Stayseeliz Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 My kids will be in 6th, 4th, K and 2 years old next year. Up until now we've done everything together but their LA workbooks and math. I think in the fall we will only do history and Bible together. Next year I plan on DS doing his own science since he'll be in middle school, they'll have different LLATL workbooks and the older two will be doing IEW (I'm thinking the DVDs right now). I'm having a hard time figuring out how to schedule everything so I'm available for their science, LLATL and IEW time if they have questions. My 4th grader will probably need more hand holding since she's never done IEW or LLATL before. I also have a toddler and Kindy kid to worry about. I'm getting overwhelmed just thinking about everything! :( We're also probably going to need to leave the house by 12:30-1:00 at least two days a week for lessons, OT, etc. I don't know how I'm going to fit it all in! :( Any ideas on how I can come up with a schedule that will work for us?? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Here is my method and I also don't combine! It definitely takes some playing around with things to make it work. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 How I did it: I had Montessori trays that I set up every morning. The youngest two occupied themselves with this. I just went through Montessori catalogues and bought a few things. Then i cobbled together a lot of similiar materials that were cheaper and used those as well. I had been on a Montessori reading binge which inspired this. They only got to work with these materials in the a.m. This was good for while and allowed older kids to get independent stuff done. Plus the littles really liked their " school" and as this was packed by lunch, they really looked forward to it. The group stuff got read aloud and talked over over breakfast and lunch. Usually we Bible/catechism over breakfast and history over lunch. Kept a handy dandy white board near the table to teach with. I ate my meals before the kids so I was free to read/ teach. We also did copy work right after breakfast because my kids all struggle with handwriting so we got that over with right away. Older kids sat at the dining room table to do independent work. Younger ones who needed one on one worked with me at the kitchen table. Youngest ones played near us. If I needed extra one on one time with one older child later in the a.m. After the interest of the Montssori stuff had worn off, i'd, have other older child watch/play with littles, so we were freed up for a short lesson. I had a carved in stone rest time after lunch. Kids went into their rooms and read, played cards or rummikub, etc but mostly they liked listening to audio books. I would take a short catnap ( I just needed to lose consciousness for a few minutes in order to get a second wind), then I'd get up, make a cup of tea.and call out one of the older students to work one on one. In your case you could have this pattern for 3 weekdays and then go out on the other two. When I was really overwhelmed and felt like I wasn't getting to everything, my dh came to my rescue. He would do history or science in the evenings, as well as help with math (just to check up on the kids or help them with any problems they were stuck on). Some years he taught science in the summer and I didn't bother to include it during the school year. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thanks for the suggestions! I'm really struggling with working out the logistics of all of this next year. I'm easily distracted but I want to try to get most of our work done before noon. It's going to take a little bit of going but I'd really like to get our schoolwork done earlier in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindyD Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Here is my method and I also don't combine! It definitely takes some playing around with things to make it work. ;) Seriously. Thank you. With a 5th grader, 1st grader, and newly turned 3 yr old, I have had the hardest time this year. Your post was exactly what I needed to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Seriously. Thank you. With a 5th grader, 1st grader, and newly turned 3 yr old, I have had the hardest time this year. Your post was exactly what I needed to see. I'm so glad it was helpful to you. You are more than welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I approach it the opposite way as PP. I start the oldest with independent work (journal, math, etc.) and start with the youngest first for one on one time. I do it that way because I can spend so much time with the oldest on her language arts, if I work with her first then I short change the others. I work from youngest to oldest. By lunch time everyone has had individual time for language arts, fine motor, and math. In the afternoon kids have rest time or sustained silent reading. The oldests then rotate through individual Science. I am just starting history and will rotate that in the afternoon time while the youngest two play similar to science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 This is really helping me think things through! I need to make a list of what we'll do together next year. I think it might work to have the oldest two start their independent work first and I could work with my K kid first on phonics and math. The older two are pretty independent when it comes to writing/spelling/grammar workbooks and math workbooks. I go over their workbooks with them 2x times a week and make sure they understand what they're doing. Then once they got that out of the way I could work on science with the younger two, history with everyone (if K'er wants to sit in). We could do lunch and DS (6th) could move on to independent science while DD (4th) reads. We'd have music lessons and be done for the day. So my next question would be how to ignore all the housework while we get school done?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Nope, I don't have any advice about balancing home and homeschooling.... Actually, they do have a set of chores they do during their independent work time (unload dish washer, put their clothes away, vacuum, fold washcloths and napkins, wash dog's water dish). Unfortunately this is not enough to keep the housework up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Maybe there's something useful here? http://forums.welltr...tiple-children/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Chelli, you make me sooo want to homeschool again! Best wishes for your years of homeschooling. Fabulous blog post. As far as chores and homeschooling, my kids' "independent" work included chores. It was good for us to integrate them into the day. Training first--then they could do the chore as something of a rest in between harder academics, and it gave me time to work one-on-one. I only had two to teach, tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Chelli, you make me sooo want to homeschool again! Best wishes for your years of homeschooling. Fabulous blog post. As far as chores and homeschooling, my kids' "independent" work included chores. It was good for us to integrate them into the day. Training first--then they could do the chore as something of a rest in between harder academics, and it gave me time to work one-on-one. I only had two to teach, tho. Awww, thanks, Chris! :blushing: You're more than welcome to fly into Houston any time you want and take over my teaching duties for a week. That should get it out of your system! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 My kids are 5 years apart so I have never really combined them. Like others have mentioned we have independent subjects and non. I generally have the eldest start with his most independent stuff while I work one on one with the younger. I can generally finish up with the younger just in time to start one on one with the elder. And, of course, it helps that the older they get the more independent they become. My 7th grader only really needs me for a couple subjects. Even then, those he does with me are mostly 'read and discuss'. He does the reading and then we answer questions or discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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