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Hi Ladies,
I am wondering if you could help me. I am trying to get a schedule figured out for this year (and yes, I have read through the many great ones posted on the thread above) but the more of them I read, the more overwhelming it seems. Since I'm new to homeschooling and CM, it is hard for me to figure out a schedule because I have no idea how long the different boxes should even take (do I schedule math for 20 min or 50 min, dictation for 10 min or 20 min, etc.) or how I should alternate to work with both children (& a pre-schooler). I think once I get my feet wet this year, I will be able to figure out a schedule myself. Do you think you might be able to give me some ideas??? If you can help me figure out a basic order and length of time for the actual subjects (like Math for Bigger 10min then phonics for LHFHG 10 min , etc) , I can add in my own things like when we start, chores, recess, music etc...I just really don't even know where to start.
Please help this newbie!

I have one ds doing Bigger (w/ DITHOR 2/3) and one dd doing Little Hearts (adding dictation from Beyond)

Thank you sooo much for ANY help or advice you can give.
Jennifer

I have Bigger, LHFHG, and LHTH going right now, so I'll tell you what I do. It might help or it might not.

Either the night before or that morning I write down a list for my DD in Bigger of things she can do independently... I go over anything that needs instructions, like doing the hands on math stuff, or walking through the science experiment or any questions in DITHOR, etc. Then I send her off with what she needs for all her independent work. Then I pick another child. Generally I try to do my LHTH child because she absolutely loves school and even with the extra workbook stuff we do with her it only takes about 30 minutes. We can get completely done with her before my Bigger gets done with her ind. work. Then I get started with my LHFHG child. Depending on what the 2yo is doing I'll either do the history/story time stuff OR I'll go over her math/handwriting/fine motor skills and let her get to work. If the 2yo is being loud and clingy we do the workbook stuff, but if she's good to go play with the 4yo we do history. If we don't get to the reading stuff then I'll wait and do it at a point when the Bigger child (8yo) can entertain the 2yo. It only takes about 30 minutes to do all the things I have to read to her, so it's not much of a break for the older one.

Ok, so all that takes about an hour total, maybe a little more some days when the 2yo is being well... 2. haha It takes about 5-10 minutes to prep my Bigger child for her ind work. So then after I have finished all of LHTH, and at least half of LHFHG (most of the time we get completely done so it's more like 1.5 hours) then I'll send them off to play while I do the other stuff for Bigger. I get the left side done except for art type stuff and then move on to the right side. Then we'll do art type things.

Basically I do'nt go back and forth from one child to another. I've tried that and it so totally does NOT work with our family right now. Too many "mommy, I need... Mommy how do I?... Mommy this mommy that" if I don't just focus on one child. It takes us about 3 hours total to get everyone's school done on a day where the 2yo is just not cooperating. Only about 2.5 hours when she is willing to play either by herself or with sisters the whole time.

So my suggestion would be to get your child doing Bigger as independent as possible with things like handwriting, copywork, math, vocabulary, notebooking, Timeline, etc. as soon as possible. Then you can figure out what length of chunks you want to split people up.

One way I have done it in the past is to do LHTH while my oldest is doing her independent work, then left side of LHFHG, left side of Bigger, right side of LHFHG and right side of Bigger. Oh, and I do not count the Finger Play (LHTH) or Rhymes in Motion (LHFHG) or Hymns (Bigger) as part of our time because everyone joins in at the end to do those things. Nor do I count the music connection because we listen to the cd's in the car all the time and I just remind them of the song that goes with the Bible verse.

Hope that helps. The basic gist of what I"m trying to say is to have larger chunks of time devoted to each child instead of switching off after each subject. Have about 30-45 minute blocks for working with each child. You can get so much more done and it's so much more fluid.

Here are our time ranges for Bigger by box. I have sporadically timed each box, so these are the shortest times and longest times. On average, most boxes will be right in the middle of the two extreme times.


Math = 15-40. This includes teaching time and independent work together. My Bigger kids are in 3B and 4A.
Bible Study Box = 5-15
Spelling List/Dictation= 5-12 (One does spelling list, the other does dictation. Both times are about the same)
Drawn into the Heart of Reading 15-35 min. total
Rotating Box= 5-25. This would be more in the 5-10 minute range for us except on Vocabulary days. For some reason, that takes mine f-o-r-e-v-e-r.
Poetry= 5-10
Reading About History Box= 5-15
Cheerful Cursive= 2-7
Music = 5 minutes
English = 10-20 (includes oral and written) One is in level 2, one is level 3. Both take about the same time
Storytime= 15-40 (This seems like a wide range, but it largely depends on the book. Most days are around 20 min or so. Seabiscuit comes to mind as seeming to take longer---but we Loved that book )
Science= 15-25

I have never really timed our LIttle Hearts boxes (as we do all the Left Side plus Storytime all in one sitting). But for us, that usually takes 35 minutes. That is with everything except math, fine motor skills, and phonics.

Angie

Thank you both! This really helps, and I am starting to formulate what will work for us. But having a starting point makes a big difference! Thank you

I'd be glad to help! These 2 threads should help you get going...

LHFHG time it takes:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4244&p=31219#p31219

BHFHG time it takes:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=702

When we did LHFHG and BHFHG, it took us around 3 to 3 1/2 hours to do. Do you have a general time of day you want to do school, like a start time and an approximate end time to shoot for? That's always been helpful to me. Having teaching blocks of time, so everyone knows when they have me to themselves has been not only helpful, but very special, as I try to make this a more private time to encourage personal sharing. This helps them shares things they wouldn't in front of their siblings - especially when it comes to Bible and Devotional times. We have 3 dc as well, so I'll share my schedule here, in case it helps show the start time, end time, and teaching block concept.


HTH, but don't sweat it! Baby steps. That's what I always tell myself. Often times, my best school day is about a month in. Routine and consistency work their magic, and suddenly, things just become second nature. HOD's guides are incredibly easy to use, totally open and go. I used 3 guides last year, and never had prep time. It's truly amazing to me - HOD is such a blessing in our home. I'm excited for you to begin!

In Christ,
Julie

dear momofjka-

great questions! i had the same ones! i have 4 around some ages as you and new to homeschooling!

MomtoJGJE and my3sons- thanks for the great tips! (mom to jgje - i also have a 2 yearold Evangeline- love it!)

thanks!