Several moms have asked me lately for some insight into our daily lives to help them with their schooling plans. So here goes. I will try to be organized in my answers.
Let’s start with our schedule:
We do school from Sunday morning to Friday morning.
Evening Schedule: (Sunday-Thursday)
7 pm Read through the Bible Cover to Cover challenge
8 pm Current Event Learning or Family Time
9 pm Big kid Independent learning (projects or copy work)
Morning Schedule: (Sunday-Friday)
9 am Character study, missionary story, and World History
10 am Daily Focus (Sunday study it, Monday map it, Tuesday timeline, Wednesday Work it, Thursday Think on it, and Friday Finish it) I will explain these later in the post.
10:50 am main floor pick up
11 am Independent Academics (Copy work, grade level assignments, etc.)
12 pm Lunch and meal chores
1 pm – 5pm Independent learning (projects and play)
5 pm House Chores
6 pm Family Dinner
Friday Schedule:
9 am Prep Day Devotions and Prayer
11 am- sundown Prep Day chores and baking
Sundown Family Dinner
After dinner family worship and Bible reading
Looking Closer at the details:
Bible Reading challenge: (Evening)
Every few years our family does an oral Bible reading challenge together. We use a guide and read through the entire Bible in a set amount of time. This year we are doing a one year challenge with Christy Jordan of Seekingscripture.com. The older family members are expected to read the passage ahead of time each day, and listen to or read Christy Jordan’s commentary. Then after dinner each evening we come together and read the set passage out loud. As we read, we stop to discuss passages of interest, or if someone has a question. We start with the youngest member of the family reading first. Those who are just learning to read, we have copy a reader. So, I would point to and read, “In the beginning,” and the child would say, “in the beginning,” then I would say, “God created,” child repeats, “God created.” This is done for as long as the child can stay focused. We even have our special needs family members repeat the words back to us, in the same manner. We find this bonds them to the Word of God. The child reads as much as they comfortably can, depending on their abilities. After each young student completes their time of reading they can follow along, or they can work on their packets.
Each week I create a packet of coloring and scripture sheets that correlates with the reading for that week. Usually, I pass these packets out to the students on Monday night before we begin our reading for that night. We go over the packets and discuss the contents of them before we read the scripture that night. The students are expected to complete the pages in their packets and read them to an older sibling before Friday of that week. They are expected to do excellent work. We usually spend 60 to 90 minutes on Bible reading together each night. Everyone is expected to participate.
After this Bible reading time, we usually discuss current events in relation to our reading, and/or we might watch a family program on the television. The older students will go work on projects at this time. This is a good time for Jeremy and I to either connect with each other, or to spend quality time with the younger children, before he goes to work for the night, or they go to bed.
Our younger children are to be in their room and quiet at 9 pm, lights out at 10 pm. Our older children are allowed to manage their own bedtime, as long as they don’t bother others, and get all their responsibilities done the next morning.
Character, Missionary, and History Studies (Morning together school)
After the children have done morning farm chores, and had some personal time, we usually begin group learning around 9 am. This year I took the program written by Kim Sorgius of Notconsumed.com called To Every Nation.
I took this curriculum and I expounded on it adding my own materials and discussion activities. Each morning we focus on a different type of study.
So each morning we read, study, and do memory work for the character trait (we focus on the same trait for 3 weeks). Then we read a chapter from a book about the misssionary of focus. Lastly we read and study a history topic (World World 2 is our topic this school year), so we also read a chapter from a book on this subject each morning. So, every morning a chapter of scripture is read, a chapter from a missionary biography is read, and a chapter from a book about Nazis (WWII) is read. But, as we read and discuss these materials each day has a specific focus.
Sunday- Is devoted to in-depth study. It might be study of a word in Hebrew from the scripture, or study of something from one of the chapter books. It is a deep dive into something together.
Monday-Map it. On Monday we focus on geography. We might map out the missionaries route in our book, or we might look at the map in relation to current events, or in relation to our Bible reading.
Tuesday-timeline. We have a wall timeline, and each person is asked to share something they want to know about, and where it goes on the timeline, we research it and add it to the timeline. It can be something from any topic we have learned that past week.
Wednesday-Work it. This is the day that the students have to figure out how to apply what we have been learning. It also is the day they have more hands on assignments. For example write out their Bible verse, write out new vocabulary words, or I might even have them write out practical applications in essay form, etc.
Thursday-Think on It. This is when I challenge the students to really ponder what they are learning and ask them questions that help them orally share what they are learning. I again, might do some journal or essay assignments on this day.
Friday- Finish Strong. We wrap up the lessons for the week, and if anyone missed an assignment, (I do give them worksheets and assignments to do in the independent learning time, that is ability based.) We do special devotions for preparation day, they are to finish their school work on their own after that, and before doing their prep house keeping.
After we do our learning time together, the students have independent learning.
Independent Learning (11 am)
Each student is expected to sit at the table and work on the assignments that I gave them during together learning. They have been given for them to complete for their age/grade level. This includes math, Greek, copy work, as well as personalized science, history, and grammar work. Each student has their own personalized lessons. (I use Homeschooling Torah materials for most of their independent studies.)
Other resources I often use are:
Here is a link to our copy work method.
Copy work is the number on priority of my kids independent work each day.
Copy work done right will take a student hours a day.
Independent Projects: (1-5 pm)
In the afternoon older students focus on things like gardening, farming, welding, building, sewing, content creation, entrepreneurship, and they may also work outside of the home two school days a week. They also will work on their copy work, personal studies of interest, such as, theology, science, advanced mathematics, business, etc.
Younger students are encouraged to play and create through drawing, art, climbing, outside play, digging, building, etc.
5 o’clock Jobs
Every day at five o’clock everyone who is home, is expected to stop whatever they are doing and come into the house and clean the main living areas of the house. Usually everyone knows their assigned job, but everyone is expected to help each other until all the areas are clean and put in order for the evening. Then supper is started, and prepared.
Family Dinner
This is a very important part of our day. Everyone is expected to be home for dinner that is capable of being home. We sit down as a family and have dinner together every night. We discuss our day, and we just enjoy each others presence, while learning good manners and listening skills. Family dinner is a requirement, not an option at our house.
Friday Schedule:
Friday morning we have a special prep day devotional. I usually make it. I will read a passage of scripture that I think will help us prepare our hearts and minds for Sabbath. I will do a little teaching on why we take this day to prepare our home, heart, and mind. Then we make our prep day cleaning and baking list. We spend the day getting all the work done, but all the kids are encouraged to find time alone on Friday to just pray and read their Bible to help them prepare for a day of rest. This may sound strange, but our lives can get stressful and our minds can get cluttered, so taking the time to destress and declutter it is so helpful in having a peaceful Sabbath. Then after we have a special dinner on Friday night we also have a special time of worship and Bible reading.
Sabbath schedule:
We allow everyone to sleep in on Sabbath. We lay out a brunch for everyone to eat at as they wake. At 11 am, we gather in the family room for Torah Time. This is when read the weekly Torah portion and discuss it as a family. After Torah time, we slowly all get dressed and ready to go to fellowship. Our fellowship meets at 2 pm. Often, a few family members need to go early to help prepare music, or to host. We usually all leave no later than 1:15, often we pick up other relatives or friends to go with us to fellowship.
Our fellowship has an orderly worship service from 2-4 pm, and then after that we share a potluck style meal together, and fellowship together until around 6 pm. We help clean up, and go home. Once the sun goes down, we have after Sabbath clean up. We clean the kitchen, dishes, and the main living areas of the house, and we start laundry. This usually only take us about 30 minutes. Saturday night is stay up with dad night, and the kids are allowed to stay up and often are allowed to play on electronic devices. Mom usually goes to bed early for some alone time on Saturday nights. (In the Spring and Summer, when the sun goes down later, we might enjoy some time outside just relaxing.)
So there you have it, our weekly schedule.
Honestly, the secret to being a successful homeschooling parent is remembering that it is YHVH who prepares His people for His work. He may be using you, mom or dad to help in that process, but He doesn’t need you, so don’t get in the way of His work. The best thing we as parents can do is to love learning the Truth’s found in YHVH’s Word, and walking in them. When our children see use passionately obeying Him, they will know this is the life worth living a life of obedience. Once our children have a heart of love and obedience, then their will be no stopping the learning process. Teach your children to read the Word, teach them to listen to the Word, teach them to obey the Word, teach them to love the Word. All wisdom and knowledge is found in YHVH’s Torah. Once they have that, they will be able to discern truth from lies, and will be able to study and learn anything.
Shalom.
Related Posts:
Things to know as you visit our site
We are Bible believing, scripture only people. We love to learn about the Hebrew roots of our faith. We believe it is important to not add or subtract from the Divine Word of God. The compiled scriptures that agree with one another and have no contradiction is the 66 books of what is commonly referred to as the Christian Bible, or the Holy Bible.
These writings were originally written by men inspired by God. They were written in the language of the writers and readers of the original documents. Many of the original documents have been lost, but God’s Word is eternal and remains. Therefore, it is important to us to study, learn, and consider the culture, history, and language of the original writers of the scriptures.
In our studies we have learned that the true name of God is Yehovah, and His son, our Messiah, is named Yeshua. Therefore, as you read our posts we will use the Hebrew names of God and our Messiah.
Leave a Reply