working independently ???

[3and3]

For those that are able to get your dc to work independently help me. I would like dds 4th and 2nd to do somethings without me having to stand over top of them. So how do you do it? :confused:

Do you give the children a checklist or do you they just look at the main planner(I use 1 planner for all 3dc) and pick what they could do by themselves?

Do you give them a time limit for certain subjects they can do independently?

Do they have consequences when they don't complete assignments on time?

 

With 2.5 yo twins and Ker I am running out of time in the day to get it all done. So if the girls just do somethings without me it would be a big help.

Thanks

Jenny

[3and3]

:bigear:

[lionfamily1999]

My middle ds does spelling, reading, some math work, Greek, some history and some science on his own ;)

 

I tell him to do reading and spelling first thing. We've used the same reading and spelling schedule all along (x chapters a day, or a 'book report' and the same pages for spelling the same days every week). With math, I teach his lesson and then give him what I believe is enough time to finish his exercises. Greek is one page a day every day, except Friday. For history, he does the reading on his own now. For science he's doing the experiments and experiment pages on his own now.

 

We don't use a schedule for this. I just tell him what to do next and he does it. If you have subjects that are the same day after day or week after week (this is our spelling schedule for example: Monday, read the story; Tuesday, word list; Wednesday, puzzles; Thursday, editing; Friday, test), then they could start doing those on their own.

 

Really, though, you know your dcs, are there topics they can do on their own?

[Mom_Abear]

My son is in 3rd this year. We started an "Independent Folder" with a checklist last year. It works beautifully for us and gives me about 30 minutes with my Ker. It was work to put together over the summer, but it is SO. WORTH. IT. (IMHO)

 

Here's a link to my blog post where I tell all about what we do! Hope this helps! ;)

[Jen in PA]

DD has a folder for each day of our school week with her worksheets and flashcards in it, and a checklist of what needs to be done that day. I put the folder in the front of her book bin, and I load that with all of the books and supplies she will need to complete the checklist. Each morning I have her bring me the folder and I go over the list, noting anything I think she will need or want my help with (e.g. new math concepts, science experiments, and hands-on history projects). She usually does a handful of independent things first, then takes a break, then comes to me for assistance with a few things. I check up on her progress during the day. She can't watch tv until the work is done, although she usually just enjoys knowing that she is done for the day even when there isn't a show she wants to watch.:D

 

DS likes to do his ETC independently, but I do everything else with him.

[dcjlkplus3]

For those that are able to get your dc to work independently help me. I would like dds 4th and 2nd to do somethings without me having to stand over top of them. So how do you do it? :confused:

Do you give the children a checklist or do you they just look at the main planner(I use 1 planner for all 3dc) and pick what they could do by themselves?

Do you give them a time limit for certain subjects they can do independently?

Do they have consequences when they don't complete assignments on time?

 

 

 

I also have a dd7 (2nd) and dd9 (4th) and ds5.5 (K). My dd9 can do the quite a bit of her work independently (asking for help when she needs it, of course). She can do math corrections, bible study, some of her history, reading for literature and history, and some of her math. With some help getting her started, she can do latin and part of spelling.

 

All three can listen to memory work on their own (the older 2 on mp3 and the youngest on the computer). All 3 can do handwriting on their own.

 

DD7 can do copywork days in WWE2 on her own and math mostly on her own (with help as needed - and I do stillneed to read word problems to her.

 

They all have "generic" lists with all things for the day in page protectors so that they can cross things off as they do them with a dry erase marker (even the Ker likes to do this). For these I spent a little time making sheets for M-F for each kiddo, with the subjects and space for me to write in (with dry erase marker) pages or other things that might change (i.e. WWE2 every week is the same schedule: day 1 narration, day 2 copywork, day3 dictation, day 4 narration and dictation - that is printed on the page and I leave room to write next to week, I put 4, or whatever)

 

The only consequence for not getting things done is that school takes longer and they may not get to play even though the other do.

 

They are usually NOT allowed to sit and "wait" for me to be done helping someone else - if nothing else they can always draw for art .

[5LittleMonkeys]

My dd7 (2nd)has been moving toward more independent work because at her own request. She wants to be like the big girls. She already has her own schedule that shows what we will need to do for the week in each subject. We mark off subjects as they are completed.

 

Math - We do an MUS lesson on Mon. and then she does 1 practice page per day independently.

Language Arts - She completes two pages of ETC per day, 2-3 sentences of copywork (she has gotten exceptionally good at this and I don't have to watch her like a hawk...I'm still at the table though while she does it so I keep an eye on her to catch mistakes), 1 page of penmanship and has just recently decided that she wants to do her R&S grammar practice on her own after I've taught her the lesson orally (again, I'm right there working with someone else but keeping an eye on her)

Science and History - she will go off on her own and draw an illustration for whatever we have been reading about. She would write down her narration on her own too if I would let her but her spelling skills aren't on the same level as what she comes up with in her mind so I don't let her. I don't want her writing misspelled words and grammatically incorrect sentences. She does re-write her narrations under her illustration after I've jotted them down for her.

 

I'd say that out of the 4 hours she does school, about 1 hour of it is independent.

 

Edited to add: I haven't had to come up with consequences for not getting work done with this dd yet. Right now she enjoys doing her work and takes great pride in everything looking perfect. I know later this perfectionism is going to cause problems but for now I'm enjoying it.

Edited October 15, 2010 by 5LittleMonkeys

[Melanie]

My children worked independently in most subjects fairly early, but at that age they still slacked off and misbehaved if I didn't supervise. I didn't sit at the table with them, but I had to be close by - no disappearing upstairs for more than ten minutes at a time or out to the garden to pull weeds. I did my daily chores, read my books, sat at the computer, etc., and kept them on task. I always wanted to play a looped recording of me saying, "Do your work!" all day long. :tongue_smilie:

[mama27]

Mine have a list of what needs to be done. Bible, math, etc.

It's for both of us.

My 17,15,11 yos do their own stuff. I do watch the dvd with the 11 yo for MUS but then she does the work.

I watch the dvd with myn 8 and 6 yos and then do some with the blocks, then hgave them go to their desks to do the worksheet. My 6 yo needs me to read his ETC directions and his Bible. My 8 yo reads his own stuff and comes to me if he doesn't know a word.

My 8 yo dawdles and daydreams and stares into space so it takes him about 3 hours to get done what should only take an hour to do but eventually he will learn not to.

My 11 yo daydreams at times. But she knows no facebook, no tv, etc. till all her work is done so if she wants to waste time that';s up to her.

I do let them stop for meals or if we have to go somewhere but otherwise they stay at their desks till it's done.

[cheryl h]

I have struggled with expecting my dc to be more independant than they are capable at certain stages. There are some things that can be done independantly, and some that just shouldn't be attempted...as you will quickly find yourself doing remedial work for skills that would have been learned had you been sitting there to correct/advise/teach. SWB has a fantastic lecture that gives you guidelines on what is reasonable at each age group and what is not. She also has great advise on how to teach your kids to become more independant. Awesome lecture on this subject.

[Jamee]

Last year for 4th, I created a bulletted list on power point and printed it out. He'd check the stuff off as he went. This year and got a write-on wipe-off class calendar. It works well, because it's essentially just a grid. I write the work in for the week, each square a different subject/day. This has worked really well for him. He marks off each assignment as he finishes, can see what he has coming up, work ahead if he feels like it--hasn't happened yet, but I suppose it could. He essentially does everything on his own but will ask if there's a question. I will also step in when I know something is new and has to be taught. So depending on the topic, there are still many areas where we work together too.