Start with Art and Look Forward to Monday Mornings
A common question for veteran homeschoolers is how to schedule the day.
Should you do the ‘hard/serious’ stuff first, like Math or Language or whatever it is you think needs morning brain power? Or, should you ease into the day, maybe having the kids do their independent reading while you get some laundry going, have your own quiet time, or order that replacement filter for the water purifier before you forget?
The answer is, it depends. There’s no one-size-fits-all method. Not only does school work have to work for the kids, but it has to work for the teacher too. If it makes a big difference to you, do it how it works for you. You know… “If Teacher ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” …right?
However, there is one scheduling thing that I recommend for everyone, and it has some considerable side benefits. Ready? Start with Art. And I mean, start the week. Yes, first thing on Monday mornings. I know it’s counterintuitive, but it gives art a place of importance, and when you consider all that art is, you’ll agree that it deserves it. Plus it’s so much fun that you might even have kids that can’t wait to start back to school after the weekend.
Treat it like you do your ‘regular’ subjects and have a lesson planned. Don’t stress over picking the perfect program – pick one and go with it.
I have a couple suggestions. Now, don’t build up too much excitement for this first idea because it’s pretty low key. Start simply, with drawing. For the best in that, you can’t beat Drawing Textbook by Bruce McIntyre. Check it out. It’s for all ages and abilities, starts out slow, and builds. Read a few of the reviews that confirm the value in this little unassuming piece. Buy each student a copy or have them share, either way is okay.
They each need their own notebook though, and it has to be a real one. Watch for a sale on good quality artist drawing notebooks. Strathmore is a good brand and the 6x8 size is perfect - anything bigger and kids just draw bigger and sometimes not as carefully.
Not only will they become competent at creating a likeness, they’ll hone observation skills, learn about seeing things from different angles, and more. My daughter even impressed her college art teacher with how quickly she drew a flag unfurled – gave myself a pat on the back for that one.
After you get the kids in the swing with that for a couple weeks, add in some of the messy stuff. For more on that, check out my lessons on great artists, coming soon. I say “add in” because drawing is something that should be done regularly, in small increments. You can do it more than once a week, but resist the temptation to do a whole bunch of lessons in one day.
For a little less seriousness and a little more color in your drawing endeavors, an all-time favorite of ours was Usborne Publishing’s What Shall I Draw? by Ray Gibson. It’s got rockets, ballerinas, castles, animals, a submarine, clown, and more, all done in simple steps and with variations. That’s a simple add-in.
Another fav is anything by Ed Emberly, but I especially recommend the thumbprint book because it shows how just a very few lines can convey your meaning. And although these are for young children, the principles are ageless.
I like an anchor to a lesson - often a children’s book. My favorite art series for kids is Getting To Know The World’s Greatest Artists series by Mike Venesia. Your children will see artists as real people, in a very fun way. Check the library for the whole series and start anywhere. The point is, just start.
