After schooling

[Peri]

We are moving to a new home and the schools in that zone are considered to be top quality schools. So DH has decided that maybe I need a break, he wants me to go back to college and do something for myself, and is putting dd in school there. So I was thinking its time to look at my afterschool options. Should I wait to see what is going on at the school or should I just decide what it is I want to spend time on? She will be in the 7th grade, which to me is a bad time to pull her out of my hands and hand her over to them ... I would have like to have waited until she was finished with the 8th grade. That way she would have gone straight to high school and there would be more stabilization. Anyways, the subjects that I think should be continued are, Logic, Math (drills at least), Spelling, Grammar, Reading, Writing, and History.

 

Logic - we could do this as a fun activity over the weekend. I usually let her work by herself for 1 hr and then we work on it together.

 

Math - We currently do Saxon Math and I seriously think that Math Facts and Mental Math should continue because I have seen a big difference in her ability to do Math because of just this. This would take about 15 min.

 

Spelling - I'm thinking maybe I should wait to see if they have a spelling text and then apply our habits to it. If they don't have a spelling text then i think we should continue what we're doing but at a slower pace. This would also take about 15 mins.

 

Grammar - I also think this should be continued but with less actual work than we're doing now. Might take about 30 mins.

 

Reading - This is one of those subjects that I think should definately not be given up just like Math. But we are still keeping this to 1 hr a day.

 

Writing - I think should be continued as well. Kids that write well do well in school and the only way to write well to to practice. DD usualy gets her writing done in about 30 mins sometimes less than that.

 

History - This is another subject that I think we should continue. I just think we should tweak it a little to make it more light hearted and fun. I think we should limit it to reading about history and doing the timeline. This streached out over 1 week should take about 30 mins a day.

 

So far we have about 3 hrs of afterschooling. What do you guys think? Doable? Is there something I'm leaving out or should leave out?

[StephanieF]

Will she be getting homework set by the school?

Stephanie

[Peri]

Will she be getting homework set by the school?

Stephanie

 

I don't know. But knowing dd, she probably will because she never finishes her classwork. She is extremely social. No matter how much I try to explain to her that if she finishes her tasks she will have free time to relax and enjoy her hobbies, she still doesn't finish her tasks and then gets mad about it. I think I will have to play it by ear and see how it goes.

[Susan in IL]

DS2 has always been in school and I have always afterschooled him. He is in 10th grade now and as he gets more and more homework and more involved with clubs, I don't get in as much as I would like. But, I know whatever I do get in, it is a benefit to him.

 

If she is in school all day and then has homework, she will never have time to just relax. Putting a time each day for each subject will drive you nuts if she has lots of homework one day and none the next. Add in some extracurricular activities and you will start to think you are getting behind or feeling stressed.

 

I would wait to see what the school curriculum is for each subject.

 

Logic - if this is done on the weekends only and she likes it, it could be a fun thing.

 

I gotta tell you that there probably is no spelling, let alone a text. Around here you will be lucky to have a teacher correct spelling after 5th grade. Correct her spelling and maybe a little grammar, just see how she writes and go from there. I wouldn't spend time every day on either unless it really needs intervention.

 

Math - Do you have an idea what level she will be placed at? Pre-algebra or basic math? Review the book, stay on top of what she is doing, supplement with drill if needed.

 

History, Reading, Writing - Supplement with books for her to read on her own time based on whatever period they are doing at school. This is where I add in the great books. Have an endless supply ready so she can always read in the car, at a restaurant, etc. As soon as she finishes one, hand her another one. Believe me, my ds's history and english teachers have been very impressed with his reading list. Have her write different kinds of reports for those books to work on writing. She might not need a lot of work in the writing area. DS1 (hsed) did, DS2 did/does not.

 

JMHO.