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Tips for a successful school day

After about 5 years of teaching my children, I have finally figured out ahead of time what will help me to have a good day!  I've experienced huge motivation to get my act together after too many days when everything that could have HAS gone wrong, everyone's upset and I feel that I'm failing miserably in this daunting task called homeschooling.  In the last 4 years I've been somewhat consistent at implementing these changes and I can attest to their awesome improvements!

very hilarious, OLD photo!  awwww...

So, here's a list of things, that if I can manage to accomplish all these things, I am pretty much guaranteed a successful day of learning in our house.

1. Wake up on time 

For me sadly, this is no small thing. I am the queen of sleeping in. For years I've not thought it possible for me to consistently wake up early. I do think my body needs more sleep than some to stay healthy, and for this to happen realistically, I have to get to bed at a regular hour the night before. Truthfully, this has taken a few years to realize how really important this is and how it affects my attitude and even my outlook on life.

2. Read the Word of God

Taking time to focus my day, my attitude, my priorities. Vital. I do this before I even get out of bed.

3. Turn things over to Him

I recognize that I will mess everything up if left all to myself (constant reliance on the Spirit throughout the day, I need LOTS of reminders). This is VERY important.  - Included here, is the fact that I must be willing to turn things back over to Him if they start getting crazy...  :)

4. Get dressed and shod...

... and not just sweatpants and t-shirts, when I'm really dressed I feel better and if someone comes to the door, or I have to run out quick, I'm ready. In our line of work and in this country, people show up at ANY time and it used to be such a frustration for me... but NOT anymore, 'cause I'm ready for 'em ;) Now if I only could manage to have a meal ready at all times... heheh.
Being nicely dressed whether or not I have plans to leave the house, I've found, has helped my Beloved to relate to me in a manner I really like as well. I dress everyday with him in mind.

5. Establish the kids in their own morning routine.

I'm actually in the middle of implementing this right now. My kids wake up before the crack of dawn, NO MATTER WHAT time they went to bed. They would wake up and play (boys play loud) and then play until lunch time if left to themselves. I would regularly get frustrated when I called them down to breakfast that they weren't dressed and their room was a mess. Now, I've created a checklist of things for them to do before 8am - breakfast. I now just need to get them a clock for their room to make sure it's all done on time, and without reminders!

6. Have plan in place for breakfast, the night before.

This could be as simple as just knowing what we're going to eat, or it could mean actually preparing it ahead and having the table all set.

7. Do not turn on the computer before starting school

I know myself. I have a hard time just checking mail! In my mail there are ads that I just have to read, my AmblesideOnline or Spell to Write & Read and MathUsee yahoo groups to browse, and then there are notes to respond to and links to freebies and all the rest, and before I know it, I'm late starting... again.

8. Keep the little kids nearby at all times.

This is vital to a peaceful day. If the kids are nearby, I can sense when trouble is afoot. When I get busy or distracted and they are left to themselves, I discover little messes around the house made by sneaky, hungry kiddos. Not to mention, I get frustrated at the frequent sometimes fierce combats that ensue upstairs that cause me to have to run up to play policewoman before someone is killed. If they are with me, this doesn't happen. We like being together :)

9. Having a plan 

Sounds obvious, but... Knowing what I'm supposed to be teaching and what the kids are supposed to be learning and doing each day, let alone at certain checkpoints throughout the day, is absolutely essential. I need several planning days a year (speaking of which I haven't had one for...TOO long - no wonder I'm a mess ;), in order to keep on top of all of the kiddos learning requirements. I actually benefit from having a daily schedule that keeps all of life a little more trackable.

10. Keep 'em busy!

My Beloved and I have had a tumultuous last year with moving back here to Peru, hosting various guests - some with moderate stays, and just the extreme busy-ness of ministry and cross-cultural dealings. We don't have TV, and limit movies to once a week or so. The kids don't play outside in the neighborhood because it is unsafe... all this has meant many days where school consists simply of the basics and the kids are left with lots of free time. While free time cultivates creativity perhaps, my kids creativity doesn't seem to need any cultivation, it's in full bloom! What they need more of is direction. So, making sure their assignments are clear, giving them work to do around the house, and even providing directed play or project ideas has been very helpful. This includes keeping the little ones busy while we do school with the older ones. Having toddler and preschool activities on hand at all times has helped immensely.

So there you have it :) That's what we do...

What do you do? 

a repost from the archives...

The Tumbling Tower of Toilet Paper

It's quiet, and you can't find your toddler. You do a quick search only to find him in the bathroom. Just when the feeling of relief comes over you, glad to have found him safe and sound, you notice it... the tumbling tower of toilet paper. There he is, next to the toilet, hopefully it's clean, and he has pulled all the toilet paper off the roll... I know this has happened to most of you, afterall, it's not the first time it's happened to me. What do you do with the toilet paper? Do you roll it back onto the roll, trying to make it nice the way it was before? Do you leave it on the floor? Do you just throw it away? Do you crumple it up and stuff it back into hole and use it little by little? I must confess that I crumpled it up into a more compact pile on the floor and ended up using it for nose-blowing throughout the day! I know, I was appalled too, if I thought about it, but I just decided not to think about it! Amy

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx (69.59.95.90)

I roll it back up the best I can...and when I get so very frustrated that it's all crumpled and not fitting right, I pull it off and tear it into smaller wads for the kids to use. OR I take a handful of it, put a little water on the floor, and mop around the toilet with it. With boys, you can never clean the bathroom floor too often! Love, Marsha PS this is AFTER I have disinfected the baby's hands since he cannot be near the toilet with splashing around in it! I know, truly disgusting. But he is who he is...and that is a toilet lover! ;-)

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Amber (71.52.23.146)

I probably would have done the same thing, actually, I know I would have. Anyway, it's funny you stopped by bcz I was thinkin about you. You know what I was thinkin' about? Get this, back in Jan (I think) you got an email from me asking if you would pick the winner of my contest "How Well Do You Know Your Fellow HSB" REMEMBER??? I think you were the first one I random blogged. Tell me you remeber. 0:) Amber

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by hskubes (216.16.210.8)

ha ha ha.... this is funny, because a similar thing happened to me yesterday and today. My eldest daughter (13) was cleaning the bathroom yesterday, including mopping... well, my youngest daughter (2) wanted to help like Sissy was.... Later in the day, when she was quiet... I discovered her in the bathroom, with the toilet paper all over the floor, and spots of our foam soap everywhere on the floor.... and there she was with toilet paper in her hand, 'mopping' up the soap! I couldn't do anything but laugh!! *Ü* She helped me throw the toilet paper away... Well, today, she decided to do the same thing... again.... oh dear! Tomorrow, I'll have to watch her more carefully. How precious, though! ~ Christina www.homeschoolblogger.com/hskubes

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Hi Amy

Posted by kindredspiritMom (69.209.156.104)

This has happened to us more times than I care to admit ~ with children and once with a cat :) Also, my now 6 and 8 year olds still empty tissue boxes periodically to create beds for Barbies. I wasn't born in the Depression Era, but sometimes I act like it. I have a "waste not, want not" philosophy, so I usually gather it all up, make a ball and shove it under the sink to use myself :) I have even re-used paper towels I have used to pack when moving...stick them in a bucket to use for bathroom cleaning :) Thanks for your comment about Rachel's candle holder ~ I wish I knew how she made it! I do know that they painted a slab of wood, then applied some sort of a grout and applied the tiles and "broken" pottery, which she told me were shrinky dinks! Go figure!

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - I know it! I am frugal to a fault!

Posted by amada (190.40.17.13)

I wash all my zip-locs too! I am so out of control.