without attacking me, please offer constructive feedback :)

[greenmamato3]

ok, i appreciate the input :) i'm clear now :) thanks. i think there were a lot of misunderstandings, so i've removed my original post :) i will be pondering the helpful advice you offered.

Edited August 5, 2009 by greenmamato3

[JudyJudyJudy]

I'd go nuts with a day like that, and I'm 43. I think we can all get carried away with things, and, honestly, I think you're getting carried away with structure. Let your kids be kids.

[Rainbows]

Im pretty new at this, but that seems like an awfully heavy/full schedule for a 4 yr old & 6 yr old. I don't think they are being difficult on purpose, I think it probably just a lot for them

jmho :)

[i.love.lucy]

Well, I'm certainly no expert since I've only done this for less than a year, but WHEW! Your schedule makes me exhausted just looking at it!

 

I think you are doing too much. Too long on math for a little guy. And two full blocks of LA is too much also. And then you have all the other stuff. I'm sorry, I just don't see a 1st grader needing to do composer study. I would look seriously at making sure your basics get done, math, reading, writing instruction, maybe science, and bible. Get all those done within 2 hours, and then you can see if you really need the others and add them in on a rotating basis for a MAX of 30 more minutes. At your pace they'll be doing 8 hours of study by the time they're in 4th grade, you don't want that!!

 

Just my $.02

[all4ramseys@msn.com]

I'd go nuts with a day like that, and I'm 43. I think we can all get carried away with things, and, honestly, I think you're getting carried away with structure. Let your kids be kids.

 

:iagree:

 

 

They are very young. I think you should cut something out and relax. At those ages I would focus on the love of learning and with that schedule I'm not sure that's going to happen. Read lots of books, teach the basics (phonics & math) and play.

 

Just my .02.

 

Holly

[Samiam]

Ya asked to if we thought this was a reasonable day. Without attacking you, my simple answer is "no".

 

I like structure myself, so I get the structure thing. I also think children do well with structure, as they know what to expect and what is expected of them.

 

But, wow, that schedule is so tight, so structured, it seems to leave very little time for them to just be themselves, to just be VERY YOUNG children.

 

I almost think that, unless you are a super woman each AND every day, you are going to set YOURSELF up for disappointment, and thus failure. I am like that. If I have it in my mind that it HAS to go A, B, C and then suddenly D jumps up in the middle, I am thrown all off, get testy, and struggle to maintain myself because everything isn't going exactly the way I planned. Add in three children, and pretty much nothing goes EXACTLY the way I planned :). Five years into HSing, and I get that, I expect that, and I have come to terms with that. But the first few years, having a schedule like yours, and it not working out on a daily basis, I would have gone nuts, felt like a failure, and probably scrapped HSing altogether.

 

I just think your schedule is way too tight, too rigid and too structure for the ages of children.

 

But too each his own....and completely not attacking you :), just putting my thoughts out there.

[greenmamato3]

Too long on math for a little guy. And two full blocks of LA is too much also. And then you have all the other stuff. I'm sorry, I just don't see a 1st grader needing to do composer study.

just to clarify (and i'm not trying to "defend") ... the math TAKES HIM that long ... it's not b/c i drag it out. :) he really struggles and processes very slowly, so i sit with him to encourage him, but we're only doing 1/2 to 1 lesson in our righstart each day.

 

and the blocks of LA are 10-15 min each. he's sit and do that for hours if i'd let him. he LOVES LOVES LOVES that. i have to stop him :)

 

also, composer study is very important to me b/c i'm a classical pianist, and our family is in the music business. it's part of our fabric .... we did it even before we were homeschooling. and the drawing/artist study is something DS LOOOOOVES. we haven't started the rosetta stone or latin yet this year. nor have we started our biology.

 

I would look seriously at making sure your basics get done, math, reading, writing instruction, maybe science, and bible. Get all those done within 2 hours, and then you can see if you really need the others and add them in on a rotating basis for a MAX of 30 more minutes.

seriously, how can i make this happen? 2 hours? i honestly thought that i had set our week according to WTM guidelines with how long you should devote to each subject matter in 1st grade. are there really a lot of people out there getting ALL of that done in 2 hours? wow .... please help me.:bigear:

[snickelfritz]

And honestly...it would be too much for us.

 

Not enough transition time.

 

Not enough down time.

 

Too many subjects.

[Joy at Home]

I understand your need for structure, and I do think young ones do thrive with structure, but honestly you lost me after lunch. The first part of the day sounds reasonable enough, but I think the afternoon needs to be lighter. I think the dawdling is completely normal for that age and your expectations.

 

It's my opinion that school at this age should be done by lunchtime. Your afternoons sound way to heavy to me. Maybe rotating your p.m. subjects so that you're focusing on one every day of the week instead of trying to cover too much in one day? I think they need plenty of free time at this age, and trying to free up their afternoons would be a priority to me.

 

Good luck. I know it's not easy to find a good balance.

 

Blessings,

lisa

[praisefor3]

This is most definitely not an attack because, oh boy, do I "miss it" sometimes and am just another humble mama trying to walk the path. But I have to admit that I couldn't even finish reading your post because it overwhelmed me to think of a 6 and 4 year old trying to live up to those expectations. And trust me, I'm a high academics person with a masters in education and a dd that just graduated with a high ACT. And I do like schedules...but...oh my gosh, for your own sake as well as your kids you need to understand that if you do nothing more than cuddle those kids and read on the couch you are truly doing enough right now. Don't get me wrong. I think they are capable of exploring many subjects but in your case I definitely recommend swinging the pendulum back to the "reading on the couch" side of things and then adding things in one at a time til you are at a balance that is good for all of you. I'm sure you'll get a lot more detailed responses than mine but I am so afraid you are going to be miserable with trying to keep up these expectations. Hang in there. Oh and my youngest is 4 and I think "dawdling" as you describe it is such a wonderful part of being 4! (Disobedience is another thing, of course, but not allowing for "dawdling" time is a sure prescription for misery!)

[lovemykids]

"character study, latin, spanish, safety lesson, artist study, drawing, or composer study last......"

 

I would do all of this like once or twice a week.

 

Could you cut out piano a couple days a week? Maybe postpone spelling until next year....is he doing some copywork? Copywork will be his spelling for this year, it's okay, really!

 

Is there anyway you could make some of the history bedtime stories? I would allow dawdling, lollygagging, even bouncing around during history. ;) Also maybe combine some art/drawing into history; they can draw while you read.

 

Yes, honestly, I think it's way too much. You need to enjoy your little ones and have more fun at this age!! Three hours max, hon. Okay, I'll give you another half hour for evening read alouds, which should be varied material. ;) Let us know how it pans out.

 

Have fun!

 

:grouphug:

[Jumping In Puddles]

I think getting in and out of gear is not most 6 y/o's strong suit. IMHO, he shouldn't have to get in and out of gear all day long but it should be worked on gradually. For example in the morning... let's jump right in and get our math done and if we get this done by 9:15 we can can go ride bikes for an hour! and if he does, go ride bikes for an hour. You are giving him an incentive. If he won't engage at all (and the lesson should only be 15-20 minutes at most) then he'll miss the fun but don't make him sit there for the hour trying to do the math. Move on and then try again the next day. It should click.

 

Then you can move to "let's do math, then while I prepare for next lesson, or load dishwasher ... you can jump off the bed a dozen times" (or whatever, lol) and if we can get your copywork done quickly when we come back, we'll have time to go out for ice cream after lunch!

 

Be consistent, be gentle and be done by noon, no matter what you have on the schedule.

[bbsweetpea]

My kids are the age of yours and we just alternate subjects. I have two LONG days (5 hours of work for 6 year old), one day that is just fun stuff like art, pe, spanish, music, public speaking and bible and then two days that are lighter independent study with Theater thrown in (because I work at a Mothers day out those two days and my younger two attend with me).

 

My kids LOVE art and music so I do throw it end at the end of days when we get done early. I also throw in a bunch of games in order to "teach". This way they don't see it as work. It is HARD to find a good balance. I am still working at it. I like to be done by 1:00 on my longer days so that we can do whatever. I usually have to type up a months of lesson plans in order to do this though. I do just have to tell myself to stop at 1:00 (on our long days) no matter what.

 

Those that only do 2 hours of school for a first grader ... I have NO clue how they do it. We do a ton of readings so that may be why it takes us longer. I don't know.

 

Good LUCK and try to remember to have fun.

[Shawna in Texas]

ok, this is going to be long, and very self-centered of me. i need feedback. note, Ds is 6, DD is 4, and then there's DS 1 ...

they are to get up, get dressed, make their beds, tidy their rooms and be in the kitchen to let out the dog and feed him by 7:30. we eat. they have 15 min for breakfast. we are REALLY working to attack DAWDLING in our home, right now. so we time almost everything. it's sort of sad and pathetic but anyway ... again, a necessary ........ anyway, i'm trying to discipline myself to eat breakfast and do my devotions before they are up so that i can simply do devotions with them while they are eating and not have to be chewing at the same time. that's sort of a work in progress :) if you know what i mean. [i'm not a morning person .... ]

after breakfast, they are to clean up the dishes, brush their teeth and complete their chores: generally, isaac unloads the DW while ella and i tend to the laundry for about 10 minutes. free time is allowed if they finish their tasks before 8:30. need we revisit the dawdling issue :)

right now, i'm trying to start school at 8:30.

we do Math first b/c it's isaac's hardest subject. i want him fresh.

ella works at the table next to me on her own assignments.

that takes about 45 min, with one day being only math games. (we do rightstart).

next, we do a block of language arts, which varies depending on the day. i try to do phonics and spelling first and then we do reading (he reads to me), then we start into our read alouds and history material while they snack. we have snack at 10 each day. it's what works for their bodies. so they snack while i read. i also incorporate our bible reading into that. we read for about an hour. there are interruptions here and there ... they aren't robots :) [this is still a shock to me, amazingly enough!]

and i'm trying to get them into a good habit of doing their narration work in between books. that eats at our time, so we sometimes run over. anyway, before lunch, i try to get another block of language arts in, which for isaac is his grammar or his writing. Ella's usually shot by then, so i have very basic stuff for her to do like coloring .... but my goal is for her to also do a little block of phonics with me two days/ week right before lunch.

lunch is at noon, although on my schedule it's slated for 11:30. it just never happens at 11:30 though. :)

again, lunch is very business like ... sit down, eat, and move on. 20 min. then they have free time [usualy outside] while i flip the laundry, hang with schaefer and just do a little tidying, while fielding the usual motherly duties of the midday.

one hour after the start of lunch, piano practice begins. then it's time for a block of either science or history or some time reading and doing some geography. rest time ensues around 2 usually, (not napping ... just quiet play time in their rooms while i recuperate and get a breather) and then we do our character study, latin, spanish, safety lesson, artist study, drawing, or composer study last, since they are the least likely to need big amounts of brain cells and concentration. my goal is for them to not have to do any "heavy" work in the afternoons but if he doesn't get his work done in the allotted time in the morning, isaac has to slip their work down into a bag and finish it in the afternoons, which cuts into his free time. remember, we have dawdling issues. :)

i'm really trying to delineate between dawdling that is will-based v. that which is skill-based. if it's a skill-based dawdle (as in i don't understand how to do this math) then it's not punishable .... and there's no loss of privilege or free time, etc. if it's will-based .... well, you know ...

 

i've tried giving them shorter breaks sporadically through the day to stop and have some earned free time if they don't dawdle, but getting in and out of gear (i.e. transitioning) is NOT my son's strongsuit, and what i see is that once he's out of school gear and into playtime gear, it's VERY difficult for him to shift back, ESP if it's less than 20 min of time. well obviously we all know that won't work ... you can't be taking 20 min breaks 4 or 5 times a day if it also means you spend 10-15 min getting him back into gear. so i think it's better at least at this point to just barrel through ....

 

of course, my goal is to always be working to shorten our day, but right now, until i get them with the program, the transition times between activities/subjects/issues tends to really drag things out .... so it's taking until about 3 or 4 o'clock to get it all done, BUT there's no homework or anything so the rest of the day until dinner is free time or time for TaekwonDo class, dance class, etc. [oh yeah, we snack at 3 again] i think it's more than fair :) some would aruge that first grade needs to be done in a matter of 2-3 hours. i can't seem to figure out how to do that. i'd really like you guys to give me your feedback about whether this seems like a REASONABLE day for a prek and 1st grader .... rather than listing a bunch of specific questions, i would just prefer to here your thoughts and learn from your experiences. :) thanks, in advance, for your assistance. sorry this is so long .... if you tired out in the middle, i completely understand. if you didn't, then you get a gold star ;) tee hee.

 

I guess that reasonable is subjective, but I will say that your children spend more time on school than my 11 year old. We start at around 10 and end at 5. Lots of breaks throughout the day to play with the baby or cook or just go to Target. She spends 45 mins. to an hour each on math and Latin 5 days a week. Those are the only subjects she does daily besides CW, but the assignments differ day to day on that, so some days it takes 5 mins., some an hour. She reads up to couple hours a day, and that's usually at night.

 

I do have one question, though. Do you do this everyday (all subjects listed, 5 days a week)? At 4, the only thing we did was Phonics Pathways, Singapore Math, artsy stuff, and lots of reading. At 6, we added in Latin, SOTW, Singapore Science, reading, and FLL. We probably did some other things that are slipping my mind. We only spent maybe 2 hours a day at that point. Math was the only subject we did everyday and I believe we only had a 4 day week. We did history 2 days and science 2 days, Latin and FLL 3 days. Fridays were easy. Just math and some art, or something fun we were doing. We did spelling once a week if I recall correctly. I think we only spent about 15-20 minutes per subject. It only really started getting time consuming when she hit the 5th grade.

 

I think some dawdling and day dreaming can be important. I also think that little kids tend to dawdle more because it's in their nature to get distracted. I think I dawdle more than my daughter, though. Usually my dd likes to get math and Latin in before brunch. We don't do separate meals; the baby gets them but we snack on fruit, nuts, and coffee throughout the afternoon. When she was younger, she wanted a Pooh lunchbox, so we prepared her lunch the night before. Cereal for breakfast and lunch was already prepared. As she got older, we switched to brunch because we just weren't hungry.

 

I do understand that when you have 3 young ones, you need more organization than I need, so I'm not sure how much help I can be.

 

I can't really help with chores. DD's chores consist of the living room, her room, and watching the baby when I need it. I handle the kitchen because it's my alone time. DD has to straighten the living room every night before bed. She straightens her room when I tell her, watches the baby, puts the clothes in the dryer, cleaning up after herself. I've never been one to be concerned about bed-making (rebelling from my youth), but she justs helps around the house like other functioning adults. When she was smaller, it was pretty much the same thing, minus the baby, but more reminding.

[jplain]

Phonics instruction provides a wonderful foundation for good spelling skills, and your read-alouds will teach your children how good grammar should sound. So if I were you, I'd drop both spelling and grammar. We don't plan to begin either until 3rd grade, and from reading this forum I know many other posters do the same.

 

How is that 45 minutes of math going? If he's enjoying it from start to finish, great! If he isn't, break down the lessons into smaller chunks. If RS Level B is a struggle, you could go back to RS Level A. The first half of Level B is covered more slowly in Level A. Or maybe a different math program would be a better fit. There's no shame in that! Maybe check out Math U See and/or Singapore?

[snickelfritz]

These are just some thoughts to see if there is something out of the box that can be done....

 

What about doing special projects one day a week?

 

You could do a day where you didn't do the typical math, grammar, and all the rest. Instead do:

Right Start games

Composer Study

Picture Study

Geography/Science/History project that went along with your readings.

 

So, you could do your morning block. Have a longer break for lunch. And then maybe 1 afternoon block where you could rotate some of the rest of the subjects.

 

And, do you need the Spanish AND the Latin?

 

And how long do they practice piano? Our violin teacher has us not doing very long sessions. It's goal based and not time based, but we run through our list of exercises in 10-15 minutes.

[EKS]

My first grader last year did about 2 hours of schoolwork daily. This included violin practice, math, grammar, spelling, writing, literature, history, and science. Then two afternoons per week he went for classes (like art and drama) at our homeschool "school" that lasted about three hours each time.

 

For the lessons in the morning, we didn't do breaks. Breaks make everything drag out way to long and it's hard to get back on task once you do a break. Just switch tasks. We go from spelling to math to grammar to math to writing to math. Then we switch locations (desk to couch) and do literature, history, and science (the dessert).

 

As for dawdling, you can keep redirecting him. For the math, sit with him, don't let him just space out. When he's older you can withdraw gradually until he is able to do it independently.

 

And really look at the work you're doing and try to streamline it.

[Staci in MO]

I've been on these boards for seven years, and these kinds of questions pop up from time to time.

 

It's great that you're so enthusiastic about homeschooling. It's great that you have all those plans. Save it, because you're really going to need it later.

 

I would not stress about composer study and artist study and character study. You know what? Your kids aren't going to remember it. I'm on my second history rotation with my dc. They have an excellent understanding of the flow of history, but all those books that I oh-so-carefully chose to mesh so well with SOTW? All those details we talked about? Pfft. A few really captured their imaginations, but most of them are long forgotten.

 

And honestly? *I've* forgotten a lot of what we covered the first time through.

 

What my kids do remember from those years is that we read books together. They remember the day that E had to get stitches. They remember the day that the dog died. They remember the time that J slipped and fell in the lake at the park. They remember that Daddy read the book "10 Minutes Till Bedtime" every night for about two years. They don't remember a blasted thing about the spreadsheet I made to coordinate SOTW with Sonlight Year 1 and Biblioplan.

 

You don't want your dc to remember the fact that Mommy had them on such a strict schedule that their lunch was timed. Perhaps it came across much harsher than what it really is like at your house, but that sounds a little sad to me.

 

Read. Do phonics. Do handwriting. Do math. Character study, artist study, composer study, and history can all be made a part of your read-aloud time. Read a book about Beethoven one day AS your read aloud.

 

When my kids were your kids ages, I got SO TIRED of people telling me to enjoy it because it goes so fast, but it does. I have five years left with my oldest. ONLY FIVE YEARS. I love this soon-to-be teenager, and it's awesome seeing him grow. I understand that you have to teach him, and nobody is telling you that academics aren't important, but you really can cover the basics in less time that what you're doing.

[Mary in MN]

trying to incomporate all of the subjects I thought I should be teaching. It's natural--but they do learn so much from imaginative play and from exploring their environment at that age--and that can look a lot like dawdling.

 

School does inveitably take more and more time as kids get older...I'm worried that you're headed toward burn-out. I agree with the others about sticking to the basics--reading, some copywork to cover spelling and handwriting, basic math, and history were important to us, and easy to cover in 2 hours or so. And lots of read-alouds of course--but that counted as fun cuddle time, not school! Though read-alouds are a great way to sneak in science, art, music, Bible...sounds like you're already doing some of that...

 

In retrospect, I think I wasted a lot of time in the early years on stuff that the kids picked up much more quickly and easily when they were older. For example, I stressed a lot about music, and tried various programs early on. But when my kids started band in 5th and 6th grade, they learned how to read music, the instruments in the orchestra, etc. with blinding speed--all that angst and expense for nothing!

[NancyNellen]

Too much, IMO. You need to plan much shorter lessons for that age. That will help with the dawdling. Children that age just don't focus for that long without checking out. Longer lessons contribute to the dawdling factor (take this from someone who learned that the hard way.) Give your son 20 minutes to get as much math done as possible and then move on. Whatever he didn't finish today can get done tomorrow.

 

Also, I would drop Latin, for sure, and probably Spanish, composer, & artist study...you have plenty of time for that later. .Right now, put on some lovely music and draw or paint together. That's all they need at this age. Don't take the fun out of it by making it academic.

 

And, lastly, I would not have that many outside activities for those ages. It just makes family life way too hectic. We begin outside activities at 9 or 10.

[greenmamato3]

ok. i am taking into consideration all of your feedback. :) [which i asked for ... even though it's hard to hear! :) ]

 

i'm aiming to 10 - 15 min on most things. but it seems like that 10-15 min fills up 30 min by the time we get INTO and out of that subject .... so it feels like it so quickly fills up the day. that's what i struggle with. i WANT to have it just be the mornings. i want the afternoons free ....

 

[and the afternoons really are just for ONE of those additional things, done in rotation or as i see they want to: character study, saftey lesson, composer study, drawing, etc .... NOT ALL of those :tongue_smilie:]

 

we do cuddle on the couch reading fraom basically 10- 11 or 11:30, for our reading and narrations .... which are done orally with a few exceptions. bedtime history reading or something like that doesn't work out for our family b/c of my husband's work schedule. i really wish it did.

 

i'm not doing a formal spelling curriculum. i'm having him go through lists of words that are familiar to him ... again, it's his forte so i run with it. it's VERY minimal.

 

honestly, i'm really glad to hear all of this, but it does seem to be quite the opposite of what i anticipated. it seems all summer as we've all been gearing up for the year, i felt i was right "in tandem" with other 1st grade moms. hmmmmm

 

well, tomorrow is Bible club and game day here at home, so i guess i have at least 24 more hours to mull these things over and take into consideration and prayer what everyone's responses are. i do appreciate them.

[LizzyBee]

just to clarify (and i'm not trying to "defend") ... the math TAKES HIM that long ... it's not b/c i drag it out. :) he really struggles and processes very slowly, so i sit with him to encourage him, but we're only doing 1/2 to 1 lesson in our righstart each day.

 

 

One of my kids has a slow processing speed. The EdPsych who tested her said she should have short lessons... and this was when she was 12 yo, so I'd think it's much more important for a 6 yo. Remember that if he understands a concept, there's no reason to do every math problem. I used to think doing more problems would build fluency and speed, but it had the opposite effect. I'd recommend spending no more than 20-25 minutes on math.

 

During the early grades, the same child also had the same problem as yours with transitions. If I gave her a break to play, I couldn't get her attention back. So, we did schoolwork with minimal breaks, but we didn't start until 9 am and we finished (or stopped) by lunchtime.

[NancyNellen]

I shouldn't have even typed mine out. I should have just ditto-ed this! Well said, Staci!

[ubermomto5]

i will share a comment that someone shared with me when i had only 2 young ones with a 3rd on the way (4 and 2 yrs). she hugged me and told me to 'enjoy this time when you can stay in your pajamas all day'. i thought i understood it then. but now i REALLY know what she was telling me, and my kids aren't even teenagers yet. there is such a small window in a child's life to be careless and free. i thrive on routine and children need it but structure can sometimes be very stifling. think about what you want for your children when they are older, 12 or 15. do you want them to be driven to learn from their own curiosity and love of learning or to be driven because it's 'what they should be doing'. i struggle with the balance myself. i personally would rather err on the side of learning for fun rather than because we 'should'. i admire s.b. and all she's done and though i loosely follow WTM my reality is that i have 5 kids under 12 and we need to enjoy life. spending so much time working can be deadening.

[lovemykids]

Oh, the WTM guidelines are just that, guidelines. The publisher sort of made SWB put those in there, LOL. It's only to allow us to see the big picture, so we "get" what she is talking about. No one actually follows the schedule to a total T. Don't worry, it will all come together for you! Just try to relax and lighten up your load anyway that you can.

Math and LA both sound like they are going well. Going for a bike ride after math is a great idea, LOL. I might use that one. And in my opinion, the chores are a good thing too. Great job mama, you are trying your best. I do remember when I first started HSing….I expected everything to be perfect, and even “timedâ€. I ended up dropping that curriculum and switching to the WTM, then to CM. I now use a combination, like you are trying to do. Since you already are using the perfect curriculum IMO, you just need to read some more CM material. Listen to everyones advice, and maybe even read up on unschooling. LOL. Not to say that you should unschool, but I think you need to “see†how children can learn in a more relaxed environment.

[AngelaNYC]

I couldn't even imagine doing that to my kids. My son is 8 and we do about 2 hours a day. It's very doable. And he sleeps til after 9am, eats when he's hungry, and goes to the playground every day for hours. We cover all subjects throughout the week and he is above or at grade level in everything. Our days are fun, laid-back, and yet extremely productive. I strongly suggest letting your kids actually be kids. Here's how we fit it all in (I posted this a few days ago in a Schedules thread):

 

Silent Reading (daily, 10min)

1 Readaloud* w/narration (daily, 10min)

Poetry (daily, 5min)

Copywork (daily, 15min)

2 Readalouds w/narrations (daily, 15min each)

Math (daily, 20min - or when TT5 lesson ends)

 

Add to history timeline (2 or 3x/week, 5min)

Grammar Workbook (3x/week, 15min)

Map/Geography Workbook (2x/week, 15min)

 

Spanish (1-2x/week, 10min)

Latin (1-2x/week, 10min - we may drop this for now)

 

Artist Study (1x/week, 10min)

Composer Study (1x/week, 10min)

Nature Study (1x/week, outdoors, up to 45min - this is not even considered schoolwork to the kids and we don't worry about how long it takes)

 

*Readalouds are from AmblesideOnline and can be history, science, geography, biographies, or literature.

 

I set a timer for each 10 and 15 minute block. We only continue further if he wants to.

 

We also do science experiments, art projects, handicrafts, health, PE, and tons of field trips and outside classes throughout the year. I don't schedule these because they're usually spontaneous. :)

[Osaubi]

cxld

Edited August 5, 2009 by Osaubi

[swimmermom3]

I've been on these boards for seven years, and these kinds of questions pop up from time to time.

 

It's great that you're so enthusiastic about homeschooling. It's great that you have all those plans. Save it, because you're really going to need it later.

 

I would not stress about composer study and artist study and character study. You know what? Your kids aren't going to remember it. I'm on my second history rotation with my dc. They have an excellent understanding of the flow of history, but all those books that I oh-so-carefully chose to mesh so well with SOTW? All those details we talked about? Pfft. A few really captured their imaginations, but most of them are long forgotten.

 

And honestly? *I've* forgotten a lot of what we covered the first time through.

 

What my kids do remember from those years is that we read books together. They remember the day that E had to get stitches. They remember the day that the dog died. They remember the time that J slipped and fell in the lake at the park. They remember that Daddy read the book "10 Minutes Till Bedtime" every night for about two years. They don't remember a blasted thing about the spreadsheet I made to coordinate SOTW with Sonlight Year 1 and Biblioplan.

 

You don't want your dc to remember the fact that Mommy had them on such a strict schedule that their lunch was timed. Perhaps it came across much harsher than what it really is like at your house, but that sounds a little sad to me.

 

Read. Do phonics. Do handwriting. Do math. Character study, artist study, composer study, and history can all be made a part of your read-aloud time. Read a book about Beethoven one day AS your read aloud.

 

When my kids were your kids ages, I got SO TIRED of people telling me to enjoy it because it goes so fast, but it does. I have five years left with my oldest. ONLY FIVE YEARS. I love this soon-to-be teenager, and it's awesome seeing him grow. I understand that you have to teach him, and nobody is telling you that academics aren't important, but you really can cover the basics in less time that what you're doing.

 

:iagree:There is much wisdom here. It's so easy to get caught up in planning the "perfect" curriculum that will turn out the "perfect " student or person. It's obvious that you love your dc, you want the best for them, and that you are a good mom. The fact that you started this thread with a caution not to attack makes me think Mom, that in your heart-of-hearts, you too, know this is too much. I don't know if there is pressure from elsewhere to prove something or if it's your own expectations. Please put the pause button on this schedule for a little bit. Ask yourself some honest questions like "Do I really believe this is what's best?" "Am I being realistic in my expectations?" "Is there someone I need to impress with this schedule or someone' support that I need that I don't have?"

 

My best to you and :grouphug: for putting so much effort and thought into your children's education.

[Mandy in TN]

some would aruge that first grade needs to be done in a matter of 2-3 hours. i can't seem to figure out how to do that. i'd really like you guys to give me your feedback about whether this seems like a REASONABLE day for a prek and 1st grader .... rather than listing a bunch of specific questions, i would just prefer to here your thoughts and learn from your experiences. :) thanks, in advance, for your assistance. sorry this is so long .... if you tired out in the middle, i completely understand. if you didn't, then you get a gold star ;) tee hee.

In TN we are supposed to school for 180 days 4 hours/ day. I would try to shorten your lessons in order to stay around 4 hours a day for the 6yo. With the 4yo I would only school as long as she is interested and otherwise allow her to run amok doing whatever 4yo girls do.

 

Just so you know that you are not alone regarding the number of subjects, here is my 6yo's schedule including approximate times.

 

Days 1 and 3

15 min- Violin

5 min- Poetry Selections from Ambleside Online Year 1

20 min- Kumon Math Drill

40 min- WinterPromise Quest for the Middle Ages History, Geography, Culture, Bible, and Art

15 min- Literature Selections from Ambleside Online Year 1

20 min- Making Math Meaningful 5

15 min- Queen Homeschool's Memorization Copywork, Penmanship

20 min- WinterPromise The World Around Me

20 min- Calvert’s Discoveries in Music, Classical Kids Online, or Marsalis on Music

30 min- MCP Phonics C, Wordly Wise, Easy Grammar 3, and Kumon Reading

no set time frame/limit- Nature Walk

10 min- Book Basket

15 min- Hands-On Surprise

in the evening with no set time frame/limit- Calvert’s Discoveries in Reading 3

 

Days 2 and 4

15 min- Violin

5 min- Poetry Selections from Ambleside Online Year 1

20 min- Kumon Math Drill

40 min- WinterPromise Quest for the Middle Ages History, Geography, Culture, Bible, and Art

15 min- Literature Selections from Ambleside Online Year 1

15 min- Primary Challenge Math

30 min- All Things Fun & Fascinating from Institute for Excellence in Writing, and Queen Homeschool's Memorization Copywork

20 min- WinterPromise The World Around Me

15 min- Rosetta Stone Farsi

30 min- MCP Phonics C, Wordly Wise, Easy Grammar 3, and Kumon Reading

no set time frame/limit- Nature Walk

10 min- Book Basket

15 min- Hands-On Surprise

in the evening with no set time frame/limit- Calvert’s Discoveries in Reading 3

 

Day 5

15 min- Violin

5 min- Queen Homeschool's Memorization Copywork

20 min- Kumon Math Drill

30 min- MCP Phonics C, Wordly Wise, Easy Grammar 3, and Kumon Reading

in the evening with no set time frame/limit- Calvert’s Discoveries in Reading 3

 

As for an actual time frame, we just started on Monday, but both today and yesterday it only took about 4 hours including the nature walk but not including evening reading. Monday we started at 9:30 and we were finished by 1:30. Ds did have a snack while he watched his Calvert music video. Today we had an appointment outside the home at 12:30, so our day was really chopped up but it still took barely 4 hours including our nature walk.

 

In addition to his scheduled schoolwork, this evening ds listened to part of Beethoven Lives Upstairs while he played with dominoes. Then he listened to some of Passport's Spanish for Children while we played cards. These were his selections. He also watched iCarly and Malcolm in the Middle while playing more cards with his dad (at this point I was sick of looking at the cards).

 

However, I am not really schedule-y as far as when we start or how long we eat. I can't imagine timing our whole day. It just sounds exhausting.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[greenmamato3]

thanks gals. lots to think about. i can see the value in lightening certain areas of my expectations. [i think DH and i use dawdling differently than WTM/CM does .... our kids have PLENTY of headspace! :) i don't mean that they are little robots or expected to not get sidetracked.]

 

PLEASE know ....

the timer for lunch thing has NOTHING to do with school. that developed over the summertime when DH and i realized that our kid will sit and just get wild and crazy during a meal if we don't tell them they need to eat. i got tired of telling them to eat. eat. eat. and then after 45 min they STILL had over half the food left on their plates and if we asked them to get up from the table b/c lunch or dinner was over, they pitched fits at us for taking their food away b/c they were still hungry. truly. the 20 min thing isn't a crazy heavyhanded thing. it just helps them understand that they don't need to be spending 45 min eating a pb sandwich and some carrots. that's absurd. and they were just acting silly and goofy the entire time. what we want for them is that they eat, and then GO OUTSIDE or upstairs to be silly and goofy where it's appropriate. the table is NOT a place to be silly and goofy IMHO. and it drives DH nuts. the development of that system was out of necessity, not some strange thing i dreamed up one night while watching TV. and if we don't give them 2 snacks and very predictable intervals, they get into crisis mode about 45 min before the next meal and it's just not worth it to have them asking for dinner before i've had a chance to make it. so, again, that system developed over a period of about a year. and it really is a perfect fit for our family. having a time limit and a snack schedule has ENDED our food battles and the complaining about meals that were engulfing us a year ago. i have LOTS of friends who do similar things.

 

 

the piano thing isn't optional. :) it's done in 5-15 min (depending on what my mom assigns, as she's their piano teacher ... we both have our performance degrees) ... and the kids LOVE it!.

 

 

there seem to be a lot of different definitions about what is schooltime and what's not schooltime. i'm cuddling with my kids for an hour or so on the couch SMACK in the middle of their school time .... we're reading .... they're fascinated .... and then we do it again in the afternoon if we want to. i'm not giving them ASSIGNMENTS for the hours of 8:30-3. :) and CERTAINLY my 4yo is NOT sitting there doing the FLL,WWE, the narrations, or anything .... she does about 10 min of phonics pathways or bob books with me, and she does some math. everything else is creative play time, coloring, a little workbook that she WANTS to do to mimic big brother, or listening to our books.

i don't need to back up DS in his righstart book .... he did level A, he's halfway through level B, and he's not struggling. he just processes slowly on the problems. i "teach" him the lesson for about 10 min, then the rest of the 30-45 min his him doing his worksheet or us playing a game .... isn't that what i'm supposed to do? DD 4 plays next to us during that time.

 

 

instead of taking a bunch of breaks, we just switch subjects and move around the bonus room between their kid table, our homechool/game table, the couch, and the floor.

we take unscheduled nature walks. we are sporadic... and spontaneous. what i've learned about myself during the first year of homeschooling is that if i have a grid from which to work, i am FREED UP to be spontaneous. whereas if i have no general idea of how i want the day to go, i feel completely concerned about whether i'm getting it all doen and i become a slave driver for fear that we're getting behind (and then we wind up weeks ahed of where we really need to be ... or we spend way longer than is necessary ....). surely someone else can relate to that?

 

i will continue to mull all of this over. i do value even the ones of you who've point blank told me my approach is all wrong. :) i asked for it. i am going to work on shortening it and probably won't do latin this year at all. they've both been learning spanish at preschool anyway .... i was just going to let them do the rosetta stone thing ...

 

i REALLY do want to make sure that you've not misunderstood me completely! :) ON PAPER it does look very intense, but its really not that big of a deal in reality b/c they love the morning school times and the afternoons are meant for extra fun things they love to do, including playing with legos, doing board games, etc etc etc. and wednesdays are our homeschool fun day, and on thursdays DS is at a tutorial. so it's really just MTF ...

 

tae kwon do is their favorite thing in the world [they go 2-3 times/wk] , and dance is something DD has begged to do for two years so we're letting her transition from TKD when she finishes tiger cubs this month ... that doesn't seem crazy to me ... does it really seem crazy to you to let your daughter take dance lessons before she's 9 or 10? a weekly piano lesson is done with their grandmother ... :) what could be more wonderful?!

 

our kids LOVE books and we could literally spend the day reading books and getting up to play blocks/ take a walk, then going back to books. is that really school time? hmmm. i didn't really think so. to me, that's just the way we spend our day.

[Geo]

Mirandai,

Your subject title suggests that you are already aware of your excesses: "without attacking me, please offer constructive feedback :) "...Why would you say that? Sweetie, you are pushing your children too hard, I think you already you know that. They are so much more than buckets to be filled. If you continue on like you are, you and your darlings are headed for burn-out. Grammar for a four year old? One ten minute block of LA is enough for him. Thirty minutes to do a 1o minute math lesson (for a 4yo) is not a character issue, it's developmental. Not intellectual development, but emotional. Reading what you have described sounds more like a mill, than a learning atmosphere. You would do very well to season your home with some of Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy...without compromising the quality you so obviously desire. As comprehensive as your schedule may be, you are overlooking a crucial component. You need to devote more attention to their development as a whole person. Children need lots of unstructured imaginative play, fresh air, and sunshine (as in, hours). Every day. The first key to a successful home (and homeschooling), is the atmosphere.

 

 

Geo

homeschooling 22+ years

Edited August 5, 2009 by Geo

[greenmamato3]

The fact that you started this thread with a caution not to attack makes me think Mom, that in your heart-of-hearts, you too, know this is too much.

 

you think like i do. thanks for stating this and then asking those questions.

it does feel like i'm scrambling to fit it all in and not make it drag out the whole day, but not b/c there's anyone i feel like i have to do it for but rather b/c i honestly thought this was what DS would love to do, and is capable of. hmmm. i have DH's support. i feel like i'm doing it all for the right reasons .... not to prove anything to anyone. i honestly looked at the suggestions in the WTM and constructed our week based on our family's life, etc. hmmmm.

[helena]

It's too much. Maybe you could commit first to a more reasonable quitting time (as opposed to committing to doing all subjects). Then fit in the subjects as time allows.

Can you:

do math 3 days a week + a 5 min drill the other 2 days

 

lang. arts 1 block a day rotating the 2 blocks

cut your reading hour to 30-40 min.

drop the spelling and use dictation to work on spelling

drop the grammar

do reading at bedtime

 

can you do SOTW cds in the car for history? With a question or 2 for listening comprehension as your drive ends? There's nothing wrong with oral history. Geography can be done with the simple exposure of a map on the wall and going to it to point out places.

 

science can be once a week and totally fulfilling at that age

 

spanish can be in the car on cd, something like pimsleur and spanish songs/music cd's, just hearing it is important, he can start with just feeling comfortable with the sounds of the language. One language might be a better start.

 

artist study/drawing could you do something like artistic pursuits? It's once a week with both picture study and a project.

 

Composer study could you spend a month on one composer so that the discussion or examples can be kept short but sweet? Over the course of a month they will have retained a lot of info at just a couple of minutes a day.

 

How long will the safety lessons go on? Is that something you can just casually talk to them about over the year? Or have the safety lesson of the month? Can you do the same with character study?

 

Some kids love a wildly rigorous day, they thrive in that environment. But I don't think that's the norm. At this age I think developing the love of learning is MOST important, this kind of a day could squash a child's spirit. Why should this young child feel stress (assuming the sched. is too much), when there is no real reason to?

 

I would vote for finishing everything by lunch. The subjects do not rule you, you rule them. I would spend the second part of the day outside with a magnifying glass and a bug jar, in trees and in creeks. That way his spirit gets an education in adventure, spontaneous discoveries, imagination, the sounds and smells of Gods great earth etc.

 

Don't under estimate the power of free play. It's a magical time for the very young.

[greenmamato3]

Grammar for a four year old? One ten minute block of LA is enough for him.

.....

Children need lots of unstructured imaginative play, fresh air, and sunshine (as in, hours).

Every day. The first key to successful homeschooling is the atmosphere.

 

 

Geo

 

i wholeheartedly agree :) lots of play time. and the 4yo isn't doing grammar :) she's in the room when the 6 yo is doing FLL. that's the extent of that. she's usually playing with her ktichen set or her babies.

sorry if i miscommnicated that.

 

gosh, i think i should rename the thread. :confused:

[Tidbits of Learning]

None of us are given an instruction booklet for the next 18 years when we take our precious babies home from the hospital. None of us have all the answers. I could probably write out all the stuff that I have done over the past 9 years with my dc and it wouldn't sound good and I would probably in hindsight laugh at some of the things I tried and cringe at some of it as well.

I think your intentions are good. Follow your instincts and the advise that you feel is helpful. Follow your feelings about the kids first and most of it will fall into place over time.

[Staci in MO]

Okay, please hear my "tone" in this. Picture me, sitting at your table, coffee in hand, saying this gently and softly, with a kind smile on my face.

 

I'm confused as to what exactly is the problem? Your original post implied that you were unhappy with how your days were going. That you were having trouble getting it all done, and that your kids were dawdling. Now you're saying that your kids have plenty of free time, that they love everything they do and are having a great time. If that's the case, why change anything?

 

If you need to cut the day down for your own sanity, that's okay, too. There are times when I've had to make curriculum decisions based on what *I'M* able to do with the time and energy I have available.

 

I hesitated posting the first time, because these posts go this way every single time. Almost every time I've seen a post where someone has been told they're pushing their littles too much, they always backpedal and say they're really not doing THAT much, really.

 

Those of us drawn to classical education tend to put great importance on education. We tend to have high expectations for our kids. We're the type that read baby development books just to see how far ahead our infants were. We get this. We understand where you are, and we're trying to help, because WE'VE BEEN THERE OURSELVES. We get it. We're not chastising you. We don't think you're a bad mother. We just don't want you to make the same mistakes we've made. The days I made my son cry over math? I can't have those days back. But I CAN try to help you not make the same mistakes I've made.

 

It really is okay to cut back. Even if the kids love it as much as you say, SOMETHING compelled you to ask how to shorten your days, and we've told you. Even if we've totally misunderstood you, and you just need more time to sit and stare at the wall for YOURSELF, it's okay to do that. Believe me, in just a few years, you'll be able to send them off to work independently while you stare at the wall for a bit.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Okay, please hear my "tone" in this. Picture me, sitting at your table, coffee in hand, saying this gently and softly, with a kind smile on my face.

 

I'm confused as to what exactly is the problem? Your original post implied that you were unhappy with how your days were going. That you were having trouble getting it all done, and that your kids were dawdling. Now you're saying that your kids have plenty of free time, that they love everything they do and are having a great time. If that's the case, why change anything?

 

If you need to cut the day down for your own sanity, that's okay, too. There are times when I've had to make curriculum decisions based on what *I'M* able to do with the time and energy I have available.

 

I hesitated posting the first time, because these posts go this way every single time. Almost every time I've seen a post where someone has been told they're pushing their littles too much, they always backpedal and say they're really not doing THAT much, really.

 

Those of us drawn to classical education tend to put great importance on education. We tend to have high expectations for our kids. We're the type that read baby development books just to see how far ahead our infants were. We get this. We understand where you are, and we're trying to help, because WE'VE BEEN THERE OURSELVES. We get it. We're not chastising you. We don't think you're a bad mother. We just don't want you to make the same mistakes we've made. The days I made my son cry over math? I can't have those days back. But I CAN try to help you not make the same mistakes I've made.

 

It really is okay to cut back. Even if the kids love it as much as you say, SOMETHING compelled you to ask how to shorten your days, and we've told you. Even if we've totally misunderstood you, and you just need more time to sit and stare at the wall for YOURSELF, it's okay to do that. Believe me, in just a few years, you'll be able to send them off to work independently while you stare at the wall for a bit.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[lovemykids]

:iagree::grouphug:

 

“i'm aiming to 10 - 15 min on most things. but it seems like that 10-15 min fills up 30 min by the time we get INTO and out of that subject .... so it feels like it so quickly fills up the day. that's what i struggle with. i WANT to have it just be the mornings. i want the afternoons free ....

“our kids LOVE books and we could literally spend the day reading books and getting up to play blocks/ take a walk, then going back to books. is that really school time? hmmm. i didn't really think so. to me, that's just the way we spend our day.â€

[and the afternoons really are just for ONE of those additional things, done in rotation or as i see they want to: character study, saftey lesson, composer study, drawing, etc .... NOT ALL of those ]â€

Oh, that’s good. LOL!! Well if you want the afternoons free, then free them….don’t sit around reading on the couch. Get outside. And if you decide you want some afternoons cuddling on the couch, then do that. ;)

One more suggestion, anything that can be done orally at this age will make your day go faster. I’m not suggesting neglecting handwriting or anything, but try to alternate methods. Do you have a chalkboard or a whiteboard? Some lessons can be done on those, just the act of getting up and walking over to the chalkboard is enough to break the monotony for some kids. Alternating that with oral lessons for say, FLL..might be nice. If he is doing copywork in FLL, then he probably doesn’t need to do another copywork session for the day.

I’m sorry you felt misunderstood. But I think most people only suggested what you want; a shorter day. Even if some of it seemed a little harsh, I don’t think that was the intention. I hope your days are full of satisfaction, remember to relax. Try some chamomile tea.

Enjoy!

[lgm]

The constructive feedback I'd like to offer is to schedule at least 45 min of unstructured sibling play time in the morning, before school. Also, have a short 15 min outdoor playtime before the table-setter needs to arrive. This helps cut down on the playing at the table & the dawdling because the children have already had a chance to reconnect with each other and to work up an appetite. It's also helpful if the supervising adult can get in 30 min of exercise to start the day.

 

To aid your transitions, you could plan a physical activity. A round of freeze tag, walking like an elelphant around the room three times...this is a necesssity...the brain & body both need sensory activities and movement.

 

 

I must add, this thread has some profound advice. I"m very glad I read it.

[lionfamily1999]

Your original post is gone, so I'm flying by some of the posts I've read.

 

One question, are you capable of having spontaneous fun with your kids?

 

I ask, because I can't. I plan everything. I planned what order and when to sing my ds nursery rhymes, how to teach him to count with songs and play, etc. I plan how to spend our free time, even if it's a loose plan, there's planning involved.

 

If you aren't capable of doing free flowing super Mom just teaching stuff as I move through the world ain't this grand, then go ahead and plan. That's what I do. Some people don't like it, but then they can usually spontaneously teach and have fun at the same time. I can't.

[Testimony]

I just saw this post today. I had to find the original post in a quote. I thought, "Wow!" I just wanted to tell you that I have posted in the past about a co-op that I quit because the mothers had a similar approach to academics.

 

I think that your schedule is OK as long as you know what your goals are for homeschooling. If you feel that you can handle such a schedule with three small children, it is fine.

 

I just want to encourage you that you are not the only mother who has a schedule like the one you originally posted. There are others.

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

Edited August 5, 2009 by Testimony
I deleted it because I felt it was too opinionated. If mom can handle such a schedule, I should not judge her work.

[momkate]

I didn't read your original post but my first reaction is :grouphug:. I'm a very sensitive person that I don't take negative comments very well.

 

Anyhow, I was very eagar and loaded when my ds1 was starting 1st grade at home. Yet, it quickly became obvious that he wasn't on the same boat w/ me at all. He's smart and bright but still a 6 yr old boy who'd rather play around all day than sit and learn academic subjects! And I learned to back off my ambitious plans and gradually insisted more work from him as he got older. Now that he's starting 5th, he's handling better. He wants to perform well at STAR testing so eventhough he's not especially excited about grammer and stuff, he's willing to do his study. To him it's kind of like eating veggies: not that he likes it but good for him. Ds2 is starting 1st this fall and I've learned to relax a little. I love WTM and follow it but not to a T. SWB's articles on how her dc are going thru their hsing days are very encouraging to read too!!!

 

Sooo, try what you believe is a good and reasonable plan. you know your dc best:) If you think somethings need tweaking, that's that and move on. HSing is a journey in life w/ ups and downs like any other aspect of life. And my guess is that by the time I think I've figured all out, our dc would be all growen up and moving up to a next stage in their lives:D

[lovemykids]

I just saw this post today. I had to find the original post in a quote. I thought, "Wow!" I just wanted to tell you that I have posted in the past about a co-op that I quit because the mothers had a similar approach to academics.

 

I think that your schedule is OK as long as you know what your goals are for homeschooling. If you feel that you can handle such a schedule with three small children, it is fine.

 

I just want to encourage you that you are not the only mother who has a schedule like the one you originally posted. There are others.

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

 

 

This is a very nice post! :)

 

Can I ask what approach to academics you are talking about? The approach that first grade can be done in three hours, or before lunch, or what? :confused:

 

"you that you are not the only mother who has a schedule like the one you originally posted"...this is true. I think it was the dissatisfaction that she showed, that made everyone jump the gun and worry. Geez, OBVIOUSLY, this is a hot topic and very emotional for many moms. LOL.

 

Really, it is up to you Mirandi, as to how you want your days to run and what you feel is important to teach them.

 

:lurk5:

[Testimony]

This is a very nice post! :)

 

Can I ask what approach to academics you are talking about? The approach that first grade can be done in three hours, or before lunch, or what? :confused:

 

"you that you are not the only mother who has a schedule like the one you originally posted"...this is true. I think it was the dissatisfaction that she showed, that made everyone jump the gun and worry. Geez, OBVIOUSLY, this is a hot topic and very emotional for many moms. LOL.

 

Really, it is up to you Mirandi, as to how you want your days to run and what you feel is important to teach them.

 

:lurk5:

 

To answer your question, I noticed that she is doing some CM with the WTM approach. Just remember that the Well Trained Mind is a type of approach to education. There are different approaches. The Charlotte Mason is another approach. The Charlotte Mason approach is short lessons and a lot more reading. Classical is more with other things like when the knights of old studied. The Well Trained Mind really is similar to Sayers' Lost Tools of Learning. It is more neo-classical than the true classical approach to learning.

 

For me, I strongly feel that the most important thing about anything that you choose is to get to know your child first. When I was a new homeschooler, someone told me about Cynthia Tobias' The Way They Learn. It teaches you how to figure out what kind of a learner your child is. But, the most important piece was studying what kind of a learner you are. Basically, since you have to teach it, it is important to know how you take in information just as much as your children. I found this and Debra Bell's Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling as my staples for homeschooling.

 

So, just so that you know where I am coming from, The Well Trained Mind is a type of approach to education and Charlotte Mason is a different approach, Traditional is another. Each approach should be weighed based upon your child. A curriculum should be chosen based upon how your child learns, not what's popular or because it sounds great. It has to fit your child's learning style.

 

Sorry, a bit long. :tongue_smilie:

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[HayesW]

I think the amount of work you are doing sounds fine. You are also adding in what is important to YOUR family! Some families may add in extra Bible study or reading. Music is important to your family, so I see no problem with reading and studying about a great composer or taking piano lessons.

 

It sounds like your trouble lies where mine does, in actually getting it DONE! I've found if I can get MOST of what I need ready to go for the day at one time, then I am better prepared. I also started by putting a week's worth of work into a binder. I put in the Tapestry of GRace pages I needed in my binder along with basic info on what I was covering each day for grammar and math. Then I had most of what I needed at my finbgertips.

 

I also made a binder for each child. I had a divider for each day. I listed the assignments on the front page for each day. Anything I could put in the binder, I did. I tore out each day;s math page and put it where it belonged. I wrote what pages in each book needed to be read that day. I left a blank page for illustration or copywork as needed. I found if I spent about an hour doing this each weekend, then it cut out what seemed like HOURS of stress each school day.

 

Just starting out is hard. It will take a little time to get used to, and it will slowly get better.

[gardening momma]

I know you deleted your OP, but I read it quoted in another post. ;) Sorry.

 

I couldn't get past

ok, this is going to be long, and very self-centered of me. i need feedback. note, Ds is 6, DD is 4, and then there's DS 1 ...

they are to get up, get dressed, make their beds, tidy their rooms and be in the kitchen to let out the dog and feed him by 7:30. we eat. they have 15 min for breakfast. we are REALLY working to attack DAWDLING in our home, right now.

Sounds like the military.

[katilac]

One thing you might want to consider re the dawdling issue is to NOT get an early start in the morning. I was amazed to discover that, given much of the morning to lollygag in their pjs and play ((and yes, spend half an hour eating a poptart :D)), my kids could then 'hop to' and breeze through their work much more quickly. We often got the same amount or more done with a much later start.

 

It's counter-intuitive, but you might want to give it a try. Sometimes, getting play/dawdling out of their systems works better than play as a reward. Honestly, it even worked well for ME - - I didn't get to play, darn it, but my attention was more focused on school when some of my non-school task list got done before school.

 

We don't do it as often now that older dd is in 6th grade (yikes!), but we still do sometimes.

[Evergreen Academy]

People have had very thoughtful responses but there is one thing I thought I'd add. My 6-year-old (who is in no way ready for as much structured activity - this is just him, it was different with another ds when he was 6) absolutely cannot focus, and will lollygag or goof off too much, without a good amount of physical activity. He and my puppy are much the same that way! When we got the puppy earlier this year, he and I began walking her together every morning before school (he rides his bike). I noticed an AMAZING increase in his ability to settle down to "do school" once he'd had this activity in the morning. Our morning starts later than I'd like - but I am not a morning person. Yet this activity is so important I will be sure we keep it going year-round.

 

I will also echo what another poster said about unscheduled sibling time. I find that many mornings when the kids have started board games or creative play together, and I let them go for a little while before starting school, they have a much more productive day.

 

Blessings to you as you evaluate how you want to do things;

Aimee

mom to 6 great kids ages 6-18, schooling grades 1, 3, 3 and 6

[lovemykids]

To answer your question, I noticed that she is doing some CM with the WTM approach. Just remember that the Well Trained Mind is a type of approach to education. There are different approaches. The Charlotte Mason is another approach. The Charlotte Mason approach is short lessons and a lot more reading. Classical is more with other things like when the knights of old studied. The Well Trained Mind really is similar to Sayers' Lost Tools of Learning. It is more neo-classical than the true classical approach to learning.

 

For me, I strongly feel that the most important thing about anything that you choose is to get to know your child first. When I was a new homeschooler, someone told me about Cynthia Tobias' The Way They Learn. It teaches you how to figure out what kind of a learner your child is. But, the most important piece was studying what kind of a learner you are. Basically, since you have to teach it, it is important to know how you take in information just as much as your children. I found this and Debra Bell's Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling as my staples for homeschooling.

 

So, just so that you know where I am coming from, The Well Trained Mind is a type of approach to education and Charlotte Mason is a different approach, Traditional is another. Each approach should be weighed based upon your child. A curriculum should be chosen based upon how your child learns, not what's popular or because it sounds great. It has to fit your child's learning style.

 

Sorry, a bit long. :tongue_smilie:

 

Blessings,

Karen

 

www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

 

Yes, this is very true. But I have found many similarities in both the WTM and CM methods of homeschooling. They are both classical forms of education, even neo classical because we all live in today’s world so there has to be adaptations. This is why I use the WTM as a base with some Charlotte Mason thrown in.

I do believe that you should know your child, learning style is very important. ITA, and I don’t think I have read the book you mentioned, so I will have to do that! I love learning style type books. There definitely is certain curricula that will work better with one child than another, but I also think you can use both the WTM and CM and adapt it to almost any learning or teaching style: depending on how you use it. You can use a bit more hands on type things for kinesthetic learners, more audio/oral for auditory learners, many more pictures for visual learners…etc. I also happen to be a firm believer that we all have more than one type of learning style, and that we should try to strengthen our weaker style, through sometimes doing things are difficult for us.

But yes, maybe I shouldn’t have said that Mirandi has the perfect style of educating her children, because I couldn’t actually possibly know that. I see what you are saying. She may do better with Unit studies, or many other methods. But knowing her just a tad bit through PMs, I know that she is very excited and enthusiastic about these chosen methods. And I *think* she can make it work for her children.

:)

[zaichiki]

PLEASE know ....

the timer for lunch thing has NOTHING to do with school. that developed over the summertime when DH and i realized that our kid will sit and just get wild and crazy during a meal if we don't tell them they need to eat. i got tired of telling them to eat. eat. eat. and then after 45 min they STILL had over half the food left on their plates and if we asked them to get up from the table b/c lunch or dinner was over, they pitched fits at us for taking their food away b/c they were still hungry. truly. the 20 min thing isn't a crazy heavyhanded thing. it just helps them understand that they don't need to be spending 45 min eating a pb sandwich and some carrots. that's absurd. and they were just acting silly and goofy the entire time. what we want for them is that they eat, and then GO OUTSIDE or upstairs to be silly and goofy where it's appropriate. the table is NOT a place to be silly and goofy IMHO. and it drives DH nuts.

 

We have days like this. Most of our meals take *at least* 30 minutes. But... on days when the kids are getting wild at the table, I've found a read aloud works wonders. If I am reading them a book (holding it so they can see the pictures), they seem to eat without noticing it and it takes them FAR less time. Their minds are busy, so they have no time to tease, argue, or kick each other under the table. Ha. That does happen some days. Sheesh! But, really, a good book does WONDERS for that (and for my sanity).