Individual Work in Homeschool

Candace was asking me about how I manage my boys' independent schoolwork and keep them accountable to get everything done. Here is what we started this year and it has worked out wonderfully. I have to admit that I didn't come up with the idea, but got it from someone on the Five in a Row boards last summer. I first make a chart for every day of the week and what subjects that need to be done on each day. We don't do some subjects every day so it is important for me to keep record of what we should be doing. Below is an example of Zach's schedule. This weekly schedule doesn't change. This schedule is cut out and put on the front of a file folder. I then went and had the whole folder laminated. He is able to use a wet erase marker each day to mark off what he has done. We clean the schedules off at the end of the week. I then print out the second chart you see and fill it out (just write it by hand) for two weeks. The items on the second chart are his individual work that he can do on his own. In the boxes, I normally put page numbers or specific directions of what he needs to do on his own. I then adhere this page inside the folder with Repositionable glue (I call it "post-it note glue"). Zach can then go to this page and figure out exactly what needs to be done on his own. When the two weeks is over I pull out the page and then do another one. Below Zach's examples I have included Noah's schedules. If there is ever a time we don't finish all that was assigned I make allowances (within reason) or when the two weeks is up just adjust the next two week schedule.