self-discipline and focus for beginning first grade

[raindrops]

How do you let everything else go, and focus on school? I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for teaching first grade in the fall. I know it will be a big change from doing school for about an hour each day to about 4 hours each day. It's the housework and the messes that I think I will find difficult to ignore so I can focus on teaching.

[momtoamiracle]

Is there a reason it's going to be four hours? Is that a state requirement? I find first grade can often take between one to two hours for the formal things, not counting our reading time that we do at night. A lot of things can be combines, as well as listening to audiobooks, watch a science video, or doing required reading at night.

[FriedClams]

First grade didn't take us 4 hours a day. We were pretty rigorous and we did maybe 2. We would do phonics, math and bible in the morning... Do fun science and history stuff layer... Read alouds at night. The only things I were committed to day were reading practice and phonics, math, and bible.

 

Don't stress!! Ive heard 30-60 minutes more time

per grade change. It's really not much at all. Doing your major subjects a little every day, with consistency - that's the key.

[Walking-Iris]

Well I don't let everything go to focus on school. Mostly the key is finding a good routine. Use your morning to load the dishwasher and wipe down the kitchen and throw in a load of laundry. We usually sweep in the kitchen and pick up and run a vacuum through the front room before we start any school work as well. That really only takes about 10-15 minutes. Also we take regular breaks after each subject and then I'll use that time to fold clothes. I leave each family members folded clothes in separate piles and it's their job to put them away.

 

Once a week I have home-ec day. and everyone has to help. My little ones dust and run a vacuum, my older ds can mop, me and my dh take it in turns to deep clean the bathroom, etc.

 

Once a month I deep clean other areas and do some organization.

 

For school stuff I use xmas and spring break and summer break to really organize our school stuff.

 

I allow a certain amount of clutter and I allow my kids to have their rooms as they like it as long as I can walk without getting hurt and it's sanitary.

 

ETA: Also... no way would 1st grade (or homeschooling one child) take a 4 hour sustained effort.

[raindrops]

Okay, it's good to know I can modify my expectations a bit. You're right, Kayak Mom; consistency in major subjects, a little everyday, is key. I will work on not stressing about it. =)

[Ariston]

By the end of first grade I was so stressed out that I enrolled my son in Catholic school for second grade...school had just become a long list of 'to-do' lists. After a few weeks I pulled him out again and realized that I really needed to make sure I did reading and math every day without worrying as much about the rest. That has kept things a lot more sane around here. I also set a timer for each subject and DO NOT go over that time, even if we didn't get very far in the lesson. This has helped my kids learn to focus, and it also makes sure we aren't getting too stressed about any one topic. I used to have a a plan for a lesson and keep going until we were done, even if my son was having an 'off' day. This would lead to tears and frustration. This really helps keep a balance in my home.

 

BTW we are legally required to school 5 hours a day, but that doesn't mean 5 hours of seated work. My son just took a bike ride around the block...that was phys ed. Before he went we talked about bike safety...that was health ;)

 

We have a daily schedule that incorporates the need for school and housework to make sure nothing is too neglected (in theory at least...) We all have our morning routines that we do before school starts. And if the house gets too out of control, I'll take the day off and clean it (again, in theory.) ;)

[violamama]

Our longest subject is writing/reading. We probably spend about 45 minutes altogether, but it's broken up. We do maybe 10 minutes of new spelling words, 5 minutes of phonogram review or introducing new ones, then a break. Then 10 minutes of some kind of game to review older words, then 15 minutes writing out his favorite unique sentences involving the new words we learned at the beginning of the lesson.

 

With a first grader one on one, you can get a LOT done in 10 or 15 minutes a day. So even if you have 6 or seven activities planned, it would be unlikely to spill over into 4 straight hours. With breaks, we generally mosey through school between 9 and noon. We sometimes do projects in the afternoon and often do something for PE- swim class or a park.

 

The kids do some chores of their own in the morning breaks in between school. I'm learning to do what we can when we can get to it and accepting that it will be done in short bursts- just like school. Every month or so I tend to spend an afternoon doing more deep cleaning, and as the boys get older they will be right there helping. For me, teaching them to be helpful is also a focus of our school.

[umsami]

For me, I'd focus on some math, reading, and handwriting every day. 30-40 minutes minutes for math and reading (tops)...and then 15 minutes for handwriting.

 

So.... we're talking 1 hour 15 minutes tops for the dailies. Do that in the morning...then allow for play, time outside, whatever.

 

 

Then a few times per week in the afternoon, add in art, music, science, history--whatever you think your DD would be interested in. Maybe another hour.

 

2 to 2-1/2 hours. Plenty. Really. :)

[HS Mom in NC]

Having a chore chart and cleaning schedule can really help establish a consistent routine. If you're doing fine without one, then you're doing fine without one. If you're frustrated because things are falling through the cracks and piling up, then try one out and tweak it a little if necessary until you have something that works for you 80% of the time or more (nothing will be perfect.)

 

Every day each of my kids has a list of daily chores and one weekly chore. We do school, then chores, then they can have free time. Sometimes it's easier to break it up and have morning chores and after school chores.

 

My advice is to list out all the daily chores, all the weekly chores, and all the miscellaneous chores that need doing at your house. Look at your calendar and see which days you're on the road to activities during school hours and after school hours. Write those out on a calendar. Write out anything else you are committed to attending. Then schedule a weekly chore every day day (or most days) based on the time you have.

 

List out the daily chores for each child. (I grew up on a farm and I know most very young children are capable of learning to do real chores the right way.) Keep the daily chore list and the weekly chore list posted on the calendar on the fridge (or some prominent place in the house for quick reference.)

 

My kids are assigned chores for the month and the chores: scraping dishes, unloading breakables, which bathrooms they clean (one is a powder room and the other is a full bathroom) between the older two; vacuuming, mopping, and drying between the 3 of them. I write it all out for each month on the calendar in pencil when I get my new calendar in January. If activity schedules change later in the year we can adapt which days of the week the weekly chores are scheduled on.

 

My May looks like this:

 

Weekly chores

Monday-vacuum, mop and dry floors in all public rooms

Tuesday & Wednesday-vacuum, dust, take out trash in bedrooms (my two older kids have different extra-curricular activity schedules, so one kid does it on Tues. and the other two on Wed.)

Thursday-scrub bathrooms

Friday-vacuum and mop floors in all public rooms

 

Notice that this makes my house company ready for the weekends.

 

Saturday-yard work chores that need doing like sweeping the courtyard or miscellaneous chores

Sunday-none

 

Everyone in my house does their own laundry as needed except for my 7 year old. I do her laundry and mine and she puts her own things away as soon as they come out of the dryer.) She'll be learning to do her own laundry this summer when she turns 8.

 

Daily chores

 

Kid #1 (17)

 

straighten up any messes she made throughout the day

scrape food off the dishes so they can go into the dishwasher (usually 2-3 times a day)

clean the litter boxes

straighten up her bedroom

weekly chores: mop all tile and laminate floors in public rooms, cleaning her bedroom, cleaning upstairs kids' bathroom, yard work and miscellaneous chores

 

Kid #2 (15)

 

straighten up any messes she made throughout the day

unload breakables, dishes stored up high and very sharp knives (usually 2-3 times a day)

feed/water cats

straighten up bedroom

weekly chores: vacuum floors in all public rooms, cleaning her bedroom, clean downstairs bathroom, yard work and miscellaneous chores

 

Kid #3 (7)

 

straighten up any messes she made throughout the day

unload the dishwasher of plastic dishes and silverware (usually 2-3 times a day)

straighten up bedroom

weekly chores: dry all the laminate floors after they're mopped, cleaning her bedroom, help mom clean the masterbathroom,

[kohlby]

First grade took about 1.5 hours for my oldest and 1 hour for my second child - she's more focused! They didn't do it all at once though so it was really easy to squeeze in here and there. That doesn't count art, music, PE - just the 5 core subjects. My oldest is 4th grade and spends 3-4 hours on his work however. That has taken more planning. But by that age, he can do some on his own. I set how many subjects I want him to get done before lunch and he chooses which ones - and always chooses the ones he doesn't need my help for. That way, I don't actually have to do any formal homeschooling of him until after lunch! That really helps the days feel more relaxed.

[ammv15]

My dc in grade one read 30 min every morning and every night. We do 2hr of school during the day.I am only doing core subjects . It is hard to find a balance that works but not impossible. The most important thing is to make a schedule. It really has to be realistic too. I have made chore list that I could never done in the alloted time and I ended up overwelmed and frustrated. Set times for school, baths, meals, snacks, housework, laundry and bedtime.One day a week I focus on laundry. I print the kids worksheets from free websites and they work independently on this day.I keep dirty laundry sorted so I can do a load or two during the week.I cook quick simple meals and make enough for leftovers. I like to make meals that I can throw in a pot or put the oven and walk away and get housework done.I don't cook breakfast. We eat oatmeal, waffles, cereal and things that only take min to make. I have snacks and drinks the kids can grab when I am busy. I cook lunch and dinner is usually leftovers or somehting simple like a sandwich, yogurt and fruit.I only do basic housework on school days. I usually clean 1 a day. I sweep, vacuum, dump trash, fix beds,load dishwasher, wipe down kitchen surfaces, straighten up bedrooms, spray sinks and toliets. I only do detailed cleaning on laundry day when dc work independently on school. Even on that day I try to set realistic goals. What I have found is that my house is not as clean as it was before we started this hs journey.There is always somehting on the todo list that isn't gong to get done today. That's okay with me. Finally I have let myself off the hook . Truth is I would exhaust myself if I was striving for perfection and before hs I was probably spending more time with the broom and vacuum than my dc.In a nutshell all I am saying is prioritize, schedule and accept that even super moms don't have super powers.There is only so much we can do in one day. Molding young minds isn't the easiest job but worth it.

[boscopup]

You don't need to do 4 hours of school in first grade! My oldest did first grade in about an hour and a half. My middle is doing first grade next year, and it won't be that much different from K this year. I think it will be about an hour and a half as well, including read-alouds.

 

My 3rd grader doesn't even do 4 hours of school. He's more like 3-3.5. Next year in 4th grade, he'll probably have 4 hours (but that's HIM, not ME).

 

If you're doing K now, it shouldn't be THAT much different from what you're doing. Develop routines that work for you, and have the kids help with housework. You'll be fine. :)

 

I probably spend about 3 hours teaching now (between K'er and 3rd grader), and I don't have any trouble finding the time to do housework. Finding motivation, yes, but time, no. I have plenty of time. :lol:

[ByGrace3]

Depending on what you count as "school", school did last about 3/3.5 hours for my dd for first grade (that included 30 minutes of Bible and 30 minutes of piano). It was a big jump. Honestly, I felt first grade was much harder to do than 2nd because as their reading gets better they get a little more independent in some things.

 

I will have a 1st grader next year, and I am expecting a big change in how much time we need for school. A few things that help: plan ahead. Plan meals, cleaning, errands. Keep mornings available for school. Spread out some things. It doesn't need to all get done at once. While there are "more" subjects in first grade, keep in mind math and reading are still way more important than anything else. If you have to drop something some days, remember what is most important. First grade is more schoolwork, but they can also he around the house more. Remember they are still LITTLE so assess often and enjoy it!

[lilybrooke14]

It took us a while to hit our stride. I have a toddler as well, and I was making things way too hard. We do math every day. 4 days of Saxon lessons, and one day of LOF. FLL, AAS, and WWE 3 days a week. Reading every day. Science and history 2 days each. School takes us 2-3 hours a day. More than that and I lose her. Less than that and we don't finish our goals. Sometimes we add in art or music too, but just as a fun extra.

[Micron4]

How do you let everything else go, and focus on school? I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for teaching first grade in the fall. I know it will be a big change from doing school for about an hour each day to about 4 hours each day. It's the housework and the messes that I think I will find difficult to ignore so I can focus on teaching.

 

[Micron4]

I copied a wise, experienced homeschooling mom in my area and decided to have "cleaning day" every Friday. And by "cleaning day", I mean cleaning bathrooms, changing sheets, etc. we still try to keep the house orderly on the other days, but the heavy duty stuff comes out once a week.

 

We school year-round so it works for us. It's a great mental relief to me to know that on Friday everything will get cleaned up!