How to create a schedule - favorite resources?

[Bay Lake Mom]

We have always just let our days happen. We are not "unschoolers" as we always have a curriculum that we're working through for each child/subject. However, I feel like we never accomplish quite as much as we should. I would like to create a schedule for our days moving forward, possibly starting with the new school year in the fall.

 

We will have 2 girls (1st & 4th grade). They will do several subjects together.

 

What are your favorite books or resources to help understand scheduling and create a successful schedule for the family?

 

BTW - I apologize for the numerous posts. The first one gave me a strange message when I posted it, and it apparently posted it twice. I can't do anything to either post. ...strange.

Edited April 9, 2017 by The Substitute is a Westie

[NikiSC]

Managers of Their Homes by Terri Maxwell is good for a how-to. It is from a Christian perspective. I love A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot. She dives into the why and the how. It is written from a Catholic perspective. Of course, there are many blogs, etc. that lay out the steps.

Happy scheduling😄!

[knitgrl]

A Mother's Rule of Life might work for her. It will not work for those of us who have toddlers and babies. I look forward to a few years from now when it might become a possibility for me.

[Bay Lake Mom]

Thank you! I've never heard of A Mothers Rule of Life. I'll check that out.

[2_girls_mommy]

I just always used the Well Trained Mind as far as what curric to use. Then I made a day of a perfect schedule for us to get it all in around the things we already had in life (naptimes, lunch, out of the house activities, etc.) After we try it for awhile, I make changes where necessary. I try to rotate subjects giving active times or brain break times in between tougher subjects. I schedule myself in the subjects they need me for, but think about what I need to be doing. If I need to be getting a baby down for a nap at a certain time, that might be when older kids have independent reading time or something. I usually redo the schedule each semester, fixing places that didn't work well and accounting for changes in anything.

[Maryam]

You have to find what works for you and your kids. After many trials, I have found that a regimented schedule (I.e. with time slots for everything) didn't work for us, due to the fact that I'm a perfectionist and get really stressed out and frustrated when we don't follow the schedule as planned. What I found DID work is a routine and a planner. My kids sleep and wake up at the same time everyday. After breakfast, they start. I have planned a week's worth in each one's planner. So they go down the list and highlight whatever they finish on that day's column. I am available for all of them, though I work more closely with my youngest (4th grade). The older ones are more independent. Then when they finish that day's work and we correct it (if applicable) they go off and play, read, or go to their sports or extracurricular activities.

 

 

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[rubyslippers]

I started making a schedule when my kids were that age, and it has helped us immensely over the years. I would make a list of your subjects along with how long it takes to do each one.  Then start playing with it, alternating harder subjects with easier subjects, making sure to take a break in the morning, outside if you are able.  

 

I have read some of the books that are published on this topic, and they really overcomplicate the process.  

[fralala]

I agree that this is something you can do yourself with a notebook and observation of your own family's routines, and that you don't necessarily need a book.

 

However, if you are looking for some motivation to whip yourself into shape and are less likely to plan without some kind of outside structure and inspiration, you might like something like Plan Your Year. (Scroll down for samples of the guide and planning pages.)

[Bay Lake Mom]

However, if you are looking for some motivation to whip yourself into shape and are less likely to plan without some kind of outside structure and inspiration, you might like something like Plan Your Year. (Scroll down for samples of the guide and planning pages.)

I guess that is what I'm looking for - some inspiration and ideas. I will look at all of this. Thank you for the suggestion.

[Garga]

I keep a detailed schedule for our schoolwork. I use two Excel charts that I print out.

 

One is a master chart of every subject that must be taught each day of the week for each child. The chart has Monday-Friday colums. Once a week, I update that chart with how long each subject will take to teach that week. It changes from week to week.

 

Then, I have second set of charts--separate charts for each day of the week. That chart is for a single day, but has rows for each hour of the school day.

 

That's where I shuffle around exactly which subject will be taught when. I do this because none of the boys' subjects are taught together. I have to work one-on-one with one student while the other works independently, and then I swap students. Each day, I review on my chart what work a student can do alone so that I know when I'll be working with the other student. The days are ever-so-slightly different from each other in that regard, so there's a new chart printed every day.

 

Excel has worked fine for me.

 

For my chores/errands lists, I handwrite those as I remember things. My Excel charts are just for schoolwork.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Garga

[Chelli]

I have an entire planning series on my blog. It's listed in my signature below. There might be something useful to you there.