For those that ease into the new year instead of "going all in" could you share

[nukeswife]

how you ease into things.

 

Do you just start with a subject or two and then add them all in at a steady pace? How often do you add another subject? Anything else you do to make the start of the year easier.

 

We usually just "go all in" but this year I'm just so overwhelmed because of having an 8th grader and having quite a few new subjects to cover.

[Tess in the Burbs]

We just did two light weeks of just math and language arts. This week its everything. Gets us back on schedule but not so shocking as going all in.

[bethben]

The first week back to school, I started my 6th grader with history, math, and Latin. The next week I added grammar and science. By the 3rd week in, he is doing a full schedule and I add in the remaining subjects (which for him is writing and spelling). I've started this way for years- easing into the year and easing out of the year. By late May, we have usually finished science and history and just have the basics which means we get to go outside more during really nice weather. I like the easing into the year much better since I don't get summer whiplash and the kids aren't as cranky doing a full day of work.

 

Beth

[m0mmaBuck]

The first week back to school, I started my 6th grader with history, math, and Latin. The next week I added grammar and science. By the 3rd week in, he is doing a full schedule and I add in the remaining subjects (which for him is writing and spelling). I've started this way for years- easing into the year and easing out of the year. By late May, we have usually finished science and history and just have the basics which means we get to go outside more during really nice weather. I like the easing into the year much better since I don't get summer whiplash and the kids aren't as cranky doing a full day of work.

 

Beth

 

I like your mix of subjects. I was thinking of doing science, history, and art the first week but adding a "core" subject in each week may ease us in more smoothly.

[PeterPan]

I picked out about a half load of stuff I KNEW we could get done, put that on the list, and that's what we did. The next week I added a few more things. This coming week I'll add a few more things. I actually made lessons and segments for a lot of our stuff for this year (all tidy and entered into the ipad, yippee!), so I knew which things needed 32, 34, or 36 weeks. The things we started first all needed 36 weeks. I knew I could wait on some of the others, because my plans for them needed less weeks. That gave me the flexibility to stagger the starts of stuff.

[Running the race]

I usually start with 2-3 subjects. One of those is always math. The next week I add a couple of more. By the third week we are doing everything. It's great in May when, if we stay on track, subjects start finishing.

[LifeLovePassion]

I started math, reading, Bible verse memorization, FLL, copywork/handwriting, artist study. I need to add in nature study, composer study, going more in depth with art projects, read alouds during school time, intentional PE when the colder temperatures hit

[Targhee]

I didn't have a choice as all our curriculum has yet to arrive. We started with morning work (morning binder with calendar, copy work, math practice, etc). Then next day added math in a block format. Then next day added history (for younger two). Then we added music lessons. I figure by week three we will be up and running with everything - that is if it's all here.

 

This is working well for us to get back into things, especially since the neighborhood schools don't start until next Wed.

 

It has also helped me not be overwhelmed seeing that we added a third student (Ker) and a toddler, who is into everything, since last year. I think keeping a clear expectation with the kids is key - they know we will be doing more as the days go on.

[stm4him]

This was not my plan but I think it will work out well for us. We are starting CC this week so my focus is going to be on our memory work (training them on how to go through it, etc.). We'll also be doing our science and history copywork or pages associated with our memory work. For Math we're going to wrap up a few lessons I never got to this year and put away their old work. I have a quick word problem workbook for my older one. They can just do their flashcards and my daughter will also do a 5 minute drill each day. For language arts we have a few things to finish up from last year so we'll do those. Of course we'll still do Bible and read alouds at night.

 

Next week I want to add in Math (starting our new books) and maybe reading (literature guides and oral reading and reading assignments). Hopefully the following week we will add in the rest of our language arts (grammar, writing, spelling/phonics).

 

I wasn't crazy about the staggering idea because I like it all to line up, etc. but for us this year I think it is needed......I'll let you know how it goes.

[merry gardens]

Some of the decision depends on when I buy the books, if the books are in stock and if we' take any on-line or co-op classes. This year I can't start one subject because I ordered late and our books haven't arrived yet. We're taking one class that won't start until October. One year even though I ordered well ahead, one of our workbooks was out to stock so we waited.

[HappyGrace]

I always do this. We do about a week of mornings only to ease back into things. It's usually the Labor Day wk, so a four day week.

 

We will start our new Bible stuff (new prayer cards, plus Starr Meade's God's Plan for Salvation-Galatians study.)

 

For dd12 we will do things like multiplication facts, some math review, diagram some sentences, and she'll start her history. For ds9 we'll do grammar and math review, math fact review, his cursive is rusty so we'll do that.

 

Then we'll read God's World News and a new literature readaloud (prbly Treasure Island). At lunch we're starting our new character book-Created for Work.

 

It's mostly just to brush up on things that are rusty, ease us back into working, and hopefully foster goodwill and good feelings toward the new school year while we're at it! They still have the rest of the day to play outside then. I find this works really, really well. I don't feel so much pressure to hit the ground running, and we can just rev up gently and calmly.

 

Then the next wk we start co-op, which adds on more of their subjects, so we start full days that week. Although if people are really cranky and not used to a schedule yet (including mom), a couple days that second week we may just read aloud after lunch.

 

Have a great school year!

[happypamama]

We made a big deal out of the first day, and that week we just did math, history, and reading. A couple of weeks after that, we added a couple more subjects, and then after a couple more weeks, more subjects. I really liked that way of doing things. It let us get started but without being too overwhelming at once, and we were able to get a good routine going (especially since I added another child, a preschooler who really wanted some concentrated time with me, to the mix). History is everyone's favorite, so it was good to start on that one. Otoh, math and WWE are both hard work, so I didn't start with them at the same time. French and Latin are also favorites of DD's, so by not starting those right away, it gave her some things to look forward to, and it also cushioned the blow of starting some of her less preferred subjects.

[momsuz123]

We are in a sticky situation because we are moving in about a month, and currently still showing our house. I hate it. All my school "stuff" is down, so we nixed calendar time for now. We have been gradually getting into school for about 3 weeks.

We do handwriting 5x/week, reading to me and aloud daily, math 5x/week, history about 2-3x/week, grammar and Latin 2x/week.

I am slowly ramping everything up. It seems to be working better this year to do it this way (for now:tongue_smilie:)

[staysee34]

We started back up last week. With exception to the first day (no academics, just fun stuff), we did almost our entire schedule for the year. We have yet to start keyboarding, computer, social studies, instrument, and health. But our schedule is slightly different this year and it seems to be working well so far. This week we'll add computer and health. We would have done it last week but the local amusement park was calling our name on Friday! Seeing as how we started a unit on forces and motion, I figured it was definitely a field trip worth taking! By Week 3, we'll be at full speed and hopefully, settling in nicely.

[angelmama1209]

we ease in for 2 weeks before our "official start" date because we're coming off of 2 weeks of Daddy being home- which means little structure and random bedtimes. i know the first week, at least, after he goes back to work is behavior hell- rotten attitudes, disobedience, the whole shebang. we start with some to begin getting back into a routine and keep them busy, but not overwhelmed. I don't have a schedule that I add things in, just whenever I feel they're ready. We're supposed to start full force tomorrow, but we still don't have all our curric. Grrr... Anyway the thing that's made the biggest difference for us this year is a morning basket. I had never heard of one before the thread a while back but thought it sounded like a wonderful, gentle way to ease into learning each day. I has worked miracles. It gets all my kids to the table without fuss, they listen and participate, we get all our "electives" out of the way, and they're ready to start the "real" stuff. It's seriously worked miracles here. I'm still in shock. And because of it, I'm really excited for the rest of the year. :)

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Mine are still young, but we start Aug 1st so we can have a long holiday break and be completely finished by May 1st. We start out with just Math and English the first two weeks. Then we add in Bible and Cursive. By Sept 1st, we're ready to add History and Science.:)

[mom31257]

I determine it by my curricula. Some curricula takes 36 weeks to finish, others may take 32-34. I always start the first week with the subjects that have the most lessons per year. Over the next two or three weeks I add in a subject or two a week.

 

I always try to plan the least work the first day and do something special like going out for breakfast or lunch. This year we were invited to a birthday party on our first day of school. A field trip the first week or two is always nice, too.

[Chava_Raizel]

This week we're just going to do math, spelling and grammar. Dd is going to start her history, because she begged. But otherwise, that's it for the week.

 

Next week we'll add in everything else. Usually I just do everything on day 1, but I've been very busy all summer and I needed to move more slowly at the beginning of the year. I figure this will give us a chance to readjust to a new schedule.

[jujsky]

We started in July this year, but we usually start the first week of August. I make up a typical, 2-week schedule of what we would do during a typical 2 weeks in the school year, and then I spend the next 4 weeks checking off the boxes. This looks different day-to-day. Some days they're busy with friends and we do nothing. Some days we're bored and do a full day. Some days we do a half day. Sometimes they'll take off with a subject and want to do 3 art lessons in a row, or something. It ends up being pretty disjointed, but just as long as those 2 weeks are done by the time September rolls around, I'm happy. If we finish early, I'll make up a week-long schedule and get as much done off of that as we can without stressing out. Anything left over we carry over in September.

[RootAnn]

The things we started first all needed 36 weeks. I knew I could wait on some of the others, because my plans for them needed less weeks. That gave me the flexibility to stagger the starts of stuff.

 

:iagree: We started with math and science the first week. By the end of that first week, we also added a lesson of spelling. The second week, we started with math, science, and spelling. By the end of the week, we had also added memory work (youngers), logic (older), and history (1 lesson for older instead of her science).

 

This week, we're going to try to go with the full schedule. If it doesn't work, I'll try next week. The important thing is that we're doing *something*.

[Alte Veste Academy]

how you ease into things.

 

Do you just start with a subject or two and then add them all in at a steady pace? How often do you add another subject? Anything else you do to make the start of the year easier.

 

We usually just "go all in" but this year I'm just so overwhelmed because of having an 8th grader and having quite a few new subjects to cover.

 

I ease into things a bit differently, initially limiting time per subject rather than number of subjects. I cover everything from the beginning but I truncate lessons for the subjects that are not favorites. I might do 5 minutes instead of 15, 15 instead of 30, etc. In the beginning, I tip the balance of time spent on school toward the most enjoyable subjects, giving those their full time from the start. I gradually up the time and workload for the less enjoyable subjects.

[Yolanda]

We started the first week in Aug. with 3 subjects. My thinking was really how long it might take us so I figured that would take us until about noon. We did the things that weren't finished throughout the summer so it worked well.

 

Then, after those two weeks, we added in the rest, which really meant only 1 or 2 more things on certain days. It didn't seem like an avalanche at all. It worked really well.

 

FWIW: we are also changing to a 4-1 week schedule. We do our regular schedule for 4 weeks and then on the 5th it will be abbreviated with just 2-3 subjects. I'm hoping this will help with 'burnout' on my part. :)

[Seasider]

I usually start with 2-3 subjects. One of those is always math. The next week I add a couple of more. By the third week we are doing everything. It's great in May when, if we stay on track, subjects start finishing.

 

This is how we started the year. By the end of this week, we should be up to our full load.

 

A friend of mine started hs'ing for the first time this year, with a sophomore and two younger students. She started the oldest alone for a week to set up a good pattern of self study, then folded the younger ones in the second week. She said it went well.