We are a good 7 weeks in our school year, although Mercie and Silas have completed 10 weeks of school so far! However, teaching five different grade levels is not going so well for me. I am already feeling burned out and ready for a change!
I made a vow that I wouldn't change curriculum this year, and I'm not planning on that right now. What I am doing is trying to figure out a new routine and schedule. Why? I am having a hard time fitting in everything! It seems like someone always needs me when I'm helping someone else. I don't feel like checking and grading work and quizzes. I've been skipping Story of the World with Mercie and Silas because I'm worn out. Titus hasn't had a consistent preschool week yet.
I'm sure this is perfectly normal for moms of many children. I have had a hard time adjusting to teaching an 8th grader, 6th grader, 3rd grader, 1st grader, and preschooler. My 1st grader isn't reading yet, which is a small source of stress for me. My preschooler is very needy and wants to do school all the time! Seriously, when I'm trying to work with my 3rd grader, he is begging me to do his school. Add of all this to living in a 40 foot travel trailer, and you probably feel my pain.
For some reason, I have always wanted school to be done from 8:30-12:00 each day. I like to run my errands right before lunch, have lunch, and spend the day outside. I have to start thinking outside my little box! This worked fine when my kids were smaller, and I had less of them to teach, but it's time for an adjustment to our schedule and my way of thinking!
I still plan to start school around 8:30 in the morning. Here is a rough draft of the schedule I'm planning to print out and follow:
6:00 am - I get up, take my bath, and read my Bible.
7:00 am - Mikaela up and in the shower.
7:30 am - Kids up and eating breakfast, making their beds, getting dressed and brushing their teeth.
8:30 am - Bible time - we are using Foundations 2: Christ our Messiah. We also pray, work on memory verses, and sing a few songs.
9:00 am - Story of the World with Mercie and Silas, while Eli and Mikaela work on independent work.
9:30 am - Math with Silas, while Mercie works on her writing journal and reading her book.
9:45 am - Math with Mercie, while Silas works on Reading Eggs on the computer.
10:00 am - Language Arts with Mercie, while Silas continues with Reading Eggs.
10:15 am - Phonics with Silas, while Mercie reads her book and finishes up any worksheets.
10:30 am - Check on Mikaela and Eli's work, see if they need help, and check their progress. Snack break for kids.
10:45 am - Preschool with Titus while Mercie and Silas play quietly.
11:30 am - Science with Mercie and Silas.
12:00 pm - Lunch break. Kids can eat, play, rest, go outside, or whatever. I can run errands if necessary.
2:00 pm - Mikaela and Eli finish up anything they didn't finish during the day, as well as completing art or reading their books. I will finish checking their work and any quizzes or tests they may have had that day.
The rest of the day will be playing outside, cooking, cleaning, and anything else we feel like doing! Having a guideline will hopefully help me to stay on track, as well as have everyone and every subject included. I didn't make a detailed schedule for Mikaela and Eli, because they have a daily checklist of what to do. They do most of their work independently so I don't have to stay on top of them. As long as they get everything done, it doesn't matter when they complete each subject.
How do you make sure everything gets done in your school day? Seriously, leave me your advice in the comments!!!
It must be tough; I feel like I'm being pulled in different directions and I only have 3! But I do get so frustrated when what seemed like simple independent work leaves them asking me question after question... I've tried setting out "other" activities like puzzle and blocks, etc. for them to occupy themselves while waiting for my help and enforcing a "do not disturb" rule. If I'm busy helping someone else they have to wait and not talk over me.
ReplyDeleteYes, some work should be independent, but I miss family learning.
Delete{{hugs}} I'm still trying to adjust to now only having 2 students. It seems it's always learning to find that balance. When I had multiple students, I found that I had to do a family learning style and keep Bible, History, Science & Art together and then only separate their Language Arts & Math.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying for you to find your routine.
I actually have decided to return to family learning! It was a unanimous decision on my kids part!
DeleteThis post when I read it reminded me of me :) It is HARD! I still have trouble trying to balance it all. One thing I've found that works is kind of like a loop schedule. What we don't fit in on Monday we do on Tuesday. Although math is an everyday thing no matter what. (((hugs)))
ReplyDelete