Scheduling Tips: Share how your school day is set up ....

[Carrie]

to cover the various subject areas in the guide (and any you might add in). This may help all of us gain some great tips on how to schedule our own school day.

[mom2boys030507]

Our Schdule is pretty flexible. Mostly in the morning we run errands, go to therapy (my oldest has speech and OT) or stay home. On the days we stay home, I usually plan an extra activity or do a longer craft project that my 2 year old can participate in. Bryce loves to make books so that is also when we work on pages for his latest book. Usually one topic per month, kind of like a lap book.

As far as the lessons planned out in Little Hearts we do those in the afternoon after quiet time. My 2 year old is usually still down for nap so it works well for us. We do the read aloud at various times. Currently we are not doing the suggested read alouds as they were causing tears so we are reading other books. I do the little planning that I need while the kids are down for quiet time and also some cleaning and such.

I am curious to hear how others schedule their days. As next year I am looking at doing Little Hands and Beyond. Scheduling both seems over wehlming to me especiall with a 1 year old running around.

[Busymomma1]

We do the mostly the "left side of the book" + writing and literature read aloud in the AM and the rest of the "right" side about 1pm when the 2 y/o is napping. Basically, it is a little easier to do Bible Story reading, Bible verses and some of those activities while he is with us. I do put him into his crib to play by himself, too, during some of this. Once he gets disruptive, off he goes! He seems to enjoy his "quiet time", actually!

I save the more intensive stuff (math and reading) for the afternoon during his naptime. Also, I am adding in extra read alouds at times, adding extra books Carrie lists in the back, and adding extra writing and math. So we spend a good 2 to 2 1/2 hours total. And then, for the State of Ohio's benefit, I include any stuff my DD does on her own that I think is educational! Like reading on her own, doing puzzles, logic puzzles, etc.

I would like to not be bothered with hours (OH requires 450 for K and they don't officially check), but I do check myself on how long we go. I'd like to be more "goal oriented" than time oriented and hope to just work at accomplishing our educational goals for our kids in the future. But... that's life as someone who wants to keep tabs on everything, I guess!

Anyway, that's our general plan. I'd like to hear how others do it, especially with toddlers around!

[beandip71]

Our school day starts at 9am and we are normally done between 10am and 10:30am. I am using LHFHG w/ my dd who is 5. We finish everything in this time and will normally read some more books later in the day. I do have a 3 y/o ds who either plays independently or joins us. I have learned to have a snack ready for him so that I don't have to stop what I am doing to get it for him.

One thing I do before school starts is put everything we are doing for that day into 3 piles. The first pile is everything I will read to her, the second is what she will read to me, and the third includes everything that requires her to write. I let her choose what order we will do each pile and she really seems to enjoy it.

I hope this helps someone and I look forward to reading what everyone else does.

Gina

[amysconfections]

We try to do our school in the morning. But, I try to also remain flexible if something else comes up. We do 4 days a week with LHFHG because we started last spring to get a jump start. We start with our pledge to the Flag and Bible then we do the History/Bible, rhyme (one of my favorite parts of the curriculum),and a prayer. I am guilty of not doing lots of the art/Thinking and science things. I do read from the science text if listed. It really depends on our time and if I think my kids will like it or how necessary it is. We also do our Reading lesson on the couch. Then we move on to the next page and into the kitchen to do our workbooks and math activities. Sometimes we will do our devotion the night before or the same night with Dad. We also do our read aloud whenever during the day. Sometimes with school to wrap up and sometimes later on. We listen to Hide 'Em in your Heart while doing seatwork. Well, that's how we do things. My 3yr old joins in the first part and plays during reading, then he comes to the counter in the kitchen during the last part and strings beads, colors or does some actvity if he wants.

I really love our curriculum and tell anyone who will listen about it. I love the easy to pick up layout, the rhyme that teach so much and I love the resources used in it.

Now I'll be watching to see what others do.

[Dorla]

We also have "escuelita" in the morning. Even though I only have one child (5), I try to keep our schedule running smoothly because I also work full time after 3:30 pm.
Breakfast - while reading a chapter of Egermeir's Bible story.
Chores - he follows his list I follow mine (motivated moms list)
Escuelita - LHFHG
We are usually done by 10:30 am.
After lunch we choose a book to read aloud from whatever is in our library stack of books for this week.
I am thankful to God everyday for Carrie Austin and LHFHG! Planning takes about 10 minutes with interruptions and our homeschool is a happy place. I also share with everyone who will listen!
Dorla

[joyful jean]

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This is how our schedule looks on paper

8:00-8:30 breakfast & bible
8:30-9:00 chores
9:00-9:30 DS#2 age 5 LHfHG Math, finemotor skills, storytime
9:30-10:00 DS#1 age 7 BLHfHG following emerging reader schedule, practice fiddle
10:00-10:15 break-I may read science to them during this time
10:15-10:30 science
10:30-11:00 DS#1 math
11:00--11:30 DS#1 math, DS #2 LA
11:30-12:00 DS#1 spelling & handwriting, LA
12:00-1:00 recess & lunch
1:00-2:00 art, history/geography, sign language, or science journal (one for each day M,W,Th,F)

I normally will read the storytime book at night, on break, or when we feel like snuggling on the couch. We are working with the suggested storytime titles in the back of BLHfHG since this is our second time through for DS#1.

It is fun to read everyones schedules...thanks for sharing!

[Melanie]

As I was reading over these, I noticed many of us seem to follow the same pattern, one side of the book first, then the other. I'm the same way!
We aim to start by 9ish.
Bible and memory verses.
Rhymes (this helps get wiggles out!)
History lesson
Activity under the history box (science, thinking, art...whatever is scheduled)
Math games (we use RightStart Math, so we play a few games daily)
Math lessons done individually- the other 2 have free time
Handwriting
go out (weather permitting) 30min. before lunch
*lunch*
Storytime
Reading lesson
Piano practice
play out again (weather permitting)
Read-aloud before bed

Sometimes we get done before lunch, but not usually. Live happens!

[Candice]

I posted this on another thread, thinking it might fit better here!


Our studies have to be spread throughout the day because it is almost impossible to have a chunk of time carved out to complete everything in one sitting. The reasons being, my daughter is young so, her attention span is short and I also have a 7 month old.

To be more organized I use two bins. One contains all of the subjects that need to be completed and the other is for subjects once they have been completed. I leave the bins out where I can easily see them so, as I pass by them I can do a visual inventory of how much is left. When they are out in the open it serves as a reminder that I need to arrange some time for another study. The purpose obviously is to move all materials from one bin to the other. Of course, this does not always get done!
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[Carrie]

These are great tips ladies. Keep them comin'! Since how to schedule your day is a question I get asked so often, I'm going to bump this one up the board to give those that haven't had the time to respond one more chance.

Blessings,
Carrie

[netpea]

I am schedule challenged. We desperately need one and it needs to start with me. I don't seem to have any self-discipline any more. I stay up too late and as a result do not want to get up or get going in the morning. So school doesn't get started as early as I would like and then we don't get done as early as I would like.

It's not the kiddos, it's me...

Lee Ann

[blessedmomof4]

I'm just like that-too many late nights. I have a theoretical schedule on paper, but I haven't stuck with it.
Once we get going, though, school doesn't take too much time, but I feel like the day is gone. I'd like to stick to the schedule and get done before noon!

[netpea]

There is a scheduling system known as Managers Of Their Homes (MOTH). I bought the book but haven't tried to implement it yet. Does anyone here use it? you can see it at www.titus2.com

Lee Ann

[Tansy]

Netpea, you have given me the courage to post...

Ok Mon. Wed, Thurs. We have appointments in the morning round trip is at minimum an hour and a half. Cause it takes soooo long anyway I tend to run to the gym, library do shopping.. and we don't get home till 11am or 1pm depending on what crops up SO...
Tuesdays and Fridays we start school at 11am break for lunch (1 hour) when ever Daddy arrives and then continue.
On Mon.. Wed.. Thurs. We start school when we get home or after lunch, sometimes as late as 2pm. We don't have a schedule. Since I started doing the half pages we have been doing as much as we want to do but at least half. And we mix it up and have fun.

[Susan]

I look at the learning style of my child and when she is most awake and alert. For her it is after lunch. I do the left side page first with a little math(she loves math). After lunch when she is very alert, we do reading which is a weakness for her right now. She is improving everyday!! My husband does the read alouds at night and she just had her first wonderful narration. So for the most part I do the right side after lunch. She needs two meals(lunch and breakfast) before her brain really kicks in.

Susan