OUR WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
I am enclosing our weekly schedule so that you will understand how and why we do the things we do (or don't do). This is merely a guide. Like most of you, we are very flexible.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
Monday Tuesday
BIG Cleaning Day Daily Chores
Schoolwork Schoolwork
Goulburn
Wednesday Thursday
Daily chores Daily chores
Schoolwork Schoolwork
Queanbeyan/Canberra Business Administration & Bookwork
Friday Saturday
Daily chores Gardening & Projects
Schoolwork - Sarah Excursions!
Workshop - Sam
Baking/Sewing
Youth Group every second Friday
Sunday
Church & Fellowship
NOTES ON OUR WEEKLY SCHEDULE
To give you a better understanding of this schedule, I have enclosed these notes. I'd also like to mention that although this doesn't sound like much learning, there is, in fact, an enormous scope for our children to learn a variety of not only life skills, but also the facts of life.
* Our morning school consists mainly of the English subjects; grammar, spelling, reading, narration, vocabulary, as well as Maths. In no particular order! We feel that these are the main two subjects necessary to learn and do a whole array of other subjects!
* On the days that we are home, we study other subjects like history, geography, biology and science etc. Also in no particular order, no set days for a particular subject. If the children are enjoying a particular aspect of the study, we continue, we make the most of that interest, at that time.
* Like many of you, I'm sure ~ Mondays are always a big cleaning day. We get this out of the way before school work. A clean and orderly house is an enormous relief before starting the week!
* When in Goulburn on Tuesdays, we help Granny and Grandpa with mowing, shopping, errands. Whenever time avails, we visit op-shops and craft and project stores. Also, the children visit the Goulburn library.
* When in Queanbeyan on Wednesdays, we clean the workshop, do business errands, banking and post. All the children are involved. When in Canberra, the children attend music lessons. Also, we do our fresh food and bulk shopping from the local markets and wholesalers. In the late afternoon we are back in Queanbeyan for Bible Institute.
* At home on Thursdays, the girls are involved with our business administration. This is the day Sam 'potters'.
* At home on Fridays, the girls and I are busy with general domestic science. We clean, cook (twice-a-month-cooking in Autumn/Winter) bake, sew, create, quilt, applique, decorate. This is our 'girls' day. Sam is at the workshop with his dad, learning the art of 'workshop as well as 'the ropes' of running a family business.
We like the children to be busy and productive all the time. We don't entertain them, but set up our home with a variety of opportunities for them to learn and keep busy (see notes on our schoolroom). We encourage them to read a variety of fiction and personal interest books by themselves (irrespective of what we are currently studying). We encourage them to work on projects and try and figure out the problems arising by themselves, before asking for help. We encourage them to research before 'jumping' into a new project and also to finish one project before planning and financing another. Oh, and we strongly encourage afternoon naps! Ha! Three full days in town and long trips either way becomes very tiring for all. This situation calls for learning at all hours, in a variety of places. The children have learned to bring books or hobbies with them as we go about and perform our responsibilities.