Education is a Life: Show and Tell: The "Schedule"

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Show and Tell: The "Schedule"

I use the term "schedule" loosely in my homeschool...being tied to the clock does not work well with babies and toddlers in the house! However, we do have a routine, and I have found it helpful to post our "average day" on the wall so the children know what to expect.

In keeping with my habit of pinning our school activities to normal household routines that always happen no matter what (meals and snacks, for example), I have divided our chart into smaller charts. Somehow it seems slightly less overwhelming that way too...

This routine is very similar to our routine last year, except that this year, I have a new Year 1 student! I have planned to do several lessons together with my Year 3 student (the Morning Time and Tea Time routines are done together), but I still need about 45 one-on-one minutes with JJ(6). That's 10 for math, 10 for phonics and reading, 10 for piano, and 15 for beginning narration.

When I total it up, total school time for my Year 1 student is 2 hours and 15 minutes, and for my Year 3 student is 2 hours and 30 minutes. This does not include our "Morning Time" routine, but it does include our relaxed "poetry teatime" routine and 20 minutes of Phys. Ed. and play in the middle of it all. For me, of course, the total is more like 3 hours and 45 minutes. I hope that will decrease a little if SA(8) gets more independent with some of his lessons.

I am trying to get most of the work done in the morning so the afternoon can be much more free. I will be trying throughout to do as much as is reasonably feasible outside, even during the morning.

We have been having a break from screen time this summer, and I will continue with that as long as the weather is nice. In the winter I will probably return to our usual allowance of screen time at 4:00.

Keep in mind that this is only my plan! No doubt it will evolve over time as we work it out.

How do you organize your school days?

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catiecomesclean-2 41p · 452 weeks ago

Love this! I agree that breaking them up makes it seem less overwhelming! :)

Do you eat before your kids, then? Since you're reading to them during breakfast? We often will listen to the Bible on my phone while we're eating, because unlike Hobbitses, I don't want a 1st and 2nd breakfast. ;) Elevensies would be ok, though.

What catechism do you use? I'm sort of ignorant when it comes to the different catechisms... we are Pentecostal, but most catechisms I've found are Reformed? I really don't even know what that means and I'm sure it's not a big deal! I'm going to try the Heidelberg and see how that goes. :)

Is that a prayer list that is shown in one of the pictures--the one that's numbered? I need a good way to sort-of organize our prayer time in the morning.

That's a good idea to do chores right after lunch!

4 replies · active 452 weeks ago

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nellekeplouffe 26p · 452 weeks ago

Hi Catie! I just find that I eat faster than the kids, so when I'm done, I start reading.
I'm not sure how helpful I can be with the catechisms. I am Reformed and grew up with the Heidelberg. It is rich in Christian experience, as reflected by the very first question. In my teens, we started attending a Presbyterian church and I became more familiar with the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It is valuable as a comprehensive, well-formulated summary of Christian doctrine. I just read the introduction to the New City Catechism put out by Timothy Keller (http://www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php) and appreciated the reasons it gave for using catechisms and for putting out a new one. Right now, though, I've decided to go with the Catechism for Young Children. I have very little children, and we're all learning it together, so the shorter questions and answers make sense for me. I noticed a shorter adaptation of the Catechism for Young Children online from a Sovereign Grace church in Toronto. (they are Reformed, Baptist, and Charismatic all at once, I believe.) Looking through it briefly, I saw only two questions and answers a Pentecostal might want to skip. I can't seem to give you a link, but google this: sovgraceto.org/.../uploads/2012/02/Catechism-for-Young-Children.pdf. The New City Catechism I mentioned might work for you as well...it seems to stick with essential Christian doctrine without getting into controversial areas. I saw only one question you might not agree with as a Pentecostal.
Yes, the numbered list is a prayer list. I'm planning to fill it in with families from our church so we can remember to pray for them regularly. :)

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Catie · 452 weeks ago

Oh my goodness!! You've been so incredibly helpful! Thank you, Nelleke!😁

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nellekeplouffe 26p · 452 weeks ago

You're welcome. I just thought of something else! Songs for Saplings has catechism songs. You can access the ones that go with the New City Catechism by following the instructions here: http://songsforsaplings.com/ncc/. They also have a series of songs called "Questions with Answers" here (I think these follow the Westminster Shorter Catechism.): http://songsforsaplings.com/music/. They even have an "ABC" and a "123" series of Bible verses in song.