or for me to review....but they are beyond needing me for a lot of one-on-one time. By 9:30, the littles go and play or they can choose a Magic Schoolbus or Catholic movie to watch. I have lots of hands-on, learny type toys that I need to get better at rotating. My olders generally start with math as this is the area giving us more fits right now. English is usually in the early morning as well as this is an area where I am needed. Then they will usually start working their easier things that they don't need me constantly for. A page of spelling, Bible History, Catechism, 10 m handwriting (this will either be a prayer....English or Latin or a poem they are supposed to be memorizing), 20 m keyboarding, 20 m instrument practice, reading is a big chunk of their schedule: History both national and world and a related book per term, Shakespeare play a term, book club book a month, Saint book a term and one other religious book by grade. These are staggered and at level; but by the end of the term certain books are supposed to be done and new ones assigned. My oldest is a voracious reader and this comes easy, my daughter doesn't enjoy reading as much so I have tweaked her schedule a little. Science and Geography are 2x week. While it looks like a lot....they can easily have 7 or 8 things done before lunch and that is with a snack break thrown in. I work with the littles in the next room starting between 10 and 10:30 and we can get through the prek/K/1st grade combo in 1h 1/2. I break it up in 10 to 20 minute bites but unless my 6 yr old is pitching fits he is done before lunch. And those rotations are also about changing tasks. So if we've been sitting down doing reading. Then we'll switch to the other room and do math. Or play a game. Do some oral questions. He can do some computer time with a learning game. The littles are doing Song School Latin....they think it fun because there is a monkey on the cover. Spend some time on the artist or composer for the term. *The artist/composer thing has been harder for me to manage because each child has a different artist and composer by term. I have started combining them for my own sanity.*
The older ones need me to review a lot with them (all that reading) so this is a more time consuming method for me than if they had a bunch of workbooks....but they like this a lot better. CM is really about training the children to do their work quickly and to their very best ability. As a child gets older, more time is allotted for them to complete subjects. For us, if we are doing school at 3pm and it's not because we had a field trip, then we are having a bad day. The nature walk is the funniest part of CM but can also be the hardest. If I don't schedule it....very easy to skip. I try to work it in when we are already out and about somewhere.
This has been are hardest year schedule-wise since we have day things out of the house 3x per week. But I think the children are happier so they are more motivated to get their work done.
If they aren't done by 3pm because they were slacking, then they have to finish their work instead of having free time. Since I look more by term, I would say by day, there are supposed to be 8 to 10 things done and there are certain things like Math, English/LA, all the daily practice things that have to be done each and every day. I am trying to give them some freedom to do their schedule how they feel it works best for them (except Math....I tried to let them do that in the afternoons and it just didn't work). If things aren't getting done (which is very easy to tell by their check-off sheets) then I manage that child's schedule more.
Hope that helps. For me, the chores, meal planning, shopping/errands, follow through are the things that created stress in/for me. Which trickled down to stressed, acting out children, and more bad school days. I have really been working on decluttering, planning the meals more and starting the whole dinner thing earlier; like 4 or 4:30 I am totally about "what does Mom need to have done or be doing". There is no more teacher to help you. Teacher is gone. The better I am about my role as wife and homemaker, the better my role as teacher goes. Tonight there was no follow through on after dinner chores because I went to Target to exhange/return things and try and Christmas shop without the children. So we will start the morning with a messy downstairs. I will start my day feeling behind and that I didn't do good as a wife/homemaker. That will make my mood not that great and decrease my patience. If I am not careful....it will translate into a bad school day.
this was really helpful. I have read and re-read it several times. I started off using CM methods and still strive to follow that philosophy. Sonlight is CM style. I find that I"m not getting to the fun stuff - nature study, art or composer study. So what is taking up so much time for me? I find that 20 min math lesson wasn't really enough to sink those concepts. My oldest handled Singapore math easily. We moved to NEM this year and it reviews first. I realized that he has forgotten how to divide fractions, convert mixed numbers, find primary numbers, etc. and that he needs review on multiplication tables. IMO, 20 min of math a day just wasn't enough for my kid.
I'm curious as to how your kids are 'beyond needing you for one on one time." Do they read their math/language arts books and just know what to do? It sounds like your kids read a lot to themselves. Do you go over what they've read? Are they doing narrations? Do you do dictation with them? Do you read aloud? When do you fit all of that in?
I planned to keep track of my time this week, but it was so nice that we took our books outside. We got a lot accomplished, interspersed with pruning and bike riding, but it was way past 4 when we put our book bags away and even then, we didn't finish every subject. Today we have a fieldtrip but I'd like to keep track next week. I truly am beginning to think that it is not possible for me to get every subject finished for 3 grades plus preschool in 5 hours.
Sasharowan, thanks for the homeschool tracker info. If you weren't keeping a portfolio (we test at the end of the year) would you still use it? Currently, it's not taking me an hour to plan out the weeks' worth. But maybe that's my problem?! Maybe I'm not planning enough?
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is a life-saver - I so agree with other poster on that one. And Teaching Textbooks has been a great thing for my two youngest. Love the self-grading part and yeah, yeah it's not ideal but both scored 100% on grade level CATs last year!!! It's not any better in a classroom of 20 or 30 when the poor teacher is trying to provide differentiated instruction. Now that's difficult!
You'll are doing a great job because you care - and kids do need to learn to wait and to fill their extra/downtime with reading or chores. Nothing wrong with that! It's something they have to learn ... Not sure what my advice is except it all sounds normal to me and still better then the excellent public schools my kids attended before we moved across country (where the schools are in the news all the time and not for positive things - we're in DC after all). 4 to 1 ratio is to die for!
I must say now that my kids are 11, 11 and 13 ... I wish they needed me more. I love the times when I get to read aloud to them or provide them one-on-one with math or chemistry. I do think it's much harder with more then two different grade levels. I hear you there! I hope this bit of advice helps ... I think that teaching is a big job and you are all on the right track!!
Ok one more thing - we do PE to the excess with rec and travel teams plus private coaching. When my kids have down days (no extra sports), I go nuts and yell at them alot ... I am mucho academic but I believe in getting the kids moving and grooving - they need to be outside doing their thing as much as possible. If only because it makes me happier!
I know that 1:4 is better than a brick school ratio of 1:20 but still I feel that I could do a better job. Now that my oldest is headed to private high school, I really want them to be prepared. I totally agree with you about PE. My kids play baseball, swim and play soccer. We are on break before indoor soccer begins and so no one is moving enough, including me! Do you send your kids outside to play or do you have any ideas for activities? We have recently discussed letting each kid pick an activity and the rest of us have to play that game/activity for 1 hour.
Our children are almost the exact same age!!! Mine is 6 instead of 7 and is a really immature 6 so he requires my attention/time for "school". We start the school day at 9am. Hats off to all those who can get it together at 7. They get up between 7-7:30. We do cereal for breakfast most of the mornings. The older 2 are responsible for getting one younger brother his breakfast. All the daily things (room tidy, morning offering, teethbrushing, dishwasher chore) are supposed to happen before the 9 start time. We have started the same way for years and it kind of gets them settled into the day (we do Saint of the Day and prayers together). For the older 2, I made a master list of where they are supposed to be in each subject by term. I wrote it out longhand (it didn't take that long) and they can check each chapter, pgs, etc. off daily. My oldest is a boy and he is not as good as keeping himself on track but I am trying to instill that in him so I try not to be too naggy. Natural consequence, he is stuck doing school work instead of earning video game time or has to miss a Boy Scout camping trip. Next come my daughter and she loves checking off those little boxes; she likes to be a little ahead. My younger too are the big energy drainers. They are super active and LOUD. They have to be in another room or no one can think.:001_smile: If they thrash a room...they have to pick it up. They are both highly motivated by video game time so I can get them, most days, to get through the school stuff fairly quickly. Lunch is usually sandwiches which is their preference for the most part, they can have leftovers. I have been trying to have the olders help with this as well....but seriously....how can so much mayo miss the bread???? I like to be done by 3pm. I have to have some QUIET TIME before the whole dinner thing begins. When I am good, I cook meat or meals ahead to save on time and have my menu working with the weekly schedule. I do not enjoy cooking at all. Love to bake, can't stand "what should I make for dinner"!!! We use Faith & Life as well, the older ones read this independently and generally review with me rather than doing the workbook. I do the younger ones. We have Catholic Mosaic and I try and pick 2 Saints for each month that we will spend some extra time on. One just at home and one with another hsing family. They really enjoy celebrating with another family and this helps us to have some regularly scheduled playdates. I have really concentrated more on making the Liturgical Year come alive for them the last couple of years.Lastly (this is sooo long) I would say that it is not the lack of schedule that messes up my day....it is my lack of energy/excitement to actually go around and check things, did I follow through? Did the rooms actually get tidied before 9 or do I go upstairs during the lunch break and then I am the Mad Mommy? Did the littles quietly make a mess in their room that I didn't catch and they still got to watch a movie at lunch? Did chores actually happen or have I let slackerville come and rest at our house? Did I put the laundry away or do I have piles sitting on the sofa, on the floor, making the room look messy? Follow through is the killer of my day....not the schedule, lack of orginizational techniques, saved blogs on how to make the day go smooth....did I make my rounds and handle things in a nice Mommy voice when I was supposed to; rather than finding everything at the evening tidy-up when I am stressed trying to make dinner and have the house look halfway presentable for Dad. 'Cuz there is no nice Mommy voice then!:tongue_smilie:
Not only are our kids the same ages, it sounds like we have a lot in common! I thought hard about follow through being my problem. I'm sure that I struggle with that in the afternoons but I'm not sure that it's my problem during the school day. Getting school done for 3 grades plus preschool and lunch in 5 hours is hard. Are you able to get every planned subject finished every day? I know that I need to work on slackerville in the afternoons! I think I will keep a chart tomorrow where you write down what you are doing every 30 min.
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Mine don't ask for help very much. Sometimes, and it is usually with Language Arts and not Math. We use a lot of CLE and the 8 yro and 7 yro can open to the next lesson and start on their own. Sometimes they have questions and I just move around the table as questions pop up. Also, with CLE Math, they see those problems over and over again (they have constant review), so nobody forgets how to do something.
I'm not sure why my kids work independently - not sure if it's the CLE or just their personalities or the fact that they went to ps and weren't used to getting any help or maybe I just got really lucky or maybe they know I'm probably too tired to help them :D... I'm not sure what we're doing differently. :confused:
What kind of math do you use? I purposely use CLE because it's written to the student. It can be really, REALLY dry and repetitive, though. :tongue_smilie:
I'm finding that math is very intensive for my kids right now. We use Singapore. At the very minimum, I need to read the text to the kids before they begin their workbook pages. Everything I'm doing this year requires so much mom time. Winston Grammar, AAS, Outlining, etc all require me to sit next to the child and help them. The only independent subjects are Spanish, typing, history and science.
I keep mine set up centrally so that I can rotate between them as needed. I use Homeschool Tracker to set up weekly sheets with all their assignments on it. They work through their list, asking for help as needed. This usually ends up with all 3 having a question at the same time. But they are used to my juggling them by now. Of course, my 4yo doesn't do more than 15 min. a week at this time. His biggest school type thing is a computer game. He doesn't have the attention span to sit very long even though he asks to learn to read.I agree, keeping them all centrally located is a good idea. I have never used Homeschool Tracker. Did it take you a long time to input 3 grades?
Here is what worked for me this week:
Do not answer the phone until 2pm.
Do not schedule any repair persons until after 2pm.
Have no sick days! (We had an emergency run last week for a possible kidney stone.)
Give each kid 30 min of attention and tell the other children to work independently until it's their turn.
Teach the children to work until they are stuck. Review the math instructions and see if they can figure it out for themselves. If they are still stuck, move on to something else.
Get the laundry and dishes moving before breakfast.
Eat leftovers for lunch rather than making a meal from scratch.
Limit outings before 2pm to 1x per week.
Have materials ready the night before.
Do not get on the computer before 2pm.
It's still not the way I want it - my 7 yr old is still not getting what she needs. I'm still working on squeezing it all in.
Thanks so much for your advice!
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Juggling is always a challenge and has never been completely smooth or easy. Two things have helped me this year: dispersing chores throughout the morning, and creating a flow chart for each child which prescribes the order of their individual school day.
The big rule is that everyone has to follow their well thought out, cleverly devised flow chart in order It took some time to devise a way that I would not have 4 kids needing me at the same time. No one does school in the same order, and I don't try to stick to specific times except my 1:00 meeting with my 7th grader, and my 2:00 writing time with my 9yo and 11yo. It still is not perfect, but things are running much more smoothly than in past years.
HTH
I like this idea. Each of my kids has a chart of subjects and they are listed as to things they can do independently and things that require my help. I need to tweak this so that the flow works better. Today I tried to spend 30 min with each kid (combined the littles) and then move on to the next kid. I need to teach them to work on their own and wait for their turn. It did go so much better today.
This is what I've started doing this year - shhhh...don't tell anyone. :leaving:I did away with any grade levels with my two oldest kids and they are doing EVERY single thing together. They do Latin, Social Studies, Science, German, Reading, Art, LA and Math at the exact same time (they are in different spelling, LA and math programs - but sit down with this together at the same time).
I'm with you here - we combine as much as we can. Here's my problem - if everyone is doing math, then everyone is wanting help. The 12 yr old forgot how to divide fractions, the 10 yr old is struggling with multiplying 2 digit numbers and the 7 yr old is learning how to borrow when subtracting. They EACH need me to sit right next to them and show them how to work the problems. And whomever I pick, the others are not thrilled to be waiting - again. How do you get this to work for you?
It's hard, isn't it? In some ways, it's so much easier (no diapers, everyone usually sleeps through the night, etc), but it's also so much more demanding in different ways.A few ideas:
- Each boy has a laminated card that says "Help!" with a clip on it. When they have a question, instead of interrupting while I'm working with someone else, they are supposed to bring the tag and either clip it on me or place it on my desk, and when I have a minute I answer their question. They know to keep working on whatever they can until I am able to help them.
- I do our SL Read Aloud & Poetry Reading while they eat breakfast.
- My older 4 boys aren't allowed to leave the school room without permission. Keeps the wandering down.
- This year I made each boy a 3 ring binder. They have a tab for each task they need to complete (so instead of just having a "Math" tab, they might have a Saxon tab and a Daily Word Problem tab). I place several weeks worth of work or notebook paper behind the appropriate tab. This way I'm not scrambling to find notebook paper or make copies when I should be teaching. It's also cut down on my prep time on the weekends.
I hope some of these suggestions help!
These are excellent. I already do the read aloud at lunch. I read religion at breakfast and the girls read aloud at bedtime.
Last year I signed my oldest daughter up for a class through Write at Home. It was wonderful. It was just one area I no longer had to worry about. She enjoyed the writing assignments and having positive feedback.
Also, I have combined my youngest two for Spelling. The oldest is a little above the youngest but not by much. We just do it together. Makes it SO much easier. They also enjoy doing it with each other. We are using AAS.
The other trick I do is I get dinner started in the morning. I use my crock pot a lot. I have great recipes. That way dinner is ready and I don't have to worry about cooking when I'm exhausted from homeschooling all day.
I would love to hear how WaH worked for you. I am inches from putting my oldest in a Bravewriter course. How do you combine 2 kids in AAS? I absolutely love AAS, but it takes almost an hour each day.
I am really bad about getting dinner figured out early. I so need a menu plan. It's 4:30 and I'm scrambling for dinner tonight. I'd love to hear your crockpot recipes.
Thanks so much for all of your suggestions. I sure do appreciate the help.
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Anneofalamo,
My kids help a lot, especially the 12 yr old. I can see that an idea would be to have them do chores while they are waiting rather than doing them after school work is finished. I'm looking forward to seeing your blog - it really helps to see how other moms work their days.
MamaAkins,
I am not new to hsing, I've been doing it since my oldest was 3. But, every year has been different, and this is the first year with no baby or toddler so my expectations are higher. This year also seems to require so much more attention - my 4 yr old is an early reader (when do I find time to read books to her?) and my 7 yr old needs phonics work, my 10 and 12 yr old need work outlining and writing and my 12 yr old is beginning NEM which is an adjustment.
When do you get your table work ready? In the morning when you get up? I really like the idea of them doing their chores while they are waiting for me. I hate to adjust the cooking style, but I do see your point. I will start breakfast early before they get up and see if that gives us more time.
joni470, do your kids mind the day scheduled from 7-4? I'm not sure that I want to go that long! Maybe my problem is really that the day is too long for me?
thank you so much for your suggestions. I see that I really need to do more prep or scheduling work to get the days to run smoothly.
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I have 4 kids, 12, 10, 7 and 4. I'm having trouble juggling them all and getting everything done. I've tried making a schedule, having a list of things to cross off when they are finished, but the problem seems to be that the kids end up waiting for me to help them and get distracted. The 10 yr old will wander off and the 7 and 4 yr olds will go off to play and trash whatever room I'm not in. Math and LA require the most time from me for each kid. I don't know whether to ask for someone to look and my list of curriculum or just tell me how they juggle their own kids. I'll take any suggestions.
We are using NEM (7th grader) and Singapore math, AAS, IEW ancients, basic outlining, Noeo Chemistry (3 levels), Rosetta Stone Spanish, Typing, and Sonlight Core 6 as a unit study. The littles are also using HWT and ETC. I do religion (Faith and Life and Catholic Mosaic) at breakfast. I cook hot meals and they are also taking some time.
Help!
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elfgivas, putting the kids in school will be the most difficult thing for her. it's helpful to hear that your situation turned out alright.
joanne, we have a lawyer who is rated very highly and has been recommended by several lawyer friends. i pray that she will do a good job.
thank you all. and god bless those of you who have traveled this path yourselves.
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Joanne, thanks for the check list! I think we have hit most of them. the pace is so fast, there is very little time to process. In three weeks, she has moved across the country, been dumped, put her possessions in storage, realized there will be no reconciling, sorted her storage, moved again, contacted attorneys, and is now going back to get her storage. (the kids need more than the clothes on their backs.) none of that includes handling the kids who are struggling and continuing her job (she teaches online classes.)
Brenda, how do you see that she will end up with less if she files in a different state? The attorney said that the support was about the same, ie, there would be no advantage to filing in his state. Do you mean that he might not pay? Because I don't see that as a problem. He has 3 kids from his first marriage and has always paid.
does anyone know, is it ever possible to negotiate permanent spousal support?
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First of all, she can't just decide what state she wants to do this in. A state without jurisdiction doesn't have jurisdiction. So you actually really need some advice about what the correct state is and then talk to an attorney in THAT state.
Secondly, you forgot to mention division of property. There are three major financial considerations (1) child support (2) alimony (3) division of property. I would assume that if the husband is a high earner, they have property. Cars. Stuff. Bank accounts. Retirement accounts. Of course, even with large incomes, some people mostly have debt, and debt also has to be divided fairly. The first step is just finding out what they actually have, and sometimes people need an attorney just to get that to happen.
If your sister wants to spend a lot of what money there is on a "shark" attorney instead of using those assets to raise and educate her own children, I suggest she hire said "shark" and fight like heck. Then the attorney's kids can take violin lessons with the money she would have used to buy groceries.
If she would rather get a fair settlement and then use that money for the needs of her family, I suggest she find an attorney who is not afraid to fight if he or she needs to but who is professional, competent, and oriented toward achieving a fair and reasonable settlement. Sometimes when both parties are receiving good legal advice and both want to come to a fair settlement, they can do that without having massive legal fees. I hope that is the case for your sister.
But cases go before judges all over America every day. It's better when they can be settled without having to do that - cheaper, easier. Many places have mediation processes, which can be very effective.
actually, she can decide what state she wants to do this in. she no longer has residency in the old state and can not file there. we have spoken to several lawyers about this and they all agree. she has no residency in the state her husband is now living in and so will not file there. she has chosen to live with us and therefore can file for a legal separation and eventually a divorce once she has residency. jurisdiction over her husband will be a tricky issue unless she filed in the state where he is now living. she has no desire to live far away from family.
property is not really an issue. they sold their home before the move and intended to purchase a new home in the new state. that money would be divided. there is little there, almost no retirement. child support will be according to his income. it isn't enough to live on. she has all of these documents because of the move and has already shown them to a very good lawyer who also mediates.
I understand that lawyers are the only ones who win in a divorce. it appears to me that it's her children and she who will lose and NOT the lawyers OR her husband.
she can get spousal support for 3-5 years at best. Permanent alimony is not an option, according to her lawyer.
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we've talked to several lawyers and it seems pretty cut and dried. a shark doesn't appear to make any difference - your support is a percentage of the husband's salary. alimony depends on how many years you have been married and is 3-5 years if you've been married 10-20 years. of course, if you are lucky enough to divorce in MN or Oregon, you get spousal support for life.
is there a way that a shark lawyer would make any difference? it doesn't seem to even go before a judge anymore. does anyone have any advice?
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My sister's husband just left her and the kids, literally, in the middle of a cross country move. She is currently living with us and we're trying to get her possessions out of storage in another state. She is planning on filing for a legal separation. It was depressing to hear how little she will receive in a divorce while her ex makes a 6 figure salary.
If you are single parent, how do you make it financially and emotionally? Do you have any advice?
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My sister needs a divorce lawyer in Cincinnati. Please pm me if you have any suggestions.
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they sound perfect, I have a middle school kid who will be bored with SOTW activity books. Can you tell me how they were spendy? Did you mean the materials or the cost of the files? Thanks so much!
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Has anyone ever used the art projects from http://www.enrichment4you.com/index.php?cPath=2_3&osCsid=6cea5d82ee84d29c7ea7f386b332f1d9 ?
They look pretty neat.
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I don't have any advice re: medicines but I did want to recommend one more type of treatment. During the winter, my then 11 year old had daily headaches for several months. We ruled out vision problems, took him to the ped and made an appointment with the neurologists at the local children's hospital. Meanwhile, we began to take him to the chiropractor. It took several weeks of 3x/week adjustments, but the headaches completely disappeared. I don't know if this treatment would help your kiddo, but I wanted to suggest it. Daily headaches are miserable.
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what a great idea! please add me to your list. :001_smile:
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My oldest is 7th grade this year. My son enjoys writing assignments but does not write for fun. I'd like to help him polish his writing skills and prepare him for private high school.
I've tried a number of writing programs and not liked any of them for various reasons. I own the Writer's Jungle and really like it - but I need a schedule. I've used several Arrow issues but find that they are not enough (and are expensive!) I've used Sonlight's LA but it goes too quickly for him. I've considered IEW although it just doesn't appeal to me all that much. I've listened to SWB's mp3 about writing in middle school but again, would like a schedule.
What writing program are you using for your 7th grader?
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thanks Pamela! Any other Virginians?
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My sister is moving Richmond VA in August and is looking for homes next week. She is looking for some property with a few acres but not a horrible commute to downtown where he husband's job is located. Anyone have any advice regarding location? Home-schooling groups? Any advice for getting settled in this area? Thanks!
I just realized that I put this in the wrong category. So sorry!
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2 other things we do that I don't think have been mentioned-
Our kids all go to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd-it has changed our lives! If your parish does not have it you can do it at home as well.
The kids also love listening to CDs called Cat Chat-
Good luck
Nikki
:iagree: Also agree with Catholic Mosaic.
gifts for baby number 4
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I hear you and it only gets harder as that 4th baby gets older. :) We suggested bath toys and soaps, bath towel, zoo pass, new stroller (it really was beat by the 4th kid.) Think consumables. Bucket of stickers and construction paper, triangular or rock crayons, water colors or finger paint.