Suggestions to get it all done....

[Tabrett]

I am only getting LA and Math done. My dc and I are spent after we finish those subjects and it is taking 4 hours for us to get done. It is not taking 4 hours each, but it is taking me 4 hours. I am pretty sure my 2nd grader has ADD and is slightly dyslexic. She can't work without me sitting beside her and constantly redirecting her attention. She will start to drift or ask me a question that is totally off the wall. Some days are better that others, but I never know when she will have a good day.

 

My 1st grader is a boy..... he doesn't have any learning problems, but again, he is a boy and is more interested in Legos. So, I have to sit with both for every assignment. I have tried to do both of them at the same time, but that has been disastrous! My 2nd grader can't focus on anything with my 1st grader reading or me teaching a lesson. My preschooler tried coloring beside her today and she keep wanting to watch him and help him with his book.:glare:

 

It seems that 2 hours is the maximum amount of learning time their brain can take. Breaks don't seem to help. It is more like I am starting all over again to get them settled down.

 

Here is what they are doing:

2nd grader

1 page Cheerful Cursive

1 lesson of R&S Grammar orally or a write out sentences for her to create a worksheet.

1 section of R&S 2 Reader

One lesson in CW Primer (she really likes this)

1 MUS lesson

 

1st grader

1 RME lesson with the corresponding worksheets which consists of copywork, writing a

sentence and working with words.

Read aloud to me a chapter in an easy reader

1 page in Thinking Skills

1 MUS lesson

 

I am extremely consistent with the above, but feel like they are really loosing out. You can see in my siggy what else I have for them to do. It takes us from 9-2 including lunch to finish. When I add in the other subjects and/or my preschooler we are not done till 4.:001_huh:

 

How can I get the other subjects in before their brain is fried?.....:confused:

 

Also, my 4yo is getting left out completely!

[walkermamaof4]

I'll type up what we did in hopes someone who reads it can glean from it.

 

We have 4 - 2 boys and 2 girls. The oldest has severe learning disabilities and the youngest has mild RAD. So it isn't easy here either. The 2nd oldest dd also has math struggles.

 

First, I've floundered between having a school room and working downstairs. Working downstairs in the living room and kitchen is SO tempting for us. We prefer it in many ways. But, if we faithfully work in the school room diligently for about 1 week straight, it becomes very apparent to us that we can finish way more in much less time. Yes, more done in less total time. The distractions of downstairs just get us every time.

 

Second, I recently realized I wasn't doing enough to motivate mine to get done fast. And I was penalizing my hardest working dd11 by making her wait through everyone else's slowness, laziness, and bad attitudes. Let me explain:

 

Before, I had changed our wakeup time to 7 am and we all did chores, got dressed, and ate before school. If I moved chores till after school, I wa struggling with not checking up on them and chores getting done poorly if at all (my fault by I needed to fix it). The kids were taking so long to get this done!

 

So, I did a few changes. I set a firm time that they must be ready at 9am for group activities --science, history... Then, I left it up to them when to get up to do so. By ready, they only have to be dressed and in the schoolroom. It is up to them if they care to eat, pour a drink, do chores first, do math first, etc. But, they cannot, I repeat cannot, do these things during school! On day 1, lazies finished everything after school at 5:30 pm but speedy finished at 3pm. At 3pm I loudly announced to speedy that she was free to leave to go play with her cousins down the street. No further comments to anyone else really needed. On day 2, at 6:40 am I entered the kitchen to find THREE kids all with cleaning cloths in their hands doing their chores. Woohoo! These kids learn fast when they are motivated properly! One child that day got 30 mins detention after school for bad attitude in our boring guest room. They were allowed fine literature and nothing else. Next day, same kid had detention. Next day same thing. But each day that kid's attitude was really on the upswing!

 

Also, I started timing their chores. They got 1 Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chip per chore done well IF all chores were done in a timely manner. But, they got 0 chips if all chores were not completed quickly. Wow--guess what? Years of nagging are over. They hustle through those chores and do them well.

 

So, the moral of this story is, you must expect, you must inspect, and you must be 100% available to them while they do school in a quiet non-distracting place. But you must also make it very worthwhile to them to do so well.

 

The End of a true story. LOL. HTH.

[Farrar]

What's your routine? I'm having trouble picturing why it's taking so long. Is it because you keep switching off and no one is working when you're not one on one with them? Is it mostly just the kids stalling or working slowly?

 

One thing that has helped us this year is that I made a board with all our tasks for the whole week on it. When they finish a task, they take off the slip that says the task. I mostly did it for my little anxiety ball, who was always feeling stressed that he didn't understand just how much work there was. But I'm finding it's helping me get projects and little things done more. So, say, if I put 2 slips up that say, "a page in your logic book" up on the board, then it's sure to get done. If I put up "1 sentence of copywork" (heh, something we weren't so good about last year) then it's sure to happen. And if I put up "project" then I'm a lot more likely to prep the project for history and not skip it because it's on the board and they want to do it so they can take it off and clear their week. If I put up "narration" then I have to actually get around to doing the reading so they can do the narration... well, you get the idea.

 

It's also helped my kids feel more in control of their work. Even though I'm really guiding things, saying, things like, "You have to do at least this much of your math today," it has helped them feel like, "Okay, I'm going to do three pages of math today so I can skip it tomorrow." They've both been loading up all their Explode the Code work in one day to get it over with, which I'm fine with. I feel like that has helped a little with the dilly dallying. Also having them see when the end is has helped. Last week one of my sons wanted to finish early, so he did everything, working late one day, so he could take the last day off. Then he really enjoyed his extra morning.

[Caraway]

What's your routine? I'm having trouble picturing why it's taking so long. Is it because you keep switching off and no one is working when you're not one on one with them? Is it mostly just the kids stalling or working slowly?

 

One thing that has helped us this year is that I made a board with all our tasks for the whole week on it. When they finish a task, they take off the slip that says the task. I mostly did it for my little anxiety ball, who was always feeling stressed that he didn't understand just how much work there was. But I'm finding it's helping me get projects and little things done more. So, say, if I put 2 slips up that say, "a page in your logic book" up on the board, then it's sure to get done. If I put up "1 sentence of copywork" (heh, something we weren't so good about last year) then it's sure to happen. And if I put up "project" then I'm a lot more likely to prep the project for history and not skip it because it's on the board and they want to do it so they can take it off and clear their week. If I put up "narration" then I have to actually get around to doing the reading so they can do the narration... well, you get the idea.

 

It's also helped my kids feel more in control of their work. Even though I'm really guiding things, saying, things like, "You have to do at least this much of your math today," it has helped them feel like, "Okay, I'm going to do three pages of math today so I can skip it tomorrow." They've both been loading up all their Explode the Code work in one day to get it over with, which I'm fine with. I feel like that has helped a little with the dilly dallying. Also having them see when the end is has helped. Last week one of my sons wanted to finish early, so he did everything, working late one day, so he could take the last day off. Then he really enjoyed his extra morning.

 

Do you have any pictures? I think that this would really help ME. :001_unsure:

[mama25angels]

I'll type up what we did in hopes someone who reads it can glean from it.

 

We have 4 - 2 boys and 2 girls. The oldest has severe learning disabilities and the youngest has mild RAD. So it isn't easy here either. The 2nd oldest dd also has math struggles.

 

First, I've floundered between having a school room and working downstairs. Working downstairs in the living room and kitchen is SO tempting for us. We prefer it in many ways. But, if we faithfully work in the school room diligently for about 1 week straight, it becomes very apparent to us that we can finish way more in much less time. Yes, more done in less total time. The distractions of downstairs just get us every time.

 

Second, I recently realized I wasn't doing enough to motivate mine to get done fast. And I was penalizing my hardest working dd11 by making her wait through everyone else's slowness, laziness, and bad attitudes. Let me explain:

 

Before, I had changed our wakeup time to 7 am and we all did chores, got dressed, and ate before school. If I moved chores till after school, I wa struggling with not checking up on them and chores getting done poorly if at all (my fault by I needed to fix it). The kids were taking so long to get this done!

 

So, I did a few changes. I set a firm time that they must be ready at 9am for group activities --science, history... Then, I left it up to them when to get up to do so. By ready, they only have to be dressed and in the schoolroom. It is up to them if they care to eat, pour a drink, do chores first, do math first, etc. But, they cannot, I repeat cannot, do these things during school! On day 1, lazies finished everything after school at 5:30 pm but speedy finished at 3pm. At 3pm I loudly announced to speedy that she was free to leave to go play with her cousins down the street. No further comments to anyone else really needed. On day 2, at 6:40 am I entered the kitchen to find THREE kids all with cleaning cloths in their hands doing their chores. Woohoo! These kids learn fast when they are motivated properly! One child that day got 30 mins detention after school for bad attitude in our boring guest room. They were allowed fine literature and nothing else. Next day, same kid had detention. Next day same thing. But each day that kid's attitude was really on the upswing!

 

Also, I started timing their chores. They got 1 Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chip per chore done well IF all chores were done in a timely manner. But, they got 0 chips if all chores were not completed quickly. Wow--guess what? Years of nagging are over. They hustle through those chores and do them well.

 

So, the moral of this story is, you must expect, you must inspect, and you must be 100% available to them while they do school in a quiet non-distracting place. But you must also make it very worthwhile to them to do so well.

 

The End of a true story. LOL. HTH.

 

 

I love this!! I'm going to do some of this with my crew. I really love the after school detention for attitude.

[EmmaNZ]

Me too please!

[Tabrett]

What's your routine? I'm having trouble picturing why it's taking so long. Is it because you keep switching off and no one is working when you're not one on one with them? Is it mostly just the kids stalling or working slowly?

 

My 2nd grader can't focus. Even with me sitting beside her. I have to constantly point to her paper and say look here. Today was a bad day. Her handwriting was horrible on her copywork and she skipped a blank line on her writing sheet and on what she was to copy. She just can't keep focus with out me.

[ThreeBlessings]

OP- First and second graders are very young and imo 2 hours of school each is plenty. It is *very* challenging to school multiple children and run a household as well. I think the key to shortening your day will be to combine the kids for some subjects, rearrange your schedule, and perhaps to consider different materials for some things. Here's my suggestions-

 

1. Oral grammar together, I suggest Simply Grammar which is short, easy, and can be done completely orally. I used this with my two and they enjoyed making silly sentences aloud. Maximum time-15 minutes as you literally stop there and pick up where you left of the next day. You can choose to only do this 2-3 days a week. This is plenty of grammar for a 1st and 2nd grader. This is meant to be fun and it is perfectly okay for them to laugh and distract each other a bit. You'd be surprised how much they retain because they are actually using the grammar they are learning to create their own sentences.

 

2. Schedule your Chemistry to be done together on 2 days a week you are not doing grammar together.

 

3. Schedule your History to be done together on the 2-3 days a week you are doing grammar together.

 

4. If they can not do Math together at all, do their Math separately after you get the together work done. Have one child work on anything else they can independently while you work with the other. I'm not clear from your post if the older child's reading and CW is done independently? It sounds like you have to be right there keeping her on task and she can't work while you are teaching the other as it is distracting? If she can't do these things while you are doing Math with the younger then perhaps have her getting something else important done, like her bath for the day, or chores.

 

5. Consider doing the reading portion at bedtime instead of during the day. This way you can get to household responsibilities or the preschooler quicker, and still get the reading done.

 

6. I don't think the CW and Thinking Skills needs done everyday, consider only doing these 3 days a week. Then you can free up time to add in Art 1-2 days a week. We are currently only doing Art 1 day a week, though we've done it 2 days a week in the past. You can only fit in what you can fit in, but once a week is better than none. Also I would totally combine them for Art. It is okay if they are being silly or distracting each other a little. Art is fun. :)

 

7. Consider working with your preschooler on the weekends. They are perfectly happy with short activities and adding this to your days when you have school off wouldn't take up much time. This will help you feel as though the preschooler is still getting time with you and not getting left out of the learning. You could schedule 15-20 once or twice a day for Saturday, or Sunday, or Saturday and Sunday-whichever works for you.

Edited November 21, 2011 by ThreeBlessings

[ThreeBlessings]

You might also consider shortening the copywork and handwriting for your 2nd grader by half. It is okay to shorten the work and doing so might even help her progress more quickly in her skills. Quality over quantity. Help her really focus on half the amount of work. This will help you feel more able to keep her on task as it will shorten the time you need to do so.

[Farrar]

Do you have any pictures? I think that this would really help ME. :001_unsure:

 

There are pictures on my blog about it here from when we first got the system going.

 

It's still working. Sometimes when I want them to do something else, I'll actually tack a worksheet or something to the board - lately, I've had Mushroom doing Math Line Designs, for example, to practice addition and subtraction facts. And I've tweaked some of the little task slips, but that's easy. I realized I should have made some blank ones so I could write things in later, but I did make task slips that just say "something else."

 

Here's what's on the slips, more or less:

one page of.... (specific math book, phonics book, logic book, writing book, etc.)

one lesson of... (specific program, etc. etc.)

20 mins free reading

project

history/science read aloud book

video

one game or puzzle

one computer game

spelling test

history/science narration

one sentence copywork

 

Almost everything we use is open and go, so I'm not sure how well this would work for more scripted programs and I'm sure it's not for everyone, but for us it has been good. I think forcing myself to put things like "one game or puzzle" in there also keeps it so that the kids are changing up what they do and makes sure we do things like play math games.

[RootAnn]

Tabrett - I completely know what you are dealing with. :grouphug:

 

Some people have kids that can do something by themselves without you being "at elbow." (They don't tend to understand those of us who can't get our kids to wipe their rear ends by themselves ... er, better stop there :001_huh:.) My oldest couldn't until 3rd grade and even then, it was ONE subject (GWG) for 15 minutes. She's better now, two years later, but other people have 5 yr olds that stay on task better than she can.

 

I have no magical words of wisdom. What have you tried in terms of order, since doing things "at the same time" isn't working? Have you tried having the two younger kids playing while you get all of 2nd grader's (LA/math) work done? Then, switch to the oldest playing with the youngest while you do 1st grader's work? Then, while 2nd/1st grader go off to cause trouble together, you do 15 minutes of work with the 4 yr old? (My kids aren't ready for any type of 'school' except crafts/drawing/Play-Doh at 4, so I still only have 3 "school-agers" to work with. Not sure what I'm going to do when older ds is ready for schoolwork.) Is this what you are doing now?

 

:glare: Does it seem to matter which order to do them in? (I.e., does 1st grader work quicker in the morning if he's first than if he has to wait for you to get to him?) Are you going back and forth between them? (One kid for one subject, next kid for his/her first subject, original kid for #2 subject, etc.?)

 

Can you do your non-math/LA in the evenings for an hour 2-3x/week? :001_unsure:

 

Seriously, at 1st/2nd grade, the non-LA/math stuff is totally optional.

 

And, I can tell you, it'll get better. Eventually. Not great. But better. (Although, you'll have different challenges & will still feel like pulling your hair out.) :willy_nilly:

 

:grouphug:

[MerryAtHope]

I had similar issues when my kids were 1st and 3rd grades, and both needed lots of direction and help, often with me sitting right by them. Some things that have helped:

 

1, I let the 1st grader play with math manipulatives for math about every other day. She still learned tons that year, and I think the manipulative play time actually helped give her good conceptual knowledge of math, even though she was "just playing."

 

2, Do as much writing, outside of handwriting, as you need to. I scribed math for my kids in the early days because it was much faster. Then when they got used to getting their work done faster, I started having us "take turns" writing to gradually give this responsibility over to them, until they could do it. This was a process.

 

3, "Racing." Once I had talked through/demonstrated what to do (on math or on handwriting etc...), I would say, "Let's see who can get done first, you with your math, or me folding this basket of laundry. Ready....go!" They loved trying to beat me and it helped them to focus. I was still right there to watch handwriting format or to help as needed.

 

I didn't start workboxes until my kids were older, but that has really helped them to focus and stay on track. The act of physically seeing the drawers completed and moving the velcro stickers encouraged them to stay on track too. The link has pics & a description of ours.

 

Breaks never worked here either. I usually read science or history first, then did seat-work, and read literature at night before bed. That's how we got the other subjects in.

 

Considering the concentration struggles, I think I'd just do the CW Primer & skip R&S grammar for now. Or do grammar 2-3 times per week instead of daily. But I'm not big on grammar for young children, especially those who are struggling through other things, and especially not if it means losing out on reading aloud history, science, or especially literature.

 

Hope you can find a way to make things go a bit more smoothly! Merry :-)

[Walking-Iris]

I understand the feeling that you're not getting it all done. I have an 8 year old, 4 year old, and 16 month old. I also feel that my 4 year old is missing out some days. What has been working for me is an improvised form of the workbox system. Instead of daily boxes, I have weekly boxes. Everything that we are going to do that week are in the drawers for ds8 and I have put some handwriting practice (alphabet, letter and number formation) and some fun Montessori style math manipulatives, some games or puzzles and some arts& crafts ideas in my ds4 drawer. Even my dd has a drawer with some baby Einstein cards and a LeapPad Little Touch, right next to her bin full of toys and blocks.

 

I'm trying to cover the basics in the morning (LA/math) before I need to attend to my dd (nursing/nap etc). My "littles" do a good job of playing on their own nearby while ds8 sits with me. We alternate what we do each day. Grammar 3 days a week, spelling daily, HWT cursive twice, Wordly Wise once a week, math daily---and so on. I also let my ds work in one book until it's done (he knocked out the last two books in ETC in a week---he just really liked it and kept at it) I feel that there's really no need to spread some things out the whole year. We're working through our grammar and I hope to be done with it by next "semester" so that we can move on to something else.

 

I also alternate weeks. One week we work on technical skills (grammar/usage etc) and the next week we do literature studies and writing.

 

I try to do a chapter of SOTW a week. We usually read (history, lit or science) in the afternoon after a nap (for dd) and free time for the boys. Sometimes I take that free time to remember I have a house :tongue_smilie: and other days I'll focus on ds4. I let my ds4 do science and SOTW with us---he colors the ag pictures too and on more than one occasion he was more interested in the activity than my ds8. Same with science, I try to adapt anything to include my 4 year old.

 

Also I made a new rule for myself this year---I'm not doing anything (program, lesson plan, activity idea etc) that I learn about in the middle of the year---it distracts. If I find a cool book or something I'm saving it until the next year's planning. We have gone off on too many tangents. For music and art at this age---just play some music in the background, look at a cool art book etc. No pressure.

[lea1]

I will be teaching 1st to my two same age sons soon and I have been thinking through how I will get everything done in a reasonable amount of time. One would think it would be relatively easy, since they are both doing most of the same things together, but it seems that, when working with two, everything just takes longer (funny how that happens).

 

I currently do read-aloud, phonics (OPGTR), memory work and Bible/Character Study together while we are sitting together on the couch. Then we move to the kitchen island and we sit side by side at the counter. They each pick out which pages of Miquon they want to work on and I sit between them so I can watch both, keep them on task and provide assistance. This is actually working out quite nicely. I prefer it if they are picking out different pages to work on so I don't have to worry about them trying to watch what the other is doing. We also do Singapore 1a but we are taking a break from it for a while to work on the Miquon Orange book.

 

After we finish with math, one of them works on his penmanship (HWT) while the other one reads aloud to me from a reader. We still sit at the counter with one on each side of me and we sit very close together so I can watch both. Sometimes I have to stop the reader so I can talk to the writer for a minute or two. So far, this is working out quite nicely, which is great because we were not fitting in them reading aloud to me when they were both doing their writing work at the same time. Of course, this extended our time a bit each day but I can already see the pay off so it is definitely worth it.

 

Currently, it is taking us around 2 hours to do:

1. Read-aloud (I read to them)

2. Bible/character study

3. Memory work

4. Phonics

5. Math

6. Penmanship

7. Read-aloud (them to me)

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to add in history, geography, science, art, grammar (FLL) and composition (WWE). It is definitely a challenge.

 

You have gotten a lot of really good tips. I'm going to use some of them myself.:tongue_smilie:

[Walking-Iris]

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to add in history, geography, science, art, grammar (FLL) and composition (WWE). It is definitely a challenge.

 

You have gotten a lot of really good tips. I'm going to use some of them myself.:tongue_smilie:

 

I have found that it works well to do these extra subjects in the afternoons assigned to certain days. Maybe the FLL/WWE three afternoons a week---or one 3 days and the other 2 days. History 1 or 2 days a week as well as science. Also I try to read aloud or watch documentaries that have a science/history etc bent to them so we're getting some incidental learning in that way. Something is always being missed though!!!

[FairProspects]

I have found that it works well to do these extra subjects in the afternoons assigned to certain days. Maybe the FLL/WWE three afternoons a week---or one 3 days and the other 2 days. History 1 or 2 days a week as well as science. Also I try to read aloud or watch documentaries that have a science/history etc bent to them so we're getting some incidental learning in that way. Something is always being missed though!!!

 

How do those of you who schedule these in the afternoons handle activities and playdates? My plan was to do science in the afternoons but it is just not happening, because after 3 pm all of ds's friends come over or we have Tae Kwon Do. Ds was not quite so social last year so I was not anticipating this issue, but we are having a hard time fitting in all in too, especially since we also do quiet time. Do those who work in the afternoon also have quiet time or no?

[Walking-Iris]

How do those of you who schedule these in the afternoons handle activities and playdates? My plan was to do science in the afternoons but it is just not happening, because after 3 pm all of ds's friends come over or we have Tae Kwon Do. Ds was not quite so social last year so I was not anticipating this issue, but we are having a hard time fitting in all in too, especially since we also do quiet time. Do those who work in the afternoon also have quiet time or no?

 

Usually it only takes an hour or two in the afternoon to do something extra. we read our SOTW during my 16 month old's nap---and we aim for one chapter a week. By afternoon I mean after lunch---12-3 is plenty of time to do some science one or two days a week---or even on the weekend---I don't do every subject everyday. You can also watch a movie/documentary together in the evening or have audiobooks/music playing during the day or in the car.

 

My baby dd takes naps but I don't do "quiet time"---it just never works in our family to require certain times for that---they just know to play a quieter game or read if sister is asleep or if it's too early in the morning or near bedtime to get crazy.

[2squared]

School work seems to take us too long as well, but I prefer to work mostly one-on-one at these early ages. I have decided to focus on the 3Rs, and I decide how much time to spend on each item every day. So, for instance, my 4th grader spends 30 mins on RS D and my 2nd grader spends 25 min on RS C. My 4th grader reads independently for 40 min and my 2nd grader reads to me for 10 min every day. I manage the clock and make sure we take small bites working our way forward in the 3Rs.

 

Everything else gets covered mostly through read alouds and nature study. Some day my olders will be more independent and my littles won't be little anymore. Life will look different then.

[TengoFive]

We have swimming 4 evenings per week, so we do history or science on the way there and the way back. I really, really like having a captive audience who have very little else to do other than listen to Jim Weiss read Story of the World. We do map work and narrations on the way as well. It's one of the best ways I've found to make sure we get those subjects done. It's also worked wonderfully for us to have time to discuss the subjects. I don't have anything else to be doing, so I can answer any questions they have.

 

If we go somewhere as a family with dh driving, I'll read their science textbook and have them narrate it. I adore carschooling.

 

How do those of you who schedule these in the afternoons handle activities and playdates? My plan was to do science in the afternoons but it is just not happening, because after 3 pm all of ds's friends come over or we have Tae Kwon Do. Ds was not quite so social last year so I was not anticipating this issue, but we are having a hard time fitting in all in too, especially since we also do quiet time. Do those who work in the afternoon also have quiet time or no?

[Laura W.]

I am pretty sure my 2nd grader has ADD and is slightly dyslexic.

 

In my experience, this has a huge impact on schooling. I have a ds with ADD and mild dyslexia, and two other dc with ADD. If you can find the tools/techniques to help your dc with her focus, and the right approach to help her in overcoming the challenges of dyslexia, that will help your days go more smoothly.

 

For us, medication has been one of the tools we've found effective. Before that, it was a real struggle for my ds who had both ADD and dyslexia. He processed things slowly due to dyslexia, but then would lose his focus as he was processing (due to the ADD). At that point, he would have to regain his focus and begin processing again. (Compounding my frustration was that he "looked" like he was focused, even when he wasn't, so it was hard to tell when he was drifting and help get him refocused). It was very stressful for him, too, and he really struggled with anxiety because he couldn't remember facts or even what he had been processing a few minutes before. Each day, after he had refocused a number of times, he would be mentally exhausted and just "freeze", in tears and unable to do any more work that day. Now, with medication and with some math and language arts curricula that are Orton-Gillingham style, he's doing much better, getting a lot more work done in a less time.

 

Other ladies had great tips on scheduling and combining - those things will help you, too.

 

Blessings as you work through all this.

 

Laura

Edited November 27, 2011 by Laura W.