Enjoying the Loop

We moved to a semi-loop schedule this week, and things have gone very smoothly. A loop schedule is where you cycle through subjects for a set amount of time, stopping wherever you are when time is up. The next day you pick up where you left off and continue the loop. The idea is that some of the more minor subjects or fun things that often get neglected due to running out of time will finally get done regularly.

Because we school in a Latin-Centered Curriculum style, we do recitation/memory work, Latin and Math first thing in the morning daily, no exceptions. Then we move into our loops. I originally had one loop but because we have so many "little" subjects that only take a few minutes or are not that high of a priority, more important things would have gotten neglected. Therefore, we have two loops.

Our first loop is our "second tier" priority subjects, which include Shurley English, French, Wheeler's Speller, Handwriting, and our SRA Phonics page. We work on that loop for 45 minutes, then move into the second loop, our "third tier" priority subjects. This loop includes Patterns of Nature, Math Logic (worksheetworks.com games), Geography workbook, Logic, Webster's Syllabary work, and Kistler's online drawing lessons. I've allotted 40 minutes for this loop.

The subjects in the first loop will get done at least every other day, or 3-4 times a week. The second loop will get done every 2nd-3rd day, for an average of 2-3 times a week. Any subject that we're in the middle of when it's time to move to the next loop either gets done during rest time (if it's independent work) or right after rest time (if I'm needed).

Elyse, my schedule lover, is really enjoying it because we move quickly from subject to subject instead of staying with one thing until it's done. The loop schedule doesn't necessitate that, but it's just the way it happens to work out in our practice of it. She also likes that every day is different. I'm enjoying it because I feel like we're accomplishing more; we are getting to subjects like art and French that we didn't always have time for on a standard time-slot schedule.

Here's a run-down of our new schedule:
8:15-10:15 Recitation (15 min), Latin (45 min), Math (1 hour)
10:15-10:30 Break/Snack
10:30-11:15 Loop 1
11:15-11:55 Loop 2
12:00-12:30 History/Ambleside Read-Alouds
12:30-1:30 Straighten up/Lunch/Play
1:30-3:30 Rest Time
3:30-4:00 Piano, Dance, Read to Mom
4:00 Tea Time (poetry, artist & composer study, nature read-alouds, Eggleston)