The Hopeful Homestead

How we Homeschool...

I was reading over at Sara's blog, and she wondered how we homeschool w/ more than one child/ grade level.  I thought I'd post how WE do it to give her ideas, and that way family can see what we're up to as well... if you homeschool more than one, and post your schedule, leave a linked comment here so we can all compare notes!  Thanks & Enjoy...

Who: J- Gr K, M- Gr. 1, E- Gr-3.

Challenges: J- stubborn about everything, M- HATES writing, E- reads on 10th grade level w/ 2nd gr. math.  (she's 9 and a bit "immature" for her age which makes content an issue also...)

My solutions: J- make it fun- she loves workbooks & games

      M- teaching her "fancy writing" (cursive) is helping, as she enjoys it more (cool notebook too...)

     E- Classic lit selections (tend to be more age appropriate) and backed up to Saxon 2 in math.

We try to do school M, W, TH, F, SA from about 9-1 w/ 1/2 hr break in middle. (J is 1/2 day for K)

(keep in mind this is an ideal day, history or science get scrapped if basics need more work)

We start by reading a selection from"The Golden Children's Bible" together & working on our memory verses.  Then M & E work on Saxon Math w/b, reading, writing, quizzing each other in spelling, and grammar while I do phonics, reading, handwriting,and Saxon Math w/ J. (we all sit together, ask questions, share things, and help each other)  As I finish things w/ J, I fit in our daily lesson work for saxon w/ the other two.  I try to give one an independant activity while I help the other, and keep close tabs on Jo the whole time.  (for J, a puzzle, dot-to-dot, or pattern blocks gains me time w/ other girls)

After our snack break J usually goes to hang out w/ dad, and the rest of us tackle History.  (If we're doing science that day, J sticks around, as we're using "The Burgess Bird Book for Children" right now as science and a read-aloud for her, along w/ some bird coloring pages  (more here) (bigger 2 answer questions about each bird, and look them up in the "Golden Guide to Birds."   This is when I finish up any other work w/ M & E and review work they did in the morning by themselves.  I hope to begin to add spanish instruction during this 2nd "block" as well. 

To keep track of it all, I made myself a checklist/ planner that I keep in a binder, and I highlight each subject for each child as it's completed each day.  I also note which lesson they're on or what they read, spelling test grades, etc, so I have some record of who's doing what.  I hope to soon post a 2nd copy of this chart on a BBoard for the girls so E can work more independantly.  This little bit of work w/ Excel has saved me TONS of time, and I feel like I'm not forgetting things as much.  It tells me on M- E & M do Copy Work, write new spelling words, math, history, reading etc.  W- they do Cursive, each have a different spelling practice activity (M- abc order, E- write sentences using words.), math, science, reading, etc.

When I need ideas I look to these sources:

The Well-Trained Mind

Ambleside Online

Old Fashioned Education

DTLK

Enchanted Learning

Homeschool E-store

Sorry this is so long.  I'll post another list with who uses which books if that might help also.

Peace~

Shari

And they say...

03:57, Friday, February 29, 2008 .. Posted by Anna

that homeschooling, stay-at-home-mom's aren't "working" HA!