Our Homeschool Schedule

hI had a lot of people that have asked about our daily schedule.  Although it is pretty similar every year we always have a few changes.  

Homeshool Days 2010-2011:
6- Jason & I devos, prayer, & showers
6:30- Rise & Shine for the children- chores, make bed, get dressed, baths, etc. 

7:30- Breakfast then brush teeth and finish chores
8- Praise & Worship
8:30- School Together
9:30- Recess 

10:30- 11:50 Homework/Computer school game time
    **This is also my rotation time to have individual one on one with each child.
11:50- Making lunch/Break
12- Lunch & read book together (right now we are doing mini bios of missionaries)
1- Nap time, reading time, computer time, leap pad time, writing, quiet play
3:30- Wake up the littles/ Individual Recorder lessons

4-4:30 Crafts or Game                                   

4:30-5 Free Time
5-5:30 Pick Up & Movie Time
5:30- Dinner
6:30- Get Ready for Bed & Devos with Daddy
7- Bedtime (8 for the olders)

Nap Time Rotation: 
               Abigail           Andrew        Joshua            Matthew             Sarah
1-1:30    Reading        Play              Leap Pad        Writing                Computer
               (couch)       
1:30-2    Play             Leap Pad       Writing           Computer           Reading
             (Toy room)
2-2:30    Leap Pad    Writing          Computer       Reading              Play
          (Brown table)       
2:30-3    Writing       Computer      Reading          Play                    Leap Pad
            (White Table)
3-3:30    Computer    Reading        Play                Leap Pad           Writing
        (Computer table)

             Monday         Tuesday             Wednesday    Thursday       Friday        Saturday
writing spelling        writing book        spelling      write story        draw/color  copy from a book
play      play                play dough        puzzles                legos    spirograph/light pad     play
 

 OK so I feel completely vulnerable right now of criticism from people, but here it is for the world to see :)  

Thought I would explain some of it to help make more sense hopefully :)

We have a chore chart and 7 of our 8 children (we start when they turn 2) are put in pairs and we have one group of three.  Older with a younger.  They are responsible for doing different things during the week.  Maybe I will post that sometime soon too.

At 8:30 we do school time together.  Which is my core time of the day to do language arts, math, history, general knowledge, and Bible learning, signing- ASL, etc.  This is not a large chunk of time.  We do get a lot done though because of the fact that I teach to a level that is higher and most of the time the younger ones get it anyway....or at least most of it.  This is a way you can teach many at the same time.  Because it is only myself and 5 children - the ratio to learn is really high.  

Some of you are asking---- where are the other 3 children during this time.  Well- Joanna - on my hip or in the bumbo or in the swing, or in the jump thing.  Jonathan and Elizabeth both are to get quiet toys and they are at different "spots" - on the rug in the living room right behind me or at the end of the table or on a blanket I put on the ground.  They play "quietly" with toys or board books while I teach.  They do help learn memory verses, and when they can even answer questions.  They like it that way.  

Although I have down a whole hour for recess....to be honest most of the time it is more like 45 min or half hour.  Sometimes if a student is struggling....I use 15 minutes of this time to give them a boost.  Sometimes I help them get ahead in something because I know our time this week is short.  Others I run around outside with them.  Sometimes I plan tomorrow's lesson during this time.  Sometimes I have to do work for the camp at this time.  

Our quiet time after lunch is exactly that.  The kids get to do a 1/2 hour rotation between the different activities.  To make it easier for writing- they have books they do, notebooks for the rest of the week....where they copy from a book, spelling practice- etc.  as listed above.  As far as "play" time that too is quiet, and they have options when they can do other activities.  

I space my children around the house so they don't have as much temptation to talk during quiet time.  he he he- sometimes it is more successful than others.  

I would love to say that we always have it together and all of our days are perfect- he he he he he- but that would be lying....and that is not TRUTH!  Since this is already longer....will share more later.   If you have specific questions let me know :)