{photos by Julie Leppelmeier}
Let’s start off Trimester 3 with another installment in the blog series we’ve all come to know and love… a Day in the Life! This time around, Julie Leppelmeier agreed to record one of her home days and share it with us. Julie and her husband David have 3 kids enrolled on Track A – Jake (Intermediate), Harry (Primary), and Nolan (Primary), along with younger sister Stella at home. This is their 3rd year at SLO Classical Academy. You can probably imagine what a home day is like for this busy family, but you don’t have to imagine – read on!
0530
I’m up! Coffee, quick workout.
0630-0700
Shower/get dressed—it’s now or never. Stella woke up, got herself out of bed, and brought Minnie and Mickey Mouse into the bathroom for an impromptu dance party. She picks out clothes for the day and gets herself dressed.
0700-0800
This is when we (are supposed to) eat breakfast, make beds, get dressed, and brush teeth. Harry is dressed, but resists all else in favor of putting finishing touches on a Lego creation he started last night. Nolan and Stella help themselves to fresh fruit and toast. Jake goes for his usual—two sunny side up eggs—which he makes for himself. Harry joins us and settles on fresh fruit and a banana. (I know—a banana is fresh fruit. He knows it, I know it, everyone knows it. Don’t point it out.)
While they eat, I make myself a quick breakfast and make another cup of coffee. I give reminders, as necessary, to complete the circuit: “When you are done eating, please clear your breakfast dishes, make sure you haven’t dropped any food on the floor, get dressed if you aren’t dressed, brush your teeth, and make sure your bed is made!” I say this approximately one million times. I load and start the dishwasher, and round up stray dishes and stray food.
0810
Let us begin! Each child has his own checklist for the day. I make their checklists based on what is on their grid, and I add in a few extra fun things to keep it interesting. They scan for the “fun” items, and groan at some of the others. Stella serenades us with a very loud rendition of the alphabet, which earns her a checkmark for her list. She runs to find a puzzle. After they look over their lists, I send the boys to fetch their math books, journals, and anything else they need from their backpacks.
0815
I am distracted by a phone call from my husband, Dave, who is out of town for training during the week/home for the weekend for a few months. He needs documents and information to be scanned and e-mailed, and it has to be done now. It will take about 15 minutes—I give several suggestions for things the boys can do while they wait. Rejecting all of my suggestions, they each begin their own puzzle. There are now 4 puzzles, each at least 25 pieces, being put together at the same time. I take a moment to look out the window and make eye contact with the horizon.
I finish my scan/e-mail task, and notice that I have lost the children to a game of monkey in the middle. Is that a baseball? No, no, no. “ONCE AGAIN—we don’t throw baseballs in the house!”
0830
We gather on the couch to read Story of the World and Good Queen Bess. (If there is reading on the grid that everyone needs to hear, I like to start with that, otherwise we start with math). After I read, Jake encourages his brothers as we write 3 narration sentences. Once we have agreed on the sentences, Nolan makes a photocopy of the page so they each have something to work from for their copywork.
0900
Nolan and Harry move to the table to complete their copywork.
Jake begins Math. It is a “practice” day—there is not a home lesson.
Stella has loaded up her babies into her baby stroller and is taking them for a walk around the house. She tried recruiting her brothers, who are working diligently. Her efforts are thwarted. She takes it in stride.
0910
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY. Copywork proves to be more than one of them can handle at the moment. There are tears. My handwriting is criticized. I encourage this particular child to step away from the copywork.
Stella has moved on to magna tiles, and is busy distributing mini sculptures to each brother.
0920
Stella has removed the cushions from the couch. She is jumping on the cushions and eating an apple.
Nolan has finished his copywork, and is working on another sentence that I can use as a penmanship sample (I’m collecting work samples for progress reports today).
0935
Harry is reengaging! He changed hats, and his copywork/penmanship samples are in the works.
0940
Nolan moves on to math. (Ideally, Nolan and Harry will begin math at the same time. Occasionally, due to circumstances beyond my control, they don’t, and I teach the lesson twice). We gather manipulatives for the lesson.
Harry finished his copywork, makes a copy on the printer, and offers it for his penmanship sample. Boom. Bonus points for efficiency. Harry is all caught up, and he is ready for math.
We take a moment for Nolan and Harry to cut out and glue narration and copywork into journals before it gets lost.
Stella has been on my lap for the math lesson (she never misses an opportunity to “help” when there are math manipulatives, especially unifix cubes, in play). She has also been asking to watch Minnie Mouse approximately every 30 seconds for the last 15 minutes.
1000
We proceed with the Primary math lesson.
Jake finished with his math homework. While I check his work, he gives in on my behalf and sets Stella up with Minnie Mouse.
1020
We finish the Primary math lesson, and Nolan and Harry begin their Practice Worksheets.
Jake’s math checks out; he moves on to Piano. (We use an online Piano program called Hoffman Academy).
Stella hears the piano and comes running to see if she can be of any assistance.
Harry walked away from the table, and has returned, light saber in hand. Nolan walks away and returns with his own light saber. The light sabers flash and buzz while they finish their math work.
1045
Nolan and Harry finish their worksheets. I take a moment to check their work, and then send them to put their math books and worksheets in the backpack, but they have disappeared before my eyes. I hear a basketball bouncing outside. Jake finished piano, and Nolan slid into his spot. I make one more cup of coffee. Stella, torn between the piano and basketball, follows the sound of the basketball.
1100
I summon Jake and Harry from the basketball hoop, and we take a moment for a quick snack and drink. I stick my head outside and take a deep breath.
1110
Spelling! I teach the Level 1 spelling lesson while Jake plays with Stella. Then, they switch. After the lessons are complete, I have all 3 of them collect paper and pencils to prepare for dictation. (I usually give them a little flexibility during spelling dictation—colored pencils, pens, markers, dry erase board, etc, but I’m collecting samples today, so they oblige with lined paper and pencils). I alternate between L1 words/phrases and L3 sentences.
Stella colors and pretends to write letters, occasionally asking for clarification (“Mom, how do you spell “a”?)
1120
Stella has a hangnail that requires immediate attention.
1122
Spelling continues. Stella hit Harry on the head with a giant magnifying glass because she wants his hat. Spelling grinds to a halt until we can locate her own hat.
1125
Crisis averted. Spelling continues.
1140
Primary Spelling complete. Nolan grabs the snack that he missed earlier, and he and Harry head out to play basketball while I finish spelling and start Grammar with Jake.
1141
Nolan can’t find his basketball. Mayhem ensues. Details redacted.
1150
Basketball situation mitigated. Intermediate spelling and grammar continues.
1208
Intermediate spelling and grammar lessons complete. Work samples collected. Jake and Stella head out to play basketball while I make lunch.
1230-1315
Lunch on the back deck, our favorite part of the day.
1315
Clean up lunch.
1325
Primary Reading and Grammar with Nolan and Harry. Jake works on his narrative that is due tomorrow. Stella floats between the Lego pit and her magnetic ice cream scoop set.
1345
Primary Reading and Grammar lessons complete. Nolan and Harry begin independent reading; Jake is still working on his Narrative. Harry reads aloud to Stella for most of his 30 minutes. Stella prepares a tea party and looks at a book of her own while she listens. Nolan reads to himself.
1415
Primary Independent Reading complete. Basketball break.
Jake takes a break from his Narrative to attempt to negotiate a possible birthday party date/time.
1430
Nolan and Harry settle in to watch “Queen Elizabeth” videos posted on the SLOCA Down Home blog.
1450
Jake’s narrative, a true/false quiz, is complete. I edit for spelling, and he gets back to work.
Stella is simultaneously working two different shape sorters and a wooden rocket ship puzzle.
1512
Stella conducts self-led experiment where she learns that a baseball cap will not hold milk. Each boy denies being the milk supplier. Furthermore, all boys pretend that they did not know what she was up to.
1515
Queen Elizabeth videos have been watched, snack time for Nolan and Harry. Jake finished his narrative, and is making copies for his class. After I finish cleaning up the milk, I cut apples for apple sandwiches. Stella finds a new hat.
1530
Puzzles from earlier today have merged into one huge puzzle extravaganza. All 4 kids are attempting to assemble the puzzles.
If the boys are going to make it to their 4 o’clock Karate class, they have to start getting dressed NOW, and we have to leave in 10 minutes.
Jake makes the answer key for his T/F quiz.
A quick review of our checklists and grid reveals that we still have work to do—Karate is not in the cards for us today. I step outside to make eye contact with the horizon, and brew myself a fresh cup of coffee.
1540
I’ve lost control. I hear a basketball bouncing outside. Stella’s apple just flew through the air. Someone is crying.
Nolan and Harry head to the green field next door. I receive an important e-mail from our tax guy that needs attention. I must adult and communicate.
Jake gets his BOB/backpack together for school tomorrow.
1600
Jake and I discuss his culmination project for Shakespeare Stealer. He selects his favorite scene, and decides to make a diorama. We discuss the project until we both know what the plan is. We make a list of needed supplies.
Stella announces that she has hidden her apple.
1630
Jake, Stella and I abandon ship and join Nolan and Harry at the green field and park.
1730
Reluctantly, we scramble home from the park. We are waiting for someone to make us dinner. Right…that’s my job.
A basketball rescue mission results in Harry being covered in mud all the way to his knees. Jake offers to hose him off. I should have seen what was coming from a mile away. Everyone strips on the deck and is sent directly to the bath tub/shower.
I shuttle back and forth between the bathroom and the kitchen. Somehow, dinner is made, and the kids are clean and in pajamas.
1845
After the dinner, the boys claim their jobs (clear the table, wipe off the table, sweep the floor) and get to work. Hardly anyone cries. I unload and reload the dishwasher and start on the pots and pans.
The next time I look up, the boys are playing poker. Stella is at my feet with a watering can full of water and several plastic cups and containers. She is experimenting. Water is her favorite.
I am distracted by an e-mail—it is something that needs immediate attention.
1915
Poker turns into Monopoly.
“Stella?!” “I’m in the Lego room!” I ask her to bring me a book so we can read. She brings me her favorite lady bug book.
1930
Dave calls, and the phone is passed around so everyone can have a few minutes on their own with daddy. Stella is positively giddy, and when it is her turn, she recounts every exciting moment of her day for her daddy, beginning with what she is wearing, and ending with what she had for dinner.
2000
Stella’s bedtime. 8 pm is usually everyone’s bedtime, but there is a solar eclipse that we want to watch on NASA’s website in about 30 minutes.
It turns out the Eclipse was at 8:30 Eastern time, and we could have watched in 3 hours ago. Figures. We check out photos online anyway.
2040
Brush teeth, late bedtime. Jake knows that he missed independent reading time today, and settles in with a book. He will read until he falls asleep. Nolan and Harry start with their reading lights on, but after a few minutes their lights are out, and I can hear them reciting their pronoun list to each other. Those two.
2100
I finish cleaning up the kitchen, and make a mental inventory of what will go in lunch boxes in the morning.
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An honest to goodness, two thirds of the way through the school year, picture of our cubbies. |
2120
I review our day, and make notes of what we missed. No one did cursive, something we try to do every home day, and Harry missed piano. This day was a success.
I make copies of lessons for progress reports and take the survey. I settle in with a dozen sharp pencils and get to work on progress reports.
0021
Progress reports complete, copies made (just in case), and they are ready to be turned in. I check the doors and windows, and re-tuck and cover all of my sleeping children. I step over a few hundred puzzle pieces on my way to bed, and try not to notice the baskets of laundry that I didn’t fold. I find a half-eaten apple under my pillow.
Whew! I think we say that at the end of EVERY Day in the Life post, but really… Thank you SO much for letting us all be flies on the wall during one of your very lively home days, Julie! Once again, it’s encouraging to know that no day is perfect, but every day has its successes.
