I believe one of the BIGGEST struggles that parents deal with regarding their student completing their work or the task at hand is TIME MANAGEMENT!
A homeschooling student that last TIME MANAGEMENT can pretty much drive a parent cRaZy!!!
What does this picture have to do with the conversation at hand?
Nothing at all. Just thought it was a cRaZy looking picture! hehe
Here are some pointers I believe will help your student with Time Management particularly for the high school student.
- List out all of the work to be completed for the day or for the week. This really depends on how his work load is structured. My children attend our UCHU STEAM Academy, have a few classes on line and work courses done at home. I have a form that they fill out that helps them to *see* what the week should look like. What they need to focus on and on what days that work must be completed by. Click HERE to view it.
- Set a timer and allot an amount of time the student must work on each subject. When the buzzer goes off it is time to move on to the next subject rather they have completed the work or not.
- Keep an eye on them. Students can wonder off to *la-la land* if we aren’t holding them accountable.
- Give breaks periodically for them to clear their mind, focus on something else or just to stretch their bones.
- Keep them in the same room with you if at all possible. A student with a struggle of time management will not be diligent if they are totally left to their own devices.
- Remove all distractions. Unfortunately other siblings can’t be removed completely. But maybe away from the student and into another room they can go.
- Follow-up. Do a review of required work at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week. This will hold them accountable.
- Consider having the student report the completion of their work to their Dad, to a neighbor, to a church member etc. This will be the accountability that they must follow through on. Sometimes if it is Mom it’s not seen as the most importn.
- Keep the same schooling hours so that they can adjust to a routine of schooling and a routine of life. If they know every Monday certain things must be completed at a certain hour this should help with Time Management.
- Consider a reward if they stay on task for the day as planned. Awarding may be the one thing that proves to bring a triumph. If not, then don’t continue with rewards.
If you have other suggestions for time-management please comment in the section below.
Each homeschool, each family and each student are each so different. However, in our differences we certain can glean from each other a thing or two. Or three!
Serving Your and Yours,
Angela Perry, UCHU Director