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AndieF
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| Posted: Oct 08 2008 at 4:02pm | IP Logged
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I'm starting to feel like that is what we are kind of doing. Right now, I'm homeschooling my 9 year old, my 6 year old is at public school, and I'm teaching Montessori preschool out of my home to my 4 year old and 5 others three mornings a week.
The preschool is going well, I've been teaching out of my house for 6 years, and so I've got a good handle on how to do that, although I end up tweaking things every year to keep it interesting to me and to better suit the ages/personalities of the students.
ANYWAY, I'm struggling with my 9 year old. Our curriculum is mostly Serendipity-based. What I tend to do is give my nine year old a list of the subjects and what the assignment is for that day, and then she does it in whatever order she wants and for as long as she wants as long as she usually hits most of the stuff (and always math and literature).
For example, here's a copy of her assignment sheet today:
Wednesday
Copywork – Old Testament
Literature – Little Women
Language – Look up words that you don't know in dictionary from Princess Stories
Math – Math U See Beta Lesson 7A
History – Ancient Greece – Read book from History basket
Botany – Do botanical information for Flower Fairy “G”
Practical Life – Carpentry – Use saw (with adult supervision)
Music – Music flashcards and Practice Recorder
Art – Watercolor tutorial from Hearts and Trees
PE – Tae Bo
Main Lesson – Watch Donald in Mathmagic Land DVD
I usually have her answer some questions that I create in her Main Lesson Book for History and Literature.
She tends to go through her assignments as quickly as possible, and then is "bored" and wants to watch TV or something like that, and I don't allow TV during the day, so I've been listening to quite a bit of complaining during the afternoons.
I'm relatively new to homeschooling, so I'm not sure what to do. I also anticipate bringing the six year old home next year too, and I want to have this problem nipped in the bud long before I try and deal with two of them complaining like this.
Andie, mom to three (9 yr old dd, 6 yr old dd, and 4 yr old ds) and home preschool teacher to 5!
My blog: http://montgomeryacad.blogspot.com/
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Oct 08 2008 at 4:31pm | IP Logged
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Has your nine-year-old always been homeschooled, or is this the first year? And what exactly is your concern? It appears that she is doing the work you set out for her. Is it that she can't entertain herself afterward, or that she seems to be just going through the motions of doing her work without any enthusiasm, or both?
You and your husband may need to figure out exactly what your goals are for your children and what the bare minimum of formal schoolwork is going to help you reach those goals. It's very easy to get caught up in the idea that you have to/can teach your kids EVERYTHING when you first start homeschooling. You might also ask your daughter's input about what she likes or doesn't like about what she's been doing or ways to reach those goals together.
As for her constantly pestering you because she is "bored", you have a couple of options. (1)Set up a afternoon quiet time in her room; (2)Develop a list of activities that as a family you can do together; (3) Make that special chore time; (4) Get really annoyed with her until you want to strangle her (that's a common reaction for me to have to incessant complaints of boredom) 
Next year it may actually be easier with the other one at home, too. You could combine lessons and they can help entertain each other. They could also help be your teaching assistants.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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SallyT
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| Posted: Oct 09 2008 at 8:49am | IP Logged
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I agree with Barbara that it's probably harder to deal with one bored child than two. Being on her own all day while you're otherwise engaged probably does get a little monotonous after a while, especially if she's been used to school, where the structure keeps kids occupied and also does nothing to teach them to occupy themselves. This boredom stuff may be merely a function of deschooling -- the transition from school to home learning is harder the older the child is, and it takes longer for the child to recover the ability to self-start when it comes to keeping gainfully occupied.
Some thoughts, in addition to Barbara's suggestions. First of all, I've found that activity kits of various kinds, depending on the age and interests of the child, are a great investment as both time-fillers and hands-on learning activities. My oldest daughter at that age loved art kits and crafty stuff, and she was about that age when she first learned how to knit. My current 10yo really likes science-experiment kits. These offer some structure and direction in terms of activity, but can be done alone if you need her to be occupied on her own.
Otherwise, what about including her in the Montessori preschool, as a "teaching assistant?" I don't know whether it's just morning, or all day, or what, but you could just schedule her schoolwork time to after lunch, say, and let her help you in the morning (or vice versa, depending on the preschool schedule). Having to present and facilitate things could prove a real bridge to thinking about how SHE learns and having some ideas about how her own schooling might go. Also, there's no better learning than having to teach something . . .
I think, tempting as it is, it's better not to use her schoolwork as essentially a way to keep her occupied and out of your way while you're doing preschool. I know you don't mean it to be that way, but I also know from my own experience with juggling olders and youngers that it can turn into that really quickly. You can give her some work to do this way, because independent work is good, but vary it up, when you have time, with reading aloud together and other activities where she and her learning have your full attention. I know that my 10yo really likes to have me sitting by him at least some of the time to answer questions, help him through sticky places, or just talk about what he's reading or doing. Those lessons tend to stick with him because we dawdled over them together, got interested in them together, or struggled with them together. Working together, and making at least some of her learning a relational thing between the two of you, will mitigate against her tendency to want to fly through things and be done with them. You want her to begin to love learning, not to see it as a chore, and that's something I think you really have to model by sharing in what she's doing at least some of the time each day.
Anyway, I'm not saying any of this very well, and I don't have time right now to say it better because I've got to get on with my kids and my day! But I THINK my point is that it could really help to integrate your daughter's learning into the whole fabric of your day, and to jiggle the scheduling around so that you are giving her both more variety and more one-on-one with you for her learning, rather than just leaving her to get on with most of it on her own.
I hope that's helpful.
Sally
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Oct 11 2008 at 2:43pm | IP Logged
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It sounds like you have a well rounded day. Are you doing any of the art from Serendipity? I think afternoons are perfect for Wee Saints, Flower Fairy dolls, watercolor paints of the botanical flowers she reads up on, etc. Also, if she is reading well, she ought to have anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour a day set aside just for reading, imho. If her eyes hurt, break it up into 2 time periods.
I have a child that I have to work to keep busy. Its not that they are lazy. Its that their minds work so fast and they need to be challenged. Complicated kits are what I did for years (basically, until I ran out of kits to buy...). Sciencey, Crafty, detailed models that require a slow hand and lots of tiny figures to paint, anything that requires their time and effort.
Charlotte Mason talked a lot about giving your child, every day, something to do, something to love and something to think about. Instead of adding more school (other than a reading or art time), I'd look for more interesting things, and maybe a pet (something to love?)...
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Don't want to do school at home but
