How do you make sure to stay on task through the year? Help needed

[cajunrose]

I am on my 3rd (!!) year of homeschooling. Up until now, I have been a little wishy washy when it came to school. I got math done semi-daily...and that's all I can say about that..lol We got all of our 2nd grade math done on time if that helps any. I am super excited and gung ho in the beginning of the year and then about a month in, I start dropping subjects..or telling myself that "we'll do that tomorrow". Language arts hasn't ever gotten 'done'. In my defense though, we have dealt with some pretty hefty eye issues (that you guys helped me get diagnosed!!) that caused her not to be able to read on level. We are working on that now. Any LA up until now would have been pointless.

 

I did OK with Am history last year..got through most of what I needed to.

 

That's about it.

 

I'm terrible about looking at a science day and saying "I don't have those ingredients for that project. It'll wait until I go to the store." But I never get around to it.

 

My dd is pretty much 'demanding' more this year though. She's starting 3rd grade work. She WANTS to do LA to learn to spell better and write better (she's into writing books these days but is terrible at sentence structure and spelling). She WANTS to do science.

 

How do I stay on task? How do I not fail her? She deserves better than what I have given her in the past.

 

FTR this is my plan this year:

 

History: SOTW 1. Was supposed to do this in grade 1 but she had ZERO comprehension of it. I think her 3rd grade year will be better for it.

 

Science: REAL Science Odyssey Biology

 

LA: Combo of Writing with ease (focuses on comprehension and narration which she needs help with), Winning with Writing (focuses on sentence structure), Growing with Grammar, and All About Spelling. (not all in one day)

 

Math: Horizons 3

 

I'm excited about the year but very nervous. She NEEDS me to be a better teacher this year! Help please!

[Aurelia]

For science, make a list of all the supplies you will need, subtract what you already have and buy ALL of them at the beginning of the year. That should eliminate the "we don't have that" factor. That's what I do, and it works. Make a plan and stick to it, no excuses. For example, science WILL be done every Tuesday and Thursday. Math and LA WILL be done every day. Then do it. Do not say "I will try", because that means "I'm not going to". The key is "I will". Hold yourself accountable, or if you can't, as your husband or your mother to. Make schoolwork a priority, don't put it on the back burner because something "came up". Something will always come up. Don't shortchange your daughter's education because you have a mountain of laundry or friends want to play.

[cajunrose]

I absolutely needed that. You are right..I can't shortchange her. I have no excuses. I'm much like that in every part of life..only giving it half of me b/c I'm so overwhelmed with everything that has to get done.

 

I'm going to sit down (See...i said "try" but I deleted that. I'm GOING to) and schedule my science and history so that I'm not doing 2 projects in one day..or 2 narrations in one day. I think that'll help. Make a list of books and supplies and buy maybe every 3 months so that everything is on hand.

 

I feel better. Thanks!

[Erika]

I make small monthly goals to obtain my yearly goal. For example, I want to finish the 150 lessons in R&S Phonics 1 by the end of first grade and I school year round so that comes out to about 12 or 13 lessons a month. My planner cannot have things scheduled by the day because it might not get done, unless not all of it. So I have an excel spreadsheet with the subjects at the top and space to write in the date on the left. So on 7/20 we completed x,y, and z lessons or pages. Then I fill this information in with pencil for that day. If we need a day off we take a day off, but we still must get those 12 lessons in that month. Set your own pace and make sure it’s reachable for you. Once you reach the small goal, treat yourself and your daughter.

[Carol in Cal.]

Two ideas:

 

Priorities

 

and

 

Weekly Minimums

 

Priorities:

Every day, math, reading and writing. Before anything else. Before lunch. Reading includes teaching reading and reading aloud. Have a big stack of books to read, at all times. Read for ages out loud. Read in the morning, and again at bedtime. Read history, Bible (if that's your thing), science, and poetry as well as fiction.

 

The rest can fit in at the sides. Go on a science field trip that lasts at least 3 hours on site at least twice a month.

 

Weekly Minimums:

How many math lessons MUST you do to feel good about the week? What about spelling? What about reading? etc. Don't set these too high, and try to beat them each time. Like: 5 math lessons, 4 spelling, 5 reading acquisition, 5 reading aloud, 1 science, 1 history, 1 foreign language book.

 

That way if you have a field trip you can still feel good about your week if you have done the minimum, and each week that you beat it (TWO science lessons! Look, Mommy, look!) you can feel good about it, too.

 

Extra credit hint:

School lightly on Saturdays. Make it fun. Read aloud, maybe don't do spelling or math (OTOH, my DD really benefitted from NEVER having breaks in math.), maybe do a fun science experiment, learn about fractions with a cooking project.

[HiddenJewel]

Homeschooling is my job. So during school hours helping my dc with their schooling is my first priority. I may do other things during that time, BUT it gets dropped if someone needs my interaction.

 

I use an accountability chart for each of my older girls. One dd I keep accountable daily. My oldest is accountable weekly. If you want to see it, shoot me your email addy by PM. (The file size is too large even at one page to post.)

[Jenny in Florida]

The only way I've ever managed to stay on track is to be very, very organized.

 

So, I plan the whole year in advance. I make tweaks occasionally as necessary, but I know exactly how much of each thing we need to accomplish each week in order to finish the year on time.

 

I make up a table for each week of the school year that lists the pages of each book or text to be done, the DVDs to watch, websites to visit, etc. At the bottom of the page is a "Notes for Mom" section, where I type in any reminders for the next week. I note things like supplies needed for projects and experiments, library books or videos I need to have on hand, field trips I thought would work well with that week's reading, etc.

 

I still slip a bit, but we usually stay pretty well together.

[Stacie Leigh]

Homeschooling is my job. So during school hours helping my dc with their schooling is my first priority. I may do other things during that time, BUT it gets dropped if someone needs my interaction.

 

I use an accountability chart for each of my older girls. One dd I keep accountable daily. My oldest is accountable weekly. If you want to see it, shoot me your email addy by PM. (The file size is too large even at one page to post.)

 

 

Could I pm you for it too? :)

[tadbhoward]

I have started using a variation of the workboxes that I found on a blog, (here it is), and it has made all the difference. I am schooling a 4th and a 2nd grader this year and I have been pretty wishy washy myself in the past. I would always allow life to get in the way or use the fact that I had not planned properly as an excuse to put lessons off. I am not proud of it but it is what it is.

 

Using this system has helped cure me of that. Now, every week I go through and write out my plans, listing whatever supplies I need for each subject on each day. Each night I load the bags up with everything needed for that subject so then when we start school the next morning we grab out the first bag and go. It is great because all the lessons are made up, all the needed supplies are there, and the girls keep me motivated to stay on task for the day because they see exactly what the have left to do for the day. The hardest part is staying motivated to get the bags loaded before going to bed but I just push myself to do it. Some days I even get them reloaded as the girls are finishing up each subject.

 

Of course this system may be of no interest to you at all but hopefully my post will at least be encouraging. You can do it, you just have to make it a priority. :)

[cajunrose]

Tad, I do have a workbox system that works great when I use it. I just need to make it a priority! That's the biggest problem. I think weekly planning will work...and maybe yearly goals for every subject.

[extrafor6]

Oh, I needed this thread so much. The original poster described me perfectly although I did much better last year. Thanks for all the ideas so far...I'll come back for more ;)

[HiddenJewel]

Could I pm you for it too? :)

 

Sure.

[8filltheheart]

Write daily lesson plans and your day isn't finished until everything is done.

[Tammy P.]

Homeschooling is my job. So during school hours helping my dc with their schooling is my first priority. I may do other things during that time, BUT it gets dropped if someone needs my interaction.

 

I use an accountability chart for each of my older girls. One dd I keep accountable daily. My oldest is accountable weekly. If you want to see it, shoot me your email addy by PM. (The file size is too large even at one page to post.)

 

I agree. When we decided to homeschool our children, I knew that it would be my full-time "job". It has to be priority. I love (not!) when people call and want me to do something and when I tell them no because of school, I get "well you homeschool, you can fluff off if you want".

 

There are definitely days when I would love just to not get schoolwork done, but if I have that attitude, my children pick up on that and then I have a whole other problem! Even on those hard days, I remind myself that I am training my children (not just regarding school) for their future. When they have jobs or committments when they are adults, they won't be able to just say "I don't feel like working today" or "I'll try again tomorrow".

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[morosophe]

My planner cannot have things scheduled by the day because it might not get done, unless not all of it. So I have an excel spreadsheet with the subjects at the top and space to write in the date on the left. So on 7/20 we completed x,y, and z lessons or pages. Then I fill this information in with pencil for that day.

 

This is what I love about Homeschool Skedtrack. You can schedule things by the calendar, but default is to schedule things by the lesson. Once you finish one, you put in the date you did it, and it gives you the next lesson you've scheduled for the next day. For some reason, this really, really works for me. I feel motivated to do the lessons but not terribly overwhelmed when I get a little behind.

 

Plus, having a sheet printed out for your daughter so she knows what's supposed to get done might help keep both you and her accountable. Some days I make sure my son gets his lessons done; other days, he's the one making sure I get them done. (I'm such a terrible mother, that half the time my first grader is more responsible than I am. Oh, well.)

[Mommyfaithe]

For science, make a list of all the supplies you will need, subtract what you already have and buy ALL of them at the beginning of the year. That should eliminate the "we don't have that" factor. That's what I do, and it works. Make a plan and stick to it, no excuses. For example, science WILL be done every Tuesday and Thursday. Math and LA WILL be done every day. Then do it. Do not say "I will try", because that means "I'm not going to". The key is "I will". Hold yourself accountable, or if you can't, as your husband or your mother to. Make schoolwork a priority, don't put it on the back burner because something "came up". Something will always come up. Don't shortchange your daughter's education because you have a mountain of laundry or friends want to play.

 

I love this advice!! LOVE IT! I have posted in our school my favorite CM quote: I can, I shall, I ought, I will. And then Yoda's wisdom..."there is NO try." :D

 

This year we WILL.....love it!

 

Faithe

[Mom0012]

I use a weekly checklist for my kids. They are not allowed to do play or have their evening screen time if they haven't finished everything on the list for the day. It also keeps me on track because all I have to do is glance at their list and I can see if I've missed doing something with them. I can see clearly in black and white what needs to be done whether or not I want to do it.

 

Lisa

 

ETA: The other thing that is helpful to me is to do most of what I need to do with my kids first thing in the morning. So, I will spend some time first thing going over missed problems from math the day before and then introducing the new lesson. I then do the same with grammar and any other subjects where I need to introduce new material. Then I set my kids loose to do what they can on their own. At breakfast, I do our SL reading. So, by the time breakfast is done, I have done much of my homeschooling job and most of what is left is up to the kids to complete. I just have to be available to help and to make sure they stay on track. There are some things we do in the afternoon or evening, like watch our spanish dvd or sometimes I do spelling with my son later in the day, but completing the largest portion of my responsibilities early really keeps me on track.

Edited July 21, 2011 by LisaTheresa

[woolybear]

I love this advice!! LOVE IT! I have posted in our school my favorite CM quote: I can, I shall, I ought, I will. And then Yoda's wisdom..."there is NO try." :D

 

This year we WILL.....love it!

 

Faithe

 

 

I was thinking of the CM quote, but I love the Yoda quote too. I should post both of those too! :)

[Mommyfaithe]

Oh, to stay on track I made a schedule poster with a column for each and every family member including me. Then the columns each have a square equal to 1 hour...and those squares are the size of post-it notes. I list assignments on post its and as they are finished, i stick them in my notebook. I include chores, phys ed, showers, tooth brushing....everything!

 

I am chronically ill...and part of that is a foggy brain. Therefore, having a physical reminder in my face all.day.long. works for me...and my kids can't get away with...you didn't tell me to do such and such.

 

I also have a notebook sized school and life scedule which tells me daily what we are supposed to accomplish, sports practices and games. household chores, doctor appointments etc.

 

I am not naturally organized, I am organized out of total desparation.

 

Faithe

[Matryoshka]

I can relate to all of this, especially the science (or any other project) piece. I'm always missing something, or the counter is a mess, and it's soooo easy to find a reason to do it "tomorrow".

 

What I found I need for some things is outside accountability. After doing what seemed like zero hands-on projects for science in 1st-2nd grade, I convinced a few friends to do a weekly hands-on science coop. We just got a room at the library, and each took turns doing science projects bi-weekly - usually we'd each choose a theme and do them in blocks of 4.

 

When they started middle school, we started using at text, but still meet for the bi-weekly labs.

 

I've never done this for history, but I had friends who have met to do SOTW projects.

 

I teach two friends' kids Spanish for free because that way I know I'll get it done every week - if it were just my own kids, I know it would always get pushed off.

 

Math and LA seem to be two things I can manage to get done regularly myself - I divvy up the books and figure out how many lessons a week I need to do by the end of the year, and if we miss a day, we double up or do a day on the weekend.

 

And yeah, I had dh turn off the internet during school hours.

[Mommee & Baba]

I tried the workbox method with my dc and although they enjoyed it, I didn't like the prep for it each evening. I know to some it's so minimal but overall my dc aren't of the age to work independently like some. My dd6 works great on her own but she needs some small guidance. My dd8 really needs me to hold her hand and make sure she knows she's doing a wonderful job...ect. I dropped the workboxes this year because they are so dependant on me for their school work that it was taking up energy of mine each evening and space.

 

What I found that works best for us is having 5 folders for each child. They are marked with the child's name and the day. Monday...child's name..ect. Then I am able to prepare an entire WEEK. This gives me time to write any project notes, ingredients needed and a book list to check out books from the library. I usually prep the folders Friday after the school-day or Saturday morning.

 

The workboxes are great if you have children that can pull out work that they are able to do themselves. I personally had more of a struggle with my dc pulling out their work and asking for my help with it when I was in the middle of helping another dc with their current lesson. Finally I just used the workbox as an activity holder. When I was busy with one dc doing a lesson I would send my other dc to their workbox to pull out a fun activity they could do solely on their own. I want to eventually go back to the workbox system but for now we're gonna stick to weekly folders.

 

I did file the entire year last year but this year I found that having nearly everything in a binder there is no need to pull out each sheet and file, I'll just pull out each sheet and put into our weekly folders. I think once we move I'll go back to filing yearly..but for now the binders work just fine.

[Cassy]

Well, this will be a very unpopular post, but honestly, the way I stay on task is to stay off these boards. :D I love the ladies here and there is a wealth of information. However, in the past the boards have distracted me, caused me to buy books & curriculum I don't need, and basically to become dissatisfied with what I'm doing. Over the winter, I installed LeechBlock on my computer to keep me away from WTM during school hours. It helped tremendously.

 

The second thing that helped me was to switch from a planner (what I'm supposed to do) to a log (what I did). I have a basic checklist (do Math 4x per week, do Science/History 2x per week), then I strive to do something to fill in those blocks. Nothing gets left out or overlooked. If we've done four days of history, well then, it's time to do some science -- no excuses.

 

HTH

 

For me, this gets straight to the point. Thanks Shari :D

 

Cassy

[Ellie]

How do I stay on task? How do I not fail her? She deserves better than what I have given her in the past.

Please do not beat yourself up over this. She's just 8yo. Many people, including Dr. Raymond Moore and Dr. Ruth Beechick, recommend waiting until children are 8-10yo before doing any serious academic work with dc. you are *home* with your dd; she gets to be creative on her own; she's not being subjected to the twaddle and poor socializing that goes on in a classroom.

 

Now, if she were, say, 12yo and y'all hadn't cracked a book, I might give you a little grief, but right now, it's too early for you to be so hard on yourself. K?

 

:D

[nono]

Get your mentality straight. Are you responsible in other areas of your life? If you are, then you are shortchanging yourself and those you love most by ingoring your priority of homeschooling. Why are you not giving yourself what you would give to others? Once I asked those rhetorical questions, it became much easier. :)

 

Also, I found if I spent 10 min. on Sunday night reviewing the week, everything went smoother. Frankly, that surprised me the most. Just a little review got me "on track" for the week. And, it also made me give me a V-8 smack in the head, because it was something I used to do in my professional life every evening....:001_huh:

[abbeyej]

For me, writing out all of my plans (and adding in adequate *planned* breaks, so I know we've got a rest to look forward to) makes all the difference. If I'm planning day-to-day, week-to-week, it's much to easy to put things off, let them drag out... If I know what has to be finished this week to keep us on track, there's not so much wiggle room. Some people plan a break every 6th or 7th week. Now that my kids are older, we do go up to 12 weeks in the fall with no break, but I build in a brief winter break and a slightly more relaxed couple of weeks in the spring as well.

 

But the main thing is having it all laid out *before* the year starts. On paper. For every week.

[Maus]

I am on my 3rd (!!) year of homeschooling. Up until now, I have been a little wishy washy when it came to school. I got math done semi-daily...and that's all I can say about that..lol We got all of our 2nd grade math done on time if that helps any. I am super excited and gung ho in the beginning of the year and then about a month in, I start dropping subjects..or telling myself that "we'll do that tomorrow". Language arts hasn't ever gotten 'done'. In my defense though, we have dealt with some pretty hefty eye issues (that you guys helped me get diagnosed!!) that caused her not to be able to read on level. We are working on that now. Any LA up until now would have been pointless.

 

I did OK with Am history last year..got through most of what I needed to.

 

That's about it.

 

I'm terrible about looking at a science day and saying "I don't have those ingredients for that project. It'll wait until I go to the store." But I never get around to it.

Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

 

I asked DH the other day if he thought I might be ADD (I'm the only sib who hasn't been diagnosed with it), and he said, "Probably."

 

I have implemented one thing that has helped: I created a wall chart with pockets. Each child has an upper pocket labeled, "Not done yet" and a lower pocket labeled, "Hooray! Done for today!" We have an index card for each subject, color coded for how long they should be worked on (1/2 hour for history, but only 1/4 for handwriting, for example). As each thing gets done, the kids get to move that card down.

 

They earn family "dollars" that can be used for computer/Wii/TV time for each finished card, and a bonus for finishing everything.

 

I also set a minimum in my own mind for even our busiest days. We must get math and piano done, as they are most affected by gaps. There are days where even that doesn't get done, but things are improving.

[mamamoon]

i am so in love with this thread~this is a big problem for me as well sometimes.

[Jim]

I'm never satisfied with what we accomplish through the week. But that's me and my problem.

 

This is what I do. I have all his material in hanging folders. There is a file for each workbbok based subject; spelling (Phonics Zoo), grammar (FFL), writing (IEW), listening (WWE), history (STOW), math (saxon), and CC (Essentials). Apparently I need to create one for latin (PL) and science and pull out all of the material to see if I'm missing anything else.

 

I've already had my fun and organized all the papers (yeap, I get overly excited dreaming about all the material and what we could accomplish). Each Sunday evening we meet for a few minutes and stock his school binder (with dividers) with the material needed for the week ahead. At the front of the binder there is a sheet that contain grids showing each subject, organized by frequency, and a place for ds to write in each lesson as its completed. This allows us to track progress during the week and for us to talk about it prior to restocking the binder the following Sunday.

 

I'm a stickler about completing every single lesson completely (though I recently read an interesting thread about this) so what was not completed remains in the binder and I adjust the new material depending on whether we can make it up and add the new stuff or we allow for slippage.

 

We're headed into our third year. The first year we mostly floated along as we made the adjustment from PS and searched for the content that fit ds best. Last year we created the binder and grid and it helped. It's up to me in year three (fourth grade) to stick with it. It's always a battle as we're a very busy family (as are we all) and we're constantly being pulled out of the house for activities around town or on the road to FL.

 

I do need to get stronger and start putting my foot down when outside opportunities keep us from our studies. I say that as a dad that works entirely from home and basically lives and interacts through the internet. It's easy for me to stay at my desk day and night. I need him to do that more but without going overboard.

 

 

Jim

[Soror]

I'm not perfect but I find that I need to just make a start time and stick to it, regardless what the house looks like. There is always more to do. Of course that means I need to start early and make sure to keep things clean. Also, I have to have it all planned up ahead of time. I am currently making all my lists of supplies, books etc. Also, being flexible about some things helps to get things finished- ie I don't this or that exact book but have the same subject matter. We just did a SoTW lesson and I didn't feel like pulling out the exact supplies so we improvised and it worked just fine. Oh, and staying off-line of course!

[8filltheheart]

For me, writing out all of my plans (and adding in adequate *planned* breaks, so I know we've got a rest to look forward to) makes all the difference. If I'm planning day-to-day, week-to-week, it's much to easy to put things off, let them drag out... If I know what has to be finished this week to keep us on track, there's not so much wiggle room. Some people plan a break every 6th or 7th week. Now that my kids are older, we do go up to 12 weeks in the fall with no break, but I build in a brief winter break and a slightly more relaxed couple of weeks in the spring as well.

 

But the main thing is having it all laid out *before* the year starts. On paper. For every week.

 

This is me. I planned our school yr calendar last week and have started lesson planning. We normally start the last week of July/first week of Aug. Since we have had a family emergency that has been on-going this summer, we won't be able to start until the 3rd week of Aug......but regardless of what is going on, we will start that week. We do not have a choice and starting any other time than then is simply not optional.

 

I also want to give another plug for prelection. I have written about it in other threads, but prelection is the backbone to my educational philosophy/planning. It means I have to know exactly what each child is doing and what they need to (including what and why) accomplish every day. This post has a link to more info about prelection.

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2694236&highlight=prelection#post2694236

 

For me, taking on our kids education means that I am influencing their options for their adulthood. It is a serious responsibility and it is my number 1 priority. I actually don't like that it is b/c it means it does impair my ability to do stuff with my littlest ones that I had the opportunity to do with my older ones. Homeschooling has lots of benefits and I can't imagine not doing it, but it has plenty of sacrifices as well.

Edited July 21, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart

[Mommy22alyns]

Daily lesson plans and nothing else gets done until school is done. The computer does not get turned on, no TV, no DS, etc. I look ahead a few weeks at a time and make a list of supplies I'll need for experiments. I also have a pretty good stockpile of supplies at home (built up our first year).

 

I just take it very seriously. I don't make a habit of tossing off school for other activities. No visitors/phone calls during the day. They have extracurriculars in the afternoons most days, and I make it a point to be done with school before they go, because it's hard to get them "back" afterwards.

[zenjenn]

They have extracurriculars in the afternoons most days, and I make it a point to be done with school before they go, because it's hard to get them "back" afterwards

 

I can't emphasize how much I agree with this!

 

I focus on getting core schooling done before noon. It is easier to read literature or history selections in the afternoon, but trying to get them back on writing or math or a project at 4 pm is VERY difficult.

[mrsbushman]

I have a LARGE weekly schedule posted on the wall along with a LARGE monthly calendar. The kids and I can clearly see it from our homeschool table. If I try to skip a subject or make any other variation, they always call me on it. This is the single thing that has kept me on task.

 

I will also mention that I used to do subject as SWB recommonds--every other day, but that I switched to all subjects being daily M-Thurs with a short day of special subjects on Friday (Art and Music). This simplified schedule was a HUGE improvement. (I also found that the kids didn't forget where we were in our history/science lesson when it was done daily.)

[mrshomework]

I am guilty of the same with science and history especially. I am in the middle of planning things out for this coming year to avoid that. I just want to add that you can get lots of free planning ideas and worksheets off the Donna Young website www.donnayoung.com . I am always on a budget and found those and she offers a variety that you can print and write in or fill in with Word or Acrobat. I like hand writing I tend to wonder while I'm on the computer and If they get hand written its best or me. I also have found just starting with a 12 month calender and mark off how many days you plan to do school like 150 days or 160. Work with one month at a time to meet your yearly goal. Buy a cheap planner from the dollar store and make some type of plan and have your dd keep track of it with you. My dd loves to help with that. If you dd works well independently try to chose curriculum she can do alone like GWG, etc. to let you do stuff you have to do. Then set time in your day to work with her on subjects that require teaching assistance like AAS, WWE, etc .

I also agree these forum can rob you of time better spent.

[lillysmom216]

For science, history and art I have a huge plastic container. Inside that container are 36 large ziplocked bags with an index card inside with the week number on it. I purchased all the supplies needed for the year for these subjects and divided them into the bags. Now, all I need to do is head to the box and grab the right week number. The plus to this is I do not lose precious time hunting down things while dd sits there growing bored. I know I have all items in supply. Nothing like going to grab paper mache and finding it gone. The things we use for our lessons are away from her supplies she can use freely. Did I mention the time saved? Our first year taught me a ton about my lack of organization. This year we will see if the learning sank in.:D

[laughing lioness]

I haven't read all of the replies but just wanted to add my very simple .02/ tough love response

. I am my children's teacher. I teach. I could be working, making beaucoups bucks and relieving some pressure from my dh. Instead, we homeschool. In order to homeschool I have to actually SHOW UP to homeschool. It's my job. If I had a "real" job I would show up to it. Actually I have a real job and I do show up to it.

I read about education all.the.time. I learn and grow as an educator. Marva Collins and Rafe Esquith, SWB, the Moore's, Holt, Wilson, et.al all have great things to say about being an excellent educator. There is always more to learn as an educator. You can't teach effectively what you don't know. Are you learning and growing as an educator?

 

I have a clear vision for what I want for my kids. I have a clear pedagogy. It's not perfect and I'm not perfect and we do have slacker days. One of my biggest regrets with my older dd is that I did not push her harder. I'm not making the same mistake with my other kids. Not becaaue I have some vindictive idea of ruining their childhood -they have great ones imho- but because I KNOW that they can and will do and go so much farther if I mentor them well. I am giving them a gift of my time and talents and we are going to make the most of it. It is a matter of stewardship. I can make the most of this time or fritter it away.

[PeterPan]

Cajun, now that you've gotten plenty of bolstering about the need for diligence, I wanted to toss out the compassionate side. (Not that the others weren't compassionate, but you could use a little extra!) If your dc had vision issues this year (I've forgotten your story, sorry), then please don't feel badly about the academics that didn't get done. We lost 9 months to vision therapy this past year, and I have to tell you life DOES go on. The important thing is to make sure your curriculum choices are as *efficient* as possible. For instance, you have *4* programs listed for LA. I know you're wanting to do a good job, but that's still a lot when you're only 7 years old! Are you thinking this child is dyslexic? A regular child could go into SWR (similar in approach, just more efficient than AAS) and jump 3-4 grade levels in spelling and reading in a year, no joke. And using SWR along with narrations and a light touch of FLL you'd have all her grammar, all her writing, all her spelling, etc. Learn how to take one tool and use it powerfully. Streamline some of that and use the things you keep more deeply. MILK them and pull out of them the greatness.

 

Hmm, did I have any else to say? Nope. Oh yes, it's time to be diligent. But you know, she's *7*. Or is she 8 now and you just haven't updated your sig? Be diligent, but don't be TOO diligent. Be diligent 4 days a week and be wild one day a week. That's a good balance when you're 7. When you're 8 or 9, yes be diligent 5 days a week. But it's ok to be little, kwim? They have so little to learn right now, it's really ok to have that balance.

 

Since she has had vision problems, are you now building time in your day to do fun stuff that works on visual processing? Puzzles? Games that use vision like tanagrams or Chocolate Fix or Memory? You want to do this! Don't get so uptight feeling behind that you don't make time for these valuable things. She's 7. That means you're looking at 3 hours TOTAL for her academics a day. Do it and be diligent, but don't fret over it.

 

As far as your accountability, I've done things different ways each year. One year I did a pocket chart with cards. Around 8 or 9 I finally switched over to checklists. When she was younger I wrote into a planner what we did as we did it. When you do that though, you need to have things set up as a "do the next thing" kind of approach. If you're realistic about how much work she needs to do and set up a routine you think you can live with (plenty of time out and about, time for fun stuff, etc.), you'll get there. It was hard to have a routine when you were having the vision problems, but you'll do better this year. We've homeschooled 7 years now, and yet we still feel like we're starting over for finding our routine. The therapy route just jostles you so much. So give yourself a bit of grace and allow yourself to learn. You'll get there. :)

[PollyOR]

:thumbup1: Awesome thread!

[HSMom2One]

Homeschooling is my job. So during school hours helping my dc with their schooling is my first priority. I may do other things during that time, BUT it gets dropped if someone needs my interaction.

 

:iagree: She took the words right out of my mouth! :iagree:

 

As much as we all love the oftentimes leisurely lifestyle of being at home, there comes a time when we need to stop and realize the critical nature of what we're doing. (Please know that I'm speaking to myself too as I type this.) Our children's futures are depending on us. This is our job.

 

When I see us slip a bit, I have to be very intentional about getting in gear. I have to make myself get dressed first thing in the morning -- with shoes -- and be ready to tackle the day. Then I have to rouse my dd to do the same. It's up to me, because without me, it ain't gonna happen! I also have to get those lesson plans made before Monday, and follow them! Again....this is my job!

 

Speaking of lesson plans, having an annual plan as a map is what school teachers do, so I feel that it's only right that I do the same for my own dc. I highly recommend that you create an annual plan right now and start the year right. Now if you find that you most often flex or change the schedule so much that it disrupts the flow of your goals, then you would be wise to allow more school days in your annual plan to cover that possibility. If you stay on task during the year, your reward will be free time to do fun stuff when you've completed the lessons. Your children will love you. You will be their hero!

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[johnandtinagilbert]

Well, this will be a very unpopular post, but honestly, the way I stay on task is to stay off these boards. :D I love the ladies here and there is a wealth of information. However, in the past the boards have distracted me, caused me to buy books & curriculum I don't need, and basically to become dissatisfied with what I'm doing. Over the winter, I installed LeechBlock on my computer to keep me away from WTM during school hours. It helped tremendously.

 

The second thing that helped me was to switch from a planner (what I'm supposed to do) to a log (what I did). I have a basic checklist (do Math 4x per week, do Science/History 2x per week), then I strive to do something to fill in those blocks. Nothing gets left out or overlooked. If we've done four days of history, well then, it's time to do some science -- no excuses.

 

HTH

 

I love this advice!! LOVE IT! I have posted in our school my favorite CM quote: I can, I shall, I ought, I will. And then Yoda's wisdom..."there is NO try." :D

 

This year we WILL.....love it!

 

Faithe

 

This is me. I planned our school yr calendar last week and have started lesson planning. We normally start the last week of July/first week of Aug. Since we have had a family emergency that has been on-going this summer, we won't be able to start until the 3rd week of Aug......but regardless of what is going on, we will start that week. We do not have a choice and starting any other time than then is simply not optional.

 

I also want to give another plug for prelection. I have written about it in other threads, but prelection is the backbone to my educational philosophy/planning. It means I have to know exactly what each child is doing and what they need to (including what and why) accomplish every day. This post has a link to more info about prelection.

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2694236&highlight=prelection#post2694236

 

For me, taking on our kids education means that I am influencing their options for their adulthood. It is a serious responsibility and it is my number 1 priority. I actually don't like that it is b/c it means it does impair my ability to do stuff with my littlest ones that I had the opportunity to do with my older ones. Homeschooling has lots of benefits and I can't imagine not doing it, but it has plenty of sacrifices as well.

 

I haven't read all of the replies but just wanted to add my very simple .02/ tough love response

. I am my children's teacher. I teach. I could be working, making beaucoups bucks and relieving some pressure from my dh. Instead, we homeschool. In order to homeschool I have to actually SHOW UP to homeschool. It's my job. If I had a "real" job I would show up to it. Actually I have a real job and I do show up to it.

I read about education all.the.time. I learn and grow as an educator. Marva Collins and Rafe Esquith, SWB, the Moore's, Holt, Wilson, et.al all have great things to say about being an excellent educator. There is always more to learn as an educator. You can't teach effectively what you don't know. Are you learning and growing as an educator?

 

I have a clear vision for what I want for my kids. I have a clear pedagogy. It's not perfect and I'm not perfect and we do have slacker days. One of my biggest regrets with my older dd is that I did not push her harder. I'm not making the same mistake with my other kids. Not becaaue I have some vindictive idea of ruining their childhood -they have great ones imho- but because I KNOW that they can and will do and go so much farther if I mentor them well. I am giving them a gift of my time and talents and we are going to make the most of it. It is a matter of stewardship. I can make the most of this time or fritter it away.

It's wonderful that you've diagnosed your daughter. Now you can move forward. Your post brings me to a simple conclusion: there are many organizational methods, many programs, many everything, but for your child, there is only one teacher. Simply spoken, you just have to do it. That's it. Put the time in. Acquire self-discipline and do the job. If you can't, then don't home school. Spoken plainly, without snark. Just do it.

[Homeschooling6]

I haven't read all the replies and this may sound crazy but I blog. I started blogging back in 2006 when my oldest was in 2nd grade. I would write down what we did that day. I felt like we weren't getting much done but once I wrote it all out I was surprised at how much we were getting done.

 

Take one lesson at a time :001_smile:

[AnnaM]

I just glanced through the answers and wanted to second the workboxes. It took me a bit of time (and still is) to get used to stuffing them each night, but when I do, the next day goes so smoothly! I have also taken a bit off of myself by swapping over to a CD based math (Teaching Textbooks). The jury is still out on how well it will work.

 

I love my planner too, but I do it a bit different. I pencil in what I would ideally get done, and then write in what I actually get done. It helps to get a basic schedule writen out. Even if it isn't exact it will help to have an order. I also found that scheduling regular breaks helps us. We know that in order to take our break we have to be done with our work up to that point. We do 6 weeks on and 1 week off. And yes, at some point, you have to Just Do It.

[Wutzz]

The important thing is to make sure your curriculum choices are as *efficient* as possible. For instance, you have *4* programs listed for LA. I know you're wanting to do a good job, but that's still a lot when you're only 7 years old! Are you thinking this child is dyslexic? A regular child could go into SWR (similar in approach, just more efficient than AAS) and jump 3-4 grade levels in spelling and reading in a year, no joke. And using SWR along with narrations and a light touch of FLL you'd have all her grammar, all her writing, all her spelling, etc. Learn how to take one tool and use it powerfully. Streamline some of that and use the things you keep more deeply. MILK them and pull out of them the greatness. :iagree: This is what we do!!

 

Hmm, did I have any else to say? Nope. Oh yes, it's time to be diligent. But you know, she's *7*. Or is she 8 now and you just haven't updated your sig? Be diligent, but don't be TOO diligent. Be diligent 4 days a week and be wild one day a week. That's a good balance when you're 7. When you're 8 or 9, yes be diligent 5 days a week. But it's ok to be little, kwim? They have so little to learn right now, it's really ok to have that balance.:iagree:

 

Since she has had vision problems, are you now building time in your day to do fun stuff that works on visual processing? Puzzles? Games that use vision like tanagrams or Chocolate Fix or Memory? You want to do this! Don't get so uptight feeling behind that you don't make time for these valuable things. She's 7. That means you're looking at 3 hours TOTAL for her academics a day. Do it and be diligent, but don't fret over it.

 

As far as your accountability, I've done things different ways each year. One year I did a pocket chart with cards. Around 8 or 9 I finally switched over to checklists. When she was younger I wrote into a planner what we did as we did it. When you do that though, you need to have things set up as a "do the next thing" kind of approach. If you're realistic about how much work she needs to do and set up a routine you think you can live with (plenty of time out and about, time for fun stuff, etc.), you'll get there. It was hard to have a routine when you were having the vision problems, but you'll do better this year. We've homeschooled 7 years now, and yet we still feel like we're starting over for finding our routine. The therapy route just jostles you so much. So give yourself a bit of grace and allow yourself to learn. You'll get there. :)

:iagree: I have been homeschooling 3 dc for 5 yrs. We revamp our schedule every year. Children are constantly growing and changing and their needs and priorities change from year to year. What worked the year before (or 6 mnts ago!) usually needs to be tweaked the following year!

 

Above all else... Hang in there, don't ever give up, keep trying to do better, don't be so hard on yourself. Homeschooling is HARD.

[Mrs Twain]

I am also glancing through here, but I just add an agreement to what others have said.

The most helpful things for getting subjects done for me:

 

1. Get all of the supplies ready, worksheets printed out, etc. and organize them by lesson in the summer before school starts (as others have said). If I can just grab my prepared lesson, then it will usually get done.

 

2. Have a set daily schedule. We do all of our core subjects every day (math, spelling, grammar, etc), and we do them first thing in the morning when kids are fresh. That way I make sure they get done because they are most important. After that, we do our weekly subjects (music, art, science, etc.).

 

3. Probably the most important element and the thing that takes the most discipline to do is just the simple idea to start at the same time every day. We always start at 8:00 a.m., say the pledge of allegiance, and sing a song (Star Spangled Banner or God Bless America or something along those lines that we are learning). It is difficult to have a rigid schedule when you don't feel like you need to since you are homeschooling and have "all day to get it done," but I have found that starting at the same time every day gets us serious about school and gets the work done.

 

Again, this is all mostly repeat of what has been said already here.

Hope you have a good year!

[redsquirrel]

I may not be the best homeschooler, but my goodness, we get things done. I do a little bit of what everyone has mentioned.

 

first of all, this is my job. I don't do laundry or sweep or anything else during school. I generally don't answer the phone or go online. I don't allow my kids to do things like that when there is work to be done so why should I? I wouldn't accept it if a ps teacher was also checking facebook or chatting on the phone during teaching hours so why should I? With an 8 year old, I would expect to be needed and present for all lessons. One on one instruction is one of the major benefits of homeschooling so take advantage.

 

Second, get your hands on stuff collected now, before you start the school year. That was the best piece of advice I ever got as a new homeschooler. I get all my science materials and history project items together and grouped by week. I don't ever have to think about it when school is in session. I also try to be realistic. I do not schedule a SOTW history project for every week. I just don't have the time. Maybe every other week is good for the first two years of the cycle. I do fewer for the later years.

 

Third, a regular starting time is important with young kids. I don't have an exact time but it is before 9am. We often do math in jammies, lol. But, hey, we do math every day!

 

We do school 5 days a week but most subjects we do 4 days a week. We do math and piano every school day. Everything else is 4 or even 2 days a week. That gives me a bit of flexibility and often Friday is a light day. But, if we have a dentist appt or there happens to be a fantastic snowstorm we can always make a different day our light day.

 

Remember, as they get older you need them to take more responsibility for their own education. Now is the time to show them what it looks like. You are not just teaching them information, but habits and expectations that will last a long time.

[PeterPan]

Second, get your hands on stuff collected now, before you start the school year. That was the best piece of advice I ever got as a new homeschooler. I get all my science materials and history project items together and grouped by week. I don't ever have to think about it when school is in session.

 

Why didn't anybody ever give me this advice?? That's great!!!!!!! :)

[redsquirrel]

Why didn't anybody ever give me this advice?? That's great!!!!!!! :)

 

I got it from my best friend who is a hs'ing mother of four. What she said is this "get every thing you will need in place before the year starts. Get a big storage bin for each kid. Gather all science materials together and put them into ziplock bags with a label so you know what goes with what. Measure things out and put them in smaller bags. Take nothing for granted. I don't care if you use vinegar every single day for a life threatening condition. On the day you need it for science you are guaranteed to be out of vinegar."

[PeterPan]

That's too funny!!!

 

I've always worried that too much pre-planning would curb our spontaneity and keep us from doing the fun things we want. But now I'm realizing it's just the opposite.

[mcconnellboys]

We make a plan and stick to it, pretty much regardless of anything else in life. If we must go somewhere for some reason, the books come to and school continues in the car there and back. I keep a list of what we're doing each day in a planner and everything gets checked off as it gets done. I'm not sure how to make that easier except to just put blinders on and do school first and foremost each day. If I had a job outside my house, I'd have to go to it and spend xyz hours there doing that job each day. I look at school as the same thing: my job.

 

I try to keep science books and videos on hand so that if I don't feel like doing experiments for any reason, we at least can grab a book and learn about science (or watch science programming). There's a lot of great science stuff online now, too.