Hi y'all!!! Thank y'all for the information. My son and I are feeling stressed out. I don't know why my mind is in public school mode---does that make sense? Please someone knock those public school ideas out of my head--ayaya. It's as though this thought overwhelms me---that if we don't do the time he'll get left behind. I know that statement is silly but yet it gets the best of me. Y'all are right about the time it's too much and very stressful. It's so late at nite I forgot where I placed the Home Study Program. In Louisiana the child should be in a similar program that follows P.S. but it's the parent's choice on how and which cirruculum to issue . Core subjects must be math, e.l.a, science, and social studies. School is for 180 days. It's doesn't state that the cirruculum has to be done in set hours. Renewal requires sample of child's work, certified teacher's letter that child is at grade level expectations or standarized test--iLeap. I guess that what's pressuring me so much expectations and standarized testing. I'm gonna 100% take up these great suggestions, pace it at his level, and be more flexible Thank y'all very much I appreciate your concerns and help . One thing before I go any suggestions on homework? How much and how often? That would be great info for me Good night well morning now hahahahaha Sweet dreams Sincerely, Anna
Hi In Louisiana it must be core cirruculum but as far as PE I planned to sign him up for karate classes this monday I know he'll enjoy that. He also goes outdoors to play and gets on the exercise machine. Thankyou for the suggestions! Sincerely, Anna
Thankyou so much I needed that hug :love: and hugs to everybody :love: and thankyou for believing in me
Hi Thankyou very much for your suggestions and help it means alot! LOL , it seems that time schedule is gonna have to take a break now. My mind has been on public school mode and I tired of it. I am so happy to know that it is okay to pace it and be flexible thru your's and other member's wonderful suggestions. It's funny how thought's can take on a life of it's own. Tomorrow no more time limits WHEW!!!! I 100% positive that my son will be alot more relaxed and happier . Thanks again and I look foward to more chats!!! Sweet dreams. Sincerely, Anna
I personally don't plan times for our work. I plan what we're going to cover & then we take as much time as needed on each subject. Since your state requirements don't mention time, just days, I wouldn't worry about setting lengths for each topic. As long as you do school, it counts as a day of your school year. Don't forget that field trips, a day spent outside observing nature (nature walks, sketching or writing in a nature journal), etc. can count too, as long as it's educational. Kids can be very inconsistent in their work. One day it may take 20 min to finish Math and the next day it might take 1 1/2 hrs. If you don't have to count hrs spent, I wouldn't worry about it. If Spanish & Health aren't required, than you can count them as electives. I would still cover Spanish daily, because he'll have an easier time retaining ti that way. However, Health you could probably do just 2-3 days per week. As for homework, I only assign homework if it's a long term assignment. If I assign a report, esssay, research paper, etc. I plan to have a certain amount doone in each subject each day. When that work is done, we're done with school. After we're done, my daughter has time to work on any projects or long-term assignments. Oh, when we're doing a required reading book, I assign a certain number of chapters a day. SO, I guess that counts as homework, too. I never assign homework the way public schools do. Public schools have to assign homework because they don't have enough time to get the work done in class. If you allow your son to finish his assignments in 'class time', then there is no need for homework (except long-term assignments).
It is very common to be in PS (public school) mode!! I think for you and your son it would do you both great to take some time to deschool. This is where you don't specifically focus on anything really. If you feel like going to the library and picking up a book about something great, but you don't have to. If you feel like watching History Channel.. great if not watch Cartoon Network, no big deal! It will help you realize that you don't need that whole PS frame of mind, that you will do just fine following your own lead. I totally reccomend the book "The Homeschooling Handbook" by Mary Griffith. She is an unschooler (this book does not push you into that!!), and this book really helped me to be able to say to myself "It is ok to relax!!". She does a great job explaining all the different ways that homeschool looks.. from very rigid (set times, set subjects) to totally unschooling (parents stratigically setting out some books and things and hoping the kids pick them up). I started out on the rigid side, but am moving more and more towards the unschooling side every day. I do know I can't totally unschool... my son would play video games 24/7 if I did that, but we are very very relaxed here.
To answer your homework question-- you'll probably get lots of answers. We don't do homework in the public school format. From time to time, my oldest might have some sort of writing that she's working on after our school day is done but generally, we have school time and then we're done. That is part of the beauty of homeschooling.....why ruin your evening with the family (and daddy) for 3 hours of homework like the ps kids....which is usually just dumb busywork anyway (at least at the elementary age). Others answers will vary I'm sure.
OH, Just to add-- 6th grade at public schools would include time for settling the class down and assignments handed in etc... You may find times are a bit longer than we actually use? I do anyway. I set a block but don't always use that time and let them finish extra work or complete what didn't get done in the last class etc. Are you calling REading= Literature? And why 70 minutes? I would cut those to 60 mins, most kids 11? wont sit for 70 unless it is with a movie or a game, interactive? My ds 6th will have 1/2 hr bible daily 1 hr math and english daily 45 mins alternating days for science and history. Spanish 30 mins - alternating days Art 30 mins -m/f PE 30-1 hour ;after school mostly. two or three days a week We start from 8 am and end by 230 or 3pm on PE days.
Hello everybody Once again y'all have shone a light upon this situation, thanks It's true it doesn't make sense to give homework. He does class work each day from the books and worksheets, lol, that's plenty! It's gotten much better. We're pacing on his level. The time schedule is thrown out. I've notice on some subjects we take more time and others it's faster but there is no time limit. I'm beginning to enjoy teaching and learning with him I was re-reading Lousiana Homeschooling Law and it's not as strict as I had thought. There is no set hours nor days for cirriculum although school is to be 180 days. I was wondering does anyone else use ps textbooks for their cirriculum? I thank everybody for their help, time and support Y'all take care! Sincerely, Anna
Hello Yeah it is alot of time. When I first made out the schedule even to me it felt heavily loaded. This is my first time homeschooling and I wasn't even sure how to begin or where to begin. I was visiting with my youngest son's teacher. I asked her for her advice on what a "typical" schedule would be like, she wrote me the time blocks and I went with what she had given me. I had asked for advice about scheduling and everybody here helped me to understand Now time isn't a huge priority . PS mode hasn't completely left me because that's all I have been used to. These ladies here helped me to realize flexibility and that it's okay to relax, take it a day at a time I apologize I'm rambling on... and to answer your question yes I was referring literature to reading. I also thankyou for suggestion on a schedule. It was such a pleasure chatting with you! Take care. Sincerely, Anna
Hi Brandi! Thankyou for the excellent information! I didn't even know that. I am a newbie when it comes to homeschooling. I was re-reading Louisiana Homeschool Law and it's not as strict as I thought. There are no set hours or days. School has to be 180. Subjects that must be taught are ela, science,math, and world history that's it. I'm so glad you mentioned the homework part! We do classwork daily plus worksheets when appropiate so I'm cutting out the homework excet for lengthy projects/assignments---see how my mind is still on ps mode? I gotta unschool my own mind lol. Thankyou Brandi you gave some great tips! I didn't think about fieldtrips, nature walks and other education activities counting toward school days. That's what I'm starting to do, I plan what I want to cover with him and no more set time I 've notice some subjects we'll zip by but others we take more time. It's was a great pleasure chatting with you, Brandi. Take care Sincerely, Anna
Hi crazymama!! You absoulety read my mind to a T!! That is exactly how I have been feeling mentally---on ps mode. Which I wish I weren't. I'm gonna take your advice on the book and read it . Your right we both need to deschool. It's what we have been accustomed to for 6 years. Thankyou crazymama! I keep you informed about the reading Take Care Sincerely, Anna
Hi !!! Thankyou for your suggestion!!! Another lessoned learned I didn't realize how flexible homeschooling could be! We do daily classwork when we go over the material that's suppose to be covered. I didn't know I could count his classwork for homework. This is going to be a huge relief for both of us. Thankyou so much for your help!! Take care Sincerely, Anna
