Charlotte Mason Scheduling

Uncharted waters. We're attempting something new this year. It takes a bit of planning but I think I have us all straightened out on the path to following Charlotte Mason's way of learning. Exciting times! 

MONDAY-THURSDAY

9-915 am - Scripture Memory

915-945 am - Math

945-10 am -(M/W) Dictation, (T/TH) Hymn Study

10-1030 am - (M/W) Science, (T/TH) Copywork

1030-1045 am -RECESS

1045-11 am - Bible

11-1130 am - History

1130-12 pm -  (M) Poetry/Music Study,(T/TH) Latin, (W) Geography

12-1230 pm - (M/W) Typing/Foreign Language, (T/TH) Grammar

1230-1245 pm - Piano

1245-145 pm - Lunch/Literature (reading aloud)

145 pm - ?? Assigned Reading

This evens out to about 22 hours of school work for the week. For the amount of weeks we're taking off, I need about 33 hours a week. Counting Fridays, evening reading/games, weekend activities and church, I'm sure we'll be able to count an other 11 hours. Our state requires 1000 hours so I don't have to worry about how many days we're in school.

FRIDAY

My plan right now is to alternate GAME Days and ART Days. Game days will be spent playing math games, word games, Yahtzee, Life, WordUp, Smath, etc... Whatever is in the game closet.  Art days will be spent learning about a new artist, attempting their type of art, learning about new techniques, supplies, etc... On either of these days we might go on a field trip to a game place (such as miniature golf, arcade, laser tag, marble factory, bowling, swimming, etc...). Art days we might take a class, meet friends for an art day, or go to a museum. Any number of additional field trips could happen for history and or science as well, on this day.

Subject Details:

Scripture Memory. I'm just winging it here. The bible is so big and so good, I'm just picking favorite passages right now such as Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Love chapter: I Corinthians 13, Psalm 100, Psalm 23, a lot of Proverbs, Romans 12, the Christmas chapter: Luke 2:1-20, and so on. 

Copywork/Dictation. I'll pull from various books, the bible, poems, etc... for this content. There's a good article here about dictation with links at the end.

Bible. I used this link for daily stories, alternating old/new testament.

History. We're starting with The Story of the World, Vol. 2 about the middle ages, and going out from there. I'll share a list of the books we have on order through the library and ones to order, later.

Science. Since we get bored quickly on one subject I'm ordering quality books from the library (some bios on scientists) and will supplement with similar books. Not sure is we'll do a notebook this year on our science studies or now. I'll share my list of books later too.

Literature/Assigned Reading. I'm compiling a list for the year. Literature will be us reading a book together (right now we're working on the Hobbit)  and Assigned reading will be things she can do on her own. With literature we'll be sure to do some narration in written or verbal form.

MATH/LATIN - I'm still deciding on a math book/program or whatever. We still have some catching up to do from last year, namely percents so that will keep us busy for a bit. Latin is a new subject to me. I've been researching but don't know what is the best program out there. I've ordered a few books from the library so we'll see if those help get us started. 

That's enough talking for now. There's more to share about this process; its a different way of thinking. Kind of feel like you're juggling but they say (whoever 'they' are) that it seems so simple once you get going with it that you think you're doing something wrong. I'm hoping for that. I'm tired and done with the years of feeling frustrated and inadequate as a teacher.

** The girls are making up a batch of Ginger Snaps for grandpa for his birthday. We're eating lunch with him tomorrow to celebrate. We also have a windfall of 10 lbs of tomatoes so its time to start canning salsa. I'm off to supervise! **

I've Got Plans!

I think I have our school schedule all planned out. Oh no, not the schooling, just the holidays. lol 

August 23rd - School starts

Sept 6th - Labor Day Holiday

Oct 4-8th - Break

Nov 22-26th - Thanksgiving Holidays

Dec 20-31st - Christmas Holidays

Feb 7-11th - Break

Mar 21-25th - Spring Break
April 29th - Last day of school

This is my PLAN anyway. You know the saying... best laid plans of  mice and men. I wonder what that is from? The book? OH, I found it: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men" from Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I'm adding that to my list of books to read.

This accounts for 36 weeks of school with  6 weeks off interspersed. We'll do school for 6 weeks, have a week off, 6 weeks, have Thanksgiving week off, 3 weeks, have 2 weeks for Christmas. Then we'll have  5 weeks of school and a week break. 5 more weeks and a week break and then finish with 5 weeks of school. I am determined to finish by the end of April. If we get behind I'm sure we can keep schooling in May but by then we're usually done with looking at books, etc... The bitter cold winter and spring are always a hard time for us.. 

Hopefully I'll be dd's hero for throwing in so many weeks of holidays! LOL

It's just like me to think of scheduling the holidays first isn't it! lol I don't want to have burnout this year though. What is your schedule, for those who visit my blog?

Finding My Way...

(Pic taken by my mom working in Alaska this summer.)

I'm pulled in many directions these days with our homeschooling. We haven't even started the school year and I'm already questioning my decisions.  

On the one hand, do I focus on a more enjoyable school year? I've been reading up on Charlotte Mason. Love her idea of short bursts of learning, 30 minute increments per subject. I'm afraid that it won't be enough. I appreciate the concept though because I've seen many a time that the child is still blankly staring at her papers, drawing doodles in the margins because she has lost focus. But I'm worried about the content. Sure, I can do math in 30 mins. But we won't get a lesson done. Do I stretch out a lesson over several days? We won't get near the end of a book if we do that. Just so many problems with this approach, not that the hour long approach to math was working though. What to do, what to do?

Last year we used majority Sonlight. I love their programs. Probably too rigid for us but I may slip some of that into this year's planning if I can. The books alone are always a great start.

I hate the way dd is counting down the days to school and a big sad face is drawn on her calender for the day. That makes ME sad that she is already hating a year we haven't even started. It has so much potential to be a phenomenal year. I always start out pretty good but when we start to get behind I get more rigorous with the schedule, the hours of pushing the subjects so we can get it all in and I become the fun-sucker. It's ridiculous. I don't want to be the hated homeschool mom.

Another issue we are constantly addressing is the attitude. No, I was not blessed with a quiet subservient child who loves to be good and follow orders. I'm sure that's genetic, if you were to ask my mother. I never like to go with the flow. I like to do things MY way so I can't fault the child for being so like mom. But sometimes we border on the disrespectful and then I get upset. I'd rather not even get to that point. But how to get a child to respect the process of homeschool and that mom is also teacher and that things just have to be done sometimes? You can't bonk respect into a person... This is probably why I'm always worrying that the schooling is not 'fun' enough. In my brain I think if its fun, she will WANT to do everything, even math! This is a pipe dream, I know. I'd love to find a few lessons on teaching respect and responsibility that actually work. I've read some on it but none of things they suggested seemed a long term effect. She is a good helpful child, don't get me wrong. But she has her moments.

Boy is this a rambling post! Just wrapping my head around this year's school year. I always head into it with determination, resolve, a happy attitude but this year is different. (I think I have an attitude problem of my own! lol) I waited too late to plan, I've been sick for weeks and this set me back considerably. Now I'm rushing.  I need to pray, that should help me focus...

to be continued...