Friday, February 4, 2011

Thinking, thinking, thinking

I'm on a Charlotte Mason list where the topic of schedules came up. I know we need a schedule around here, even if it's just to say, "8:30-11:30 is morning work time. 11:30-12:15 is lunch. Etc." But, this particular thread had something about the CM high school schedule and how it went from 9-1 before the break for lunch.

I need to have something different here and it has to be clear in my head. I'm becoming aware of how the 16yo is really pushing to not be challenged. To slack off. I have to set some "rules, boundaries and limitations", as Cesar Millan would say.

This CM thread has got me thinking. If the 16yo actually did 4 hours of work, then he would be on track for what he has to get done. I don't know that I like the idea of 4 hours straight, especially since it would be hard to make work with the different ages around here. However, I could set a rule of: 2 subjects' work for the day needs to be done before you break for lunch (9-11). Once that's met, make it 3 subjects. (9-12) LA could be left for the afternoons and we could do more group stuff together, with writing workshop things that would blend in well with the work he needs to submit for credit.

That feels so controlling, yet there has to be some sort of limit with him. We've finished 3 days of 2nd semester and he is 2 days behind. *sigh*

I did not have a chance to plan things more for what my kids can do for work time. I know I need to go deeper than just topics they can explore and actually provide examples and directed work. I also need to work on giving the 16yo a question to work on and he tackles it while I do something with my 2.

As I write and think, things are clicking together in my mind. I don't know about starting with a 2-hour work period. I'm thinking I ought to just go right for the 3 hours, as we used to do. My 2 could start earlier and end their 3 hours with some free time before lunch. With the 16yo, rather than a rule of "this many subjects need to be done by lunch"--or rather than *me* setting such a rule--I could point out to him that if he got 3 subjects done in the morning, that would only leave 1 to cover in the afternoon. And how for the next while, we are missing 2 afternoons a week, so he needs to figure out how to make up for that time. PLUS he is getting a week off at the end of February because his Dad will be away and no means of getting him here (nope, no licence), so he has to actually get ahead before he leaves.

I think I need to set some rules for myself so that I don't get caught up in spur of the moment ideas and back track on things I've said need to be done first.

Right now, I think I'll take a moment to have a look at some Montessori science albums I purchased and get my thinking going for next week.

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