Janie Grace Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I feel like I'm a schizophrenic! Let me explain... I'm new here. This is my 7th year homeschooling. I currently have a 6th grader, a 4th grader, a 2nd grader, a preschooler and a baby. School is taking ALL DAY -- 8:30 am til 3:00 pm with a short break for lunch. Especially for my 6th grade daughter, it seems that her work load this year is much heavier than last. Every day she does: Bible (Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study by Starr Meade) Saxon 6/7 w/ DIVE CD Phonetic Zoo spelling Typing Tutor Works on IEW assignments (meet w/ a co-op once a week) Independent reading for history (Biblioplan) History (Biblioplan) OR Science (Noeo Physics II) with me and younger siblings I have yet to add in Spanish (Rosetta Stone) and grammar (Rod and Staff) -- both of which I plan to start soon. I am also feeling like I need to add some more literature than Biblioplan requires. But like I said, with just her current work (and some helping with baby care) she is busy all day. But then I come here and I see people with lists five times as long as that... multiple history courses, science courses, much more in terms of language arts... and I feel like a slacker or something! The thing is, I am sitting and teaching/talking the ENTIRE day! (When I'm not nursing the baby or making meals.) I am not sitting around wasting time. I just don't know how I can possibly give my child a better education with the time I have. So I am feeling discouraged on top of just plain weary. Can you please be honest and tell me if my 6th grader's school day seems too light? She is a bright girl. I don't want to sell her short by setting the bar too low. I also have no idea how to add more. Thanks in advance for any input you can give me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 No, it does not seem too light. I will ask too if she has trouble with spelling? Normally I would not think that a 6th grader would need spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 It seems like a good schedule to me. My 7th grader's day is shorter than your 6th grader's. She shuts down after a while, so I have to make sure that she isn't overloaded. Just so you can see as a comparison: 30 minutes daily free reading 20 minutes daily guitar practice with a 30 minute private lesson 1x/week on top of daily practice 15 minutes MUS Prealgebra daily - morning math session about 15 minutes Spelling Power daily - dyslexic, so she does still need to work on spelling about 30 minutes Oak Meadow 6 history M/W about 30 minutes free writing project Tu/Th about 30 minutes Oak Meadow 6 English M/W about 30 minutes Oak Meadow 6 history project/English paper Tu/Th about 30 minutes science M/W/F - Art of Construction about 30 minutes Oak Meadow 6 history or English as needed Tu/Th/F 20 minutes MUS Prealgebra daily - afternoon math session about 30 minutes readaloud daily Altogether, this takes from about 9am until about 2pm once you factor in breaks and lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaissezFaire Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 We have a very similar daily outlook. I have two 7th graders, a 4th grader, a 2nd grader, a preschooler and a toddler. It's overwhelming at times! Honestly it is also taking us that long to complete work and I think it's just as they get older there is more work for them to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Our days are usually pretty long here this year...from about 9am to about 3:30pm. It's a lot longer than we are used to so it has been a bit of adjusting. We do... Grammar: 5-10 minutes M-F Vocabulary: 5-10 minutes M-F Poetry: 10-15 minutes T Handwriting: 5 minutes T-F Writing: 60 minutes M, 30 minutes W & F Math: 30 minutes M-F Problem Solving: 5-10 minutes M-F History: 15-30 minutes M-F Science: 15-60 minutes T-F Foreign Language: 30-45 minutes M-F Fine Art: 60 minutes T & W; 15-20 minutes TH; 15 minutes F Logic: We haven't started yet. Spelling: We haven't started yet. (DS only) Phonics Review: We haven't started yet. (DS only) Last year, we managed to complete school in just 16 hours a week. This year, we're spending more like 25-30 hours a week. It feels insanely busy but it's DS's fault...he wanted chemistry and physics. DD and I wanted to continue with Apologia. So, we are doing all three: Apologia on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Chemistry on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Physics on Wednesdays and Fridays when we are done with Chemistry. DS also begged for Korean so we started that this year (he's been begging for two years) and gave DD Spanish. Art is much much heavier this year because I found a great resource I couldn't pass up, and I've been feeling guilty for skipping this too much, so I added that...plus it's been fun. Now that school takes as long as public school, I really can't imagine how public schoolers do it; at least we don't have homework! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
at the beach Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 It does not seem too light. And in any case, I am lately feeling that it is better to be too light than too heavy. I would sit down and go through her list and make sure I knew exactly how much time I wanted her to spend on each subject and how much time she does spend in reality. For example, for sixth grade math, 30-40 minutes is plenty in my opinion. Of course, you may feel differently. But I try to limit times for each subject because otherwise things get out of hand. I'm another who'd probably get rid of the keyboarding program and possibly spelling if her spelling is good already. That would then hopefully allow you to add in Rosetta Stone and Rod and Staff grammar. For grammar, I'd do the book mostly orally, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I think it's fine, but I might move the independent reading to her own time--maybe after dinner, or before bed. I'd switch out spelling for grammar starting in Jan (or whenever your second semester is). If you are going to use Rod and Staff (I love it, personally), then consider doing most of it orally to save time. How long is she spending on IEW? Maybe she could cut that down a little bit. Are you incorporating your lit and your writing into history? That can save time, too. I also used Saxon--we'd do the lesson together, do just a few of the practice problems, then I'd have her do maybe 10 of the problem set. Then we'd go on to something else, and she'd come back to finish the problem set sometime later that day. (I didn't skip hardly at all--I'm pretty die-hard about doing all the problems in Saxon.) I think it made her more efficient to do it with that break in the middle. Overall, I think you've got a good day going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted October 3, 2010 Author Share Posted October 3, 2010 No, it does not seem too light. I will ask too if she has trouble with spelling? Normally I would not think that a 6th grader would need spelling. Yes, she is a poor speller, in spite of being a voracious reader and having a wonderful vocabulary. That's why I am doing one more year of spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Jenny Flint Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 If she is taking a break for lunch and to help with the littles, and you subtract spelling for grammar and add in a little Spanish here and there, then this is a balanced load. Even if she goes until 4:30, with the breaks in there she should be doing well, have time for other activities or down time, and be learning a LOT. You're doing a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 (edited) A note about comparing your lineup with others' signatures: Some of the curricula listed in my sig. is rotated - not every single thing is done every day. For us: History is 3x/wk Science 2x/wk art 1x/wk + 1 outside art lesson per week grammar is 4x/wk piano/drums and awana practice are done on their own, independent time even though I'm available for help WWE and WT1 are ea. done every other day, alternating McGuffey's Readers are used 1x per week for Oral Reading Practice as outlined in WTM, the other 4 days they do assigned reading (WTM lit.) Logic is 1x/wk. Also, I've got 2 math programs listed but I am by far not implementing both in full. We do part of one (not all) with part of the other, which ends up taking the same time as if we did all of one or the other. So you see, even those heavily loaded mile-long lists of curricula probably aren't what you're assuming. I just got tired of never getting around to art, logic, music, etc, so I figured better to rotate them in once a week or even once every other week than none at all. Your schedule sounds great to me! As a 7th grader, her ps peers have to devote much more time than that to academics in the way of homework, book reports, projects, etc. Edited October 3, 2010 by Annabel Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 A note about comparing your lineup against others' signatures: Some of the curricula listed in my sig. is rotated - not every single thing is done every day. :iagree: If I did everything with my dd every day, she would probably cry! BTW, as kiddos get older, it does take a longer day. I do agree with other posters that suggested moving some stuff to her own time. I did that with my ds, especially the reading and math. I am not familiar with Phonetic Zoo spelling, but when my ds had ongoing problems with spelling, we switched from Abeka grammar and spelling to Easy Grammar 3x week, Daily Grams every day, and Apples spelling (very short and effective) daily. It cut our grammar/spelling time in 1/2, and greatly improved his skills in a shorter time. Hang in there, you are doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Some of dd's work, 7th grade, is done as homework. She breaks things up during the week based on what she is scheduled to do each day. ie Wed is co-op day - all day. Thurs we go to dsil's house with a crazy piano lesson sched. Tues she has a science class. Thus she doesn't work from 9-3 on those days. Her sched is indeed heavy, but she is managing it and thriving. [i think for the first time ever.] She is relishing in doing the harder work, and I think feels a bit more grown-up. Of course it helps that her 16 year old cousin is living with us right now and has a course load that would boggle your mind. [competition good, right?:tongue_smilie:] It does sound like you are getting good stuff done. One of the things I am trying to instill in my children [myself as well] is that hard work is good. We were created to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I am a first time and after reading some people's signatures I feel like a loser! However, as I read more and sift through all the abbreviations (lol, a chore in itself), I realize we're doing ok. I think if you're covering the basics plus history and science, then you should be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Some suggestions. Have her alternate days for typing tutor and Rosetta Stone. She could do 3 days of Rosetta Stone, and 2 days of Typing Tutor, and then the following week, switch. She could also save either of those and do 30 min. in the evening, maybe while you are making supper? She could also save the independant reading until right before bedtime, or after supper. An alternative to Rod and Staff Grammar (which we have used for years and loved) is Growing w/ Grammar. We started it this year and love it! It is just like R&S, but it takes so much less time, and they are actually doing more practice than they were w/ Rod&Staff. We do 2 lessons a day, and they are done in about 20-30 min. They will complete 5 and 6 this year. Doing only 1 lesson a day, would only take about 15 min. (we are doing 2 yrs because we are behind due to some family stuff last year). Try not to stress, I think what you are doing looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 You really need to figure out where she is spending her time before you can make adjustments. Offhand, I'd say that typing and spelling should take very little time. I would aim for 10 minutes each, and definitely not more than 15. If her spelling program takes longer than that, I'd switch. fwiw, I have a 7th grade dd who is also a voracious reader/poor speller, and I'm thinking . . . that's not gonna change, lol! She's doing a "roots" vocab program this year, b/c I figure that, even if it doesn't help her spelling, she'll learn some new words. How long on writing? I would give a set amount of time for this; you might be surprised and see that she gets nearly as much done in 30 minutes as she does in an hour. I wouldn't have her working at length on IEW assignments every day. Writing is definitely one of those tasks that expands to fill any available time! Getting assignments done within a set amount of time is a VERY valuable skill; in the professional world, good work done on deadline beats perfect work that misses deadline every. single. time. I second Growing with Grammar; it's quick, clean, and effective for many students. 15 minutes on most days. Reviews are longer, but we split those up, b/c it doesn't take a full year to get through the book. I agree that it's worth trying more of a block schedule, instead of rotating just history and science. Sometimes, a lot of time is wasting in the transition from one subject to another. Even little things, like inserting the cd and starting up the typing program, add up over the day. Also, do like work together: everything on the computer should be done at the same time, everything that just requires switching from one book to another should be done at the same time, etc. Math: does she watch the DIVE cd routinely, or only as needed? If she can do the work just by reading the book, by all means let her do so. That can shave quite a bit of time. General: I would make sure that she has at least 2 hours of completely uninterupted time to work at some point of the day. Everything takes longer when you start and stop and start again. I don't think it's a light schedule, necessarily, but I also don't think it's excessive. Time leaks in the strangest of ways, and I would literally use a stopwatch for a few days to see where it's going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Allen Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I feel like I'm a schizophrenic! Let me explain... I'm new here. This is my 7th year homeschooling. I currently have a 6th grader, a 4th grader, a 2nd grader, a preschooler and a baby. School is taking ALL DAY -- 8:30 am til 3:00 pm with a short break for lunch. Especially for my 6th grade daughter, it seems that her work load this year is much heavier than last. Every day she does: Bible (Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study by Starr Meade) Saxon 6/7 w/ DIVE CD Phonetic Zoo spelling Typing Tutor Works on IEW assignments (meet w/ a co-op once a week) Independent reading for history (Biblioplan) History (Biblioplan) OR Science (Noeo Physics II) with me and younger siblings I have yet to add in Spanish (Rosetta Stone) and grammar (Rod and Staff) -- both of which I plan to start soon. I am also feeling like I need to add some more literature than Biblioplan requires. But like I said, with just her current work (and some helping with baby care) she is busy all day. But then I come here and I see people with lists five times as long as that... multiple history courses, science courses, much more in terms of language arts... and I feel like a slacker or something! The thing is, I am sitting and teaching/talking the ENTIRE day! (When I'm not nursing the baby or making meals.) I am not sitting around wasting time. I just don't know how I can possibly give my child a better education with the time I have. So I am feeling discouraged on top of just plain weary. Can you please be honest and tell me if my 6th grader's school day seems too light? She is a bright girl. I don't want to sell her short by setting the bar too low. I also have no idea how to add more. Thanks in advance for any input you can give me! We are doing the same as you, plus grammar & Latin and our day only takes about 4 hours. Are there many distractions, etc. It really shouldn't take that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Math: does she watch the DIVE cd routinely, or only as needed? If she can do the work just by reading the book, by all means let her do so. That can shave quite a bit of time. General: I would make sure that she has at least 2 hours of completely uninterupted time to work at some point of the day. Everything takes longer when you start and stop and start again. I don't think it's a light schedule, necessarily, but I also don't think it's excessive. Time leaks in the strangest of ways, and I would literally use a stopwatch for a few days to see where it's going. :iagree: with these points especially! We use Saxon yet rarely use the DVD (Art Reed) unless necessary. I don't make my dc do every problem, either. The block of uninterrupted time is essential, imo. For us that block is from 8-11. During those three hours my dc are not to be "big sister/brother", they are to be students which means I don't interrupt them for baby/toddler care and they don't get distracted (hopefully) by baby/toddlers. It has worked wonderfully for us to have that time. I bought each dc a timer that they have to use for each subject because I would find them doing writing for two hours then not having time for math, etc. We school from 8-3:30 now but when my oldest 3 dc were in 6th it was until 2:30 so definitely a full day! We did spelling, grammar, typing, math, science, history, literature, writing...whew! It was a lot (or so I felt!). Thankfully at that grade level some of the subjects (grammar, typing) were able to be done in smaller chunks of time (15-20 minutes). One of the things I am trying to instill in my children [myself as well] is that hard work is good. We were created to work. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 This is our 9th year and when we transitioned from elementary to middle school I had to make scheduling adjustments so he would not work all day long. In 7th grade we did math and Japanese everyday, science, and reading 3 days, language arts and history 2 days a week, and art classes 1 day a week. This year I cut back on math and Japanese to even things out more - now we do math, science, Japanese, history, reading, and spelling 3 days a week, language arts (writing grammar, and vocabulary) 1 day a week, and art and technology 1 day a week. This is working great for us so far. If we seem to be getting behind in math after Christmas I may up math to 4 days a week, but otherwise I don't see any need for more work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 Wow, this has been so helpful. Thank you to everyone who has added your thoughts and ideas. I feel (mostly) reassured that I am not selling her short, though I do want to figure out where the time is going -- since several of you said it shouldn't be taking this long. I have some ideas, now that I really think about it... I think she may get distracted while in her room doing work (sometimes I'll notice she's cleaning her room or that it seems to take her a long time to "get into it" after going upstairs). Also, I think the other younger kids might be distracting her -- they can be noisy when we are between subjects and our house has an open floor plan... I can imagine she might lose focus that way. Anyway, these are the things I found most helpful... 1. Alternate typing and Spanish. This takes away the fear (ie, procrastination!) about adding one more thing. Great idea. 2. Not watching every DIVE lesson. Really? I am a bit nervous about that b/c I don't want her missing anything, but maybe it's overkill, if she could read the lesson and get it. Definitely going to look into that. 3. Doing all computer things at the same time. I do think we waste time passing around the computer (it's a laptop). 4. Homework. It's true... if she were in PS, she would do some work after dinner. It is not cruel and unusual for her to do 30 minutes (or whatever) of work between dinner and bed. Esp. reading. I don't know why this never dawned on me before. 5. Protected time slots. That will help, thanks! I think I am too spontaneous with having her do a chore first, put the baby down, listen to the 2nd grader read his Bible story for me real quick, whatever. That's not fair (even though she is a very willing helper). I need to figure out other strategies for dealing with the littles than having her be my go-to girl during school hours. It was also good to hear the thing about the siggies... that not everything mentioned is done every day! I'm encouraged, thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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