Our Schooling Days

I thought I would document what we do in a typical school day.

!.)Breakfast-girls help and learn to cook (no I don't do cold cereal)
2.)Chores after Breakfast. This includes alternating laundry, ironing, garbage, organizing a cupboard, counters, floors, table and the classic dishes. Weekends we do windows, beds, dusting and sweeping porch. I also clean out several cupboards to reorganize and do fridge. These are all alternated with me helping the little ones as the older ones have learned them and can work independently.
3.) Music-the two oldest are independent now so I help Jessica(cello) and Justin(piano).
4.)Foreign language-boys picked Spanish girls picked french-each does her/his lesson at their own pace.
5.)typing-younger ones have a typing program that they use, older ones that have graduated this use McGuffey readers (yes from 1836)to type the lesson in there.
6.)Spelling
7.)Penmanship-older ones use a paragraph in McGuffey to practice, younger ones use tablets-Alexis is using a McGuffey Penmanship program from the 1800s that teaches old-fashioned cursive. MaKayla is about ready for this-while she knows cursive she wants to learn this style. I actually let my children chose whether they want to learn cursive or not.
8.)Math-Alternate helping all children
9.)English-Alexis finished the books, Makayla and Jessica are working through them.
10.) I help the little boys with phonics and Justin with a more advanced version-from
Explode the code workbooks. He also has a comprehensive workbook.
11.)I read with the little boys-Justin which includes 2 chapters from simpler readers. For the littlest ones I like the Bob books, Dick and Jane, Mennonite readers that teach about God and Bible stories, and the McGuffey primers.
I also still read with Jessica, though I am weaning from it. She needed glasses, then with the OCD she has been very slow at academics. I do see an improvement as she is getting treatment for both.
12.)Those that don't know their music note reading do the online program that teaches them the notes-Justin and I think Jessica finally has mastered it.
13.)lunch-i usually do left overs or have the girls help whip up something simple as I am trying to teach them how to cook and I am preparing science and/or history for after lunch.
14.)Science-we have just completed the human body. I like the series from Apologia-creation based that recognizes God. They have several textbooks. We've done astronomy, Flying Creatures of the fifth day (insects, birds,bugs, bats). I am about to start Botany.
15.)US history
16.) Dinner-while I do it and have them watch and learn while helping me, I sometimes have them look up recipes themselves. Alexis picked an Indian recipe and I guided her through it.
17.)creative time. Sometimes we do an art project. Sometimes we cook homemade bread or cookies. I have helped Justin A LOT with scouts. He is making great progress.
18.)Sundays I read with the girls Beautiful Girlhood. This books is fantastic at teaching virtues that can be focused on each week. I think this is so important in this day of age.
19.) Personal progress on Sundays-help and check in with MaKayla and Alexis.
20.) Learning civility-manners and how to cooperate and get along. Sometimes in this little house we do the unthinkable-we fight. So I try to teach these kids to focus on the eternal perspective. We are a family, we were best friends, they need to learn to get along. This will help them on missions, in their marriage and all other relationships.
21.)As much social as I can find in this little town. I only wish I could find mentors. Seamstresses. Art Teachers. A Historical Farm...all these things I desperately miss. Maybe our next place as our time here is drawing to a close.
22.)A classic book read aloud to all the children. Right now it's Charlotte's Web
Whew! No wonder I am tired all day