Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Changes for 2013 Curriculum & Routine



 
When something isn’t feeling just right it means you need to re-evaluate and fix the broken. When something’s working right I’ve always had the philosophy “if it’s not broken why fix it?”


 

After moving in July my homeschooling has been horrible. I’ve homeschooled for 8 years and never felt as if I was failing but I’ve felt that way recently. I don’t know what has caused it. I can’t explain it. I can’t really even rationalize it. Homeschooling has seasons, that’s one thing I’ve learned. However as the teacher to my children I must fix this. My husband said its mental lol well I’m sure it is. Speaking very freely because this is my blog lol… I can’t cope well with change and I am OCD. I don’t want the medicine that was given years ago and so I try to control it myself. My husband is very kind in overlooking my weirdness. My children have picked up some habits and I try to make sure I don’t enforce any of them! So yes – I’m sure its mental. Maybe I needed a break worse than I thought. I guess in a way I’ve grieved moving. Not sure but life must go forward.


We have always been able to school together easily. I’ve also always been able to combine the kids and make learning awesome. However Kyle’s getting older and he just thinks it babyish to be included with Lexi and Zac. I don’t want to make the smaller two feel as if they are a baby learning and I don’t want to dumb down Kyle either. There’s really nothing left to do but start branching Kyle out on his own. I can still combine Lexi and Zac for tons of things. 


We tried last year to give Kyle independent studies but it didn’t work with little or no supervision. Maybe I lacked again in showing discipline and responsibility in making it work.


So at first thought I had a wonderful idea to run pass Kevin and the kids. A subject a day… ((Crickets))


Reading would occur daily

Bible Devotion and reading would occur daily


Monday – Math Day

Brain Movements, Math & Classical Conversations Timeline and Song


Tuesday – History Day

Brain Activities, CC Song Review and History and Geography from our CC


Wednesday – Language/Spelling Day

Brain Movements, Language, Spelling & Writing, CC Song Review and Timeline and Math


Thursday – Science

Brain Activities, CC Review and Science Topics


Friday – Review Everything

Brain Movements, Schoolhouse Reviews, Math, Lapbook or Unit Study



So after thinking this over for a month ---- NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I mean why would I go to all the effort to try to work on a topic a day if I’m working on like 6 things in one day, Going to be as much as the old way to deal with. 


*NEEDING SOMETHING ELSE*


So I started praying and seeking out advice on other homeschool mother’s blogs and in friendships. After some clarity (at least for now). This is what we have decided on.


Kyle’s Day

830 Breakfast & Morning Chores

930 Bible Study & Devotion

10 Classical Conversations

1030 Math

11 Unit Study (starting out this will be history of the 17th century)

12 Spelling (mon and wed) Grammar (tues and thurs)

1230 Lunch

1 Learning Language Arts Through Literature (mon and wed) WriteShop (tues and thurs)

130 Science (tues and thurs)

2 Independent Reading

*This will hopefully be able to be done without too much instruction unless of course a new topic is introduced. This way I will still have control over his time and topic but he can work freely (at least that’s what I have planned out in my mind ;) )


Lexi’s Day

830 Breakfast & Morning Chores

930 Bible

10 Classical Conversations

1030 Math

11 LLATL(mon and wed) Spelling (tues and thurs)

1130 Science w/Zachary

12 WriteShop (mon and wed) Grammar (tues and thurs)

1230 Lunch

1 Lapbook/Notebook/Unit Study (we will be learning about turtles and tortoises the first week)

130 Independent Reading



Zachary’s Day * I have to instruct him on everything so I sit with him or beside him all the time*

830 Breakfast & Morning Chores

930 Bible

10 Classical Conversations

1030 Math

11 All About Reading Level 1 and Sight Word Lessons

1130 Science with Lexi

12 Writing daily

1230 Lunch

1 Lapbook/Notebook/US *Done with Lexi (we are starting with turtles and tortoises the first week)

130 Reading Time



So the breakdown is that we are doing a lot of the same topics at the same times but separately. Breakfast and Morning chores are together. Bible, Classical Conversations and Math are together then we start branching off. However Lexi and Zachary are doing a lot together still. Kyle however is almost completely by himself. He likes it this way so in no way is this punishment.


Classical Conversations is being done daily for 30 minutes but I’ve broken the topics down by day to help with ease.


Monday we will cover our History & Timeline.


Tuesday will be Science and any lab that is supposed to be done with the topic.


Wednesday will be Geography with a possible documentary in the evening.


Thursday will be Math which will be a short amount of time because it’s just facts and if we needed to finish a science lab.


Friday will be a short review and move along.


I’ve decided they can do their work anywhere in the house they desire. It doesn’t matter to me anymore. Sitting at the table is boring sometimes and we just need to lie in the floor or in the hallway or even on the bed. No rule as long as it gets done. The timer will be set each 30 minutes for each child and left on the shelf so maybe we will not overload each other and it can help us stay on pace. 



Maybe it will work as well as I’ve imagined and maybe it won’t. Either way it can’t be worse than the last couple months after moving! So it’s cool with me.


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2 comments:

  1. I like your schedule, Kayla! I am in the process of trying something very similar to this things have not been working well for us since we moved. I just can't seem to get a rhythm to our schooling that I would like.

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  2. I totally understand about the moving and grieving part. This has happened to us. while my younger kids and I finally found a groove, my oldest daughter and her learning has suffered. I am in the process of reworking her schedule. You have given me a couple of ideas!

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