New homeschooler, not sure if I'm doing enough, but can't figure out how to do more!

[hlee]

Hi everyone,

 

We've completed our first two weeks of school here; I have three DSs (7, 4 and 2) and we're mainly concentrating on the 7 yr. old right now who spent the last two years in public school. We use the curriculum listed below and our general schedule goes like this:

 

7 a.m.-8 a.m.--kids get up, get ready for the day, do morning tidy-up chores

 

8 a.m.-8:30 a.m.--breakfast

 

8:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m.--Music practice time

 

9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Bible

 

9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.--Math

 

10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m.--Break/read aloud

 

10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Language Arts (FLL/CW Primer, Handwriting, Spelling)

 

11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.--History/Geography or Science

 

12 p.m.-12:45 p.m.--Lunch/read aloud

 

12:45 p.m.-1:30 p.m.--Quiet reading time

 

1:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.--Languages (Latin or Chinese)

 

2 p.m.--we aim to be done, but if we haven't finished anything above it goes here.

 

The public school kids are done at 2:30 so I try to keep us finished before then. To keep this schedule, I feel like I'm constantly on the go go go and I don't understand how some moms are able to fit in 2-3 hours of read aloud time a day! Even doing the hour I've indicated above is hard! (I try to fit in another time after dinner for about 30 minutes, so on a good day we're reading aloud 90 minutes but we don't always hit that mark).

 

So I guess my questions are, does what I'm doing seem to make sense? Secondly, am I not giving certain activities enough time, or is this right for the age groups I'm dealing with? (Little brothers join us when we do the history/science, then I try to fit in one-on-one time with them when the eldest is doing more independent work.) Thirdly, how on earth do you fit in more read-aloud time??? One of my goals with homeschooling this year was to give my kids a more relaxed schedule and less stress than what my son had been experiencing with public school. Although we are very busy during school time, once it's done, I just let them play, play, play for the rest of the afternoon.

 

There is part of me that feels like I'm not spending enough time doing school, and that I'm not doing enough to make it fun and memorable, and that my eldest in particular is doing what is asked of him but not really learning or not enjoying it as much as I hoped he would. (He does all the copywork, narration, etc., but I wouldn't say he's thrilled by it!) We are using My Father's World/Adventures during which we covered Leif Ericsson and Columbus, and when I asked him to tell his dad tonight about some of the things he learned about Leif Ericsson, he could hardly remember a thing! Sigh.

 

Anyway, I'm rambling a little here, but I suppose I'd love some reassurance and encouragement that we're on the right track or some suggestions if we are not!

 

Thanks, everyone!

 

Best,

Helen

[Avila]

I have done 2nd grade twice, and yours looks nicely balanced to me. MFW Adventures looks like a great year!

[patchfire]

The thing that stands out to me is that it's really quite late in the morning before you start your actual academic work, which is probably why you're running into the issue of barely getting done before the public school kids are done - you started later, plus you did more read-alouds and generally have a more age-appropriate schedule. :) (Plus, no homework in the evenings!)

 

Personally we kept math to 30 minute blocks until this year (4th grade), but if your kiddo is doing well w/ a 45 minute block, then keep it.

[Stacy in NJ]

It looks like a very well balanced schedule to me. Does MFW require 90 minutes of read aloud time per day? I would think that an hour would be enough. I would use the 10:15 break as a break for all of you. Read aloud at lunch time and, if you think you need to, again in the evening.

 

ETA: Another suggestion: move the music practic time to the afternoon.

Edited August 30, 2009 by Stacy in NJ
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[Starr]

Are you able to find any of your read aloud books on cd at the library? You could just listen while you had lunch and a break.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Most of our read aloud time is at bed time and I count audiobooks as read aloud time. I don't think of read aloud time as part of school so it doesn't really get scheduled.

 

Sometimes I'll read aloud to my kids for about an hour after dinner, then they listen to an audiobook in their beds for another hour. That is 2 hours right there.

 

Usually, we get in a good half hour right after breakfast of me reading then if we are in the car for about 45 minutes, I'll put in an audiobook. If we're only in the car for 15 min. we listen to music.

[hlee]

No, MFW doesn't require that much read-aloud time, it's just something I'd like to do more of, and I was intrigued by an earlier thread where many of the responses I read were from moms who were reading aloud 2-3 hours/day! I also heard Kathy Weitz of Classical Writing do a webinar where she said she felt that reading aloud was the most important educational activity she did with her kids, and that even if nothing else got done, if she just read aloud that would be a good day! Anyway, that's why I try to put in more read aloud time than is "required" by MFW but it's still hard to fit it in to the extent of doing so 2-3 hours a day, as lovely as that sounds!

 

I'm enjoying the responses. Hope to see more!

 

Oh, to answer another question, I do want to do music in the beginning of the day because this was one of my great struggles last year, trying to do all the music after my DS came home from school and it was the last thing he wanted to do, or trying to fit it in before/after dinner...it was just such a struggle. Now it's done first thing and it helps make our afternoon and evening so much nicer not to have it hanging over our heads! We are a pretty music-intense family, since DH is a classical pianist, and our teachers are pretty demanding so 45 minutes is really the bare minimum we can have our son do and meet her standards (while little brother who is 4 has 30 minutes of violin).

 

Thanks, everyone! This is all so helpful to read!

[Karen in CO]

I agree with the others that suggested moving your read alouds. I rarely do them during the day. At night I do a rotating subject type read aloud plus a literary read aloud for my dd's nightly - It add up to about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but it is a nice and snugly time and the little one usually falls asleep. Audiobooks count. Also, have you looked at streamlining your LA? I use copywork for many things including handwriting, spelling, some of the grammar, and memorization.

 

And for history and science my kids have always remembered things best when they did something hands-on to go with it - science experiments, craft projects, dress-up....

 

I agree that doing the music in the morning is best, doing the most important things first seems to help me.

[Stacy in NJ]

No, MFW doesn't require that much read-aloud time, it's just something I'd like to do more of, and I was intrigued by an earlier thread where many of the responses I read were from moms who were reading aloud 2-3 hours/day! I also heard Kathy Weitz of Classical Writing do a webinar where she said she felt that reading aloud was the most important educational activity she did with her kids, and that even if nothing else got done, if she just read aloud that would be a good day! Anyway, that's why I try to put in more read aloud time than is "required" by MFW but it's still hard to fit it in to the extent of doing so 2-3 hours a day, as lovely as that sounds!

 

I'm enjoying the responses. Hope to see more!

 

Oh, to answer another question, I do want to do music in the beginning of the day because this was one of my great struggles last year, trying to do all the music after my DS came home from school and it was the last thing he wanted to do, or trying to fit it in before/after dinner...it was just such a struggle. Now it's done first thing and it helps make our afternoon and evening so much nicer not to have it hanging over our heads! We are a pretty music-intense family, since DH is a classical pianist, and our teachers are pretty demanding so 45 minutes is really the bare minimum we can have our son do and meet her standards (while little brother who is 4 has 30 minutes of violin).

 

Thanks, everyone! This is all so helpful to read!

 

My personal opinion that that much read aloud time is a bit unrealistic. Perhaps cut back on the read alouds during your typical school day, but pick up the pace during vacation (summer, christmas, spring) times.

 

Since your dh is a professional musican, I can see why music practice takes a special place in your homeschool.

 

Welcome to homeschooling. :001_smile:

[teachypeachy]

Hi Helen,

 

First of all, you are doing plenty if not too much...

 

I also use MFW and love it. I have hsed for 18 years now, hsing 6 children. I used to use "this and that" and always wondered the same thing as you...am I doing too much or too little???

 

Then I found MFW and have been using it for 4 years now with 3 children. It has really given me a piece of mind knowing that I am doing enough and can do a good job of hsing. It is a good solid program.

 

What I have learned over the years is not to compare our schooling with others. It will make you feel inferior and make you crazy. You may hear all of these wonderful stories of other hsers and wonder how in the world they do it and feel as if they are perfect and have perfect children and have the perfect lives, but you don't have their whole story...only bits and pieces. Everyone has different circumstances that they must deal with. Some only have one child, some have extremely bright or gifted children, some mothers have been teachers, some are better planners and better organized. Whatever the situation, yours is going to be different than theirs in some way. So...do school the way you want or need to. Feel good knowing that you are and can do an awesome job doing it the way YOUR family does it.

 

As far as using MFW, I am one of the average ones that will tell you that I struggle everyday to get it all done. Most of the time something gets pushed to the next day or the next. Why? I just don't know, but we do the best that we can. There are others that add several things to MFW and still need more....I just don't know how they do it.

You still have them at young ages and that can put obstacles in the way. But you can do it.

 

As for your schedule, I am impressed. And...if you get done by 2pm, you've got it going on. The reason why I say that is because you have extras that you are doing beyond MFW and I struggle just to get that done. Many moms do the book basket and read-aloud books in the evening, during breakfast, or lunch. If you can't get some of it done during your scheduled time try doing some reading at night. For me, I have tried it, but it never seems to work out because Daddy is home and we just don't do it. You are also doing instrument practice during school time and for most, even public schooled kids, is done after school so if you get it done during school time, you are doing great. I don't do a foreign language or instruments and still struggle. Not that I don't want to...sigh...

 

MFW does have a lot of reading...I'm not sure just how much is in Adventures because I haven't done that year, but it does in the older years. I have done K and 1st with my son and we have all done ECC, CTG, and RTR together.

 

Do try to keep it relaxed if that is your goal. You do want a child that is a happy learner and a teacher that doesn't get burned out. It makes for a very unpleasant school time.

 

When it comes to narration, it is something that comes with time. Your son may not know exactly what you expect from him. What you may need to do is do it yourself like you want him to do it as an example. Remember his age though and don't expect more than what he can do. Once he hears you tell it back he may "get it" more easily. He may think he needs to tell you "word for word" and not understand you only want basic info. You may also try giving hints of names, or words to remind him of some things he may remember. You can also start out by asking him questions about the story or information and let him tell you what he knows about that. My son struggles with reading and math, retaining facts and phonetic sounds, but after 4 years of listening to me read books aloud, he does very well remembering things that he hears from our readings.

 

Just remember...gain knowledge, but don't compare...just let Him guide your steps and everything will work out for the best.

 

If you have any questions please ask away!!!

 

BTW...are you aware that there are MFW yahoo groups that you can join for support?

 

Blessings, Teresa

Edited August 30, 2009 by teachypeachy

[meet me in paris]

No, MFW doesn't require that much read-aloud time, it's just something I'd like to do more of, and I was intrigued by an earlier thread where many of the responses I read were from moms who were reading aloud 2-3 hours/day! I also heard Kathy Weitz of Classical Writing do a webinar where she said she felt that reading aloud was the most important educational activity she did with her kids, and that even if nothing else got done, if she just read aloud that would be a good day! Anyway, that's why I try to put in more read aloud time than is "required" by MFW but it's still hard to fit it in to the extent of doing so 2-3 hours a day, as lovely as that sounds!

 

 

We do about this much read-aloud time, but I could never do it in one chunk. Outside the assigned school reading, I typically read over lunch, and again at bed time - that's our long one, at least 30 minutes and my throat is killing me by the end! The rest of the time it's audiobooks, which I certainly count as read-aloud time even though I'm not the one reading! I always have a book going in the car - even if we're just going 10 minutes away, that's 20 minutes of book time we wouldn't have had before. And those professionals are just so much better than I could ever be. ;) The kids can't wait to get in the car, and I'm amazed at how many novels we can get through in a school year by adding audios.

[tdeveson]

Your schedule seems fine to me. I don't see anything missing. I have a couple of observations:

 

Math seems a bit long. At that age, we were doing math for 30 minutes. If 45 minutes works well for your kids, then that's fine. It would not have gone down well here. :)

 

The other observation I have is that 2-3 hours of reading aloud sounds nice, but who has three hours? I check out audio books from my library and we listen to them in the car, during quiet time, while ds plays legos, any time he feels like it, really. I do still read to him every day, but the bulk of his read-aloud time is in the form of audio books.

 

I think you're doing a great job. Congratulations on bringing your little one home to learn.

[Lovedtodeath]

I think this is a great schedule! I would take a real break on one of your scheduled read aloud times and just add that to the end of the day. School is done at 2:45. It also occurs to me that if he is not remembering things maybe he needs a recess/exercise scheduled at some point.

 

ETA: We usually spend at least 45 minutes on math. That includes hands-on, drill, and seat work. Sometimes I will divide that into 2 or three parts so that we have a break.

Edited August 30, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[mom4him]

No, MFW doesn't require that much read-aloud time, it's just something I'd like to do more of, and I was intrigued by an earlier thread where many of the responses I read were from moms who were reading aloud 2-3 hours/day! I also heard Kathy Weitz of Classical Writing do a webinar where she said she felt that reading aloud was the most important educational activity she did with her kids, and that even if nothing else got done, if she just read aloud that would be a good day! Anyway, that's why I try to put in more read aloud time than is "required" by MFW but it's still hard to fit it in to the extent of doing so 2-3 hours a day, as lovely as that sounds!

 

I'm enjoying the responses. Hope to see more!

 

Oh, to answer another question, I do want to do music in the beginning of the day because this was one of my great struggles last year, trying to do all the music after my DS came home from school and it was the last thing he wanted to do, or trying to fit it in before/after dinner...it was just such a struggle. Now it's done first thing and it helps make our afternoon and evening so much nicer not to have it hanging over our heads! We are a pretty music-intense family, since DH is a classical pianist, and our teachers are pretty demanding so 45 minutes is really the bare minimum we can have our son do and meet her standards (while little brother who is 4 has 30 minutes of violin).

 

Thanks, everyone! This is all so helpful to read!

I would never be able to get in 2-3 hrs of read alouds. We intersperse ours during our other subjects where ever they fit that day. I do a small amount of reading with them at bed time but not much as I am always so tired by then and I still have my oldest son(he is a quad) to get to bed after they are in bed.

I agree that reading to our children is important but I don't think it is something that needs to be a stress. When my two were in k/1st we covered almost everything with read alouds even our math.

As far as your ds not remembering anything you read to him that day to tell his father about, I would start with reviewing what you are reading every 1-2 paragraphs, when he can narrate that back to you increase a little bit more until he can listen to a lesson in a book and narrate it back. I think it is important to seat it in their little brains as we go and then they will be able to bring it up later.

At the ages your dc are for me my main goal would be to instill a love of learning by keeping it relaxed and having fun whenever possible.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I do it because it is very natural for us to do 2-3 hours read alouds and audio books. It is not forced or something I schedule.

 

I love to read aloud and my kids love to listen and I mentioned in this thread and the other one that we rely on audiobooks... but not because we are scheduling it, but because we love it! We do picture books and chapter books and encyclopedias and audiobooks NOT for school time but for down time.

 

Also, in my case, my kids don't know how to read yet but I suspect they will want to read by themselves and read alouds will be cut waaaay down. When school gets harder for my kids, we may do less read alouds and more school stuff. So, really, I wouldn't compare my read aloud time to yours and you sound like you have WONDERFUL schedule :)

[2_girls_mommy]

For extra read aloud time here I have dh do it at bedtime the nights he is home. I usually read a chapter of something to my dds during schooltime, or a picture book of my dd's choice. The rest of our reading aloud during schoolwork is school based: A chapter of history or a science picture book. Then dh does 30-45 min. at bedtime. Our bedtimes used to be about an hour of reading, but we have come down as they have gotten older and stay up later.

Edited August 30, 2009 by 2_girls_mommy

[JudoMom]

This is what I would do:

 

7 a.m.-8 a.m.--kids get up, get ready for the day, do morning tidy-up chores

 

8 a.m.-8:30 a.m.--breakfast & Bible

 

8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.--Music practice & Math

 

9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.--Break

 

10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m.--Language Arts (FLL/CW Primer, Handwriting, Spelling)

 

10:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m.--History/Geography or Science

 

11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.--Languages (Latin or Chinese)

 

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.--Lunch/read aloud

 

12:45 p.m.-1:30 p.m.--Quiet reading time

 

1:30 p.m.--finish any leftovers/end for day

 

We also do our fun literature read-aloud before bed during family time. My boys are also allowed to read in bed before they go to sleep.

 

It looks like you are doing great, and you've got everything covered. Enjoy this time :001_smile:!

[Sue G in PA]

I don't have much to add to the generous and wise advice from the veterans here (I still consider myself new to hsing since this is only year 5 and only year 3 outside of a cyber). What I am finding is that homeschooling does NOT have to mirror a public school. Duh, right? Well, not so duh if you are me! We don't have to follow their schedule (academically or time-wise). My kids like to be "done" by 4pm when their friends were home from school. That gave us plenty of time to get our work done, with breaks and playtime included. However, there were some days that we saved some academic work until after "school" (reading, projects, even math sometimes although not often b/c I firmly believe math should be done early when the mind is fresh). The beauty of hsing is that we can learn ALL DAY...anytime, anywhere. This year, my plan is to be more flexible. Your schedule looks great and I am envious that you get it all in by 2pm. We have not started yet this year, but I foresee our day running until 2 or 3 or later depending on the number of breaks ds8 needs. If I can get him to do his main subjects by 2pm...I will be thankful. Good luck to you!

[Chris in VA]

I think you have a great schedule, too. It looks really balanced.

 

Most of our read alouds are just read "whenever," and for "however long." I just don't keep track very well--very go with the flow around here. Sometimes we read aloud history fiction, but sometimes it's just fun things; right now we are one day away from school starting but are right in the middle of The Thief Lord, so we'll continue with that, and read aloud the first history book we have scheduled (Walk The World's Rim) when we are done with TTL. Dd reads a lot on her own, too--about 2 hours a day.

 

I guess I consider reading aloud like breathing--sort of natural around here, esp when dd is a little bored or we are in the middle of a great story. Hmmm--perhaps I have more time to read with her because I'm letting housework go?

[Truscifi]

I agree your schedule looks good, although I would also not be able to do that much read aloud time. We do ours at night before bed. Also, it sounds like the 7 yo might do better with a real break to get up and run around, decompress a bit in the middle of the day. It might help with focus later in the day.

[silvermine]

It looks fine to me. If you or your son aren't enjoying it though, try shaking it up. You can't do all of the things that everyone else does, so don't even try to compare yourselves to them. ;) What I mean is, the people who read aloud 3 hours a day are probably not also doing music and chinese lessons. Or don't do grammar until 4th grade. Or maybe only do history twice a week.

 

We do some reading in the afternoon, and most of it at bedtime, plus the reading for history during "school" time. But we don't do a foreign language with any regularity or music at all, really. I can't think of any subject that we do every day, either. I mean, we might do 1-2 math lessons on one day, nothing the next day, and then just 4 practice problems the day after. Some days we do 3 chapters of history (he loved it) and other days we do none.

 

Everyone just needs to do what works for them, not what works for other people. :) It just takes time to figure out where that is for your family, and to adjust as the kids get bigger or change their preferences. :)

[Nancy Ann]

I think your schedule is fine and I think you are doing enough. My son who is a second grader also does not tell his father much about what he learned that day! But it has improved over the year so I am sure it will keep on improving.

 

I agree you can't look at what other people are doing to judge wether or not you are on the right track or not. I did that alot when I first started homeschooling and I just kept feeling like I am not doing this right and I ruining my children. Now after 8 years I am able to read about what other people do and just appreciate the differences and look at what things will work for us and what things won't.

 

You have to look at what is best for your kids and your family. What sort of things do your kids like. My son doesn't really like alot of read alouds so I don't do that much. I have one book that I choose to read a chapter or so a day in the afternoon and we have a bedtime story. We do read library books as part of our history and science. However, he really enjoys maps and so with our curriculum I have added in some more geography. My son is not really into music but loves art so I emphasize that. I used to approach homeschooling by trying to give my children a variety of exposure to things but I quickly found out there are TOO MANY THINGS!! and it's near impossible. So now I have a basic curriculum that works for us and I add in the things they enjoy or are good at.

[hlee]

I really appreciate all the feedback and the great wisdom reflected in the responses. Especially the good advice not to necessarily compare with others! Great reminder. =) Thanks again, everyone!