8:00-3:00 Isn't Necessary

Never Forget: This Isn't Normal

I start with that statement because I want everyone to realize as we start this that this time obviously isn't normal.  Don't fall into the trap of looking at the way things used to be done as your benchmark for what you should be trying to do at home..... "Regular School" is different for a pile of reasons I won't get into right now.... You don't have to make what you're doing at home look like regular school. 

I saw a post of my facebook feed recently that pointed out that typical home school models don't allocate seven hours a day for educational time.  It's far too difficult to work into your daily routine, with such a small group its likely to get overwhelming, and bottom line, it isn't necessary.  

With that in mind, I put together this simple schedule for our home school efforts.  We ran it last week and found that in general it works out pretty well. It is a general map, and we flow with it as needed.

• 9:00 to 9:15.         Writing Practice Time
• 9:15 to 9:20.         Share and Discuss Writing
• 9:20 to 10:00.       Math Practice Time
• 10:00 to 10:15.     Recess and Brain Break 
• 10:15 to 11:00.     Reading Practice Time 
• 11:00 to 11:10      (Rest of the Day Discussion) 
• 11:10 to 11:40      Physical Activity Time (P.E.)
• 11:40 to 12:40.     Lunch (Help Prep) 
• 12:40 to 1:40.       Arts and Crafts Time 

I initially had a TBD time from 1:40 to 2:40, but we haven't really used it so I am not including that here.  So basically we are running from 9:00-2:00, which is five hours instead of seven....but we have a full hour for lunch time, and a full hour for arts and crafts, along with thirty minutes of PE and a fifteen minute recess... which means out of those five hours, only two hours is devoted to reading, writing, and math.  That's plenty people!  

Quite honestly, those other things.... PE, Arts and Crafts, etc.  are there to keep my children from zoning out on devices.  It affords us the opportunity to send the girls outside to jump on the trampoline for PE, or have them do sidewalk chalk drawings for art, etc. Which they gladly do because the schedule says it's time to do that.  Sometimes we go for hikes and draw landscapes during this time.  Or we might make our craft project for the day planting a garden bed and calling it science/ag class.  The sky is the limit, just remember..... 

Don't make things harder than they need to be! 

I plan on putting together specific resources for all of these schedule points, so check the links in this blog for specific ideas for each.  

Finally, I wanted to point out the importance of a schedule for little ones.  There is serious power in a schedule in the eyes of younger students in particular.  I stated earlier that my kids will do it because that is what the schedule says..... that's a real thing.  It does their mental health good to know that there is a plan and an expectation of them during these difficult times.  I highly recommend that you make a schedule and post it in your house somewhere so they can see it.  Go over it with them.  Once you do, they will follow it because that is what they are used to from their school experience.  

Just remember, this isn't normal for any of us.  We are all dealing with a situation that seems to change daily.  But you can instill a sense of normalcy into the situation if you come up with a simple schedule to address the learning needs of your children.  Check the associated posts on this blog for ideas and resources to help you fill that schedule.