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Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:05 am
by Rice
We are starting HOD for the first time this coming fall with my oldest 3 all fitting in CTC, one with extensions. I also have another starting Grade 1 and 3 younger ones (will be 4 1/2, 3 and 1 in the fall) whom at this point I plan to have using the curriculum the older ones used at that age. I usually plan my mornings in chunks where, for each block, I set out what I will be doing with which student and what the other students should be working on at that time.

Coming to CTC for the first time I'm not sure what our days should look like and I am wondering if anyone can share their daily schedule, either here on the board or, if you have something more visual like a chart or graph, by email (flybaby[dot]rice[at]yahoo[dot]ca - of course, replacing the square brackets and their contents with the appropriate symbols).

I'd like to work out all the kinks and purchase all my supplies by the end of June so I really get a summer, without planning for fall the whole time (as I've done other summers :roll: ). Thanks so much for your help!

Blessings,

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:12 am
by StephanieU
Have you looked at the Let's Share Our Schedules posts? It is a pinned topic on the main board. I know Carrie and Julie normally share theirs each year, and they have multiple guides running at a time. Other families share too, and it can be a great help. There is also a post in that topic about how long each box should take for each guide, and that will probably be very helpful for you as well.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093&p=74537&hilit= ... ond#p74537

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:51 am
by MomtoJGJE
I agree that looking at the schedule thread will really help a lot!

I don't know what curriculum you have with the younger ones, and I don't know about extensions with CTC...

But as far as CTC as written, I sit down for about 30 minutes with my oldest and go over the semi-independent boxes... teaching, explaining, making sure she understands them, etc... Then she goes off and does all the independent work. This gives me more than enough time to do school with my other kids while she's working on those. Then when she's done, I check her work (both for accuracy and making sure she didn't miss something) and do the Geography/Genesis box to end our day together.

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:24 pm
by momof2n2
I will email you our schedule. Only 6 kids, but multiple guides. Helps to see how others do it IMO. :)

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:57 pm
by my3sons
HI there! Here is my schedule from last year where I taught WG, CTC, and Beyond. I use a block format as well, so hopefully something may be helpful here...
Image

Here is a link to Carrie's past RTR, CTC, Beyond, half-speed LHTH schedule...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093&p=38905&hilit=Carrie#p38905

StillJulie, juliekay, Kathleen - those are a few names you can search by in the schedules thread as well, as they have multiple children. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:58 pm
by my3sons
Also, here are some threads with tips for teaching multiple guides... :D

Best Tips for Teaching Multiple Guides:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10203&p=74358
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11724&p=85112


In Christ,
Julie

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 1:59 pm
by Rice
Thanks, Julie! That was exactly what I needed. Carrie's charts including CTC I'm printing out for reference as I build mine. (That's the exact same format as I've been using, only I have 6 kids across the top beside me, 7 this coming year.)

And the links for using multiple guides will be great to read through even though I'll be doing only one guide; some reminders to do again for my little ones what I did back when I had only 4, lol.

Thank you so much!

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:00 pm
by countrylivin
I really attempt to keep my schedule as simple as possible. I have found that the less transitions the better the day goes for me. I teach grammar/ dictation / writing to my DS in MtMM from 8-8:30. 8:30-9:30 I Teach LHFHG to my first grader. 9:30-11:30 I teach Preparing to my next two. Then I Meet with my DD 11 to finish up anything we have to do together. Then while she and her older sister make lunch I finish up with my DS 14. After we eat, I meet with my Senior to go through anything we have to do together, and my school day usually wraps up around 2. I don't break down for my independent kiddos when they have to do the different subjects. I let them decide their order as long as they faithfully get their work done, it doesn't matter to me. Keeping things simple works best in our home! My younger kiddos who have more free time, play playdoh, puzzles, etc with our two year old. My DD 9 has begun teaching her the poems, letters, and such from LHTH - super cute! This simple schedule has been working great for us! May you have great wisdom as you plan for the coming school year!

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 5:45 am
by MomtoJGJE
countrylivin wrote:I really attempt to keep my schedule as simple as possible. I have found that the less transitions the better the day goes for me. I teach grammar/ dictation / writing to my DS in MtMM from 8-8:30. 8:30-9:30 I Teach LHFHG to my first grader. 9:30-11:30 I teach Preparing to my next two. Then I Meet with my DD 11 to finish up anything we have to do together. Then while she and her older sister make lunch I finish up with my DS 14. After we eat, I meet with my Senior to go through anything we have to do together, and my school day usually wraps up around 2. I don't break down for my independent kiddos when they have to do the different subjects. I let them decide their order as long as they faithfully get their work done, it doesn't matter to me. Keeping things simple works best in our home! My younger kiddos who have more free time, play playdoh, puzzles, etc with our two year old. My DD 9 has begun teaching her the poems, letters, and such from LHTH - super cute! This simple schedule has been working great for us! May you have great wisdom as you plan for the coming school year!
This is pretty much what we do. Except I do it most independent down to least independent.

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:18 am
by Rice
Do you find that with the older ones, say CTC and up, that you have to work with them earlier in the day to go over instructions, do the semi-independent groundwork, so to speak, and then have to get together again later to hear narrations, review written work, etc.?

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:56 pm
by StillJulie
I have not been successful with real detailed grids.

I work with one child at a time (generally in the same order, but I need to have some flexibility... we're a farm family, and I don't always know in advance when my husband will need a given child or two or even three to help with some chores) while others work independently.

I allow interruptions for oral narrations when I'm in between subjects. Sometimes I'll explain how to complete a workbook page to one of the littler kids. Other times I'll ask them to go to a bigger kid (who I'm not working with) for some help.

Also, while I work at the couch with students, one by one, the other kids are piling up their completed work next to me. I'll work on correcting it as I'm able. (often while I'm doing dictation or a child is working on some math problems after I've explained new problems) In our family, it is necessary for me to check all work daily, as soon after completion as possible. Kids will generally make their corrections the same day. (if I don't do it this way, it's just too likely that I'll get behind)

This past year I was generally able to get through the M2MM, Res to Ref, and Preparing before lunch. Then I'd work with the Beyond child and the two little girls after lunch. Sometimes I'd need to do a little follow up with the bigger kids. I will admit that since I've chosen NOT to combine my crew, my days are long. I am generally hands on teaching from 8 til 11:30, and then again from 1:00 til 3:00 or even 4:00. There are times of the year when I'm often teaching from 8 til 10 at night for my oldest son if my husband needs him for work during daylight hours. I imagine that will be even more common this fall since he will complete tractor safety in a couple weeks, which will enable him to be even more useful for field work.

For work management for the older children, I look over their notebook pages daily. On Fridays, I go over a notebook rubric sheet that someone created (can't remember where I'd find that... yahoo group, fb group, or where). This helps to keep them accountable for completing those neatly and carefully. I even got a little extra detailed with my son, requiring him to proofread, looking for capitalization and punctuation before he met with me with the rubric sheet.

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 5:04 pm
by Rice
I'd love to see the rubric sheet if you could share it or direct me to it! I have one for sure that will do the least, most sloppy work possible to get by. Unless there is a standard, he won't have something to work towards.

Blessings,

Re: Daily schedules for large families - please share

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:18 am
by momof2n2
Rice wrote:I'd love to see the rubric sheet if you could share it or direct me to it! I have one for sure that will do the least, most sloppy work possible to get by. Unless there is a standard, he won't have something to work towards.

Blessings,
You only have one? I have at least three! ;)