homeschool stuff - skip if you want

I was writing to my sister, Sherry, and since I felt that she probably isn't sleeping well, I decided to help out. I told her all about changes we've made for the new year with homeschooling, and our new schedule in excruciating detail. She should be asleep half-way through it. After sending the message though, I realized that I haven't blogged about any of that stuff, so here goes. If homeschooling stuff bores you, feel free to move on now. If detailed plans bore you, feel free to head on out now.

Okay Mom, Dy, and Jess - here's what we're doing this year.

In my opinion, this past fall was probably our worst time homeschooling since we started. I was starting to work part-time, volunteering at the zoo, and KJ was being a hormonally-crazed teenage boy. I was exhausted, frustrated, and turning into b*tch mom while KJ was doing his ever loving-best to send me into a mental hospital.

I had a l-o-n-g talks with KJ and David about goals, priorities, etc. David really likes the money I'm bringing in and had had the attitude of "add in more centers, work everyday if you can, drop the zoo stuff during the week" Unfortunately, I had not told him about my frustration or how homeschooling was suffering. The zoo time is the ONE thing that is just for me. It is also the thing that keeps me sane. I explained to him that I could NOT add in any more work days. I plan to increase my enrollment at the centers I have, at that is it. He totally understood and was very supportive. Like most women, I had expected him to read my mind and know how I felt.

KJ and I discussed how he is nearly 15 years old. If I leave him a list of things to do while I'm at work (only gone about 3-4 hours), I expect them to be done when I get home. He seemed to think that my lists were optional. Lest you think I'm a tyrant, here is a sample list.

Shower, dress, and have breakfast
Do your Latin for the day
Read 30 pages in your book
Do your chores (these vary by day, but usually are vacuuming and unloading the dishwasher)

Anyway, now if he doesn't get his work done, he's grounded from the phone and computer the rest of the day.

The major change in our homeschooling is only doing a few subjects at a time. We will do them everyday more in depth for 8-12 weeks or so and then switch them out. Currently, KJ has Latin with his tutor once a week and daily homework. This will continue until she moves. She graduated from college last year and her husband will graduate this spring. KJ also has a drum lesson once a week (instructor comes here) with daily practice. This will continue forever. We changed fencing clubs so KJ now has fencing two evenings a week. I am only teaching Chemistry, History, and assigning books to read. We dropped the Friday co-op as KJ only had Chemistry there and I wasn't happy with what he was learning. We still have the Tuesday co-op, but it is more for enrichment and socializing. He has science and drama there. After we finish with Chemistry and History, we'll switch them out for two more subjects, probably Math and Logic. FYI - Chemistry has daily math in it.

Monday - Latin, drum, Chem., Hist. reading - no outside activities

Tuesday - morning co-op with science, games, drama; Latin, drum, Chem., Hist. reading - in afternoon; fencing from 6:30 - 9:00

Wednesday - Chem., Hist. - in morning; drum lesson at 1:00; Mom off to work at 2: 15 and back home at 4:30 every other Wed.; KJ does Latin and reading while I'm gone

Thursday - KJ spends Wed. nights with his dad so he is at his dad's house with his grandma in the morning until I come pick him up after work. reading - in morning; I pick him up around noon; Chem., Hist - afternoon; Latin tutor from 3:30 - 4:30; fencing from 6:30 - 9:00

Friday - Mom leaves for work at 7:45 and home around noon; Latin, drum, reading - morning; Chem. Hist. - in afternoon

Note: Latin, drum, and reading take about 2 hours total (max) His daily chores take about 30 minutes (max) History is usually 30 minutes and Chemistry can vary from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.

If we do something at the zoo, it is usually on Mondays, Tuesdays right after co-op, or a Wed. afternoon when I'm off. Otherwise, we stick to weekends.