profmom Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Part of what we're considering in our plans for next year is the amount of time our kids spend with school work. How many hours a day is reasonable for high school (by grades if you think it matters)? How much free time does a student need? We may have chosen one of the more time-consuming options for schooling currently (online classes at The Potter's School) -- do you think so? Whether or not your kids are homeschooled or in school for high school, how much free time do they have in the evenings and on weekends? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I expect my 9th and 10th grader to put in 5.5-6 hours of schoolwork daily. This is sufficient for five rigorous credits in the core subjects (Math, Science, English, foreign language and history) and some left over for a few electives. A high school credit is approximately an hour of work per day. I want school work to be done in the early afternoon. In 11th grade, my DD has been taking two time consuming dual enrollment courses at the university each semester. Each 4 hour class requires 8 hours of outside work every week. Consequently, all other subjects get pushed on the back burner. She is fully in charge of her time and sometimes works in the evening because she needs a break after coming home in the afternoon. I no longer keep track of her hours. I want my students to have time to pursue extracurricular activities and have unstructured free time. DD sings in choir (3 hours / week) and rides a horse (6-8 hours /week). She also works/volunteers 3 hours/week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 6 Hours would be the average for us. In our case it doesn't work out to a fixed 6 M-F because of Dd's extras, but taken as a whole that would be about right. Next year (10th) , it will step up to about 7 because she has chosen some time intensive options. In our case it really is not possible to do the same schedule on one weekday as the next, she does work on Saturday mornings or sometimes Sunday afternoons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 My high school students spend 7-9 hrs daily M-F on school work. Some days on the lower 7 end, some days it may be 10 hrs. FWIW, my kids also take on avg 7 courses/yr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 So far this year, my 9th grader is averaging about 6.5 hours a day. He does spend time on homework (not a lot) - usually book reports or left over math and science questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 We're averaging about 5-6 hours, this seems to be on the lower end of accepted norms. I try to guard ds's free time, which is generally productive for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 My 9th grader spends approximately 50 hours per week, including weekend hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 How much free time does a student need? I think it depends on how you define "free time." Honestly, I'm not trying to be obscure! Some folks consider "free time" to be the tijme when a student hangs out. Others consider "free time" to be when a student is doing what he/she wants to do, whether that is watching a movie, running track, practicing the violin, playing video games, or doing volunteer work. Our kids have VERY little "hang out" time. Most moments are filled with school work and with activities they have chosen. Evenings spent watching movies or playing games are unfortunately rare at our house, but my kids have wanted to fill their lives with other activities -- debate, music, volunteering, etc. Those commitments are how they choose to fill their "free" time. Some folks would say that my kids have little "free" time. We look at it as our kids choosing to spend their free time differently than some others might! Time spent doing academic work varies wildly by kid, but is probably 40-50 hours per week. All other time (besides sleeping) is "free" time, but they are rarely not busy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 FWIW, Calvin - studying the IB - is in classes from 9am to 4pm, with only a few free periods a week. He has an hour or two of homework each night - mostly very worthwhile stuff - and works up to eight hours at the weekends. Next year he will be working harder. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Just for making a point to Dd (who really likes to argue small things) I once worked out a week. For fun I will post it here. A 7 day week of 24 hour days = 168 total hours Sleep @ 9 hours per day = 63 hours Morning self prep (breakfast, shower) = 7 hours 1 Lunch Hour per day = 7 hours 1 Dinner Hour per day = 7 hours Thus, 84 hours (1/2 all time during the week) is spent sleeping, eating, primping The remaining 84: Exercise 1 hour per day = 7 hours 40 hour work day (adult conventional standard) or 7 hour school day (35 hours per week) She argued they have lunch in that, to which I responded yes but they have buses/drive times-she relented Assume a high schooler has 5 hours of homework a week (some more/some less) = 40 total "school" time An hour a day is consumed by the time fairy = 7 hours Thus if you steal just a wee bit back from the time fairy here or there you have 4.3 hours a day "Free Time" Heed the folowing: If you fail to sleep well, eat well or work effectively the time required for any of the above takes longer as you drag. How will you use your 4 a day? (DH and I get the 1/3 hour to provide the direction needed from parent to child-when you reach perfection you may reclaim it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 My rising 9th grader will have school from 8a-3p with a full hour lunch and a 2/3 day on Fridays. That will include math, human geography, art, Latin, biology, great books and classical writing. Her afternoons will include dance (4 dance classes this year), drama, and guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Just for making a point to Dd (who really likes to argue small things) I once worked out a week. For fun I will post it here. A 7 day week of 24 hour days = 168 total hours Sleep @ 9 hours per day = 63 hours Morning self prep (breakfast, shower) = 7 hours 1 Lunch Hour per day = 7 hours 1 Dinner Hour per day = 7 hours Thus, 84 hours (1/2 all time during the week) is spent sleeping, eating, primping The remaining 84: Exercise 1 hour per day = 7 hours 40 hour work day (adult conventional standard) or 7 hour school day (35 hours per week) She argued they have lunch in that, to which I responded yes but they have buses/drive times-she relented Assume a high schooler has 5 hours of homework a week (some more/some less) = 40 total "school" time An hour a day is consumed by the time fairy = 7 hours Thus if you steal just a wee bit back from the time fairy here or there you have 4.3 hours a day "Free Time" Heed the folowing: If you fail to sleep well, eat well or work effectively the time required for any of the above takes longer as you drag. How will you use your 4 a day? (DH and I get the 1/3 hour to provide the direction needed from parent to child-when you reach perfection you may reclaim it) I totally just stole this to show my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I totally just stole this to show my son. Warning, a friend borrowed for a discussion with her son. He came back with the proposal that he could gain an extra hour by not showering everyday and taking 15 minutes off each meal time by using paper plates and not helping with dishes. They do get creative. She and I decided to warn him if he did she would apply the garden hose and he used a minute to return an the eye roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Thanks for the heads up. I have no doubt my son will argue that swimming in the chlorine filled pool counts as showering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Warning, a friend borrowed for a discussion with her son. He came back with the proposal that he could gain an extra hour by not showering everyday and taking 15 minutes off each meal time by using paper plates and not helping with dishes. They do get creative. She and I decided to warn him if he did she would apply the garden hose and he used a minute to return an the eye roll. Then there is the hour spent gazing in the pantry or fridge to find something to eat, this does not include the time actually spent eating. Then there is also the hour per day (sometimes more) spent debating/arguing with mom about whatever it was they were supposed to be doing that hour. Can I file those under critical thinking skills? :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Homeschooling takes my son about 8-9 hours per day. He has dyslexia and works somewhat more slowly than he might otherwise. When he was at a b&m school and *not* in the IB program, he was in school from 8:15-3:00 and then he did maybe 1.5 hours of homework each night (on average--many nights there was no homework). When he was in the IB Diploma Program at a b&m school, he was in school from 8:15-300 and then he came home and did homework until 10:00 each night and for probably 10-15 hours on the weekends. It was bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 My dc begin school at 8:00 and finish at 3:30 with 45 minutes for lunch, two 15- minute breaks during the day, and 45 minutes for "other " (mom's helper, making lunch, violin practice). I make sure they get from 4-5 as free time, meaning all school is set aside. Homework happens more on weekends as I hate for our evenings to be taken with school. So far my dc are CC bound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 My 9th grader spends on average 6.5 - 7 hours a day. This does not include his extras: weight training, computer programming, art and basketball. His day can get pretty long. I think if he stayed super focused, he could knock off about 1 hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Then there is the hour spent gazing in the pantry or fridge to find something to eat, this does not include the time actually spent eating. Then there is also the hour per day (sometimes more) spent debating/arguing with mom about whatever it was they were supposed to be doing that hour. Can I file those under critical thinking skills? :svengo: Dear Lord---you have just described my son exactly!!!!!!! Lol ;P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 My high school students spend 7-9 hrs daily M-F on school work. Some days on the lower 7 end, some days it may be 10 hrs. FWIW, my kids also take on avg 7 courses/yr. This sounds like my 9th grader this year. He is working hard but it isn't too hard. He is challenged but still has some time to play ball, go to church youth group (sometimes weekend retreats). He also is taking 7.5 credits and will take 8 next year. He is definitely college bound and a diligent worker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
at the beach Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 For us, it's not so much about how much time school work takes but more about the big picture of how my high schooler's days feel to her. I'm trying not to totally duplicate a school at home atmosphere. We do some lighter classes, some are more intense. My 10th grader has full days when you add in things like volunteering and music, but I don't think she feels unnecessarily stressed or burdened because she is doing a variety of things, most of which she feels invested in. For her, sitting on a computer for a good part of the day doing all online classes would definitely not work well. It would be too isolating for her. Overall, my dd has a fair amount of time evenings and weekends to spend doing what she wants. I think free time is important--and I am willing to let go of having her do the most rigorous courses across the board to make sure she has some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Warning, a friend borrowed for a discussion with her son. He came back with the proposal that he could gain an extra hour by not showering everyday and taking 15 minutes off each meal time by using paper plates and not helping with dishes. They do get creative. She and I decided to warn him if he did she would apply the garden hose and he used a minute to return an the eye roll. The plates mine could go for, but he has the longish showers in the house, I doubt he'll take those down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Part of what we're considering in our plans for next year is the amount of time our kids spend with school work. How many hours a day is reasonable for high school (by grades if you think it matters)? How much free time does a student need? We may have chosen one of the more time-consuming options for schooling currently (online classes at The Potter's School) -- do you think so? Whether or not your kids are homeschooled or in school for high school, how much free time do they have in the evenings and on weekends? As with so many things, I think the answers to all of your questions depend hugely on the individual student. My son, while very bright, is not an academic type. On the other hand, he's not especially fond of what many would consider "free time." So, we finally decided to streamline and outsource all of his schoolwork but encourage him to fill a significant chunk of the resulting available time with structured activities. He is doing 10th grade, college bound, although not aiming at a highly selective school. We require him to maintain at least a 'B' in every class and an over-all average of at least 85% at all times. His schedule now consists of no more than three hours of schoolwork most weekdays. (Occasionally, he'll hit a snag with an assignment or have a project that requires more time. But two to three hours, five days a week is typical.) In that time, he completes: Honors English (FLVS) U.S. History (FLVS) Latin I (FLVS) Algebra II (Aleks) Chemistry (Aleks + home-designed lab program) Music Appreciation (FLVS) ACT test prep (not for credit) He's also working on a half credit of Shakespeare Studies, but we're doing that in dribs and drabs as opportunities come up. For example, we are long-time season ticket holders for the local Shakespeare theatre and see at least a couple of Shakespearean plays every year. I choose additional resources based on the plays being performed each season, and we squeeze in things when we have time and energy and whenever it makes sense, given the performance schedule. At the moment, we're working our way through a few Teaching Company lectures about Othello before we go see the play next week. He wakes up between 7:00 and 7:30 and does about 30 minutes of exercise with his sister. They go for a brisk walk for about 15 minutes, then come home and stretch, and he does some push ups and crunches and such. He showers, eats breakfast and is at his desk working by about 9:30. He works pretty much straight through until 12:00, when he stops for lunch. Often, he's done with school by then. If not, he comes back to finish up once he's done eating. Sometimes, we'll use the time while he's eating to work on the Shakespeare studies. But mostly, he gets to do what he wants during this time. Once he's done with the day's work, he is free to read or watch TV (Netflix or DVD, since we got rid of cable) or muck about on the computer or work on his latest costuming project or whatever, until and unless we have something scheduled for the afternoon. Mondays he has two hours of choir rehearsal followed by a dance class. He leaves the house by 3:15 and is done at 8:00 or a little after. Tuesdays he has three and a half hours of ballet classes. His sister has a commitment in the same part of town as his dance studio beginning at 3:00. We combine trips to save gas, meaning we're out of the house from about 2:20 through 9:30. Wednesdays he has rehearsal with his dance team, plus two classes. He also assistant teaches two classes for younger kids. He's busy at the dance studio from 3:15 through about 7:30. Two or three Thursdays a month he volunteers at the science museum for three or four hours beginning at 2:00. Fridays are usually free, except for the one Friday a month when he has an extra rehearsal with the dance team. One Saturday a month he has an extra choir rehearsal in the morning. Another Saturday, he does a six-hour shift at the science museum. Every other Sunday he has youth group following church. Usually, one or two weekends each month he'll have some kind of performance scheduled. He's pretty busy, but school is not where he devotes the bulk of his time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Thanks, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 Just for making a point to Dd (who really likes to argue small things) I once worked out a week. For fun I will post it here. A 7 day week of 24 hour days = 168 total hours Sleep @ 9 hours per day = 63 hours Morning self prep (breakfast, shower) = 7 hours 1 Lunch Hour per day = 7 hours 1 Dinner Hour per day = 7 hours Thus, 84 hours (1/2 all time during the week) is spent sleeping, eating, primping The remaining 84: Exercise 1 hour per day = 7 hours 40 hour work day (adult conventional standard) or 7 hour school day (35 hours per week) She argued they have lunch in that, to which I responded yes but they have buses/drive times-she relented Assume a high schooler has 5 hours of homework a week (some more/some less) = 40 total "school" time An hour a day is consumed by the time fairy = 7 hours Thus if you steal just a wee bit back from the time fairy here or there you have 4.3 hours a day "Free Time" Heed the folowing: If you fail to sleep well, eat well or work effectively the time required for any of the above takes longer as you drag. How will you use your 4 a day? (DH and I get the 1/3 hour to provide the direction needed from parent to child-when you reach perfection you may reclaim it) This is awesome. Something I did when we retrenched after Christmas was to make a color coded schedule for the week. I put in all of the older kids' time obligations (swimming, scouts, piano lesson, church, Bible study) and then added hour blocks for each subject, lunch and breakfast. I think it helped them to see how much of their day really was already obligated. I think it also helped illustrate to Rutabaga that he was spending about 15 hours swimming a week and needed to reclaim as much of that as he could (listening to lectures during the commute, reviewing Latin or German vocab, reading poolside during meets). I also had to make the point to them that the number of lessons didn't diminish as the clock ran down. If they didn't get a solid bit of work done during the dedicated school time, then like their peers in a school building, they would need to do homework in the evening or on the weekend. However, I have tried to fence off Sunday as a day on which I don't pile a lot of work. Really any work. We decided that we'd accept a little slower progress through academics in order to give them a mental respite. This is really hard for me to do. DH has had to call me on it a couple times when I've wanted to assign a school task. (If I could only convince my sons to take their Latin quiz on Friday or Saturday I'd be thrilled. They THINK they will get better grades if they wait until Monday so they can study. But I don't see that they ever really study. :glare: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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