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.
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.
ReplyDeleteI 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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