If you run multiple guides...

[krazzymommy]

If you run multiple guides and you have multiple art projects or activities on a day, do you do everything? If my daughter has an art project, and my son is supposed to do an art project, as well, I find that everyone wants to do everything. Since the activities are so intertwined with what they are learning, I hate to skip things. I was just wondering what other people do.

[lissiejo]

Because I run multiple guides I can't manage doing the art projects when they are scheduled. I do all of the weeks work (minus the art project) in 4 days. Fridays are our art days...and sometimes Saturdays or Sunday afternoons! I've also ended up skipping a few, but I'm going to go back and do those this summer when life is less hectic. It works better for me that way. All of my girls sit together and we do the projects all at once. I have all three guides opened to the right page and stacked up on a tv tray and I get all the materials ready before I call the girls in. Then I start with the least patient and start with them explaining what I need to in order to get started.

This may seems overwhelming, but it honestly works better for us because of timing. I do also include a mini review of whatever the history topic was so they remember. I'm not sure how this will work next year with Preparing, however, since the art project takes several days.

[arstephia]

I run 3 guides, and sometimes if the art or other project is going to be fun for everyone to do, or sometimes the amount of time we have for that day/afternoon is not going to be sufficient for the project and I don't want it sloppily done just be be done. We just save it for the evening or maybe day 5 (Friday) or the weekend. I still tie in the key idea so the point isn't lost, but there are things my 8yo is doing that the 12yo wants in on, or something the 14yo is doing, the 8yo wants to "help" with. I am all for keeping the family connected to eachother, so I don't get tied to the project for that specific day if it will be something we can enjoy together or if they need more time to complete it well.

[MomtoJGJE]

Since we started with Beyond with my oldest, and she did some of the ones she thought were fun when Grace did LHFHG, we now just stick with each one doing their work. They know they did it when they were in the guide already, or that they will do it when they get there. So that's one of the things that we do as independent earlier on. I will describe what they are to do, have them read through the box, tell them again what they are supposed to do, and let them do it. If they have questions, they ask and when I can get to them (generally doing school with someone else) I will come explain something. With my 6yo if it's a multiple step project I'll have her do step one, I'll go work with someone else while she's doing that, then I'll have her do step two, go to someone else while she does that, etc etc.

I do get all the materials needed out, set up their work space, and make sure they understand how they are to use each thing. I'm going to work with my oldest getting her to do CTC pretty well on her own even getting the materials out. Then it's going to just become her last thing to do each day.

[krazzymommy]

Thank you for all of these ideas. This is helpful to have different points of view to think about this. I like the ideas of having a Friday for art, or doing them in the evening, maybe with Dad. Of course, sometimes it may just need to be each person with their own art, lol.

[Carrie]

Monica,

One thing we've found as we are currently running 4 different full-speed guides at our house is that when we shift things off to the weekend or to a free day, they often get overlooked. The more guides we've added to our plate the more we've found the need to actually do the project on the day in which it is scheduled, otherwise it is nearly impossible to remember who has what to do later (and by the time we get to the weekend no one can really remember why we're doing the project or what possible connection it had to the text anymore).

So, what we do to compensate for projects that may go longer is to have our older kiddos do the project time and science time last in the day for the child to take as long as he/she wishes to complete. This also allows any younger family members who are done with their school to join in (if it is something the older child doesn't mind having youngers join in to do).

For our younger kiddos, we schedule their LHTH/LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger projects at a time when they have free time afterwards. For example, our little guy in LHFHG has an educational DVD scheduled after his project time. If his project time goes long, then we just move the DVD to the afternoon. Others have computer scheduled after project time, which can also be moved later in the day.

One other thing we've done this school year is to have a several hour break after lunch. Then, when we come back from the break, our older kiddos can jump in and do their project/science work (and I'm more up for it because we've had a chance to regroup and have some time off). Our younger kiddos also have free time in the afternoon, where we can shift any needed work from the morning during that time if needed.

Anyway, just a few more ideas to ponder as you find what works for you!

Blessings,
Carrie

[krazzymommy]

Thank you, Carrie. I think there is a lot of wisdom in what you say! I was looking over my catalog last night and thinking what an amazing woman you are. Any of you women that put so much time into writing these curriculum choices for us homeschoolers. Thank you for that, and thank you for taking the time to answer all of our questions here, as well.