Schedules and whatnot

Scheduling is always a challenge because I have 3 kids, and lots of stuff that we want to do outside of the house, and also lots of stuff to do INSIDE of the house. So much stuff!

This year we're trying out an innovatively.....vague schedule, and it's working pretty well so far. Mornings (when we're home) we do an hour of math in the mornings, first thing (we're supposed to Bible stories plus poetry before that, but it requires starting earlier than I seem to feel comfortable with. I think maybe I can drop the poetry and do that in the car instead, and fit in 10-15 minutes for the Bible. Will work on that. I can do it!) Kids are relatively independent with math this year, so the idea is that, if I'm not busy reading message boards and e-mail, I can get some cleaning done in between questions from kids.

Then we do 2 hours of language arts. This includes reading, grammar, and writing. So far how it mostly breaks down is that I do MCT stuff with Ari while Milo reads and Gus does Brain Pop or Grammaropolis or something or other. Then Ari and Gus go read while I do MCT and Writing with Ease with Milo. Then Ari goes to work on Writing with Skill and I let Milo either do Brain Pop or read non-school stuff (which, apparently, is always going to be Harry Potter) while Gus and I do Writing with Ease and, sometimes, KISS grammar. We finish up with going through The Arrow (Milo and Gus) or Boomerang (Ari), and then there is lunch!

After lunch break, we have time for homework for various outside classes plus music practice (piano for everyone, guitar for Milo, practicing songs from his play for Gus). And then we finish up with history.

This is a highly simplified version of things, since there's only one day a week when we're actually home long enough that we can do all of this straight through in this order. But the math/language arts block happens pretty frequently, which is what I care the most about, so....so far, so good.

Note: It has been pointed out to me that we no longer live in the house with the dogwoods and the creek, so we need a new school/blog name. After some discussion, Ari and I have agreed upon Boxy Colonial Academy. Because we live in a boxy colonial. Every house built in the 80's in this part of Georgia is a boxy colonial. Well, maybe not EVERY house. But we looked at a lot of boxy colonials. Anyway....new blog header and name change coming soon!