when do you "prepare"

[mlgbug]

do you get the school work ready the night before,

do you get a whole week ready?

 

do it in the am?

 

I am a mess. i try to prepare in the AM which i HATE but want to relax at night....

 

just seeing

[Mynyel]

I use the workfolders (instead of workboxes :001_smile:). I prepare in the morning while drinking my coffee. It takes me a sum total of..oh...15 mins. Then they kids sit down and work on folder one through...well however much we have that day.

I also mix things into the folders so they are having fun too. Maze sheets, free time, snacks, dot to dot, coloring, etc...

They like it and ever since I started it we get double the amount of work done as before!

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[razorbackmama]

I do it the night before. Too stressful in the morning. I cannot prepare a week at a time because I have to grade everything first and line up corrections and such.

[jenL]

We use workboxes, so I plan the week out over the weekend, then I put the work in the workboxes the night before they are to be used (ie. Sunday night, I put in Monday's work). Doing it a night means it's ready for us to start our day first thing. I find my son is more likely to stay focused when he knows what to expect, and he doesn't have time to start playing. Once he starts playing, the whining begins as to why we need to do school right then. Avoiding this makes for much smoother days, and it allows us to get the work done sooner.

[plain jane]

I do the gist of my planning and preparing during the summer before the school year. This is when I do all my printing, photocopying, organizing, sorting, prepping binders, that I foresee myself needing for the year. I then spend 2-3 hours each Sunday to do a more thorough plan for that coming week.

[Barb_]

I don't prepare. I never have, going on 15 years. I like the thrill of flying by the seat of my pants each day. Keeps things interesting :D

 

Barb

[texasmama]

I prepare a week at a time the Sunday before the week begins. I used SL so the IG does much of it for me. My boys know they are to do a certain amount of math and handwriting daily.

[Caitilin]

I find that, for me, what works best is 2 things. The first is at the beginning of the year, dividing the school books into 4 basically even chunks--those are my quarters. Then, every Sunday night, I sit down with the kids' planners and write down what I want to have them do in every subject all week. If we don't complete everything that I had written down for the week, it gets moved to next week's slots. As we approach the end of the quarter, we try to play catch-up a bit, if the subjects are what I consider the important ones (math, grammar, science).

 

This year, my dd5 and my ds6 have moved through their math programs very quickly, and are nearly finished. So, I will need to get an additional program for them to finish out their years. On the other hand, my dds12 are ahead in their math, and behind in their science. When they finish their math for the year, they will focus on getting their science completed.

 

Try not to stress--your kiddos are still very young, too young to even think about their being behind in anything.:grouphug:

[FairProspects]

I prepare on Sunday afternoons, scheduling out a week at a time in a teacher's planner. I do a rough monthly plan for things like science and literature read-alouds whenever I get some breaks in the morning (we have long play/snack time every morning here, but I have young kids). Monthly I prepare the "master plan" checklists by week and then adjust them on Sundays if they need changing (I use the same format as described in WTM).

[Samiam]

We use the workbox system.

 

I spend an hour, maybe two on Sunday evenings planning our week. By planning, I mean entering in the daily work into Homeschool Tracker software. For certain subjects, say Worldy Wise Vocab, I can even plan a few weeks ahead, since it's essentially the same every week, and that can be done in the car, if necessary. For most things, I prefer to do it week by week, to allow for field trips, Dr's appointments, and other unexpected things to be accounted for. I am not actually "planning" much, since almost all of our curriculum is open and go with TM's.

 

Then each night, I might spend 10-20 minutes loading the workboxes, working from the schedule I have in Homeschool Tracker.

 

In the a.m, we are ready to go with no effort on my part.

 

I am not a morning person. Some nights I don't feel like loading the boxes, and think I will just do it in the a.m....then I remember what chaos that tends to bring. Some nights, I ACTUALLY get to the point where I am too lazy to load the boxes, and it does bring that exact chaos in the a.m. that I feared. That's rare but it has happened. It just does not make our mornings easy if I don't do my job in the evening. I try to tell myself that my current job IS full-time homeschooling, and I should prepare for it as I would any other job.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Samiam
typos

[Melenie]

Our 4 most important subject need no planning (I picked them for that reason). The enrichment subjects I plan on a Thursday or Friday for the week ahead. It takes very little time to order the books from the library or get everything together for our crafts and projects.

[Satori]

I prepare what lessons and what pages to cover in all the subjects way ahead of time and enter it in my online scheduler. I've found that I pretty much have no real prep-time for most subjects. Science, art, and sometimes history do require some prep, and I find I don't get to those if I'm not prepared.

[prairiegirl]

Finding time to prepare is an issue I am dealing with right now. I plan the big things on the weekend and then the little things (glancing over next day's lesson) between 5 and 6 p.m.

[TxMama]

I get the next days schoolwork prepared immediately after we finish each day....takes me about 30 seconds or so.

[gardening momma]

I don't prepare. I never have, going on 15 years. I like the thrill of flying by the seat of my pants each day. Keeps things interesting :D

 

Barb

:iagree: At the age of my kids, I don't need to prepare. I just try to get at least a couple of subjects done a day. Today we did a few pages of A Beka Social Studies K (we discussed Indians (native Americans), Eskimos, & Hawaii, pointed out locations on a world map & pulled up some additional pictures from the internet), and she did some Kumon craft & maze books. I wasn't feeling well, so that's all we did today. Other days I try to make sure we do math & spelling (RS A & AAS 1), but with those I just open the book and review what we need to do for a couple of minutes, and then get into it.

[pageta]

We're doing Ambleside which has a lot of read-alouds along with SOTW and first year WTM science.

 

I use a lot of library books for SOTW and WTM science. For those, I make a list of what I want to use at the beginning of the quarter. I have a document in Word where I've typed out all of the chapters and sections in the chapters (like the sections of each chapter in SOTW). On Tuesday or Wednesday (Wednesday is our library day), I go through and make sure I have the books I need from the library. I make a list of what I can get at our branch and request the ones I need from other branches. That way they are there for me by the next week, and if someone has them checked out, I can still get my hands on them close to when we need them.

 

For our read-alouds, I have the chapters written out in that same document and I know how many pages we need to do per day or week to get through the books, so no planning there except at the beginning of the school year.

 

Music - we generally learn one new song a week, and I keep a running list of songs we want to learn. We have three categories of songs - hymns, children's Bible songs, and folk songs - and I just rotate which one will have the new song each week. We sing daily so that allows for me to play the song and read the words aloud for a few days before we try to sing it (we do music daily).

 

For artist study and composer study, we are currently working through books so I have the chapters spelled out in my planning document and I know what to do next by looking at that. For nature study, I do have to come up with a plan or it doesn't get done.

 

For art, I have to read what the next chapter is in our Artistic Pursuits text and make sure I have my act together. I buy the supplies at the beginning of the year, so it's a matter of making sure I have them ready to go and the appropriate gear in place ready to be used.

 

We have standard props we use for math - abacus, coins, beans, tally sticks, flash cards, etc. I have a general outline of what we're covering and then I use the prop that best works with what I'm trying to accomplish.

 

Really, I do very little preparation. If something requires much preparation, it probably won't get done.

[MerryAtHope]

I make up a one-page schedule a week ahead of time. Some things get filled in right away, some are left blank for me to fill in as we go.

 

I have a general idea of what I'll do for every subject though. I either use schedules I find online or from curriculum providers, or I decide the summer before the school year what to do. Some things I go by pages/chapters, some by lessons, and some just by time--in the last case I just see how far we get in X time and write down whatever we did. It's casual enough that if I want to change the plan for some last minute inspiration, I can (for example, yesterday I made up lit. analysis questions for my kids instead of doing their regular writing assignment).

 

We use workboxes, and each night when I check my kids work, I load the drawers back up with what they are doing. If I need to copy a test or get some kind of page ready, I do it then. Occasionally I don't do this until morning, while the kids get dressed, and that works ok too since I have everything else organized already. I really like the structure workboxes give us in that everything's organized, and I like having a general idea of what we'll do for the year. It makes the day to day so much easier. I don't mind tweaking & doing rabbit trails on the way, & cutting or adding something--but having a general plan ahead of time gives me a fall-back too.

 

HTH! Merry :-)

[Aoife]

we are new to this and our student is little (3yo) but we use a modified workbox system. I prepare the night before by putting books and worksheets in drawers and sticking the labels on the drawers. I also fill out my record book in the evening with a description of what we did that day and anything DS excelled in or needs help on for reference. I am so not a morning person so I try and keep my mornings free from and unnecessary rushing :P

[Cindyg]

I devote Sunday afternoon to lesson planning. I chart and gather everything we're going to do during the week, so Monday morning I just pick it up and go.

 

I check independent work every evening, but that takes less than 5 minutes.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I prepare a week at a time the Sunday before the week begins.

I look over everything we'll cover for the week on Sunday night.

 

In the fall, I will look over my materials and break it up into 2 semesters. I'll plan out the weeks (in pencil) before we start. Adjustments are made whenever they need to be made.

 

Ds is in 8th grade. When he was in K, the only prep I did was watching the MUS lesson on Sunday nights. Dh did reading. Times change. :auto:

[Mommyfaithe]

I don't prepare. I never have, going on 15 years. I like the thrill of flying by the seat of my pants each day. Keeps things interesting :D

 

Barb

 

Hate to admit it...but me too.....

 

Maybe it's an "old school" thing? I've been at this 15 years....

[ondreeuh]

I don't prepare :) We use curricula that is "do the next thing on the list" kind.

 

CLE LA and Math - do the next lesson

ETC - do the next 2 pages

Beyond the code - do half a lesson

History - do the next readings on my master list (adapted from Sonlight Core 2 - I made this list last summer)

Science - do the next Snap Circuits experiments, watch a documentary, or work through the computer "virtual lab" program

 

For my dd, I have everything entered in Homeschool Tracker, so I just sit down Monday morning, mark all last week's stuff as complete, and print up the current week's assignments. She tells me when she has a test scheduled, and then I hurriedly create a test (I have a program to do it) or photocopy.

Edited February 5, 2010 by ondreeuh

[christielee7278]

I do the gist of my planning and preparing during the summer before the school year. This is when I do all my printing, photocopying, organizing, sorting, prepping binders, that I foresee myself needing for the year.

 

This is what I did this past summer. I didn't do *everything* though and now wish I had. I will do it all this next summer. It just makes things so much easier with everything printed and prepared in the binders.

 

I organized any needed crafts materials (glue, crayons, etc) for the week on Sunday night.

 

Beyond getting the binders organized, we follow the *do the next lesson* method with all of our subjects.

[Just Robyn]

I work two days/week and have a lot of downtime at work (right now in fact!) so I do some preparation here. That's mostly mental - like previewing books, making lists, and just thinking things through and getting an idea of what's coming up. However, I have done my share of cutting out construction paper shapes for Saxon while at work.

Most of the other preparation I do on the spot - like making a quick photocopy, or making a few price tags to play store/practice counting money.

 

Preparation that is more involved, like running around town buying this and that for a science experiment or some sort of arts and crafts project, is the most difficult. I buy what I can online while I'm a work, but things that I want to get in town (like a new binder or post-it notes) I am terrible about. When I'm at the store anyway I forget about them, then it's hard to find time to make a special trip. Sigh.

[nd293]

We run a 4 weeks on, 1 week off school year, and I try to prepare as much as possible during the one week off for the next 4 weeks.

[Rhonda in TX]

Each child has their own folder each week. It makes it very easy to pull out the papers we need.

 

I use HST+ and try to print out a week's worth of assignment sheets on Sunday.

 

I use to wing it too much and we would skip things just because I hadn't gotten the copies made and I couldn't find the book to copy from and I didn't feel like messing with it. With my new system, no more! Love it.

[Closeacademy]

After we finish schoolwork on Thursdays, I take as long as I need that afternoon to prep for the next week. Sometimes it takes between 1-4 hours depending upon how much I need to do.:001_smile:

[Jen+4dc]

and it's going really well. I made all my photocopies and such over the summer (when I had Kinko's cut the binding off a couple of books and coil bind them like WWE into student and teacher protions). I also spent some time prepaing absolutely everything I thought we'd need for the first 6 weeks. I used Word to make an IG template (similar to SL since we aren't using SL anymore) for each child and filled it all in in pencil. I have a master binder and plan out school in 6 week chunks. I have divider tabs and put all necesary materials behind the proper week's tab (copywork pages, history coloring pages, spelling worksheets, blank paper for a writing assignment, everything! for all 3 kids). My master binder has the entire 6 weeks then I transfer it to a little binder 1 week at a time as we use it. We school 6 weeks on, 1 off, 6 on, 1 off.

 

So, there were little things I needed to do along the way, but they were so minor it took almost no time. Somethings were left blank (like my son who does MUS, how long it takes to get through a lesson is dependent on subject matter so it varies). I write all the schedules for all 6 weeks in pencil. I change and adapt as we go along (hence the pencil!). This allows me to know what's coming and be prepared yet also be flexible.:001_smile:

 

I use regular folders (the kind with pockets on each side): 1 for each day (Mondays are yellow Tuesdays green,...) and 1 for each kid, they all have their own "file box" (really just an old magazine holder made out of cardboard from IKEA). Then, each Sunday afternoon I file last weeks completed work and fill their file folders up for the next week. This also lets my dc get up super early and accomplish their independent work if they want to! I LOVE those days:D, it make sfor less complaining and school is done faster so we can do fun stuff like projects.

 

Anyway, it's much simpler than it sounds, sorry this post got too long:tongue_smilie:....HTH somehow.

[Mom0012]

I usually do it in the evening. Preparing for me mostly involves correcting my childrens' work for the day and maybe printing out a checklist or two. Occasionally, there is a lesson I need to look at ahead of time, but most of what I use is pick up and go.

 

Lisa

[3and3]

I really needed this! I am so disorganized. I kept telling myself that it was okay because my children were young. But now that I am homeschooling 3 it's not okay anymore. Also, we are not getting things done. I think I will try some of these suggestions.

[MissKNG]

I use the weekend to prepare for the following week. That way I have three nights to prepare instead of rushing in one night or in the am. I also have a pendaflex file folder that I put all the worksheet and craft stuff in. Each tab is labeled for each day of the week.

[skueppers]

I wouldn't normally answer a thread like this, because I don't think of what we do as homeschooling since my children are so young.

 

However, since my children are slightly older than yours, I figure what I do might actually be relevant. :)

 

I don't prepare. I do need to read ahead a bit in our math curricula, but I find that I'm easily able to accomplish this while we're doing math together. There are times during the math lesson when she spends a few minutes doing some worksheet-type work, and I'm able to review upcoming lesson plans. Reading lessons require no preparation.

 

The other stuff we do -- reading library books aloud, doing art projects, mazes, cooking, etc. either don't require preparation, or can be trivially prepared while the kids are playing.

 

If i have "projects" I want to do, like creating laminated cards for a game, I do that in the evening. That's also when I read books.

[2_girls_mommy]

I do the gist of my planning and preparing during the summer before the school year. This is when I do all my printing, photocopying, organizing, sorting, prepping binders, that I foresee myself needing for the year. I then spend 2-3 hours each Sunday to do a more thorough plan for that coming week.

 

This is similar to what I did. I had SOTW student pages copied and 3 hole punched into binder for dd, so it is ready to go. I planned when I wanted to start and finish school year and divided up the "open and go subjects" like math, and L.A. stuff into how many lessons I need to do each month to finish that schedule. I have a list in the beginning of each planner ( I use a separate one for each child, which serves as a record of what they have done each year) that describes what I want to accomplish that month. ex:

Aug

math lessons 1-16

English unit 1 lessons 1-15

Phonics unit 1 lessons 1-15

Music lessons 1-4

History chapters 1-4

Art: (brief description of major focus this month)

Science (brief description of major focus this month)

 

For the subjects that I do plan myself I spend a little more time planning as we start a new topic. but once I have a plan in place which might take a day alone at the library researching, then it becomes open and go too. We spend one day (an hour or two) a week or every two weeks at the library, which allows me to sit at a terminal and request the next couple of week's books. I like to do it there as opposed to home, because I can get up and find the ones that are on shelf and preview them while my girls play children's computers or read or do puzzles. So on average I spend an hour or so a week requesting books, and reading ahead to make sure I have supplies.

 

I have a weekly plan as to what subjects we do each day, which helps me stay accountable to getting everything done. If it is Mon. I know that we are doing Art, so we do it. I don't put it off, thinking we will get to it later.

 

In their planners, I jot a week at at time in pencil my plans for the week, which is as easy as lesson #16, speed drill #16 at the beginning of the week (takes all of 5 min. and I do while they are working on something) for all subjects, taking into account any field trips and things that week. I check monthly to see how close I am to my original plan for the year and make adjustments as necessary. (like no way are we going to finish the math in May like I planned. We will have to find review lessons to eliminate, or double up or do an extra lesson on the weekend once in awhile)

[laughing lioness]

In one sense I'm preparing all of the time- education is my hobby and vocation. I'm constantly reading, researching, etc. We have a clear vision of what we want for our kids/family life/vocation. (sounds so easy, irl, it's often messy and is constantly being revised to accomodate "life" -i.e. house fire, etc.)

I also do a big, overarching plan each spring - goals/subjects/curriculum for each kid. I narrow down items needed, get stuff ready. This, too, is often subject to change, but I always have a clear idea of what I want to get done per kid each year.

On a day to day/week to week it looks like I don't plan at all. We just work the overall, big picture plan. For instance, my dd7 will complete Math 1 this year. Some days we do 2 sections of Math- some 4. She'll finish Math 1 this month. Then we'll go to Math 2. I didn't count on her cruising thru so quickly, but math seems to be really easy for her.

[MrsMe]

I do best right after school. I only have one dd, so I send her to play. Right after school, I'm fresh in what we need to do, where we're at and my mind is in school mode and think of great ideas better, than if I disengaged myself then came back to it later.

[Verity]

I prepare the next week's work in the notebooks on the weekend before school starts. It takes about 1.5-2 hours usually. I use a Word document to type up assignments for each subject and each day, then I make copies of coloring pages, copywork pages, etc...and three hole punch and put the weeks work into each boy's notebook. They know that they can go to their notebooks and tell exactly what we have planned for the week. The notebooks serve the double purpose of being our official record/log of what we are doing for my state/county purpose.

 

I check their work daily (I only have two children) so that's how I keep on top of things. :001_smile:

[bluemongoose]

I do a mass planning session in the summer and a 2nd go around in Jan. During this time I enter in my lessons into HST+ (thanks all those who recommended this!)

 

On the weekend...sometimes Sat sometimes Sun...I print out the week plan from HST. It comes complete with a check boxes for when it is accomplished. Then I look over the list and print/copy/purchase/pull together all needed supplies. I then put the week plan in a folder for each child. Then as we complete the work they check it off. I also enter in what we completed in HST and reschedule anything that needs it.

[Mom-ninja.]

I don't prepare. I never have, going on 15 years. I like the thrill of flying by the seat of my pants each day. Keeps things interesting :D

 

Barb

 

:iagree:

 

 

When I read the title I thought, "Prepare what?"

[kls126s]

I do a mass planning session in the summer and a 2nd go around in Jan. During this time I enter in my lessons into HST+ (thanks all those who recommended this!)

 

On the weekend...sometimes Sat sometimes Sun...I print out the week plan from HST. It comes complete with a check boxes for when it is accomplished. Then I look over the list and print/copy/purchase/pull together all needed supplies. I then put the week plan in a folder for each child. Then as we complete the work they check it off. I also enter in what we completed in HST and reschedule anything that needs it.

 

:iagree: - just about word for word what I do... except I don't use a folder for each child. I just have a small tote box for each kid with their all books and I put the HST+ weekly checklist in their box for the week.

[JoyfulMama]

and it's going really well. I made all my photocopies and such over the summer (when I had Kinko's cut the binding off a couple of books and coil bind them like WWE into student and teacher protions). I also spent some time prepaing absolutely everything I thought we'd need for the first 6 weeks. I used Word to make an IG template (similar to SL since we aren't using SL anymore) for each child and filled it all in in pencil. I have a master binder and plan out school in 6 week chunks. I have divider tabs and put all necesary materials behind the proper week's tab (copywork pages, history coloring pages, spelling worksheets, blank paper for a writing assignment, everything! for all 3 kids). My master binder has the entire 6 weeks then I transfer it to a little binder 1 week at a time as we use it. We school 6 weeks on, 1 off, 6 on, 1 off.

 

So, there were little things I needed to do along the way, but they were so minor it took almost no time. Somethings were left blank (like my son who does MUS, how long it takes to get through a lesson is dependent on subject matter so it varies). I write all the schedules for all 6 weeks in pencil. I change and adapt as we go along (hence the pencil!). This allows me to know what's coming and be prepared yet also be flexible.:001_smile:

 

I use regular folders (the kind with pockets on each side): 1 for each day (Mondays are yellow Tuesdays green,...) and 1 for each kid, they all have their own "file box" (really just an old magazine holder made out of cardboard from IKEA). Then, each Sunday afternoon I file last weeks completed work and fill their file folders up for the next week. This also lets my dc get up super early and accomplish their independent work if they want to! I LOVE those days:D, it make sfor less complaining and school is done faster so we can do fun stuff like projects.

 

Anyway, it's much simpler than it sounds, sorry this post got too long:tongue_smilie:....HTH somehow.

 

:iagree:I do very much what Jen does, and she is right - it is much simpler than it sounds! (Except we file things daily into the right notebooks, so I don't have to do filing at the end of the week, as the folders should be empty by the end of the day.)

[Jen+4dc]

:iagree:I do very much what Jen does, and she is right - it is much simpler than it sounds! (Except we file things daily into the right notebooks, so I don't have to do filing at the end of the week, as the folders should be empty by the end of the day.)

 

I'm just obsessive and want to know exactly where things are if I should ever need to pull them back out again.:tongue_smilie: I have a turn in box the kids put completed, corrected work each day (I correct it before they can cross it off as completed). So, the folders are empty at the end of the week but I file my turn-in box so I know it's done properly. (I used to have nightmares of the state coming and wanting all sorts of documentation...I want to know where to find it if I need it).

 

But it's really not complicated and being organized helps our school day go so much beter. Really, so.much.better!:D

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I fill out the weekly check sheets over the weekend using the subject plans I made over the summer for most subjects. For history, I have to split the reading assignments up and come up with writing / narration assignements to go with them.

[Karen in CO]

I sit with my cup of coffee in front of the school bookshelf and pull out random stuff every morning.

 

I've tried all kinds of things for organizing and preparing, but an organized set of school shelves is my best defense. Most subjects are on a "do the nest thing" type of schedule. I have all of the literature books, poetry books, teacher's guides, notebooks, folders, workbooks, etc. in one set of shelves organized by student and/or topic. I grab which ever math book my dd is using that day, the history book, the grammar book, and something to read, then I pull out the phonics and handwriting and a story for the younger one and stack them on the table. We work through them until we are done for the day, and I clear off the table as we go. Easy, cheesy, peasey.

[Sweetpeach]

I'm so thrilled to have a comment to add to this thread. :)

 

I've always flown by the seat of my pants but when we moved to this house which had a separate school room, all of a sudden, my headspace for school dramatically increased.

 

I'm happy to report that I correct work in the evening, highlight any corrections that need attention, make a note in the homework book for them [and me, so I don't forget], and then based on the results of their daily work, either forge ahead with new lessons or spend a bit more time on any road-bumps. We're doing a lesson of CLE a day, so I have to stay on top of corrections. Math needs a bit of pre-study for me. I have a weekly plan in my head but it's always open for negotiation, either to push harder or lax off, depending on the business of the week.

 

On Friday night, I spend an hour getting the next week ready and then I don't think about school again until Monday morning!

 

Finally, [hands clasped in worship position] I found a system that works for us. To encourage those of you with youngers, this only started working for me since the kids have become a bit more focused and able to center themselves for seatwork.

 

Warmly, Tricia

[Ginevra]

Sunday, for the week ahead, as it seems many here do. And in the summer for the upcoming year, if not earlier. (Like, say, February...:tongue_smilie:)

 

When they were little, I didn't do this. I flew by the seat of my pants. By 5th grade this was no longer working out.

[mlgbug]

today i will get my butt in gear. ill print activities for the week rather than trying to get it done. ill be working now m w f in an office WITH the kids, lol, yeah tell me about it, and they will be there with my. i ened to be in gear so i can get them to sit and work, we got into an amazing schedule at 9am we sit and work, this week screwed me up and we are way behind.....today and tomarrow will be catch up and i am gona get the week ready.

[blessed2fosteradopt]

We use workboxes, so I plan the week out over the weekend, then I put the work in the workboxes the night before they are to be used (ie. Sunday night, I put in Monday's work). Doing it a night means it's ready for us to start our day first thing. I find my son is more likely to stay focused when he knows what to expect, and he doesn't have time to start playing. Once he starts playing, the whining begins as to why we need to do school right then. Avoiding this makes for much smoother days, and it allows us to get the work done sooner.

 

 

I do something very similar to this (I plan the entire week on a Sunday and it takes about 1.5 hrs. - I include making any copies I need during this time) but I also make a schedule sheet for each day and I put the whole week's worth in a page protector. As my son completes each task daily, he highlights it. This helps him get through the day better and to keep on pace. Workboxes and these schedule sheets have made a WORLD of difference in our schooling. Of course your dd is too young to follow a schedule sheet but maybe this would be good for you and help you keep on track. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

 

Lisa

[Moniksca]

I use ambleside (somewhat) so I have a reading list for each term that I try to stick to, I have a math folder that I fill each week with the worksheets for the week, once things are completed it gets moved over to the left side. That way ds knows what has to be done for the week.

I've designed my own science curriculum so I have all the printouts ahead of time by unit and just pull out library books as needed. Everything else doesn't require too much prep time. I have a weekly schedule that I fill in at the end of the week so I don't feel stressed if certain things don't get done.

That's just how I am though.