Friday, August 27, 2010

The Beginning of School 2010/2011 School Year

 N started school two weeks ago with his trig class at the college.   And then we met with our beloved Mrs. Stout who helped set up a plan for the year that puts N on track to graduate at the end of this school year.   He went home with his packet of work for his first high school class of the school year, 11th-grade english.   This last Tuesday A-M started her second year of school at Foothill.   She's taking drama, dance, honors english, algebra II, honors world history, honors chemistry, and honors spanish.   Busyiness has already filled her world.

Today began our homeschool.   In the past, I've taken great pleasure in planning our schedule and fitting together like a puzzle how we would use each minute of the day.  You know what?   I must be tired, because this year I turned this aspect of our school over to my cute not-so-littles.  

Most of our first day consisted of them planning out next week and fitting in when they would work on each subject.  

We'll start out our days with Memory Time (from 7-7:45) all together. 

E-R's schedule

7:45-8:00---Spelling
8:00-9:00----Read Lit book and free reading
9:00--9:30---Math lesson
9:30--10:15---Language arts with I-E and mom
10:15--11:00---Thinking skills
11:00-12:00---Lunch
12:00-12:30---Homework time*
12:30-2:00---History
2:00---Homework*

* Homework is anything she is assigned such as math and english lessons.

Next week science isn't scheduled but in future weeks will alternate with history time.

This planning was very stressful for E-R, but I am sure that is will be much become much easier for her in future weeks.   I also think she will have much more time during her day than she thinks to work on her math and english. 

E's schedule

6:00-7:00---Free time or math
7:00-7:45---Memory Time
8:00-9:00---Work with Mom on Language Arts
9:00-10:00---Homework for Language Arts
10:15-10:30---Spelling
10:30-11:00---Reading
11:00-12:30---Lunch
12:30-2:00---History
2:00-2:30---Clean-up

On Fiday--Instead of History, Art

I-E's schedule

6:00-7:00---Building Thinking Skills
7:00-7:45---Memory Work
7:45-8:00---Spelling
8:00-8:30---Lit reading
8:30-9:00---Math
9:00-9:30---Math Lesson
9:30-10:15---Language Arts with Mom
10:15-11:00---Monday The Story of Western Civilazation, Tuesday through Friday Homework
11:00-12:30---Lunch
12:30-2:00---History
Then on Monday, Wednesday,and Friday---shower!


Over-all our scheduling time was a bit stressful, but E did say that he enjoyed planning out his time.   I-E said that now she realizes why I spent those three weeks hunkered down with the computer planning out our year.    Isn't a little stress worth-it, when it brings about some gratitude for mom and her work?

We did complete some math and history, but the highlight of the day was our Dig! Discover!Display! Kit.   It has become a tradition to start out our school year with one of these kits.   This year E picked the crystal mine kit for us to kick off the school year.











The kids have exspecially been looking forward to this Friday for a reason that has nothing to do with school.   Papa will be home after a long two weeks working in Europe!   They plan to take him to Jamba Juice when he gets back into town!    

How was your school experience this week?







11 comments:

  1. What a great idea to let your students make their own schedule! that kit looks really neat!

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  2. Neat idea! I may have to try the make-your-own schedule idea with my older one next year!

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  3. I love the kit idea. My kids would have loved that.

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  4. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I enjoyed reading about your school year beginnings as well. Have fun!

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  5. That kit looks great! We're heading into Earth Science so I may have to check that out. I never thought of the kids making their own schedule! I'm sure they will own it much more that way! And yeah for Papa returning! That makes everyone cheer!

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  6. This looks fun! We'll have to try one of these when my little guy is a bit older.

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  7. I really enjoy those digging kits. We've done a couple of dinosaur kits from that series.

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  8. This looks great!!! I'm glad you're going to join us for "Yes! We did Science!" Fridays over at Rowing Downstream :)

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  9. LOL! I wish my 16yo would make a schedule, but left to him I suspect that food, sleep, and video games would be the top 3 items.

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  10. Love your tradition of starting with a kit.
    Amazing how a little effort from the dc gives a little understanding to our "job." Now that my Elders are, well, Elder, they realize I'm not just blogging and reading the Forum all the time...this whole home school things takes time!

    GO OLDER Children! Looks like a busy and fulfilling schedule ahead!

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  11. I love reading about older students and getting ideas for down the road with mine. Taking notes . . . Love the scheduling idea!

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