Now on to Junior High and High School!

The concept behind the Independent Work List is that it helps a student become, well, independent. In that way, the chart/list/planner should grow with the child—more independence/less neediness.

More responsibility/less spoon feeding from Mom.

These will be in no true order–just some things that I want to re-emphasize from the younger ages as well as things that pertain only to olders.

1. Consider the document or chart that works best for your age child now.

Most kids in junior high and high school no longer want cutsie charts. Once you decide you want a genuine paper document, then you have to decide how you want it filled in:

a.  As he goes, he lists what he does each day, sort of a daily school journal.

b. You write in a planner each week for him for the following week (page
number, number of pages, lesson number, etc.).

c. You have a standard daily Independent Work List that you create in your
scheduling program or Excel—that you can customize when something
changes, etc. You print this off, put it on a clip board, and have him highlight
or mark off as he does things each day.

2. Consider if you are going to make his Independent Work List for him completely or if
you will have his input.

We liked to choose our high schoolers’ materials, schedules, lists, etc., with them, so that they have some input in the process–and to help model for them/teach them how to organize, prioritize, etc.

3. Still use some of the elements from the earlier suggestions (for younger kids) that are
universal, such as:

a. School is your child’s occupation. It is what he should be about during the
day.

b. Put the daily tasks in sections according to time of day or importance–and also in order according to when they should be done.

c. Have a system that works for you every day. Have his list on a clip board that he carries with him/keeps in his school area. Have him highlight as he does things. Have him leave it on your desk when he is done, etc.

d. Develop a “no exceptions” approach to daily independent work. A student doesn’t go to basketball, girls group, youth group, etc., until his daily independent work list is done.

4. Have blanks on the chart to add in any work from outside classes, music lessons, Bible quizzing, etc.

5. Put things that are not dailies where ever they go. This was always a little bit difficult for me.

a. Do twice weeklies go on Tuesday and Thursday (but Thursday is our lesson and
errand day…)?

b. Do three times weeklies always go M-W-F, even though Wednesday is our “cottage class day” and extras do not get done on that day?

c. This might take a while to get in the groove, but it is worth it to tweak things and make it work.

6. For junior high kids, consider that you might need smaller chunks (maybe two math
sessions at 30 minutes a day, etc.).

Again, you know your student and your family situation, so do whatever works best for you.

7. Consider if you want this Independent Work List to be his total chart/list for all aspects of his day at older ages:

a. Do you want to put his devotions, music practice, and outside work on there
too?

b. Do you want it to contain meetings/tutoring sessions with you?

c. Do you want it to also be his chore list?

8. There are some definite advantages to a junior high or high schooler having his day right in front of him in one spread sheet. However, this can also get overwhelming to some kids.

9. If you are using a “time” planner in which the time slots for each subject are written in, you might want to include times in which he meets with you, does chores, does lab with a sister, etc., so that he can see the big picture for how time fits together.

10. Consider switching to a start time/finish time approach and having him total up his time spent on school if he is having a lot of trouble with time management.

Seeing how much time actually got spent on important things and how much time got wasted can be invaluable in teaching older kids independence.

I hope that these posts have been a help to you. I can’t tell you how worth it, it is to implement independent lists!

LINKS

For a downloadable product with a dozen charts to use with various ages, check the store here!

Video: Independent Work Lists

Audio: Independent Work Lists

Audio: Using Your Planner to Get More Done

Audio: Overcoming Parenting Obstacles

Video: Using Consequence Pies

The post Independent Work Lists for Junior High and High School appeared first on Character Ink.

Once you have determined that you do need the structure for your student that Independent Work Lists provide for your school, there are many questions to answer and decisions to make. And these decisions will be different according to ages.

Here are some tips for using Independent Work Lists With Elementary Children:

1. Either make it on a chart that the child uses wipe and write markers and mount it
somewhere–or make it in Excel (or your favorite record keeping program) and place it
on a thin clip boards.

Trust me: loose papers never make it back to mom at the end of the day. (Spoken from true
experiences–plural–you would think I would have learned this the first time or two! )

2. Put things in the order of importance on the chart–in the order that you want them
done.

3. And/or put things in sections.

I used to have mine in order and sections–the first so many items needed done before the child
met with Mom or before the child had a morning snack or before lunch chores, or whatever.

Never underestimate the value of teaching children time management, prioritizing, etc. via
these daily checklists.

4. For things that you are uncertain of/change-ables, put time or generic wording, such as
“30 minutes of uninterrupted CQLA work” or “All Meaningful Composition assignments
from previous meeting with Mom,” etc.

5. Be sure to include drill work, silent reading, etc.–all the extras that you want him to do
each day.

(I even put the things that they would often do as I read aloud on this list in the section marked
“During Read-Aloud”–such as coloring in educational coloring book, penmanship page, building
something with Legos, etc.)

6. Be sure there is a time in which it is turned in each day.

If your child’s independent list is on a clip board, he can simply put the clip board on your desk
at the end of the day–all checked off and ready for the next day.

7. The Independent Work Checklist is, in part, to help keep the child moving as you are working with other kids, walking your college kids through a difficulty on the phone, or helping Grandma with something.

In other words, you want to teach your student to get up and start on the list
right away–and to go back to the list any time he is not meeting with you or doing chores, etc. (I
even put things like “Read to Jonathan for 15 minutes” and “30 minutes of morning devotional
book and journaling” on the list–everything the child does (outside of chores) was listed on this
chart.

I would love to answer questions about these daily charts. Leave your questions below—or email me, and I will get you some answers!

LINKS

For a downloadable product with a dozen charts to use with various ages, check the store here!

Video: Independent Work Lists

Audio: Independent Work Lists

Audio: Using Your Planner to Get More Done

Audio: Overcoming Parenting Obstacles

Video: Using Consequence Pies

The post How to Use Independent Work Lists for Elementary Children appeared first on Character Ink.

General Tips

1. Decisions about what to include in list
2. Decisions about what type of chart or printable
3. Explain to child that this is his daily accountability
4. Reinforce that school is his occupation
5. Daytime is for learning and working; evenings are for family and fun
6. Expectation Explanation: nothing else until list is done
7. Keep charts updated and ready
8. Enlist husband’s help
9. Be sure it really is an independent list
10. Inspect what you expect.

Elementary (or Before!)

1. May start early
2. Chart or clip boards?
3. Wipe and write board or permanent?
4. Moveable or markable?
5. Order
   a. Of importance?
   b. Time of day?
   c. Sections/by subject?

6. Generic wording when needed (30 mins…)
7. All extra school too
8. Other things in his day (chores, music, etc.)?
9. Time to turn it in
10. How often to check on it

Junior High and High School

1. Document changes as he grows
   a. Fill in as he goes?
   b. Planner?
   c. Standard independent work list?
2. Create together?
3. Elements from earlier
   a. School is his occupation
   b. Section/order of importance
   c. Clipboards
   d. No exceptions
4. Blanks for seasonal things
5. Non dailies
6. Smaller chunks and more frequent reporting for junior high kids or less independent high schoolers
7. All things on it
8. Time slots/start time and finish time?

See E-Book “Daily Duties: Independent Check Sheets for Students” for more ideas as well as for several types of charts that you can print off and use.

Sign up for the newsletter to get this as a freebie in your inbox!

LINKS

The Simplified Planner
Age Appropriate Chore Posters
Consequence Pies e-book
Podcast: How Do I Turn My Day from Chaos to Control? From Rowdy to Routine?
Podcast: Foundations for Becoming an Efficiency Expert in Your Home
Five Homeschooling Problems and Solutions
Ten Ways to Stay Close During Intense Training Times

Click here to listen to the podcast!

Save

The post Podcast Notes for “Independent Work Lists for All Ages” appeared first on Character Ink.

Donna Reish, author at Character Ink Press and Raising Kids With Character, brings you answers to your Independent Work Lists questions, or Daily Duties, as Donna likes to call them. In this episode, Donna talks in general about charts for kids’ daily independent work, including what kinds of charts, what order to put tasks, how to teach children to use them, and more. Then she delves into two age groups of chart users: elementary and junior high/high school. In those parts, Donna talks about how much help/oversight/structure a younger child might need in order to get his independent list done each day and then she branches out into helping our older kids become more independent and stronger in time management. Donna briefly introduces her ebook/download, “Daily Duties: Independent Check Sheets for Students,” which can be found at the Character Ink store.

Download the podcast notes here.

Listen to previous podcasts here.

See E-Book “Daily Duties: Independent Check Sheets for Students” for more ideas as well as for several types of charts that you can print off and use.

Sign up for the newsletter to get this as a freebie in your inbox!

Save

The post Podcast: Independent Work Lists for All Ages appeared first on Character Ink.

Today I would like to leave you some tips for Independent Work Lists–especially for older students (junior high through high school). These will be in no true order–just some things that I want to re-emphasize from the younger ages as well as things that pertain only to olders.

So here we go:

1. Consider the document or chart that works best for your age child now. Most kids in junior high and high school no longer want cutsie charts. Once you decide you want a genuine paper document, then you have to decide how you want it filled in:

a. As he goes, he lists what he does each day, sort of a daily school journal.

b. You write in a planner each week for him for the following week (page number, number of pages, lesso number, etc.).

c. You have a standard daily Independent Work List that you create in your scheduling program or Excel—that you can customize when something changes, etc. You print this off, put it on a clip board, and have him highlight or mark off as he does things each day.

2. Consider if you are going to make his Independent Work List for him completely or if you will have his input. We liked to choose our high schoolers’ materials, schedules, lists, etc., with them, so that they have some input in the process–and to help model for them/teach them how to organize, prioritize, etc.

3. Still use some of the elements from the earlier suggestions (for younger kids) that are universal, such as:

a. School is your child’s occupation. It is what he should be about during the day.

b. Put the daily tasks in sections according to time of day or importance–and also in order according to when they should be done.

c. Do your part to be sure that charts are updated, printed, and ready. I know from personal experience that if we are laxed in this–they become laxed real quick!

d. Have a system that works for you every day. Have his list on a clip board that he carries with him/keeps in his school area. Have him highlight as he does things. Have him leave it on your desk when he is done, etc.

e. Develop a “no exceptions” approach to daily independent work. A student doesn’t go to basketball, girls group, youth group, etc., until his daily independent work list is done.

4. Have blanks on the chart to add in any work from outside classes, music lessons, Bible quizzing, etc.

5. Put things that are not dailies where ever they go. This was always a little bit difficult for me. Do twice weeklies go on Tuesday and Thursday (but Thursday is our lesson and errand day…). Do three times weeklies always go M-W-F, even though Wednesday is our “cottage class day” and extras do not get done on that day. This might take a while to get in the groove, but it is worth it to tweak things and make it work.

6. For junior high kids, consider that you might need smaller chunks (maybe two math sessions at 30 minutes a day, etc.). Again, you know your student and  your family situation, so do whatever works best for you.

7. Consider if you want this Independent Work List to be his total chart/list for all aspects of his day at older ages:

a. Do you want to put his devotions, music practice, and outside work on there too?

b. Do you want it to contain meetings/tutoring sessions with you?

c. Do you want it to also be his chore list?

There are some definite advantages to a junior high or high schooler having his day right in front of him in one spread sheet. However, this can also get overwhelming to some kids.

Feel free to ask questions here on FB about the Independent Work Lists–I will try to answer them. I can’t imagine not having homeschooled without our three daily task lists: (1) Morning routines; (2) Chore charts; (3) Independent Work Lists!

The post Independent Work Lists for Older Students appeared first on Character Ink.

Earlier I described how we as homeschooling mothers need to be problem solvers.

One of the problems that we hear about over and over again when we are out speaking is that of students not completing everything that you want them to in any given day. AND keeping kids on task.

Our solution: Independent Work Lists!

Here are some tips for creating Independent Work Lists for elementary children:

1. Either make it on a chart that the child uses wipe and write markers and mount it somewhere–or make it in Excel (or your favorite record keeping program) and place it on a thin clip boards.

Trust me: loose papers never make it back to mom at the end of the day. (Spoken from true experiences–plural–you would think I would have learned this the first time or two! 😉 )

2. Put things in the order of importance on the chart–in the order that you want them done.

3. And/or put things in sections.

I used to have mine in order and sections–the first so many items needed done before the child met with Mom or before the child had a morning snack or before lunch chores, or whatever. Never underestimate the value of teaching children time management, prioritizing, etc. via these daily checklists.

4. Explain to your child that this is his daily accountability list. He is to get these things done each day. (Hint: We taught our children from their earliest recollection of school that school is their occupation. It was what they were supposed to be about every day. No questions asked. No exceptions (unless we parents wanted an exception for sickness or family trips, etc.–in other words, the child doesn’t choose to do school or not do school–ever).

5. For things that you are uncertain of/change-ables, put time or generic wording, such as “30 minutes of uninterrupted CQLA work” or “All CQLA assignments from previous meeting with Mom,” etc.

6. Be sure to include drill work, silent reading, etc.–all the extras that you want him to do each day.

(I even put the things that they would often do as I read aloud on this list in the section marked “During Read-Aloud”–such as coloring in educational coloring book, penmanship page, building something with Legos, etc.)

7. Be sure there is a time in which it is turned in each day.

This is kind of another subject, but it fits here as well: A child should not go to basketball practice, Girl Scouts, youth group, or any other activity if he doesn’t do his school. Period. We have so many parents come up to us at conventions and say, “I just can’t get my fifteen year old to finish his school each day, and he keeps getting further and further behind.” Then we ask, “Does he go to sports practice in the afternoon? Does he go to youth group that night?’ etc. etc. None of those things should ever happen if he doesn’t do his school. School is non-optional.

If your child’s independent list is on a clip board, he can simply put the clip board on your desk at the end of the day–all checked off and ready for the next day.

8. The Independent Work Checklist is, in part, to help keep the child moving as you are working with other kids, walking your college kids through a difficulty on the phone, or helping Grandma with something. In other words, you want to teach your student to get up and start on the list right away–and to go back to the list any time he is not meeting with you or doing chores, etc. (I even put things like “Read to Jonathan for 15 minutes” and “30 minutes of morning devotional book and journaling” on the list–everything the child does (outside of chores) was listed on this chart.

I just can’t stress enough the benefits of the Independent Work Lists–for Mom and for the student. It takes away gray areas of parenting (something crucial that we teach in our parenting seminars). It helps the child become an independent learner. It teaches many character qualities–perseverance, prioritizing, resourcefulness, responsibility, diligence, timeliness, and much more. Yeah, I am pretty crazy about my thirty years of Independent Work Lists! 😉

The post Creating Independent Work Lists for Elementary Children appeared first on Character Ink.