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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 04 2009 at 12:02pm | IP Logged
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My children are totally willing to do their work but it just seems to take forever lately- basically all day to read something, write something, and do latin and math. I want them to feel good about their work but unfortunately (my fault) I tend to complain about the time everything is taking, way too much. All the things I love about homeschooling- reading together etc.- gets squished out and we are all cranky. I know streamlining is often the answer, but I think we are pretty streamlined.
How do you folks get your kids moving a little more quickly on the tasks at hand and not wasting so much time?
(It is not always this way, but after a good long vacation last summer and spring we seem to be very bad at keeping the ball rolling, and it is passing on downwards to the younger kids...)
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Willa
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| Posted: Feb 04 2009 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
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Kristie, I'm just curious because as you might know, lessons around my house tend to take almost too short a time..... so I sometimes wonder if I'm expecting too little of my set of young ones.
How does a lesson go at your house? Say, math. Is the problem with getting them to sit and actually get through the problems? Do they do one problem and then look out the window for a while and you have to remind them to start the next one?
Or is it between lessons, say, getting them from Math to a start on Latin? they want to go off and play with their Legos? that type of thing?
Or are they on task but they just physically take a long time to work through a given problem set?
Just thinking that if you pin down exactly what is taking so long about it, it might be easier to offer suggestions. No pressure  -- I'd be interested, because sometimes I wish I could pad out the lessons for my older kids just a bit more so that they would be thinking about the subject for more than 15 minutes a day.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 04 2009 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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Some of the pinpoint areas (that I can see now, but I know that keeping a log for a few days would bring alot more clarity)....
-spacing in between tasks- if it was actually playing I would be more OK with that, but the wandering seems a little more pointless
-during a lesson- when stumped there seems to be alot of staring at the page etc. and a fair bit of window gazing I think
-working through the problem set seems to be one of the main things- I don't think it has to do entirely with the content (although it is part of it), but has a lot to do with just staying focused (somehow, midwinter has this happening more often than other times)).
Math seems to be about 3/4 of an hour to an hour for my 13yos, and 45min or so for the 11yo. The younger one (age8) takes less time, can actually burn through it in a matter of minutes, but often he is taking an awfully long time as well).
Just through writing this out I can see a couple things that may help- namely, if I sat by each child more in the mornings and early afternoons, gently (ahem) reminding them to stay on track.
Funny that you were the one who wrote back Willa- I think we had the same conversation this time last year (yes, I am a slow learner) 
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Kristie in Canada
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At_His_Feet
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| Posted: Feb 05 2009 at 3:38am | IP Logged
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We struggle with his every day! My eldest is extremely easily distracted. Your first post could have been written by me. No doubt I've also asked the same questions.
The following is no doubt nothing new, but these things have worked for us.
Rewards. I once made up TV cards which needed to be earned for good work. 5 = one show. Another one which works is if he works well, and we finish on time we can visit the beach, skate park etc.
I try to have him do easy subjects ie. spelling, cursive etc while I work with his easy going, hard working brother. Then we work together.
I've come to the conclusion that atm I just have to sit with him to get it done. Wishing and complaining on my part isn't helping him to complete anything. I've given up expecting that he can work like other kids.
I've also accepted that I have to keep going until everything on my list gets completed. I used to think that if we weren't finished by 1pm, that I was doing something wrong. But now I know that's just how long it takes us. Today we ticked all the boxes, and I felt good. No guilt. Mind you here in Australia it's only the second week of our school year so I have a little more energy than usual.
Short lessons. We have a proper kitchen timer. 20 min for maths. Then we'll come back later for another 10-15 mins later if needed.
Good luck.
Looking forward to the responses.
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Tricia
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 05 2009 at 8:52am | IP Logged
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Not new ideas Tricia, but definitely very good to be brought up to my sluggish mind again 
~short lessons- I will resurrect that timer
I've also accepted that I have to keep going until everything on my list gets completed. I used to think that if we weren't finished by 1pm, that I was doing something wrong. But now I know that's just how long it takes us.
This is where I got to in my very unsleepy night last night (who knew that Benelyn Night time would have the opposite effect  ). Thank you so much for this point especially- that 'finished by lunch' ideal has definitely caused more harm than good in our little homeschool these days! 
You are wise folks....
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Kristie in Canada
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Lara Sauer
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| Posted: Feb 05 2009 at 1:47pm | IP Logged
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I use a timer with my kids to keep them on pace. Choose a reasonable amount of time for each subject and them have them move along...in that time period also have a reasonable amount of work that you expect to be finished and if they don't complete it, then they have "homework!"
These are some increments of time that I stick to:
10 minutes pen to paper for penmanship. (NO TALKING!) (3-4 pages of copy work per week)
20 minutes for spelling work (2 pages from a workbook, syllable work and memorization, oral drilling and testing each week)
20 minutes for grammar work ( 4 workbook type pages and other exercises per week)
40 minutes for math (Math U See video and assignment pages...drill work...4 days per week)
Children are calling...have to run...hope that helps a bit...
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Topic: How to get your kids moving...
