Posted by Nanette Blank on November 04 2009 at 01:22:01:
In Reply to: maybe I want advice, maybe I just want you to say posted by Elodie on November 03 2009 at 10:34:52:
I know you have already gotten some good advice, but I thought I would chime in because for once I can say we are doing well with getting work done. My son is 16 and my daughter 11. I started with daily lists, and last year I gave the kids a whole weeks at a time with the days marked, but found there was procrastinating and too much doing all of one subject and "running out of time" for others. So I switched to giving them assignments daily. I just take what I put down for the whole week, "cut, paste, and print". Emailing them is fun to and it seems so official!
The kids have also been doing well keeping school work to a rhythm. For example: the 11 yo always has 6 assignments, 2 reading, 2 math, 2 writing. Everyday one of the readings is a book that she is working through, then Mon- health, Tues- root word, ect. Really, it is working well, and we don´t use a pre-planned curriculum. I don´t know why I fought this or embrace it before maybe its my rebellion. You should be able to find a rhythm to the Oak Meadows because this is a strong component to the Waldorf pedegogy that Oak Meadows started with.
I also found that my son could finish all his work for a week and do it a day early, when a new video game came out that he wanted to take the day off to play! It was a deal we made. He responds better to carrots. Maybe start with a short required list for the day and get some success for him.
There are still plenty of days that I come home and they have to do work while I make dinner or even after dinner, or on the weekend, but there aren´t any arguments about it. Who doesn´t sneak dessert before dinner occasionally.
One last thought be prepared for the day he´s on task and she´s not. I call mine the Two Little Bears from the AA Milne poem.
Best of Luck,
Nanette