In Part 1 of this series I told you about my search for the “perfect” schedule. Or at least one working well enough to repeat each week of that semester.

Some of you laughed too at what I know from experience doesn’t work to get the day off on the right foot! How many of you can relate to chaotic starts because you didn’t follow through with the routine you told the children was important!? Anyone else awake from a Pinterest daze to find the kids outside and muddy when the school day was supposed to start?

But at the end of my 7th year of homeschooling, there are a few principles I try to stick to. They are the ultimate goal or desire of what I am doing even if the method of reaching them gets tweaked regularly.

Principles are more like ideas or ideals that may look different in each household.

They are not hard and fast rules that make all observers blissfully perfect.

For each “principle” I have included the “practice” that is lately working for us. You may have a similar goal but it may be carried out differently in your own way. And that’s beautiful! Keep it up!

 

 

 

1. Start with your Priorities & Crowd-Pleasers, if they can be both. 

 

I have had too many days that started off going well, being productive, checking off all the lists…

And then the doorbell rings. Or my husband needs me. Or a kid throws up.

Something to disrupt my wonderful lessons.

So I like to start off the with essentials, just in case something unexpected happens.

If I can hit my goals in what I think are essential and it be a subject they look forward to, then I think that is a great start!

We start our day with:

• “Early Work baskets” (explained in #2)
• Discussing our schedule/Bible reading and prayer (explained in Part 1)
• Reading a novel or historical fiction
• Reviewing Classical Conversations memory work

 

Why am I a new, but big fan of historical fiction?

One of our favorite ways to feel like we have accomplished good academic goals early on in the day, is by reading historical fiction. If you are not in a rush to read it, you can discuss great Vocabulary, idioms and colloquialisms/historic language; find words and decode it using Latin roots, see History come alive and discuss the lives of the characters, imagining what that would be like; pick out the Geography and find the locations on a map; keep a timeline of dates or events and teach note-taking; bring up Moral issues and compare with Scripture. And all in one book that you can fit in your purse to read in the waiting room at the doctor’s!

And as long as I can stop and ask questions and they are following along well, they can color or draw so to them this is also a fun start to the day! Considering most of upper education is lecture and auditory, I want them to be strong in these skills of listening and comprehending.

With these early subjects, they enjoy being together so we do as much as we can with their grade level difference together, and then split for individual attention later in the morning.

 

I know I have only 2 students but can it work with 7? I think it can!

“We have a morning time around 10am that consist of Bible, poetry, read-a-louds, and a math book we read together (Life of Fred). I have come to cherish that time because all 7 kids are sitting and listening together.” – Juli, mom of 7

 

What seems like a good start to the day to you? What are your academic priorities?

Can you find where these 2 favorites meet?

 

2. Encourage good work ethic by starting predictably. 

 

I used to start our days according to whatever I was in the mood to start with. And this may work for some people but I found for us that routine led to a more peaceful morning. Less questions were asked. More work was started even without me asking. They seemed more settled.

Our days got better when we started off with the table clean and set up $1 store baskets with their work ready. I pull these baskets out first thing, check each workbook page as they finish it, and then they put them back on the shelf for the next day.

Get them going with Baskets of predictable work. We call it “Early Work” because they could go in before school starts and get ahead for the day. (I have one that would do that and one who would never waste playing minutes!) It also buys me a few minutes too.

During that time I usually:

• make my cup of coffee
• make a stack of what we need to do or read today
• pick out music or video needed to go with the lesson
• have guaranteed 10-15 minutes to read to myself, pray, collect my thoughts and plans for the day
• check their pages and make corrections

 

What do they do for Early Work (aka: my essentials)?

• Math drill (wrap-ups or flash card piles)
• Diagramming or Phonics workbook
• Cursive handwriting pages
• Copy a verse from the markerboard
• Self-study Spelling list or write sentences
• Review Classical Conversations weekly work in flip book or on CC map

 

My favorite advantage? At the least, if something unpredictable comes up to wreck the day after this, you have already had them do some core work, drills, handwriting and review. Be happy with yourself, help whatever need came up, and move on to tomorrow!

 

 

What about the rest of the school time? 

We do Early work, Bible, Reading, and CC Review (which can be a lengthy Geography, History, or Science lesson) together and then I split the kids up for individual hours to cover Math, Grammar and Spelling.

While it’s not their turn with Mom, the other child does what we call their “10’s”, and then we switch the next hour.

The “10’s” = 10 minutes each of:

• Practicing piano
• Practicing guitar
• Reading a book
• Doing a daily chore (also on a chart)
• 15-20 minutes left over for playing or getting a snack/lunch for everyone

Again, this took a while to implement but now all I have to say is, “Go do your 10’s!” and they know what to expect. A cute owl timer helps too!

 

What character trait do you want to encourage in them, and how can how you set up the day encourage that?

 

3. Set up your school area to keep the flow of learning constant.

 

To me, few things are more frustrating to the school time than getting up and down to get supplies. I like to keep everything compact and handy. We work in a small area but have:

• a pencil cup with markers, highlighters, pens, dry erase markers, and scissors on our table
• a rolling cart with workbooks, rulers, math manipulatives, card games, marker boards, and a small broom right next to our desk
• our bookshelf/cabinet with all school games, text and reading books, Bibles, art supplies, and records (because we love to pull music off the shelf to spin) right behind us
• the pencil sharpener, trash can, a “reading” chair and the copy machine are also only a step away

We are set up to be content in this room for many hours and that’s the way it should be!

Having what is needed does take a little organization but it definitely helps to avoid distraction and lost time! After 7 years, trust me!

I also allow them to bring a small snack like a cup or crackers or apple slices and cups of water to the table if keeps them from getting up. The snacking sometimes keeps them focused and content and so I encourage that. After all, I’m not going to make it through the school morning without my mug of coffee in hand!

 

What is the biggest distraction or time waster to your homeschooling?

How could you make this more convenient?

 

4. Ask the Experts.

Lastly, why not ask your children what seems like a pleasant morning routine to them? Their answers may surprise you. If you respect their requests and still hit your goals, why not try it?

Mine said they love me to read if they can color or draw while listening. I agreed that coloring and reading could be a good start to the morning but am persistent about them listening well and pause often to ask questions and check for comprehension. If they can keep that up, then I can fit a chapter of a book in as one of our first tasks.

Sometimes they ask to make up a review game. They grab a few items off the shelf to make a goofy game and we jump into memory work review! Is this a good use of time and start today? We all think, YES!

 

What would your children say? Including their input may help with winning their hearts.  

 

 

Who did this post remind you of today? Would you share it them?

You never know what aspect would bless someone’s day or classroom!

 

Part 1 of this series focused on a Spiritual emphasis and this Part 2 focused on organization and schoolwork, both geared more toward homeschooling or those long summer days at home. Part 3 will focus on principles for getting those kids off to school well, written by an awesome guest writer! Sign up for our email (upper right) to have these delivered to you and not miss out!

 

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