School's in Session

Well, we are back at it again and for the first time in 09. I guess we do school a bit different around here, but then again doesn't every homeschooling family. I don't have a real set school year. We usually take time off during December and as needed through out the year. That needed time ended up being all of January. So ready or not, we are starting up our school days again!!!!

I am not good at following schedules, so I needed to come up with something to govern our days and help me accomplish what needs to be done. Finally, I came up with a system I think will help set us up to accomplish our daily tasks as well as act as a reward system for game time. Game time is time they have to earn to play either the WII or the computer. Still working on ideas for T.V. time, any suggestions?

So this is how our day will go down:



Here is LJ's, my 7 year old, Responsibility Chart. There are three color sections for morning, afternoon and evening. In order to earn 10 minutes of game time they MUST accomplish EVERY task in each section before it is time to start on the next session. Once they have completed a task they get to put up one of these little guys by their completed task.



I chose to hang our Responsibility Charts on the back of the front door so that Big Daddy could immediately see how our day has been going. We test drove this chart last week and it was a big hit and even eliminated the auguring, for the most part, over playing games since either you do have time or you don't.

Also the school box idea worked great last week on the one day I found time to explain it to my son. We got so much MORE done than I would have planned! I'm really excited to see how our school year progresses.




In case you might be wondering here is what is inside LJ's box for the month of February:
The Usborne Complete Book of Chess (for read aloud time)
Spectrum Reading Workbook Grade 1
His personal calendar (I am teaching him the months of the year)
Math Mammoth Worksheets
Sudoku for Kids Activity Book
Bible Study Guide For All Ages activity pages
Comic book (for his personal reading time)
Happy Phonics game pieces
** Bible time and Memory Verses are not in the School Box as that is a separate task on their Responsibility Charts.

Here are the contents of JJ's box:
Family Math book
Happy Phonics game pieces
Bible Study Guide For All Ages activity pages
His personal calendar (he got one cause we made one for brother)

I'm very excited that we have already decided what we are going to do in the Fall, but that will have to wait until another post. Oh yeah, I am looking for a Math program to use with my older son once we complete the Math Mammoth worksheets, which will be around 4 grade I think, do you have any suggestions on a program that has worked for you and also leads into the high school years. I would love for you to share that info with me!!!!!!