Carrie wrote:
Oh, Teresa! I'm not sure what's happening, but Bigger takes 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours to do including math, DITHR, dictation, everything! Adding part of the right side of Beyond will add a bit of time, but it shouldn't add much more than 45 min. total.
Here are the time allotments that it took us when we did Bigger:
Cursive = 5-7 minutes
Drawn into the Heart of Reading 20-30 min. total (including reading time - we only read one chapter a session)
Math = 20 minutes
Reading About History Box (8-10 min.), Bible Study Box (5- 10 min.), and Bottom left corner box of "Learning Through History" (15 min.) done in one sitting totaling 35 min. (Note: Art days take a little longer.)
Dictation (5 min.), Poetry (5-10 min.), Rod and Staff English (10-15 min.), and Storytime (15 min.- We read aloud only one chapter a day. Some moms do more!) done in one sitting totaling 35 min.
Hymns at lunch (5-10 min.)
Science (after lunch - 15-35 min.- depending on whether there's an experiment or a notebooking entry or just oral narration)
I need to be up front in saying that I am a no-nonsense, check-it-off type teacher and don't stray far from the planned lessons, so these times can vary widely depending on whether or not you enjoy going off on bunny trails with your lessons.
Are you using our grammar, reading, math and spelling? This can make a difference and add time if you happen to be using a time-consuming program in any of those areas. I'd set your timer and note your start and end times for each subject for one day and compare them to our time allotments to see what is taking up your time. Also, if you have a schedule you'd like to post, we could look for ways to save time there too.
Blessings,
Carrie