2015 Homeschool Changes: Schedule Changes (Small Blocks of Time)

Over the weekend, I talked about the schedule change we’ll make for the Big Blocks of Time.

I want to think about the schedule change for the small blocks of time, the days and weeks, too.

After prayer, discussion with my husband, discussion with trusted advisors, I’ve decided to do Year 4 of Ambleside Online with all of the children.  I know it will be a big stretch for my youngest, but I think I can back off for her as necessary. 

We probably won’t be making big changes in our weekly plans.  Every other Thursday, I’m involved in a Bible Study at our church. We don’t do school that day.  On the opposite Thursdays, many of the same moms and Anna and I get together to do Art with our children (if everyone is there we have 19 children from 13 down to expected).  We do a shortened school day that day.

Conveniently, it currently lines up that Week A is Art Week and Week B is Bible Study Week.  This 9 days of school in two weeks schedule has worked quite well.  I’d like to return to making an hour long library stop on Week B.

Some of the daily changes include getting up at 7.  It works because that’s when Jason leaves for work and he can wake the children and see them in the morning.

From 7-8, the goals include Dress, Chores, Breakfast, Bible.  Any extra time is free.

From 8-9 I’d like to exercise (and shower when we’re done!)

Starting at 9 will be Circle Time.  This will become the major space in our day including a lot of our Ambleside work.

Math and Music Practices are going to be another big change. I’m going to limit math time per child to 30 minutes.  The girls each have 15 minutes of piano practice.  N-boy has that plus 20 minutes of organ practice.  We’ll get as far as we can in that 30 minutes in math, then move on.  We will only alternate that with music practices and free time.  Each child will get their own break and their own time with Mommy.  I think.

I haven’t laid out the schedule perfectly yet.  Brandy recommended a video from A Sabbath Mood Homeschool about CM-style scheduling (actually her whole series about scheduling is so helpful).  I watched it last night and it is fantastic. I have the luxury of doing almost everything together with my children, which means I won’t be merging forms to create that schedule, but it shows me how to accomplish what I wish to.

At the moment, this is the final post in this series.  It seems likely that I may have more to say in coming days, but probably not every day. I hope you’ve been encouraged, found resources to help, and/or refined your own thinking as I’ve refined mine.

I have a lot more work to do, but it is so helpful to me to think aloud here.  I’d love to know suggestions or thoughts you might have!