I have been wanting to post a blog for a while now explaining how we do school at home, but to be honest it has changed A LOT over the last couple of years so… here’s what we’ve finally figured out works for us. For now.
A VERY general schedule allows us to be, as husband says, “Semper Gumby”
It’s simple enough for the boys to know there is a time to work, a time to play, and a time to be quiet.
We plan outings a few times a week. But it’s usually like “We should go to the park tomorrow” or “Oh shoot! Our library books are due today” or “I don’t feel like cooking, wanna go to Sonic?” Hahaha!
I found these punch cards (here) – I chose the blank ones but there are some already titled…
(I love the blank ones because I’ve already changed my mind about what I wanted on them about 3 times now.)
And we have rewards for doing work.
(The link for the punch cards also has a reward chart but we made our own)
We use curriculum, but at my kids’ age, I’m not strict about it.
I have on my shelf: Abeka Math, Lang. Arts, and History; BJU Science, and Bible
We also have oodles of other workbooks and art books, puzzles, and online printable things, and our old Awana books.
I go so far as planning one big thing I want to work with them each day and I let them choose the rest of what they’d like to do. Sometimes math is running flash cards, handwriting is copying a note to grandma, and language is making their book!
At the beginning of the year, I listed some goals that I had for the boys such as “Introduce James to Science & History texts” and “Help Brendan learn his alphabet.”
At the end of the year I’ll use a standardized test to see what else we need to work on.
I love our system because it allows my boys to
- Have choices
- Be rewarded for their work
- Have LOTS of play time
Point A to Point Z 