scheduling DITHR

[Gwenny]

My girls will be doing the 4/5 student notebook. On the different days, sometimes they read the pages before working with teacher and some days it's after. I don't have time for them to do the reading during the time the teacher is scheduled to work with them. Do you make out a list of times that they read before coming to you? Sometimes it's completely independent and should be done before the scheduled time to show the teacher. Are my questions clear as mud?

[Nealewill]

Normally I schedule 45 min for DITHOR to be done with all 3 of my kids together. It is the first subject we do each day so that I can shift my teaching time. After that, I start my actually separate teaching times with each child. Therefore, I just have to check and see if they are reading before or after the lesson and it doesn't really interrupt me with other teaching things.

[MelInKansas]

Here's how it would work if I were the on-top-of-it mom that I am not.

My DD who is doing DITHOR I usually have a little one-on-one with her first thing in the morning. Hers is a short thing right at the beginning of school time, usually the little ones are finishing breakfast or not even up yet. If I was on top of it, I would look at DITHOR (if it was in the LA box that day) and if there was something we were to do together before she read, then I would do that then. She would finish up during her independent block. Reality is - she always does her assigned reading during her independent block and then I try to make sure I check over either her workbook page or whatever she's supposed to do at the other meeting time I have with her, which is near the end of the school day. Then I realize we were supposed to do something before but we adapt it so it will work even though she's already read the pages. I also almost never have her read to me, even though she's supposed to, and I know it would be good if she did.

That's what I do

[MomtoJGJE]

MelinKansas, that sounds exactly like me!

[Gwenny]

I love it MelinKansas--"if I were the on-top-of-it mom that I am not"! That is me! I can plan out some GREAT plans! lol The whole implementation is what gets me.

The tutor that I have coming in is going to do DITHR with the girls, so I think I figured out a way to pretty much do it like the guide says. It works out well that there are a few totally independent days scattered in there. She will be doing 3 days a week still but only meeting twice. Because of the days that say, "read and do this page and show the teacher when done" it works out well. They can show her the next day she comes. I'm also going to have them read a days plan the morning right before she comes and leave 3 pages to read to her on those two days. After this first genre, then she will decide if she thinks they need to keep reading to her or not.

In some ways I feel a bit guilty that I'm not the one doing it with them----BUT, in many ways I'm not. I'm so grateful that they are still home and getting the benefit of the incredible HOD program even though I'm not the one helping for the most part. I LOVE HOD! The girls will still be doing oral narrations to me on the days they are supposed to do that. I'm putting it in my calendar the times and days they have it so it will actually get done. Oh, and dictation also.

So, now I will only have 3 guides that I'm totally in charge of.