I had been feeling for a bit, and my husband and I talked and he felt the same way, that we need more structure, more routine around here during the day and part of that routine needs to include the kids doing more around the house.
We started off the week great for that--and 3 days in... By today, it wasn't any different than last week.
Have you ever made a kind of big change to your daily routine in your homeschooling household? How did that change go? If you succeeded, what sort of tips do you have for those of us who seem to very quickly fall back to the old ways?
Showing posts with label Routines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Routines. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2014
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
September's gone, October's here
September was an interesting month:
- my 14yo dd started high school (at home) but with an online program rather than me being the "primary educator"
- confusing teachers whose lack of clarity have led to my 14yo being quite behind in one subject
- she and I got sick (and to be honest, it's been over 2 weeks and we're still not completely over it);
- the first two weeks couldn't have any sort of routine due to my niece being in the transitional phase to start kindergarten
- various activities--although very worthwhile activities, like a homeschool picnic, homeschooled teen get-together at a recreation centre, a Friday Mass and potluck followed by playing at the park and my daughter already off to camp one weekend with her Rangers (Girl Guides for high school students) group
- family get-togethers, including my son's 12th birthday, my mom's birthday (I probably shouldn't share her age :D) and more
- start of evening activities
- a Stampin' Up! meeting for me
- start of the French classes I am running and all the changes that have ended up happening within them
- start of picking up my nieces and nephew after school each day, something that takes an hour in all to do!
It was a tiring month! Getting used to a different routine is definitely hard. I've been realizing just how much I am a "comfort zone" person. I guess we all are to a certain degree, but I am seeing clearly now how my comfort zone borders are getting in the way at times. But we are still managing to adjust. And I have to say: I am loving it just being me and my kids!! My son has never really known not having others around during the school year: he was a year old when I started looking after full-time kids. My daughter was only 4, so it's pretty much all she's ever known, too. I love not having to be prepared for 8am (or earlier), I love just how relaxed everything feels around here (well, except Thursdays, when I have 2 French classes, and Monday afternoons when the other French class is held). I love that my kids can sleep in. I did, however, have to wake dd up yesterday morning at 9 because she does a few online class meetings each week and she has one at 9am every Tuesday morning. She doesn't usually sleep that late, but she did yesterday! I will add that she is loving being able to do that, too. She had toyed on and off with the idea last year of going to high school--mainly so she could hang out with certain friends--but given she's a natural night owl and likes to sleep later and is hitting that stage in the mid-teens where she needs to sleep more, she is really appreciating the fact she does not have to get up early and scramble off to school.
She's "getting there" with getting on track with her work and getting into a work routine and starting to maximize little pockets of time to catch up. With my son... Well... Let's say he is as resistant to change as I am, if not more. I have noticed a few things, however:
- If I don't call it work and it's fun and has nothing to do with math or handwriting, it's not "school".
- He will read comics all day if I don't invite him to do something else. I suppose the good part, at least, is he has moved on from just Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes to The Far Side and Pearls Before Swine (although I do wonder how many things he doesn't understand! That's okay: there are certain things in them he doesn't need to.)
- "Inviting him" does sometimes mean I simply need to start reading something to him or sit down next to him with something and get him going.
What have he and I accomplished so far this school year?
- We've made it through some of the Montessori Great Lessons. Yes, that's right, some. One of them took far too long. But he loves them, so it's all good. (Those, btw, are not school in his eyes. Not even going outside and measuring how long an apatosaurus was. The weekend after we had done that and some other things to do with that Great Lesson, his Grand-papa asked him what he had done in school this week. The only thing he mentioned was math. lol)
- We've worked inconsistently on math, but he does understand the early algebra stuff very well. So well that when I gave him 4 questions to try to do on his own, when I checked to see how he was doing, he had marked as correct the 3 he had already done. I have not begun geometry with him, but since his sister has started a unit on trig, it could be a good time to start some work on triangles. And keep up the algebra.
- We have worked a couple of times on handwriting. I have decided I am definitely going to push the cursive handwriting--not for when he does his own writing stuff, but for the instructional part of it. I have also decided to step back and have us do letters next to each other so I can see how he is actually doing them.
That's all I can think of!
The weather has finally started changing into more fall-like weather and I always forget how much it drains us. He is sleeping more, which is good because he had months of likely not getting enough sleep, but tired in the morning. I just feel like I can't get a proper night's sleep. But, with it being only us today until I have to leave to pick up my nieces and nephew, we can take things slowly and I might even fit in a nap. :)
On a completely different note, my Montessori heart gets broken every time my kindergarten niece tells me about getting a sticker on her hand for good behaviour. It's even become a part of her after-school games, where she will tell someone they can't get a sticker unless they behave well. :'(
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Early morning Casa
I realized I needed to make a change if I was going to try to accomplish some of the things I'm trying to accomplish with the kids. We've been sick the past few weeks, so school's been out the window, but I'm finally feeling a bit better and so I started with my niece yesterday.
She's 4, a cutey-patootey and smart as a whip. Which makes me feel very guilty for neglecting her. It hit me that when she gets here, until the 17yo is here and I'm full-time busy, is an ideal time to work with her. We have about an hour, provided I don't have other things I need to get done.
Yesterday, she told me she didn't know what to do. I suggested the sandpaper letters--it had been a while. So we did the letters from her name and I noticed that for the life of her, she could not follow how I was doing the j (cursive). I'll have to slow down or something next time I present it to her. She also couldn't remember some of the letter sounds (3rd stage) no matter how many times we played. Sooooo, I decided to play letter hide-and-seek with her. She LOVED it. A couple of mistakes in recognition the first time, but after that, smooth sailing. :)
Today, I invited her to help me fill the dog's dish with food, which she did, then we did sandpaper numbers, starting with 1-5 (she already knew 1-4). We traced them, did a few of the typical 3-part games and then hide-and-seek. After a round or two of that, I added 6, then we added 7. She LOVES this kind of hide-and-seek. It has changed her interactions with me already. It's so interesting. She is much more talkative now, like this work has cemented a bond or something or open a door and the connection is good, so she's talking.
The hide-and-seek isn't difficult: I place the cards out in the open in different places around the living room. When she picks up one that's wrong, I say, "No, that's ____. Leave that there (or put it back) and find (repeat what I had asked her to find." It just occurred to me that it might be better to leave off the no and just say, "That's such-and-such. Find me ____."
I'm guessing this hide-and-seek is going to be a regular part of our morning routine. Think we can do hide-and-seek with the puzzle map pieces? ;D
She's 4, a cutey-patootey and smart as a whip. Which makes me feel very guilty for neglecting her. It hit me that when she gets here, until the 17yo is here and I'm full-time busy, is an ideal time to work with her. We have about an hour, provided I don't have other things I need to get done.
Yesterday, she told me she didn't know what to do. I suggested the sandpaper letters--it had been a while. So we did the letters from her name and I noticed that for the life of her, she could not follow how I was doing the j (cursive). I'll have to slow down or something next time I present it to her. She also couldn't remember some of the letter sounds (3rd stage) no matter how many times we played. Sooooo, I decided to play letter hide-and-seek with her. She LOVED it. A couple of mistakes in recognition the first time, but after that, smooth sailing. :)
Today, I invited her to help me fill the dog's dish with food, which she did, then we did sandpaper numbers, starting with 1-5 (she already knew 1-4). We traced them, did a few of the typical 3-part games and then hide-and-seek. After a round or two of that, I added 6, then we added 7. She LOVES this kind of hide-and-seek. It has changed her interactions with me already. It's so interesting. She is much more talkative now, like this work has cemented a bond or something or open a door and the connection is good, so she's talking.
The hide-and-seek isn't difficult: I place the cards out in the open in different places around the living room. When she picks up one that's wrong, I say, "No, that's ____. Leave that there (or put it back) and find (repeat what I had asked her to find." It just occurred to me that it might be better to leave off the no and just say, "That's such-and-such. Find me ____."
I'm guessing this hide-and-seek is going to be a regular part of our morning routine. Think we can do hide-and-seek with the puzzle map pieces? ;D
Sunday, July 10, 2011
It's a rainy Sunday morning
I've wasted the bulk of the morning away. I feel the need to do something more productive. I could clean, yes, but at the moment, I want to think about school stuff. :)
It's already closing in on halfway through July. Time always goes by so quickly, it's crazy. I have my nieces and nephew who will be with us full-time for the month of August. I actually want to start some light school stuff with all of them at that point, get a routine going of sorts. I figured blogging was a good way to get some ideas out and explore things.
Having a structured routine will be quite a shock, so I don't think I want to force a routine on them--that's a huge amount of sudden control and will likely be met with resistance from the boys. The little girls are always eager to sit and listen to stories, do practical life things, try sensorial materials, do art, etc. I'd like to balance things a bit, though.
The thought coming to my mind at the moment is a basic schedule that we used years ago: each day of the week had a different "enrichment" focus. I can't remember exactly what it was, naturally, but it was something like this:
Monday afternoon: outside play time
Tuesday afternoon: library and games
Wednesday afternoon: science experiments
Thursday afternoon: music
Friday afternoon: art
I think something like that could be useful for the month of August, provide a bit of rhythm to our days without making each day the same. Thursdays are when various groups seem to have their park get-togethers, so those can be definite park days. I would probably decide on if we'd go morning or afternoon based on where the park get-together is that particular week. I'm thinking we ought to change Monday to our library day, then we can have the whole week with our books. The original reason we had Tuesday as our library day was because we went to a park day almost ever Monday afternoon back then. We haven't been regulars at park day for a few years now! There's absolutely no reason to stick with Tuesday. lol.
I do like the idea of getting outside as much as possible. I think I'd like to encourage the main outdoor time to be in the mornings, before the UV and temperatures get too high.
What other things can be done? I still like the idea of a science day--my son has 2 science kits he really likes--but has done nothing from (complicated or he's not sure what to do). Granted, once we get going with one, it could be a daily thing, but that's fine with me. I can adapt the schedule if needed.
Other things:
It's already closing in on halfway through July. Time always goes by so quickly, it's crazy. I have my nieces and nephew who will be with us full-time for the month of August. I actually want to start some light school stuff with all of them at that point, get a routine going of sorts. I figured blogging was a good way to get some ideas out and explore things.
Having a structured routine will be quite a shock, so I don't think I want to force a routine on them--that's a huge amount of sudden control and will likely be met with resistance from the boys. The little girls are always eager to sit and listen to stories, do practical life things, try sensorial materials, do art, etc. I'd like to balance things a bit, though.
The thought coming to my mind at the moment is a basic schedule that we used years ago: each day of the week had a different "enrichment" focus. I can't remember exactly what it was, naturally, but it was something like this:
Monday afternoon: outside play time
Tuesday afternoon: library and games
Wednesday afternoon: science experiments
Thursday afternoon: music
Friday afternoon: art
I think something like that could be useful for the month of August, provide a bit of rhythm to our days without making each day the same. Thursdays are when various groups seem to have their park get-togethers, so those can be definite park days. I would probably decide on if we'd go morning or afternoon based on where the park get-together is that particular week. I'm thinking we ought to change Monday to our library day, then we can have the whole week with our books. The original reason we had Tuesday as our library day was because we went to a park day almost ever Monday afternoon back then. We haven't been regulars at park day for a few years now! There's absolutely no reason to stick with Tuesday. lol.
I do like the idea of getting outside as much as possible. I think I'd like to encourage the main outdoor time to be in the mornings, before the UV and temperatures get too high.
What other things can be done? I still like the idea of a science day--my son has 2 science kits he really likes--but has done nothing from (complicated or he's not sure what to do). Granted, once we get going with one, it could be a daily thing, but that's fine with me. I can adapt the schedule if needed.
Other things:
- My littler niece is already 3.5+. I have done so very little Montessori with her. Since the boys are likely to do their own thing together in the morning, it's a great time to present things to her. Since her 6yo sister loves being shown stuff, too, I'm sure I can determine some lessons I can give her: cursive, math, geography, science, reading...
- I'd love to have a read-aloud going on--in French. I put a request for Little House on the Prairie in French, although I'm lamenting that there doesn't seem to be a French version of Little House in the Big Woods, which I think is so endearing and much more at the girls' interest level (okay, the littler one might be totally lost, but she'll like the drawings when they pop up). I maybe ought to find something else, or just read Little House in the Big Woods in English first, then the sequel in French.
- I think I will really need to plan my week and days to maximize the time I have with them.
- Just remembered: I learned that my nephew's teacher this past year is known for not teaching a science unit from the provincial curriculum--chemistry. This causes problems for the grade 6 teachers because they are expected to prepare the students for the grade 6 government exams (oh, how I'm glad we homeschoolers are not required to subject our children to such things!) and the exam includes a bit on chemistry. Why, when it's not covered in grade 6? Because it's the government. :/ In any case, if he hasn't done it, then I can cover the chemistry unit with them all during August.
Long-term thinking: next school year.
I have some definite goals forming in my mind--some on paper, too. ;) Dd wants to really feel like she's getting work done and to know that she's at least at the same level as school students for language arts and math. She has also asked to be required to cover the same topics for social studies and science and the general curriculum. It's her "high school prep" year, where she wants to feel like she can tackle a full high school course load her grade 10 year; right now, it just seems scary and way too much work to do. She has started realizing that it doesn't have to be as difficult and time-consuming as she's seen with the 17yo I homeschool--she mentioned a couple of weeks ago how she thought it would take up her whole day to be doing high school courses, but the 17yo really spends a lot of time avoiding work and not working very quickly. She's not too sure about getting the diploma, but if I've looked at things properly, she'll probably be covering everything--except social studies--to get all the necessary credits. Without social studies, she will already have over the minimum number of credits. If we cover social studies our way for grades 10 and 11 and ask to challenge the grade 12 course, she will then have her diploma.
It's funny: I was so against the diploma for a while. But seeing as how she wants to be able to get into anything she would want to in university or some other post-secondary program, it means getting certain credits or alternative. On top of that, there are things she would just naturally be doing or wants to do. Social studies is really the only bane to it all.
In any case, I've really got to start working out the subject plans for next year, especially for French and math. Some of her math skills are weak, or there are things she simply really hasn't done. I want to design something specific for both French and math so that everything gets covered. I will also be putting together checklists for both subjects, probably with columns of, "Covered, Practised, Mastered", so that she can kind of self-assess, too, as the year goes on--seeing what's left to do, what's left to be mastered, etc.
That's enough thinking for now!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Progress!
I have not yet gotten the kids to the level of work I would like them at, not doing as many presentations as I had planned, but here's the thing: they are doing more, things are flowing more, even calmer. I don't think I wrote about this, but I had been having the feeling that the idea of trying to gradually increase was not going to work, at least not the way I was going about it. Focusing on one thing to start doing meant that if it didn't get done, there was no change. Focusing on a whole day's worth and not meeting the goal means that stuff gets done! :D
Progress made so far this week:
*Silent reading time both days. The 16yo likes to publicly balk, but he's been cooperative, sat down, got into his book (Peak), as did everybody else today. Yesterday, my nephew was here (yes, that definitely threw things off yesterday) and even he partook in it.
*Work time with the 16yo after lunch today.
*Ds has done math and handwriting BOTH days.
*We've gone over the Apostles' Creed both days.
*My two and I had our school time together before the 16yo showed up.
*Used a timer both days to limit lunch (although, forgot to get it going at the start of lunch today). Why do this? Because lunch time has had a tendency to get longer and longer. lol.
*Over the past two days, my 3yo niece has done water pouring (it's now her favourite mode of drinking water ;D), bead lacing, a cylinder block, clothespins (put clothespins on the edge of a container--requires the pincer grasp--and then remove them) and today, I invited her to cut with a pair of little kid scissors. I think I will have to model this one again--she holds her elbow out to the side and cuts from the side. That doesn't work as well. Oh, she also did this geometric stacker. She normally just does one of them, not the hard one on the end. She tried to do the hard one today. Didn't work so well. lol. I should maybe take them off and hide them for a while.
*I discovered that not only does my son hold his pencil in an awkward way, but it's such a way that the pencil is kind of straight up and down and his hand is blocking a bit from seeing. Well, no wonder his handwriting isn't improving--he's not seeing what he's doing! I took out one of those triangular pencils grips, which kind of helped, but then I saw he wasn't curving the fingers underneath enough, which caused the hand to be propped up, essentially, blocking what he was seeing. So, for the next while, the focus will be on his grip rather than specifically improving his handwriting. I want to get him to the point of copywork and eventually to his own writing, but I need to be patient.
So, things are progressing and it's feeling good. Why is it different this time from the times I have planned in the past and things fell apart? I decided ahead of time to push ahead regardless of any resistance I felt from myself or others. I almost didn't follow through on the silent reading yesterday after lunch, started waffling, wondering if I should break up the boys' Lego time together, but somehow decided to go ahead with it, be consistent. I'm glad I did.
Progress made so far this week:
*Silent reading time both days. The 16yo likes to publicly balk, but he's been cooperative, sat down, got into his book (Peak), as did everybody else today. Yesterday, my nephew was here (yes, that definitely threw things off yesterday) and even he partook in it.
*Work time with the 16yo after lunch today.
*Ds has done math and handwriting BOTH days.
*We've gone over the Apostles' Creed both days.
*My two and I had our school time together before the 16yo showed up.
*Used a timer both days to limit lunch (although, forgot to get it going at the start of lunch today). Why do this? Because lunch time has had a tendency to get longer and longer. lol.
*Over the past two days, my 3yo niece has done water pouring (it's now her favourite mode of drinking water ;D), bead lacing, a cylinder block, clothespins (put clothespins on the edge of a container--requires the pincer grasp--and then remove them) and today, I invited her to cut with a pair of little kid scissors. I think I will have to model this one again--she holds her elbow out to the side and cuts from the side. That doesn't work as well. Oh, she also did this geometric stacker. She normally just does one of them, not the hard one on the end. She tried to do the hard one today. Didn't work so well. lol. I should maybe take them off and hide them for a while.
*I discovered that not only does my son hold his pencil in an awkward way, but it's such a way that the pencil is kind of straight up and down and his hand is blocking a bit from seeing. Well, no wonder his handwriting isn't improving--he's not seeing what he's doing! I took out one of those triangular pencils grips, which kind of helped, but then I saw he wasn't curving the fingers underneath enough, which caused the hand to be propped up, essentially, blocking what he was seeing. So, for the next while, the focus will be on his grip rather than specifically improving his handwriting. I want to get him to the point of copywork and eventually to his own writing, but I need to be patient.
So, things are progressing and it's feeling good. Why is it different this time from the times I have planned in the past and things fell apart? I decided ahead of time to push ahead regardless of any resistance I felt from myself or others. I almost didn't follow through on the silent reading yesterday after lunch, started waffling, wondering if I should break up the boys' Lego time together, but somehow decided to go ahead with it, be consistent. I'm glad I did.
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Another day of messed-up routines
*sigh* This is something I really need to get a handle on. While I had been thinking that I needed to do something, I've been so busy with other things, I forgot to figure out some sort of solution to the messed-up routines.
My nephew will be with us today. Not sure if I will insist that ds do a bit of work, but I will make it clear that they are not to engage in any kind of activity that will be noisy or distracting. It's not like I have made the habit yet of ds working all morning, so he's not missing out on much. However, I am going to insist on their silent reading time at the beginning of French class this afternoon. And my nephew can be a part of that. Baby steps, baby steps.
My nephew will be with us today. Not sure if I will insist that ds do a bit of work, but I will make it clear that they are not to engage in any kind of activity that will be noisy or distracting. It's not like I have made the habit yet of ds working all morning, so he's not missing out on much. However, I am going to insist on their silent reading time at the beginning of French class this afternoon. And my nephew can be a part of that. Baby steps, baby steps.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Feeling Good ;)
We did not get any serious work done today. The 16yo didn't have all of his resources yet, people were tired and sluggish, so I decided we would have a nice visit to the library and then after, go get the 16yo's math resources.
At the library, I ended up walking past the kids' audiobooks. I decided to pick something. We used to do it all the time, complete with having a basket of books in the van. We don't do that anymore. I've decided to start taking various steps that will get us to a happier "school" place. And getting an audiobook was one of them.
I managed to pick just the right book: Strider by Beverly Cleary. It was so enjoyed by all, even the 16yo, that when we finally got home, he asked if we could bring it inside to continue listening. So we did. And that's all we did this afternoon. :) It was very nice.
I've been reading The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. One of the things she says in it reminded me of how much more reading and other things used to saturate our environment and day. It is such a simple way of bringing the world to the kids, regardless of their age.
The library routine is going to be a reinstated one. Maybe not every week at the moment, since we already have Wed. and Thurs. afternoons busy for the next while, but at least every 3 weeks, when the books are due. The 16yo hummed and hawed, "Do we all have to go in?" "Yes." In the end, I ended up in a section looking for a memoir book by Gary Paulsen and in it was a book that had no choice but to capture the 16yo's attention: Sir John Hargrave's "Mischief Maker's Manual". How can you find a better book than that for a typical mdoern 16yo boy? lol. He's brought it home with him as part of his homework. He had started "Superfudge" yesterday, but I think he might switch to this.
I haven't informed him of it yet, but I want him to read 15 books by the end of the school year. I got this idea from the Book Whisperer: she requires her grade 6 students to read 40 books during the school year. Assuming they don't have a full 10 months, that's over 4 books per month. 15 books works out to 3 books per month, on average. I have only told him so far that I expect one book to be done by the end of February, and that if he picks a really long book, it would count for more than one book and could be done later. Once he finishes a book, then I'll spring it on him. I also want to kind of get a feel for just how fast he is reading: I am willing to lower the requirement to 10 books if it's really too much to expect from him. But I don't think it is. He's not reading books at grade level, at least not yet. Things he finds enjoyable and will keep him going.
Oh my gosh--this has just helped me with figuring out something. I have decided we need to reinstate silent reading time. Today was to get books, so now we have them. Tomorrow is Wednesday, which means French class in the afternoon. I think we will have a long morning time, have lunch, and then they can spend the first 30 minutes of French class doing silent reading. They have, so far, usually been hidden away somewhere, of their own volition, playing games. It wasn't really what I had in mind.
In any case, I'm starting to feel good about the schooling going on. No, it's not where I would like it to be. No, I haven't figured out exactly where I would like it to be. But it's moving in the right direction. :)
A P.S. to my earlier post: my tired 3yo niece finally put herself to bed for a nap. You know a child is tired when...
At the library, I ended up walking past the kids' audiobooks. I decided to pick something. We used to do it all the time, complete with having a basket of books in the van. We don't do that anymore. I've decided to start taking various steps that will get us to a happier "school" place. And getting an audiobook was one of them.
I managed to pick just the right book: Strider by Beverly Cleary. It was so enjoyed by all, even the 16yo, that when we finally got home, he asked if we could bring it inside to continue listening. So we did. And that's all we did this afternoon. :) It was very nice.
I've been reading The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. One of the things she says in it reminded me of how much more reading and other things used to saturate our environment and day. It is such a simple way of bringing the world to the kids, regardless of their age.
The library routine is going to be a reinstated one. Maybe not every week at the moment, since we already have Wed. and Thurs. afternoons busy for the next while, but at least every 3 weeks, when the books are due. The 16yo hummed and hawed, "Do we all have to go in?" "Yes." In the end, I ended up in a section looking for a memoir book by Gary Paulsen and in it was a book that had no choice but to capture the 16yo's attention: Sir John Hargrave's "Mischief Maker's Manual". How can you find a better book than that for a typical mdoern 16yo boy? lol. He's brought it home with him as part of his homework. He had started "Superfudge" yesterday, but I think he might switch to this.
I haven't informed him of it yet, but I want him to read 15 books by the end of the school year. I got this idea from the Book Whisperer: she requires her grade 6 students to read 40 books during the school year. Assuming they don't have a full 10 months, that's over 4 books per month. 15 books works out to 3 books per month, on average. I have only told him so far that I expect one book to be done by the end of February, and that if he picks a really long book, it would count for more than one book and could be done later. Once he finishes a book, then I'll spring it on him. I also want to kind of get a feel for just how fast he is reading: I am willing to lower the requirement to 10 books if it's really too much to expect from him. But I don't think it is. He's not reading books at grade level, at least not yet. Things he finds enjoyable and will keep him going.
Oh my gosh--this has just helped me with figuring out something. I have decided we need to reinstate silent reading time. Today was to get books, so now we have them. Tomorrow is Wednesday, which means French class in the afternoon. I think we will have a long morning time, have lunch, and then they can spend the first 30 minutes of French class doing silent reading. They have, so far, usually been hidden away somewhere, of their own volition, playing games. It wasn't really what I had in mind.
In any case, I'm starting to feel good about the schooling going on. No, it's not where I would like it to be. No, I haven't figured out exactly where I would like it to be. But it's moving in the right direction. :)
A P.S. to my earlier post: my tired 3yo niece finally put herself to bed for a nap. You know a child is tired when...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Lack of routine is affecting me!
And all of us! I find I've hit a place where I'm not sure what to do: Do I figure out a way to plough through despite changes, or do I need to figure out a way to work with the changes in a better way?
What kind of changes?
Well, Monday, my nephew ended up spending the day with us instead of going to school.
Yesterday, my 5yo niece was with us.
Friday, they will both be here.
The little guy has not been here all week, but might come today and tomorrow. His presence actually affects us far less than when the number of older children is different.
This, on top of us all being tired and worn out and unmotivated and me suffering from sinus issues again, has meant almost nothing has been done work-wise. Kind of feeling like I need to have "sub plans" (like substitute teacher plans) for the olders who miss school here and there and are with us those days. Some way to incorporate them into our school day rather than having ds go off and play, or feel resentful because he has to do work while his cousins are here.
What kind of changes?
Well, Monday, my nephew ended up spending the day with us instead of going to school.
Yesterday, my 5yo niece was with us.
Friday, they will both be here.
The little guy has not been here all week, but might come today and tomorrow. His presence actually affects us far less than when the number of older children is different.
This, on top of us all being tired and worn out and unmotivated and me suffering from sinus issues again, has meant almost nothing has been done work-wise. Kind of feeling like I need to have "sub plans" (like substitute teacher plans) for the olders who miss school here and there and are with us those days. Some way to incorporate them into our school day rather than having ds go off and play, or feel resentful because he has to do work while his cousins are here.
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