Scheduling to get it all done…

1. August 2010 by Shannon.

I think a schedule matters. I think if you have a “default” order of things, more of it will get done. I am not speaking from perfection, only from past experience.

I’m part of the Old Schoolhouse Review Crew again this year, so I know it’s important for me to be setting up a routine plan… not a minute to minute thing, but a “wake up time” “half hour devotions” “half hour breakfast and cleanup” “chores” “school” and then under each “title” I’ll slot in what I would like to accomplish in that area for today. I’m thinking of setting up a white board with the LOOSE plan in permanent marker (chunks of time), and dry erase marker in the “expectations” for that day… so the plan is there, even if the content changes. For example, under chores on Monday it might say clean bathroom, on Tuesday it might say wash sheets, on Wednesday it might say… you get the idea).

Another friend of mine did “blocks” of schooltime, she decided on what she could do in three hours (she works shift work and her days are very different to most people who homeschool I’d think). SO, she wrote that on index cards, and she has 8 “blocks” (cards) … many subjects overlap, but each card is slightly different. So, if she has time for 1 or 2 blocks a day (she ignores repeat subjects or does something different - like if math is on both cards and she’s doing two blocks - she’ll spend one on assignments, one on math games)… I’m thinking about doing this and creating my own “morning blocks” and “afternoon blocks” (afternoon being the less urgent things, but things that would be nice to get done in addition to our basics - like a craft project, nature walk, etc.)  Then each night (when setting up my following day) I’ll grab one morning block, write it in, and IF my day allows, I’ll grab an afternoon block and put that in too… but if we have some other thing going on (like we participate in drama once a week, and soccer once every two weeks, and we try for skating once a week) then I’ll only have the one “block”. Does any of that make sense?

Anyhow, maybe that helps someone. ;o) When I get it all set up, I’ll take a picture and add it to this post. 

Blessings!

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