WR: I'm a Filing Fool

We started the week with 2 significant things. Firstly, I tweaked the schedule for Cub and Flower and started a file system for them broken down day by day, complete with Master Chart, lists forCD's to be listened to, memory work memorized, chapters read and read-alouds. It is FAB. Secondly, we sorted bags full of clothes, blankets and miscellaneous stuff that have been at the cleaning company since the fire. Apparently, they stopped cleaning things, so items that were a bit damp in November, are now, in March, molded. We spent a couple of hours inventorying, (the endless, mindless, never ending inventory), re-bagged and created a pile of garbage the size of Mt. Rushmore for our trash man. Within hours, KB and I were sick. Her preferred modality was heaving into the toilet, mine was a runny (this word is just too benign to describe the reality) nose and killer sore throat. So, that was kinda the rest of the week health wise for us. But, I digress.
Back to my evil Master list, schedule thingy. I took all of the worksheets for Cub (and Flower) and sorted them by days into folders; this included all of the math for the week, story problems, thinking skills, grammar, map skills, etc. So, each day, he gets his folder and works through it. Simple. It's taken him the better part of most mornings and into early afternoon. He is working hard but he's getting it done. Then, on the Master List (a separate folder) I've separated each subject, then separated each area in the subject by what he has to complete with a place for me to initial when complete for the week. So, the Master Chart is the Big Picture and he can do lots of things on any given day or just a couple, but within the week, it all needs done.
For instance, under English is copywork (4 days), poetry memorization (3 days), Grammar CD (3 days). This is in conjunction with the 2 pages a day of grammar/reading worksheets and on-going read-aloud he does weekly. I've also included a weekly "Book Report" form and other "helps" he'll need during the week in the Master Folder, such as a world map (for maps and geography), the complete poem he is working on as well as the Latin, Bible and other memory we are working on.
Whatever he doesn't get done during the week, he gets to do on Saturday. This has been motivation enough for him throughout the week. I'd say we got through, easily, double the work we normally do, including oft neglected audio listening (Lingua Angelica, grammar songs, etc) with a much better, more positive attitude on his part. Flower has joined in and doing MUCH better on completing her daily read-alouds to me. This has been the least favorite part of her school day (and I'm not sure why. She can easily read a paragraph of math instruction to me flawlessly, but when I tell her it's "time to read" she gets really insecure and says how much she hates it). This includes puzzles, mazes, getting read to, etc. She is really my kid who thrives on academic challenge, so my struggle with her has been having enough to do that's age appropriate for her emotionally, but challenging academically (another one!).
So, we got a ton done- all of the usual, plus intentional memory work (finally getting back on track), audio resources, puzzles, games, coloring, painting- it's all in there. It was a good week work-wise.

Cool scenerio: Marvelous Mrs. M, drama teacher extraordinaire, was unable to join us today for TDA due to circumstances beyond her control. None of the kids wanted to miss drama so came up with a plan. They would teach drama themselves. Over lunch they planned an hours worth of drama games and activities and each picked an area they would lead, including allotting time per game or activity. they also realized that they would have to instruct and include one of the younger kids who had been part of Drama until recently due to schedule change. He didn't know some of the games, so those leading, really had to lead. They had a plan. I left the kitchen at one point and returned to find it quiet and empty. The kids had their plan, and proceeded to find a quiet place (of course, with some of the games, it didn't stay quiet!) and put it into action! Leadership, people. That's what I'm talking about! Dontchca love it??