how do you schedule your days

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by yankee girl, Jul 13, 2004.

  1. yankee girl

    yankee girl New Member

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    Okay -- now that I have gotten our curriculum; I need to start lesson plans. How do you plan your days? Do you do every subject everyday? (I am using Abeka) My son needs structure, however; I would like to be more relaxed and not push him like public school.
    Could I still give him a good education if I don't do language arts, math, spelling, and reading everyday?

    Any advice is welcome? (by the way I'm in NC, my son will be 10 in 2 weeks, and we will be doing fourth grade)

    Thank you -
    Tammy
    :?
     
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  3. Homebody

    Homebody New Member

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    Tammy,

    My daughter was in 4th grade last year with Abeka. I did do Math, Language, Spelling, Penmanship, and Reading every day. We did Science from August until the end of January and then did History from February to May. We didn't do Health last year. Looking back on last year....I would have worked 4 days a week on Science and History and taken a week off here and there to make both subjects last until at least April. We finished our Science but didn't finish the History last year. We stopped at the end of May for summer break. Now having said all that, we didn't use Abeka for penmanship and spelling.

    This is what I plan on doing this year. (this is my 3rd yr. of hs'ing, by the way)
    We will work 5 days a week on Math, Language, Spelling, Penmanship and take a Friday off whenever we want. We will work on Reading Monday-Thursday and do a comprehension worksheet each Friday. We will start out working Health, Science, and History Monday-Thursday taking Friday off. We will also take a week off or couple of days here and there to space out those curriculums because they are usually just a semester curriculum. I don't use the Abeka manuals on what to teach each day...I figure that out myself according to how well my daughters are catching on and learning. Hope this helped and didn't confuse you more. You will get the hang of it and do your own thing eventually. Just relax and don't get too stressed out. (which can be easy to do your first year)

    If I can help you any more...just let me know!
     
  4. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    First of all, my DH is a public school teacher, so our schedule is tied to the public school calendar, like it or not. We DO school rather informally over the summer...mostly just doing a little math and/or reading a day. During the "school year", we're up at 6:00 with Daddy. We eat with him, he reads our Devotional, and then we get dressed right after he leaves. Then we do Bible and prayer. After that, it's usually math and writing. This is followed by "something" such as history, science, etc. My youngest still takes a nap at 1:00, and my girls do "Silent Reading" for a half-hour during this time. This is my "Mommy Time"...my girls know not to bother me during this half-hour unless there's blood or the house is on fire, LOL! I follow this with reading a chapter from a book...usually either a "classical" story or a biography. On Mondays, I've also been doing laundry all day so the spend their time while I read folding clothes.

    Add to this piano lessons weekly, Homeschool group weekly, a Homeschool 4-H group once a month, nature hikes once a month, trips to the library once a month, and hopefully taking my children twice a month to a nursing home to read to handicapped children that are too fragile to attend school.......

    The big secret is that yoiur schedule is only a FRAMEWORK. It's good to have one, but don't let it control you. It is a guideline only. Remember: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
     
  5. Homebody

    Homebody New Member

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    LOL!!! I have never heard that Jackie! That is soooo good! I'll have to write that down and post it on my refrig. this HS year! My schedule sounds kinda dull compared to yours. I'm one that needs structure, but don't let that fool ya! We take a day off when we want! :wink: We skip a subject when we want also, but always do the work on another day. Mommy time.....aaaahhhh sounds good. ..but my luck the phone would ring or company would drop by. LOL!
     
  6. Mom2ampm

    Mom2ampm New Member

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    The answer to your question....

    as I see it.... Yes, you can still give a good education even if you don't teach the core subjects everyday. You can do it by doing more of one subject in one day. I have done this lots of times. If you go through your curriculum you can usually tell about how many pages/activities are planned for each day per subject. For example, if Reading requires 2 pages a day then you could do 4 or 5 and just do Reading 2 to 3 times a week. This goes the same for the other subjects. This way you are still getting in all the material necessary but you are not having to do it every single day.

    I like to do smaller increments every day if possible. I have done it the other way though. It is nice to do that if want a change of pace. We do the core subjects (Language Arts, Math) every day and Science/Social Studies about three times a week or so. Those two vary. I also try to do Art/Music/Spanish two to three times a week. We do computer/typing every day usually.

    Good luck scheduling!!!
     
  7. yankee girl

    yankee girl New Member

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    :D Good Morning Everyone! Thanks for your responses. I wll try and remember to be flexilbe. :wink: It is hard to image getting all of the subjects done in one day. Of course maybe I'm allowing too much time or each different subject. It sounds like this year my son and I will both be learning.

    Thanks again! I'm sure I will have more ??s soon.

    Tammy

    ps Jackie I'm going to post on my refrig your saying I love it
     
  8. abcTammy

    abcTammy New Member

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    :D Ha, the dreaded schedule...
    The first year is always the hardest. Hang in there while you work out the kinks and find your own way. :shock: The Abeka curriculum is designed for a traditional school. Lots of 'fill' to keep larger numbers busy. It can be tuff to keep up with their schedule. Remember many teachers skip pages here and there. You remember, do all the evens or odd number questions. Don't be afraid to tailor the program to work for your family.

    We have been hsing almost five years here, I have two kids. I/we like to get the 'have to do core subjects' done. Our schedule has worked down to this. Four days a week we do math and LA first. Our actual work day is under four hours. Nine to one are our official school hours. I don't take phone calls or schedule appts during this four hour block and there is no tv or video games. My kids love science so, that is an after the core subjects are finished. We do science and History on an alternating schedule two or three days a week. Friday is our field trip, library, science station or free day.

    We have the violin, dance, art and martial arts each once a week. This year my dd and I are adding in Girl Scouts. Next year my ds will add Boy Scouts. These are scheduled after the four hour block.

    If you think your son would benefit from more time and less subjects a day then of course~ try it out. My kids do need the structure of me saying.. 'Time for lessons' not 'Are you ready for school?' In the end, relax and remember you are finding what works best for you and your son. Like Jackie, said....Be Flexiable. :D
    Best wishes~ Tammy
     
  9. yankee girl

    yankee girl New Member

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    time slots

    Do you allow so much time for each subject or do you just take whatever time is needed? My son will need a schedule that he can see(he just does better). I bought him a student planner that I will write down what pages he needs to do that day. This way he can mark off what he has finished.

    I'm thinking of trying 8:30 to 12:30 take a break for lunch, then have silent reading time some days and other days curl up on the couch and read together. I will definitely do math, La, and spelling four days. In fourth grade the ps learn NC history so I am hoping he will like to do research on the internet, and science - well not sure what to do there. Any suggestions would be great.

    Hoping to be flexible--I will try hard remember
    Tammy
     
  10. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    If your son works best with times, then you should go with that. I usually don't, though there are some times I will set the timer to get my younger daughter working on her math.

    Look into "My State Notebook" by Joy Dean. We just finished the one for Ohio. It comes with all the information you need and covers history, geography, legislature, industry, etc. You do a lot of cut-and-pasting of places around your state. When you're done, it's almost like a state "scrapbook". You can also get a "My State History Funbook" with can be used with the younger kids at the same time. Very easy to use them both together; My older one (9) did the one book and my other (7) did the easier one. The first book also has several "optional" ideas for reports, etc.

    www.statehistory.net
     
  11. abcTammy

    abcTammy New Member

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    :D My dd has an assignment chart that was her idea. I've tried all the schedule times and variations. Some days math takes longer or a story is just too good to stop. Instead of saying, thirty minutes for this and one hour for that. I put a little clock face on her assignment sheet and she colors it in as she goes. She is a girl and likes to use a different color for each subject. (Now she can tell time to the minute!) The sheet also has boxes she enjoys checking off. My ds, seven just wants to do what he must and I can do the paper work :oops:

    I do allow for short breaks between subjects and each gets to begin the day with their choice....LA or Math? :shock: It gives them a choice, and we get the most important subjects out of the way. If the day is too beautiful to pass up. We might skip out after the math and reading lessons. This way I don't feel stressed or guilty; and we don't have to get home and squeeze school in. :D
     
  12. abcTammy

    abcTammy New Member

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    Science is easy. Your library is a great place to check out books. Consider letting you son choose. We love the Usborne and Dorling Kindersley science books. They are filled with simple experients. You will have most everything in your kitchen but be sure to keep plenty of baking soda and vinager around :eek: Building a volcano is "awsome." There are also some great science web sites. Nasa has a great one.

    The state study can be fun. You can put together your own or most book stores like B&N have a workbook type. You local tourism bureaus will send out lots of free things. We always get the National & State park teaching materials when we visit. :D My kids have the passports and love collecting the stamps. We participated in a state post card exchange. It was fun and both mine learned so much about our state and the others. :D
     
  13. yankee girl

    yankee girl New Member

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    I didn't think about letting Cody pick out the science. I will check out the websites and the books. Thank you. We are hoping to make it more enjoyable than ps has been. I am very lucky to have my families support.

    The volcano sounds great - Cody will love that. I will check out the bookst. One thing he is interested in is electricity. We got him a kit from the bookfair that he can make 20 different things using electricty(this will definitely be daddy's day).

    Thanks for all of your help!
    Tammy
     
  14. TinaTx

    TinaTx New Member

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    Hi Tammy......

    My computer has been down! :evil: But now, I'm up and running! :D So I wanted to post our schedule for my 4th grader ds next year for ya'.

    Our schedule has remained the same for the past couple of years because I FINALLY found one that worked for US. PHEW!! You too will have some *trial and error*. Pitch out anything that don't work and start over! :wink:

    I always use Monday for our day to *pause and rewind*. I can't come off a busy weekend and not tie the house together and have it order before I start school for the week. I'm real pisssy (LOL) when all I see is clutter. KWIM? So I take MOnday morning for an indepth Bible Study Class. Then the rest of the day is for cleaning, buying groceries, and generally puting things away. I also make a nice big meal on that day because the rest of the week, I DON"T. LOL LOL.. Not really, its just more simple the rest of the week! So DH appreciates the extra special meal on Monday..

    Then Tuesday thru Friday is Math first thing. I allow 40 minutes for Math. Then Tues, Wed and Thursday we include language arts (which is writing,spelling and reading) We also do science 2 days a week. Generally Tues and Wednesday..then Latin on the same days.

    So on Friday, we can do just math, and then we do history all day for the rest of the day, however long we want to...

    So basically I school 3 INTENSE days....However, I choose to school year round so its no problem.

    Some parts of the year, I will incorporate school on Sunday morning since we go to church on Sunday afternoon.. So that adds another day . So 4 days instead of 3.

    The way I look at it is that ps kids go for 5 days to get in all that we can do in 3 or so. So I do that. :wink:

    Also, don't be afraid to *pitch* something that doesn't work in your boxed curriculum. As much as I love it, I have NEVER used EVERYTHING I get in my wonderful boxed curriculum. It serves me, I don't serve it. I have to use part put together because dh and I run our own business, so I have time constraints. However, I also like the leeway in planning when I see the need in one of my children. So don't feel like the boxed curriculum is *gold encrusted* LOL. Its NOT! hee, hee. Its just paper, and subject to being thrown away in my house if I see that its not a need.

    Thats our general schedule!!!!

    Blessings
    TinaTx
     
  15. yankee girl

    yankee girl New Member

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    Hi Tina-Right now I have a lot of help keep the house picked up because we have it up for sale. My boys know that they better not leave things laying around because I'll box it up and no telling how long they will be without it. (sounds mean but it has worked for me-I don't have a messy house) Earlier this evening I was looking thru the books and seen things that seemed just put in for busy work(I'm going to have to rememeber he doesn't have to do every problem). My dh is going to help on Wednesday's so I will use this day as my errands day-grocery shopping - and me time. He will be doing science and history with our ds. Since this is the only day he is home during the week I'm going to make it Cody's light day so he can also have fun time with daddy. Instead of keeping to a time schedule I'm gonna first see how long it takes him to finish math and LA. Keep me in your prays as I find what works for us.

    Take Care and thank you for taking the time to share your schedule
    Blessings
    Tammy
     
  16. TinaTx

    TinaTx New Member

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    Tammy.....

    Too funny!!!!! My house is up for sale too!!! :lol: So I COMPLETELY know where you are coming from. However, our homeschooling must go on. So I told realtor we need to have 48 hours notice. So it has worked for the one showing so far :wink: We generally pick up anyway, but you know how it goes when you show the place. It needs to look like it stepped out of a magazine, instead of living at the place. :roll: :wink:

    I don't have *TIMED* anything. Math is generally 40 minutes just because its the only subject that I can *guessestimate* pretty good. The other subjects we just cover them as we cover them. Iif he understands, on we go. If not, why go on? Thats what ps does. :roll: Keep on rollin' even if you don't have any earthly idea of what their talking about :shock: :wink:

    Sounds like you have thought about all the details. Spending time with dh is so important,especially for the boys. Thats the beauty of homeschool. It adapts to each families needs and wants. Gotta love it!

    Keep us posted as you go along this year! Just remember to soak up those *OHH AHH* moments, and enjoy the *snuggle* factor. YOu know, cozying up on the couch with a blanket and read or do science. We do our history like that with all 3 boys sprawled on me. They are young now, but I hope they still enjoy our time like that as they get older.

    Blessings
    TinaTx
     
  17. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    HEY!!! The girls need Daddy-time just as much as the boys!!! (Tina, you've got all boys, so you've learned to be "wired" differently. My aunt had five boys and seems SO MUCH like you, LOL!) When I was expecting Phillip, there were also two neighbors expecting, due about the same time. For one it was their first. Would you believe that BOTH their husbands dared comment to me that if it was a girl, they wouldn't have as much to do? Boy, did I set them straight!!! Told them that a girl's relationship with her father had far-reaching effects in her future marriage and how she related to men in general, etc.

    Boys or girls, that Daddy Time is SO essential! And in this house, it's SO difficult to schedule! Not that DH isn't willilng, but with everything that needs to be done, etc......
     
  18. TinaTx

    TinaTx New Member

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    Jackie!

    You got that right WIRED is the word!!! :lol: :lol: You've got to be to stay on top of huge masses of energy everyday. Its so funny how the differences become evident so quickly. My sister has ALL girls! She's the tomboy, ya know. She would have loved a few boys to get out early in the morning with her to feed horses,take care of all the baby animals she has, and otherwise play in the dirt. :D

    But she ALWAYS mangages to get so much more done in a day because her girls are so,............ lets see whats the word *mild, gentle and otherwise easy to keep busy*. NOT !!! with my boys! They are good, but the ENERGY is going somewhere to do SOMETHING! :lol:

    Yep, I had 3 sisters growing up, and only 1 brother. My father's influence over us was absolutely necessary! His influence is what drew me to a christian mate, and also to feel I could do the things in life I had goals on. Their father is a model of how they should be treated, and things they should expect from a man.

    I guess where its different is that for boys he is the same sex parent. If they feel they can't relate to me, they can to Dad. KWIM? I don't let them pull that line, especially my oldest, with me for a cop out on things going on at home. But I know my oldest recently got embarrassed over something we were talking about. FIRST TIME, ever I noticed that! But with Dad, he just poured his little heart out! It hurt a little, but I know that won't be the first time. I was reading a christian journal somewhere, :p and they said same sex parents exerted the most influence over the child. Its like they put themselves in that role. I guess I could see that from a certain point. But at the same time I see the example of Timothy in the Bible who was raised by his mother and grandmother. Sooooo theirs hope! LOL......

    Oh well, it just goes to show that BOTH parents are needed! I know certain tiimes in their lives the *pendulum* will swing back and forth between parents depending on what they need from each. Its just so important to make time for Dad since most of time he's not there as much as mom. KWIM?
     

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