As I mentioned yesterday, I plan to implement a schedule in the coming year. Up until now, in all the years of our homeschooling journey, we've followed a very loose routine. We have never started school at a set time, nor even followed a strict calendar of days. I even scored --gasp-- as an unschooler once on a "What style homeschooler are you?" quiz. (it's okay if that horrifies you; it did me at the time) In other words, we've been very relaxed. And it has worked well for us.
But, (and you knew that was coming, right?) we are entering a more challenging period. Timothy will be 7th grade next year, and Caleb 4th and we'll be adding Zach for his Kindergarten year.
Timothy needs structure now so that when he hits high school and eventually college, this won't be a shock to his system.
And Zachary needs structure so that he'll be able to see the boundaries and know the expectations on him, and thus be willing and able to stay within said guidelines.
Caleb will just be subjected to structure because everyone else needs it. Sorry, dear.
This is where I need your help -- having never followed a strict schedule, though I've made several, I need your tips on implementing a schedule. I am fairly certain I can create a schedule that will work (though I'll take scheduling tips, especially from anyone schooling multiple ages &/or staggering the start times of their children); I am not so certain that I can manage to follow one for any length of time.
So -- what suggestions do you have for making a schedule work for you? For sticking to it, and for introducing it in a way that doesn't make the little darlings chafe under the new restrictions. Or the big momma darling, either, for that matter, which I suspect might be more of our problem, if I'm honest with myself (and with you).
Do you stick to a schedule in your home or homeschool? If so, how do you make it work? I need to hear all about it, folks!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
7 comments:
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Oh boy Heather. You're asking a hard question.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE to write up schedules. It look so pretty. So organized. So efficient. So 'real school' ish.
They so don't work for us, either. :) Dang it.
I have a system of baskets of their seatwork and that all has to been done by noon. We read history at lunch (ish) and then do the read alounds either at night or when we can during the afternoon/evening.
Oh wait - we just moved so all that might be out the window too.
Nuts.
Buena suerte!!
LOL, you sound just like me. Do you color code them, too? Your way could work for me.
ReplyDeleteI'll wait and see what everyone else says -- surely I'm bound to get tons of great ideas, right??? (people, don't fail me now!)
Hope the move/settling in goes well. Glad to see you!!!
I am not a scheduler. I do recognize that some students need more structure, but I feel like if they don't, that is fine. How independent is Timmy? Does he need to have you structure his time?
ReplyDeleteI think that what I'd be looking at is record keeping, as in giving and tracking grades.
My schedule was: start school "about" 8:30. Do the work. When done, do other things. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't try to ever think of Math 8:30 - 9:30. History 9:30 - 10:15, etc. Because if Math was done and it wasn't time for History... there was wasted time. And having to call said child back to work all.the.time.
In some part of K's schooling, she came across a saying that included work before play as part of how to be a success for God.
That worked better for one more than the other. ;)
I'm a big fan of routine, not schedule. Do the same things in the same order-ish for as long or short as need be.
ReplyDeleteOf course, most of my experience with homeschool schedules come from Sonlight... where there's so much that you can drop the things that aren't working for you and be just fine [smile].
~Luke
be careful, the brazilian govt does not look kindly on home schooling, i know some missionaries who ran into trouble with this here..
ReplyDeleteLuke, we have schooled that way for a nice long time now, and it definitely works with Sonlight.
ReplyDeleteOur problem is that we really do need a definite start time now that life has settled down, and now that I will be juggling 3 children at 3 levels, etc.
Daniel -- thanks for the "head's up" - we are aware of the situation here. Also, welcome to my blog.