Let's share our schedules!

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
Carrie
Site Admin
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Carrie » Sun Nov 09, 2008 8:45 pm

Rebecca,

Your schedule looks wonderful! I applaud your organization. I agree that it does help to see which things are more independent and which things require the parent's instruction. In our guides from Preparing Hearts on up, we will be coding assignments as Teacher-Directed, Semi-Independent, and Independent to help in that area! :D

Thanks so much to each of you for taking time to type out your schedules! I know it is really helpful to MANY moms! You are each very gracious with your time. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

lmercon
Posts: 659
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:05 pm
Location: Zieglerville, PA

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by lmercon » Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:36 am

Great, taking all this time to read these great schedules has totally gotten me OFF-SCHEDULE!
Thanks a lot, everyone! (sarcastic grin)
:wink:
Wife to a great guy and mommy to:
Ds(15) - using WG and loving it!
Dd(11) - using Res.to Ref and having a blast!
Ds (3) - our joy!
Two little ones in the arms of Jesus - I can't wait to hold you in Heaven!

water2wine
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: GA

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by water2wine » Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:59 am

Wow what a great thread. I know that HOD can be done just by opening it every day without another schedule. I have done it that way and it works great. But I find it helpful to see how everyone else is doing it as well. This has been great. It was great especially to see Carrie's schedule. Just to imagine how she does her day with all her kids and then still manages to run a business is awesome! :D Thanks to everyone who shared for letting us all peak into your day!
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by my3sons » Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:36 pm

Wow, Rebecca! I am impressed! Your schedule looks awesome, and best of all, I am so glad to hear it is working well for you. Managing a home and homeschooling is a big job. Thanks to all who shared here how you're making it work and enjoying HOD!

In Christ,
Julie :D
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Rebecca
Posts: 163
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:11 pm
Location: western north carolina

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Rebecca » Mon Nov 10, 2008 8:44 pm

Ladies,
Thank you all so much for your kind words!
And water2wine, your advice is great, too!

I just wanted to add my little disclaimer- that I am not a superwoman! :o
I am not "high energy" in the mornings- and tend to be more relaxed- especially on a Monday! :shock:
But that is what I loved about Carrie's schedule- starting school at 9:10- okay- I can do that! It is reasonable!
Also, I am prone to fall asleep during the afternoon rest time and then delay the startup of our afternoon school! Nursing an almost twenty pound baby! does that to me!

I loved doing individual schedules for each of my children- it really helped me think outside of my "box" I get stuck in... also it has helped me see areas where my seven year old might be "taking in" too much and therefore not motivated to do what he needs too! 8)

Bless you all,
Rebecca

water2wine
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: GA

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by water2wine » Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:30 am

Rebecca wrote: I just wanted to add my little disclaimer- that I am not a superwoman! :o
None of us are. That is the one thing that can be bad about sharing what we do on paper with others is it can look that way sometimes. :roll: But it also can be so helpful if we look for the one that is most like us and our personality and let the ones that don't fit go uncompared to us. As women we tend to compare our weakness to others strength. :roll: It's a big temptation but in the end we are all just women saved by grace depending on Him to get it all done. :D

Having said all that sure you are superwoman you are just the perfect superwoman He made you to be and not the one that everyone else might expect you to be. Your schedule looks awesome and I know since you went with who He made you to be, He will honor it. :D
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)

scrapsmith
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:06 pm

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by scrapsmith » Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:34 pm

This is perfect timing for me...I just received "Beyond" and will be starting it Dec 1!! I was needing to revamp my schedule...this happens quite frequently it seems...between a five month old and changing nap/eating routines and the holidays and beginning new curriculum!! Anyhow, I noticed several references to "educational" computer games and videos...I am wanting to add some computer games for my 6yo ds and need some suggestions...We have several videos from Nest on heroes and inventors...what other videos have you ladies found to be educational and fun for a 6yo boy and/or 4yo girl??

Eryn
Eryn,wife to Jeff since 1998
Mommy to Micah, 7yo, BLHFHG
Addie Mae 5yo, LHTH, and
Canaan 2yo, right in the middle of it all!!
"Teach us to number our days...Ps 90:12"

tafania
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:26 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by tafania » Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:12 pm

Kids wake up at 7am and make me get out of bed:(
Breakfast, get dressed etc. until 8:30 or 9am
Turn on Bible verse music and practice Bible text for the week and talk about it. (I follow the book)
Math (Singapore Math)(she does not like the suggested activities so we just go straight to the workbook)
Spelling (this only takes about 5 minutes b/c for some unknown reason she gets all her spelling words right without looking at them!)
Poetry
Copy Work (the hardest part of school is copy work)
Reading Aloud ( she is LOVING the nature reader. Thanks Carrie for helping me jump ahead for her reading ability)
History
Geography/art/science (follow the book for the day)

Usually done by 10 or 10:30 no later then 11.
During this time my 1 year old is trying to get into everything and steal my daughters pencils.
I also put Timmy to work at a combo of Rod and Staff work books and HOD. My mom sent the Rod and Staff and He loves them! I never would have thought it. He joins us for the readings and science/art etc.
In the evening I try to read aloud a story genre. My kids do not like me to read chapter books to them. We have not finished one yet. We take it back to the library b/c they get board with it. Maybe I am a boring reader??? We tried Grimilkin and King of the Wind. They did not like either one. Hmmmm?

In addition to that on Tuesday Emilie has art class in the afternoon, Wednesday we have Music class for both kids, Thursday is either CHEWSA PE or first graders play date at the park. We also have field trips and I do not do school on those days at all.

We stay busy and I am LOVING HOD! What a blessing.
WAHM
Homeschooling my 6 year old daugher using Beyond and my 3 year old son with LHTH. Don't know yet what I will do with my 1 year old son!! LOL I am also an Air Force wife and Lactation Consultant.
www.workathomeunited.com/BeAtHome

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Carrie » Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:31 pm

water2wine,

I just had to comment on this quote:
As women we tend to compare our weakness to others strength. It's a big temptation but in the end we are all just women saved by grace depending on Him to get it all done.


I may have to write that one down. It is SO true! :D

Taffy,

I wanted to encourage you that listening to longer chapter books without pictures (along with the higher level vocabulary of the books in the classic set) takes time to get used to. I often will read to my children at lunch, so their mouths are occupied, which helps keep them focused and attentive.

You may wish to choose books mainly from the boy or girl interest set, as they are easier to listen to and shorter to read. Another option, is to have your kiddos listen to the book on audio (if your library has some of the titles suggested for a particular genre). Anyway, be encouraged! It takes time to develop the habit of attention. Just keep plugging away, you will be surprised at how much they'll grow as listeners in a year's time. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

SouthernMrs
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:27 pm

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by SouthernMrs » Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:37 pm

Hello Everyone,
I have not had a chance to post our schedule, but I've enjoyed reading about everyone else's day!
At our house, we follow more of a routine since I/we don't feel as "rushed" by specific time constaints. We generally do have a set wake up and breakfast time, but it all depends on how I'm feeling that day/week, etc... (I'm recovering from major migraine issues).

What has worked well for our family and has helped keep the children moving through the day is to put each day's subjects up on a magnetic white board. We started this last year and it worked so well that I continued it this year. My hubby bought some colored tape that is used on the white board to make a grid for each child. Our board is small so it only holds one day at a time. We have it divided horizontally in half (for 2 children) then I have a 6 inch column on the far right side marked DONE. At the beginning of the school year, I make up magnets (printed on the computer onto colored cardstock for each child) and I have them laminated and put magnetic strips on the backs of each one. So we have Math, Bible Study, History Reading, Science Exploration, etc... you get the idea. On my older daughter's magnets I even listed some specific books when she had several she reads from for a particular subject (ex. History - Grandpa's Box, CHOW, etc...). As the children finish up a subject, they move that magnet over to the DONE column on our board and they love to see their board cleared for the day and play time is finally here!

Our day begins at the breakfast table each morning. We usually have a devotion or character study (we are currently reading Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends), I do Bible study with the children from their HOD guides and we review the memory verses. Then the next job is to put up the day's assignments on the magnetic board. (While dd clears the table, ds is putting up his while I call them out, then he goes and does his chore and older sister puts her subjects up for the day.)

I like to work with my younger son first to get him going and leave dd to do some independent work (5th grader doing Preparing). I allow dd to organize her day with Mom's approval. She likes to line up her magnets in the order she wants to complete them. If I need to do something with her out of her order, Mom's rule overrides. :)

For ds (2nd grader in Beyond), we generally start with Math, Reading (we use BJU Homesat) and cursive (we just started this as it was his desire to learn it now). Dd has been working on her math, and some other independent reading or science by this time. After I finish with my ds, I spend time with dd at the kitchen table doing dictation, grammar, poetry.

At lunchtime, we usually do Beyond storytime, poetry and I will read dd Preparing history or storytime reading aloud.

After lunch and a little bit of free time, I finish up Beyond with my ds by doing his spelling, and whatever else he has left to do. He usually saves his copywork for last as it is his least favorite activity. :shock: Then I have a last check-in with my dd to see what she's completed and if she needs me for anything. I try to check work throughout the day as it is completed so it doesn't pile up.

Anyway, this is a peek into a day at our house.
Blessings,
Charlene

Rev2Rev (8th gr. ds)
World History (11th gr. dd)
HOD Users since 2007

deltagal
Posts: 930
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:29 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by deltagal » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:01 pm

I would love to post our schedule on this thread, but it is in a word document and I can't figure out how to post it. :? Can anyone help? :D
With Joy!
Florence

My blog: http://florencebrooks.com/

Began HOD 1/2009
Currently using: Bigger, RTR, Rev to Rev and MTMM

Jacey'sMom
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:18 am

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Jacey'sMom » Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:18 pm

I'm glad this thread was bumped...I was looking for it! I am a very structured person so the free times in this irk me a little b/c the kids end up watching tv. I'm going to go through everyone's schedules to hopefully get some ideas. Maybe learning another language?

Our schedule is:
6:30 wakeup
6:45 Kids go next door to their grandparents
7 Kids come back, eat breakfast, get dressed
8 Walk with neighbors or do an exercise video
8:30 Free time
9 to 10-10:30 LHFHG
Free time (Music on Tuesdays, Library on Wednesdays, errands)
11:30 Lunch
12ish Naps
3:30 Ride bikes outside, visit with MIL, practice piano or Awanas homework
5 Take baths
5:30 Free time/Cleaning the house
6:30 Eat dinner
7-7:30 Play with daddy
8 Bedtime

Tree House Academy
Posts: 1078
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Tree House Academy » Sun May 17, 2009 7:48 pm

I asked for some suggestions here and was led to this thread. I do not plan the day in time intervals, but I do give my older a schdeule to follow. He doesn't have to do the subjects in order, but getting it down where he can check it off is our goal. I also wanted a way to schedule the CLE stuff, the extras that are not part of HOD (Spanish and Music/composition), and the extension package readers. Here is what I came up with. Obviously, closer to time for school to start back up, the ? sections will have a number in them (LOL)...but this is the rough first try. Of course the Bigger guide is mine to lead ds through any parts that require my involvement and he knows which those are.

I also had to switch things around so we could have our Thursdays relatively "free" for co-op (this is why some day 3/4 stuff is done at the same time on day 3, etc).
Attachments
Schedule Bigger.JPG
Schedule Bigger.JPG (131.38 KiB) Viewed 13854 times
~Rebecca~

ds13(8th) - Rev to Rev w/ TT Pre-Algebra, R&S English 6, CLE Reading 8, Rosetta Stone French
ds9 (4th) - Preparing Hearts, TT Math 4, R&S English 3, CLE Reading 4, & Writeshop Jr.

We have completed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, CTC, & RTR.

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by my3sons » Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:35 pm

I've also been meaning to post a detailed description of our schedule too - in the hopes that it may be of some use to those of you doing LHFHG and Bigger... next year! :D I'm even going to put in the WHOLE schedule we used, including chores, etc. -just because that's come up on the board too and is a constant thing for me to consider (as well as everyone else, I'm sure!) NOT that this schedule is the end all - by any means - but if any of it can be of benefit to someone, then it would be worth it! :o

7:30 AM: Everyone gets up and cannot head downstairs until...
*beds are made
*rooms are neat
*clean clothes on
*teeth brushed
*hair combed
*hands washed
Meanwhile, I am getting the baby up and dressed, etc.

7:45 AM: Chores - 5 yo unloads the dishwasher, 8 yo lets out the dog and does one other chore on a rotating basis

8:00 AM: 5 yo and 8 yo grab juice cups, dry cereal in cups, and dried fruit and head upstairs to eat and play until 9:00 AM
Meanwhile, I am feeding the baby and getting ready myself. Baby has time in his room in his playpen with happy play music on and lots of toys and books, and then he plays out downstairs.

9:00 AM:
Everyone must be ready for school to start. All toys upstairs should be picked up. Dog kenneled. We say a prayer all together and "x" off the date on each of our calendars, noting any special things going on for the week/month.
Baby heads upstairs to watch his Barney video in his saucer for 30 minutes.

I start teaching LHFHG to 5 yo in the living room on the couch, left side of plans first. I read the "Reading about History" box first. Then, we do the rotating bottom left hand box next (Artistic Expression, Thinking Games, Science, or Dramatic play). If there is a science reading for the day, we do that before the activity in that box.
Meanwhile, my 8 yo using Bigger... begins his independent work at the kitchen table. He does his Cheerful Cursive, Preparing to Build (he read this on his own and chose one section to write - or I told him which section I wanted him to write - and then we went over it orally later). He also did his Singapore math workbook unless there was a hands-on lesson for us to do together.

9:30 AM:
Baby comes downstairs to crawl around.
Bigger... son does his educational computer CD at the dining room table.
LHFHG son and I do "Rhymes and Motion" box, "Corresponding Music" box in the kitchen/living room. Baby loves this!
LHFHG son and I head upstairs to our master bedroom to do "Bible Study" box alone where it's quiet. Bigger... son sort of keeps an eye on crawling around baby as he does his computer (doors are shut, house pretty child-proofed).

10:00 AM:
LHFHG son must play with baby in makeshift entryroom/playroom, door shut. :wink:
Bigger... son and I read "Reading about History" assignment together on living room couch. (He ended up reading this on his own by the end of the year - he wanted to and could. :D). Next, we do "History Activity" box together at kitchen table.
Last, baby and LHFHG son come out and we all sing Bigger...'s hymn together, "Corresponding Music" box, marching around the kitchen, each with a copy of our music. Baby loves this!

10:30 or 10:45 AM:
Baby goes to nap.
LHFHG son does 15 minutes of an independent educational "game" at the kitchen table. We used puzzles, A Buki color by number/dot-to-dot, scissors books, Lakeshore boxes of things, etc. After the timer rings, he switches to listening to audio books on tape for 15 minutes with headset in the kitchen (my sister, parents, and I recorded books on tape, and also I bought some audio books).
Bigger... son and I do "Poetry" box and "Bible Study" box together on living room couch.

11:00 AM:
Baby napping.
We get a snack and a drink (coffee for me, drink box for them). :D LHFHG and Bigger... sons and I all sit on the living room couch as I read Bigger's... "Storytime" box to everyone. Older son narrates and is responsible for whatever is planned in the box. Younger son may not interrupt older son. He understands his part in this is to enjoy his treat/drink and listen. :wink:

11:30 AM:
Baby napping.
LHFHG son and I read and do "Storytime" box in living room on couch.
Bigger... son did his Copywork in the "Language Arts" box, studied for his dictation in the "Language Arts" box, and copied his Bible verse if it was one of the days he had to do that, all at the dining room table (so he could listen in on LHFHG's Storytime as he worked).

11:45 AM:
Baby napping.
LHFHG son and I did phonics on the living room couch.
Bigger... son did 15 minutes of independent reading anywhere he wanted (NOT upstairs near napping baby though). I made a shelf of extra chapter books I owned that I wanted him to read just for enjoyment that he chose from for this time.

12:00 PM:
Baby napping or getting up to crawl around, or just happily on my hip! :D The rest of us were at the kitchen table.
LHFHG son started on the "Storytime Box's" writing if there was any, then also did his "Fine Motor Skills" box, and last I did hands-on "Math at the kitchen table with him.
Bigger... son and I went over "Preparing to Build" together and his hands-on math lesson (if there was one that day) at kitchen table. If there was something to do for DITHOR first for me, I did that with him too. Then, I sent him to the living room couch to read his DITHOR.

12:30 PM:
Lunch for all of us. Children help with baby as we eat a simple lunch. We have quick and easy lunches the children love, sort of on a rotation (i.e. mac & cheese, hot dogs, nachos, chicken fries, salmon patties, PB & J, ham sandwiches, frozen pancakes reheated in microwave etc. with easy fresh fruit -bananas, apples, pears, grapes; cheese slice; go-gurt, and muffin). We often listen to an audio book on tape for about 15 minutes sometime while we're eating too. (Supper is a more elaborate and is more for dh and I to enjoy than the dc.)
Middle son dustbusts high chair and under the table.
Older son clears table and loads dishwasher.
I clean baby up, change diaper, etc.

1:15 PM:
Outdoor playtime for older 2 sons. If weather doesn't permit outdoors, indoors then. Baby does downstairs playpen time for 30 minutes, sometimes with a Gaither music video on within eye range. Then, he's out and crawling around downstairs by me.
Meanwhile, I set out frozen meat to unthaw for supper if necessary. Make as much of the supper as I can, either putting it in a crock pot or getting it ready for the oven if need be. Check what my wonderful friends at the HOD board have to say, check emails, make phone calls, throw in laundry - eat chocolate chips - whatever needs to be done most. :lol:

2:00 PM:
Baby makes a real mess of things, usually standing near the tupperware drawer and chucking it over his shoulder. :roll: :shock: :lol:
LHFHG son does his educational computer CD at the dining room table.
Bigger... son finishes DITHOR if it's a workbook page day. Then, he reads science (I read to him at the beginning of the year, but he took it over by end). We do experiment, narrating, etc. for science together.

2:30 PM:
DONE WITH SCHOOL! :D :D :D

Boys take 15 minute turns playing with baby. I pick up whatever needs to be, return phone calls, etc.

3:00 PM:
Older boys outside or inside for playtime (probably whichever they didn't do during morning playtime). Baby plays with them or just is by me.

3:30 PM:
Baby goes to nap.
Older sons continue to play.
FREE TIME FOR ME - which means I'm probably back talking to all of you! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The rest of the evening is meant for family time and relaxing. One other thing that we started that may be of use to you is the "Cleansweep". This is something Carrie and I came up with. The children and I "sweep" through every room in the house and make sure it is all picked up and ready for school the next morning. It doesn't take long with all of us working on it together, and I feel so much better and ready for school the next morning! :D :D :D

One last thing, when Carrie and I were talking about schedules, we both came to the conclusion that there are 2 VERY important things we needed to keep in mind...
1. We keep the order of things the same, no matter if we got started late or got "off" somehow.
2. We keep the time allotments for things about the same, that meant no going off on tangents and taking an hour for poetry when we've planned 5-10 minutes for it, etc.

So, sometimes school started later or ended later, due to unforeseen things, or maybe even just due to their outdoor playtime going longer because it was a beautiful day... but whatever the reason may have been that the actual time we scheduled got off, all things were still done in the same order, and subjects were not skipped. This helped the dc immensely because the schedule "felt" the same, and the same amount of work was expected of them each day - no "getting out of work" if we got off the times planned for school, and also no "flipping" between different days of the HOD guide of plans either. Forward motion... that's the goal! :lol: :lol: :lol:

WHEW! I know that got very long, but if it can help someone plan their day to fit their family better - great! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Dorla
Posts: 249
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Let's share our schedules!

Post by Dorla » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:57 am

Very thorough!
Thank you, Julie!
Dorla

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