gandpsmommy Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I was trying to write a time-slot schedule, but it was driving me crazy! So, I thought maybe it would be better to do a time-block schedule. Does anyone else do something like this? I have a general idea of what times the things will happen because we have to have ds at preschool three mornings a week at a certain time, and dd and I will do her morning work at the library on those days. But it also allows for some flexibility. Breakfast: poetry Bible story Morning: math writing Latin either spelling (2 days), grammar review (2 days), or Literature (1 day) dd's reading to me Lunch: classical music while we prepare and clean up lunch fun read-aloud during lunch Afternoon: subject of the day (geography, science, history, art, music) reading time together (picture books, history & science additional reading, alphabet and counting books for ds, topics of interest) piano practice/lesson free reading Driving Time : (We live 1/2 hr. from gymnastics and about 20 minutes from preschool. We drive to each place three times a week, so we're in the car for about 5 hours a week.) Listen to Spanish cd Listen to classical music Listen to audiobooks Practice Latin chants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMamaMama!! Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I do. Our day starts when we wake up, and ends when we're done. Most of our work is finished in the Morning.:) 1st Hour/ Hour and a half Bible Memory Period Math 10 min Break 2nd Hour English- ETC, PLL, Handwriting, and Logan reads out loud 5 min Break 3rd Hour Sonlight Core 1 REading for the day Lunch Break 2 hours Naptime for littles and Free Reading/Quiet Play/Homework if we are pokey that day. :) *Generally 1st and 2nd hour are finished even if we have to be somewhere. 3rd hour can be made up at bedtime or in the afternoon naptime. We generally stay home till after 2 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Whenever I detaile scheduled, I'd flop... it was difficult to stay on 1/2 hour tracks and then I'd feel pressure that I wasn't on schedule. I did what you just did... had a basic plan for each day... it felt much better for all of us. One thing I did differently as I applied it, though, was that when we had big interruptions and missed portions of a day, I'd pick up the next day where we left off (so for that day I'd do some afternoon type things after breakfast, adjust a bit to catch up without stress), that way if I got interrupted a lot in the afternoons, we still got to afternoon type things... hope that makes sense! Bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 We block too. I love being able to flex the subjects within the time blocked out while working with my youngest. My older child appreciates having time blocked out for her subjects rather than do them hour by hour. Blocking lets her have control within each period to do her "work". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Yrs and yrs ago when I first started homeschooling, an email list I was on at the time really delved into the scheduling topic in depth. All of us agreed that strict scheduling would not work with our families. It didn't allow for things like diaper changes, potty training, changing loads of laundry......in general things that were normal within the daily functioning of our families. Schedules were doomed to failure before they even began. We all agreed that the concept of "pegs" were more appropriate. It allowed for a general daily flow and a more natural rhythm to our days. The pegs were the daily "norms' that existed. For example, eating breakfast. Your schedule might be math follows breakfast and a quick laundry switch might follow math, etc. It is what I now do unconsciously after yrs of doing it. It is better for me b/c I don't like being tied to a clock, especially when we are absorbing so much info from an exciting bunny trail. It allows for life. It is home life friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I have a spreadsheet I work with, where I schedule what subjects need to be covered on any given day. I know what needs to be covered and we just work through our day. This allows for interruptions that may occur, and I won't feel stressed if I'm not exactly on "time". I would drive myself nuts otherwise. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogpond1 Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Homeschool moms have to be flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I do this! Actually, I schedule my day by starting with the subjects that all three boys do together - Sonlight, geography, Harmony Fine Arts, poetry memorization. Then, the 8 yo plays with the baby while I do the subjects with the oldest two - grammar, writing, and something else. Then, I work with ds1 independently. Then ds2 independently. Then, I call up ds3 and work with him while the older two work on independent work. I try to finish this by lunch. After lunch, it's grading and correcting and science. Works for us! Timelines always made this perfectionist crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 My 10yos has his weekly work list organised into blocks. It looks like this... Math / Science ---math copywork ---MUS 1-3pgs. ---TOPS 1pg. English / Arts ---copywork ---spelling ---reading ---arts (poetry, art, music, etc.) ---violin practice 15 minutes Core Work (with me) ---Latin ---Grammar (MWF) / Writing (T TH) ---History / Literature RAs Computer / Languages ---Typing or Logic ---Japanese ---Kana Other ---Tidy desk ---Daily chores ---Care for pets ---Tidy bedroom Ds#2 looks at his list after breakfast & get started while I clean up breakfast, get the laundry on, & get ds#1 started on his work. Ds#2 can do most of blue & silver block independently. If he runs in to problems, he either asks me if I'm free or moves onto something else & we go over it during green block. Each block is set up to take roughly an hour to complete. We've used this set-up since January & it's worked very smoothly for us. I use a different system for my dd & ds#1. JMHO, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 we do blocks too. everyone knows what is expected of them in the morning. it is completely up to them what time they start, and what order they do the subjects in, as long as they all don't do grammar at the same time and they get it all done by lunch.it works very well with most of the children. some of the kids choose to do some of their work in the evenings so they have more time for "working in the shed ' in the morning. most of our afternoon subjects are done as a family. and have set times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 That's sort of how I approach my days. I don't have actual times written down, because that just isn't going to happen. I also don't have a good feel for our "schedule" until the first week is over because it takes me a week just to get in the groove of using materials (like Saxon for young ones is different than the Saxon I was using with my oldest). It also takes about a week to just figure out what we can really get done in a morning and in an afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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