Our HomeSchooling Week: Monday

I'm frequently asked what our homeshool days look like, so here you go......

We took last week off from Homeschooling. Thanksgiving was Monday, Erin's birthday was Tuesday, so I figured it was a perfect week for a break.

This year I have planned in our studies to do school work for six weeks and then take the entire next week off. Since we don't follow the school system's PA Days, it actually works out that we will still cover all the same material by the end of June. I would LOVE to be finished at the end of May, but if I get to take 'holidays' every six weeks then I think I can deal with schooling in to June.

So this week we are back into our routine.

I thought it would be fun to give you an idea of how we are doing it THIS year. I've made some changes in our curriculum and how we do things and so far so good.

So this is a typical Monday.....


The morning is spent doing chores. Dusting/vacuuming/bathrooms ect. All the bigger cleaning. We all pitch in and the girls have chores within their capabilities. If they finish early they are allowed to either read their books or start on school for the week. This of course has yet to happen ;) We do give out allowances after chores, so can I count that as Math??

I like doing chores on Monday. It just feels like we are starting off 'fresh'. Once the house is clean for the week I find it easier to concentrate on school and other responsibilities. Also, I take Sunday completely off of house work and have been forcing myself to just hang out with the family or rest, so by Monday morning I feel more refreshed and ready to tackle the house chores.

So after chores, lunch and the 2 little ones are napping I get out this weeks materials. While the girls get to play on their own I pull out the books I need, double check my To-do list, and see what events are coming this week.


The above is a sample of our SONLIGHT curriculum. It is a week by week 4 day schedule. We use the History/Geography and Bible lessons parts. This is Core1. Because I have yet to do much History or Geography with Lara, Both Lara and Erin do this together. I like that I just pull the sheet out and see what the readings are for the day.

This is also our FAVORITE time of the day. We sit down together in the sun porch and read the books together. After that we usually talk and pray to start our day.

This is where EVERYTHING is written down and recorded. I write what is coming for the day, what I WANT to accomplish, and what is ACTUALLY accomplished. I leave this out on the dinning room table and throughout the day I write everything they do. What books they read, who they play with, what was talked about ect. This way I have ONE spot where everything is recorded. I can also keep this for future reference if I need to prove to anyone that we are actually schooling.

Thanks to some amazing friends, I have acquired not only the Sonlight core1 curriculum and books for free, but the Grade 3 reader schedule and study guide for Lara. Like the Core1, Lara just picks up the book and sees what she needs to read for the day. The books are pre selected and screened, and all teach her about the world. What a great way to learn! Love it.

Erin is a little behind in her reading and I find the Abeka readers are working AMAZING for her. While Lara is reading on her own, I sit down WITH Erin. Again I have been blessed with great friends who have lent me their books.

These are some of this weeks books we will go through. No not the ENTIRE book. Just parts. We use certain books for weeks at a time. I'm pretty sure the Child's History of the World takes a couple of years.

And of course....there is the yellow sticky note. The holder of all things that need to be done this week. If it isn't written down it just won't get done.

So today....

Chores,

Lunch, I would have started with breakfast but my husband made pancakes this morning ;)

Skating at the local rink with other homeschoolers....It is now 2pm.

Farm chores (collecting eggs)

Today's History/Geography reading (while Adam amused the two little ones)

Supper

Early bedtime for two little kids who went skating instead of napping

Cuddled in sun porch with older girls and read 3 Chapters of our latest novel

Put chickens to bed

Finished Laundry

Wrote this Post

I'm sure there are other little things in there, but you get the idea. See you tomorrow.