Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: independent work

This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 9 months ago by ruth.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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August 20, 2013 at 7:42 pm
ruth
Participant
For those that have thier children working independantly, what steps did you take to get them there? I am trying to start to get my son (8) more independant but school is now becoming difficult as a result. I am not sure if I am expecting too much from him to soon or if it is just a heart issue. He only started reading last year and still struggles with words sometimes. I have been re-reading The Self Propelled Advantage and listening to her talks on blogtalkradio.com and I don’t think in the past I had very high expectations for my dc. I am trying to raise the bar but am meeting resistance. I would appreciate some thoughts on how I can get him to be more independant.
August 20, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
For us, I had to list out everything he needed to do and he checks it off. When he is older he will have more responsibilty here. The first week, I worked along side him to direct and help, doing so less each day until he was ready to do it on his own. For narration it says on his list after reading “go tell mom what you read about”. He still constantly updates me on what he has left to do. He has to bring his finished work to me to check after each subject and correct anything missed. His schedule is in Excel and I handwrite page numbers or book titles each week. Send me a pm with your email if you want to see it.
He still joins in on read alouds and I give a weekly spelling test and teach math lessons, plus the extra arts like music and picture study. I explained to him that if he takes a short cut on his work, it only gets him further behind as he would then not be improving in skills or learning what he needs to be. He has done well with it and tries to get all of his work done in a timely manner. I do have to check with him if he has not come to me in a while for me to check his work or to give his narration. If he gets stuck on something he does not come and ask for help. I am trying to find a remedy for this besides me coming to him. I have him read aloud for family Bible time in the morning to keep working on that skill. His other readings are silent to himself. We are starting to have a quiet time and I have him do his reading then.
August 20, 2013 at 10:38 pm
Rebekahy
Participant
Ruth – I LOVE that book and it’s what I’m using to direct my girls, but I think one of the things about self-learning is that it SHOULD be a joy and not a chore – so perhaps it’s just a little too soon with him. My oldest had to be more self-sufficient out of necessity (so many youngers taking up my time), but now she LOVES being able to get done with her school work without having to constantly wait for me. I would just move into it more slowly, offer more rewards and encouragement for taking the initiative, and make up some excuses to be less available so that he’s sitting around waiting on you – maybe that will help him want to work on his own to get done earlier.
August 20, 2013 at 10:54 pm
ServingwithJoy
Participant
Never read the book, but for us the transition to independent work is VERY gradual – usually beginning in about the 2nd-3rd grade.
Copywork is the first subject I generally train them to do independently. We set the timer, they are instructed to do their very best work until the timer goes off. If they have a language arts program, that generally comes next as far as independent work. Math would be last. All of this seatwork gets checked subject by subject, until independent work is natural. Then the entirety of their seatwork can be checked as it is completed.
Once my kids are reading fluently (about 3rd grade, usually) they are assigned independent book reading in the afternoon. I start with having them do a narration every day of their reading. Once I know they are comprehending well, I go to more occasional narrations.
The last subjects for us to transition are the family subjects like History, Read Aloud, Science, Bible, etc…We are now transitioning my 6th and 7th graders to almost complete independence in those areas. I would say that this is where the assignment checklists and written narrations really become necessary.
Some things we will continue to do as a family, forever! Devotions, Hymn Study, family read alouds, picture and composer study, nature study…these are things that have just become part of our family ‘atmosphere’ and I hope we will continue as long as the kids are at home.
Hope that gives you some idea of what we do around here and what a typical transition to independent work might look like!
August 20, 2013 at 11:33 pm
missceegee
Participant
Timers are excellent helps! Slow and steady is key. Pick one thing and get that going first. You will get to where you want faster that way.
My ds9 does personal Bible time, scripture memory, math facts, math, copywork, some science and some history independently. It didn’t happen overnight though.
August 20, 2013 at 11:43 pm
ruth
Participant
Thanks for all the advice. I had a feeling I would have to go slow with him but didn’t really see how.