Heart of the Matter: How You Schedule

Today's Heart of the Matter meme is to share how we schedule our homeschool. Each year is different because of different ages and situations. Some things that have been consistent throughout the years are: Bible reading in the morning, getting Math and Language arts finished before noon ( up to age 10 all school is usually finished by noon), the older kids take turns playing one on one with a younger child for 20-30 mins. each so I can teach or do read-alouds, I read many good chapter books to the kids throughout the year, and we have some time during the day where we all pitch in and clean-up.

Every year I write up a schedule divided into time increments, but as the year goes on we fall more into a routine. From time to time throughout the year, I will pull out the schedule and follow it more closely. If you want to know more about our schedules or see our homeschool day in pictures, look at my left side bar under A Look into our Homeschool.

We start off with Bible reading each day. When my kids are age 9 or older they read 1 to 2 chapters each school day on their own. For the younger kids, I start with reading Bible stories, and pictures books with Bible verses, then I eventually read to them chapters of the Bible.

My older students are very independent and I let them choose the order of subjects. They study math, LA, ( foreign language 10, 11 and/or 12th gr.), History/geography,Science, and Bible study. During their free time they will play instruments, learn how to program computers or do 3d animation. They practice for plays or speech/debate competitions, build robots, write novels, make movies, or do whatever they are interested in. They also do some community service.

I spend most of my mornings teaching my younger students. Right now we are doing math, grammar and reading first, then Five in a Row& Beyond Five in a Row unit studies which cover science, history, geography, art, human relationships and writing (not every subject every day).

We do crafts and nature walks when we feel like it. The kids get lots of physical exercise riding bikes, running, playing basketball, baseball, scootering, Frizbee, climbing trees, and more! From time to time I organize an exercise time when we do jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, running in place, ect. But this usually fizzles out. I'm hoping to start it up again this summer-I need it!