Counting hours

[Melissa in St Louis]

In MO, we need to have 1000 logged hours each year. I am trying to keep very close track of this, and I have some questions...

 

1) I am marking us down for an hour of music instruction on piano lesson days; but what about for piano practice? Does that count also?

 

2) We use CLE reading, and it is Bible-heavy. Could this count as an hour of "reading" and "Bible"?

 

3) Does free reading count as reading?

 

Thanks so much. I'm trying to do an accurate job and just don't have the hang of it yet! :001_smile:

[jacqui in mo]

Yes, count piano practice. On #2, do you mean that you would count the same physical hour as 1 hour of reading AND 1 hour of bible? If so, then no, you cannot count the same hour twice in that way. You can break it up into different components though: 1/2 hour reading, 1/2 hour bible if you need. And by all means count free reading time. I only counted that time though if they were reading something new, or school related. Not twaddle or rereading an old favorite.

 

HTH

[Reya]

They have recess and LOTS of play time ("centers") in the early grades in school, don't forget. You can also count as "developmental learning" playing while most kids would be standing in line, waiting for roll call, etc.

[elegantlion]

In MO, we need to have 1000 logged hours each year. I am trying to keep very close track of this, and I have some questions...

 

1) I am marking us down for an hour of music instruction on piano lesson days; but what about for piano practice? Does that count also?

 

2) We use CLE reading, and it is Bible-heavy. Could this count as an hour of "reading" and "Bible"?

 

3) Does free reading count as reading?

 

Thanks so much. I'm trying to do an accurate job and just don't have the hang of it yet! :001_smile:

 

When I was in MO I would have handled the piano practice and instruction as logged hours.

 

I would count the CLE reading as reading and not bible. When I kept my records Bible was a non-core item. I can't remember why, perhaps because it would be viewed as an elective in high school. However, you could count bible study as history just as easily.

 

Free reading would count as reading, imo.

 

The form I used was pretty detailed. I had all of my subject separated, so I would have had a category for free reading.

 

Remember you not required to show the hours log to anyone so you can set it up which ever way works best for you.

[lakotajm]

I was told once, by another homeschooler more experienced than I, that instruction hours are not necessarily clock hours. This is supposedly because of all the non-academic/administrative hooha that is part of the typical school "hour" (which is usually more like 50 minutes.)

 

So she told me just to count as an hour each subject we covered in a day, whether it only took us 20 minutes, or whatever. 'cause before that, I was tracking every 5 minute increment and near tears over the fact that I could never get us to a total of 20 hours/week! (Not a problem now, but it was then-with just one first grader to teach.) I am also notoriously bad about finding time to write down my logs. So any time saved is good. I just write a quick description per subject for each grade I'm teaching and leave it at that. So it might say "Mag.-Tae Kwon Do class" or "Littles-pg. 30 HWT" There's my hour-take it or leave it! I don't have time to actually watch a clock as well as teach.

Don't fret too much.:chillpill: I know, that's hard when you're new. But it will come easier with time.

 

Lakota

[mom2abcd]

I was told once, by another homeschooler more experienced than I, that instruction hours are not necessarily clock hours. This is supposedly because of all the non-academic/administrative hooha that is part of the typical school "hour" (which is usually more like 50 minutes.)

 

So she told me just to count as an hour each subject we covered in a day, whether it only took us 20 minutes, or whatever. 'cause before that, I was tracking every 5 minute increment and near tears over the fact that I could never get us to a total of 20 hours/week! (Not a problem now, but it was then-with just one first grader to teach.) I am also notoriously bad about finding time to write down my logs. So any time saved is good. I just write a quick description per subject for each grade I'm teaching and leave it at that. So it might say "Mag.-Tae Kwon Do class" or "Littles-pg. 30 HWT" There's my hour-take it or leave it! I don't have time to actually watch a clock as well as teach.

Don't fret too much.:chillpill: I know, that's hard when you're new. But it will come easier with time.

 

Lakota

 

Unfortunately, the state-wide homeschool groups say this way of counting is not recommended. Here's a post that explains more:

http://missourihomeschool.wordpress.com/

 

We count Bible as History. Sure, we are doing a lot of critical thinking, etc. with it, but it IS history and that's a core subject. Since your curriculum is called Reading, I would definitely count the whole thing towards your Core hours. Practicing the piano should count as Fine Arts.

 

You cannot count reading a book about history as both reading and history unless you divide the time between the two subjects.

 

Free reading definitely counts as reading! I think some of our kids could get 1,000 hours just reading:o)

[MOHeather]

Another Missouri mom sliding in...

 

I agree with the assessments above. Musical practice and instruction would both count the same in your log book. You would need to choose 1 hour of Reading or Bible for the CLE. I would chose Reading, since I don't count Bible as core. I know lots of people who do, I just feel better tracking it as non-core. Yes, free reading definitely counts as reading practice. Even though my son sometimes reads a couple hours a day, I usually only log an hour of free reading a day. Just a personal preference,I guess.

 

In terms of the credit hour question, again there are different schools of thought amongst Missouri homeschoolers on that one. Personally I either log a lesson as a full hour or a half an hour. If it's less than 30 minutes, it goes is as a 1/2 hour. If it's more than 40 minutes I round it up to an hour. I don't feel good about a 10 minute grammar lesson counting as an hour lesson. Again, I know a lot of people who do log it as an hour. If ever I had to defend my log book against the county prosecutor I want to feel confident in the hours I've logged.

 

Heather

[....]

My response to your questions are:

 

1. yes

 

2. yes

 

3. yes

 

In school, they also have free reading time and it sure as &^%$ counts as school.

 

I also think we will be logging more than the required hours this year.

 

I don't really like the hour-logging that we have to do. It's a little odd and feels like a double-standard (I've been up at the school during the school day). :confused: Oh well, as long as they leave me alone, I guess.

[Mom22ns]

In MO, we need to have 1000 logged hours each year. I am trying to keep very close track of this, and I have some questions...

 

1) I am marking us down for an hour of music instruction on piano lesson days; but what about for piano practice? Does that count also?

 

2) We use CLE reading, and it is Bible-heavy. Could this count as an hour of "reading" and "Bible"?

 

3) Does free reading count as reading?

 

Thanks so much. I'm trying to do an accurate job and just don't have the hang of it yet! :001_smile:

 

I would answer those as

1) Yes, you can count practice. Although, we have plenty of hours of actual "school" time and don't count instrument practice.

 

2) Count it as reading. You can't count an hour twice so count it for the core subject :001_smile:

 

3) Absolutely, free reading counts. Use it as you please.

 

As for counting an hour for subject, I didn't follow the link posted above, but the HSLDA lawyer I heard on the subject said that practice cannot be defended in court and recommended against it.

 

Debbie