I would love to see schedules

[MyLittleWonders]

I am still trying to work on our schedule - ds#1 is in 3rd grade but still needs a lot of help from me (his reading is not yet at grade level and we do use teacher-intensive curriculum - WWE, FLL, SSL, etc.). I figure we need about three good hours a day to try and get everything done between ds#1, ds#2 (1st grade work, though he's a very young 1st grader), and ds#3 (PreK - he so wants to know how to do things his brothers can do). Right now we are all doing the same subjects at the same time, and I feel there is a lot of waiting time while I get one going with something, and a lot of DVD/unstructured, yet alone, time for ds#3. Would anyone be willing to share you schedule/routine for multiple kids, especially the younger set and/or with teacher-intensive curriculum? I am willing to do things like split time with kids where one is with me and two are playing, and/or splitting subjects (we do Latin together as well as history and art; I also tend to have both boys do narration together). Any suggestions or examples? :D

[Frontier Mom]

I have one very strong suggestion: Workboxes. Mine are older but this has been the best thing ever!! I have more details in my blog, Frontier Christian Academy, linked in the siggy.

 

Basically, you can put the DVD in there, have it cued up and a sticky note in the drawer, or something else. You can put all your worksheets in there ahead of time and you're ready to go. It's already organized and ready. I cannot say enough about this system. It just makes sense, is very affordable and keeps Mom sane. I am an organizer and would just shut down having to look for something. Drove me crazy.

[Faithr]

Have fun centers set up where your younger ones can go while you finish up with the 3rd grader. Have a coloring center, a puzzle/game center, a play area where they can go and play during school hours, an educational computer games center where they can play that sort of stuff while waiting. If you switch things around a bit in the centers once in a while, they'll enjoy this free independent learning time. Think of it as Montesssori-ish..... this occupied my youngers during those waiting periods in the morning hours. Then I worked one on one with my olders while the younger ones still had quiet time in the afternoon after lunch (they could play with legos/dolls or listen to audiobooks or nap in their rooms for 1 hour).

 

I also did any reading aloud during meal times while the younger ones were busy munching. I'd eat my breakfast/lunch pretty much before the kids so I could read a bit.

 

If there was something left over that needed to be done, I let my dh read to the younger children while I quick finished up something in the evenings (or vice versa, dh would help finish up and I'd take care of the younger ones for a bit).

[Blue Lilac Studio]

I second the workbox advice. We just recently switched and I LOVE them. With multiple children it really eliminates the paper chaos and greatly cuts down on me being the logjam.

[AngelBee]

:lurk5:

[Mynyel]

I have one very strong suggestion: Workboxes. Mine are older but this has been the best thing ever!! I have more details in my blog, Frontier Christian Academy, linked in the siggy.

 

Basically, you can put the DVD in there, have it cued up and a sticky note in the drawer, or something else. You can put all your worksheets in there ahead of time and you're ready to go. It's already organized and ready. I cannot say enough about this system. It just makes sense, is very affordable and keeps Mom sane. I am an organizer and would just shut down having to look for something. Drove me crazy.

 

:iagree:

 

I don't use actual boxes I use file folders. I have absolutely nowhere to put a workbox station and start up was too expensive for me.

 

So I bought one box on file folders and use those. Let me know fi you want more info on it :) It isn't fancy but it is functional.

 

I also second the fun stations. That can be great "busy work".

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[MyLittleWonders]

Ok, I bought the Workbox System ebook (I need to read about it - I know we need to modify because I already have nice hanging file boxes and do not want 36 bins in my dining room ;) ). Hopefully between workboxes (workfolders) and reading through the Latin Centered Curriculum, I can get a handle on everything. :)

[mrs.m]

This is my modified workbox system. The strips each have a velcro dot for each subject. I made a card with a picture of each textbook/workbook/activity. I put them in order dispersing independent work from dependent work so that I won't have to work with both children at the same time. I write the page numbers on the card before they start the next day. They place the finished cards on the wall.

 

It is based on the workbox system. I read the book but I didn't like the idea of boxes. But I liked the idea of something visual so that they can see their work being completed through the day. DS doesn't ask "Are we almost finished?" Our supplies are available nearby so I didn't feel like that was necessary either. I add in some fun stuff but most days it's enough to just get through the regular subject materials.

[MyLittleWonders]

That sounds really cool - so you printed a picture, say, of their math book. Then you laminate it, put a velcro dot on the back, and write that day's page number on the front under the picture? They put the pictures as they finish on a strip so that everyone can see their progress? I like that idea. Is each individual strip on the keyring it's own subject? Or are there multiple subjects velcro'd on each strip? We have three chunks of time/subjects - I could use that idea and make each strip have the subjects for that chunk - when the strip is done, they would know they have a break. Hmm ... I'm appreciating all the ideas! Now I just need to get something in place before Monday. :D

[prairiegirl]

I used workboxes last year and they worked amazingly well in keeping everyone busy while I was working with one child. Then I got sick in the fall and the boxes fell by the wayside. I haven't gotten back to them because what we are doing now is working.

 

I work with one child through all of the subjects. If there is independent work that the other two can do then they do it then, if not, then they play with each other. When I am done with the first child then I move on to the second child and do all of their subjects. I do this for the skill subjects and the content ones are done all together.

[Impish]

I suck at scheduling.

 

I have Diva, that can whip through her math in 20 mins, or drag it out all.freaking.day. (that's stopped since I've put her on a timer), and tends to whine/moan about any given subject, even when she loved it the day before, Tazzie that shoves his Pre-K workbook under my nose before I've even had a sip of coffee, begging to 'do reading', and Princess that sometimes will/sometimes won't do table work, but is always up for a good cuddle and book read.

 

Every time I've created a schedule, I feel completely pressured by it. Yes, we need to get x amount of work done before the facilitator comes out again, but I've found that 'just keep on keepin on' tends to work better for us somehow.

 

That being said, the work boxes/files look cool...:lol:

[mrs.m]

That sounds really cool - so you printed a picture, say, of their math book. Then you laminate it, put a velcro dot on the back, and write that day's page number on the front under the picture? They put the pictures as they finish on a strip so that everyone can see their progress? I like that idea. Is each individual strip on the keyring it's own subject? Or are there multiple subjects velcro'd on each strip? We have three chunks of time/subjects - I could use that idea and make each strip have the subjects for that chunk - when the strip is done, they would know they have a break. Hmm ... I'm appreciating all the ideas! Now I just need to get something in place before Monday. :D

 

Each strip has enough room for three activities. I count each textbook/workbook as one activity as if I was putting the work into a workbox. So DD will get to her TT card and work on TT. I use dry erase markers to write very short notes or to tell them to see the note on their textbook. The subjects that they work with me on have a heart on them so that they know to tell me that they need my help. I also use the "I need help" cards because my DS is learning to work independently after instruction.

 

I give them a reward card when the finish their school work. There is usually a physical activity card midway through to help them get the wiggles out.

 

DD has 5 strips of 3 and DS has 4 strips of 3.

 

I'm working on implementing this into a daily chore cycle but the thought of laminating and cutting the cards is making me avoid putting it together. We have issues in the morning with kids not being ready when I want to start school. So I really need to get this done!

 

Here's a link to my cards so that you can get an idea. It also includes chore cards that I made. http://www.4shared.com/file/212316976/964a959e/chores_janny.html

 

The subject cards won't apply but it can still be useful for chores!

Edited January 31, 2010 by jannylynn
correcting link!

[MyLittleWonders]

Thank you Jannylynn! I love your ideas and your description. :D

[SnowWhite]

I don't do anything fancy like workboxes or file folders. Ds grade 3 does have his books divided into shallow Sterilite drawers by "class period". In the bottom drawer are his devotional, Math workbook and Writing/Grammar workbook. He aims to accomplish these before lunch. I am a big part of the Math and Writing/Grammar. In next drawer are vocab, spelling, and reading. These are mainly independent. In the top two drawers are science and history. They are teacher-intense.

 

The younger ds is in K, and he has a stack of workbooks, as well as a Bible storybook and Animals and Their Worlds texts which I read aloud.

 

I have done their schedule two ways, and the younger seems to rotate back and forth between them at will. The first way, which we are using now, is for the little one to start school at the same time his brother does and do short assignments with frequent breaks. The second way is for him to start later in the day and do a longer "sprint" through a larger number of assignments with fewer breaks.

 

Also in the mix is a little 7.5 month nursling, who loves to sit on my lap and vocalize, making some read aloud times challenging. He has just started being able to move around on the floor by himself and play a bit, which is both better for keeping him occupied and more challenging as we re-learn how to keep the house baby-proof (bathroom door closed, etc.)

 

We usually start our day with singing, prayer, and Bible story. Then ds9 does his piano lesson practice while I do a phonics or math lesson with ds5. Ds9 also does his devotional independently.

 

Often, once that is done, I am on the recliner nursing the 7.5 month old for his morning nap. Ds5 will bring me his math workbook or phonics workbook and lean over the arm of the recliner while I explain the lesson. Then he sprawls out on the floor to do his work under my watchful eye. At the same time, ds9 will bring me his Writing/Grammar book to explain. This is usually a mostly independent assignment, though sometimes it takes a fair amount of input.

 

Then, if the Ker gets done with Math or phonics, I let him go on break while the older one does Math. Math can sometimes be pretty time consuming, so occasionally the Ker does "PE" which is Wii Fit. They are allowed 30 min. of that each day. It's a good thing the baby is usually in bed by the time Math starts.

 

Ds9 takes a 15 min. break, followed by vocab, spelling and reading (mostly independent). Ds5 does another lesson, either phonics or math. At this point it is time to start thinking about lunch and baby is up from nap.

 

Usually the Ker is done school by lunch or soon after, while the 3rd grader and I do science and history together for a couple of hours in the afternoon. HTH.