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School Daze

This week, the day after Labor Day, we began our fourteenth year of homeschooling. What a week it's been! Not only did we start schooling within our home, but our outside activities kicked in with a vengeance. Unbelievably, we have squeezed ten music classes, a Keepers at Home meeting, and three hours' worth of co-op classes into the past three days.

I posted earlier about my desire to redeem my time and use it more effectively. I consider our schedule still very much in the tweaking phase, but it seems to be working. I've blocked off one hour of one-on-one time per school-age child (there are four), and 30 minutes of "pre-school" time with my oldest preschooler, which will probably have to be moved since it's scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and he's just not a morning person (and comes by that honestly).

I'm allowing blocks of time for each subject. For instance, instead of doing one page of math a day, do as much as you can within the time allowed. This should enable us to work ahead, since we have one day a week when we are hardly home due to outside classes.

During my one-on-one time for each child, I cover teaching instruction in all subjects. They will do the actual work during the time scheduled for those individual subjects.

We have set up an area with a large dry erase board, table, and bench; this is where I handle individual instruction. The board is wonderful! I wish we'd had one a long time ago. It's great for working math problems. I still prefer the couch for reading, though.

Respect each other's individual time; don't interrupt!

Christian first language arts lesson was a hoot! His example of an interrogative sentence was: "Hell, what's your name?" (he left out the "o" in "hello"). For a sentence which makes a command, he wrote: "Go do you's school." I don't know what kind of brain fog overcame him during the summer, but we are not Yankees!

Hayden asked me to teach him Russian this year for high school foreign language (which actually locks us into at least two years). I have a B.A. in Russian, but I'm more than a little rusty considering I graduated sixteen years ago. I am going to teach him three days a week. We've only done one, but already he says it's his favorite subject. I just hope I can stay a step ahead, refresh my memory, and not disappoint him!

Well, I hope I didn't bore you, but Crew Mom said to give her more scheduling talk!

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6 Comments:

Blogger Melissa Mae said...

I love to hear how your school day "works". . .your schedules are really fun to read about. I want to know more!

Blogger Amber said...

I don't see how you do it, woman! I also really enjoy reading your schedules and marvel at how much you can get done in one day.

Blogger Code Yellow Mom said...

Russian!!! I minored in Russian - served as a missionary in Ukraine. Where did your interest come from? (Don't run into many Russian amerikanky. :))

I am in awe of your homeschooling prowess...My boys are not school-age yet, but I'm seriously considering the homeschool advantage. So I'm going to be reading you faithfully for pointers...:)

Happy new school year!

Blogger Barb said...

I'm with Amber. I have a LOT of respect for you. I know in my heart I could not have done this.

Blogger Crew Mom said...

I could read on and on, girl....even though I'm NOT a reader, I LOOOOVE reading things that have to do with scheduling and organizing!!! I love it! Your schedule sounds great! Glad your first week went so well, your children are blessed to have such a genious mom! love you!

Blogger Gail said...

Hey Miss Dawn! Sounds like you have this down to a science! I would never be able to FIND the schedule, much less ADHERE to it!

I wish some of your organizational skills would just rub off on me, but I have it on good authority that these things do not happen by osmosis.

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