8 Weeks

We are now in the 8th week of school and things have finally gotten into a groove.  We usually start school somewhere between 9-10am and usually are done for the day between 2-3pm.  With an hour break for lunch between 12-1.  So, for doing work with a 2nd grader, a 1st grader and a preschooler I'm only doing school actively for 4 hours a day.

We start our day off with Bible, all four kids come and say the Pledge of Allegiance, (some better than others) and then we usually sing/dance to a song or two.  Then we have the Bible verse, and doctrinal drill and some more songs.  We then have a Bible story.  Right now we are learning about Moses, and the Israelites flight into the desert.  We also pray, and the kids and I take turns leading the prayer, and then we usually close with a song.

Once Bible time is over the younger kids are sent to play in their rooms and I work with James and Jade on phonics and language rules.  Right now we're working our way through all the special sounds, and with sentence rules, suffixes and root words, and forming complete thoughts when writing.  During phonics/language time Jade listens but works on her phonics papers, which is usually only one or two papers.

Then we move on to spelling for James, we go over the spelling list and I help him figure out ways to memorize it.

Next is AM reading for James, then usually Jade, from books provided by abeka.

After reading we move on to writing papers, and we listen to pandora while the kids write.  When they are done writing James reads/recites his poem for the month.

We then have signing time, which either consists of watching the DVD, listening to the song or just reviewing the signs in that unit.

Then I explain the seatwork for James and go and make the younger two kids lunch, while James and Jade work on their seatwork.  I also eat lunch during this time, and then when I'm done eating I make James and Jade lunch and send the younger two to nap.

After lunch we do PM reading with both Jade and James, and I do anything I need to help Jade with.

After that is science, which right now is mostly just reading, and then we move on to arithmetic.  Right now in arithmetic we are still reviewing what was learned in 1st grade, addition and subtraction families, easy fractions, adding with 3 numbers and 2 digit addition and subtraction.

Then James does his reading homework, and any homework I assign extra (copying, spelling words etc) and we're done for the day!

It's working out well, and I think our schedule works well with what we're doing.  We go outside around 3ish and hang out with our awesome neighbors, and so the kids get some outside time before I start dinner.

The only thing I seem to have trouble finding time for is cleaning, but I'm sure that may get easier as the kids get older too.