What comes first in your homeschool?

[Free Indeed]

Just wondering if you do the 3r's first thing, or if you do content subjects first. We usually start in the living room for our family subjects, then move to the kitchen table for individual subjects. However, I was thinking of changing this up. Just wondering- what do you do?

[Karen in CO]

Our typical order right now is read aloud at the table, French, math, writing then it gets more loose. We have a history related reading at night. If my dd gets up before me and wants to get a head start on her day, she does her French first. We switched to a French-first schedule at the beginning of the year. It is my dd's favorite subject, and our day is working better this way.

 

It is almost a 3R's schedule, but French has moved from a daily extra to a core subject.

[Daisy]

I let the kids decide. I have right of veto but I'm pretty easy going about what they are in the mood to do. Some days you just don't want to do sentence diagramming first.

 

They each have 10 drawers. My only hard and fast rule is that history craft/project comes AFTER the history reading for the day. I also make sure the 8yos work it split up between hard and easy. He can't do all his easy subjects first. :lol:

 

The last two days we've done math last and completed it at Starbucks because it is the easiest subject to transport.

 

Haaa, I edited this because it sounds like I'm "easy-going" Mom. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm the anal-retentive highly organized mom, BUT taking this approach forces me not be so Type A.

Edited February 19, 2010 by Daisy

[blessed2fosteradopt]

Bible/character training always comes first usually followed by math, reading and English. After that, we move around quite a bit depending on what we are in the mood for. :001_smile:

[Amy Jo]

We start with Bible, Memory/Recitation and Spanish as a group (usually 20-45 minutes, depending on if we watch the video for Spanish). Then I work individually with the 3Rs / skill subjects with the older two. Then content subjects, which is everyone (eldest 2 required to listen) again ATM for reading aloud (or a nature walk/drawing/etc.).

[mumkins]

We read our bible first. Then our group reading. Then we do the three R's.

[King Alfred Academy]

We start with history/science since I combine the boys for these subjects. Then I alternate time with them. If I am working on math with one, the other is doing some sort of enrichment on the computer. So far it is working for us.

[crl]

We do start with the 3 r's first so that we insure they get done each day. Since there always seems to be something or someone needing attention, we may not get to history or science until the evening with Dad or a weekend.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Bible and worship first, but then the 3r's for the Little League. Big kids do whatever for independent work. The only one with a specific first class is the slacker who must do science first or it won't get done...

[angela&4boys]

Bible/character training always comes first usually followed by math, reading and English. After that, we move around quite a bit depending on what we are in the mood for. :001_smile:

 

 

Ditto.;)

[Tam101]

I let the kids decide. I have right of veto but I'm pretty easy going about what they are in the mood to do. Some days you just don't want to do sentence diagramming first.

 

They each have 10 drawers. My only hard and fast rule is that history craft/project comes AFTER the history reading for the day. I also make sure the 8yos work it split up between hard and easy. He can't do all his easy subjects first. :lol:

 

The last two days we've done math last and completed it at Starbucks because it is the easiest subject to transport.

 

Haaa, I edited this because it sounds like I'm "easy-going" Mom. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm the anal-retentive highly organized mom, BUT taking this approach forces me not be so Type A.

 

:iagree: I pretty much let him pick. Sometime I'll over-rule him, but mostly I let him pick. Lovin' the idea of doing math at Starbucks!!! Oh yeah, we are doing that at least once next week. And I can't wait for the weather to improve so we can do school outside again. :)

[WeeBeaks]

Math and LA first. I have my pre-K and 2nd grader working at the same time at the table and can easily alternate between them that way. The pre-K does as much as he wants and wanders off. By that time, the 2nd grader is usually done with his math and LA and we go on to our read-alouds, history and so forth. My pre-k guy sometimes wanders in to listen and sometimes not for those. My pre-K guy also gets his time to be read to while the 2nd grader has his independent reading, although what usually happens is the 2nd grader loves to relisten to the pre-K stories so sits in too. :)

[HRAAB]

I voted for the 3R's, as in they are my priority. However, our day always starts with reading, either aloud or silently.

[chaik76]

Oops! I voted that the three R's are first...I meant to vote other. We do any projects or hands-on first because otherwise I don't get to them. Then three R's...then we do things like art, history, science, etc...I loop those last things and we get to them in a rotation of sorts since we can't do everything every day.

[Hockey Mom]

We start with history/science since I combine the boys for these subjects. Then I alternate time with them. If I am working on math with one, the other is doing some sort of enrichment on the computer. So far it is working for us.

 

This is similar to what we do. We start out with Heritage Studies together, then they each go into their own routine. Their routines are: Bible, Language Arts/Reading, Math. Then DS7 has Spelling.

 

This week we are working on our Winter Olympics lapbook together, and that gets done at the end of our school day.

[charlotteb]

We split it up. Math is in the morning, then history, science, reading, and then english/spelling.

[Greta]

We do our core subjects (Math, Latin, and English) in the morning when we're at our best and most able to concentrate and work hard. We do the fun stuff, History, Science, Art, etc., after lunch when we're more likely to have lower energy.

[StinkyFace]

We start with Bible, then 3 R's and everything else after that.

[m0mmaBuck]

Most days we start with the 3 R's at the kitchen table so that we make sure we get them covered. Some days I can tell he needs a change so I will let him do Science (his new favorite) first, or even an art project, just to let him 'have fun' before we hit the 3 R's.

 

Fridays are his choice as far as order. Today we started with penmanship, moved into reading comprehension and then geography. Right now he's doing math and we still have spelling, writing, history and science.

[hsmamainva]

We do table work first...English and Math, followed by Art....then we have lunch. After lunch, we do Science and History.

 

It works out well because science always seems to involve the kitchen in some way, and we're already in there after lunch.

 

For history, we usually wind up on the couch in the family room, so I often save Reading for after history, since they're already sitting down.

[KarenC]

We do a read aloud, then memory work, and history. The other subjects they either do on their own or wait for me to be open.

 

Karen

[Chris in VA]

No group work here, just one kid and me...

We usually do devotions first, then math, then language arts--grammar and spelling (if she has any).

History and Science get the least amt of time and the 3 r's come first, although our "writing R" is in the context of history most of the time.

if that even makes any sense...

[tinkgumby]

We *have* to do math early on in the day while my older son's brain is "fresh." If we wait until later, he drags his feet and takes up to 2 hours to do a short lesson. So for us, the 3 R's come first, along with religion. :001_smile:

[robsiew]

We usually do history and Bible first. Then independent work/work with me which includes the 3R's. Then usually science. Then whoever I didn't get to I finish working with. Sometimes we switch and do science first....

[Crimson Wife]

Bible/character training always comes first usually followed by math, reading and English. After that, we move around quite a bit depending on what we are in the mood for. :001_smile:

 

:iagree: Though we are not currently doing a formal reading program.

[nitascool]

Bible/character training always comes first usually followed by math, reading and English. After that, we move around quite a bit depending on what we are in the mood for. :001_smile:

 

This is what we do too!

[nono]

Other. Play time is first here. For at least 1 hour. It took me awhile to figure out that if a solid hour of play preceeded school work, school went smoothly. So now it is a part of our official curriculum. I call it team building. ;)

 

After the hour of play we go in the same basic order on M/T/Th/F: Phonics, Foreign Language (rotates between Mandarin and French), Math, handwriting, flag coloring, OPGTR at the chalk board.

 

Wednesday is our "enrichment day" where we do puzzles, lapbooks and other fun things that don't fit into the ordinary rotation. It really helps to break up our week.

 

Every afternoon, we have read alouds for an hour and then listen to an audio book for 1/2 hour at bed time. Shhhh! The kids don't know that is school.

Edited February 19, 2010 by nono

[kmacnchs]

Bible/character training always comes first usually followed by math, reading and English. After that, we move around quite a bit depending on what we are in the mood for. :001_smile:

 

ditto

[Ester Maria]

When they were younger, I also used to get them started with the basics - Italian LA and Math and then everything else. English LA and classics were also high on the priority list and done before lunch most of the days, and then social studies, sciences and arts after.

Now it's been a while since they've started to pick their own order, and I usually don't interfere. The funny thing is though that I see they're coming back to that order, even though they experimented a lot in the past year or two, it does seem to work the best to get rid of the core stuff first.

[razorbackmama]

As of today, our schedule is such that Bible time as a group is first, and then what comes next varies depending on the child. LOL in fact, right after Bible time my older 2 dd's are responsible for getting my 2yo dd dressed, brushing her teeth, and doing her hair. And my 12yo ds is responsible for feeding my 6wo ds a bottle.:lol:

 

However, I think I'm going to be revamping our schedule a tad this weekend, so come Monday what comes first may be entirely different. It all just depends on how it fits into the schedule. It has little to do with what the subject actually is.

[Medieval Mom]

"Music & Memory Work" comes first. Piano lesson, singing, then poetry memorization. It's a lovely start to the am! (We start about 7, after dh leaves for work.) Then we hit the 3R's, beginning with math. :)

[kewb]

Math is always first. Followed by Language Arts. Then the kids get to choose what they are going to next.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

We do bible, then math, english and handwriting, then goes to health or geography(eod) science, history, spelling & vocabulary then reading. My kids are HUGE readers and would love to just read all day if I let them, so we end our school day with that and they pretty much read the rest of the day when its not a good outside day

[SilverMoon]

We're a get the work done before the fun family. :) We start with language arts and math, the "work" stuff. Science and history are the fun ones that we tend to get wrapped up in. When they're last that means the kids can dive in as deep as they want.

[mcconnellboys]

We generally do our written work first, but I don't have a group! I've just got one at home now!

[lovemykids]

"Music & Memory Work" comes first. Piano lesson, singing, then poetry memorization. It's a lovely start to the am! (We start about 7, after dh leaves for work.) Then we hit the 3R's, beginning with math. :)

 

This sounds completely fun! As soon as my DH gets back on a schedule, I’ll have to try this.

 

 

We generally do our written work first, but I don't have a group! I've just got one at home now!

 

Wow, no group. That’s going to feel odd when we get down to the last one. I want to HS college too. :lol:;)

[TKDmom]

We do 3 R's first. I know that if I put off our reading, it will get done eventually. Because the kids will harass me and shove books in my face until I read to them. But if I put off handwriting or math? It would never get done. ;)

[Whereneverever]

My oldest is still young- so we do the 3Rs first. Everything else is gravy at this point. :D

[Mosaicmind]

We do Bible first. It helps to put our day on a good note. After that I let ds pick what he wants, usually it is math because he likes to get it out of the way.

[Jen in PA]

We do math, Latin, and grammar together first, followed by whatever other LA I have scheduled for the day. Then I go over the handwriting/copywork I have prepared, and dd does that and her spelling on her own while I spend some time with ds. After lunch we do everything else.

[AudreyTN]

I voted "group time" but it really changes from day to day.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I only have one student so there is no group time for us. We have a list of assignments that need to be finished each day and we do whatever we feel like doing at any given time.

[Brindee]

 

I only have one student so there is no group time for us. We have a list of assignments that need to be finished each day and we do whatever we feel like doing at any given time.

:iagree: This is how we do it too! We always start with Devotions, though, then Bible in the middle, maybe first thing after lunch, that gets it in a couple of times a day which we like... But otherwise, she can do things in any order as long as it all gets done! Edited February 20, 2010 by Brindee

[Classically Minded]

God. Bible.

 

Following Bible, the next 3 are reading/phonics/spelling, grammar/writing and math.

[Ravin]

Since DD is an only, my priorities are perhaps different from what they would be if I had 2 or 3 or more kids to manage and taught any subjects in a group, but we do skill subjects first, and content follows.

[KrissiK]

Well, our Bible time is first, but then we do Phonics/Language and then Math. Then, comes the content (history/science) time. The boys love that time, so I figured, get the "work" out of the way first and then we can enjoy our history and science time.

[MerryAtHope]

I like to start with together topics, then one on one time as needed & finishing up with independent work. When I do it the other way around, I'm more likely to be tired or to let something else that "needs doing" take over & then not get everything done.

 

However, we do lit. read-alouds still here, and that's at night before bedtime.

 

Merry :-)

[Orthodox6]

Morning prayers first; however, that is not "school", but is "life." For school, math first, because that is the primary LD struggle. Violin second as a reward for finishing math ! Everything else as it falls.

[nmoira]

I'd misunderstood the question of being one of prioritizing.

 

Most days, we start with art. Sometimes this is only drawing, sometimes a more involved project. Sometimes free form, sometimes directed. They don't know this is "school," and I've no wish to enlighten them.

 

For school, DD the Younger starts with math, but she's only formally doing math, reading and memory work. MEP, break, Miquon, play. Later memory work, then reading. DD the Elder starts with Spanish, followed by math warm-up (currently 15 minutes of either Mathematics 6 or MEP, and one or more problems from Brain Maths or a similar book). Then spelling while I finish up with her sister's math and a history read aloud. The rest is flexible.

 

Four weekdays end with some directed physical activity such as swimming or basketball. They also get at least two hours free play time in the afternoon.

[campmom]

I try to do the 3 R's first so I don't worry if we don't get to everything that day, but somedays we do change it up.