Rigid homeschool timetable or a more relaxed approach?

[agirlfrommars]

Keep seeing a lot of contrast on Facebook-
On the one hand lots of parents who are taking homeschooling during this pandemic very seriously with full-on colour coordinated timetables for every last minute and a very strict, rigid schedule and taking full advantage of every available resource.

Then, on the other hand, am I seeing posts from head teachers and videos from teachers etc being shared by some friends where it’s claimed this perhaps isn’t in the best interests for children and all the stuff about just relaxing, playing games and having fun/making memories as a family.

I think, like most, in somewhere in between. Trying to incorporate a bit of maths, English plus the work set by school but not on a strict timetable and probably a lot more fun and play than a normal school day.

However, if the strict timetables (or doing nothing at all) works for some families then surely that’s what is right for them?

Just wondered where people stood on this or what your personal set-up is :)

Very relaxed and flexible here

Also very relaxed and flexible. Especially while we are enjoying such amazing weather, definitely lifting spirits and kids loving being in garden.

We have a timetable which DS(9) set. He has ASD and much prefers knowing what's happening each day. I've said we'll review it regularly to see what we both agree needs to be tweaked.

Relaxed! We're reading every day and doing some writing but apart from that I'm going where her interests lie, counting while we're on our walk, looking at flowers / mini beasts etc (she's reception). I think the more chilled we both are the more chance of her not realising we're in the middle of something huge is.

Very relaxed here. They do one piece of homework a day. Apart from that they play, cook, help clean, plan meals, gardening etc. They also read everyday and write a journal.

Relaxed here, but that's my general approach to my primary dcs work anyway...mine read, write, count etc all the time anyway, I'm not concerned about them keeping up

We work fairly intensely but get it all out of the way by 1.30 and spend the rest of the day larking about in the garden. They’re having a lovely time! Works for them, works for me. They’re on the trampoline and I’m wallpapering

We’re not doing much at all here, mainly just chilling!! There’s a lot to get used to and take on at the moment. We have done little bits here and there, writing, plenty of reading, starting the day with the Joe Wicks session.... but to be honest it’s been mainly playing, garden, tv and iPads. I’m treating this a bit like an extended Easter holidays and once Easter is over and we’re used to being at home I will be moving into a bit more of a routine. Only a couple of hours a day though. Both dc are primary age.

Very relaxed.
I'm not a teacher. I'm rubbish at teaching.
I work in healthcare. I wouldn't expect my patients to go home and be able to do what I do. Why should I assume that I'm going to do a good job with teaching my own kids. While working from home?
Just using a few language apps (learning Russian! My DS chose that) and maths apps. Lots of documentaries (fun ones) and Joe Wicks for PE.
That's it. Not sure why people are getting too Type A about this. Great if it works for you, but it wouldn't work for me at all.

Morning school work that's been assigned each day then 12 lunch and can be free to read, draw, play in the garden, play with toys. Decided to stick with same screen time rules after 3pm only. For mine this works better so we know what we are doing most of the day

Quite a lot of work has been set by dc's secondary school, more than we can easily keep up with to be honest.

Weather here is awful, I'm jealous of those in their gardens!

Very relaxed and flexible here.

Timetable and pretty rigid. They are loving it, I’m quite enjoying it, and frankly it’s the only way I can cope with trying to work as well. I know where I am and can share with DH, leaving other hours free to work.

My kids have Benn doing PE with Joe. It's actually really good way to get rid of some energy before school work.

@dustycaramel yes I think a bit of structure helps some people with sanity, especially with not knowing how long it will go on for.

As my DH and I both have to work, us and our kids all sit down together after breakfast and work independently (well, as much as possible). My kids do 1-2 hours, then play/screen. I work until lunchtime. After lunch I check their work, do a bit of reading, a game, and exercise. At 2pm we are done. Free time for all (except DH).

Y5 DD relaxed she's incredibly motivated though so is always finding something to do, morning she does MyMATHS, TT Rockstars, some comprehension and reading. After lunch she'll do something creative and then play/relax. Her teacher told them 2-3 hours a day is more than enough.

Y10 DD has pretty much a full timetable on Google classroom which is good as obviously very worried about the amount of content she is missing.

Relaxed. I’m a teacher trying to work from home, so each morning I make a list of what DS (12) and DD (9) should do throughout the day, based on the work their schools have sent. I try to offer them help and encouragement, but equally, I’m encouraging them to read for pleasure, play games and mess about (not loudly) in the back yard. This allows me time to reply to students’ emails, mark and return essays and prepare work for future home learning (for my school students, not my own children).
We’re having a ‘home disco’ later on, because the school Easter disco would have been this evening, but obviously it’s been cancelled.

I'm a teacher. My DCs have a list of 5 things each to do everyday.

Eg today
Have a bath, get dressed, brush teeth.
Practise spellings in rainbow colours (4 each).
Read to Mum for 10 mins.
Write a letter to a relative.
Practise times tables.

The rest of the day they can play in the garden or with lego etc, watch films, go on xbox etc but I'll gently point them outside if they've been on screens for hours.
Other days I've set pages from their home learning packs from school as part of the 5 tasks but not every day.

Some tasks are helping with chores Eg chop veg for dinner, sort laundry, clean out pets. We are playing board games as a family, playing on the trampoline, baking biscuits, going for walks etc. The tasks I set are all short and achievable and can be done in any order. Trying to keep them varied.

DS (14) has a strict getting up routine or he'd laze about for hours.

Then he has enough schoolwork set to keep him busy for most of the morning. After that is all done he can relax (garden/dog walk/TV/games).

As I'm working FT I can't micro-manage him so I'm checking periodically. So far it's ok.

We have a loose timetable.

We have a strict start at 9am for PE with Joe, as I think we would easily slip into lounging around in pjs all morning otherwise.

I have a plan of which bits of schoolwork have to be done in the morning and afternoon, but the dc can choose when. But if they haven't done them by a certain time I insist they do it.

I make them do piano practice every day too, because I am a mean mum.

I printed out a timetable and Sunday night I was determined to stick to it.
Monday I got them to do all the work that had been sent but it seemed really hard to get through it all and we ended up with no fun stuff just me being all serious trying to get them through it all.

It has got gradually more relaxed as the week has gone on. We've done some reading and spellings this morning then they went outside playing in the garden after lunch and I didn't have the heart in this weather to bring them in to do maths. I'll get them to do some tt rockstars later.

I also got an email from the teacher in charge of home learning to say that they will not be checking work or who's done what.

I find it hard though not to worry about them getting behind or wondering how much other people are doing with their dc though.

Things is, I find, and this may just be my two (7 and 5), that if we left more relaxed they would be on us every two mins. Wouldn’t get any work done at all. This way, I’m doing mornings, DH afternoons, they know what ‘lessons’ we are doing, and we both get protected work time when they are busy so not interrupting. It’s fab actually. Am pretty amazed at how well it’s working (for now).

Actual home educator here. Seriously relaxed and flexible is best. My daughter is 13 now and never been to school and is predicted an A/7 on her first GCSE this year. We have never had a rigid timetable and have always just followed her interests. It’s nearly the Easter holidays anyway and life is so upside down atm anyway. Let them relax and find what interests them.