Aug. 19th, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Words to live by. Unfortunately, I fail far more often than I succeed. I liken myself to an alcoholic and I count the number of days (okay, hours...okay minutes) that I can stay on the wagon. The numbers are not encouraging. Still, as I point out to my kids, there has only been one perfect person, and my initials are not JC. A temper is a terrible cross, though, especially because it leaves a long legacy. I veer dangerously close to personal drivel, which I have sworn off in blog-world. My real point is this: I have had the question posed to me numerous times, "how do you homeschool when your children are so young? How do you teach all of them at the same time when they are studying different things, and none of them is a completely independent learner?" Quite simply, in the following manner:The Schedule: We convene in the schoolroom (it was once a dining room but is completely unrecognizable as such now) and begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Morning Offering, a patriotic song (currently My Country 'Tis of Thee), and Calendar Time (I do have 3 very young ones!). Afterward, T and N immediately begin to work on handwriting, an independent activity. I set Twins up with their activity of the day (it doesn't take much effort - my philosophy on preschool has not changed just because I'm homeschooling: they're 3 - they don't have to go to school. They can do it if it's fun, but it's strictly optional for them at this point). N and T finish handwriting and both move to Math. T is fairly independent with Math at this point, as by level 5/4, Saxon is unscripted, and is directed toward the student. I am completely at her disposal if she has questions, but this early in the year, it is still review. I work with N on Math (which Twins pay avid attention to and often yell out answers (sometimes correct, often hilarious)). While T is still on Math, N and I move to Spelling. As N and I are finishing Spelling, T is working on Latin, again something she can do mostly herself, after we have gone over initial pronounciations (it is her 3rd year of Latin). When N is done with Spelling, we do Language, a very short lesson designed for exposure, rather than mastery (it's proving very effective thus far, though! More kudos to Jessie Wise and the Well Trained Mind!). Once freed from captivity, N makes a run for it. Twins have long since bolted. Elapsed time since the Pledge, usually about 1 hour and 45 minutes or so.Now it's T time. She is finishing Latin. If she needs assistance, we work on it. If not, it's her turn for Spelling. The materials are still out from N's turn (as previously indicated, they're on different levels, but the materials used are the same), so this makes sense. Spelling is very quick and easy because we're still at a point where she is basically learning rules for spelling words that she already knows how to spell. Did you know that there are no less than four separate functions of silent "e"? After spelling, we do T's Language, which she absolutely loves. That girl could diagram all day. Terms like direct object and predicate nominative bring just as big a smile to her face as to Mom's. God was good to give me T for a daughter. After Language, we have options. Today she worked on her Geography definitions for her TOG lapbook for Unit 1, and then we read Science and worked on that lapbook some. Break for lunch and rest.Chores.TOG reading and activity (lapbook or craft - later this week we'll be making a cookie dough map of Egypt)N's PhonicsTwins reading (just for fun)Outside (if it's not so hot that the sun burns on contact) or TV time while Mom cooks dinnerPrincipal comes homeThat's pretty much a standard day at our house. Very little varies, and I love it when very little varies. I thrive on consistency. The only change will be in a couple of weeks when ballet and T-ball start. The evenings will become slightly consumed, which *I* don't love, but the kids do, and that's much more important.