Can you do high school in 5 hours a day?

[Luanne]

I run a business out of my home that involves customers coming and going through the day (from 9 am to 5 pm). This is very distracting for my daughter (ADHD). I was trying to figure out if I could fit everything in 5 hours a day (from 5 pm to 10 pm). Neither one of us are morning people anyway and work well in the evenings.

 

Do you think it can be done?

Would she need to do some work possibly on Saturday as well?

 

Any input would be appreciated.

[HollyinNNV]

I run a business out of my home that involves customers coming and going through the day (from 9 am to 5 pm). This is very distracting for my daughter (ADHD). I was trying to figure out if I could fit everything in 5 hours a day (from 5 pm to 10 pm). Neither one of us are morning people anyway and work well in the evenings.

 

Do you think it can be done?

Would she need to do some work possibly on Saturday as well?

 

Any input would be appreciated.

 

 

I couldn't do it in 5 hours. Could she go in a different room with some noise canceling headphones? Otherwise, what would she do all day waiting for school to start?:confused:

[Willow]

We did 'school' in 5 hours a day (or less) with the older ones through High school but this did not include art (serious artist dd) dance (serious ballet dancer dd) music (serious musician dd) or sports/activites etc. It was LA maths, science and Latin/foreign language plus History/Geog/Social studies on some days depending on music/dance/art lessons and homeschool sports sessions. They also needed extra time to practice and this was not counted as school either. We do not need to count hours/credits where we live so I never bothered counting fun things as 'school'. ;)

 

 

So yes, for the basics, and she can do her 'fun' things during the day (if science is her fun thing then thats what she does without you)

[FloridaLisa]

We've not been able to fit our high school academics into 5 hours a day. My dc usually have a minimum of 6 academic classes each year. That would be 50 minutes per subject, with no time for breaks.

 

Lisa

[lllll]

..

[TravelingChris]

I think it depends what level your daughter is in ADHD. I am low to moderate ADHD and have hyperfocusing too. I know I could have done it but then I wouldn't have been so distracted by people coming and going to other areas of a house. Now my middle kid who is auditory and severely ADHD but medicated could not do school only in five hours but then I could not expect her to do all that much so late in the day either since her medication is off by 6 pm. She does do some work later but no math intensive study. SHe would also be distracted by noises of people coming and going but she masks daily noises with music which helps her concentrate anyway.

[LoriM]

We were able to use evenings as "meeting times" for those subjects where she needed discussion and a teacher (PreCalc, for example). But my dd had to get the bulk of her school work done in the daytime in order to have *any* time to participate in youth Bible studies, movie nights, and the "normal" things a teen girl wants to do.

 

Will she sleep all day? Not a cool plan, IMHO. If she is working in your business, then she might do okay, but even so, I think she'll miss out on the depth and breadth of work she could do. Most high schoolers spend 6 hours in class, then 3-4 hours in homework every night for a strong academic high school experience. My dds found they spend 9 hours per day (typically) with reading, writing and thinking.

 

Lori

[Luanne]

Does she help with your business? What is she doing while you're working, now?

 

I can see where it could be done if she was busy doing all her 'homework' type stuff while you were working (and between helping you with the business??). Then, you meet with her in the evening to check her work and go over things which need reinforcing/checking.

 

I only meet with our teens (and olders) to do group things at this point. They spend most of their days off in their private work areas - doing school. I guess that's why I'm thinking you could do it that way. But I would think you would have to be very, very diligent about holding her accountable or it would be awfully tempting for her to slack off. So I guess the question, IMO, would be more along the lines of 'do you think YOU can get her to do a good job with her school on the schedule you're considering'?

 

 

She spends most of her time while I am working either helping me or reading a book. She could definitely get her literature done during the day. She absolutely loves history so that could also be done without my sitting right with her making sure she stays on track (in another room perhaps).

 

She isn't on medication for the ADHD. She does fine as long as I am sitting quietly with her doing something and there aren't a lot of other distractions. Whenever we have tried the music in the background it has been too distracting as well. It is relatively quiet where we live (during non-working hours anyway) so that helps a lot.

[Jill- OK]

Do you think it can be done?

 

I know it can be done. :001_smile:

 

I can send you our schedule, if you'd like.

 

(I'll add that you need to be creative in your selection of subjects, and teach her to manage her time well, if that hasn't been a focus before, but you can allow for both independent work and discussion/teaching with you in that amount of time, daily, and still finish a full "year" of work.)

[Guest Sharyn Calleigh]

es, it's possible to only sleep 4-5 hours per night at your age...but since you're still growing, according to most health professionals you need twice that amount, more like 8-10 hours.Don't underestimate sleep. In today's world, the time we spend sleeping often feels like time wasted when there's so much else we could be doing, But studies show that sleeps contributes to more than just our feeling energized when we wake up. It helps us in our cognitive functions, like test-taking, and driving, which is extremely important. One study I just read online said that "The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration estimates that 1,500 people are killed every year in crashes caused by drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 who are simply tired.

[jibaker103]

I know it can be done. :001_smile:

 

I can send you our schedule, if you'd like.

 

(I'll add that you need to be creative in your selection of subjects, and teach her to manage her time well, if that hasn't been a focus before, but you can allow for both independent work and discussion/teaching with you in that amount of time, daily, and still finish a full "year" of work.)

 

I would love to see your schedule because I struggle with trying to fit everything in while working in my daycare at home.

 

Jennifer

Mother to Noah Age 13

[mcconnellboys]

I think 6 hours is a better estimate of how long it will take you, but that's including reading, which you might not be including (lots of folks don't seem to include this). If she could do some of her reading in her room throughout the day, then I think you could certainly do the bulk of the work in 5 hours in the evening.

[Luanne]

es, it's possible to only sleep 4-5 hours per night at your age...but since you're still growing, according to most health professionals you need twice that amount, more like 8-10 hours.Don't underestimate sleep. In today's world, the time we spend sleeping often feels like time wasted when there's so much else we could be doing, But studies show that sleeps contributes to more than just our feeling energized when we wake up. It helps us in our cognitive functions, like test-taking, and driving, which is extremely important. One study I just read online said that "The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration estimates that 1,500 people are killed every year in crashes caused by drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 who are simply tired.

 

 

I'm asking about whether or not my daughter can do school in 5 hours a day ... NOT if she can go on 5 hours of sleep a night. She sleeps way longer than that.

[Luanne]

I know it can be done. :001_smile:

 

I can send you our schedule, if you'd like.

 

(I'll add that you need to be creative in your selection of subjects, and teach her to manage her time well, if that hasn't been a focus before, but you can allow for both independent work and discussion/teaching with you in that amount of time, daily, and still finish a full "year" of work.)

 

 

Thanks. :001_smile:

[Peela]

If she can read and do anything else like art during the day, it sounds very doable to me. My kids' schedule includes 2 hours of reading and its less than 6 hours (not that its necessarily comparable because we dont need transcripts).

[JennW in SoCal]

I think school with an ADHD kid can be very unorthodox and still very successful. You can't compare what works for your and your dd with what more "typical" high school students do.

 

My ADHD son never did school before noon and then no more than 5 hours of formal school a day throughout high school. On average. For math, short and concentrated lessons were far better for him. Reading also had to be in short concentrated periods and for both activities I needed to be nearby to help keep things quiet and keep him on task. Add to that the time we'd spend on discussion and planning I'd say my time with him would add up to usually 4 but sometimes 5 hours a day. But he did many projects for which he would be hyperfocused and spend many hours in intense and productive concentration.

 

So absolutely you can do the subjects in the evening that require your attention and do some work on a few Saturdays too if it becomes necessary. But be sure to take advantage of her strengths in figuring out what she can accomplish during the day and find ways that it can tie in with what counts as "school".

[Jill- OK]

I would love to see your schedule because I struggle with trying to fit everything in while working in my daycare at home.

 

Jennifer

Mother to Noah Age 13

 

Sent you and Luanne both a copy. HTH!

[mama25angels]

I think it can be done also.

[Greensa]

Jill,

Would I be able to receive a copy of your schedule, too? We're just starting HS with lots of other interests.

 

Sara

[AnitaMcC]

Sent you and Luanne both a copy. HTH!

 

 

Jill, Would you send me a copy??

 

I am concerned about my Ds as he wants to do so much and he struggles with organization. He has Asperger Syndrome so my just telling him won't cut it-LOL. He has to be able to see how much organization and planning is involved that another student had to work at/accomplish, then he may be more agreeable in easing up on his load or he may see it as a challenge... never know with him-LOL. But hopefully he will at least have a better understanding of the reality of what he is planning on doing and hopefully I can get him to at least be prepared mentally. KWIM?

 

Thank you.

[islandmama]

I have 2 highschoolers, and yes, I believe it can be done. Maybe some extra "homework" time on the weekends, if need be... My dc will spend this amount of time on average a day, but it does not include music, art and PE. And I don't require any repetitive busy work, just enough until they can show they have grasped a concept.

 

Will she sleep all day? Not a cool plan, IMHO. If she is working in your business, then she might do okay, but even so, I think she'll miss out on the depth and breadth of work she could do. Most high schoolers spend 6 hours in class, then 3-4 hours in homework every night for a strong academic high school experience. My dds found they spend 9 hours per day (typically) with reading, writing and thinking.

 

Lori

 

I don't believe 9 hours is really required for a "strong academic high school experience." (IMO) But it all depends what you feel is important as far as subjects studied and college goals. You could definitely make it work for your family's lifestyle. ;)

 

Oh, and Jill, I'd love a copy too! Thanks! :001_smile:

[Karenciavo]

I couldn't do it in 5 hours. Could she go in a different room with some noise canceling headphones? Otherwise, what would she do all day waiting for school to start?:confused:

 

But my dd had to get the bulk of her school work done in the daytime in order to have *any* time to participate in youth Bible studies, movie nights, and the "normal" things a teen girl wants to do.

 

Will she sleep all day? Not a cool plan, IMHO. If she is working in your business, then she might do okay, but even so, I think she'll miss out on the depth and breadth of work she could do. Most high schoolers spend 6 hours in class, then 3-4 hours in homework every night for a strong academic high school experience. My dds found they spend 9 hours per day (typically) with reading, writing and thinking.

 

Lori

 

I'm with these two.

[Jill- OK]

Jill, Would you send me a copy??

 

...please send me a PM. I'm losing track of who I've sent it to, lol.

[AnitaMcC]

...please send me a PM. I'm losing track of who I've sent it to, lol.

 

 

Um.... what is a PM???

 

Anita

[Storm Bay]

It would be hard, but if you added school on the weekend, it might be doable. If you did 5 hours/day during the week and a full day on Saturday and went all year round it might work. But my dd can't even do gr 8 in 5 hours per day, however, she does lollygag. But even on a vey focused day, it would be hard to do it all in 25 days per week; we'd have to do a full day on Saturday to bring it closer to 34.

 

However, if she's hyperfocused and academically quick, I think it could be done. I read fast and in high school had great retention even with fast reading. I also write quickly, albeit not always neatly, so I can get a lot done in a relatively short amount of time if it isn't something that requires deep thought.

[Jill- OK]

Um.... what is a PM???

 

Anita

 

...private message.

 

I'll send you a copy, Anita. I thought I might have already sent it, but you can just delete the second one, if you get two. :D

[Chloe]

You might want to check it out. You don't have to buy the curriculum, but the method would be great in your situation. Basically, it's 2 hours of math, 2 hours of reading (which includes literature, history, science and geography) and one hour of writing daily.

[Luanne]

You might want to check it out. You don't have to buy the curriculum, but the method would be great in your situation. Basically, it's 2 hours of math, 2 hours of reading (which includes literature, history, science and geography) and one hour of writing daily.

 

I think it might be what I am looking for (method wise). I'd have to look at what they use for books and figure out if I wanted to use theirs (getting them at the library) or some other list.

 

I'm on a very limited budget so just using their method might work.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Greta Lea]

Before I read your post here, I was thinking I'd do exactly like you described.

 

My 15yo ds has Asperger syndrome and is easily distracted. He would have to do math BEFORE the "business day" started. Then during the day, he'd do great taking breaks from working the business with me to read lit. and history (his favorite subjects too).

 

I really wish we had a business that my boys and I could all work together. You are lucky to have that. There's a lot your dc can learn from working a business with you.

 

My son loves to write in the evenings already, so working on writing assignments in the evenings would be perfect for him.

 

I think the only thing we wouldn't want to be doing in the evenings would be science actvities/experiments. That might have to be something that's doine on Saturdays, but I think everything else coudl easily be done in the evenings.

[jibaker103]

You might want to check it out. You don't have to buy the curriculum, but the method would be great in your situation. Basically, it's 2 hours of math, 2 hours of reading (which includes literature, history, science and geography) and one hour of writing daily.

Can you please provide a link?

 

Jennifer

Mother to Noah Age 13

[keptwoman]

I think 6 hours is a better estimate of how long it will take you, but that's including reading, which you might not be including (lots of folks don't seem to include this). If she could do some of her reading in her room throughout the day, then I think you could certainly do the bulk of the work in 5 hours in the evening.

Yes I agree.

We allow the following per day:

1 hour Maths

1 hour Language Arts

1 hour Science (Physics this year)

1 hour History

1 hour French

 

Then he also does assigned reading and music practice. We also do bouts of art with another family.

[AnitaMcC]

Well if my twins do what they want to do... (we shall see if it works out).

 

They figured out they could do the following schedule:

 

Mon/Wed/Fri they will do 1 1/2 hrs of math, 1 1/2 hrs of English (composition, grammar, vocabulary, logic), 1 hr of World History, 1 hr of World Literature, 30 minutes for computer fundamentals/health alternating days, 1 hr for foreign language. That is 6 1/2 hours for those three days a week.

 

Tues/Thurs they will do their CC classes and any additional reading time needed for the other subjects.

For Ds he will do chemistry-3 hrs on campus and he will have an astronomy-telecourse

For Dd she will do class piano and class percussion-2 hr on campus each day, then she will have

biology-blended course based, Exploration of Music Literature- web based.

 

So maybe on average they will do about 6 hrs a day but then again they are doing more than typical I think and we are figuring on a 40 week (200 days) school year. Also the courses at CC will only go for about 16 weeks a semester I think so there will be several weeks that they will have Tues/Thurs completely open to do more (or spread out) in other subjects.

 

We shall see how this goes.......... we start next week.

[Chloe]

http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/

[Michelle in MO]

I would think whether or not a student can do high school in 5 hours a day depends upon the child. For most students, I would say that unless they are very motivated and efficient, my opinion would be no, they can't. Even for the ones who are very motivated and efficient, there is a lot of material which needs to be covered in high school.

 

You mentioned that your dd has ADHD. Is she able to work independently, to a certain extent? If so, I would have her begin work after she gets up in the morning (later morning, perhaps)---i.e., subjects that she can do independently. Then I would save the subjects that need to be done under your supervision until you get home.

[Luanne]

I would think whether or not a student can do high school in 5 hours a day depends upon the child. For most students, I would say that unless they are very motivated and efficient, my opinion would be no, they can't. Even for the ones who are very motivated and efficient, there is a lot of material which needs to be covered in high school.

 

You mentioned that your dd has ADHD. Is she able to work independently, to a certain extent? If so, I would have her begin work after she gets up in the morning (later morning, perhaps)---i.e., subjects that she can do independently. Then I would save the subjects that need to be done under your supervision until you get home.

 

 

That's what I was thinking. She is capable of doing literature and history by herself since she really likes (more like loves) those subjects and can stay focused longer without my having to keep her on task. Then in the evenings we can cover the other subjects with math and science being first.