How important do you think it is to "Catch Up?"

[coffeefreak]

Hello! This is one of those discussions I've been having with friends and hubby as the year comes to a close. When you get to the end of the year and you're not quite where you want to be, do you try and "catch up" over the summer, or do you just start where you want to in the fall? Some of my friends do the one subject and some say, "whatever!"

 

For us, Math is the issue. We are a couple months behind, but we always have been. She's struggled with math from the beginning, but now, I see her making huge leaps and I'm trying to decide whether to "catch her up" in July (after a 3 week break), or just start her in 4th grade math in August, or just let her be and have her complete the 3rd grade book before moving on (which would keep us in the 3rd grade book until close to Christmas). I don't think there are any wrong answers to this question, I just think it's interesting what different families decide to do.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

[MrsMe]

:lurk5:

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Sorry but I just had to vote Other b/c it just depends. If I felt we were behind in Maths or Reading I would just have to "catch up." For the rest of it, I dont' really get those "behind" feelings. I just figure we are where we are and that's where we are.

 

I guess to answer your question, yes, I'd catch up if it were math or reading.

[elegantlion]

Sorry but I just had to vote Other b/c it just depends. If I felt we were behind in Maths or Reading I would just have to "catch up." For the rest of it, I dont' really get those "behind" feelings. I just figure we are where we are and that's where we are.

 

I guess to answer your question, yes, I'd catch up if it were math or reading.

 

 

:iagree: These are two subjects that we do during the summer. We throw in some other activities, usually to finish a workbook, but totally low key. However math and reading really lose momentum if we let them go over the summer, ask me how I know. :001_huh:

[siloam]

Dorinda,

 

For us here, a good foundation trumps getting it done. Pick it up next year.

 

Heather (though we hs year around) :D

 

[PeterPan]

If your dd would need until Christmas to finish her current book, I take it she's maybe 1/2 way through? I sure wouldn't stop doing math with a dc who has been struggling, because you don't want them losing ground. You could go to a summer schedule, say formal math 3 days a week and games the other two, but I wouldn't just stop for the whole summer. And I wouldn't jump over 1/2 a book to get up to the math matching her age-grade either, sorry. That's just a recipe for disaster when you have a dc who has been struggling. Now is the time to be sensible and consistent, letting her skills build. If you were talking the last 10 lessons, sure I'd skip. But I wouldn't skip 1/2 the book. Even though the material in a new level repeats, the quantity expected per lesson, the lengths of the problems, etc. changes.

[LadyAberlin]

If she struggles in math it would be best to take a short break and then work through the summer. I'm a math tutor and so much is lost over the summer break. It is like we have to start all over again. Also it depends where you are in your math book. If you are able to get within a chapter or two of the end then I'd say start up the 4th grade book in the fall. But I highly recommend at least doing one or two lessons a week over the summer just to keep her in practice especially since you said that she struggles in this area. I school yr round. I was homeschooled and yes we did stop within a couple chapters of the end. Some summers we worked through the summer. It just really depended on the grade and subject. Anyway that is my take.

[FO4UR]

Well, I would not stop math over the summer - except maybe a week break or so. My reason is not that she needs to "catch up" but b/c she has struggled in math and is now making progress, and I wouldn't want to lose momentum. I might cut back from 5 lessons per week to 3, but I would still keep those wheels moving forward. jmho

 

I think I would just keep her moving forward in the current book and move on to the next when she finishes this one, unless there is a lot of overlap.

[sagira]

We school year-round so this is not an issue for us. I'd rather ds see our learning lifestyle as is, as a way of life, rather than break it up in so many chunks. We take up to three weeks off at a time. Christmas break is three weeks long, that's it. The rest of the year is all days, one week or the most two weeks. I would feel compelled to catch up if we did have a Summer break, though. I don't like the feeling of being "behind". Whatever that may be :)

[Willow]

We don't school year round, but we do carry on a bit of maths over the summer, not on days we go out, or if we go away for a few days, but on ordinary days we do half an hour of maths. Mostly maths facts and 4 processes (at whatever level....so 4 processes in fractions, 4 processes in decimals, 4 processes with unknowns etc)

[walkermamaof4]

the only summer that we didn't do math, my girls really forgot a lot. so we keep on in math year-round. i think it really helps to keep going with it.

[Lovedtodeath]

 

If your dd would need until Christmas to finish her current book, I take it she's maybe 1/2 way through? I sure wouldn't stop doing math with a dc who has been struggling, because you don't want them losing ground. You could go to a summer schedule, say formal math 3 days a week and games the other two, but I wouldn't just stop for the whole summer. And I wouldn't jump over 1/2 a book to get up to the math matching her age-grade either, sorry. That's just a recipe for disaster when you have a dc who has been struggling. Now is the time to be sensible and consistent, letting her skills build. If you were talking the last 10 lessons, sure I'd skip. But I wouldn't skip 1/2 the book. Even though the material in a new level repeats, the quantity expected per lesson, the lengths of the problems, etc. changes.

:iagree:

[mom4him]

I put we school the year around but I still have a start point of the new matterial and like to have certain things done at the end and start with the new at the 'new year'. Math is the one thing that I don't let lop over. We finish it before we stop our old year.(we have about a 3 week break between old year and new).

[TCoppock]

I posted other because although we do school year round I have specific goals I want to achieve at certain times throughout the year. If I didn't set these goal and force us to "catch up" certain subjects would fall through the cracks. It is my way of getting us back on track rather than puhing or punishing DS for moving slow. If it was a cognitive thing rather than a time thing I would just follow DS's abilities rather than a set schedule.

[Karen in CO]

I school year round, but I wouldn't stop math in your situation. You are behind because she was struggling. If you stop math over the summer, you will tumble back down the mountain you have been climbing.

[Angel]

I voted that "I don't worry about it. I toss the old and start the new." BUT I do have a disclaimer. :tongue_smilie: With my older dd, I did pick up Rod and Staff grammar the next year and finished it (twice). Only twice have I regretted not finishing something. Dd's 8th grade Rod And Staff math book ... should have finished that out. And Apologia's General Science...dd was a few modules short of finishing. She would have finished the science, however, if it had been our book. We were borrowing it and it needed to go back.

 

I guess that's the one of the only things that I "keep" from the ps. We never, ever, ever finished a book in school and I am not scarred for life:lol:

[MamaT]

I would keep going with her math through the summer, maybe 3 days a week like someone else suggested. I wouldn't stop when she seems to be progressing. We sometimes skip the last couple of lessons in our math book, but I wouldn't go to the next level unless I was almost through with this one.

[Sahamamama]

"Remember, in first and second grades especially, you don't want to take more than a week off at a time from math. Unfamiliar math concepts are easily forgotten." -- Jessie Wise & Susan Wise Bauer

 

Although your daughter is beyond 1st/2nd grade math, she did struggle all throughout those levels. Because of this, and the fact that she HAS begun to grasp math, :hurray: it would be best to work on this one subject (at her level) throughout the summer -- about 3-4 lessons per week will help her to become successful in math. You could also add in some math games, books about math, math songs, mental math, cooking/baking using math, and math "play." At the very least, I would keep up the math fact drill, 3-4x/week. For many children who struggle with math in the early grades, math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) are an area of weakness. Be sure she's grounded in these facts.

 

Actually, now is the time for a CELEBRATION, because she IS beginning to grasp math. So much "math phobia" stems from feeling "dumb and numb" in math -- not from a genuine lack of ability. If you and your daughter can MAXIMIZE her success in math this summer, her whole perspective on her ability in this subject might be positive for a lifetime. But if she slides back down in her skills -- and then reverts to "I can't do it" and "I don't get it" -- you might never get her to believe in herself again.

[dsacco]

I agree with the person who said "It's our way of life".... we school year round and take our breaks as we need them. We did multiple 1-2 weeks off this year because of various situations etc - but we finished our testing in March... took a break (I had surgery and really couldn't do anything for over 2 weeks afterwards)..... then we picked back up (though some was video school because I wasn't completely ready to restart and because of a wild Easter week) but that's it. "Doing school" has just become what we do - a basic part of our day that needs to get done. We have days were I just throw it all out the window..... but they still finish everything I planned for the week MOST weeks ;)

[coffeefreak]

"Remember, in first and second grades especially, you don't want to take more than a week off at a time from math. Unfamiliar math concepts are easily forgotten." -- Jessie Wise & Susan Wise Bauer

 

Although your daughter is beyond 1st/2nd grade math, she did struggle all throughout those levels. Because of this, and the fact that she HAS begun to grasp math, :hurray: it would be best to work on this one subject (at her level) throughout the summer -- about 3-4 lessons per week will help her to become successful in math. You could also add in some math games, books about math, math songs, mental math, cooking/baking using math, and math "play." At the very least, I would keep up the math fact drill, 3-4x/week. For many children who struggle with math in the early grades, math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) are an area of weakness. Be sure she's grounded in these facts.

 

Actually, now is the time for a CELEBRATION, because she IS beginning to grasp math. So much "math phobia" stems from feeling "dumb and numb" in math -- not from a genuine lack of ability. If you and your daughter can MAXIMIZE her success in math this summer, her whole perspective on her ability in this subject might be positive for a lifetime. But if she slides back down in her skills -- and then reverts to "I can't do it" and "I don't get it" -- you might never get her to believe in herself again.

 

Everyone's been very helpful, but this TOTALLY sums up how I feel. We are booking through that book! EVERY concept we learn she gets and its SOOOOO refreshing. That's what prompted this discussion. We've always classified as year round homeschoolers because of life happening. And, if we've done nothing else in a day, we do math because she struggled. This is the first summer I've considered taking time off, but, now I want to keep going BECAUSE she's getting it :lol:. She also really wants to be in the 4th grade math book before Christmas. That's just something I'll have to work with as we go. There are some lessons you can skip in A Beka because of the review, but I'm not letting her right now. I think the review is good for her and it builds her confidence. And yes, we're a little over 1/2 way through. Since 1st grade, we've always started the current grade after Christmas. Not a big deal to me, turning into a big deal for her.

 

As for taking summers off, I don't think we'd last with two months off anyway. We'd get bored and kill each other.:lol:

 

Thanks for the input!

Dorinda

[coffeefreak]

One more thought :D

 

If I had a struggling reader, I would not stop. I would keep going and work to build confidence over the summer. We technically don't stop because my kids LOVE reading so much. They are Bibliophiles after my own heart. :001_wub: Math shouldn't be any different.

 

Thanks for the discussion!

Dorinda

[Whereneverever]

We've been schooling year round, just gentler in the summer. Especially if the problem was math, I'd keep plugging away at it.

[Lovedtodeath]

When I switched to Abeka for math I had a long conversation with 2 consultants trying to decide what to do. They thought I could go ahead and start the 2nd grade book in the fall. I decided that is not a good idea. She is doing so well. Why have the possibility of sabotaging it by not using the whole program? I am sure she will catch up in time.

[skaterbabs]

We school year round, but report in July (portfolios), so we do need to finish X amount by June. With DS#1 I do worry because we spent two years doing 6th grade and he's still not yet finished. :glare: That's actually WHY we school year round. I don't mind taking a couple of weeks off, buut he still has SO much to do to start 7th gr math & grammar in Sept.

Edited May 24, 2009 by skaterbabs

[Testimony]

First of all, I did not know how to vote. I have a philosophy that there is no such thing as being behind in homeschool. What do we need to play "catch up" with? If I did not meet my expectations then, I need to just continue where I am. I realize that it is probably best to keep up with math and reading during the summer. I do not want them to loose what they have learned. So, I maintain math and reading. That's my philosophy. Do I always follow it?:001_rolleyes:

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[coffeefreak]

First of all, I did not know how to vote. I have a philosophy that there is no such thing as being behind in homeschool. What do we need to play "catch up" with?

 

 

I like your philosophy! Let's all adopt it!:thumbup1:

[3Rivers]

For us, it depends on the kid and the subject.

I'll only mention Math and Lang. arts since are the only two subjects I have concern over when it comes to this issue.

 

DD is not strong in math at this point. *Probably* never will be. I'm zooming through the math book in these last few lessons without any hint of mastery because she really needs an ego boost right now even more than math success, if that makes sense. She is SO excited that she is FINISHING her math book for this year. It has given her a huge amount of joy that I couldn't have even predicted because this child struggles and cries over math. Joy of accomplishment, I mean! Huge. So, I already know that we are changing curriculum and repeating most if not all of what we JUST did so I'm not sweating the lack of mastery and going for an entirely different goal.

 

DD is a good student with good study habits for the most part (except for math--Someone should really create a math curriculum called Math Without Tears. I would buy it. Now. I'm hoping Teaching Textbooks is that curriculum, but I digress.) In her presence, as opposed to Big Boy (see below) I am verbally skimming through her language arts and saying "You got this, don't need that, doing fine with this.....etc." as we pare down the last couple of chapters to focus on what she really needs to accomplish in order to enjoy that feeling of accomplishment at the end of a year of good hard work.

 

 

DS already finished math. Easy-peasy. This big boy will be getting some math drills sneaked in there in the form of computer software and online games for that purpose.

This guy, however, also needs to know that he can't just NOT do work that he doesn't like, such as, ahem, Language Arts. Now for him, I have secretly gone through his workbook and torn out a bunch of pages so that he thinks he is finishing the book!

 

So you can probably tell that my aims have little to do with academics themselves. I picked the two most important things and determined to finish so that there is an end point, an accomplished goal, just because that feels so good. I just happened to choose these two subjects, but it could have been any of them.

[ConnieB]

Not a big deal to me, turning into a big deal for her.

 

 

 

That sentence is what I would use....if it's a big deal to her, than I'd make that a priority. Really, how much time do you spend a day on math....30 minutes, an hour? I'd do that first thing each morning then go out and enjoy the rest of the day. Especially in light of two things....SHE wants to move ahead....and she's finally clicking with math and losing that because of a long break would be really sad.

 

Check your library for books about math games.....and maybe try to incorporate some fun learning into your summer as well. It sounds like she's really enthusiastic about her progress, so keep it up!

 

Personally I don't worry about whether they're working on level...I mean I don't stop doing Language Arts because they're reading/comprehension is 2 levels above grade, so why would I worry about their being 2 months behind in math. I'd spend a little less time on LA and more on Math if I thought the gap was too large, but a couple months....nah, now that she's clicked it will catch up on it's own. My concern with something like math would be the potential loss of concepts because of a long break. For that reason alone I would do math over the summer. Honestly, that's one of the reasons that we school year round is so that we don't have huge gaps of time to forget what we already learned.....ok, that and so that we can take advanatage of travel or other fun things whenever they come up without saying "nope, gotta do school and not that fun thing". Early on I kept track of hours/days to be sure we weren't slacking and we still put in more than public schools, so I stopped worrying.

[kewb]

It depends on the subject. I am so not where I thought we would be for history. We ended spending months in Ancient Egypt because it was so much fun. When we finish for the year I will put it aside. In a couple of years we will be back to Ancient History and we will cover what we missed. If it was a foundation subject-such as math or grammar I would try to catch up.

[MIch elle]

So much depends on the grade level and the subject!!

[abbeyej]

For a child who already struggles with math and is a little behind where you would like her to be, I would *not* take an extended summer break from math. I wouldn't fret overly about finishing the book by X date, but I would *not* set all math aside for three months. I might try to vary things up with math games, or maybe even a new supplemental book, but I would keep up with daily (or near daily) drill plus an additional practice (whether her usual math book, a game, or some supplemental resource).

[ChemMommy]

Honestly, how much of a nice summer day will be lost to doing a lesson in 3rd grade math! Especially since your child has been behind and is just now making progress, I wouldn't want to let the math skills atrophy all summer.

 

I would also encourage you to sneak a reading program into her life. The reading can be fun books or even (don't tell the homeschool police) fun books that are really mind candy. In 3rd grade, you are working on fluency. Fluency comes from practice.

 

Just my thoughts. For perspective, I have a 15yob who is an avid reader, a 13 yog who was a reluctant reader until 3rd grade, a current 3rd grader and a current 2nd grader.