??s about folder w/ independent work & index card/memorization ideas

[Stacia]

I know I've seen these topics discussed on the old forums (maybe here too & I missed it?), but I'm trying to revamp our schedule/plan a little bit & both of these ideas are intriguing to me. I've had a bit of a struggle this year rolling juggling 2 kids & still haven't hit my stride, I think.

I'm looking for ways to help keep one child on track when I'm working w/ the other one. I'm thinking folder work would fit the bill pretty well. Maybe fill it w/ some additional worksheets, like math practice, copywork, logic or other pencil puzzles, etc.... Any ideas what to include or how to go about it? Do I fill it up each week w/ new things? Should everything get completed each week (thus helping to teach organization/planning/scheduling skills)? Etc...?

And, I know I've read about how some of you utilize an index card/file box system for teaching/reviewing memory work -- poetry memorization, grammar rules, math facts, foreign language vocabulary, etc.... How exactly do you set this up? Do you review everything every single day? How many cards are you reviewing in a day? Etc...?

Any and all ideas/helps would be appreciated. I'd love to get our days a bit more streamlined & productive & I think these 2 (hopefully painless) changes could produce some big (positive) results. :)

Thanks, you guys!

[Beth in Central TX]

Here is the system I use for memory cards: http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

For our weekly work, I print out a weekly schedule for each boy from Edu-Track. Each boy has his own color-coded notebook with 5 tab dividers for each day of the school week. Each Sunday I put any loose worksheet or test in the notebook that needs to be done that week. The weekly schedule tells them the subjects they do each day and what each assignment is (ie. Botany: read ch 2 pgs 8-15 & do notebook exercise). They check their notebook each day for any additional worksheets. They check off their schedule once the subject is complete. I have our daily and weekly flashcard work listed in our weekly schedule.

This was very hard to explain in writing. I hope it makes some sense to you!

[St. Theophan Academy]

We use the memory box like the CM link above, but here is a link to how Jessica sets hers up a little bit differently.

http://triviumacademy.blogspot.com/2007/09/our-memory-notebook.html

I like the box myself, though we only have subject categories, plus a category I call "current". The new stuff is in there, and gets reviewed every day. Then I move through each subject and do one or two items (they are then moved to the back of that subject.) So we might do 2 old Bible verses, each child does a poem, they might have to recite the planets for science, etc.

As for the notebook - I set up a weekly notebook - 3 ring binder - with 5 dividers. I put a latin drill in there, a math drill, copywork, grammar exercises - whatever I want to review and reinforce that week. I set it up on Sunday with the weeks work, then he is responsible for getting it done each day during the down times when I am working with the other.

[mamato9]

Our system is simular to the folder idea. I like the idea of having everything in a binder though and may encorporate something like that. But how I do it..
Each child (I have five that I am homeschooling, six if you include the preschooler) but each child has their own designated color that is the same on their MOTH schedule. I have the days of the week accross the top and subjects down the side. Each week I print one up and fill in what i want them to do, the older girls can fill in some of this themselves. Then each child has their own clip board that we keep haning on the wall. Any worksheets or extras they need are on the clip board too. Then when they complete an assignment they check it off. This way at any time of the day I can look on the wall or ask a child for their clip board and I can see at a glance who is goofing off or is stuck somewhere, or what we need to do together.

Lora