Thursday, August 17

Grow Up So Fast (Chantal Kreviazuk)

Five Days of Getting Your Homeschool Year Off on the Right Foot

Homeschooling is a big job!  If you're trying to be mom, wife, housekeeper, chauffeur, and're going to tucker out quickly.

One way to keep your homeschool running smoothly is to assign age-appropriate chores.  Responsibility charts are also a good way to teach kids to keep up with their school assignments.

Here are the things we use...

School Responsibility Charts
We've been using these for several years now, but periodically update them to reflect changes in interest and age level.  All of our charts are available FREE at our Teachers Pay Teachers store.  This year's change is a Star Wars-themed chart that separates the schoolwork from the electives - hence showing where their priorities ought to lie.  When they've completed the assigned lesson, they get to mark in each Imperial symbol.

Chore Responsibility Charts / Allowance
I can remember, as a kid, getting to stick little stars next to my chores each evening after completing them.  It was so gratifying to see those little rows of stars going all the way across!  While we don't use that kind of chart, we do use a base allowance system, with additional opportunities for earnings.

See - I figure that school is their job.  And just like we'd expect to be paid for doing a good job, I want them to learn that a job well done gets earnings, while a job that is not done well does not get earnings.  (Whether that still holds true in today's society is a different argument.)  They have a base set of chores, which earns them a base weekly allowance.  Their pay can be docked, if chores aren't completed properly.  Allowance is paid in Mom Bucks.

In addition, just like we could choose to pick up a side job, they have the opportunity to help out around the house for extra money - particularly when trying to earn one of those big Lego sets.  What they haven't figured out yet (so don't tell them!) is that by volunteering to do something, they get a little extra.  I want them to learn to look around and notice what needs to be done...

That said, our new-teenager is going to be learning all sorts of chores this year, such as mowing the yard.  He's terribly thrilled (dripping with enthusiasm...) about getting to do outside chores, but I suspect that, given his introverted nature, he'll come to appreciate the alone-time it affords him.

No comments :