If you homeschool year round....

[Lux Et Veritas Academy]

If you homeschool year round what is your schedule? Do you do so many weeks on and so many off? Any secrets for starting after doing a traditional school schedule?

[Cornerstone Classical]

Our official first day is the Monday after July 4. So I get a calendar and start from that day. I first schedule off the first week of Oct., Jan., April, Aug., These are the times I will deep clean my home. Then I schedule off weeks for holidays/vacations. Then if I notice a chunk of time that is more than say 5-6 weeks with out a break I schedule a week/or days off in there some where. I play the month of May and June "by ear" to take off days here and there for summer activites. You know like the amusement park day or water park day or a day trip to a place we want to go...

 

:001_smile: "That's what I do..." (quote from Nepolian Dynamite:lol:)

[LisaKinVA]

I wish I had a more formal "schedule" -- but it's pretty much we school 6 days a week, Saturday is usually a light day, but we have math and literature)

 

My work takes me away for 2 weeks in January and 2 weeks in July. Cub Scout Camp is also 2 weeks.

 

My children don't get a typical Christmas break, Thanksgiving or Spring break... They get days here and there.

 

We were just "off" for two weeks because of perpetual illness. It just wasn't worth trying to do school with crabby, cranking almost well, getting sick again children (and mommy). That wasn't in my schedule.

 

We just keep going -- but officially start a "new" year in July. We have most of the work finished by the end of May, and it gives me time to catch up on things we were behind with, and get in new books.

[Tamy]

We need to "do school" 180 days a year here. That works out to 36 weeks...leaving us 16 weeks off during a year.

 

We homeschool year round with a 4 week break in July. We follow a 3 week on/1 week off schedule, although we take two weeks at Christmas to spend extra time with Daddy.

 

This is our third year following this schedule and it's working well. My kids like having a week every three weeks. That week off also gives me time to prepare for the next three weeks.

 

I hope that made sense.

 

Tamy

Growing With Grammar

http://www.GrowingWithGrammar.com

[Kelli in TN]

I am pretty laid back about it. The only thing scheduled is my Christmas break, we take off from the Monday before Thanksgiving until the Monday after New Year's Day.

 

Beyond that we have school. If someone needs to go to camp, they get the time off of school. If someone invites us to do something fun, we do it. If I am burning out, we take a day or two off. We count days until we reach 180 (our legal requirement) and then we stop counting, but we keep working. When we run out of curriculum for a subject then we take a week off from that subject only, then start up the next level. We start counting days again in July.

[Retrocutie]

Our official first day is the Monday after July 4. So I get a calendar and start from that day. I first schedule off the first week of Oct., Jan., April, Aug., These are the times I will deep clean my home. Then I schedule off weeks for holidays/vacations. Then if I notice a chunk of time that is more than say 5-6 weeks with out a break I schedule a week/or days off in there some where. I play the month of May and June "by ear" to take off days here and there for summer activites. You know like the amusement park day or water park day or a day trip to a place we want to go...

 

:001_smile: "That's what I do..." (quote from Nepolian Dynamite:lol:)

 

I so need to get a calendar and do the same thing. I've just been taking days off as we go, but we've already taken way too many days so far. If they were better scheduled out-with the exception of sick days and what have you- I think I would get a better handle on things. Good idea- I'm going to go print a calendar off right now!

[StephanieZ]

We're pretty flexible about the schedule and adapt as needed. I LOVE that!

 

In general, we take the month of October totally off and go to the beach. :auto::) (We do take some optional review and fun worksheets for rainy days and plenty of good books to read. Nothing is required but I do keep a candy stash and pay a piece of candy for each sheet completed. :)

 

Each of my two older kids spends a week (at different times) with my mom on trips in the summer. Those weeks, the remaining kids still school but they take a break from subjects done together (latin, history, science) and focus on writing projects and other independent work.

 

We take lots of long week-ends (3-4 days) off throughout the year for trips, holidays, visits from family members, etc. We take about a week or so at Christmas and Thanksgiving.

 

Most years we also have one or more weeks in the summer when we're going to a music institute/event or a summer sports day camp or something similar. Those weeks we don't do anything other than music, or maybe some reading. (We do music practice in the evenings even when we're doing a sports or other day camp . . .)

 

If I were implementing a year round with kids who were accustomed to getting summer off. . . I would try to start it off positively. . . Like saying,

 

"Hey kids, I thought it would be nice to take a full month off over the holidays this year to spend time with the family, make a lot of holiday crafts, home-made gifts and cookies, and go skiing/whatever. . . And maybe another couple weeks in the spring to go on a road trip to visit auntie ruthie in oregon. . . And maybe take every Tuesday off this winter to ski at the local slopes. . . I think it would be really fun to take all these trips and stuff and I think homeschooling is so cool in that we can be flexible like that. . . Of course, we still have to get our book-learning done, so I'm thinking that this summer we'll take a 4 week break instead of 12 week. . . How does that sound???" Then I'd listen carefully and try to be flexible and to create a win-win. . .

 

I think it would be ideal to implement this in the fall instead of the spring. . . It may go over like a lead balloon if you suggested it in the spring so close to what they're expecting to be a long break . . . If you do decide to do it now, I'd make sure to put a lot of positive stuff on the table at the outset. . . And do take a nice 2-4 week break at the beginning of the summer when they were expecting it.

 

Good luck. I LOVE year round schooling.

[hsmom]

We school all year except for the month of July. We start our year the first full week in August. Then we take our first week break around October. Then we take the week before Christmas until the first full week in January. Then our next break is the week of Easter. We finish the last full week of June.

 

I think schooling year round allows you to still get your required days, but at the same time take a 3 day weekend here and there. My attendance requirement is 175 days. I we are going to hit over 200 this year and that is with taking days off here and there, and our weeks every few months.

 

As for tips to starting after a traditional schedule I really don't have any. Except do what feels right to you.

[siloam]

Nope, we wing it for the most part. Actually I do 4 days of school with Friday off, then take other time as needed.

 

Heather

[Pongo]

It's the "beginning of the "new grade" for paperwork sake.

 

I use TOG so I try to get in as much of 2 Units before Christmas. I work it like this:

Aug. (4 weeks)

Sept. (4 weeks)

Oct.(1 week, first Unit is complete)

Oct. (2nd week , OFF field trip, art & prepare Unit 2)

Oct. (week 3+4 Start Unit 2)

Nov. (3 weeks, Thanksgiving week OFF, art only)

Dec. (first 2 weeks on, second 2 weeks OFF, art week 2 only)

Jan. (first 2 weeks, Unit 2 done. last 2 weeks start Unit 3)

Feb. (3 weeks, take PS Feb. Vacation off -art only, field trip, get Unit 4 ready)

Mar. (4 weeks Unit 3 done)

April ( 4 weeks start Unit 4)

May (4 weeks)

June ( 1 week , Unit 4 done)

June (weeks 2+3 OFF, beach, art)

June (week 4 science, math, summer book list & report)

July (weeks 1- 4 Science, math, summer book list & report)

 

On my weeks off we have been focusing on 1 or 2 Artists and using the Famous Artists books. We will most likely continue with it like that, we will fit in about 8-10 artists. I do the " block scheduling" for science. My kids do participate in a co-op that is going through the Apologia books.

[Rhesa]

Wow! Some of you year rounders are really organized! :)

 

I haven't quite figured our schedule out yet- this is our first "official" year. But we do school 4 or 5 days a week year round unless we're travelling. We travel a LOT.

 

And I do take a little time off around the big holidays, or if dh has a day off for a family day.

 

But our school is pretty relaxed- between 1 to 3 hours depending on the day, so it doesn't feel like a burden to do it regularly. I found that when we're home, it helps to do a small amount even in the summer. We can do a little math, a little reading, then head outside to enjoy the fun.

 

I imagine as my kiddos get older, I'll have to do a better job at keeping track. But it's worked for the past couple of years.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I have to say we kind of wing it here too. The definite times off are 2 weeks for Christmas and usually a 1/2 week for Thanksgiving (sometimes all week). We take off in the fall for a bit and in Feb. or so for a week. We usually take about a full month off -- June. We find a convenient time in early to mid July to start up the new year. Usually by May, we are down to weaning off of subjects.

I like this schedule. We can be more flexible with our time. We just took 2 weeks off when I had planned 1 (but I got really sick, so no school for another week). When our minds are toast, we can break. When we need to work, we can. It works really well for us!

[Kelli in TN]

But we do school 4 or 5 days a week year round unless we're travelling. We travel a LOT.

 

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I don't know if this works for you, but we have never traveled anywhere that we could not honestly count a day or two (or more) of the trip as school time. Even when we go to the grandparents in Illinois, we take the train into Chicago and hit a museum or the zoo. We count all that as school because I spend a lot of time talking and processing with the kids.

[Osaubi]

We homeschool year around taking a day or week here and there. I tried to have extended time off, and found that my dc are better suited to school year around. Though my ds asked if he got holidays off from school. :) I said sorry St. Pat's Day is not considered a school free day around here!

I take the week of Christmas to New Years off. I school 4 days a week, with the other day being co-op day. We take a week here and there when we need it. My state counts hours not days, so as long as we are looking good for the month we can take some time off.

 

HTH,

Kim

[Jenny in Atl]

I am pretty laid back about it. The only thing scheduled is my Christmas break, we take off from the Monday before Thanksgiving until the Monday after New Year's Day.

 

Beyond that we have school. If someone needs to go to camp, they get the time off of school. If someone invites us to do something fun, we do it. If I am burning out, we take a day or two off. We count days until we reach 180 (our legal requirement) and then we stop counting, but we keep working. When we run out of curriculum for a subject then we take a week off from that subject only, then start up the next level. We start counting days again in July.

 

Sounds a lot like us.

[Michelle T]

Nope, we wing it for the most part. Actually I do 4 days of school with Friday off, then take other time as needed.

 

Heather

 

We do school Monday through Thursday. Friday is homeschool PE and parkday with our local homeschool group.

 

I take off time as needed throughout the year. Usually the week of Thanksgiving, a couple weeks in December, and everything else is as life happens.

Michelle T

[Melissa in Australia]

we school year round. if the weather gets really hot( over 38oC ) then we take the afternoon off and head for the beach. we take a day off here and there. every year we get together with some other homeschoolers and have 2 weeks off. we take breaks form some subjects though. having a day off grammar is a real treat here, and we do that once a week.

MelissaL

[Closeacademy]

We do 4 days a week of schoolwork and 1 day for library/playgroup/enrichment.

 

I generally schedule it so that we have a fun week about every 3 to 6 weeks where we do lapbooks and play games and such.

 

We take two weeks off in May or June, a week at 4th of July, and 2 to 3 weeks at Christmas.

 

We do more than 180 days but we do a lot of fun stuff to break up the rest and I use those fun weeks as floaters so that if we get really sick--we can cancel the fun week and still get our regular schoolwork done if we've had to take a week off for illness.

[Rhesa]

I don't know if this works for you, but we have never traveled anywhere that we could not honestly count a day or two (or more) of the trip as school time. Even when we go to the grandparents in Illinois, we take the train into Chicago and hit a museum or the zoo. We count all that as school because I spend a lot of time talking and processing with the kids.

 

 

Oh, yes. I almost always count our travelling towards school in some way. Our last trip was to Hershey, PA. We visited the chocolate factory. Let's see- how many ways can I count that in my quarterly report? Social studies...Health & Nutrition...Science...Geography...:D

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[karne]

We do 12 week 'terms' and then a week off. I try to make it work so that week off is the same as the public schools. Like now, DD is on spring break like every other kid in town. It helps her somehow. Unfortunately, it's pouring out and should be most of the week!

 

During the year, we don't hesitate to take trips. If it turns out we can get Cardinals tickets, we go to St. Louis. If we want to do an amusement park thing, we go. Or take part of our day and hit the Art Center or if it's suddenly a really nice day go out to the park.

 

I've just never seen the logic behind 3 months off during summer now that we don't need the kids to help on the farm!!!! :) They get bored, they have to review etc etc.

 

This year, with the price of gas, I have a feeling our trips may be fewer. We'll have to be more creative.

[Susie in CA]

We need to "do school" 180 days a year here. That works out to 36 weeks...leaving us 16 weeks off during a year.

 

We homeschool year round with a 4 week break in July. We follow a 3 week on/1 week off schedule, although we take two weeks at Christmas to spend extra time with Daddy.

 

This is our third year following this schedule and it's working well. My kids like having a week every three weeks. That week off also gives me time to prepare for the next three weeks.

 

I hope that made sense.

 

Tamy

Growing With Grammar

http://www.GrowingWithGrammar.com

 

 

This is exactly what we do! This has been working very well for us, too. This is our second year on this schedule.

 

Susie

[hwfquilts]

I'm in the planning camp.

 

I "begin at the end" by looking at when I want to be finished with school. We go to the beach for a week every May, so I know I want to be finished with school the week before we leave. We have to do 180 days, so I work back from there. I include a full week at Thanksgiving, two weeks at Christmas, a fall break in October and a spring break in March.

 

Even though my "official" days are complete, we do "summer school" during June and July. We do math, read alouds (those that I wanted to get to, but didnt' during the year - fairy tales, Marguerite Henry books, other classics) and some extras (geography unit study, poetry or music study). We spend about 2 hours per day during "summer school."

 

Hope this helps!

Heather

[MichelleWI]

If you homeschool year round what is your schedule? Do you do so many weeks on and so many off? Any secrets for starting after doing a traditional school schedule?

 

We have never followed a traditional school model for anything.

 

We do the bulk of our indoor schooling in Summer and in Winter, because we love to be outdoors in the Spring and Fall. We walk constantly, and you cannot match the learning that goes on during those times simply by reading a book. As a child in the public schools, I couldn't stand spending the last few glorious days of Fall or the first, fresh days of Spring trapped inside a school. I don't want my children smelling fresh breezes from behind a math text.

 

Our children advance a grade year on their birthdays. The state of Wisconsin allows us to file our intent form with "ungraded" students, so I count the children under that category rather than assigning a grade to them on the official form.

 

We are much more relaxed in our learning in the early years than many members here. Our eldest officially embarked upon her first year of high school one month ago and our scheduling is still very loose. We have the goal to finish some courses within the year and others within six months and others will be ongoing projects throughout her entire high school career, credited yearly as "English I, English II" and so on.

 

We have found that the hours and days required by the state are far less than what we actually spend in learning.

[Heather in OK]

We just take breaks when we need to. I don't do a "weeks on - weeks off" thing.

[TMarie]

Our official first day is the Monday after July 4.

 

We take the month of June off - completely unscheduled for a month! :thumbup: What a joy! Then back to work the 1st Monday after July 4th. This still leaves plenty of time for travel, family visits, camps, holidays, etc...

[Snickerdoodle]

We just take breaks when we need to. I don't do a "weeks on - weeks off" thing.

 

Same here.