OT-Homeschooling--I am overwhelmed, please help!

[tmli]

Okay, we are about a month into it and I feel like I am doing the worst job ever!! I am overwhelmed by curriculum choices, can't seem to get organized, I feel like a complete idiot...we have been doing some work books and stuff but I am not sure he is learning anything.

We have gone to the Science Center and seen the Body Worlds exhibit, have joined basketball and swimming, doing some life skills training such as cooking and grocery shopping. Library trips to get some neat books. Purchasing and putting together furniture for our "school". We have been doing english and math and some general topic stuff....why do I feel like I am so bad at this?

I am having trouble with time management between working, his doctors appt's and activities and balancing schooling. I feel like we should be in every hs'ing group and meeting as many people as possible but i don't seem to be able to find the time....what am i missing? Did/does anyone else feel this way?

He is happy and more relaxed then he has been in a long time....I am relieved to not have to deal with the stresses of him being in school....but can I do this? How do you know they are learning? How do you know you are doing the right thing and just not ruining their lives?

Breakdown over....until the next one!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

First off--what are the ages and/or grades of the kids.

Are you new? This is our first year--I have a K that I was trying to teach to read. In the beginning--holy cow I thought I was going to die b/c she'd never get it. Now--she's going faster than the material, so we have slowed down the "book learnin'" part---and mix it in as necessasry. Discovered--she doesn't need to work so hard at it at this point, so why bother. (not to sound as though I'm ignoring it--but she's getting it KWIM. So no point in spendign an hour if she can do it in 10 minutes is what I mean).

Working--what do you do and when do you do it?

As far as scheduling--M-H is school F is co-op. School is in the mornings (She works better that way anyway). If it must be pushed to the afternoon due to FT or something that just HAD to be done in the morning...we tone it down. Do extra the day before or bump something to the next day..doing only what has to be done that day.

Appts--since we school in the morning....I schedule ALWAYS for the afternoon, unless it just cannot be done.

Start little and build up. Vice versa leads to break down and WTH syndrome and why is this so hard syndrome. Been there done that in my first year--and I expect it will repeat cyclically for the next 12 years.

As far as curriculum--I fill out my lesson plan only 1 week ahead of time. I have a syllabus that I purchased---so I have my whole year already outlined for me. But as far as specific to the current week or month--one week at a time. This was a tip from another homeschooling mom. Scheduling beyond that you find that stuff gets in the way and stuff just has to be bumped--and if you have it all spelled out for the whole month or year--it could have a negative affect on your experience.

Don't be afraid to take some time off to regroup and start fresh with a new week.

I to have to be in a social setting with a homeschooling group. We joined one when I had a PK3yo. Basically I got my feet wet early and worked out those bugs. So though I have only been official for 6 months...I've had my feet in for 2.5 years. I think that feeling you have to do everything is a normal feeling and it will go away. Try to find the ONE group that works best for right now if you MUST have something and drop the others. I'm part of one that has face time and part of another that is just an e-mail group. This way I get double exposure to FT opportunities and advice--but my face time commitments are really to just one group, one day a week.

HTH--good luck! It will settle down soon!

 

[tmli]

DS is 9 and just left grade 4 before xmas. He has ASD and is bi polar and often has to go to see his "team of professionals" which is 1 1/2 hrs each way. SO it usually takes a full day.

I am a single mother so i work 2 jobs...one full time job from home which is done after hours nights and weekends, programming security systems remotely by modem. I also work part time out of the home at a CAA office to supplement the income and get some great travel discounts! The days I work he goes to my mom's and she does his work with him and some other things.

One night a week he goes to Basketball and another to swimming. Our regional gov't has alotted me funds to hire a support worker 5 hrs a week--I am interviewing her on Monday.

I think this is by far the best choice for my son, i guess I am just afraid of messing it up and not giving him all he needs.

 

[isla bonita]

Remember to take a breath in between. We as parents never feel like we are doing enough. If you are this organized I am sure it is all being covered. There are national standards and if you have a copy you will know what has to be covered.Good luck.

 

[tmli]

Thanks for the reminder...breath one, two, three...breath one, two, three...

Here in my province there are no guidelines that must be met and no agency to report to. If someone complains to our local school board that my ds is not being taught anything at home they can choose to request a form be filled out to explain what I am teaching. However it is my right to refuse....the burden of proof is on them if they would like to take it further.

In some ways i think this to be a positive move in the right direction for hs'ing families. That being said I think it would be nice to have a guideline so at least I know I am on the right track.

I think i can get a curriculum outline from our school board, may not be a bad idea to have at least a guideline.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think i can get a curriculum outline from our school board, may not be a bad idea to have at least a guideline.

Definitely get that. I would get it for the next several years. Just to see where they expect him to be if he were in school. Not so much of so he'll be caught up should you want to send him back...but just to give you a comfort level of where he should be.

Also--I'm not sure how school is arranged up there...but there is anything that says he MUST complete his work within a regular school year. Perhaps a system of 2 or 3 weeks on and 1 week off would work. ON the off weeks--do fun things, do educational things...just don't do your official curriculum (i.e.--workpage #1234) and keep it low to no stress .

We are doing a science fair project--just b/c they are having an expo with our homeschool group. Today I was blaspheming the flowers b/c they weren't dead yet on day 6. My daughter was seemingly bored with it b/c it was the same results just a different day. Well today we got excited (and then she got disgusted) b/c mold was growing. I felt like cheering b/c death would come soon!!! We had only 2 weeks to do the project (could have had longer, but I was waiting for details on the event and they had only sent them with 2 weeks notice)...and it wouldn't have been much of a project if all 14 flowers were still all neat and pretty 14 days later.

Sometimes--a day will surprise you and more happens than you planned on and you will be ahead of the game. Enjoy these days that pop up!

 

[tmli]

Thanks for the great advice....it is hard to imagine when i read how regimented some of your state standards are but we have no guidelines. No timelines, materials nada!

 

[Pixiedust34]

It might help if you buy a curriculum that has a schedule and all of the teaching plans/assignments clearly written for you. You'll still be able to plan when to do the work (before or after your dr. appts. or sports events), but the work would be structured and ready to go.

One program like this that comes to mind is The Calvert School

http://www.calvertschool.org/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=CES1512

I have not used the full Calvert program first-hand (though I did use their math program for 1st grade), but it is supposed to be easy to follow.

It may take a while to find a curriculum that is a good fit for you and your child. Having the right materials for you can make all the difference in the world with how much you get out of homeschooling. We like Sonlight (sonlight.com) because it uses "living" books instead of textbooks, while others like textbooks. Take your time and shop around for a while. Perhaps there is a curriculum fair in your area that you can visit sometime. Network and try to meet some local homeschoolers. Join one of their support groups and borrow ideas from other moms.

All the best to you!

 

[tmli]

I think you are right about the curriculum, Pixie Dust. Even if only for the first year until i start to feel more comfortable....there is a HS conference in my city April 1 with seminars and a trade show with many companies showing there products. I think that may be the best way/time for me to make a more informed choice. It is very difficult to make choices from a catalogue or website when i haven't any experience.

Do you think if i continue with what we have been doing until then it would be okay?