My Little Scheduling Tip

Our six-week summer break has begun. We’ve been spending more time enjoying nature and working on various hobbies. Some of my plans include finishing a pinwheel quilt, identifying the summer flora and fauna around our home, making preserves and baking, proofreading my eldest daughter’s school books for the coming school year and making new term schedules for each child.

I think that scheduling is on the mind of many mothers at this time so I thought I’d post about ours. When I first started planning our school days several years back, I realized from reading posts from other mothers at various yahoo groups that they write or type out a daily schedule for each child EVERY WEEK of the school year. This seemed liked a lot of work to me but how else could I keep them all on track? So I started filling in the books and page numbers, etc… Well, that grew old in a hurry. I consider myself a pretty organized person, but I am also extremely practical and writing out page numbers for three different children every Saturday evening was NOT practical in my book. I finally came up with a planning sheet that enabled me to fill out the children’s assignments only once every 12 week term and I didn’t have to write out all the page numbers and writing assignments for each day.

Basically, I went through each child’s 36-week schedule found on the sidebar and made sure that the child’s book readings were spread out evenly over a 12 week term. Then I made a five day chart showing the term’s books and assignments. I split the readings and subjects into 5 school days spreading out writing and readings evenly. To the right of the subjects, I made 12 tiny columns representing 12 weeks. The idea here is that as each task is completed the child can check it off, himself. I make a new schedule at the beginning of each term and it only takes 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours per term now for ALL my children rather than ½ hour or so every Saturday night.

Here is an example of a fourth grader's schedule with five weeks completed and a few S’s showing that assignment was skipped for whatever reason. The columns are missing.

DAY 1 (or you can type MONDAY) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 *these are wks

MATH- 2pgs X X X X X

KON TIKI –draw narr X X X X X

POEM X X X X X

AN ISLAND STORY-write narr X X X X X

COPYWORK-literature X X X X X

MEMORY WORK-poem X X X X X

TYPING-15min X X X X X

KING ARTHUR X X X X X

PM-piano practice - 20min X X S X X

DAY 2 (or TUESDAY)

MATH-2pgs X X X X X

ROBINSON CRUSOE X X X X X

WRITING STRANDS 30min X X X X X

POEM X X X X X

GREEK/LATIN ROOTS-one card X X X X X

TRUTHQUEST X X X X X

COPYWORK/MEMORY WK-Ps 91 X X X X X

TURKISH GRIMM’S FAIRYTALE-oral narr X X X S X

This continues until Day 5 or Friday. I don't use days of the week so I won't feel pressured to catch up if something unexpected comes up. We just go to the next day.

If I want to know exact page numbers I look at the 36-week schedule attached to the back of this one, but don't bother to write them in. I have the 36 wk schedule available for 'documentation.' I only print out 12 weeks at a time though. I have 4 children. Starting around nine years of age, I give them their own Daily Schedule like this and 12wks of the 36 wk schedule. They keep it in the front of their binder and check off the day's work as they complete each task or reading. They work mostly on their own until we come together for group time. They hand in their schedules at the end of the day. I can't tell you how much this has eased the burden for me. This should be especially helpful for Ambleside users, since the 36 wk schedules are already available to you.

I realize it is difficult to understand this without a real sample, but for those of you who are still with me, if you want to see the real examples, go here. There is also a blank one available for download.

I'm afraid this little scheduling tip is becoming an epistle, so I will stop now.