Slipper Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) My husband is worried that I'm short-changing our daughter. ;) We started last week, so we're still working out the kinks but we finish in about 2 1/2 - 3 hours unless we have some type of project. We do math (MUS) and reading (MBTP) every day. After that, we do religion (she reads a Bible story and then writes a short summary and draws a picture - she loves to draw). We also do ETC - a full lesson (about 8 pages or so). The reading program covers science and social studies. Every other day we do history. On Fridays (Fine Arts Fridays lol) we do an art project, music study and work on her theatre songs (she does Children's Theatre) - (this is after math and reading). We could probably squeeze more things into the day without problem but it's not needed. She enjoys her work and does it quickly and well. She's also been my stressed out kid who really just needs a break. She isn't behind in the slightest. We just finish quickly. She also reads (for fun and some are fluffy books) about 200 pages a day. Am I missing anything? Because I am really enjoying our laid back schedule. ETA - we plan to homeschool year round. Edited January 9, 2012 by Slipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 On average: Bible: 30 minutes Math: 45 minutes Language Arts: @ 1 hour 15 min (phonics [ETC], AAS, WWE, FLL, reading) History/science (MWF history, T/R Science) 30 minutes We also do piano (30 minutes) and read aloud at bed and Spanish when we get to it. So, 3-4 hours M-R, but Fri's are normally shorter 2-2.5 depending on our history project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I spend about 3 hrs with dd. This is working 10-20 mins at a time through out the day. We do Bible, Math, Spelling, Handwriting, Language, Journal, Reading, History, Latin, Science, and Art. Some subjects are not done everyday though. What you're doing looks good to me for a 1st grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpidarkomama Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Right now DS6 does: 90 minutes - davening (prayers), torah stories, songs, and Jewish law 30 minutes - math 60 minutes - reading, writing, Explode the Code 20 minutes - Hebrew Chemistry experiments, art projects, history map work, and recorder lessons as we fit them in. Science & history are our bedtime stories. On Fridays we only do Jewish studies, so the first and last things listed above. We school year-round too. I'm with you. I really dislike it whenever we have a day that is all crammed in. Having the empty spaces and playtime is really important! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 ...She also reads (for fun and some are fluffy books) about 200 pages a day... I'm feeling a little inadequate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace'smom Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 What's MBTP stand for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Wizards Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I haven't actually timed it, but 3 hours sounds like a lot to me. I'm pretty sure it's not that long. :iagree: We don't do anywhere near 3 hours/day in 1st grade (and didn't with my current 5th grader either - hasn't seemed to hurt her. ;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 We are doing Heart of Dakota and we spent 2 1/2 hours doing school today. It was a pretty typical day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 1.5-2 hours. We have even been known to get it done in an hour if he is motivated. We don't have a dedicated phonics program any more, he reads at an 8th grade level (decoding abilities). He reads for 15-20 minutes a day. That is usually 2+ books. He does not like to read uet, so I require, but I dont push. We cover a full math lesson, 1-2 grammar lessons, memory work and history timeline, and dictation or handwriting daily. We alternate science and history. The rest of the day OS pastime woth legos, playdough, paints, computer or Wii games, the dog, guinea pig, and lots of time with sister. We also do extracurriculars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 3 hrs sounds like a lot for a 1st grader, but I think it depends on the child, their gender, how old they were at the start of 1st grade, etc. My 2nd grader still only does 2 hrs of schoolwork each day (plus 30 min piano practice and countless hrs reading). She is ahead of grade level and progressing very quickly with only 2 hrs of daily work. When dd7 was in 1st grade, we always did a full 2 hrs of schoolwork followed by 15-20 min of piano practice. That doesn't include daily reading since she was reading chapter books independently (rather than reading aloud to me). She was 6 1/2 at the start of 1st grade. With my current 1st grader (ds6), we started the year doing about 1 1/2 hrs of schoolwork each day, but split into two 45 min blocks with a play break in between. He turned 6 right when we started 1st grade. We have gradually worked up to a full 2 hrs of schoolwork, but he still takes a break. We do an hour of work in the morning and then an hour in the afternoon. He also reads aloud to me for 10 min at bedtime, but won't start piano until the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathy_overman Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 This is our 1st year and we have tried a HUGE variety of curricula. One DS, 9, loves the CLE approach. I love that it requires so little instruction on my part. I just asked him if he likes the CLE format, and his response was: 'yeah, I love it.' I am thinking ahead to 4th grade, and wondering if I should just go with all the CLE products? Now, we are using Reading, Social Studies, and Bible, and yes it is very conservative, but I am not sure I really mind that. We are using Singapore w/ a little MM, which we may stick with, but I have heard great things about CLE math? Just curious if there are others who use many of the CLE products for different subjects? What are your thoughts on the 4th grade products? What subjects do you use, and what others do you add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 MBTP is Moving Beyond the Page. It's a different program than many use, but I liked it because it had a lot of reading involved. (We like SOTW for the same reason). I come from a family that loves to read. lol Most of the books now are Junie B Jones, Ready Freddy, etc. She just recently started the Boxcar Children and is looking at Geronimo Stilton books. She wants to try the first Harry Potter (which I think is too long for her, but I'm letting her try - our middle daughter didn't read Harry Potter until 3rd grade). I'm trying to substitute books that have a bit more substance - she recently read books about Lincoln, Sacagawea (sp?), etc. The easier books read faster because they become predictable. She turned 7 this past December and like our middle daughter, her reading went from simple readers this summer to easy chapter books within a few months. It's like a switch flipped. She enjoys school and loves to read and loves math - so those are easy to get out of the way. Thanks for all the responses. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathy_overman Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 oops, I posted my reply in the wrong place ... sorry for the interference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) We do about 3 hours of lessons per day. In addition he does 30 - 45 minutes piano practice 5 days per week (he gets one day off and one day is lesson instead of practice), and an hour to an hour and a half about 5 days per week of read aloud time. This includes me reading aloud and him reading aloud to me. Then he has 20-30 minutes of reading per day (about 5 days per week) on his own. I will say that it really helps that his dad helps out and participates with the lessons. Dad helps out by doing MEP math, a father/son read aloud, and piano with him so he spends about an hour to an hour and a half with him about 5 times per week on these subjects. He's also able to fill in for me on most subjects if I have to work so we don't get too behind. He's able to do this because I keep him up to date on our subjects and what we're doing and he looks over his work every few days as well. My guy turned 7 in November so he is an older first grader, but he is doing mostly second grade work. Last year was kindergarten and he was doing mostly 1st grade work. We spent about the same amount of time but we did more projects. Edited January 9, 2012 by Cindyz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I guess it all depends on what one counts as school. :001_smile: At our house, we consider higher order play (for e.g.--a kid builds a fort out of blankets, calls it a restaurant, writes up a menu, serves up imaginary food) to be educational. I really value David Elkind's book, "The Power of Play." I spend just over an hour with my ds6 doing the academic work of learning phonics, handwriting, spelling, and math. I don't know how much time we spend reading--it seems like quite a bit, though. I read to him, his Dad reads to him, he looks at books on his own. We have Bible time, audio book time. When a kid is in 1st grade, his curiosity will naturally impel most of the day toward learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It usually takes us about 2 hours... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Last year, first grade took about 1.5-2 hours. We did the 3R's, plus history, science, and Bible. I wouldn't want to spend any longer than I did, as I'd rather chuck him outside to play most of the day. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIS0320 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 3ish hours for us daily. We do a large 2- 3 hour chunk in the afternoon during the littles nap time and she completes more independent work in the morning when I'm distracted with the other kids (handwriting, copywork, calendar, solo reading). We alternate history and science every other day. Copywork Simple dictation into her writing journal Handwriting Spelling (PR 1) I read aloud to her (literature) She reads aloud to me Math Lesson - SM textbook/whiteboard followed by workbook Math Sheets in MM if she needs more review Math Game 2x per week Science reading, narrations, experiments, Intellego unit work History - Reading, narrations, crafts/recipes, artwork, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Probably 2 hours, but split up with a couple of breaks. The two hours does not include the time he reads on his own or aloud to me, or the time I read aloud to him. That would add at least an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) Your 1st grader does her basic school work, fine arts and reads 200 pages per day and you're wondering if that's enough? :001_huh: My 1st grader probably averages 1.5-2 hrs of actual bookwork everyday plus lots of time with puzzles, Legos, drawing, taking hikes, extracurricular activities, etc. His reading consists of "Go, Dog, Go!" or yet another Biscuit story to his little sister for the millionth time, LOL. He typically reads one short chapter out of something like "Frog and Toad" to me each day. Edited January 9, 2012 by Wabi Sabi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It's probably around 3 hours for Sylvia, 3.5-4 for Rebecca. This is counting all reading too. Sylvia might come in a little under 3 hours because I often send her to play while I do grammar with Rebecca. But sometimes she spends that time reading (book basket or SL). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 That time allotment sounds pretty typical. My rule for both my kids (1st and 3rd grade), is that 9 am - 3 pm is school time, minus a short break and a thirty-minute lunch. Our academics do not always take five hours, but my rule is that between those hours, any extra time after our formal schoolwork is complete must be invested into one of a number of approved choices. Approved choices include: - free reading - piano practice - drawing or painting - math fact practice (including "Math Rider" computer game) - typing practice (children's program on the computer) - educational or strategic/logic board games (Othello, chess, Chunks, Allowance, Tower of Hanoi, etc.) They also have a number of "free time" workbooks, Evan-Moor type things, that they can peruse at their leisure during this time. Sometimes it surprises me what will interest them. My daughter spent several weeks investing time each day with an Evan-Moor 3rd grade nonfiction reading practice book I picked up at some point. It just had nonfiction articles to read with comprehension questions. She really liked it. Most days at 3:30 or 4 we have some kind of extracurricular activity planned so it really makes for a very full day with not much time wasted as far as I'm concerned. Fridays I let them off early. We have a homeschool ice skating session at 1pm and they get the rest of the afternoon off until Girl Scouts at 4 pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Your 1st grader does her basic school work, fine arts and reads 200 pages per day and you're wondering if that's enough? :001_huh: I actually have to :iagree: with that...Is the 200 pages a day a typo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Our first grader gets every sugject in and can complete her work in an hour and a half if she wants to. Sometimes we take a little longer if doing a big project with her older brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 If we focus:001_smile:, the three r's take an hour tops. Then we spend 20-30 min on a "content area" (science, history, lit) most days. Sometimes we do some music(mmpt), or go visit the zoo or the library. With her being your only child at home for school hours, if I'm reading your sig correctly, you are able to get a lot done with her working one on one...as opposed to her being one of many in a classroom. If your DH is thinking that she is doing school for only half the time she would be at regular school, he may not have taken that into account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 My 1st grader does school from about 6 AM - 9:30 AM and it only takes us that long because he gets off track so easily. About an hour of that is us reading Read-Alouds to him, it is not all "work". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Unless you count listening to books my grade 1 student only does about an hour a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) We go all year 'round and I figure we spent about two hours a day in first grade. Right now I have a k'er who gets about an hour a day plus read alouds, and a second grader (working at 3-4 grade level) and she does about three hours a day. And reads for pleasure afterwards (standardized testing put her at an eighth grade reading level). Homeschool is just more efficient. Our rule is that when school is done you can either read or do something educational. No 'fun' only stuff until after dinner. EDITED TO ADD: Oh, and heck yeah a good bit of that time is taken up because the kid looses focus and gets off track. Like starts doodling in her math work or trying to get me dragged into a discussion off topic. Or is 'on break' because he or she is 'starving' or 'thirsty' or goes to the bathroom and never comes back and needs to be tracked down......... Edited January 10, 2012 by Rainefox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Feel free to check my blog for more info. There is always a great sense of excitement in the beginning and if this is your first week - enjoy it!! The "novelty" may or may not wear off so enjoy the eagerness :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 We do school 6 days a week, and pretty much year round. One hour of phonics, writing, reading (her to me), spelling, and math. Basically the three R's. Another 30-60 minutes of me reading aloud to her. I read aloud for history, and science is nature study and interest led. A LOT of our schooling is in the field trips we take...just this past week we've been to botanical gardens, a birds of prey sanctuary, Legoland, the historical area of our city, a working chicken farm, the lake shore, and plenty of parks, playgrounds, and whatnot. Honestly, I think that three hours of seat work is a LOT for a new 7 year old. :001_huh: Even if she is doing ok with that amount of work, she may need to slow down a little in a few months...and that would be totally ok. Just her reading so much everyday is a sign that she is doing great!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I actually have to :iagree: with that...Is the 200 pages a day a typo? Well, no. I didn't realize it was unusual. I come from a family of huge and eager readers. She reads two 'little' chapter books a day if we have them (Magic Tree House, Junie B Jones, Ready Freddy, etc). We usually have a few small books (30 pages or so) that we read during school work or just to read out loud. Today she read a Junie B Jones, Little Grunt and the Big Egg, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and If You Give a Pig a Pancake. That wasn't 200 but she also had a magazine come in (Spider) and read from that a while. The most she has read was 240 pages in a day. The only reason I know of the pages was because I started writing down what she read daily as part of my homeschooling notes. Her comprehension is good for simple chapter books. Our carpool run is 45 minutes in the morning and afternoon. She usually takes that time to read her chapter books. My middle daughter is a huge reader as well. We taught our oldest to read, but she's mostly on a first grade level which is very good for her. :) I was a big reader when I was young (still am when I have time) and so was my brother and sister. I guess it just runs in the family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I also wanted to mention that we take lots of breaks. She was stressed at school and I want this to be easy and fun. My husband was worried that perhaps we're having TOO much fun. lol I'm happy to hear that we're not being slackers. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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