I'm just wondering how everyone does the grade school subjects. I have heard different short responses to this, but I am trying to have some organized thoughts on the matter. I keep trying different approaches, looking for a perfect fit, and I need some fresh inspiration/ ideas. Thanks much!
Not quite sure exactly what you mean... "does the grade school subjects". Are you looking for a list of elementary aged subjects to cover? Are you looking for suggestions on approach??
Not sure if this is what you're looking for but here's an outline of what and how we do subjects: - Sequential Spelling quiz every school day - Grammar 3 times a week loosely following Easy Grammar but with a lot of internet resources as well. -Copywork twice a week. -Math every day of the school week. We have Singapore, Math Mammoth,, Key to Fractions and other resources and are now using them according to Catherine's interest and need to shore up certain skills. - History is SOTW with supplemental readings and activities. Usually a couple of times a week. - Science generally means reading science books, working on our big periodic table and/or an experiment 3 or 3 times a week. - Art is Geeart 16 and different projects from the web and an Usborne book on art activities. - Languages is just latin and greeks roots for now.
Yep you have me confused too. We do Math, Grammar, free reading, reading comprehension, spelling, US history, geography, science, art, music, and PE. We only do 3 subjects a day usually. Sometimes less.
Ok, glad I'm not the only one who wasnt sure about the question. I saw this yesterday and thought before I type out all the subjects I am teaching the kids I'll wait and see what others are thinking. LOL
I'm trying to find a good way to teach the required subjects.. not so much method, but how often in a week, etc. I know some people will teach a subject one year and not the next, or certain subjects everyday. Right now I am teaching math, english, and spelling everyday, with independent reading for at least 30 minutes. I keep finding that there isn't time to do a lot of History, Science, Civics, Social Studies. Dylan likes to daydream, so he ends up wasting time. Therefore, I am trying to figure out a new approach. Sorry I wasn't clear in the first place!
We have the same problem, by the time language arts and math are done, we are too tired (OK, I am too tired) to worry with history or science. I have tried fitting it in after lunch but there always seems to be something else that sounds more appealing. We have tried every other day, but retention does not seem that great. We now only do LA and math 4 days a week and on Friday we spend the day doing just science or just history. I split it, first half of year we do science, 2nd half we do history. Fully emersing in the subject for the day seems to help retention.
Aggie, that is sort of what I was thinking would work. My problem is that this is my first year at this, and I feel like I am not doing something.. or not doing something well enough. Everytime I make a change, I feel like I have "wasted" all of this time! Or I find myself getting filled up with ideas, or things to do, with no time. DS also has a way of making what I thought would be small assignments very, very time consuming.
ok.. here is what we do.. or well try to do.. we fall off track all the time and we just go with the flow. Monday: Math, Spelling (a pretest of the words, wrong ones get written 3x each), Grammar and art (free drawing time works for that if need be) Tuesday: Reading comprehension (spectrum reading), Social Studies (US history), Music. Wednesday: Math, a spelling worksheet (2 minutes tops), Grammar, and sometimes Health and Safety Thrusday: Free Reading.. he picks what he wants to read about, Science Friday: Math, Spelling test, Geography. Weekend: We do something as a family usually that can be considered PE.. even if it is just going out and finding a letterbox. If we don't make it out to do something on the weekend, Garrett rides his bike and things outside all the time.. so that one is covered.
Sometimes I feel terrible because others on here seem to have hours and hours of school.. we usually are done in 2 hours or less We also watch lots of programs on tv, and videos from the library.
I've been doing this 5 years and still feel like "what am I missing?" I test my kids every year because I worry so much. I have a close friends who unschools and a close friend who is very rigid (everything Abeka has to offer). Both have kids who are excelling. I am somewhere in the middle. We try to be rigid about math and LA. I use a sceduler for each kid (well only one this year, but this worked with all 3). I write down what they are expected to complete that day (2 lessons math, math facts, handwriting, 2 pages spelling, 30 min reading, etc). The child checks it off as they go. Friday is more loose. We do experiments, projects, unit studies, field trips (very little textbook reading). That is the unschool side of me coming out. I have all week to plan Friday so it works pretty well for us.
I wish I was done in 2 hrs! Half the time Dyl will be spending that much time on the simplest worksheet!!! We are taking this week off because I am stressed and he is burned out.. although I can't figure how he is burned out exactly, because most of his time the last month has been dilly-dallying. I had planned on doing classes each morning, with some written work/art/research time in the afternoons, but he just doesn't concentrate and stick to task, so the afternoons end up being an extension of the morning work.. grr!!!!!
LOL. I have a 10ds too. I can't tell you how many times I have thought, "how can you be tired, you haven't done anything?"
My son is like that. Just yesterday it took him 2 hours to do his spelling pages. I just started homeschooling this last Feb., so I know how you feel on the "everyone is getting more done than I am and we work for hours". But I am also learning to relax and remember that my child is not the same as theres and maybe I need to lighten up on his work load sometimes and add more on more productive days. We don't get every subject done daily, and sometimes we don't get in all of the subjects all in some weeks. But I am going at my child's pace (well with some pushing from me or we would go no where) and we are getting there. We did take a week off here and there and did history or science only and this was a fun break for both of us. My son thought it was great to only have to do the "fun" stuff those weeks. Sorry for rambling.
You don't have to apologize for rambling! I am glad I'm not the only one! This week started out okay, but by Tuesday, I was doing nothing but getting frustrated.. and ds was doing.. nothing, really. He is learning about WW1, and he started out reading an article, but was basically just dreaming. So I finally said, that's enough! lol. The only thing that stresses me out is wondering what the school district will think... if it wasn't for the PA laws, I would be so relaxed!!! Oh well.
Samantha is 11 and 6th grade. Here is what we do. Everyday - Bible, copywork, dictation, math, free reading, family read alouds (we do this at bedtime, right now it is Frankenstein) 3x per week - history, geography, grammar, typing 2x per week - science, greek/latin Fridays is fine arts day (or field trip day) - art and music study, poetry, shakespeare, mythology. THis is our favorite day! We go to the library once or twice a week, she takes gymnastics on Tuesdays and acting classes on Thursdays. She is about to be done with acting and will not take gym in December so things will be a lot calmer after Thanksgiving.
Just to throw this at ya.....have you thought about the boring stuff that you are giving him? Have you tried a unit study that incorporates a lot of the subjects when covering one topic? Also my new found "ah ha" book for those with boys. I haven't finished reading it yet and I'm told there is a pretty "bad" chapter on sex and not to leave the book laying around for anyone to read but...I haven't gotten that far yet. I figure if I don't like that chapter I'll just skip it because otherwise the book has been great. Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax Those with girls....I'd skip the book but...those of us moms teaching boys....a must read because it explains a lot of why we bash our head. ROFL
Here is what my day is like: Chores Handwriting/Spelling Breakfast Math English Lunch History (M,W,F), Science (T,R,F) Reading Art (when I can fit it in...lol) I also allow for independent studies, writing, grammer, etc. Most of that is considered english. Tuesdays: Fun Language Day Thrusdays: Fun Math Day Fun Days: when we have fun doing special projects or doing things outside of the box. I do school several hours a day. It changes depending on workload, etc. However, I am not done in 2 hours or less like Sommer. That would be great!! lol. I usually do school no less than 4 hours. We have been know to do school for 8 hours if we are having fun with a project. Sometimes they just don't want to quit. Of course with a 2 year old things do take longer! LOL.
Here's mine For first grade: Chores/Dressing, etc. Breakfast Read bible Bible lesson Spelling Math 1/2 reading (includes phonics, grammar, etc) Lunch Rest of reading Either Science or History lesson So, we "formally" start school at 10, break for lunch about noon, and finish up by 1:30-2:00. I also alternately do chores/laundry/dishes, etc while I am waiting for dd to finish a worksheet. This way the housework, and the schooling is all done at the same time We have trouble tackling that last science/history lesson after all the other subjects as well! Carrie
