Rejoicing this monday!

Yes!!

School room is together. I will really really try to post up a picture within this next week or two. I need to move out a bookshelf, but the room is done!

Our schedule - is really really finally together!

It is just a finalized version of what we had been loosely doing this year.

Here it is:

6:15 - Wake, sing & pray with Daddy. Personal prayer time.

7:00- Get dressed, clean room, Breakfast. (Thankful journal, Manners, KSV)

8:00- Check-in with kids. Chore Time.

9:00- Bible Time (SOW language arts)

10:00- Break & Outside Play

10:30 - Independent work: Math, Handwriting, English, Spelling or Phonics. Plus any other assignments, like Reports or s/g/h reading, etc.

12:30 - Lunch time

1:00 - Together Time (Daily Lesson) & Check-Out (One on One time with Mom)

2:00 - Done!

This is kind of what we have been doing, but now it has been tweaked to finalization. It feels weird because it is really a hands off kind of approach this year. The kids are working much more independent than last year. I am still directing Bible, but expecting a lot of it to be done on their own. I am working with my 5 year old & I'm available during their independent time, checking on them,etc. It's just very different. But, the exciting part is - it is working!! Which is a miracle for my 10 year old! I think since his sister (at age 5) enjoys working independently, it is motivating him a bit more. This year I really needed to be able to be less tied down though because my 2yo little boy needs a lot of attention. He just has a personality that stays busy, so I need to be available for him. Thank God He knows everything we need before we even ask!!

I have a few other things I am going to discuss here later about curriculum/resource choices & such in some upcoming posts. But, really - my mind is on these upcoming holidays! This is our last week of SOW for the year. Although we are not finished with our Exploring Creation with Botony book, so we will finish reading that through until we are done. But, next week we are off since Daddy will be home all week. Then the following week we will begin our Christmas unit study by Amanda Bennett. I've never done one of her unit studies before, so I'll let you know what we think. Can you believe the holidays are here?!?!?

I'll probably post some fun stuff here coming up. ;o)

More Scheduling & SOW 2A2

Hi, it's me. ;o)

So yesterday I spent the day from the beginning to the end running around like crazy, trying to do all the things on my "to do list" and snapping at my sweet children. At the end of the day all I could think is...there has got to be a better way!!

Yes, there is.

I sat down & went over the list of all the things I was trying to get done with my hunny bunny. It seemed impossible! Between just keeping my children together and the house together, etc. - school was somehow supposed to fit in here. :o)

I've been here a thousand times and every time it seems God does a miracle somehow as I arrange my priorities. Thank God it happened again last night!!

So, I mentioned before that I wanted to switch the independent time from being in the afternoon to being in the morning, well...I'm still doing that, but I decided what I really needed to do is split our together time up into two parts. AM & PM. A fresh sigh of relief came when I began to see that.

Now after breakfast we go into our morning together time, which flows so naturally.

(Especially since that's how we did it last year) We just do those table time things, like the thankful journal, manners book & the prayer for the countries. This is also when we will do our language arts (aka Bible study). Then I will assign their independent assignments. That was kind of confusing to me how to do a "check-in" with the children each day with the last schedule I wrote up. Problem solved! This gives me the mid-morning - early afternoon to spend getting my 2yo to his nap and having my precious quiet time that I need each day. I usually take about a 15 minute nap, but mostly I pray & or work on a project that needs to be done. That is time I need to spend for my sanity during this crazy season of my life. lol!

After quiet time / independent time then we have lunch and begin into our afternoon together time. This is a check-out time for us and a time to do whatever else needs to be done (sci/his/geo/etc.) We will do our projects and such then as well.

That's pretty much it. Oh, except - I haven't had a formal morning prayer time in awhile. Jesus has been pressing on me since I moved into this house to rise a bit earlier (when my husband has been going to our Church to pray) and pray then. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING!! I know, I know, I should have been doing this a long time ago... The truth is, it's not that I don't pray in the mornings. I do. It's just more of a "ok, here we go" prayer. I spent my afternoon quiet time as my "formal" prayer time. But, beginning your day in Prayer is really awesome!! So, I am putting prayer first. I am also encouraging my children to pray as well. I am reminding them to talk to God before they come down for breakfast.

In case you skipped all the details & just wanted to see the schedule - here you go:

Wake

Shower (mom)

Get Dressed

Pickup Room

Laundry

Pray

(The kids pickup room, get dressed & pray before breakfast)

Make Breakfast

Eat

Morning Together Time

(Prayer, Bible, Check-in)

Independent Assignments

AM Chores

Free Play

Lunch

Afternoon Together Time

(Check-out, S/G/H, Literature, etc.)

PM Chores

DONE!

Just to give you something to look at...

Here's my 5yo's Outline for Joshua 6-12:

We are floundering...

Ok, so the last two weeks have been a little difficult for us.

Moving uproots your LIFE in so many ways. Our old schedule just wasn't flying anymore. Most of our books are still packed in the garage. (which is a long sob story...) But, basically, I have been very discouraged about how things have been going. I was crying to God. I've already learned in my walk with God that He is pleased with FAITH, not whining or fear, etc. Yet, here I went complaining and whining to Him. Of course, He is a great God and reminded me that He WANTS to help me, but that I am trying to do this all on my own.

After His reminder, of course, today I have had vision & hope that was completely dead before. Now I actually see a little glimmer of light shining through!!

Jesus told me He is doing a new thing this year and that I need to be prepared to change MY schedule for His. The old way of doing things is not working, so it's time to listen to His plan. ;o)

This morning I just happen to click on "schedules" in the yahoo group. Then again, I just "happened" to click on Joy's. What a blessing! I feel so encouraged to follow her lead. I've read it before, but it really spoke to me in this season I am going through.

Even if I follow this simple rule:

PUT PRAYER FIRST

Then I will have succeeded in our schooling.

This is what God pressed on me today. He gave me a new schedule, which allows each of us to spend quiet time alone with the Lord for as long as we need!! Isn't that amazing & awesome?? Here's what it looks like:

Wake up, Get Dressed, Clean Rooms

Breakfast

Chore Time

Prayer...

Independent Time

Lunch

Check-in /school with mom

(alternating children)

Together Time

(Bible & s/g/h)

Clean-up Time

Daddy Home

That's a simplified version.

Basically, it is backwards from what we used to do. We used to do "together time" in the morning & "independent time" in the afternoon. It just seems to make sense right now to switch it.

I just thought I would check in to give you an idea of how things are going around here. Moving is difficult. Beginning a new school year can be difficult too. Moving & beginning a new year - impossible! LOL! Thank God that I serve a God of miracles!!!!!!!!!!!

I should have known...

After homeschooling for a few years now, I know when we do best & what times during the year we struggle. We do better in the warmer months than we do in these colder ones. I don't know whether it is the holiday's or what, but we are distracted much more. I started an extra week early, which was helpful. I think I also put in an extra week in February too. My point is, we're going light week this week. My brain is swirling with so many things that are going on all over the place & I need to just take time to do the important things.

There are a few things hindering us in the school department too. I need to put the firefighter bible on our mp3 so that it is easier to get to. We are also (surprise, surprise!) behind on some of those projects. Problem with this is that we tend to get only half of the supplies so they hang over me. Oh well...I'm sure that we will get to them. Superman has been working on the side to help with some of them, but I get anxious & want to stay on schedule...so, we'll wait. ;o)

In the meantime, we're doing light work: Phonics, Math, Bible, Prayer & Misc. Study

By the way, April & June are all scheduled as "light days." So, it doesn't put us behind in SOW, it just confuses my plan a little bit. Next year I will expect to have more light days in Jan / Feb.

For some reason there is just a lot going on & I'm just trying to take in that this is the year 2010 now!! Also, it's tax return time. We tend to buy new school supplies so I'm thinking & planning that out. It happens every year, I just get into shock I think & something in me gets all confused about what I'm doing. I need time to get my mind in order and yet, life keeps moving. So, I'll just have to get back to you after a bit when my head stops spinning...

Daily & Weekly Schedules

Daily Schedule

Get Ready
(Get Dressed, Clean Room)

Eat Breakfast
Thankful Journal
Manners book
KSV
(review orally)

Clean-up / Brush Teeth

Go for a walk

Sing song
Praise God

Pray:
Personal Requests
(option to share yesterday's journal)
Prayer Box
(people around us)
For Country
(new one each week)
Pray over children

Prayer Journals

Share Yesterday's Work
(Discussion Questions)

Language arts/Devotional
(see weekly schedule)

Daily Studies
(Sci/Hist/Geo/Writing/Electives)

Outside play

Lunch

Independent Study
(Phonics/Math)

Free-play

Chores
(see list)

Daddy Home!!

Weekly Schedule

Monday
Devotional: Read Story & Discuss / Outline
Daily Studies: Read Text book / Discuss Questions (TE) /Diagram

Tuesday
Devotional: Discuss Topic / Setting
Other Studies: Creative Writing
Extra: Project, Elective, etc.

Note: I assign the vocabulary worksheet to oldest for indpendent work. Since we have already discussed the topic together, this is fairly easy for him to complete on his own.

Wednesday
Devotional:Character
Other Studies: Literature
Library books or Other Resources
Extra: Watch Video

Thursday
Devotional: Commentary
Other Studies: Report
Extra: Project, Elective, etc.

Friday
Devotional: None
Other Studies: Makeup Day

You can see the original posts here and here.