A Day In the One-Room Homeschool 2007-2008

Tiany, at Less of Me, More of Him is hosting an homeschool open house! Thanks, Tiany!

A short intro about you

I'm a wife of one man for 19 years, a believer in Christ for 10, mother of three daughters aged 12, 7 and 5. We've been homeschooling since the beginning--this will be our 8th year.

Your Homeschool Day, what does it look like?

We rise, groom, and do some household chores before breakfast. Or, I can spend the balance of the morning nagging the girls to finish their chores in between this distraction and that. No thank you. You don't work, you don't eat.

The first thing we do after we fill our stomaches is fill our spirits and souls with God's Word. In the young years especially, knowledge of God, Godly wisdom and a strong sense of character are paramount. More important than math. Or science. Or even reading. We most often utilize Pictures from Proverbs curriculum with coloring books. It gives a good explanation of select verses, encourages memorization, applies a story from the Scripture (Scripture interpreting Scripture) and offers comprehension questions which we don't use as often as we do just plain narration, Charlotte Mason style. And it's very affordable.

If we're not already there, we need to move to the table now for handwriting through copywork--or dictation for my oldest. Our selections vary. Sometimes it's the passage we're memorizing that month. Other times, we'll write out a hymn we're learning, a verse a day.

Before I let them leave the table, I hope to consistently pop in the next cd lesson for this year's attempt to learn conversational Spanish through Speak in a Week. We did a class with other homeschoolers last year and it. was. a. bust. If you're not learning Spanish with phrases and some amount of increasing immersion, you're not learning Spanish. (Or whatever language for your region; I'm in San Antonio.)

After language, my oldest, 12 year old Fifi, and I tag-team the little ones: she takes 5 year old Cuddlebug for "sister-mentor time," in which she might help her learn a new workbook skill like dot-to-dot, word search or Sudoko. Meanwhile I take 7 year old Dumpling to the piano to supervise her practice and theory work. 20 minutes.

Next, Fifi gets the music room for at least an hour to practice violin (6 years @ many $ = top priority) while Dumpling previews her read-aloud book (that makes our lesson time smoother and shorter) and I sit with Cuddlebug for the next lesson in Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Then we switch and Dumpling comes to read a chapter or so on her level. Sometimes, Cuddlebug listens in too, other times she plays quietly with the kitten. Afterward, we're free to read storybooks together or practice math through games (Yatzee, Bingo, Rack-O, Blokus, etc.) or the occasional worksheet from our Math U See lesson cd.

This brings us up to "recess" time where I'll kick the kids outside for 30 minutes, scarf down my own lunch, prepare theirs, call them in and read aloud to them from (usually) an historical fiction while they eat. In the summer, we're definitely inside the house, but when the weather permits, we love to spend this hour outside on the patio. Maybe this year we'll venture out further with a picnic lunch. One step at a time, as LindaFay says.

What curriculum will you be using? Do you not use a curriculum? Do you homeschool for FREE? Tell us about it!

After lunch, I need to accomplish lesson time. The subject matter determines who should attend. Monday, I like to get Fifi's grammar and writing assignments introduced. She also knows to get started on the next vocabulary assignment. Tuesday, we'll hope get the math lesson under our belt (though Tuesday is ballet and orchestra, so it might be that we have to move this to Monday; we'll see). Wednesday we'll hit history and correlating geography hard, with reading assignments and map work on the side throughout the week. We have an excellent library system here; I can shop online and simply pick up the books when they've been pulled. It's like having a book butler! Thursday is the day I dream of making Science the priority because it has been seriously neglected until now and I'd like to start Fifi on Apologia next year. Friday will be a day for art lesson and appreciation, instruction in handicraft, literature and homemaking (which is code for we're gonna clean our house and relax with a good book).

Do you schedule your day to the minute or go with the flow with no real structure?

Last year I made a beautiful, repositionable-subject schedule map. Spent hours on it. Hung it up. And never looked at it again. I've decided that a daily to-do list, with a weekly overview will suffice. We'll get it all in as we can. And as He deems. I expect we'll be done around 2. And the rest of the afternoon will be swallowed up by doctors, dentists and other...things. Like laundry. And sewing. I do hope to start a weekly play group this year for the little ones, and a monthly book club tea for Fifi. I also hope to see a strong enough repertoire of music between the four of us to minister to nursing homes or hospitals. Maybe my voice teacher and her girls will join us? *hint, hint, Katherine*

I think I'm going to have to hit the gym in the early a.m. half of the week to fit it all in from now on. When I do go in the afternoon, Fifi will come walk the treadmill or eliptical with me; the "puppies" I'm not so worried about. They get exercise!

And it looks as if I'll have to accomplish the shopping -- ugh -- on Saturday morning. Unless Husband continues to be willing to pick up our daily bread on his way home. He's awesome that way.

Do you homeschool in a homeschool room, at the kitchen table, at a desk, in the park on the grass?

Whatever works. We try not to hunker down at the table if we don't need to be there.

Do you have any “must share” tips?

1. Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint.
2. Childhood is precious--let them play! Unstructured and often.
3. Turn off the t.v. and the computer. Use these helps very sparingly. The use of the phrase, "I'm bored" increases in direct relation to the frequency and duration of their use.
   
4. Use discretion; resist the temptation to teach little ones things they can't use and will only loose once they've fulfilled their duty as a trophy in your case, i.e. "My little Johnny can name all the Pharaohs in Egypt--in order." That time is better spent on teaching little Johnny to respect and protect the girls instead of chasing them with a big stick.
5. Oh! And one more thing! Blog it or scrapbook it. Take pictures. Keep a record. Do something that you can put your eyes and hands on; it really helps boost confidence that you're really, truly doing it!

Do you have a question or concern? Throw that in there too!

1. I'm always looking for new ideas for keeping little ones occupied during another child's lesson time.
2. And how much housework is too much housework for a 12 year old? What, specifically, are your child's chores and household responsibilities?