Our homeschool starts next Monday and I’m not feeling ready.
I have 3 kiddoes school age, but thankfully only 2 are old enough to record hours. My youngest 2 are showing a real interest in learning to read and I need to spend some time with them too. I might feel better about it if our house wasn’t such a wreck construction wise, but it is what it is.
I’ve made up a schedule and it feels like I’ll never get a breath. Do you want to see it? I made a pdf Coffman Homeschool Schedule 2010 2011 and don’t mind sharing. Keep in mind I haven’t tried yet. My day is on the first page, Heidi and Claeb’s pg 2, Heather and Dub Pg 3, and Brandon Pg 4.
I’d love to see your schedule. It helps me a lot to get ideas from what works for other people.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays we will spend 2 hours in the afternoon at the ballet studio and I’m not sure how to fit all of school in on those days, but other than that we should be home.
I’m looking at my schedule and realizing that if I’m going to be able to exercise and supervise chores in the morning, I will need fix ahead breakfasts. If I’m going to be able to work at my businesses and give time to my preschool boys I’m also going to need fix ahead lunches and dinners. Yea for the Grocery Shrink Slow Cooker book :). And you’ll be seeing many more fix ahead options in the future.
I have an idea list going and as I test and modify recipes, I’ll share the ones that work with you.
Have you started school? How is it going? How do you stay sane? Do you have a favorite make ahead recipe that I can share with my blog readers? I’d love to hear your encouragment and ideas.
I like your schedule, I don’t have books ordered yet, although we are working on getting on a schedule & working through books I bought at the dollar store. The fish phonics game is almost ready to play – thank you so much for that. Our children are younger and this is our first year.
So I don’t have a lot of advice. What have you chosen for curriculum? Any advice you have for a newbie?
Just read in a previous post what curriculum you use, thanks.
You have to log hours for your state or you choose to? I’m confused by that part. Your schedule is busy but very thorough. Mine is day by day because of other things, like park day, a co-op, and such.
I can’t make a pdf, but I did make a google doc. https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1a5j1MKZsrnLY4kgeIRgXTW7mc2vyaoykZkvBjFZnDbA&authkey=CJ31o5cH#
Angela, if anyone can do it, you can do it! What I love about you is that you seem to keep a cheerful attitude no matter what is thrown your way. Keep an eternal perspective. That’s my advice.
I have three little ones, only one school-aged (although my 2.5 yo is right there with us). I’m using the http://www.amblesideonline.org curriculum, year 1. I love it! It’s the Charlotte Mason method, which I know you probably don’t have time for. For your other readers, though, I start school at 9 and do Bible (we’re reading through the OT and my son has a coloring page and Q&A), Scripture memory (Psalm 23), Math (Saxon 1), and Phonics (Hooked on Phonics). We take a 15 minute recess so I can hang laundry. When we come back, I do our reading for the day (literature, history, poetry, whatever the schedule says for the day), Spanish (just a little workbook from Twin Sisters publications), and either Nature Study, Music, Art, or Handicraft (each once a week, very casual at this point).
I have gone to a menu that stays the same each week to make it easier. Saturday is my only “free” day where I’m doing something new. I put a lot of soup in the freezer for Sunday dinners. I use your granola recipe in Grocery Shrink for breakfasts. It makes a lot at one time, and that just keeps it easy.
Keep it up, girl! Don’t freak out. Pray without ceasing. In Christ, Jessica
I think you have a good schedule set up. It will be full and crazy, but fulfilling. You could have reading w/the younger ones at ballet, or get a portable DVD and do their phonics video…or their free time…several options there.
I have a few overnight breakfast casseroles that might work for you. I’ll try to pull them out for when you’re over next. 🙂 Your meals have always put me to shame, but I guess that’s where I’ve cut to stay sane. It’s my plan to improve in that area this year.
Oh yes, and remember that the first week is always nutty, and you’ll just want to cry. The 2nd is a bit better, and by the 2nd month (yes, month), the groove will have kicked in after some tweaking here and there.
Hi!
I don’t follow a schedule – we have too many outside appointments that are not “regular” for that. I have 4 that I am schooling this year. I have one just starting so that is very time consuming and the little one (2yrs) has to be part of it – especially if we fish for phonograms. Thanks for that – I love the SWR program. I taught in the school system for about 10 years and SWR just makes sense.
Anyway, I am also pregnant so to prepare for those days when I deliver and am sleep deprived, I have trained my 3 oldest to read my plan book so they can self direct. My oldest child (14) actually does some of the planning and grading also. Grading their own assignments actually gives the student better feedback and hopefully increases the probability that they will not make the same mistakes again. My oldest also helps with the cooking and sometimes the next two children also. Hopefully this will make my children more independent and responsible. Even the 2 and 4 year old help out with the daily chores.
FYI – when making a schedule you may want to consider when your child is at their best. Most elementary children are best in the morning so that is when you might want to give them their most challenging subject(s). You also may consider a rotating schedule where Monday you may start with Math and Tuesday you might start with grammar so they don’t always have the same subject when they are at their best or worst.
Michelle
We started today and already have tomorrow scheduled off. lol I, too, am not ready for this and my Sonlight Core is not even here. We have kicked into high gear…..almost High School. Ugh. I am not sure I am prepared.
I know it gets easier but I feel like I have to reinvent my wheel this year. My previous organization, that I have used for years, does not seem to work.
Off to freak out……
Missy
Hi, I am a new reader to your blog and I am LOVING it! We start our third year of homeschooling next Monday … I have had a knot in my stomach all week. I’m in homeschool nesting mode to be sure… feeling like this is my last chance to do anything until next summer! : )
Nice to “meet” you.
Jennifer
I was curious what kind of prizes you offer for the timed pick up.
Cinda,
I give Daddy dollars that they can turn in for activites, lik a family game night, or a friend over. I also occasionally give sweet treets, like a hershey’s kiss or sweet tarts to change it up.