How many hours per day ... self education?

[Luanne]

How many hours per day do you attend to your own education (if you do)? How many hours a day would you like to spend on your own education? I finally have some more free time and am trying to figure out how many hours per day would be good for self-education.

[Faithr]

For me it varies with how much time I have. I read at night a lot to further my own education. I like to watch TEaching Co. lectures but I often do this with my teens and husband but I'm the one instigating it because I want to learn. This year I started taking a teen class with my teen sons in Latin and I've been doing Latin right alongside them. So some days I get lots in and then there will be days where I'm too busy being a homeschooling mother and housewife! So I've never been able to just neatly set aside a certain amount of time on a daily basis. However, whenever pockets of time do open up, they very often go towards something that is self-educating.

[Ibbygirl]

For me as well it just depends on how much time I have and how tired I am. When it is the regular school year, I usually practice my guitar early in the mornings after my son's bus leaves at 6:30am. I would love to play everyday, but some mornings I have to use to clean house or to teach my student that comes on Tuesdays. Then later on in the night when the kids go to bed, I usually like to read, but again that depends on how tired I am. I have fallen asleep with a book on my nose many a night. ;) :D

[LoriM]

I spend the hours from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. on personal study, typically Biblical or ethical/moral/theological reading in those early morning hours. Occasionally I use the early morning hours for science or math reading, but only when I have a particular book I want to finish.

 

I spend the hours from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on literature or history study. I start earlier on evenings when we don't have other plans, but most of the time, I'm not "settling in" to do my evening study until 9 p.m.

 

I don't usually follow that schedule on the weekend. I have other demands on my time, and sometimes give up my study time for my art time. Usually I spend Saturday mornings reading and studying, and often get to spend Sunday afternoons (unless I take the requisite nap!).

 

During the school year, my time is more fractured during the day, since I have grading and planning responsibilities, but I usually manage to finish some book at school each week (usually literature). I read less than I usually do this last school year, but I had five new courses to write/plan/administer daily. I expect to be able to resume more reading again this year.

 

A lot of people ask me how I get up at 4 a.m. to study, and how I read until 11 p.m. I usually ask them, "How do you not?" :) I am a grumpy person if I don't get those four hours of quiet study and reflection every day. I don't need as much sleep as many other people do, and for that I am eternally grateful.

 

Now, I don't think *everyone* needs 4 hours of study to be a productive self-educator! Start with ONE subject, and write yourself a course outline (decide what you want to study). Figure out how you'll know you've done what you needed to do (assessment). Set some long term goals (in 5 years, I'd like...), a few mid-range goals (Next year, I want to have written...) and then some short term goals (this month, I'll read...). Figure out what you *can* do reasonably with your life and schedule. Then make a date with yourself, and do it.

 

For a long time, 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. and after bedtime were the only hours a day I had to myself. So, I got used to those hours being "mine." (And I read a neat story about Scott Adams' success with Dilbert because he got up to draw from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. each morning before working fulltime.)

 

HTH,

 

Lori

[home2333]

Lori,

 

You are an inspiration! I don't think I could consistently study from 4-6 each morning and from 9-11 each evening, but your post gave me the idea that perhaps I could study from 5-6 each morning. I already do the evening study, but I have a hunch the morning would be more profitable.

 

Thanks, too, for your goal-setting tips.

 

I just returned from spending about 10 days in your lovely state. The bulk of the time was in Greenville, at the NCFCA national tournament at BJU. I'm glad it rained so much to cool everything off!

 

Grace

[LoriM]

Ah, you were in the "other" Greenville...I'm in North Carolina. :) No one comes here accidentally. And we are the home of East Carolina University, not BJU.

 

It's a mixed bag which time of day is "more profitable" for me. My early mornings aren't always alert (grin) and my late evenings can get drowsy, but I usually do pretty well at one or the other. :)

[home2333]

Yes, I noticed the NC right after I posted.

 

I think having a "plan" and goals will really help me with my study. I already study to keep up with my students, but I want to plan something that is just mine to conquer.

[Faithr]

Wow, Lori! I am wondering how old your children are and when you spend time with your husband? I salute you! I need sleep to not be grumpy with my children and I need husband time to feel close to my dh.

 

I feel inadequate! No wonder I accomplish so little! LOL!

[LoriM]

DH is in bed at 9pm, and up at 6am. He's also fully retired, so he's home all day. So, now that it's summer, we have all day together. :) Last week we went camping in the Outer Banks. It was lovely.

 

My girls are now 16 and 20. So, sometimes my evening hours are preempted with "heart to heart" chats with my girls, who are always more conscious after 10pm.

 

Lest you think this is a new thing with me (you know, now that the kids are grown), I've been getting up to read at 4am since I was about 15 years old. Even in high school. And once a quarter or so, I skip a night's sleep entirely to read all night long.

 

What is new for me is the evening reading. DH has learned to fall asleep with the light on. He was NEVER able to do this when we were newlyweds, particularly when he was working shifts. So, I didn't try to read in the evening after 10pm (which is the absolute latest he's ever been able to stay up), until I had nurslings and could read in the night when I was up feeding them anyway. Anyway, now that DH is retired, he is staying up a bit later, and sleeping easily with the light on for me to read in bed next to him.

[Luanne]

I have to have my eight hours of sleep at night, but now that my daughter is older and works pretty much independently and I work from home (a lot of days in the month are very slow), I have more opportunity to study myself. I am thoroughly enjoying this for sure. :001_smile::D

[LoriM]

Luanne...what do you want to study? I think *what* you are studying affects how many hours a week you have to free up to study it. I have tried (repeatedly) to study Latin and Greek. I just don't enjoy either one (LOL), or at least haven't managed to give them enough hours regularly to move past the stage of holding a dictionary in my hand nonstop.

 

Since I have always been a note-taker, for me, my early morning reading is a combo of reading, note-taking and journalling. About once a month I write a "summary paper" (as if I were giving a speech or sermon) on the topics I've been reading.

 

Last year, I spent a lot of time on the art of teaching. I was back in the middle school classroom for the first time in years. :) (I just ordered Real Education by Charles Murray based on a review Janie wrote on her blog, so that's on my list. I read Murray's The Bell Curve years ago, so I'm looking forward to it.) I have also spent a little time in the last week or two on classroom discipline strategies, because I have a tricky sixth grade class coming up. Although I guess you could argue that all sixth graders are tricky...

 

I read less history last year than I like to read, and more science, again because I was teaching science last year. I think I'll have to do that again! I focused on biology last year, and this year I need to give myself some topical review in physics and chemistry.

 

Of course, with all of that, I'm also an avid quiltmaker. So, I spend about 6 hours per week on my latest quilting project. Sometimes I get a little carried away, and spend more time on quilting and give up a night or two of reading. :) But I have a "date night" with myself every week on Wednesday evenings, and have a group of friends who come over to quilt, so that much of my week is guaranteed.

[Faithr]

Hi Lori,

 

I'm still impressed that you only get 5 hours a sleep at night and can concentrate to study! But my life definitely sounds more chaotic than yours. Though some of it might be of my own doing. Last night, we didn't even eat dinner until 8, Dh didn't get home untli 9:30 p.m. Younger two kids didn't hit the sack until 10, 14 yo until 11:30. My oldest two are away right now. Dh and I sat up and watched a movie until midnight. Then, um, we were feeling a bit affection so to speak, so I don't think we fell asleep until 1:00. I only had to get up once in the night to change a wet bed. And I woke up at about 6:50 a.m. and am sitting here huddled over a big mug of coffee.

 

I would love to be more systematic about learning but alas, I do not think it is going to happen for a while. I agree with Luanne though, since my kids have been older I study or restudy right alongside them in high school (except for math; can't go there!) and have learned so much by 'doing' high school again! When I was busy having babies, I was so sleep deprived that I could barely manage a magazine article, my concentration span was so short. Also, at that time I was busy self-educating about home education and how to teach phonics and books on raising children and learning disabilities and that sort of thing. And whatever books I read while I was nursing I have forgotten! I've had to reread them! Something about reading while nursing that completely wiped my memory out!

 

But even though it is hit or miss, I think it works to fit the self-education into the little nooks and crannies I find in my day/night. I think I would be frustrated by myself and my family if I tried to make it systematic. Flexibility, while not quite as efficient, works best for me.

 

Still I always think of Anthony Trollope and how he got up every morning and wrote a certain number of pages before he went to work as the postmaster. Thank goodness he was so disciplined and so prolific!

[Luanne]

"Luanne...what do you want to study? I think *what* you are studying affects how many hours a week you have to free up to study it. I have tried (repeatedly) to study Latin and Greek. I just don't enjoy either one (LOL), or at least haven't managed to give them enough hours regularly to move past the stage of holding a dictionary in my hand nonstop."

 

 

I too have tried studying Latin and not really enjoyed it. I haven't even tried Greek. I am really just trying to give myself a basic education at this point. I am working through a Rod and Staff English book and A Beka Pre-Algebra. I also want to work in some history and science, but haven't decided what to do with those yet. I do read quite a bit of literature, mostly historical fiction.

[LoriM]

If you are considering self-education as an adult, I think you have to realize that it doesn't have to be "school" all over again. Practically none of the textbooks designed as curriculum for children work for me. I did find a treasure of a book for science (and it's in paperback now): The Canon: A Whirlygig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier. She's a long-time science writer, and does a marvelous job of linking the things we ought to remember from high school (grin) to modern science studies. It gave me a great place to jump off into particular topics in science that interested me. I find I read more research articles and university professors' websites than curricula.

 

Unless A Beka is the only book you have laying around, it wouldn't be my choice for an adult who wants to "review" (and maybe learn for the first time) math. If you can, buy yourself the Lial Basic College Math workbook, and just work right on the pages in the text. It's written for CC students, and so doesn't assume you are 12. :)

 

And there are SO MANY wonderful adult English grammar books! Not that I'm knocking R&S...certainly classic. But why not mix humor? Have you read Eats Shoots and Leaves? (Now the italics is stuck...argh.)[/i]

 

The most important thing is not to stop. :) Just pick the next thing, and find the next hour of "free" time you can give yourself.

 

If you are looking for a great piece of literature to read, I highly recommend The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbury (translated by Alison Anderson). It was the 2007 French novel of the year, and it's delightful. MFS recommended it earlier this year, and I'm glad I stalk her blog. GRIN.

[Luanne]

:DI just thought I would respond ... I've been swamped with work (I work from home) so finally I have a minute ... anyway ...

 

The main reason I am going through A Beka's Pre-Algebra and the Rod and Staff English is because that is what my daughter is using. It seems to help with me sitting there doing the same thing she is ... keeps her on track more and we can discuss it easier if she hits a snag. I have heard of Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, but have never read it. It looked like it might be good. I'm planning on buying The Elegance of the Hedgehog as soon as I have the money. It looks like a really good book. My library has it, but there are too many holds on it to really even bother trying to get it that way.

 

Money is a big issue for me since I am single and have a very limited income.

 

Thanks so much for helping me out here. :D