Afternoon school

[jen1134]

Has anyone found a way to accomplish school in the afternoons with kids with ADHD? Most of my crew's brains are fried by noon, but the inability to do schoolwork in the afternoon is causing problems.

The older kids and I have our two-family cottage school on Monday mornings, so the younger set does Enrichment at home with my husband. The problem is that this gives them a 3-4 day "weekend" from their SC work (depending on how the previous Friday went) so Tuesday is mostly spent re-training in the basics of attention and cooperation. This can get pretty intense and they're not back into their groove until Wednesday or even Thursday, by which point I'm shot due to the intensity on top of a new, much heavier, work schedule with our business and anything that may have come up academically or behaviorally with the older guys. That all makes Friday a toss up school-wise. If it's one of my down weeks health-wise, everything is worse. Needless to say, this all REALLY throws off my 5yo with EF/sensory. She bit a hole in her brother's shirt today.

So, I'd like to get them doing school on Monday afternoons, but not sure if that will just be another battle due to time of day. Any thoughts?

[cherylswope]

Re: Afternoon school

Any way to change your cottage school day to Friday? We found Mondays to be our most productive day of the week.

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Any way to change your cottage school day to Friday? We found Mondays to be our most productive day of the week.

I'm not sure...

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Just checked the calendar at the library we meet at. The room we need is booked on Fridays. We need to keep this location as it's on Eastern time (we each live on opposite sides of the border between Eastern and Central). Since the library is on Eastern time, we can start at 9EST (8 my time). If we moved to a Central time location, the other family's cottage school day wouldn't end until 3pm and that's way too late.

[JeSha]

Re: Afternoon school

Jen,
Could changing where you have or do
school help? As in if your normally in the kitchen could going to the living room or possible outside make a difference?

Sharon
In Texas

[VAmom]

Re: Afternoon school

Not to be the dunce of the class, but is it possible for your husband to do other work with the younger kids?

Heidi

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Not to be the dunce of the class, but is it possible for your husband to do other work with the younger kids?

Heidi

I don't think so. He spends about an hour and a half with them on enrichment and then works while they play quietly, intervening as needed. He's does an amazing job and the kids love it, but it's also been a big sacrifice on his part due to our client workload and his own ADD.

[Katie]

Re: Afternoon school

Jen,

I don't really have any grand ideas, but I have found my two that are more sensory, dis tractable, emotional, actually work better for me in the afternoons. They need to "get it all out" in the mornings. This is NOT my ideal school day as I am an early bird and much happier and energetic in the morning. I like my late afternoons for catching up on chores, errands, etc. So, I often grumble about still doing school until supper some days. But I find with one child particularly, that I spend my whole morning getting this child to stay focused, to not disappear, to be kind and respectful to me and siblings..so then we still find ourselves in the afternoon really accomplishing anything worthwhile. My second oldest is very independent and diligent so she will get to work early and stay on it until she's done..which leaves her to play with and occupy my littles if need be in the afternoon. I dream of all of my children starting early and finishing early, but, I have learned to compromise and let go of my Dream Homeschool. You may not have that flexibility with your work, and I know that doesn't really solve your Monday issue, but could you consider starting school later the rest of the days too, creating a schedule and routine for the afternoon? Could you do your work and big kids school in the morn? Maybe if this child is in the routine of doing school in the afternoon, Monday's wont be so hard? How about some exercise then a quiet rest time in between your co-op and homeschool?...a time to de-stress and resettle before getting back to work?

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Jen,

I don't really have any grand ideas, but I have found my two that are more sensory, dis tractable, emotional, actually work better for me in the afternoons. They need to "get it all out" in the mornings. This is NOT my ideal school day as I am an early bird and much happier and energetic in the morning. I like my late afternoons for catching up on chores, errands, etc. So, I often grumble about still doing school until supper some days. But I find with one child particularly, that I spend my whole morning getting this child to stay focused, to not disappear, to be kind and respectful to me and siblings..so then we still find ourselves in the afternoon really accomplishing anything worthwhile. My second oldest is very independent and diligent so she will get to work early and stay on it until she's done..which leaves her to play with and occupy my littles if need be in the afternoon. I dream of all of my children starting early and finishing early, but, I have learned to compromise and let go of my Dream Homeschool. You may not have that flexibility with your work, and I know that doesn't really solve your Monday issue, but could you consider starting school later the rest of the days too, creating a schedule and routine for the afternoon? Could you do your work and big kids school in the morn? Maybe if this child is in the routine of doing school in the afternoon, Monday's wont be so hard? How about some exercise then a quiet rest time in between your co-op and homeschool?...a time to de-stress and resettle before getting back to work?

I'll have to talk this idea over with my husband...since our work is client-based, it tends to pick up in the afternoons as clients start sending/responding to emails, calls, etc.

I checked with my 9yo and he said that he would actually prefer doing school after dinner My 5yo said she wants to do school "when[ever] she wants to"...I told her that's not happening

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Jen,
Could changing where you have or do
school help? As in if your normally in the kitchen could going to the living room or possible outside make a difference?

Sharon
In Texas

Sorry I never responded to this post! Most of his work is writing intensive and he really needs to be at a table for that. We don't have a coffee table and our kitchen/dining room gets pretty cold during the winter (old house, little/no insulation). He's light sensitive so when I tried holding school outside, he was miserable. In spring/summer we can probably do some reading outside if he has sunglasses on, but then there's the whole "look! squirrel!" phenomenon (literally -- we have a ton of squirrels in our yard, lol)....

[Anita]

Re: Afternoon school

Honestly, Jenn, looking at all your data, I’d say cottage school needs to go for awhile. From everything you’ve stated (your kids’ need for consistency, your afternoon client workload, your husbands ADD, the library timing, your five-year-old’s behavior, et al) this doesn’t sound like the season for a two-family co-op. I understand there’s a commitment there and (if I remember correctly) you’re helping out the other family in some way (I can’t remember if it was tutoring or assisting the mom... it’s in one of your posts somewhere — or maybe I’m imagining that?). However, this might be one of those “good” things that gets in the way of something “great” — aka a more peaceful home, completed work, health and sanity.

BUT! If this is your only social outlet I fully understand the need to hang on with all ten fingernails to that interaction. Being With People is something we cannot take for granted in homeschooling. Otherwise, it just feels like you, homeschooling, work, cleaning All. The. Time. And that’s not a recipe for Happy Mama (usually).

So what’s stopping you from ditching co-op? Is it more compelling than the adverse conditions keeping it creates? Weigh out the pros and cons. That’s my $0.02

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Honestly, Jenn, looking at all your data, I’d say cottage school needs to go for awhile. From everything you’ve stated (your kids’ need for consistency, your afternoon client workload, your husbands ADD, the library timing, your five-year-old’s behavior, et al) this doesn’t sound like the season for a two-family co-op. I understand there’s a commitment there and (if I remember correctly) you’re helping out the other family in some way (I can’t remember if it was tutoring or assisting the mom... it’s in one of your posts somewhere — or maybe I’m imagining that?). However, this might be one of those “good” things that gets in the way of something “great” — aka a more peaceful home, completed work, health and sanity.

BUT! If this is your only social outlet I fully understand the need to hang on with all ten fingernails to that interaction. Being With People is something we cannot take for granted in homeschooling. Otherwise, it just feels like you, homeschooling, work, cleaning All. The. Time. And that’s not a recipe for Happy Mama (usually).

So what’s stopping you from ditching co-op? Is it more compelling than the adverse conditions keeping it creates? Weigh out the pros and cons. That’s my $0.02

We each teach 5 classes on Mondays to our 5th and 8th graders. We each play to our strong suits with her teaching Latin and Science for both grades and Literature for 5th. I teach Composition and Classical Studies for both grades and Literature for 8th.

The cottage school covers all of our kids' subjects except Geography, Spelling and Math so it wouldn't be anywhere near fair to her if I was to back out in the middle of the year. Hence, trying to find creative workarounds for the younger set for the rest of the school year. My husband and I are still looking at all of our possibilities for next year.

[Colomama]

Re: Afternoon school

What about adding academics to monday enrichment? Daddy reads the read-aloud, discuses the art, etc. But, then, kids do some sort of response to that? They try to draw the painting or use a similar style to create their own masterpiece. They re-tell the read-aloud in some fashion...act it out with a lego creation or stuffed animals.

In short, it's not just goof off the rest of the day as long as it's quiet. They have some very independent activity that they do in response to enrichment. I've found that continuing the idea of an 'assignment' on those off days helps ease back into a stricter routine on the next 'on' day.

Could they do flashcards to eachother? (I forget their age). Now granted, you'll have to teach them how to do this and there will inevitably be some goofiness, but still could work their brains.

How about Copywork? That's pretty independent. Writing their spelling words?

[Anita]

Re: Afternoon school

What about adding academics to monday enrichment? Daddy reads the read-aloud, discuses the art, etc. But, then, kids do some sort of response to that? They try to draw the painting or use a similar style to create their own masterpiece. They re-tell the read-aloud in some fashion...act it out with a lego creation or stuffed animals.

In short, it's not just goof off the rest of the day as long as it's quiet. They have some very independent activity that they do in response to enrichment. I've found that continuing the idea of an 'assignment' on those off days helps ease back into a stricter routine on the next 'on' day.

Could they do flashcards to eachother? (I forget their age). Now granted, you'll have to teach them how to do this and there will inevitably be some goofiness, but still could work their brains.

How about Copywork? That's pretty independent. Writing their spelling words?

Lesson plans, Jenn? I like this idea and approach as well. Maybe you could write up a quick Monday lesson plan for your husband. Nothing difficult, but something more structured than what is happening now. If you are already using a lesson plan for enrichment, just use any extra space to tack on a few of these ideas.

I feel for you: Monday is our HARDEST day of the week — every single week! If something’s going to blow up, it’s going to blow up on a Monday. My oldest, in particular, is the most challenging on Mondays. He just spent two days off and getting him back in to school on Mondays means signing up for a litany of complaints, excuses and belligerence. Once we get rolling, it’s not so bad. And the rest of the week is quite productive. But MONDAY?! (bangs head against table)

[jen1134]

Re: Afternoon school

Lesson plans, Jenn? I like this idea and approach as well. Maybe you could write up a quick Monday lesson plan for your husband. Nothing difficult, but something more structured than what is happening now. If you are already using a lesson plan for enrichment, just use any extra space to tack on a few of these ideas.

I feel for you: Monday is our HARDEST day of the week — every single week! If something’s going to blow up, it’s going to blow up on a Monday. My oldest, in particular, is the most challenging on Mondays. He just spent two days off and getting him back in to school on Mondays means signing up for a litany of complaints, excuses and belligerence. Once we get rolling, it’s not so bad. And the rest of the week is quite productive. But MONDAY?! (bangs head against table)

Michelle & Anita, my husband had this same idea as we were talking yesterday! Your posts are definitely confirmation for us. We'll go ahead and add the cursive practice sheets, flashcards, and some Moose Moments or Primary Phonics reading to the mix and see if it helps. <3