The way we do school is always changing. I think that's the way to go, because our home and our family is always changing.
So, here is what our day looks like now. Remember, I have five kids - three with special needs that can affect learning. We are definitely MUCH more structured now than ever before in several things.
I'm up at 7:30 am. I get breakfast started.
Wake up the kids at 8:00 am, if they are not already out of bed (they're all up by then, unless they're sick!).
We eat breakfast and I start reading to them at 8:30 am.
I do our read-aloud stuff for History. We do Sequential Spelling together. If I have some grammar to teach that day, I'll do that. We might do some preposition BINGO or hangman.
We finish up all of that near 10:00 am, most days. The kids then have a choice. They can keep working on school, or take a break from 10:00-10:30 am. My oldest NEVER takes a break. He wants to be DONE - FINITO - as fast as humanly possible. The rest ... well, they enjoy a nice siesta.
They then do their math, science, reading, grammar, handwriting, memorization ... ya' know, whatever each individual child is working through. I start working with my Kindergartener for about an hour and keep myself available to all of them until they are finished. Part of their schedule this year also includes five minutes of Strong Sitting every day and 150 jumps on the mini trampoline. It's gets done and marked off right along with Science and Grammar.
If work is not completed by noon, we break for lunch, and they can finish up after. At 1:00, they start chores (unless they "got ahead" and did them earlier). If they are still doing some schoolwork, they finish that up first. Then they play, romp, read - whatever. I throw out something for a snack at 3:30 pm. Around 3:45 pm, the whole neighborhood starts ringing the doorbell and that party continues until dinner (typically around 6:30 pm).
Everyone starts winding down, taking meds and putting on pajamas at 8:00 pm. Bedtime is 9:00 pm. Bathroom break, brush teeth and then give Mom and Dad goodnight kisses, hugs or high fives. They can read for 10-15 minutes in bed, and then it's lights out.
Rinse and repeat.
(photo by Christine Rondeau)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Our school day
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17 comments:
I'm glad you shared this because I am so curious as to how homeschool days can be structured with multiple children . . . it still sounds way busy . . . I'm wondering when you have time for laundry and groceries? When do you blog/ have time for yourself? My oldest is only 3 so I have some time before we have to dive in. I think you're so funny by the way! So glad I found your blog. (I was a pastor's wife but we are no longer in the ministry. You seem to have managed to maintain your own individuality, I really respect that because it was really hard for me to do.)
Thanks for sharing. I really love hearing how other homeschoolers "DO SCHOOL." I missed the Strong Sitting reference though...gotta go back and figure out what that one is...
I think Strong Sitting is sitting with you bun muscles clinched so they don't mush out while you're doing your work. Am I right or am I right? J/K
I always enjoy hearing about your school schedge Christine, so much so that I strong sit in attention all the way through. Ok, that's enough from me. I'm not making fun, I am a fan.
Glad you've found a great new plan! I am ever amazed at how you multitask. xo
Jessica,
I shop for groceries once a week (I plan out our meals ahead of time). I usually shop on Friday or Saturday. My husband is off on Fridays, so if I can swing it then, I'm a smartie pants.
The kids do their own laundry (you could probably search my blog for "chores" or "laundry" to find out all of that muck). So, I just deal with mine and my husbands (although, he typically does a load of his stuff on the weekends).
I cook and my husband always does evening dishes. The kids wash their own stuff and put it in the strainer all day long.
Topsy,
Check out our YouTube videos. There's one of the kids teaching strong sitting. It's a good activity for kids with attachment disorder.
Your kids are gorgeous, Christine!! I love the video =)
Thanks for the info about your school day. My husband and I are thinking of homeschooling, but haven't decided 100% yet.
Interesting to know! Is that a picture of your kids? I didn't realize you had quite that many. It might be time for you to change your hairstyle and update the wardrobe though ; )
Brenda, that's what all these years of Tourettes did to me - with a RAD on top.
And what is it with all the kids? I sneeze and they just APPEAR! Sitting in SCHOOL DESKS!!
Thanks for posting your schooling schedule. I'm still trying figure ours out and I only have two (for now). I have one that stays on task & one that doesn't.
Abby
PS...About three times a week, I have the kids do 30 minutes on the Wii fit as part of their physical education. Last week, the mail lady dropped a package off on our porch while our youngest was doing Wii Fit in our living room. She could see right through our window. I just smiled and waved even though I was inwardly thinking, "Oh dear". :)
I just now thought to look on youtube for the SS video because I only looked at the side bar before and was confused where it was.
I'll have to try this for my kindergartner when he gets overstimulated. I'm thinking he has less RAD and more of a combo of things that are very sensory related so we are doing some things that help him not get so riled up (naughty and disjointed) in between activities. I'll have to read into the source of it a bit and unclench my own self a little in the meantime! :)
sounds awesome! especially the 150 jumps on the trampoline! I need to do that!
You are much more organized than I am. I'm fighting feeling like a big fat failure dummy loser.
Give me a minute.
tfs. we're doing the casual (looks lazy) no schedule thing, but we have one and we're concentrating on attaching, not learning! but i love the idea of adding in strong sitting (we call it meditation cause daddy did that in karate so they think it's cool). great idea to have it scheduled as part of the day!!
Christine,
We don't learn much about reactive attachment disorder in med school (shocker, eh?). Can you explain how this exercise helps kids with RAD?
T
Terroni, from Nancy Thomas' site:
"Strong Sitting gives the brain an opportunity to shift in the most successful position. Children who have been traumatized have the wiring in their brain more developed in the inner core (R Complex). This is defense or survival mode. (Fight: arguing, defiance, negative behavior, Flight: running away, Freeze: shutting down) This inner core is where children with RAD are most comfortable because it is the most highly developed section. They seek negative attention and criticism because it puts them in their comfort zone The parts of the mind with RAD that are less developed are the Limbic system (Love and Attachment) and the Neo-Cortex (Logic, reasoning, school work) In order to do it correctly (sitting still, straight and quiet) they must shift gears in their brain to the Neo-cortex by going through the Limbic system. It stimulates both of these parts of the brain! Each minute they spend doing it correctly exercises the logic and/or love parts of the mind. Brain power!"
Oh! And we haven't heard how the kids' birth family is doing. It's a long story, but we may not know for quite some time. :(
We're constantly switching our schedule around as well...just trying to find what works best. We have 6 kids.
Thanks for sharing! We also use Sequential Spelling.
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