Classical Education: Latin, Greeks, & Romans

Showing posts with label Schedules. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Schedules. Show all posts

Thursday, August 8, 2013

New schedule

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I'm really excited about next week and incorporating Classical Writing into our day.  I really like the focus of our studies. 

The "Morning with Mom" is going to be from 530 am until 7am. 

7am-8am is breakfast, dress, clean, break

8am-1200 is Latin copywork, independent CW, math, & enrichments.

1200-100 is lunch/break

100-200 is quiet time / literature reading

200-300 is CW with mom, rotating Savannah and Charlotte

Piano  and "other" is anytime before 630pm

It is basically the same thing we've been doing the last three weeks except the oral part of Language Arts will be with me in the early morning.  Composition and analysis will play a greater role in our day, I will have a more active role in teaching LA instead of using independent curriculum, LA is more streamlined and relevant, and Charlotte is folded into the learning instead of it being just for Savannah.  I think it is going to be a really good change.  I hope, I hope, I hope.  I want some consistency this year.

 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

More adjustments

The girls have been taking a long time to get their school work done and it is because they are not focusing.  My schedule has been to take a 10 min. break between each subject, but sometimes the subjects are too long.  So I've decided to try different schedules this week. 

Today I had them work for 90 minutes, then take a 20 minute break, back and forth.  It seemed to work a little better.  Savannah was done with her work before lunch time today.  I squeezed in Recitations during one of the breaks.  However, 90 minutes is still a long time to focus for these girls.  So tomorrow I'm going to try 60 min work time with 15 min. breaks.  Tomorrow will flow like this for Savannah and Charlotte:

800-900- Work

900-915 – Break

915-1015- Work

1015-1100 – Snack/Recitations

1100-1200pm- Work

1200-100- Lunch/free time

100-200- Read/sleep

200-300- work

300-315-break

315-415-work


That is 5 hours of work.  I'm hoping that they will be done in 3 to 4 hours, but we'll see.  The ultimate goal is to help them focus when it is work time and have enough breaks throughout the day to rejuvenate their minds.

UPDATE: I guess 4-5 hours of work is average for 3rd/4th graders, according to Susan Wise Bauer: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/schedules/  That makes me feel a little better.  I suppose we are entering a new phase of schooling.

More research on the writing for Savannah: at the moment I am leaning towards putting off Classical Composition and saving it for 7th or 8th grade at an accelerated pace (which is an option listed in the book).  The reason being is that I have been reading on the homeschool forums and in Susan W. Bauer's Writing With Ease: The Complete Writer,  and have found her progression of writing to make more sense.  Grades 1-4 consists of narration, dictation, and copywork.  Roughly grades 5-8 consists of sentence structure/diagramming, outlining, and writing from an outline.  Her middle school curriculum, Writing With Skill, is supposed to be really good and written to the student with lots of help for me as the teacher.  Then in high school is when students should begin the Progymnasmata, which is what Classical Composition is.  She argues that until students have the basic skills of grammar, sentence structure, and outlining, that they aren't ready to build on their writing skills with exercises contained in the Progymnasmata.  Though I don't know that I will wait until high school to teach the Progymnasmata, I do think I should delay it for a while.  An online writing class would be good for that stage as well since I feel so incapable of teaching that subject.

If I do this, I will need to add in copywork, narration, and dictation to our day.  Plus Rod & Staff English 4 has easy writing assignments that I can spread across the curriculum.  Anyway, that's where my thoughts are today on the subject.

Update: Everyday is a new day, right?  So I have been reading and thinking about SWB's writing curriculum and I think I will pass, even though it sounds really good.  After reading reviews of some people finding it to be torture, and pulling out my own copies of WWE, and remembering the feeling of torture trying to do those... I think I need to find a different path than SWB's stuff.  I don't think I will like WWS.

I think I will continue on with Classical Composition - Fable.  I do need to add in copywork and dictation though, so those will be starting next week.  I've got to think of a creative and pleasant way to do that. 

As for learning how to outline, that is what Google is for.  I'm sure I can find something.

And I'm purchasing Classical Writing cores Aesop and Homer, just for fun (used of course).  I want to look at them.  They incorporate more than just writing.  They contain grammar and analysis of some sort.  I want to see and compare.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Beginnings are hard!

So this is the third day of the first week and oh my goodness...

It is almost 4pm and the girls are still working on their school.  They got a two hour break for lunch and reading time and they take 10 minutes between each subject, but HOLY COW!  It is not supposed to be like this. 

I know that the days will get shorter because they always do.  The kids get used to their new work load and new curriculum and pick up the pace eventually.  But until then... we trudge along... teaching and learning new skills and such.

Speaking of skills, Charlotte and Savannah have different strengths and weaknesses, and it is becoming more obvious.  I need to work on their individual weaknesses this year.

Charlotte needs abundant practice summarizing and narrating short passages.  I think she often zones out when I read aloud or when she reads, unless it really captures her attention.  She doesn't listen carefully and/or doesn't comprehend well.  I plan on helping her by having her summarize every read aloud I read to her in the evening.  Her strengths are that she rocks at math!  And she has very beautiful handwriting.  She is careful, deliberate, and slooooooww... but it is pretty!

Savannah is careless in her work in math, handwriting and reading. This makes math time go much longer because I require her to correct every single wrong answer.  Today she had to re-do half of her math from yesterday because of careless adding, carrying, and borrowing.  Easy problems. I'm not sure how to help her other than what I'm already doing.  I make her re-do her math, re-write sloppy writing, and re-read sloppy reading.  Her strengths are that she rocks at comprehension and summarizing and anything language arts.  She is leaps beyond her grade level.

Madelynn does not put in much effort into what I ask her to do.  I probably need to make school time a little more fun for her.  She usually responds to my attitude, actually.  If I'm being impatient, she becomes reluctant.  If I'm positive and patient, she becomes more willing to try.  It has been fun getting to know her personality more.  She really enjoys her math book.
I am teaching her cursive first through New American Cursive, but it is really difficult for her and I don't really like the workbook at all.  I am thinking of switching her to Handwriting Without Tears- manuscript, like I did with Savannah and Charlotte.
I regret waiting so long to teach her how to form her letters.  This is holding us back.  In order to take off in reading she needs to know her phonograms.  In order to more easily learn her phonograms, she needs to be able to write them as she learns them.  But she can't write :(  boo.

I am starting to see the wisdom of teaching how to spell before teaching how to read.  Maddy is doing great going through the Bob Books, but it requires so much mental work and attention.  It is a physical and mental struggle, as it was for Savannah and Charlotte.  It seems that it would be better to learn how to write and spell easy words that would translate into being able to pick up a book and read it with ease eventually.  This, of course, would cause her to take longer to read than she would be capable of, but an easier path.  It also would have helped if I had started her handwriting about a year ago.  Lesson learned.  I think I'll start Zach on pre-writing exercises now.

All in all, I have enjoyed being on a rigorous daily schedule and teaching the kids this week.  I love interacting with them.  I am really pleased with our curriculum choices so far as well.  Homeschooling is hard.  I have to practice having a lot of patience and I often fail there, but it is also wonderful too.  The enjoyment far outweighs the difficult.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

First Day of School!

Our first day of school went really well!  It's a lot, and I'm worried how I'm going to keep up this routine, but I can't think of how to make it shorter at the moment.

I woke up Savannah and Charlotte at 6 am.  From 6-630 we read out of Gospel Principles, wrote journal entries, and marked scriptures. 

At 630 to 700 we studied Latin.  700-800 is a break where we get dressed for the day, eat breakfast, and do our morning devotional of scripture, Article of Faith, song, and prayer.  The three little ones still weren't awake, so we ate and did devotional without them. 

800 sharp Savannah and Charlotte begin their "independent work."  I have to do oral reviews with each of them in English, which is the subject they start on, and then I'm free to leave them to their work, helping them when necessary.  On Monday Savannah had English, spelling, math, xtramath, Famous Men of Rome, and grammar copywork.  Charlotte had English, spelling, math, xtramath, and geography.  They also both had piano lessons at 1030 which made their day a little longer getting school work done, but they were pretty much finished by 1200.  We'll see how today goes.  They were both distracted and taking longer than normal.  Charlotte especially is not impressed with the amount of writing required in English.  She did a lot of daydreaming out the window instead.

The three little kids woke up about 830, so I fed them breakfast and did devotional with them.  At 900-1000 we did our preschool.  We painted A's, colored apples, and read Mother Goose.  It was wonderful.  The kids really enjoyed the activity and the attention.

Piano teacher came at 1030 to 1130, so while the girls were having their lesson, I played with the Littles and the piano teacher's baby outside.  We ate popcorn, rode bikes, got pushed on the swing, and ate unripe muscadines. 

Lunch was at 1pm.  I was a little late getting that ready.  Usually quiet time begins at 1pm, but I had made an appointment to meet a lady in town to purchase a homeschool book at 130, thinking Isaac would be home while the Littles napped, but he had to leave for work early.  So I took everyone with me.  We were home by 2pm, Zach and Caroline went to bed, Savannah and Charlotte read books on the couch, Maddy did crafts at the table, and I took a 1 hour nap.  It was lovely.

3pm I woke and did Kindergarten with Madelynn.  We went over the phonograms she knows already, we did a few pages of cursive writing in her handwriting book, she did a few pages in math, and we called it a day.  Zach woke up during this time, and after trying to entertain him to keep him from disturbing us, I finally put on a movie for him so we could work. 

330 pm I worked one-on-one with Savannah in her Classical Composition book.  I really enjoyed that time with her.  We do something different everyday for two weeks in that curriculum.  Yesterday we read a fable, underlined and defined the words she didn't know, we read the fable again, and then found the recognition, reversal, and suffering in the fable.  Then she orally narrated it and we were done.

At that point school was over.  I completely forgot to do memory work.  We cleaned and played and I sat on the computer.  Dinner was ready at 6pm.  Isaac came home from work at 7pm.  Did chores again, kids got ready for bed at 715.  Did family prayer and scriptures with chocolate milk.  I put Zach and Caroline to bed after a few books.  Then I read aloud to Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn from 8pm-9pm, and sent them to bed. 

Then I did my online school from 9pm-1030pm.  I hung out with Isaac until almost midnight and finally went to sleep.

Now I'm awake.  I got out of bed at 530am to type this.  It is 600 now and its time to wake the big girls and start all over again. 

*Sigh*

Monday, July 8, 2013

Master Plan

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Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Gospel Principles
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Latina Christiana I
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Review
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Review
Grammar
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
 
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
 
English 3
1-4
5-8
9-12
13-16
17-20
21-24
25-26
27-30
31-34
35-38
39-42
43-46
English 4
Lessons 1-4
5-8
9-12
13-16
17-20
21-24
25-28
29-32
33-36
37-40
41-44
45-48
Spelling 4 & 5
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Lesson 11
Lesson 12
Classical Composition
Lesson 1
Lesson 1
 
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
 
Lesson 3
Lesson 3
 
Lesson 4
Lesson 4
 
Zoology I
 
 
Lesson 1
 
 
Lesson 9
 
 
Lesson 10
 
 
Lesson 11
Geography I
Middle East
Israel
Jordan
Syria
Lebanon
Iraq
Iran
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Afghanistan
Pakistan
 
Review
N. Africa
Egypt
Sudan
Libya
Tunisia
Algeria
Morocco
Review
Mediterranean
Europe
 
Literature
FS 1&2
FS 3&4
FS 5&6
FS 7&8
TtC: Plot
Swiss
Wk 1
Family
Wk 2
Robinson
Wk 3
 
Wk 4
 
Wk 5
 
Wk 6
 
Wk 7
Famous Men of Rome
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Review
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Review
Greek Myths
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
 
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
 
Nature Reader 4
Quail
Brown Thrasher
Cardinal
Purple Martin
Kingbird
Owl
Barn Owl
Screech Owl
Snowy Owl
Quiet Approach
Beaks, wings, tails
Wasp
US Geography
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
2 States
Timeline
Founding of Rome
 
 
 
Founding of Roman Republic
 
 
 
 
 
Sack of Rome