Our Schedule's Working!

This week I have the opportunity to participate in a Virtual Curriculum Fair. I am excited to share on the subject of "Nuts and Bolts: Pulling It All Together." A few weeks ago I wrote about how I needed to change things up a bit in our home school routine. I hesitated to share our schedule as I needed to test it out a bit. Well, I'm pleased to announce that it's working! Yah! Of course there are still bumps in our road. Life has to be interesting doesn't it?! And without them, I don't know that the Lord and I would have as tight a relationship as we do. But, for the most part, the day is flowing pretty smoothly. Now I am going to share my schedule with you but first the disclaimers.

1. I am a highly organized/scheduled kinda gal. Not everyone is wired like me, so truly, you've got to do whatever floats your boat.
2. I thrive on a plan to which I receive much satisfaction from checking tasks off.
3. Everyone, every home runs differently. Therefore, what works for me may not work for you. As well as seasons change as I stated here.

Having made that clear I will continue in hopes that perhaps someone somewhere will read something that could help in there schedule.

• 8:30 AM We officially start our school day. Older boys read their personal devotion books while I read Bible story books with the littles.
• 8:45 AM We gather at the kitchen table for math. Each student begins his lesson and I rotate around the table instructing where needed. Baby love sits in his high chair with one of the many toddler ideas I've been posting of late.
• 9:15 AM We all move to the living room where, on Mondays and Wednesdays we do exercises. I lead them in jumping jacks, stretches, running in place etc. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we sing scripture songs (I think it is so much easier to memorize scripture when you've got a tune to groove to). This has been a great concentration break and stretching of the legs.
• 9:30 AM Baby love has 'crib time.' He listens to an audio or music CD while looking at new books we borrow from the library. I also throw in a few trucks or toys. The other boys start their Language Arts at the kitchen table where I, once again, rotate around and help where needed.
• 9:50 AM While the older boys continue in Language Arts, my two littles and I make a snack. Here are some of the snacks we enjoy.
• 10:00 AM Recess
• 10:20 AM My Father's World: Creation to the Greeks. On Mondays, my two littles get to watch a DVD (Veggie Tales, Elmo etc). Tues- Thurs- Baby love works through toddler activities I have lined up for him while my Kindergardener practices writing by copying the verse we are currently learning. He then colors a coloring sheet that correlates to our lesson or joins his little brother.
• When we are through with this I begin preparing lunch while my older students finish any school work they have not yet completed.
• After lunch they have until 12:30PM to play.
• 12:30PM the two older boys resume any unfinished work and I sometimes work through some Kindergarden lessons with #3.
• 1:00PM- Quiet rest time: this is when I read our 'read aloud' books. This is a wonderful time as we have been able to read through some remarkable books. This takes place in the boys' room where each lay quietly during the story. This is also the start of nap time.
• When our reading time is done, the older boys and I quietly leave the sleeping ones and head out to the living room where the boys read their readers and again finish anything left unfinished (spanish, typing etc.)
• Chores are then completed (which are scheduled throughout the week) and then free time.

So there you have it, one home school mom's way of 'getting it all done.' =) As for household chores, cooking etc. Please feel free to contact me for ideas on how I schedule these in as well.

Because of Jesus,

Eunora

Below is a list of other home school blogs and their posts on "Nuts and Bolts: Pulling it all Together."

Weekly Homeschooling Schedule by Julie @ HighHill Homeschool
http://highhillhomeschool.blogspot.com/2012/01/weekly-homeschooling-schedule.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair: Week 5: The Nuts & Bolts: Pulling it all
Together by Leah @ The Courtney Six Homeschool
http://courtneysix.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-week-5-nuts.html

Our Schedule's Working! by Eunora @ All Things NoriLynn
http://allthingsnorilynn.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-working.html

Homeschooling: How do I do it all? by Debbie @ Debbie's Digest
http://debbiesdigest.blogspot.com/2012/01/homeschooling-how-do-i-do-it-all.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair--- Wrap-up Angie @ Petra School
http://pebblekeeper.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/virtual-curriculum-fairwrap-up/

Virtual Curriculum Fair: 5 Ways to Use an iPad in Your Homeschool by
Pam @ Everyday Snapshots
http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-cirriculum-fair-5-ways-to-use.html

A Peek Into Our School Day by Melissa @ Grace Christian Homeschool
http://www.gchomeschool.com/2011/11/peek-into-our-school-day.html

A Day in the Life... by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
http://schoolinginthesun.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-in-life.html

Homeschool and Life: How we get it done by Jen @ Forever, For Always,
No Matter What
http://www.foreverforalwaysnomatterwhat.com/2012/01/homeschool-and-life-how-we-get-it-done.html

Homeschooling at My House by Jessica @ Modest Mama
http://www.modest-mama.org/2012/01/homeschooling-at-my-house.html

Getting a Grip on Things by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
http://homeschoolheartandmind.blogspot.com/2012/01/getting-grip-on-things.html

Making Home School a part of LIFE by Cindy @ For One Another
http://for-one-another.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-home-school-part-of-life.html

Now Where's That Pencil Again? by Beth @ Ozark Ramblings
http://oramblings.blogspot.com/2012/01/now-wheres-that-pencil-again.html

Something About Homeschooling I Really Didn't See Coming by Letha @
justpitchingmytent
http://justpitchingmytent.blogspot.com/2012/01/something-about-homeschooling-i-really.html

Curriculum, Kids, and a Frazzled Homeschool Mama leads to Controlled
Chaos! by Laura O from AK @ Day by Day in Our World
http://daybydayinourworld.com/2012/01/curriculum-kids-and-a-frazzled-homeschool-mama-leads-to-controled-chaos/

The Virtual Curriculum Fair – Nuts and Bolts by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset
http://sunrisetosunsethomeschool.com/2012/01/30/the-virtual-curriculum-fair-nuts-and-bolts/

Staying on Top of Everything by Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning
http://myhomeschoolgarden.com/2012/01/30/staying-on-top-of-everything/

How Does This Homeschooling Thing Actually Work? Fitting it all
Together by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
http://homeschoolingforhisglory.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-does-this-homeschooling-thing.html

Nuts & Bolts: Pulling it all together by Christa Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy
http://christadarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/nuts-bolts-pulling-it-all-together.html