How many school year-round?

[j9_shooter9]

I can see really enjoying the 3 weeks on/ 1 off or 3 months/ 1 off. Does anyone do this? I think I'm a bit scared to "lose the summer" but also can see how it would prevent burnout during the rest of the year as well.

 

I enjoy my summer, but it almost can seem a bit too unstructured at times. I need a balance.

 

If you do it, how does it work?

 

What are some pros/cons?

[babs]

but like any summer school, it is a bit looser - more flexibiltiy than the regular school year as we are just more social when the weather is good.

 

I try to focus on getting our main subjects covered (math, grammar, writing, literature) and we shoot for daily, but we will ditch it all for a day at the lake or waterpark! I want my kids to have good memories. This year we did not do school due to a family illness (mil) and we moved. They seem to be flailing without the structure and the learning that keeps them challenged. I really only see the benefits and not the costs of summer school. It works for us - and then we have more cushion if we take a week for skiing or other recreation during the year.

[lionfamily1999]

We took most of July off, so ds could get some summer fun in, but frankly, who wants to play outside in August when it feels like you're laboring through skeins of hot, wet wool?

 

It's working well for us. Legally, we only school while the ps schools are in, but in reality, we school with one week off a month. I've noticed there's a lot more moving forwards, rather than getting so far and then having to review everything for at least a month, before you can move forward again.

 

It also gives you enough latitude that you can take time off when you would've had to anyway. Dcs get sick? Well, there's our week off this month.

 

:grouphug:

[2cents]

We school year round and give time off at holidays and vacations. I don't have a set schedule for time off other than holidays. We do lighter weeks during Halloween, Thanksgiving and weeks off at Christmas and annual testing. During the year we take a couple of weeks off for vacation and some days for trips. All in all, it is spaced out enough that it naturally prevents burn-out.

[Shelly in the Country]

We school year-round. I don't like taking a big break from school because it's hard to get into gear again. I also like the flexibility of taking breaks when we need to. I don't really have a set structure to when we take breaks. I take breaks around holidays. Instead of two weeks at Christmas, we take about a month off, a week off at Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July, etc. Then we take breaks for family vacations or visits from family. If the kids get sick I will sometimes call off the whole week since they are not in the mood to do school while sniffling and sneezing. I keep track of our days and I make sure we get in 180 days (at least) of school each year. I don't really see any cons myself, but then we've always done things this way.

[j9_shooter9]

We school year-round. I don't like taking a big break from school because it's hard to get into gear again. I also like the flexibility of taking breaks when we need to. I don't really have a set structure to when we take breaks. I take breaks around holidays. Instead of two weeks at Christmas, we take about a month off, a week off at Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July, etc. Then we take breaks for family vacations or visits from family. If the kids get sick I will sometimes call off the whole week since they are not in the mood to do school while sniffling and sneezing. I keep track of our days and I make sure we get in 180 days (at least) of school each year. I don't really see any cons myself, but then we've always done things this way.

 

I really like that.

[Loupelou]

We do, but summer time is less structured. We try to get the basics in and then we add in some fun, relaxed activities- lots of great library programs and educational field trips. We did swimming lessons so for those 2 weeks we just did math, reading, and a couple of writing assignments. When family came to visit we took 3 weeks off and then eased back in. We're still on a summer schedule for another two weeks here. I find that abandoning everything for 2 or 3 months is just too much for us, I like the structure that a daily schedule gives and it's just easier to transition from light school than from very little to nothing. I also feel like we can take a little more time off during the rest of the year if need or desire arises.

[Jen in PA]

We do. We took about a month "off" this summer so the kids could do daycamp at the natural history museum, attend a few art activities through the parks system, and squeeze in some extra playdates with ps friends. Then we started back up last month with the plan being to do about 6 weeks on/1 week off (or having that break week fall on a holiday). This is technically our first week "off," but it has really just been a light week of school since both kids had some things they wanted to keep working on. I just feel like it's so much easier to keep moving than to have them get out of the habit of getting their work done every day -- and I really don't like reteaching things.

[Ellie]

I figured that in the real world, the year begins January 1 and ends December 31; why should we do it any differently just because we're hsing?

 

We took off a couple of weeks in the spring around Easter, a couple-three weeks in late August/early September (stinkin' hot, Southern Calif weather, no AC), and Thanksgiving through about the middle of January; We also took off any other random time that we needed to (such as trips to Disneyland in the middle of the week in March). We worked on things until we were finished with them or we were sick of them :D then moved on to the next thing.

 

For the sake of Sunday school teachers and grandparents, we "promoted" in the fall; also, just to keep everyone sane, when necessary to refer to the dc's "grade level," I just used what they would be in if they'd gone to school, while the dc worked academically at their ability levels.

[elfgivas]

we've done it different ways, but always year round. summer here is 100+ daily, so it makes sense to me for us be inside, do school, and save our time off for when it is more fun to be out and about. some years, we've taken longer breaks around holidays. some years, we've gone walkabout for a month or two. but i plan in 6 - 12 week increments, and then we pause, for a few days or a week, and then we start up again. this summer, we started a new year june 1st with 2 weeks of theatre camp for both dds. now, we've done school pretty much straight through, and i'm looking at where i had wanted to be, and where we are, which are always different, and making adjustments for the next session. we'll take a week off over labour day... maybe.... and then start back in BUT we may also be travelling with dh the end of september, in which case i may plan a mini-unit on something that will be september school + our field trip.

 

fwiw,

ann

[Aunty Social]

We have a schedule of about 5 weeks on/2 off - shorter between Thanksgiving and Christmas, slightly longer in the late spring (but one of those "on" weeks will be standardized testing only). We have three solid weeks off at the "end" of the year, and took Fridays off during the summer.

 

It looks like things will work out well. I need the structure of a schedule, or no schooling will get done - day off kids!:tongue_smilie:- but I also need the flexibility of more time off. Make sense? I also think the kids will do better. Summer gets REALLY long around here, and there is much more fighting. I think it's because they are bored/without enough structure.

 

I'm anxious to see how it goes.

[AmeliaJade]

We tend to play it by ear. We school year round but summer is a little more relaxed. We started back to a full school schedule right after the 4th of July and now they have this week off because of space camp. Then they'll have two more weeks of school and then have two off because we have family and friends coming to visit the week before I have surgery. Then we'll get back to school and they'll have the last week of October off because we're taking our family vacation. Then it will be back to school until Thanksgiving and then they have a big break until after the New Year.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

I figured that in the real world, the year begins January 1 and ends December 31; why should we do it any differently just because we're hsing?

 

We took off a couple of weeks in the spring around Easter, a couple-three weeks in late August/early September (stinkin' hot, Southern Calif weather, no AC), and Thanksgiving through about the middle of January; We also took off any other random time that we needed to (such as trips to Disneyland in the middle of the week in March). We worked on things until we were finished with them or we were sick of them :D then moved on to the next thing.

 

For the sake of Sunday school teachers and grandparents, we "promoted" in the fall; also, just to keep everyone sane, when necessary to refer to the dc's "grade level," I just used what they would be in if they'd gone to school, while the dc worked academically at their ability levels.

 

This is probably how we will work too. I was schooled in Australia where school goes pretty much year round with the school year starting in February, ending in December so I'm not programmed for the August/September start or for a particularly long break in the Summer. Also, the Summer heat and humidity here is oppressive.

 

We intend to take breaks as needed and according to DH's vacation time. That's how we've been working so far and I like that kind of flexibility.

[Elohcin]

We do. We take a month off in July. Our other breaks depend on the year. We schedule vacations and breaks when needed, often taking extra time for the holidays or in the dead of winter.

[coralloyd]

My Dh works for himself at home; so the flexiblity of yr. around school works best for us. I don't usually schedule our breaks. When dh has a lighter work load, we take off in our rv (a week or two here, a week or two there). Of course also around hoildays we take breaks. I guess I try and make our life, have as much learning in it as possible.

[Dawn in OH]

We school year round. We generally take breaks when we need one for reasons of burnout, illness, holiday's, etc.

 

We school year round because the children tend to forget everything they learned if we take prolonged time off and the children seem to need the structure. They get into too much trouble when left with free time all day. It gives us structure.

 

School year round also gives us time to catch up in any subjects where we fell behind because we needed more time to master a concept.

 

The first year we homeschooled "officially" we had a new baby born right at the start of the school year. For the first 6 months we didn't get much done between the needs of a new baby and me being exhausted all the time. We made up for that time over the summer.

[katemary63]

I make a schedule for the year that starts Aug 1 and ends April 30. We are in Arkansas and there is nothing fun to do in Aug. anyway because of the heat so why not start school? I plan all my curriculum out for the whole year on this schedule in a general way, making sure that what I want to accomplish will fit in those parameters. I Schedule 1 week off for county fair, 3 days at Thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Christmas and 1 week at Easter. The purpose of the schedule is to encourage me and HELP to keep me on track, but I don't stick to it like glue or anything. I do everything I can to be finished with the years work by April, but if we're not, no problem, we work on it during June and July. We will always do some math during the summer regardless. I really want May and June off completely because those are our most beautiful months and we go riding a lot. As we work on our assignments, I highlight what we finish on the schedule but we are seldom on the "correct" day and that doesn't matter but is does keep me encouraged not to take days off for no reason. I have found that the closer I stick to my schedule the better I feel but it doesn't rule me either and I am always happy to call off school for fun family activities. We do NOT let being sick get us behind. If Claire or I are sick and absolutely can't do school, we will double up days or do school on the weekend when we are better so that we don't loose time on the schedule. The utmost goal for me is to be far enough along on the schedule to have all of May and June off so we can ride, ride, ride!

[The Governess]

We take 6 weeks off in the summer and then 2-3 week breaks in between quarters. It gives everyone a little break and it gives me a chance to get some planning done. We do a little math and handwriting during our breaks though.

[Moni]

If you do it, how does it work?

 

 

My youngest started 10 years ago, we haven't stopped yet.

It works fine.

We do what we can when we can, and just keep going

:seeya:

[Pretty in Pink]

We've tried several year-round schedules. We like schooling year round. We've done 4-day weeks, 3 weeks on and 1 off, etc. I'm thinking about doing 4 days a week this year with my 6yo. It would give me Fridays fairly uninterrupted for my own studies. We'll see...

[Plucky]

We school year round. As my kids have gotten older it seems we've needed to school during summer to finish up stuff and work on problem areas. We take breaks as needed during summer and year round.

[Tess in the Burbs]

we do math in the summer. sometimes some handwriting. and a little science is always part of life. we try to get science and history done in the traditional year....but we have always done math through the summer. 10-30 min in the mornings.

[hsmom3tn]

We school year round and give time off at holidays and vacations. I don't have a set schedule for time off other than holidays. We do lighter weeks during Halloween, Thanksgiving and weeks off at Christmas and annual testing.

 

:iagree:

 

This is what we do, also. The weather here is much nicer in the fall, so we take off more time in the fall instead of the summer.

[BikeBookBread]

I'm SOOOO experienced at this (2 months :lol::lol::lol::lol:) but that is our goal. SO far they love their schoolwork and we just plan on taking breaks as needed.

[silvermine]

We homeschool all year, but we take breaks as needed whenever. Like last fall, we had most of October off, travelling to see family. On pretty days, we go out more. On rainy or hot days we do more school. Days I have a lot of morning sickness? No school. ;) When we moved to another house, we stopped for a month or two. Took a week or two off when my daughter was sick with the flu. Just sort of flexible schooling. :)

[funschooler5]

We school year-round, but June and July are really light (as in, if it's nice weather, we'll take a break and head outside). Also, we just do the basics in those months. August is when we start the new year, and we go all the way through till December (taking a week off here and there). We pretty much take the whole month of December off. Then we start back up in January, and take a few weeks off in either March or April (whenever we're feeling the most burned-out :lol:). Not a very regular schedule, but it works for us!

[Desert Rat]

We school year round with 3 weeks off in August and a big break from Thanksgiving through New Years. It makes sense for us to take a bigger break at that time of year because the summer in the desert is just miserable. In December, we can play outside a lot and plus I can bake and make crafts with them without having to do school on top of it. We also take a week off in Feb. and May for their birthdays. We school between 39-42 weeks.

 

The pros are that we've adapted our school year to fit our life style and our climate. The cons are that if you associate a lot with PS kids, you may have to adapt to visit them.

 

FWIW, we do full school M-Th. Fridays are our light/pickup days. We are typically done in half of the time of our normal school day.

[Carol in Cal.]

This has given us a lot of leeway in scheduling extraordinary activities, like focussed robotics work or participating in an opera or really, really fun summer camps and retreats.

 

Also, DD has been behind in math, and so we needed to finish 3 Saxon books in 2 years. Schooling year round made that possible, though not exactly fun IIKWIM.

[Moni]

We just do what we can when we can for a decade.

And then do it again for another five years.

 

No on/off schedules here.

 

I don't know what is a pro/con of it. It's all we've ever done.

I have nothing to compare it to.

:seeya:

[mellifera]

We school year-round. We tend to do a 3 week on 1 week off with variations (2 weeks some months, no time off others depending on the schooling needs). I find it gives us more flexibility in our schedule.

[NancyNellen]

We do 6weeks on/1 week off year round. In the summers we school 4 days a week and are done by lunch time. Just enough structure to keep me from going insane and to keep them from requiring a lot of review in the fall.

[kalanamak]

 

If you do it, how does it work?

 

What are some pros/cons?

 

I school year round and take opportunities as they come: chance to go to the mountains with dad and a friend--guess no school today.

 

Several cousins meeting up in California? Guess we can skip a week.

 

The con is: always at it, or so it seems.

[Guest janainaz]

I do 3 weeks on and 1 off (one month off a week). I love it. I would not change it for the world. Summer would drive me crazy, I've got too much mental energy. It is so nice to have a break every three weeks - we live in Arizona and go to CA to see our family for about 7 - 10 days and my dh comes with us (he works from home and can work anywhere).

 

We do take a couple extra weeks at Christmas and a week at spring break.

 

I never EVER feel burned out.

[Plucky]

I do 3 weeks on and 1 off (one month off a week). I love it. I would not change it for the world. Summer would drive me crazy, I've got too much mental energy. It is so nice to have a break every three weeks - we live in Arizona and go to CA to see our family for about 7 - 10 days. My dh works from home (he can work anywhere).

 

We do take a couple extra weeks at Christmas and a week at spring break.

 

I never EVER feel burned out.

 

I like the one month off a week. How does that work? :lol:

[Guest janainaz]

I like the one month off a week. How does that work? :lol:

 

Okay, time for bed for me! I had to read that several times to figure it out. All this school is making me crazy!