Time Blocks

Maybe "time blocks" are for you if you are having trouble finishing all the lessons you plan for the day. Consider this…rather than “completing the lesson”, set your timer and work diligently on a subject for a set amount of time.

For example, we have been using Rosetta Stone for Spanish since the girls were in 2nd and 4th grade. Although the program is relatively easy for adults, it is doable but somewhat harder for younger children. Instead of asking them, at 7 and 9 years old, to sit down and complete a lesson that might take an adult 20-25 minutes or more to finish, I used a kitchen timer and asked them to do as much as they could in 10 minutes. (The computer program keeps track of exactly where they stop.) It was slow going at first, but the good part was, they didn’t get overly frustrated or burnt out in just a few days. Over they years, I have added minutes to their required time blocks to correlate with their ability level. I’m also happy to say that SOMETIMES they will actually work a few extra minutes on their own because they are close to finishing a lesson or test.

We use All About Spelling and although it is also divided into lessons, we usually spend a pre-determined amount of time, and then I mark our place with a sticky note. That’s where we pick up the next day. I actually “teach” the spelling lessons, and I’ve learned it's smart to stop BEFORE they get tired.

I’ve used this “time block” method for all the subjects except math because I have found our math lessons, for the most part, tend to take the same amount of time each day. I don’t use time blocks with all subjects, all the time, but it’s especially useful on “busy” days or with subjects that are harder for your child and completing a lesson a day is frustrating for you both.

It’s interesting that even though we might not finish a whole lesson one day, we may finish two lessons the next day. Sometimes, companies make lessons too long, sometimes they are too short. Sometimes your child is ready to work hard and fast, sometimes they aren’t as motivated. This time block arrangement helps balance out all those variables.

In my opinion, the biggest advantage is the freedom it gives to focus on understanding without pressure to master a frustrating concept TODAY. Just because it’s in today’s lesson doesn’t mean it has to be done TODAY. Many tears have been shed over finishing a frustrating lesson, and when lessons become frustrating, the subject matter is rarely mastered, even if the lesson is finished.

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