WFMW: Homeschooling Schedule–oxymoron or reality?
WFMW faithful: I need your help.
We are going to be re-entering the world of homeschooling and I feel as though I have no idea how to do it.
We have homeschooled twice before, but only in the loosest sense of the word. To be completely honest, it was much more home than school.
The first time we were still in Bible School, Greg was a full-time student and working part-time. I was a part-time student, working part-time and trying to still keep and run the house in 300 square feet without my own bathroom, sink, or running water of anykind in my apartment.
Leah was only in the 2nd grade, Ema was just Preschool and Zach only 4, so let’s just say everyone caught up the next year.
Our second attempt was the year we were on deputation before leaving for the mission field.
Not the best arrangement for a steady schedule. We knew we were leaving, so of course found ourselves saying ‘yes’ to most invitations and we ‘fit in’ school with a couple of trips across the country, well to the Mid-West at least, and weekly commitments that seemed to grow as the year went on.
The kids have been in a wonderful international school here in Chaing Mai as we have been studying language. They would love to continue going, but it is, as I said, in Chiang Mai, and we intend to move out the the NE of Thailand at the beginning of 09. So, we begin our homeschool journey again for the upcoming school year.
It feels early to me to prepare for it, but I know many of you homeschooling moms are already planning and ordering your curriculum for the next year, and so apparently it is time!
I am asking if you would give me a peek into your day, to get a glimpse of what your schedule looks like.
What time do you start?
Do you have timed -out class periods?
Do you do one thing until it is done?
Where do you fit in chores?
How about projects, are they random or planned as part of your curriculum?
Where do you do school?
I am very curious as to what ‘works for you’.
We have no school room available, and one computer available for research ect.
My kids will be 8th, 6th, and 5th.
I would also be interested in your favorite programs/curriculums/books. ect… and why you like them.
We are starting from scratch here, so let it fly!
I so appreciate you pouring out your wisdom on me, Thanks!
P.S.
My oldest is interesting getting in on this blogging stuff.
She has written one about our Christmas break in the NE and is planning on posting it tonight after she chooses some pictures. She would be thrilled with some comments and feedback to encourage her to do more. Would you check back tommorrow?
January 9th, 2008 at 6:11 am
Most of my friends on the mission field have their children’s education paid for by the IMB, etc. So, they use Sonlight curriculum (which can be very pricey if you buy it all straight from the company). So, if that is your situation, I would say - look heavily at Sonlight.
You can teach several of your children on the same “core.” It uses living books instead of textbooks. It lays out the schedule for you, if you want that much help. We do our own thing.
We start about 8:30 in the morning. The kids take a 30 minute break at 10:00 am. We usually finish around noon. Chores and any extra school is done after lunch.
January 9th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Thank you Christine for your suggestions.
I have looked at Sonlight, but not sure I can cover all three of my kids with the same core. There is too much a span between the oldest and youngest, both in ages and ablilities. I am looking at some of their books and other offerings though.
January 9th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
We are all early risers - so we begin school at 8:00 am.
I have 2 kids (5&8) and this is our first year teaching the 5 yr old - so it’s taken some getting used to having 2 different “classes”.
I kind of use the morning from about 8-10:30 for me to be involved with the lessons/tests etc. We spend however much time our schedule that day dictates. The afternoon is spent on worksheets/assignments.
We are very flexible and sometimes lean towards “unschooling”. There is always certain things we do - but I also encourage some “hands off” so the kids can do some learning on their own. For instance out of the blue yesterday my dd showed me a diorama she had been working on for probably an hour -based on a book she was reading.
We’ve never done dioramas - she remembered one her cousin did a year ago. Kids need TIME on their own to be creative and to educate themselves.
January 9th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Check out Ambleside online! It’s a free online charlotte mason curriculum. There are lots of great books and most of them have been put online for download if you can’t buy them or borrow them. Just know that you don’t have to do every single thing on the schedule or you will feel a little overwhelmed!
amblesideonline.org is the website
January 9th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
My child is probably much younger than yours, but I wanted to tell you about a homeschooling website that just launched where you can find a ton of information and support for the things you mentioned:
http://heartofthematteronline.com/
Good luck!
January 9th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Hi there!
I wanted to let you know that there will be a carnival of homeschoolers chiming in on this subject on Friday over at http://www.heartofthematteronline.com
We are doing a “Day in the Life at your Homeschool” meme where anyone can join in and link up! It will give us all a glimpse into each other’s routines! I am looking forward to it so I can glean some tips from many different moms!
Come join us on friday!!
January 9th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Take a look at ww.simplycharlottemason.com. There are sample schedules and timelines, along with recommended resources.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Sonlight is good. Check out Winter Promise too. I just started using WP this year and I love it. It is a lot like Sonlight- a bit cheaper and much more hands on. The hands on projects are incorporated into the curriculum and it includes an easy guide as to the difficulty of the projects giving you multiple choices each week. I just can’t recommend the curriculum enough!
We get up at 8 am- get dressed, make beds and pick up rooms (we try to maintain rooms that are never far from a 15 min. clean up) and have breakfast and devotions. We start school around 9 am with our together or dependent work first- my girls do their independent work after that- so that they can work at their own pace and I can go and get other things done around the house. The bulk of our work is done by lunch time- with some reading and independent work finishing up during afternoon quiet time. Kids chores can be done in 20 min. or less and are usually done right after quiet time.
We school at the dining room table and normally do one thing at a time until it is done unless it is frustrating- at which time we will set it aside for awhile, coming back to it later.
God bless you as you join us in the journey again!
January 10th, 2008 at 12:31 am
I so appreciate all the input, thank you ladies.
I have never heard of Winter Promise, I will be checking that one out, and thanks for all the tips about the heartofthematter website.
I have some surfing to do!
January 10th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
While I’m a homeschool mom (to little ones), I also teach at a homeschool association (hs’ers come to take classes a-la-carte a couple of hours each week; they and their parents do the study and work at home). Here are a few things that the veteran hs parents have mentioned as being helpful for their kids:
1. Saxon math (and you can usually pick it up reasonably at ebay or half.com)
2. Alpha-Omega (it’s like school in a box)
3. Abeka’s DVD curriculum
4. http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com/ If you like Charlotte Mason, this is a great resource b/c it’s the simplicity of ordering the books and the plans (and it’s a less expensive literature-rich alternative to Sonlight)
I’m a *huge* fan of AmblesideOnline.org — it’s a CM curriculum that’s FREE (You read that right!). I use it and from the comments and blogs of other users I’ve read, it’s great from K through High School. I think you’d really like it (especially b/c so many of the books are available online).
Ok, hope this helps! And thanks SO much for popping over to help me solve my gravy dilemma! I pray God will continue to bless your ministry and the community around you — “through you all nations will be blessed”!