Do you start your day with the easy subjects or the harder ones?

[TKDmom]

I'm just wondering if others find it more efficient to get the hardest subjects out of the way, or if you can get more accomplished if you start with subjects that dc enjoy more?

Edited August 11, 2010 by bonniebeth4
typo

[bbsweetpea]

I usually start with whatever will take the longest each day and is the least favorite (after bible and a read out loud). I find they usually are more willing to do the work first thing in the morning than later on. We usually get easier as the day goes on.

[Kimber]

Harder subjects first. It's one of my motto's. Practice the hardest piano song first. Do math and Latin first, sometimes before breakfast.

 

It's easier to do the hardest first than saving it for when they're tiring.

 

Kim

[MissKNG]

My big girl focuses better at night so we do math (a hard subject??) before bed. She loves math too.

[AudreyTN]

I usually start with whatever will take the longest each day and is the least favorite (after bible and a read out loud). I find they usually are more willing to do the work first thing in the morning than later on. We usually get easier as the day goes on.

 

:iagree: Same here.

[....]

We always start our day with Reading - Independent Reading and also individual reading assignments. Then, we'll try to do LA or Math (their "concentration subjects").

 

I try to end the day with social studies or science (easy for my kids).

[Mom0012]

We usually start with a 15 minute easy thing as a warm up and then move on to math since the whole day seems easier once that is out of the way.

 

If we try to do math later in the day, it takes twice as long.

 

Lisa

[Mom in High Heels]

We start with the least popular subjects (usually LA) and end with his favorites. He's willing to do the least favorite work quicker if he knows he can get to the fun stuff.

[Tam101]

Today we started math (hardest first), because he didn't finish it yesterday when it was saved for last. I think we stumbled on to something this morning. At 9am he was able to get his math done in record time. :glare:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I'm just wondering if others find it more efficient to get the hardest subjects out of the way, or if you can get more accomplished if you start with subjects that dc enjoy more?

 

 

Do you mean when starting school, or in a normal school day?

 

When starting a new year, we start 1 subject a week 4 weeks before school. I let me dc chose those (except the first subject== that is always math) That way they start getting into the grove with stuff they want to do. During the school year I alternate. We start with math (not like) then go to one thing they do like, then on to another not so loved then something they want to do. It works and keeps them motivated!!!!!

 

 

This is hard though because my kindergartner wants to do EVERYTHING LOL he has no dislikes yet (!!!!!) Lets pray that keeps up!:D

[walkermamaof4]

We thought long and hard about this question just this year. We've always done math first - our hardest. I found this past year that my dd9 loved to do it in the quiet of the evening alone with me and got it done about THREE times faster that way! It used to make our day so slow and long to do it in the mornings. So this year I set up our schedule with math LAST. Let's face it, I will do math. It is my priority. So doing the non-core subjects first makes me do them and get them done when in the past I would just drop them because we are all tired late into the day. Now, we all work diligently. I've committed to giving them 100% of me without distractions this year. We do math last and often do it the night before. Our days are going the fastest ever and everyone is happy. Plus, we are doing the extras because we do them first.

HTH!

[herbalgirl]

Oooh, well, it really depends on the day. :001_smile: If the kids got little sleep, are grumpy, etc, then I'll start with our fun SL reading, science experiments, nature study outside or something of the sort, and then try to ease into the harder stuff.

 

However, if we're up and raring to go, I will start with more involved things like math or handwriting.

[tarana]

We start with "what the kids enjoy most" - Cursive practise. So there is a sense of accompanlishment. Also since they can work on that by themselves, I can clean & cook.

Then we start with the hardest, when I have my patience at the peak.

[TKDmom]

Do you mean when starting school, or in a normal school day?

 

I meant in a normal school day. Sorry, I should have been more clear.

 

Oooh, well, it really depends on the day. :001_smile: If the kids got little sleep, are grumpy, etc, then I'll start with our fun SL reading, science experiments, nature study outside or something of the sort, and then try to ease into the harder stuff.

 

However, if we're up and raring to go, I will start with more involved things like math or handwriting.

 

Maybe I should do this. I tend to get locked into a routine.

 

 

We thought long and hard about this question just this year. We've always done math first - our hardest. I found this past year that my dd9 loved to do it in the quiet of the evening alone with me and got it done about THREE times faster that way! It used to make our day so slow and long to do it in the mornings. So this year I set up our schedule with math LAST. Let's face it, I will do math. It is my priority. So doing the non-core subjects first makes me do them and get them done when in the past I would just drop them because we are all tired late into the day. Now, we all work diligently. I've committed to giving them 100% of me without distractions this year. We do math last and often do it the night before. Our days are going the fastest ever and everyone is happy. Plus, we are doing the extras because we do them first.

HTH!

 

You've hit the nail on the head with the bolded section. I have been having dd do Latin and math first. Those are her most difficult subjects. They take f o r e v e r . My boys can get their entire work day complete while she is dinking around with math. And by 2pm we are done with school, whether or not we've completed everything.

 

I use a workbox system with 10 drawers. I don't think she's gotten past drawer 8 in months. So she's missing out on the fun stuff. She complains that she doesn't get to do the fun stuff. I tell her she can come back and finish at any time, but she'd rather play with her brothers in the afternoon, no matter how fun the school work is.

 

I've been playing around with the idea of doing math later in the day. I know I won't let her skip math. I certainly shouldn't put it right after Latin, b/c she's dragging by the time she's done with Latin.

[NanceXToo]

Originally, I THOUGHT it would be a good idea to start with the least favorite thing first, because I was of the mindset that getting that out of the way first would make the rest of the day more pleasant.

 

So last year in the beginning of the year, I would insist on her starting her daily journal first- which tended to take her the longest and was the one thing she didn't really like doing.

 

As it turned out, starting the day by making a kid do something they didn't really enjoy doing just set a bad tone to the beginning of our day, which I definitely didn't want. I wanted each morning to start with a pleasant attitude and a child who was looking forward to doing school.

 

So we started beginning our day with an enjoyable activity- reading aloud together.

 

After that, I started showing my daughter the list of things I wanted to get done that day, and letting HER pick what she wanted to do first/the order she wanted to do things in.

 

This made her feel like she had more freedom/independence/choices or whatever, which made her happy, and a happy, willing kid makes for a less stressed-out mom, and it's worked pretty well for us ever since!

[Daisy]

We start with Bible and then Math (because it is the hardest for my kids).

 

But I work on a time limit, so that we get all our subjects finished.

 

For example, my daughter has 45 minutes to work on her math in the morning. If she doesn't finish at least one lesson, the rest of the lesson becomes afternoon/evening work. This motivates them to put forth their best effort. They know it is only going to last 45 minutes. Get it done or finish it later.

 

I've seen a huge change in attitude since I switched to this method.

[mcconnellboys]

If we're going out of the house, we often try to get as much written work done as possible, because reading, memory work, etc. can be done in the car.

 

My actual schedule is:

 

8-9 Reading time for lit, Bible related things and some geography (includes a little writing at times)

 

9-10 Math

 

10-11 Language arts: alternating writing 3 days with grammar 2 days; vocab 4-5 days

 

11-12 Foreign Languages: alternating Latin/Greek 3 days with Spanish 2 days

 

12-1 lunch

 

1-1:30 Logic

 

1:30-3:30 History/Lit (read alouds) 3 days and Science 2 days

[EKS]

We do a few quickie subjects first--things like spelling, handwriting, flashcards--then we move to the ones that require more brain power--math, writing, that sort of thing. With my younger one, I might alternate a difficult task with a less difficult one. Then when we're done with major brain power subjects, we move from the desk to the couch for various read alouds.

[Paintedlady]

I schedule what we need to do together first and then the independent subjects are later. The reason I had to go this route was b/c my dd, who's dyslexic, will take a lot longer than my son to get things done. If we start with independent subjects, she'll be a third of the way done and he'll be 100% done and standing there waiting for us to finish. It frustrated him to constantly wait for us so we could finish our day together. Doing it this way allows us to complete our "together" subjects and then each of them can work at their own pace to finish. When they're done they can run off and play.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Paintedlady

[DarlaS]

We thought long and hard about this question just this year. We've always done math first - our hardest. I found this past year that my dd9 loved to do it in the quiet of the evening alone with me and got it done about THREE times faster that way! It used to make our day so slow and long to do it in the mornings. So this year I set up our schedule with math LAST. Let's face it, I will do math. It is my priority. So doing the non-core subjects first makes me do them and get them done when in the past I would just drop them because we are all tired late into the day. Now, we all work diligently. I've committed to giving them 100% of me without distractions this year. We do math last and often do it the night before. Our days are going the fastest ever and everyone is happy. Plus, we are doing the extras because we do them first.

HTH!

 

I have a similar plan this year. We are doing science and history FIRST. We are doing art twice weekly on days we'll be home all day etc.

 

We don't start until 8/23, but your post has me optimistic that I'm on the right track.

[mama2cntrykids]

We start with the easier subjects first. Those would be the ones that we do in a group with all the kids. I find if we do the harder stuff first, it's hard to wrangle my 7 y/o for the read-alouds, science, art, music stuff.

 

I see I am in the minority though. That's ok...it happens a lot to me ;).

[MerryAtHope]

I start with group subjects, then do one on one with mom subjects, and then independent subjects. My kids are free to order their independent subjects however they want, as long as they do them.

 

Merry :-)

[mama2cntrykids]

We start with "what the kids enjoy most" - Cursive practise. So there is a sense of accompanlishment. Also since they can work on that by themselves, I can clean & cook.

Then we start with the hardest, when I have my patience at the peak.

 

Hmmm...interesting. I've never thought of doing it your way. I like it!

[TKDmom]

Originally, I THOUGHT it would be a good idea to start with the least favorite thing first, because I was of the mindset that getting that out of the way first would make the rest of the day more pleasant.

 

So last year in the beginning of the year, I would insist on her starting her daily journal first- which tended to take her the longest and was the one thing she didn't really like doing.

 

As it turned out, starting the day by making a kid do something they didn't really enjoy doing just set a bad tone to the beginning of our day, which I definitely didn't want. I wanted each morning to start with a pleasant attitude and a child who was looking forward to doing school.

 

I've been thinking about this all evening. It does seem to set an "I hate school tone" to start with the least favorite subjects. Today, I started with the read-alouds that I hadn't gotten to yesterday. I had kids bouncing in their seats, they were so happy!

 

So we started beginning our day with an enjoyable activity- reading aloud together.

 

After that, I started showing my daughter the list of things I wanted to get done that day, and letting HER pick what she wanted to do first/the order she wanted to do things in.

 

This made her feel like she had more freedom/independence/choices or whatever, which made her happy, and a happy, willing kid makes for a less stressed-out mom, and it's worked pretty well for us ever since!

 

This is exactly what I was considering as I mulled it over during dinner tonight. DD likes to have control over her life. Last spring, I had it all planned out so she would work independently while I worked with the boys. It worked well for a while, but with the new school year, I think it's time to make a change. I do need to have some sort of system to keep them from interrupting while I'm working with someone else, though.

 

 

Keep the input coming! I like to see how other people do things. It helps me think. :D

[texasmama]

We start with the hard stuff so we are fresh. All of us. :D

[Lightly Salted]

We start with independent seat work, so that a) I can wake up with coffee but claim we are actually doing school :p and b) DD (the only early riser in the family) can start whenever she wants.

 

Once I'm awake, we do group and/or Mom-dependent work (AAS, R&S, science). Bible, history and literature read-alouds are usually done in the evening as a family.

[Ravin]

We usually start with Spanish or Math, DD's pick. I insist on finishing our daily subjects first (FLL, math, Spanish, phonics/spelling, reading) before we move on to block subjects that tend to be more fun and we don't do every day.

 

If we don't get to something near the end of the day that DD really wants to do, sometimes we'll start with it the next morning. Generally I don't expect to get as much done overall when we do that, though.