Here is our daily routine, which we started last year. Of course, things were different then. DS did not have to learn per se, so we did not spend more than 5-10 minutes per subject for a total of 30 minutes max of seatwork. Sometimes, if he asked for it, we did 15-20 minutes of math. On the other hand, DD was in potty training routine, so everything had to be stopped to take care of that skill at regular intervals.
For the 3Rs, I plan to start with five minutes per subject and gradually increase it to ten. By spring, I hope to comfortably do fifteen minutes per subject. However, that is not an absolute goal. I teach for mastery and not for the clock or for grades. More on evaluation in a regular blog post.
As you can imagine, the following times are a goal and a guideline. Somewhere in between these activities we take short breaks for necessities like drinking water, taking an urgent phone call, greeting the mail lady if she brings something to the door, starting a recipe that needs extra time to be ready by lunch time… Life happens.
7:00-9:00 Wake up, morning cards, breakfast
9:00-9:30 Devotional, memorization, craft
9:30-10:15 The 3 Rs with DS, my kindergartner (DD, my preschooler, listens in or plays nearby, depending on her mood)
10:15-11:00 Reading aloud (I read, they listen)
11:00-11:30 Recess (I catch up on emails/phone calls)
11:30-12:00 Lunch prep and setup (they help)
12:00 Lunch and cleanup
1:00-3:00 Quiet time, i.e. free play in their rooms (I catch up on housework)
3:00-4:00 Nature walk, calendar activities, cleanup, play with mommy
4:00-5:00 Piano, reading aloud, afternoon cards, worksheets (DD especially asks for them) or educational games
5:00-6:00 Free play (I catch up on cooking/writing)
6:00 Supper, evening cards
6:30 Reading time with daddy
7:00-7:30 Bedtime routine and lights out
I like the Moore Formula concept of scheduling with “anchors”. What are anchors? Activities like breakfast, lunch, dinner, the preparation for them and the cleanup after them. Family devotions, a bedtime routine, and a wake-up routine also fall in the category of anchors. One knows one must do these every day, so one plans the day around these anchors.
How do you plan your day?
Hi,
What’s the 3RS at 9.30? 😀
The 3 Rs are Reading, Writing and Arithmetic or ‘rithmetic. It’s code for the basic subjects for beginning students, which happen to all start with letter R. Although we sort of force arithmetic to start with r by using an apostrophe. Sorry for the code.
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I agree about ‘anchors’ – our day forms a routine around these – breakfast, Bible, reading – then ‘morning activities’ which can vary. Then snack, sleep, lunch and ‘afternoon activities’ – again variable. Then dinner, (bath if needed), Bibletime and bed. They are just like anchors giving the day structure and stability, and I like the way you described it there.