Step 3. Designing a Daily Schedule

After completing seven years of formal homeschooling and having six children, I knew more than nothing (still far less than everything), but I still took Pam Barnhill's course "Put Your Homeschool on Auto-Pilot" for $69. This course was worth every penny and my time watching the self-paced videos. Unless you feel like a superstar homeschooling mama who knows what she is doing (does she exist?) I highly, highly recommend it.

I am beginning my annual blog series on planning one's homeschool year! This year, I am publishing 4-6 weeks early because we are going to be moving homes, so my homeschool year has to be done being planned this very week. (Then it's on to two weeks of packing up boxes, Moving Day, three weeks of unpacking the house, and school begins with my Orientation Week!)

How Do I Design a Daily Schedule for my Homeschool?

Step 3 is to design the Daily Schedule for all five days of the week. Click here to read a thorough explanation of my process that I wrote last year. Sometimes during Step 3, I realize I have planned more than can possibly fit in the schedule, so that is my reality check to return to Step 2 and cut some subjects or change curriculum to something that can fit.

My post from last year explains extensively the why and how of a Daily Schedule. Below is an example of our planned schedule for 2019-20.

Joseph (First Grade)

For a child this young, I want as much routine as possible: the more he can know exactly what to expect next, the more the routine reduces need for discipline. My first grader's schedule will look virtually identical on all five days.

• Anytime after 6:00 Joseph may wake up and get himself cold cereal.
• 7:00-9:00 Play time in view of Mama while I exercise and get ready for my day.
• 9:00 Hot breakfast cooked by Mama
• 9:30  Fifteen minutes of piano practice with his big sister tutoring him
• 10:00 Penmanship and spelling with Mama and siblings
• 10:30-11:30 One-on-one teaching with Mama: Phonics, math, religion, science (what I call my "Golden Hour," and what I try to make sure occurs for my Kindergarteners and First Graders, even if everything else falls apart)
• 11:30 Free time before lunch
• 12:00 Lunch (and recess--outdoors, if possible)
• 1:00-2:30 Quiet time for 1.5 hours (Listen to educational CD--Bible, literature, history--play Legos, draw)

Margaret (3rd grade)

My third grader also has a lot of routine, with few changes. She grew much in independence last school year and I hope to encourage more of that this year.

• Anytime after 6:00 Margaret may wake up and get herself cold cereal. This is also a good time to wake with morning prayers and holy reading.
• 7:00 Violin practice for 30 minutes
• 8:00 Math online
• 8:30 Piano practice for 30 minutes
• 9:00 Hot breakfast cooked by Mama
• Half an hour of independent school work
• 10:00 Penmanship and spelling with Mama and siblings
• 10:30-11:30 Babysit 2- and 4-year-old brothers while Mama teaches
• 11:30 Grammar with Mama or independent History reading
• 12:00 Lunch (and recess--outdoors, if possible)
• Afternoon subjects rotate among history, music lessons, geography, and art. She should be done by 1:30 or 2:00 each day.

Mary (5th grade)

Has some variance because of enrollment in one live online class and sharing resources with siblings for online software and DVD courses.

General goal schedule:

• Anytime after 6:00 Mary may wake up and get herself cold cereal. This is also a good time to wake with morning prayers and holy reading.
• 7:30 Practice violin for 45 minutes
• 8:15 Practice piano for 45 minutes
• 9:00 Hot breakfast cooked by Mama
• 9:30 Tutor little brother in piano for 15 minutes
• 10:00 Penmanship and spelling with Mama and siblings
• 10:30 Math
• 11:00 Latin
• 11:30 Grammar
• 12:00 Lunch (and recess--outdoors, if possible)
• Afternoon subjects rotate among Socratic Discussion, history, music lessons, composition, geography, and art. She should be done by 3:00 each day.

John (7th grade)

General goal schedule:

• Anytime after 6:00 John may wake up and get himself cold cereal. He really likes to exercise in the mornings. This is also a good time to wake with morning prayers and holy reading.
• 7:00 Practice piano for 45 minutes
• 8:00 Math
• 9:00 Hot breakfast cooked by Mama
• 9:30 Grammar
• 10:00 History on most days
• 11:00 Lunch (and recess--outdoors, if possible)
• 12:00 Latin (live class 2 days/week, study 3 days/week)
• Afternoon subjects rotate among Socratic Discussion, history, music lessons, composition, geography, and art. He should be done by 3:00 each day.

Obviously, life will throw me curve balls! 

We will get sick for two weeks straight, or experience a crisis, or the toddler will clog the toilet with toys, or someone will fall out of a tree and be rushed to the ER . . . but I, personally, find that when I need to step out of the routine, I feel much calmer when I know how to simply step back into the routine whenever I am able to resume.

It works for me.


The last installment will be about writing procedure binders.