Responding to Stephanie’s questions

I didn't want to respond in the comments because it would have gotten to long Stephanie from http://my3feistykids.homeschooljournal.net/ asked,

"What kind of work do you do?

I like your idea of a weekly “do” list. I have been considering trying this with my kids (instead of taking it from day to day). What might one of your lists look like? Do you, your husband, and the kids develop them collaboratively? Does your family like this system?

I hope you don’t mind the questions. I love learning from other home educators."

I don't mind the questions at all! Gives me something to write about!

I work in virtual education. The school that I work for provides materials, computer, resources, support and testing for families who are interested in enrolling and teaching their children at home using that model. My job involves overseeing math - training teachers and supplying them with resources; helping parents with resources and support; working directly (virtually) with students, especially in the middle school age. In a previous life (two short school years ago) I was a middle school math and science teacher. This job has given me the flexibility to be at home with my kids while supporting other people being at home with their kids. I love it! It has also provided me with some amazing resources for my own kids.

The To-Do Lists

This could practically be a post all to itself! Every half year or so, the kids and I will talk about what they want to learn/do. When they were in school, they always had the option to be there for that year. Now that they're out, they have the option as well. It is not necessarily a day by day option though, but more of a longish term commitment... to a point. If something is not working, it gets trashed. With all of this, plus the ways they learn best and the things they enjoy the most in mind, I create the weekly lists.

I use the backbone-of-choice (couldn't live without one, because I just don't have time) which is a particular curriculum that I find to be of excellent quality. I take what I want from the recommended activities and put it in to the list. I look for additional resources on Cosmeo and add those. I look for related books on the library website, and on Netflix and order what I need. I look at our calendar for the week and rearrange subjects and workloads accordingly.

Many people don't like the idea of rewards for schoolwork. I disagree. We don't have letter grades, and I think recognition of a job well done is important. At my job (and many jobs) there are performance bonuses for excellent work. There are also raises and promotions, in addition to recognition for excellent work. If I worked only for myself, I would set goals for myself and reward myself for reaching them. My kids choose their learning goals, and having outside incentive helps them to reach them. Plus, it's just fun!

They get a treat for completing the week's list, for completing a full month, and for completing a full quarter of the year (10 weeks). This is not set 100% in stone; things can be removed or changed by mutual consent. Also if something does not get done (which is pretty much only when I am unavailable for them or something unexpected comes up in the schedule), it can be completed the next day. Our "prizes" were decided upon together at the beginning of the year. Weekly prizes are slurpees or Starbucks; monthly is a pizza date; quarterly is a video game. These are all things that we would do in the past anyway; now it is just an extrinsic incentive for those times that the intrinsic motivation is sleeping, or to enhance the intrinsic motivation :).

So, the big ideas are decided upon collaboratively between me and the kids. The actual weekly lists are put together by me (takes a few hours each weekend). They are planned around each individual, though, and their stated and observed preferences, interests, and abilities. Rewards were decided upon collaboratively. There are not punishments or anything; it just hasn't been necessary. They don't have to get their work done first in order to watch tv or play games or something, although if the work is just not getting done and time is slipping away I will remind them. The kids like knowing exactly what should get done, it makes it really easy for them to work independently when I need them to, they can do something ahead of time if they want, it makes me feel like we are all accountable to each other and I am fulfilling my obligations for their education... it is working very well. It is a bit of a commitment on my part to get it done every weekend and to keep up with it each day, and so far so good.  For us it has been well worth it.