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gina
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| Posted: April 29 2008 at 8:30am | IP Logged
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Hello CM moms,
I am having difficulty determining how many books I can
possible get my 7yr old to listen to for a school day.
For instance we have sheduled
Memory work 5 - 10 min.
sometimes Bible story.
Religion 15 min.
Rightstart math 30min
Little Angel Reading 30min
break 15-30min
Copy work &n bsp; 15 min
Read to Mom 15min
FIAR book &n bsp; 10min
He can hang in this far***************************
But we still need to do.................
Additional book or research or activity for FIAR 30min
Classic book &n bsp; 30 - 60min
Science or History book 30min
Piano Practice 30min
Art or Music & nbsp; 30min
Fairy tale or tall tale 30min
Poetry(I usually don't do because he is memorizing a poem)
So how do you fit it all in?
Will He really remember if I just did each type of living book just once a week?
I have these books on library loan.
I just need to know what is necessary, and what is not.
This is the whole problem with a living books edu.
so many great books, so little time.
Also, we get 20 books from library and when they are due we have only read maybe 3, when i wanted to really explore a subject and we just barely skim the surface.
Most days we can just do basics, no extra living stuff.
Thanks
Gina
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: April 29 2008 at 2:14pm | IP Logged
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Dear Gina,
Ummmmmmmm...that's quite a load for a 7 yr old, and a boy to boot. You didn't mention if this is an old 7 yr old (2nd grader) or a young 7 (first grader). Going on the assumption its a 2nd grader, here's what I'd do (not necessarily the right way...just what has worked for us). If the child is a 1st grader, I'd probably cut a bit more. This assumes a 4 day schoolweek, a necessity, imho, with children through 5th grade. Oh, and make sure he gets outside to climb trees and be a boy every day, rain or shine. School should be done before 11am except for reading that involves no supplemental activities.
Memory work: cut to 2 minutes a day. Make this super fast. You repeat the line, they repeat after you, do that 3 times total and then move on.
Religion 15 min.- good length but include your bible story within the time allotment. You could do bible M and W and something else T and Th?
Rightstart math 30min--too long. 20 minutes.
Little Angel Reading 30min-- That's too long for practicing reading, imho. Make this 30 minute period include the 10 minutes of him reading to you. 30 minutes a day total on phonics
Copy work 15 min--cut to 5 minutes
FIAR book --I've been using FIAR for years. For a 2nd grader, the book and activity needs to be 25ish minutes total. If you are going to do a supplemental book that is longer, then break it up over the 4 days, too.
Classic book--20 minutes, and move to bedtime if possible, or during lunch when mouths are full. 
Science or History book--unnecessary with a 7yr old who is also doing FIAR.
Piano Practice 30min
Art or Music 30min
Can you make practice shorter and do art/music once a week on a day when there is no piano practice?
Fairy tale or tall tale--rotate your fairy tales/tall tales in and out with your classic books so that it takes the same time period. 2 weeks to finish a chapter book, 1 week where you read a tale a day, 2 weeks for a different chapter book, etc...
***Will He really remember if I just did each type of living book just once a week?***--The goal is not mastery at this age. The goal is exposure and joy. Don't worry about him remembering details. Instead, make your goal for him to say "I love that book! 3 years from now.
***Also, we get 20 books from library and when they are due we have only read maybe 3, when i wanted to really explore a subject and we just barely skim the surface***
--if you want to do a unit study, then drop your FIAR and classic lit for that 1-2 week period in order to make room for the unit.
 Most days we can just do basics, no extra living stuff.
That's how it is in most hs families, most days. And they thrive.
Really, its ok to do less.
Hope this helps.
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Willa
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| Posted: April 29 2008 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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I'd have 30 to 45 minutes total for all the homeschool reading at that age. Of course, more for fun at bedtime or quiet time is different. I read an hour or more to my 5 year old at bedtime and after lunch. But I'd plan either to spend shorter times with the different reading-heavy subjects -- or alternate them. If they beg you to go on, that's good.
So true about the living books; it is frustrating! But better a few seeds planted than none, or so many that they choke each other out. Sometimes you spark an interest and the child takes off on his own.
Snacks and coloring and drawing in notebooks has worked great to extend listening time in our house; so has clay.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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gina
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Location: Alabama
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| Posted: April 29 2008 at 8:13pm | IP Logged
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Allright, Books and Willa,
I am the "gotta get it done kind of mom". Especially with my poor 6th grader[:x
But I am open,willing,trying to change into "relaxed mom"  .
Also, I am bad about not starting with him till 9:30 or 10am :( because I am taking care of stuff.
My 7yr4mods is in 1st grade and is reading really well, he has read all the MagicTreeHouse books. But doesn't know much phonics and can only write an easy, simple sentence and is just starting to know how to spell words with blends"gl,bl,sh". He's in Little Angel Book C.
Tell me it's all right to not be on schedule for LA Readers, or Right start Math. I want to finish both by the end of school this year. which will take us till June 20th. So I actually double up on him today and did 2 RS math lessons(I'm so bad)...
If i cut the Little Angel reader lessons in half then we would be much more relaxed but what about getting that phonics and those spelling words in him? My niece in Catholic school has tremendous spelling words,
I feel he is so behind in spelling and writing, but he reads amazingly well, and has a great interest in nature.
Now for redoing my program.
Memory work 3m (fast)
Religion (include Bible Story)10m
Rightstart Math 20m(but if he's with me finish lesson?)
Little Angel Reading(phonics,spelling,workbook)20m?
Read to MOM 10m(his choice?)
break 15-30min
Copy work 5m?(but he can do a lot in 10m)
FIAR book then(SS,LA,Art,Science) 25m?
Read Aloud(classic,science,history,Fairytale)30-60m &n bsp;
Piano Practice 20min (including theory)
Independent Reading his choice,he will read 60m
Outdoor/indoor play 1-3hrs
Cub Scouts weekly
How does that look? Is it well rounded?
It looks good to me.....
but I don't know how to make myself stop on time when I just want to finish a lesson in phonics, math, and FIAR.
How can I be sure I am pushing him enough?
I guess I just have to pray and trust the child, because pushing has me burning out.
Gina
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teachingmom
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| Posted: April 29 2008 at 10:30pm | IP Logged
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I just took a quick look and have a suggestion for the arts. What about requiring piano practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and one weekend day, and then fill in on Tuesday and Thursday with one day each of 20-30 minutes of art or music? Except for my oldest, who loves piano and plays it constantly just for fun, my dds practice for a short time (under 20 minutes) about 4-5 times per week. And their teacher says that they are progressing faster than many other students. I think sometimes shorter is better.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Mamamoon
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| Posted: April 30 2008 at 12:00am | IP Logged
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bookswithtea, i loved your post. thank you, very helpful as a lurker, who feels guilty daily for not getting to it all.
mamamoon~
__________________
A firefighter's wife, and mama of two dancing princesses~
Creekside Wonder
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Gauging how many books per day/week
