Would you share your daily routine/schedule?

[Random]

I'm having trouble working out our schedule for next year. Would you mind sharing what your day looks like?

 

I'm especially interested if your children's ages are similar to mine: 5th, 3rd, 1st and Pre-K. ;)

 

I'm also very curious as to how other homeschooling parents divide one-on-one instruction time among each child throughout the day.

[2_girls_mommy]

This year I have a 2nd and 4th grader, so next year I will have a 3rd and 5th grader. I don't have the youngers to teach as well. But this is our current schedule: I don't have next year's for 3rd and 5th figured out yet. We will be adding a couple of subjects, so I don't know the specifics of how each will work yet. But it will be the same type of thing.

 

9:00 am:

dd7: work with mom on spelling and phonics and handwriting and English

dd9: do spelling workbook independently

 

9:10

dd7: continue w/mom

dd9: do handwriting sheet, copywork, or memorywork (she asks me daily which to do)

 

9:40

dd7: keep working with mom

dd9: writing time. This work comes from assignments that are from the day before or that are continueing projects. Like if we had history yesterday she can work on her written narration. If it was science and she didn't finish her paper, she can write it now. If she is working on a writing assignment from English this is the time. If nothing then she can either write a pen pal letter or work in her geography workbook. Most days she has something to work on.

 

10:00 am

dd7 continue any workbook work on her own

dd9: math lesson w/mom if L.A. stuff is completed

 

10:30 am

dd7 : English w/mom

dd9: independent math work

 

11:00 am

dd9: silent assigned reading time

dd7: continue working w/mom

 

11:30 am

dd9: latin

dd7: continue working w/mom unless I am working w/dd9 on Latin lesson that day.

***** one day a week we do a music lesson in this time period w/both

 

12:00

Lunch for all

 

12:30

I read aloud to them while they finish lunch and unload the dishwasher

 

12:45

they play outside, sometimes I go out with them and organize a game

 

1:15

dd7: continue with daily work wherever she is.

dd9: English lesson with me for about 5 min, then does the work on her own

 

1:45

dd9 piano practice

 

2:00

dd9 silent reading time

dd7: piano practice, then silent reading time

 

3:00

afternoon subject depending on day

Mon: art

Tues/Thurs: history

Wed: science

 

FYI::: My odd finds a schedule very comforting and does like very much to have the hours broken down to the minute. She thrives in this type of environment and I find that it helps me to stay on track too, though being off doesn't bother me like it does her.

 

We have a homework time sometime in the evening for any work that wasn't completed during the day which is usually math for the older and that is when dd7 will read aloud to me. My ydd does not need times broken down and regulated so much. She really just needs me one on one with her still. So between my times w/the older I sit with her through her work at whatever pace she is working on. So her subjects are more fluid. Somedays she will get several things done in the morning and be almost finished for the day. Sometimes not.

[Ellie]

When we started hsing (Easter break of first grade, when I took older dd out of school), my dc were almost 7 and almost 4. There was almost of year of extremely relaxed homeschooling as I allowed older dd to find herself again. :-)

 

When we eventually were doing a little more formal stuff, one dc messed with stuff at one end of the kitchen table while I helped the other dd on the other end. I purposely chose very few things that required me to spend totally uninterrupted, long amounts of face time with either dc (Spalding was the only exception, really). I didn't mind if one dc went to goof off while I was working with the other. :-)

[heidirenata]

We have a soon to be K and 2nd grader. We never look at the clock and schedules don't work for us because hubby and I both work an on call job but we do have a relaxed routine.

 

Wake up

Independent Math DD7 (DD5 is usually still sleeping)

Coffee/Discussion of the Day's plan

Wake up DD5

Breakfast

Morning stuff (get dressed/brush teeth etc)

LA - Phonics, Spelling, Copywork, Handwriting

Bible Lesson

(If it's still really early we do science here)

Play outside before lunch

Lunch while listening to an Audiobook

Foreign Language

Independent Reading DD 7 while I work on reading or math with DD5

Art

History or Science

Read Aloud

Afternoon Snack

More Read Aloud or Play outside again depending on the weather we also do more art, puzzles or a project or science experiment.

Independent Help (from Mom or Dad on whatever needs to be worked on) while other child reads or plays reading eggs.

Free play or Family Game

Dinner

Family Game or Movie

Read Aloud before Bed

 

If DH and I are both home we work with DDs separately too because both are at their own levels in math.

Our schedule changes a lot because some days we have piano lessons, swim lessons, girl scouts etc etc but the routine primarily stays the same. If we are not home at those times we skip and just make them up later. We school year round so we don't worry too much if we only have a half day sometimes.

[Random]

Thank you...I appreciate seeing the differences. It's fascinating that different styles can all work so well.

 

Most of our school work can be done independently, (except spelling ;) ) as well. That way, I can sort-of float around and answer a few questions for whoever needs it, rather than only working through one subject/one kid at a time.

[Heidi]

I have a daily checklist that I want to accomplish instead of a set schedule.

 

Some things are independent, most are not at the age of my kids.

 

Generally:

 

We eat breakfast

Read scriptures together

Both girls start on math. (semi-independent)

~Break when math is completed~

 

Then in no particular order each child has:

copywork (independent)

Phonics/spelling/grammar (teacher intensive)

kid reads outloud to me (teacher intensive) or silent read/narrate (semi-independent)

 

@ 10am we stop what we're doing have have devotional: scripture/charater story, sing song/hymn, recite memory scripture

 

...then continue working with short breaks in between each subject.

 

They can go play when they are done.

 

Lunch time

 

After lunch: poetry, nature journal, history, read alouds, piano, etc. Not all of these, just one or two a day.

 

We only school 4 days a week, so whatever we don't get to on the checklist gets moved to a non-school day.

 

A lot of times piano and read alouds get moved to when everyone, the littles mainly, are in bed.

[Momling]

Every day is a little different because my girls go to a homeschool support PS part time. In general, we think of school as being from 9-3, with afterschool activities and then homework after dinner. History and science are independent 3 days a week and project oriented once/week.

 

8:00 Wake up, get ready for day

8:45 I take 8 yr old for classes, 10 yr old starts math independently .

9:00 Math lesson for 10 yr old.

10:00 Language arts lesson for 10 yr old

11:00 Science work (independent)

11:30 History work (independent)

12:00 Pick up younger daughter, eat lunch

1:00 - 3:00 Latin, typing, piano for 10 yr old

1:00 - 3:00 Language arts and history for 8 yr old

3:00-4:00 Free time

4:00-5:00 Ballet or tennis

5:00 - 7:00 Free time, eat dinner

7:00-8:00 "homework" (fun math (LOF/BA), handwriting, spelling/vocab)

8:00-9:00 Get ready for bed, read in bed until 9.

 

Other than bedtime, I don't worry about the actual times... I do try to get all the subjects done, though I often have to shift something over to the next day.

[SuperDad]

We too have more of a routine than a schedule. I have tried over and over to implement schedules, but they just don't work around here. It's impossible for me to get six kids plus myself all on the same page at the same time.

 

KEY: "little ones" are dd(3) and dd(5); "twins" are dd(8) and dd(8); "olders" or "older ones" are dd(13) and dd(14). Also note that throughout our homeschool day the oldest four tutor/play with their younger siblings to make my job easier.

 

With that said, here is basically how it goes most days. Dw and I wake up quite early to exercise, pray, string words together into sentences, etc. The youngest four then wake up and spend a bit of time with their mom before she goes to work (or down to our home office). Once dw is out, I get the kids ready for the day and pop in to make sure the older two are awake. I then take the youngest four for a quick walk outside to get their energy out (if it's rainy or cold, they just play for a little while). Then we'll do a readaloud. By this time, the oldest two are up and ready and we do our family Circle Time (faith, recitation, family readalouds, etc. etc.). Circle Time takes about an hour. After Circle Time, I'll set the youngest two to play and then I'll work directly with the twins. Once the twins are good to go, I'll do PreK/K with the little ones but still be nearby in case the twins need help. At this point, it's usually around 11:00 (but that time varies) and I'll fix a snack for everyone (we're not big breakfast people, so our "three meals of the day" are midmorning snack, late lunch, and dinner). After the snack is over (kids often eat while working), I'll check in with the twins again and then do any lessons with the olders that I need to. While everyone finishes their work independently (or in pairs), I'll get lunch going (our lunch is our main meal, with dinner being smaller). Once lunch is going, I'll bring the family together again to finish up anything else that needs to get done together. Then we'll eat lunch while listening to a readaloud or doing a "lunchtime lesson".

 

After lunch, it is quiet/rest time with all kids in bedrooms. Kids are free to read or do as they wish but MUST do so silently and in their bedrooms. Oftentimes the oldest two will be finishing up their lessons during this time. I assist them as needed or else take care of anything else that needs to get done and generally regroup for the rest of the day. Once quiet/nap time is over, kids may do as they please. This is also instrument practice time. At some point in the afternoon we usually (not always) have tea time. I take kids to any activities outside of the house. Right before dinner, we have a universal chore time when everyone is doing chores whether they like it or not. After dinner as a family, the little ones go down and everyone else has family time. After the rest of the kids go to be, dw and I hang out and such until bedtime.That is roughly how things usually turn out.

[Chelli]

I wrote some blog posts about how I schedule our homeschool:

 

Organizing Your Week

 

Organizing Your Day

 

Maybe something there will give you some ideas. :)

[ladydusk]

All of these times are "-ish". Table work is one-on-one time with me. We do our skill work then, content is together.

 

8:30-9:30 Circle Time

9:30-10:30 M-girl table work (2nd grade-ish), N-boy independent work, R-girl piano

10:30-11:30 N-boy table work (1st grade-ish), M-girl piano, R-girl "independent work"

11:30-12:30 R-girl (K-ish) table work (usually only takes half an hour), M-girl independent work, N-boy piano

12:30-1 lunch

1-1:30 Bible

1:30-2:00 Content (History, Science, Art, or Geography depending on day)

2:00-4:00 QUIET TIME!

 

It's busy, but fun.

Edited May 25, 2012 by ladydusk

[fourcatmom]

I don't have any young one's but this is our schedule. I think the hardest part for me when I didn't stick to a schedule was having different subjects going at different times. If I was doing Math with one, I felt it was really distracting for me to have the other one need help with History. I also found that putting a time limit on activities helped us get everything done. I do allow for extra if we are engaged but they do better staying with a schedule. This year we used Fridays as our day to dig deeper and do projects.

 

8-9 Math (Friday we do BUILD - info on my blog)

9-9:15 Break (this is also just a transition time)

9:15-10:30 History

10:30-10:45 PE (some kind of movement even if inside)

10:45-11:30 Geography (M-W) Zoology (T-TH) ART (Friday)

11:30-12:00 Literature (free reading/Audio/Read-Aloud)

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:30 Language Arts (spelling, Voc, Writing, Grammar)

2:30-3:15 Science/Health (M-W) Anatomy (T-TH)

3:15 Homework - this is the end of the day but anything that wasn't completed, is now homework and needs to get done.

 

Fridays We would also spend Fridays after LA to finish up extra work. Some of this may get tweaked during the week depending on field trips. This year we did 1 hour of math first thing and then 1/2 of BUILD after - a different activity each week and it worked really well. I don't know if I can have the time each day but it may be something they can choose if they finish their work early.

 

This is my proposed schedule for next year, but it is very close to what we did this year. I also tried to start the morning, before Math with a Bible and Breakfast time and they seemed to enjoy that as well.

Edited May 25, 2012 by fourcatmom

[MinivanMom]

This fall I will have kids who are 3rd, 2nd, and pk (plus a 2-yr-old and infant). Our schedule will be the same as this year with dd4 just added in.

 

First I lay the infant down for his morning nap and get dd4 and ds2 settled at the table with an activity (play-dough, crayons, pattern blocks, etc). Then we follow this schedule:

 

9-9:30 Math

9:30-10 Writing

10-10:20 French

10:20-40 Read aloud from chapter book

10:40-11 History or science (alternating days and then art on Fridays)

11-1 Break to play outside and eat lunch

1-3 Silent reading while the little ones are napping

 

When the baby wakes up from his morning nap, I will just nurse him while I finish reading aloud.

 

I always work from oldest to youngest, so I will go over the 3rd grader's math lesson with her and then send her off to do her workbook. Then I will go over the 2nd grader's math lesson with him and then send him off to do his math workbook. Then I will pull dd4 away from her table activity to work one-on-one with her to do her math and HWT. She only needs 15-20 min, so then I will send her back to her table activity and check the older kids' math workbooks before moving onto writing. Writing is the same way, but without the pk child in the mix. I get the 3rd grader started and then work one-on-one with the 2nd grader. For French, I work one-on-one with one child while the other reviews vocabulary flashcards and then switch. We do read alouds, history, science, and art together.

[Canadianmumof5]

We had a 5th, a 3rd and a 1st this year plus a toddler so pretty close to what you have. I haven't updated my blog in a looonnnngggg time but the schedules are there & haven't changed. There is a link for each of the kids schedules. We've used them for 2 years now and they work great for us.

 

Disclaimer: I am a total type-A, like to be super organized and really do not do well without structure :D The days run much smoother for us when everyone follows their schedules.

[historically accurate]

I have a 5th, 1st and K this coming year. Here is our schedule, which we actually only obtain every so often. Something ALWAYS comes up!

 

K'er and 1st grader get up super early, so I start them early.

 

7:30ish K- Wii Fit, 1- Math, 5-probably still sleeping

K- Math, 1-Wii Fit, 5- chores & Latin

K- Reading/Handwriting, 1-Awanas, 5-Typing

K- pretty much done (can play, do reading eggs, or do worksheet type stuff), 1- Writing/Spelling/Speech, 5- Independent Reading, Math -- use TT so pretty independent

K & 1- Read Aloud or Salsa Spanish, 5- Finish up math, logic

All together for history or science (depends on day)

K-done!, 1-piano, 5-Wii Fit (me making lunch & looking over 5's math)

Noonish All lunch

K & 1- quiet time in room (K'er usually falls asleep, sometimes 1 does too), 5-Grammar/Vocab/Spelling

Break for everyone (independent reading in rooms, my TV time!)

3:00ish K & 1- snack, 5- writing & finish up anything

 

On nice days, we skip the Wii fit and sub in some educational computer games, and we go outside for break time for PE. In the fall, 5th grader will start violin, so we'll have to fit in practice times for that.

[laughing lioness]

A.m. eat, chores, table to do skill work in the a.m. (math, grammar, memory work, etc).

Lunch break, tramp break, lunch, content work in the afternoon.

 

When I had pre-ker's I had lots of craft supplies, a small tramp (at one residence we had a step 2 climber in our school room), sand table, rice bins, etc.

We've also heavily utilized CD's and DVD's for school- SOTW, etc.

School read alouds were requirements for everyone, regardless of how young and kids could play legos, etc as long as they could narrate back.

fwiw- school is LOT easier with everyone school aged and reading.

[wearejenandkev]

My boys are 10, 8, and 5. So, our ages are similar. I have posted a copy of my typical day on my blog. I define "typical" as the day that all of my ducks are in a row and mama is fully caffeinated!

 

The best changes I made in regards to scheduling have been:

 

-create independent work/ checklists. It never changes...from day to day. Many times, my boys will crawl out of bed and go directly to their work....without any help from me. They know what to do....the same thing as yesterday, but a different lesson, a different book, etc.

 

-as the kids are working independently, I rotate from kid to kid....explaining new concepts and work that they will complete on the following day.

 

-we combine Bible, History, Memory Work, and Science. This makes my life so much easier!

 

It is very flexible. Every child is working independently, yet they have individual teaching time with me, also. We have family time with lots of exploring.

 

I like my schedule. Of course, I realize that I might be a bit biased..... :)

 

Here is a more detailed version of my schedule:

 

http://teachingboys.net/2012/03/09/a-typical-school-day/

 

Here is a copy of their independent work checklists:

 

http://teachingboys.net/category/school/schoolwork-checklists/

 

Hope that helps!

 

Jennifer

[magnificent_baby]

This year, I only hs'd my 2nd grader (next year will be K, 1st & 3rd), so I will be interested in this thread.

 

What we did:

 

9:00: CLE math: Flashcards, speeddrill, counting exercises and new skill together. On her own for the rest of the lesson. Small assignment in MM while I checked her CLE. Then she does any corrections in CLE as needed.

 

9:50: Literature: We used MP comp guides, so she would read assigned reading answer questions then I would check her answers when she was done and discuss if needed.

 

10:20: GWG & WWW

 

10:45: PLL and/or A Reason for Handwriting (didn't do either of these everyday, usually 3 or 4 times a week)

 

11:00-11:30: Free reading time. I allowed her to choose whatever chapter book she wanted to read (though try to steer her into classic type books). I make her read 45-60 minutes free reading per day, she can break it up into chunks as she wishes (usually reads the last 30 minutes at bedtime).

 

11:30-1:00: lunch break, play outside, Spelling City (used lists from HTTS)

 

1:00-2:00/2:30: MFW (everyday), science and/or Harmony Fine Arts a few times per week

 

Next year will be much different since I will be hs'ing all 3. This spring we didn't stick to a rigorous schedule, we got busy, the weather has been beautiful, so we still have some things to finish up. I *always* started the day with math and literature, just to be sure we got those done in case something else came up in the day.

[Random]

Wow! There are some fabulous ideas here! :001_smile:

[AbbieJack]

You asked for it! This is straight from our Family management binder . DD is (was) in kindergarten.

 

Monday

8:00 Wake up

8:30 Breakfast and morning chores

9:00 School starts (Morning work)

9:15 Math

9:45 Reading

10:15 Readers (Dick and Jane)

10:30-11:30 Theme work (ex: Plant Life or Rabbits)

11:30-12:00 History

12:00 Lunch

12:30 Afternoon Chores

12:45 Free Play (Outside if it is nice)

1:30 -2:30 Nap for DS. DD is free to do as she pleases

2:30 Baths (if played outside)

3:00 snack

3:30 DD gets ready for Dance and Gymnastics

4:00 Leave the house and head to the studio

4:35 Dance and Gym starts and last until 7:00

7:00 Leave studio

7:30ish arrive home

7:45 start dinner cooking (Kids do evening chores )

8:30ish start eating dinner

9:00 Shower for DD

9:15 Get ready for bed

9:30 Bed time story

9:45 Kids asleep, I start kitchen clean up

10:30-12ish Mommy's time

 

Tuesday

8:00 wake up and Morning chores

8:30 Breakfast

9:00 Get dressed

9:30 Leave the house

10:00 Story Hour Starts

11:30ish Story hour ends

11:30ish we look around the book store

12:00 Lunch

1:00 park (if it is nice) Mall Play area (if it is not) with friends

3:00 ish Run errands

3:30 -5:00 Art class

5:30 get home

5:15 Clean the house (kids rest and watch tv)

6:30 Start dinner

7:15 Dinner

7:45 Baths

8:15 DS Free play DD computer time , Mommy cleans the kitchen

8:45 Get ready for bed

9:00 Bed time story

9:30 Kids asleep

10:30-12ish Mommy's time

 

Wednesday

8:00 Wake up

8:30 Breakfast and morning chores

9:00 School starts (Morning work)

9:15 Math

9:45 Reading

10:15 Readers (Dick and Jane)

10:30-11:30 Theme work

11:30-12:00 Science

12:00 Lunch

12:30 Afternoon Chores

12:45 Free Play (Outside if it is nice)

1:30 -3:00 Nap for DS. DD is free to do as she pleases

3:00 snack

3:30-4:00 Free play

4:00 Baths

4:30 Get ready for Church

5:00 Leave for church

5:30-6:15 Dinner at church

6:15 Get kids settled in their classes

6:30-7:30 Church

7:45 Leave Church and head home

8:15 Get home from Church ,DS Free play, DD computer time

8:45 Get ready for bed

9:00 Bed time story

9:30 Kids asleep

10:30-12ish Mommy's time

 

Thursday (Every other Thursday Keepers of the Faith meeting @ 3:00)

8:00 Wake up

8:30 Breakfast and morning chores

9:00 School starts (Morning work)

9:15 Math

9:45 Reading

10:15 Readers (Dick and Jane)

10:30-11:30 Theme work

11:30-12:00 Social Studies

12:00 Lunch

12:30 Afternoon Chores

12:45 Free Play (Outside if it is nice)

1:30 -3:00 Nap for DS. DD is free to do as she pleases

3:00 snack

3:30-5:00 Free play

5:15 Clean the house

6:30 Start dinner

7:15 Dinner

7:45 Baths

8:15 DS Free play, DD computer time , Mommy cleans the kitchen

8:45 Get ready for bed

9:00 Bed time story

9:30 Kids asleep

10:30-12ish Mommy's time

 

Friday

8:00 Wake up

8:30 Breakfast and morning chores

9:00 School starts (Morning work)

9:15 Math

9:45 Readers (Dick and Jane)

10:00-10:30 Theme work

10:30-11:00 ART (Related to Theme)

11:30 Lunch

12:00 Afternoon Chores

12:15-12:30 Free Play (Outside if it is nice)

12:30 Baths

1:00 Get ready

1:30 Leave house

2:00-4:00 Homeschool Hobby day

4:30 get home

4:30-5:15 Free play

5:15 Clean the house

6:30 Start dinner

7:15 Dinner

7:45 Baths

8:15 DS Free play, DD computer time , Mommy cleans the kitchen

8:45 Get ready for bed

9:00 Bed time story

9:30 Kids asleep

10:30-12ish Mommy's time

 

Saturday (Girl Scouts 3-4pm every other Saturday

 

10 wake up

10:30 breakfast

11:00 Get ready to leave

11:30 Leave the house

12 :00 Eat lunch with mom , sister, sil ,and grandmother

the rest of the day is played by ear

Kids are in bed by 9:30

 

Sunday

8:00 wake up

8:30 Breakfast

9:00-9:15 morning chores

9:15-9:45 Get ready for Church

9:45 Leave the house

10:15 get to Church get kids settled

10:30 Church starts

12:00 Church is over

12:15 leave church

12:45 get home

1:00 lunch

1:30 Ds Nap, DD free play , Clean kitchen and I plan menu for week

2:30 get Ds up and get ready to head to the Grocery store

3:00 Leave house

3:30 -5:00 at grocery store

5:30 get home unload groceries

6:00 Start dinner

6:45 Eat dinner

7:15 Free play (I clean kitchen)

7:45 Evening clean up

8:00 baths

8:30 get ready for bed

9:00 bed time story

9:30 kids asleep

9-10:30 I do my cleaning

10:30 - 12 ish mommy time (plan the next weeks lesson plans)

 

Cleaning Schedule

 

Monday

Dust and Vacuum house

Laundry - Towels and kids clothes

 

Tuesday

Errand day/Clean out car

Laundry-night time diapers

 

Wednesday

 

Tidy Laundry room

Laundry - bedding

 

Thursday

Bathrooms (clean showers , tub.counters ,toilets and floors)

Laundry -mine

 

Friday

Deep Clean Kitchen (Clean firdge,Microwave,& cabinets)

Mop the kitchen floor

Laundry - Night time Diapers

 

Saturday

Laundry -DH's

 

Sunday

Laundry - Finish Dh's

 

Daily cleaning schedule

 

Before Breakfast

 

Get dressed

make bed

Start a load of laundry

 

After breakfast

Wash dishes

wipe kitchen counters

Switch load of laundry/start a new load

5 minute pick up

 

After lunch

Wash dishes

Sweep kitchen floor

Vacuum Dining area

Wipe down table and chairs

fold laundry and put away , switch laundry

 

Before dinner

Pick up main area and Classroom

 

After dinner

Clean kitchen & wash dishes

pick up bathrooms

Pick up around the house

wipe down table and chairs

Sweep and mop(if needed) kitchen floor

Vacuum Living room and dining area, Classroom and bedrooms (if needed )

[happypamama]

Next year, I'll have a 5th grader, a 2nd grader, a young 4yo pre-Ker, and a toddler, so we're somewhat similar to your household, OP.

 

My plan is to start with the oldest, because the middle two are joined at the hip, so they can play together while I work with DD on math, WWE, memory work, and Latin/French (alternating days). Then I can send her to do her independent work, while I do math, WWE, reading, and memory work with my 2nd grader. During that time, I can probably also set the 4yo up with some independent learning activities, and he should be happy for a while while I've got his buddy. (I can also send DD to play with the two little guys, but she tends to be easily distracted, so I hate to suggest anything that will take her away from her work and thus make it take longer.) Things are dependent upon what Tiny Brother (the baby) needs; I tend to read history when he's nursing, so things are flexible, but I like if the big kids get their "work with Mom" stuff done before we do history. History's the favorite, and especially if there are projects involved, I like saving the best for last. I'm also hoping to have some time to work with the 4yo, because he has asked to "do maff" and to learn to read (we'll see; I'm not sure he's really ready, but if he's asking, I'll try 100 EZ Lessons with him since it worked well for DS1).

 

Fridays will be catch-up days for anything not completed earlier in the week, science, music, and games day (dawdling has been an issue for our oldest child, so I want to make it a point to play more games and thus show her how completing her work -- aka Just Doing It -- benefits her).

[Food4Thought]

I'll chime in, even though I'm still learning the ropes myself. Mine will be in 1st and 3rd next year. Instead of a strict schedule, we have more of a routine.

 

We start at the table. These are generally things the kids can do on their own or with only a little instruction. I hang out at the table with them and answer questions, between cooking breakfast, starting laundry, and other miscellaneous chores.

Math

Daily Language Review

Spelling

Handwriting/Copywork

 

Mondays are the easy day - so on Mondays, we're done after that. On the other days, we move to the other subjects.

 

Tuesdays/Thursdays we add in History and Geography. I usually read to them and they do a notebook page. I'm teaching them both together using TWTM 4-yr history cycle.

On Tuesdays, we watch Salsa Spanish, usually in the early afternoon.

 

Wednesdays/Fridays we do science instead of history. This is the only thing that will involve separate teaching (besides the math and grammar, but those aren't as time intensive), as the boy is doing physics and the girl is doing biology. I imagine I'll start with the boy's lesson and let the girl play. Then I'll read with the girl.

 

We have a quiet reading hour each afternoon after lunch. The kids can choose what they want to read, and almost always pick a library book about a current topic, which I put on hold weekly.

 

We do read-alouds together at bedtime. Each kid chooses a book, and the parent reading gets to choose a book too. This is usually an eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction stuff.

 

I think that's about it. Our afternoons are generally free. I teach piano lessons two days a week, and the girl will take ballet in the fall, but otherwise we keep things pretty open. I think the flexibility of the Well-Trained Mind makes it easy for me to combine the kids.

[Embassy]

I'm incorporating a different schedule tomorrow to test it out for next school year. I want to work out the kinks. I will have a 5th, 3rd, and K4.

 

I'm trying a block schedule with the blocks as class periods with me.

 

1 hour block - Oldest child

20 minute block - youngest child

1 hour block - middle child

.....

 

I will meet with them and go over certain subjects during that time. Sometimes the block is a group subject, but mostly it is me working on-one-on. The oldest and middle child will have a list of independent tasks to work through during their non-class times. The youngest will mostly have playtime when she is not working with me. I also moved my oldest out of the schoolroom/playroom and put his desk in his bedroom so he will have to come to class on his own at the scheduled times and work on his own the rest of the time.

[coralloyd]

Mon.- Wed.

9:00- Bible time and read History

9:40 or so- I work with dd 10. Mon.- We go over the math lesson for the week, R&S lesson, dictation exercise for the week. Right now we are also reading The Secret Garden together. Tues.- read, R&S lesson, go over mistakes in math. Wed.- Is the same as Tues., except I also dictate her dictation lesson.

 

Dd8 does independent work which is copywork and on Tue. & Wed. math. Then she goes and plays till I am ready for her.

 

DS 5 likes to do Kumon maze and cut and paste books while I work with his sisters.

 

Around 10:45- I work with dd8. Looks pretty much the same as as what I do with dd10 it's just a lot shorter.

 

 

11:20 -12:00ish-My time with ds5 (phonics and math).

 

At lunch I read our read aloud, we do memory work (Scriptures and poetry),

 

Spanish flip books, & picture study twice month.

 

1:00ish- Science

 

The rest of the day is chores, outside activities, play time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thurs. are different we do a lot more together: Bible, History projects, Science projects, vocabulary (not ds but dds both

together), read aloud, and math games.

 

The things the girls do on their own on Thurs.: TT CDs (not our main math program), write and illustrate their own stories (they love doing this), typing, and read.

This takes about the same amount of time, sometimes a little more if the

projects are big.

 

ETA: I forgot to add that the girls work on their own (independent work) when I am done with one on one time with them.

Edited June 4, 2012 by coralloyd
ETA: I forgot to add that thrills work on their own (independent work) when I am done with one on one time with them.

[momaof3]

I like your workbox grid system so much that I am going to try to implement it into our daily routine. Hopefully that will stop the asking of what's next and when will I be done.

[cmac]

 

Here is a more detailed version of my schedule:

 

http://teachingboys.net/2012/03/09/a-typical-school-day/

 

Here is a copy of their independent work checklists:

 

http://teachingboys.net/category/school/schoolwork-checklists/

 

Hope that helps!

 

Jennifer

 

Thank you soo much! Homeschooling 3rd grade after a two year break. We started today unexpectedly and this was exactly what I was looking for.

[MerryAtHope]

Here are a couple of blogs I've done on this, the Teacher Binder one has my most recent schedule, while the Typical Day post has more details about my day with last year's schedule. HTH some! Merry :-)

[2queens&1princenmyhouse]

Thank you...I appreciate seeing the differences. It's fascinating that different styles can all work so well.

 

Most of our school work can be done independently, (except spelling ;) ) as well. That way, I can sort-of float around and answer a few questions for whoever needs it, rather than only working through one subject/one kid at a time.

 

 

We started in June for the first time. I have a 6th grader, 4th grader, Pre-K and daycare littles (2 2yo, and 2 under a year).

 

Most of the girls' stuff is independent. When they wake up in the morning, they have a list of assignments to work on. They do grammar, spelling/vocab, writing and math by themselves. If they have any questions, they come and ask me while I'm working with the dc kids. During lunch, we do our SOTW read aloud or I'll read MOH or from our science text. During littles naptime, I work for 15-20 minutes with DS on a lesson from The Reading Lesson and the maybe some misc. math concepts. Then the girls and I work on history or science projects together.

 

Our family read aloud time is before bed.

 

I will need to add geography to the mix. I'm thinking about doing it right after breakfast, but that would require both girls to be awake by that time and it doesn't always happen. ;)