Let's Get Ready for Fall: Create a Safety Net

I work with many home-school families as well as teach with a local Co-op.  One piece of advice I give families comes from Mary Kay Clark's book, 'Catholic Home Schooling': Read a book each week and write a book report.  The home-school families I work with use very different curriculae and approaches to teaching.  Many of these are large families.  My advice is to create a safety net.  Have the children read a book and create a report each week.  Now, the report can take many forms. Google 'book report' for ideas.  I think a simple description and an illustration with a title is perfect for a child in first grade.  The child can dictate the report to her parent or older sibling.  He may record his report.  The illustration might substitute for a formal report.  The child can summarize the book to Dad orally.  Vary the approach and keep a log of books.  I encourage families to log the books electronically.  However, the child can keep the log by copying the title into a dedicated English notebook with a written summary or illustration.   Look at all the skills: reading, writing, organization, and record-keeping.  Here is another tip to create a safety net: copy work.  Apologia's Young Explorers' journals have Bible verses to copy.  Get your child in the habit of copying sentences or even paragraphs, especially well-written work.  Bible verses which coincide with lessons are a great way to open each day. One family also does basic math drills every single day, especially for younger children.  Perhaps, you might do drills two or three times a week.  Set up a safety net for your family which includes the basics: reading, writing, math facts, and a report.  That way, when the baby is fussy with a fever, the toilet is backed up, the toddler is tearing apart the pantry again, or you're indisposed with morning sickness, the rest of the children have their basic routine.  You'll have more peace of mind knowing they're getting the basics.  You can throw their reading and copy books in a bag to work on at the doctor's office.