Loving Our Schedule This Year… A Look at Scheduling Older Students’ Days

From Our House to Yours

Loving Our Schedule This Year… A Look at Scheduling Older Students’ Days

We are loving our homeschool schedule this year! Wyatt is a junior in college, and he is earning his Business Finance degree from Liberty University Online. Riley is a 12th grader, and he is using Heart of Dakota’s USII guide. Emmett is an 8th grader, and he is using Heart of Dakota’s Missions to Modern Marvels. We are one week into our schedule, and we are truly loving it!  I can see us sticking with this schedule all year long, so I thought I’d share it here!

Starting with the Time Allotments and Meeting with Each Student

I always like to start my schedule by jotting down each guide’s suggested time allotments. (Click here for the suggested time allotments.) Then, I pull out my HOD guides and jot down about how much time I think my part will be for each box of plans.

Next, I meet with each of my sons separately. I show them the times for each box of plans. They give me their opinion about when they want to wake up and get started, what order they want to do their boxes, what they want to do for ‘homework’ the afternoon/night before, when they want to be done, and when they could use a break. Of course, they know the final schedule may or may not end up to be that exactly. However, they appreciate being a part of the process! I can also tell what they each feel they will need my help with the most, and that helps me make those things a priority.

Considering What I Need and Want in the Schedule for Me

At this point, I consider what I need and what I want in the schedule for me. This is important too! When we as moms love our homeschool days, our children pick up on that attitude and in turn enjoy their days more too. Needs come first. I need to have time to make breakfast, lunch, and prep for supper. Also, I need to be to work in the afternoon on time. I need time to teach my “T” boxes. Also, I need time to shower, get ready for the day, and do some daily household chores.

Wants come next. I want to do my Bible Quiet Time first thing in the morning. (This is actually more of a need than a want, but I list it as a want as there have been times in life when I’ve had to move this to the day/night – uhh, like when I’ve just had a baby.) I want to exercise. Also, I want time to make bake/cook fun things for the boys. Then, I put that all together and type a schedule with everyone in mind, including my college student who wants to be part of meals, breaks, and gathering times too. Everyone unanimously loves this schedule this year!

Emmett’s MTMM Schedule

6:00-6:10     Wake up

6:10-6:45     Bible (30-35 min.)

6:45-7:20     Science/Lab (30-35 min.)

7:20-7:45     History Project (20-25 min.)

7:45-8:10     Rotating History (20-25 min.)

8:10-8:30     Independent History (15-20 min.)

8:30-9:00     Shower/grooming, chores, room (30 min.)

9:00-9:30     Reading About History (30 min.)

9:30-9:45     Breakfast (15 min.)

9:45-10:05   Meet with Mom. Narrations. Correct work. (20 min.)

10:05-10:15 Who Am I?/Nature Journal mom’s part only (10 min.)

10:15-10:35 Finish Who Am I?/Nature Journal your part on own (20 min.)

10:35-10:45 Read grammar (10 min.)

10:45-11:05 With Mom for grammar – oral and 1 written part (20 min.)

11:05-11:15 With Mom for dictation (10 min.)

11:15-11:25 Make hot cocoa; put away finished school (10 min.)

11:25-11:45 Cocoa break (20 min.)

11:45-12:15 With Mom for math (30 min.)

12:15-12:45 With Mom for WWTB and/or mom’s part of DITHOR (30 min.)

12:45-1:00   Finish WWTB; read/finish your part of DITHOR (15 min.)

1:00-1:30     Lunch and cleanup (30 min.)

*Afternoon homework, before supper:  Storytime (20 min.);  President/State Study (25 min.)

Put away school neatly

2:20        Leave for work

Riley’s USII Schedule

6:15-6:50     Reading About History (35 min.)

6:50-7:30     Literature (40 min.)

7:30-8:00     Economics (30 min.)

8:00-8:30     Living Library (30 min.)

8:30-9:00     Chores, grooming, room (30 min.)

9:00-9:30     With Mom. Narrations. Correct work. Discuss Economics. (30 min.)

9:30-9:45     Breakfast (15 min.)

9:45-10:15   Clean up breakfast. Open time. Get math ready. (30 min.)

10:15-10:45 With Mom for math. (30 min.)

10:45-11:00 Finish math on own. (15 min.)

11:00-11:25 History Activity (20-25 min.)

11:25-11:45 Cocoa break (20 min.)

11:45-12:15 Finance (30 min.)

12:15-12:50 Speech/Grammar (35 min.)

*mom will check in with you sometime here for finance questions, work on counter, etc.

12:50-1:00   Make lunch (10 min.)

1:00-1:30     Lunch and cleanup (30 min.)

After lunch and before supper: Science/Lab (45 min.)

Put away school neatly.

2:20        Leave for work

*Before 9:45 PM Bible (40 min.) and Latin (20 min.)

Wyatt’s College Schedule

Wyatt’s College Schedule:

6:15-8:30    Bible Quiet Time/College (2 hours 15 min.)

8:30-9:00    Shower/grooming, chores, room (30 min.)

9:00-9:30    Open time

9:30-9:45    Breakfast

9:45-10:15  Clean up breakfast; open time (30 min.)

10:15-11:25 College (1 hour 10 min.)

11:25-11:45 Cocoa break (20 min.)

11:45-1:00   College (1 hour 15 min.)

1:00-1:30     Lunch and cleanup (30 min.)

1:30-2:20     College/open time (50 min.)

*Put away school neatly.

2:20        Leave for work

Key Times for All Sons to Make a Priority

8:30-9:00 Shower/grooming, chores, room (30 min.)

9:30-9:45 Breakfast (15 min.)

11:25-11:45 Cocoa break (20 min.)

1:00-1:30 Lunch and cleanup (30 min.)

2:20 Leave for work

My Schedule

7:00-7:30  Bible (30 min.)

7:30-8:30  Exercise (1 hour)

8:30-8:45  Shower (15 min.)

8:45-9:00  Make breakfast (15 min.)

9:00-9:30  With Riley for narrations, correct work, Economics questions (30 min.)

9:30-9:45   Breakfast (15 min.)

9:45-10:05 With Emmett for narrations, correct work (20 min.)

10:05-10:15 With Emmett Who Am I? / Nature Journal, my part (10 min.)

10:15-10:45  With Riley for math (30 min.)

10:45-11:05  With Emmett for oral and 1 written part (20 min.)

11:05-11:15  With Emmett for dictation

11:15-11:45  Get ready, pack lunch, supper prep

11:45-12:15  With Emmett for math

12:15-12:45  With Emmett for mom’s part of WWTB/DITHOR

12:45-1:00 Check in with Riley. Finance questions, correct work on counter

1:00-1:20  Finish supper prep

1:20  Leave for work

We are loving our Heart of Dakota life with this schedule!  I hope this encourages you to make a plan with a schedule that helps you love your homeschool days with your older students too!

In Christ,

Julie