How independently do your 11/12 year olds work?

[Laura Corin]

I want to keep the interaction going, but I'm also wondering how much of the scheduling/accountability Calvin should do for himself next year. This year he has a weekly list of English and Maths to accomplish during a 90-minute block each morning; he finishes up at other times if he needs to. I am available to him and his brother during that period. Other subjects are in blocks, the timing and content of which I control.

 

Is that about the level of delegation that you use for 6th grade, or should I hand over more scheduling to him? He's pretty responsible. I'm wondering if I should give him a list of all the tasks that he accomplishes largely on his own during the week, and only schedule intensive teaching time (RE, etc.)

 

Thanks

 

Laura

[Patricia in WA]

I make a weekly list and hand it over to DD12. While I teach the 3rd child she works on things she doesn't need me for (because I would be no help:confused:...like French:D). When the littlest needs a break she stops what she is doing so that I can get a lesson of Poetry, Spanish, or Science in with her and DS9. She has been working fairly independently for close to 2 years. However, she is also my first-born, mother-hen, must do it by the rules type of girl. That makes a big difference.

 

As to the boys, they also each have a weekly schedule. With DS7, it is our guide and proof that I am not making him do extra. The schedule really says he has to do one exercise in SM and one section of RSB. (He is the one to push back all the time. :glare:) DS9 works fairly independent but after he says he has completed an assignment I have to check to make sure he did the whole thing. Half the time he did, half the time he didn't.

 

HTHs,

[Laura Corin]

That's roughly what I was thinking. Let him work pretty much independently, except for the mummy-intensive times.

 

It would mean more weekly scheduling work for me though. Right now, apart from English and Maths, we just do the next thing. Some subjects (Latin, for example) are very easy to schedule, but others (my history curriculum) are a lot more nebulous. I'll have to think about whether this makes sense for me; I suspect it would be good for him.

 

Thanks

 

Laura

[8filltheheart]

I write my plans to the students. Other than when I teach, what they do when is totally up to them.

 

This yr my 12 yos has been getting up at 530. By the time I am up, have made breakfast, etc, he has finished about 1 1/2 hrs worth of his work.

 

I believe independence in how/when they get their work done is an important skill to develop. I don't believe that they should be self-teaching materials to themselves (not that that is what you are suggesting!!).

[Peela]

We have a bit of a routine- start with maths, move onto Latin, English etc. Ds12 gets started on his own, but truth is, he usually needs help with maths.

If I give him a list, he will do what he can on his own. Your Calvin has always sounded like a pretty bright cookie though. My ds struggles for a lot of things and seems to need more one on one than dd ever has.

I am going through a phase of handing things over more though. I have always done lots of reading aloud- I am cutting back, expecting more from them both.

I do tend to just have them both finish what they are doing, or stop if its convenient, and do history or our other together subjects, when it is convenient for me.

I value independence and leading them to being able to work alone, and dd13 works mostly alone, but ds12 still needs me a lot- not my choice, I would rather he be able to do the work alone- but what to do, that's why I homeschool.

[Kat in GA]

My 10 year old daughter does most of her work independently. I usally plan three weeks at a time...so she has our planner to refer to. She walks my youngest to the bus stop in the morning and then comes home to start her school work, usually without any prodding from me.

 

She can work the schedule as she chooses - and she has to check in with me daily and we can go over what she has done. My teaching is usually limited to Math, going over the questions from SOTW activity guide, and explaining projects further than what I wrote in her planner.

[Mama Lynx]

My oldest *requires* a high degree of independence. However, he's also not shown himself to be responsible enough for me to give him a week's worth of assignments at once, and have him get them all done.

 

So as a compromise, I write out his week's worth of assignments at the beginning of each week. However, I write them out as "Monday - x, y, z; Tuesday - x, y, z" etc. That way he can work ahead if he wants, but he is still accountable for getting a certain amount of work done each day.

 

Within the day, he can schedule as he pleases. He's good about that for a day. Just not for a week.

[TravelingChris]

My first two were quite independent by age 11/12. I would do some lessons with them and have them do most on their own. My first was independent in most things with occasional backup on math and science and discussion time with lit and history. My second was mostly independent with history, lit, and science but needed math taught daily then she would work problems. My third is a different story. She is almost 11 1/2 and very little can be done independently. She is the only extrovert in the family and going off by herself and doing work is just really awful for her. We are deciding what we will change next year but she will definetely have some classes as co-op to help with this. She is much more willing to work somewhat independently for others.

[Jenny in Atl]

Dd12 and dd7 both write out their "to do" list each morning on the white board. We try to juggle the time each one needs me. This year, dd12 did most of her work on her own, with me checking in to see how she was progressing. We did Latin and some of her math together. Dd7 also does a bit on her own, grammar, Spanish, and copy work. Next year we plan on doing more together - Spanish, Latin, and some of their science.

[Lisawa]

My kids are pretty independent. We have a weekly procedure for them to follow and the basics are do the next thing... including science and Spanish.

 

We have a weekly meeting on Monday. I go over everything with the girls so they know what I expect, we have a basic weekly schedule for everything... the weekly procedure is for them to stay on task w/ Tapestry of grace. This has been working better than having them schedule weekly assignments in a planner and me doing the same thing. It gives us all a visual schedule and weekly goals, just simplified.

 

I’m involved with Science, Spanish and LA heavily, although they do the "work" on their own. I’m also heavily involved in our Tapestry studies…. again they do the work on their own though. Then I’m available for the rest of the time.

 

My girls are Chatty Cathy wanna bees, so we talk a lot about what they do as they are working. Especially for History and literature. Reading is always interupted by questions. *Ü* I enjoy that most.

 

Add on:

 

The schedule does not change. I do not put lessons down. Everything is do the next thing. The biology schedule is from Donna Youngs website so thats done and planned and just typed in my schedule as biology, Christian has her "schedule" from DY in her biology notebook. Hope this all helped some...

[Deb in NZ]

This is the first year we have no combined subjects. They are studying similar subjects (i.e. Geography) but at their own level. Each dc has a list to follow. my 2 ds have weekly charts that list exactly what I expect completed. My dd has a term list for each subject & she decides what to work on when. She records what she completes each day & I imput that into a weekly chart. This way we can both see if she is forgetting a certain subject. My Ds#2 (10yos) is a great self-starter & always has been. He has one block of subjects that he needs me for (Latin, Grammar, & Science), but his other 3 blocks he works on independently, asking for help if he needs it. Ds#1 (14yos) is not independent & that frustrates me at times. We begin with his core work (Math, Latin, Spelling, & Copywork) with him at the kitchen table, allowing me to do the dishes, laundry, etc. when he doesn't need me right beside him. When he is finished his core work he moves onto his semi-independent work (Science, Geography, French, & Drum Practice). Life would be a breeze of Ds#1 was independent, but as Peela said "That's why I Homeschool." The PS would let him get away with doing nothing & I want more out of education for him. I have faith that he will someday be ready to work without me. My goal is to do myself out of a job.

 

JMHO,

[OneRoomHomeSchool]

My dd12 and ds11 work mostly independently.

 

Here is what they do independently:

Bible

Math

History

Geography

Literature

Science/Natural History

Poetry

Typing

Copywork

 

What I do *with* them:

English

Shakespeare

Plutarch

Latin

Dictation

 

I give them a weekly check off sheet, and they go right to work. They do oral narrations after all readings, one written narration per week, etc.

[Starr]

I think it depends on your dc. One of mine worked very well independently and the other seems to need to discuss everything.

[Sasharowan]

My ds12 works from a weekly list, asking questions as needed. The only thing he is totally dependent on me for is SOTW because we do it as a read-aloud. That said, there are some days he can't complete a single math problem without me right there (especially new stuff) and other days he flies through the entire list without a word to me. This is my "I hate change" kid, so as long as we stay with a routine he is ok, but deviance from that routine leads to pushing back and recalcitrance.

[runningirl71]

I write my plans to the students. Other than when I teach, what they do when is totally up to them.

 

This is kind of how it works with my son, 12, too. I have edu-track and he looks at his assignments for the day and decides what he wants to work on. Sometimes I choose if I have the time at the moment and if it is something teacher intensive, like Latin or poetry (two things he likes to do with me but is capable of doing on his own). He usually does most of his own work, later I'll grade it or confirm he has done it, and then we'll go over it together. He usually can get all is work done before lunch (if he is diligent) and then he can pick what he wants to do in the afternoon, but it has to be educational.

[Love2Learn]

My 10yo and 12yo both work from a detailed, weekly list. They work independently, but I have chosen materials which allow them to work this way (TT for Math, IEW SWI for writing, worktexts, etc...). They only depend on me to teach concepts that they don't understand from reading or listening to the taught material. I check all of their work and frequently ask for oral narrations or give little quizes to make sure they are "getting" the material. I also have discussions with them about their literature and read (or listen to) most of the books I require them to analyze. They work together on some subjects (geography, science) and help each other. It is working well and I love the fact that they are learning how to teach themselves and work independently.