"5 before lunch"

Would you like a method that will get kids to go on to another subject even if you're busy with his/her sibling?
I mean, if Mama is helping one child, and it's taking a bit, and is not available when you get stuck on #11, um...  you do not have to sit staring at #11 or daydreaming for 10 minutes.  Please can you go do typing or silent reading?  Or times tables?  Or even listen to Bible online?  
Or maybe Mama isn't looking, so you go into a sibling's room and then the two of you goof off...
10 minutes here and there can quickly add up to an hour or more.....

Well, that has not been happening here for awhile (not too much anyway). 😁

I decided to assign point values for each subject, depending on how long it should take to complete.
The kids have to get 5 points before lunch, and if they're done early, they get to take break/lunch early.
If they somehow have not gotten 5 points, they still get lunch, but not quite as much break as they would have.

We usually start around 9:00, and have at least a 1-hour break/lunch around 12:00 if necessary, but usually before.
(My kids are all teens, so they can go longer w/out a break than little ones can.)
As soon as they get 5 points, they can take break early if they wish, and still have break until 1:00.
They usually get to 5 points before 12. 😊

If they only have a little left, they might decide to work a little longer, or break only for lunch, knowing they can have a longer afternoon. Sometimes they start school early if they are planning to go somewhere w/ Grandma or cousins, etc.

I give 1 point for subjects that take around a half hour, give or take. The kids don't really know my system, so they don't argue if they think something should be worth more. They do see that harder subjects have more points.  They don't read my blog. 😁

So spelling, typing for 15 minutes, and silent reading (for dyslexic ds) are each ½ point.
History is 1 point per lesson for the twins (they do a block schedule and do 2 lessons a day), English is 1, math is 1½, Bible is usually 1, Dd16's Biology is 1 or more, Spanish is 1, Practicing piano is 1, etc.
Remember though, these are not all exactly half an hour.

Also for one child, practicing piano for X number of minutes is worse than practicing a song X number of times.  Once we switched, it was much easier.
Sometimes I change the number of times depending on the difficulty.

Sometimes it takes them a little longer for a subject, but unless it is obviously harder, I don't change the point value.  Occasionally if 2 or 3 subjects all seem to be just a little longer, I might grace them an extra ½ point completed.
Sometimes math is super easy, and I change it to 1, but they know this ahead. But only if it's really super easy. I try not to lower points if possible. Don't want to discourage them if they think they're nearly finished, then have an extra ½ point to make up.
►(I remember the story of a lady whose kids got up early, worked hard and got their work done early nearly every day. Another hs mom observed and suggested they do more work since they were able to get it all done so early. Um... way to unmotivate them??)
If it's harder, I'll change math to a 2. Usually it stays at 1½, though.
(But not if they take an hour and a half because they like to talk a lot. lol.)

We do kind of have a schedule of what order we do them in, but if something gets off a little (disruptions, etc.) they know they can fill in with another subject and still get their required amount done before lunch.
No one is sitting waiting, because they know they get their break as soon as they get 5 points.

This just helps keep things moving along.

And a subject is not DONE until all work is corrected, and I say it is done.
It has to be crossed off MY copy of their weekly schedule. 😊
And after lunch, the "light at the end of the tunnel" (or any activity they plan to do) encourages them to finish up. 

One other thing:  I've learned that doing math first causes it to take longer.
What?
Yep, it really does.  Math is The Dreaded Subject.
The long school day looms ahead, stretching out into infinityyyyyyy.....  "And this is just my FIRST subject??? sigh....."
So we do it last before lunch.  Remember that light at the end of the tunnel!
And after lunch, depending on the child, any other Dreaded Subject is last as well.

sMiLeS,