Morning Time with high school students

[Kendall]

I've read some threads on the other board about Morning Time.  I know Cindy R. did this with high school kids, but I'd like to hear from others.  I'm feeling like there just isn't time, yet I think it would be good.  

 

Kendall 

[elegantlion]

Our morning time is different. I call it Gi Suilon, Elvish for "I greet thee". Generally we discuss a current event, some topic from this forum  :coolgleamA:, expand on previous discussions. Somedays we review foreign language or review a concept he might have missed in previous days lesson (like math).  Some days it's 5 minutes, some days it can turn into an hour. We then start with read aloud time, even at 16 it's good for us to read together. For us, we are not morning people, we already start later than most, and it's almost like a structured time of pleasantries to acclimate ourselves to the day. 

[1Togo]

I never called it Morning Time, but that is what we did during 9th, 10th and 11th. We covered a variety of

"subjects" -- grammar, logic, Bible study, and reading aloud. One hour or so was typical. Last dc has lots of courses to complete for graduation, and the courses are primarily independent work, but we will do

something together, whether it is in the morning or evening. I wish we had more time, especially since this is our last year of homeschooling.

[G5052]

Yes, I usually read something to them, and we discuss various things.  I love that time of the day as we sit around and talk with our tea and coffee.  I try to make something special for breakfast; lunch is more thrown together although we always eat together if possible.

 

This morning we were clearing out the kitchen for workmen and didn't get to sit down together.  I missed it!

 

[TechWife]

I don't call it morning time, either. Each morning we read a chapter or two of a book together - usually this book lends itself to spiritual development, but every once in a while we do a book just for fun. We talk a lot, pet cats and plan for the rest of the day. We keep it pretty simple.

[Kendall]

Thank you all for your thoughts.  It has helped me to realize that I already do this to some degree with a daily read aloud time at the end of the day and a morning Bible/singing time.  I might just add a short thing or two to one of those times.  

 

I also have to realize that my 11th grader doesn't have to get in on everything, and I can do things with the youngers that I wish I had done with him (picture study for one) even if he doesn't have time for it.  I could send him a link to each picture so that he at least has some exposure.

 

 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

We do "Morning Time" activities at various times during the day. It wouldn't work for us to do them all first thing in the morning. In fact, the more booked my daughter's schedule becomes, the less sense it makes for us to do those activities in the morning. Sometimes it even makes the most sense to do them during commutes or during snatches of downtime at home in-between various classes and activities.

 

[EndOfOrdinary]

Currently we are just doing middle school, so I cannot say that it will work for high school, but that is the intention. We do positive statements, gratitude statements, and attempting statements (something we screwed up or want to try and do better). It helps frame the day and be intentional. I am also teaching Ds to dance. He gets no choice. One waltz every morning. He can suffer through five minutes. It is my hope to do swing and a couple others through high school. His father has reassured him that the dancing will greatly woo potential partners later on.

 

The whole thing takes about 15 minutes on a quick day and maybe 45 on a day Ds wants to talk.

[MicheleinMN]

We start with a Bible reading, a poem, and a book of the day.  We're still working through The Count of Monte Cristo, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Chosen, and probably one other book.  (We try to read Count twice a week.)  On a good day we go over schedules and the day's plan in general.  Sometimes we will watch an educational video of some kind.  I try to do all our "together" things together first thing in the morning, or we will never get back to them.  The only thing that works to for us to do together in the afternoon is a (maybe) once a week science lab.  I want to add a speech class or memorization presentation that we record, but I think that will probably work better once a week and in the afternoon.

 

I've been doing this same morning time set up for ages.  I've graduated 3 students.  Three more to go!

 

 

[Homeschoolmom3]

We have morning time but each day varies. It is a time where I combine all of my kids. It is usually about 1 hr long. Each day we discuss their bible reading and we have one read aloud together. Then depending on day we do bible, latin, german drill, poem, shakespeare, composer studies. My son is only in 9th but we have been doing this for years so he has adjusted his schedule to get all of his other work done on his own.