charlotteb Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 DS is going to Boy Scout camp in a few weeks. He'll be swimming, learning outdoor skills, doing basketry and fishing, learning pocketknife safety, etc. Several of my hs friends count camp as a week of school. But I'm very torn on the issue. Part of me says it's not fair because the public school kids don't get a week taken off of their school year for it. But then I think the things he will learn that week will definately be valuable and could count for school. What's your opinion? Edited to add: We school on a year-round schedule so that's why I'm considering counting this activity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Most schools have camp week at least once during the years of school. They also have other various trips right down to the senior trip. Add in field trips and so on. Then there are the swim lessons and so on. Of course you should count the camp if you have to keep track of attendance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 No doubt he's going to be learning many valuable skills at camp. I assume you have an attendance requirement that you're short on. If that's the case, I would add his week at camp to the school calendar. ETA: Not a chance that it's unfair to PS kids. My son takes two classes at the local PS, and school is out on Wednesday. They spent today day signing year books and wiping down desks. The same sort of activities are on tap for the next two days. What a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 If it was academic in nature, computer camp, space camp etc. then definitely. "Regular" camp (ie. nature, crafts etc.) I would only do so if I were desperate for hours to meet a state requirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 If it was academic in nature, computer camp, space camp etc. then definitely. "Regular" camp (ie. nature, crafts etc.) I would only do so if I were desperate for hours to meet a state requirement. I'd agree with you, Jean, if we only gave credit for academic class time. Most people, though, at home and in public/private schools, consider home-ec, arts, physical education and shop type classes as school time and give credits for them. I can't see how the activities at Boy Scout camp would be different from those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Our locals schools inventory the books and have them all turned in almost a full month before the end of the school year. Not only do the kids help collect and inventory the books, they take down bulletin boards, have parties, have splash days, have picnics, etc etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Wow, the votes are neck and neck now! I didn't mention at first that we do homeschool on a year round schedule. We just started our new year today and I worry about taking a week off so early. It'd probably be no big deal. We usually end up with well over the 175 days our state requires. But I'm just trying to decide if I should count it and make life a little easier or not :) Thanks for the replies so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 bumping... anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Definately count it. It sounds educational enough to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 How are you thinking of "counting" it? For # of school days? Then yes, absolutely. Public schools count their teacher in-service days as part of their minimum # of school days, and the dc don't even show up. So you bet I'd count it. I don't care whether it would be "unfair" to public school students--not my job to try to make things "fair." And in many parts of California, 6th graders spend a week at science camp. I have no doubt that the Boy Scout camp is fully as educational as a public school science camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I would, but then, I don't have to count attendance or anything. Also, i will do what I need to do to tick boxes to get the officials to leave me alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I don't have to count days here, but by your description I voted yes - public schools have things like cooking, sewing, art, wood & metal working, automotive repair, etc etc etc... so why can't a homeschool have activities like basket crafts, fishing, water safety, woods skills, etc etc etc. Y'know? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Thanks to my dear wonderful MIL they get to go to this camp and while the younger set it a little more fun oriented, it is definitely educational. Plus they go stay with MIL for the week so it is my week off!!! Discovery Camp - Peddlers - Fun on the Farm (Ages 8-10) Become a member of an early 1800s farming family. Help with garden, farm, and household chores. Discovery Camp - Apprentices - Shuttle and Loom (Ages 11-14) Learn first-hand about working with wool, dyeing, and weaving, then design your own piece of cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Margaret, I hadn't seen that scout school message board. Very cool! Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Wow, I really appreciate all the votes! Thanks so much. "Count it" has won! I'm still prayfully considering, but your opinion definately helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I count it because kids in school do exactly the same types of things throughout the year. My kids just get those things in a concentrated dose during the summer. I also count playdates (recess). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 DS is going to Boy Scout camp in a few weeks. He'll be swimming, learning outdoor skills, doing basketry and fishing, learning pocketknife safety, etc. Several of my hs friends count camp as a week of school. But I'm very torn on the issue. Part of me says it's not fair because the public school kids don't get a week taken off of their school year for it. But then I think the things he will learn that week will definately be valuable and could count for school. What's your opinion? Edited to add: We school on a year-round schedule so that's why I'm considering counting this activity I never did, but not because I thought it was somehow unfair. As Ellie says, being "fair" to any other route of schooling isn't high on my priority list. Being fair to homeschoolers isn't on my radar right now that I'm not doing that, KWIM? I don't count academic camps because they are enrichment activities, not core work. I think it might have more to do with my mindset as to what is "school" and less about what I think is "education," though. It's all education. But the part of it that I consider "school" doesn't include scouts or camps or any of the typical childhood extras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I wish there had been another choice in the poll. I voted no but not because it is unfair to public schoolers. It is not my mission in life to be fair to public school kids. I just feel better about listing traditionally extracurricular activities as such in my records. It's a personal decision, even though we devote school time to scout and 4h activities, we dont' list them as school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I don't care whether it would be "unfair" to public school students--not my job to try to make things "fair." :iagree: plus, when I was in public school we went to camp for a week in 6th grade, during the schoolyear, with the teachers, and it counted as school. Y'know what's really unfair to ps kids is all the time they spend waiting around for the next thing, and the wasted time with school assemblies & such. Your counting or not counting ds's summer camp isn't going to fix that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriM Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I wouldn't count camp, because it would be something I'd provide to my children no matter what form of education they received (PS or hs). On the other hand, I don't *angst* over counting anything as school. We just live, read, eat, discuss, draw, watch TV, garden, and go about our daily life in and around academic things. I don't count or not-count any of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I'd say count it. Personally, I sign the kids up for extracurriculars to cover the subjects I'm not strong in or that need a group. All of our PE is outsourced (TKD, ballet, gymnastics), music is Kindermusik and the kids will do an outside art class next year. These are all ps subjects so I count them as hs, even though they're extracurriculars for ps kids. Of course, I'm in TX, so I'm only counting for myself :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Go ahead, count it - or don't. It really doesn't matter. You are not a part of the PS system so you can do things any old way you please. Personally, I wouldn't give them any more than absolutely required to make them go away. They want 175 days? Fine, let them have it! Even if you schooled for 250 days I would not report more than necessary to meet their silly requirements. ;) In the schools around here half days count as whole days. The kids are filling the month of June with useless "half days", which are nothing but a big waste of time. to make up for snow days over the winter. I already know I can do more in 4 months than those kids do all year long, so if they think I'm going to count "days" so I can play their power game they're dead wrong. [/vent] Seriously, though, you are the boss, and don't let them trick you into thinking otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Being familiar with the rigorous requirements to get credit for any scouting badge/pin/belt loop etc... I would definitely COUNT it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Being familiar with the rigorous requirements to get credit for any scouting badge/pin/belt loop etc... I would definitely COUNT it!! My youngest son will be going to a cub scout day camp and learn archery. I could never teach that. It's a physical skill, is it not? My oldest will be going to this camp as well as an away webelos camp the next week. Sure, I will count them. Scout camps are not just physical, but academic as well. In Webelos there is the geologist requirement, should it not be counted as a unit study? How about the scientist requirement? So, Yes, absolutely I would count them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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