Forming a Schedule

It's a little after 5am. I nursed the baby and then could NOT turn my brain off. I'd rather be asleep, Maybe if I type out the routine I'm thinking about, I can switch back to "sleep" mode.

Let's see...I'm following very closely the ideas set out in The Well Trained Mind (the bible for homeschoolers doing this method of teaching). I'm adjusting it for some of the co-op "school" days we do, her weekly Montessori class (Good Shepherd), weekly Montessori/Waldorf lessons we'll do from here, and here (** see end of post for more info here) respectively, and field trips/catch up days - all done with faith involved. This routine I'm working out will cover the book basics, but once once that is done expansion/method and hands on learning commences for the day.

I'm viewing it as 4 days "on" with the 5th day being a catch up day, or field trip day, or co-op day. That "day" can rotate as needed. I'm also doing it this way to help make the most of the days little Valiant will be at PreK - giving Lovely and I some major one on one time (while holding a baby some, I'm sure!). Those days will find more of the classical learning done to free up the other days for creative/method or hands on or practical learning.

So, in thinking that way - I'm aiming (and this is SO basic. I don't have lesson plans done yet) to do the following with Lovely:

Phonics - every day (Spelling included in this)
Reading - every day
Handwriting  - every day
Grammar - every day
Social Studies/History (which will also help with Literature/ Writing/Critical Thinking and Reasoning) is every day in this pattern:
         Day 1 - read chapter
         Day 2 - practice narration   
         Day 3 - Hands on learning  
         Day 4 - review topic
Social Studies/Geography - twice a week
Math - every day
Religion - every day - we have both Kolbe materials and some readers and such that it will pop up in most subject areas. 
Writing - every day  (closely resembling History above - every day being something building on the previous day - with many Charlotte Mason ideas with Day 1 copy work/ Day 2 and so on....narration/dictation/critical thinking/etc....)
Science - one day a week as a goal (one can speed through our state's required lessons) but I hope to expand daily on this with kitchen experiments, book reading, etc.
Music - Lovely currently takes piano lessons, and enjoys singing, etc.
Art - we'll do art together, crafts, and in her co-op as a class, and I hope to find a teacher for her as well for supplement.  Also we can do art study on Serendipity (I could connect it with Val's letter of the week...for example click here and scroll down to Paul Cezanne's Apples and see how to discuss/write/sketch/visualize  about the art piece. Note their goal of art study - to be exposed and train the eye to appreciate. The child should make their own connection to the art - as all artists want).
PE - our local rec center has classes, and we'll get outside and active DAILY. I need it too!

Included in this will be library runs for books on our topics for both Lovely to read herself, and me to read to or with her to enjoy.

Also - Our Co-op - Totus Tuus - will meet weekly, and also on feast days and other important days (like May Crowning) to share and grow in faith as well. I look forward to doing things at home too.

With the library trips, I plan on including Valiant in our home learning where I can (as Lovely works independently for example) when she is not at PreK. For Valiant, I plan on following the letters of the week her PreK does, colors, nursery rhymes, etc to go along with her fun preK class and use a lot of Elizabeth Foss' Serendipity site - "Along the Alphabet Path"  (Waldorf based). It's great with reading books, art, etc for doing fun things for her age (or widening it for older kids, etc). Again - for Val, it is totally play based, hands on "Val" learning time as she engages- just throwing in some of the same themes she'll be experiencing weekly so we all feel we are learning together (I'm sure Lovely will like knowing Val is learning too LOL). Plus it gives me that time with each child, learning and bonding!

So, that is the basic plan. Listing it like that makes it look like a lot, but some of the books we ordered were used at her school last year for K. Many things are short bursts as well that we expand on during the day with other methods of learning, games, hands on, life experience etc. Reading The Well Trained Mind helps make sense of the pattern/timing.

Writing that out helped me sort the thoughts in my brain. Maybe I can go back to sleep now?

What's your daily routine? I'd love to hear how you apply your method, child's learning style, etc. I need ideas or tips!

Blessings!

** I really recommend skimming Elizabeth Foss' site Serendipity. Just looking at the lesson for Aa is pretty terrific. Just scroll through - you get such great ideas for ALL ages, and books to check out, etc! She also links to Montessori sites for lessons (Kim's Site - Starry Sky Ranch - "Funschool") in that method following the letter theme, etc. It is two FREE methods/curriculum together online.  Foss is amazing!!! Kim is amazing on her Montessori site too! If anyone needs pacing/routine/scheduling for those two methods - check both sites out!!