DS13 is a bit stressed--too much? UPDATE on page 2-thank you

[Halcyon]

thanks all-got the advice i needed and I think we have a workable plan./

 

Hive to the rescue, again.

[JoJosMom]

I think it's way too much for a thirteen year old.  :sad:

[Lang Syne Boardie]

DH and I are sitting here trying to decide if ds13 has 

 

a) simply too much work which causes stress

b) poor study skills which translates to spending too much TIME without really LEARNING the material which causes stress

c) too much non-school stuff going on, which we need to cut back on.

 

Please give me your thoughts. Here is his weekly schedule

_______________________

Monday: Leave home at 8 for project school from 9-3. Get home at 4. Rest for an hour, snack. Then homework from 5-7. Soccer from 7:15 to 9. Bed at 10 --we shoot for 930 but it doesn't always happen.

 

One hour for rest. No time scheduled for dinner.

 

Tuesday. Wake at 7. Start work at 8, usually math or history reading or writing if needs to get something done. Online writing class 10-11 am. Work from 11-2 on math and physics. 2:30-4 online Algebra 2 class. 4-5:00 work. 5:15 to 6 TKD. 7-9 read or something hopefully less intense, but if there's a lab or a big assignment due or a test, he usually will study at that time.

 

Zero time for rest. No time scheduled for meals.

 

Wednesday: Leave home at 8 for project school from 9-3. Get home at 4. Study or read. Soccer from 715 to 9. (it's 20 minutes away so it ends up being a late night).

 

A couple more hours to rest or play, but late bedtime.

 

THursday. wake at 7 ish School starts at 8 ish. Same as Tuesday with the addition of an hourlong online physics class from 102 pm. Tues and Thurs are LONG DAYS because of the project school on M-Wed Fri.

 

Same as Tuesday -- zero time for rest. No time scheduled for family meals.

 

Friday, Same as Wednsday but no soccer (thank goodness)

 

The first home night of the week, with time for rest, play, family dinner, friends.

 

Saturday. Relax for 2 hours in the morning, then school work until 230. Soccer match until about 430, then relax.

 

A sixth day of school after a week of scheduling worse than my university student's.

 

Sunday. Day off except for reading if at all possible.

 

Very glad to see this.

 

Weekly tests in Physics and Algebra 2, tests every other week in Latin. Assignemtns due weekly in Writing.

 

I don't know how rigorous, or what the study time is like. This could be reasonable or awful.

 

_________________________

 

DS is worn out on Tue and Thur, and because of his project school --which he loves (it's like a one room school house) he feels tremendous pressure on Tue and Thurs to get a lot done for his demanding online classes (and for me! I teach Latin and History to him). He doesn't want to give up soccer--he loves the cameraderie the coach is great, but the timing is awful. He loves TKD, is a black belt and has been doing it for years. 

 

The project school is KILLING us--the commute, the sheer amount of time. But he also loves the teachers, the amazing projects, the friends, the social aspect, the travel (they go on overnight scuba trips exploring FLorida's waters and animals--so cool). ANd his younger brother goes too, so that's a nice time for me to work (I work out of the home part time).

 

Tell me--is this a crazy schedule? Is he not managing his time well? One subject he needs me to spend more time wiht him on is Physics. I am going to work on study skills with him, being more efficient, etc. He does not have great study skills (more like "if I stare at this problem long enough i will just absorb the information through my eyeballs"  :crying:  Typical 13 year old boy.)

 

Thanks for feedback. We are in our 6th week of school (I think) so it's time to decide waht's working, what's not, and make adjustments accordingly.

 

THanks.

 

As a 13yo, he has to grow, a LOT, and go through puberty. He also has to eat lots, daydream lots, doze lots, and climb trees and run and play video games and veg out with pizza and movies. If he can't do these things a LOT, he won't be able to do the other things. I'm working on my fourth tween-to-teen transition right now, and this is something I know.

 

Probably not what you want to hear. :( I hope you can make decisions you can both live with, about what to cut or how to change.

 

 

 

[Halcyon]

Thanks all for your honesty. I think the project school is too much. But it's hard for him to give up. Without it, there would be plenty of relax time, but he would miss his friends. Ugh. I really need to sit down with him and explain that something has to give. 

[Lang Syne Boardie]

FWIW, I thought this was an incredibly hard list of stuff to consider cutting. It all sounds very good; I wouldn't know where to start, either.

[Halcyon]

Thanks Tibbie. He loves ALL of it. LOVES. He gets a panicked and terribly upset look in his eyes when I suggest that we might want to cut something. He just can't do it all. I have already cut back on Latin and History to accomodate his demanding online classes--well, Physics is his most demanding, I think--the rest he can handle fine. But he also works SLOOOOOOWLY so this compounds an already full schedule, kwim?  :huh:

 

 

I want to be clear--the project school is more "fun" than anything else, which is wonderful. It is not academically demanding, and provides him with an enjoyable, educational and social experience. 

[happypamama]

I'm with Tibbie -- this looks like a great list of really good things!  I agree that he needs more down time.  My 10 and 13yo would not be able to handle that pace for very long, regardless of time management or study skills.

 

Could he drop soccer in favor of TKD?  Or take a break from TKD for a few months to play soccer?

 

Could project school be just one day a week, or half a day two days?

[Halcyon]

The minimum number of days he can attend the project school is three. Oh, how I would love if they would let him do two!! Just another day at home would really open things up. I will ask again, but I think they will say no. 

 

I will discuss dropping soccer--it is just so darn late, and he needs his sleep. But to see the happiness on his face when he arrives on the fields, and the running around ain't bad for him either.....ugh.

[texasmama]

I think he is grossly over scheduled. Most mature adults could not keep up that pace. I wish you all the best deciding what to cut.

[Erica in OR]

The minimum number of days he can attend the project school is three. Oh, how I would love if they would let him do two!! Just another day at home would really open things up. I will ask again, but I think they will say no. 

 

I will discuss dropping soccer--it is just so darn late, and he needs his sleep. But to see the happiness on his face when he arrives on the fields, and the running around ain't bad for him either.....ugh.

 

I was recently reading parts of Busy: How to Thrive in a World of Too Much by Tony Crabbe. Your mention of the happiness associated with soccer reminded me of a section of the book where he relates our choice to do things to the choices we make at a buffet. I walk to the first item and ask whether or not I would like orange chicken. Yes, I love orange chicken! I walk to the second item and ask whether or not I would like beef and broccoli. Yes, I love that too. Add it to the plate. And so on, as we say yes to everything we enjoy. He suggests not using the question for a choice as "whether or not" for that activity—if it's a neat activity and we like it, we tend to say yes. It's more looking at the bigger picture. What do we prefer overall? More time for sleep? Time to sit and think? Time to have supper with family? Time for some other great activity we love just a bit more or works better for our schedule?

 

Erica in OR

[Farrar]

Soccer has a season. I'd drop the TKD and pick it up again in the winter. That seems to me like the easiest decision. That or drop the soccer, but either way, one of those needs to go.

 

I would also cut back on some of the academics at home. Even if this is a typical schedule for a high school student at a rigorous school (which I don't think is necessarily true), why homeschool a kid if you're just going to drive him into the ground? And a 13 yo isn't in high school. Maybe you've placed him as a 9th grader, but he's young. If he takes longer doing algebra II, that's okay. He's already ahead of the game, even for a rigorous school doing algebra II as an eighth grader is plenty accelerated. Or slow down Latin. Go to fewer writing assignments. Just slow down a little.

 

I seem to recall at anxiety runs in this child's genes potentially. That would concern me if I was the parent.

[Pen]

It is way more than my 13 year old is doing, and mine seems a bit pushed even with only one sport and one half day ( 11:30- 3:30 ish )that probably more or less corresponds to your son's project school.  As it is, I am considering that the half day may be too much for us.  And I use the "us" on purpose because it also adds a lot to my week just due to commute.

 

We have an official 9PM bedtime, which often means actually 9:30--but rarely ever 10.  When my son had fencing which ended at 9 and resulted in an actual bedtime of around 10 he ended up being overtired the next day.   Currently we have a Wednesday evening activity and have set school the following day to begin with an optional game time if up and ready to begin before 9:30, otherwise nothing until 9:30.  We are also using commute time to get in some schoolwork.  He has sports, but no school, on weekend.

 

Wasn't there a recent Time Magazine article about sleep deprivation in teens, including recommendation that school not start earlier than ? 8:30, I think it was.  So, it may well be that his schedule is similar to other schedules of high schoolers as your DH thinks, but they may be crazy models to be using from a health of body and mind point of view.  I tried briefly to match the local school's schedule and then concluded that that was nuts, since it is way too long a day and gives no time for downtime, reflection, etc.

 

Does you son have to have history and Latin at all this year?  Maybe he could drop them for the year to concentrate on the other classes and the project school? Maybe he could drop one sport?  Or maybe he could drop physics, does he really need to have an intense online physics (as it sounds like it is) at 13?  Probably he needs to drop more than one thing, unless the drop is the project school, but it sounds like that is important socially.  Does he get daily exercise or only if there is an official sport activity?

[Momling]

That's a nutty schedule for anyone. I heartily recommend scaling back a lot. My daughter recently went from a too-busy schedule (homeschool 8-3 plus ballet from 4-8pm, 5 days/week plus 3 hrs on Saturday, plus rehearsals) to a lighter schedule (homeschool 8-3, 1 hour recreational ballet classes 3 days/week). It has made such a positive difference in all aspects of her life. She is so much happier and less stressed, she focuses better on work, she is nicer to her sister and procrastinates less and is a much less moody person than she was a few months ago. She has time to do stuff she wants to do, time to do chores or take the dog for a walk, time to have friends over.... She claimed to love that tough schedule at the time, but now wonders why she was torturing herself.

[Pen]

Also, what would happen if your 13 yo simply did not go to Project School on, say, Wednesdays?  Would they kick him out?

[quark]

Study skills could be the issue but it looks like he is too busy to tell if it IS the issue. He might just be tired, making it look like he is not managing his time well or studying efficiently.

 

Was this mentioned somewhere? If yes, I apologize. What is it that the project school does, apart from that fabulous sounding overnight diving thingy? It sounds like he should stay with the school but is there something you are duplicating at home that you can cut out for now? If they do writing at the school (for example) do you need to do that at home too? I know this doesn't sound very diligent of me but when it comes to time management, I don't care two hoots about giving my son a well balanced diet of subjects. If introducing history causes fewer rest hours, I cut it out and do it another semester. I don't think they need to be doing every single thing every week to learn time management. Sometimes, baby steps with fewer things works much more efficiently to help them learn these skills.

 

My son is like yours in that he wants to try everything and then he gets overwhelmed when he realizes there are only so many hours in the day...but that's where I have to step in and say enough is enough, "You might want to do it but I can't do it. It tires me out (I have to drive him there etc), so can we do this some other time, another semester perhaps?". And that usually ends up being a good call for us. Will something like that work? I know you have the added pressure of needing time for work too.

 

Can you alternate TKD and soccer? Both teach great skills so I know how difficult it would be for me to choose between them (but I"m lucky in that way with a non-athletic kid lol).

 

I love what Erica says about prioritizing. For us, several things HAVE to come first: sleep, time to read for pleasure, time to laugh and play a game or watch a movie as a family without kiddo feeling anxious all the time about a deadline. If we can't achieve these priorities then I know something is wrong. It's not so much about study skills (which take time to develop anyway) but about having time to internalize and ponder and just be for a while. The repeated stress from not having that downtime could play havoc later and when kiddo loses focus, I know I've overdone the scheduling and that we are pretty close to him blanking out or losing love of learning, which is absolutely not why I homeschool. So I tend to monitor these things very closely.

 

I know it's hard to give things up. But you'll figure it out (from all that you've posted before it's obvious that you do). Take care.

 

PS: I think your DH is right in that it is pretty typical for a high school kid. Where I live, high school kids don't seem to have a life. But that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do for every kid and ours are dealing with high school level work young so it isn't a fair comparison. I know it isn't for my guy...I still have to adjust and scaffold and step in to help him cut back because he still doesn't know how or when to cut things back by himself (or do more for that matter, but that's a whole different topic).

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

How is his outsource classes workload compared to last academic year?  How is his quality of sleep?

 

I have to remind my DS10 to ask for help for classes if he needs help. He is not used to asking his teachers for help with homework or even for clarification about homework so I have to prompt him to do so. He asked for help for a AoPS homework question after 5pm and a teacher assistant did get back to him a few hours later to ask where he was stuck on that question.

 

DS10 does much faster work when he gets 10 hours of good sleep. Else he wakes up like a sulky bear and his speed of completing work is slower. 

 

He has to think harder some days for Clover Creek Physics because I am letting him swim or sink while it doesn't affect his gpa.  It helped that he read through the whole textbook during summer and I have a messy but free copy from the friends of the library free pile that he can read while he eat. The nice copy I use as backup in case we can't read the messy free copy due to graffiti. I also have a collection of physics textbooks for him to look through more work examples if he wants to.

[MEmama]

Yes, it's too much.

I'm sure we all have different thresholds, but just reading your weekly list completely stressed me out. If DS made it through Monday, he would need to sleep until at least 9 on Tuesday to make up for such a late night. Each day would just compound the exhaustion.

Currently your boy is working longer hours at schoolwork than most adults work at their jobs. And 6 days per week at that.

From the high schoolers we know, this is way more work than they have. School is out at 2:30 and most have plenty of time for sports, jobs and other activities. And that's high school, not middle.

I agree that everything on the list sounds awesome. I hope you can find a solution because yeah, this is a recipe for total burnout.

Good luck!

[kiwik]

Project school sounds fun but not if he had to do it in addition to a full school schedule rather than it being part of the schedule. I did something like that at university but i wasn't going through puberty as well.

 

I heard an interveiw with one of the sleep deprivation study people the other day on the radio and i thought they recommended not before 10 for teenagers and that 9 am was too early for many adults.

[RootAnn]

:svengo:  I would be exhausted. Sounds like he is, at least on a couple days of the week.

 

If you & ds are willing to take the potential consequences of losing the project school for that child, I'd see what happens if you insist (not ask, insist) that ds only go two days per week instead of three. Other than that, I'd have no idea what to cut either because it all looks so good. :grouphug:  

[Halcyon]

DH is going to talk to him, and the school about the possibility of skipping Wednesdays. That would make his life a lot easier. Thank you for some perspective!

[go_go_gadget]

What does your son think? I don't have a 13 year-old yet, but I was one once, and for me at that age, buy-in and ownership of my workload was absolutely essential. Could you talk to him about your concerns, and together come up with some ideas to make things work better? I know that sometimes parents just have to lay down the law, of course, but if possible, it might be effective to include him in the decision-making. 

 

I think Farrar's idea of putting TWD on hold until soccer's over is excellent.

[deerforest]

Just agreeing with everyone else. I personally would drop the project school. But, I also resent homeschool programs that take up that much of our time. I will give an important single activity most of a day, once a week, at most.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Just chiming in to agree with everyone else - it all looks good, but I think it's way too much, too grueling of a schedule. The things that really stuck out to me were the early start times and the Saturday work.  My dd needs to sleep later than 7 and needs downtime in the evenings to be able to fall asleep between 9 and 10.  And weekends are sacred no-school time. Even if they just end up hanging out, playing, reading, it's critical that she have some time when she is off duty - to just be, as you say.

 

I also personally wouldn't consider how it compares to a rigorous high school schedule in ps to be a determinant of whether it is working for my kid.  There is his age to consider, for sure. And one of the reasons I homeschool is that I think that the demands on high schoolers is ridiculous - to ask students to consistently put in more time each week than an adult would put in at a full-time job is ludicrous, and it is robbing them of their childhood.  Cliche, I know, but I do believe it.  Everyone's different there, but if you can't provide a different, more sane kind of life by homeschooling, why do it?

 

OTOH, I feel your pain about the idea of dropping the project school.  It sounds like it's something he needs right now, and the social aspects are really important for kids this age.  If it were me I think I'd be looking at cutting down to one sport and dropping or cutting back the home subjects.  

 

Or, you could really step back and ask yourself why it is important, for this child and his long term goals, to be doing such an accelerated set of subjects?  Is this officially 9th grade?  If not, why is he taking Algebra 2 and Physics, presumably for credit? Why can't he have one last year to be a kid, to grow, to experience things he enjoys and do sports and maybe even focus more specifically on learning good study skills, before high school starts? Why does he need to be doing all that now, as a young 8th grader?  That's really the question I'd be asking myself, which would probably lead me to keeping the project school and the sports, and dropping the Algebra 2 (he can do review for a year and still be ahead of the game), Physics (let his builder/maker type stuff at the school count as science), and scale way back on Latin, just do enough to maintain his level.   Let him be an 8th grader, don't make him be a high school student yet.  If that's what is right for him.

 

Anyway, food for thought. Meant to be supportive, not accusing, but I would really have a heart to heart with him about his long-term goals and why he is on the accelerated path he is on.  It's his life, what does he want to do with it?  Maybe you guys could read How to be a High School Superstar and think about some alternative paths to the destination he is shooting for?

 

http://www.amazon.com/How-High-School-Superstar-Revolutionary/dp/0767932587

[Penelope]

Are most of the project school students more of an unschooling mindset? It seems like a school that is 3+ days per week and not very academic would tend to attract that sort of family. So it kind of seems like you are trying to have the best of both worlds but getting over scheduled in the process.

 

If the social aspect is big for the PB school, is there another way to get that with many fewer hours per week, via clubs, organizing a small group, signing up for shorter outside classes?

That is just a lot of hours to something that doesn't seem to fulfill your academic requirements. I would also think about longer term. Will the project based school be on the table for high school? Because it doesn't seem like it is going to work well with a schedule that does require more time input for all the subjects.

 

But if the social and other aspects are what is really more important to your son and family, then maybe look at the physics and scale back science.

[Farrar]

I was thinking about this... I feel like it sounds like you're trying to have it all - both a relaxed, social, open ended, kid-led approach with the project school and a rigorous, academic, driven approach at home. One of the things I like about homeschooling is that you can find a balance between those two potentially positive experiences. But it seems like the doses are all off here. And one of the reasons is that so much is outsourced - the child-led stuff is outsourced to the project school and a large chunk of the rigor is outsourced to online classes. When you outsource, you lose that control to help make the right balance for your child.

 

I don't know what the answer is exactly... I really agree with Tibbie that it sounds like a hard list to cut and I hear you that he likes all of it. I hope you're able to find that balance somehow.

[Haiku]

Way too much. Way, way too much. He's scheduled 10-12 hours a day, five days a week, plus school on Saturdays. Adults working full-time jobs aren't expected to work that much.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I think it depends on the kid.  We know a gal who is go, go, go.  The girl would be bored out of her mind if she had more than an hour of nothing.  That is her personality. My kids like to do things and will easily overdo it if given a buffet of things.  We have done BUSY before and that is what your life looks like.  However, if the kid thrives on life like that it's all good.  If the kid doesn't, and is asking for less or acting like he needs less, it's time to talk and make choices.  

 

My kids are up late certain nights so we sleep later the next morning if we can.  We allow 2 activities at most for the kids now.  

 

We cut back to one car last year and it has been so nice to be able to say NO b/c of transportation.  It is absolutely the most wonderful thing to know you can't add it in.  

 

I personally think you need to figure out if the kid is happy with this life or hoping for more down time.  My DS is 13...soon to be 14, and he needs HOURS a day of downtime.  It is his personality.  My dd can spends hours alone doing her own thing happily.  If there is an activity she would be there lol.  But both really do better at the end of a week if they have had lots of downtime.  Both need more sleep right now.  We talk about co-ops every year.  We talk about sports and activities.  DS thinks theater would be fun.  However, he knows come production time he mentally couldn't do it daily when it's show time.  

 

As for balance...I think it looks like a typical high school schedule these days.  You don't have to do it all.  If you want to, do it.  If he needs more free time(which I think he does), then cut something out.  It isn't forever.  It's just for a season.  Last fall we did NOTHING.  It was weird being home every night.  We played games as a family.  We all read more.  We watched some tv or movies together.  It was awesome.  By spring we were super busy again.  This year I cut back and kids do scouting and one is doing a sport that is 8 weeks only ;-)  Spring may be busier, or not.  Who knows.  We constantly consider the future season and what we want from it.  I hope you can find the balance you want.  For him. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I was thinking about this... I feel like it sounds like you're trying to have it all - both a relaxed, social, open ended, kid-led approach with the project school and a rigorous, academic, driven approach at home. One of the things I like about homeschooling is that you can find a balance between those two potentially positive experiences. But it seems like the doses are all off here. And one of the reasons is that so much is outsourced - the child-led stuff is outsourced to the project school and a large chunk of the rigor is outsourced to online classes. When you outsource, you lose that control to help make the right balance for your child.

 

I don't know what the answer is exactly... I really agree with Tibbie that it sounds like a hard list to cut and I hear you that he likes all of it. I hope you're able to find that balance somehow.

 

That is such a great point.  As much as we try and keep our kids' options open, we really can't do it all/have it both ways.  You can strive for balance, but you can't fully embrace both a child-led, project-based, group project/co-op style of unschooly education with a more reading and writing intensive, subject-based type of studies and feel that you are doing justice to both.  At least, I don't think you can.  I think everyone makes choices, and tends to embrace one style or the other more.  Seeking that balance can definitely be stress inducing.  But so can *not* seeking the balance, and trying to do both.

[Miss Tick]

Regardless of why your ds is stressed, wouldn't it make sense to cut back something? If you cut an outside thing (like only doing one sport per season) that would resolve c) and a) and leave you a bit of time to work out if b) is an issue. Keeping the big picture in mind - cutting any of these things doesn't mean it is gone for ever, just for a season.

[Pen]

 

 

I personally think you need to figure out if the kid is happy with this life or hoping for more down time. 

 

 

I thought the point was that he is stressed as things are and probably also stressed by the idea of dropping something he loves.  Maybe I misunderstood.

[Halcyon]

I thought the point was that he is stressed as things are and probably also stressed by the idea of dropping something he loves.  Maybe I misunderstood.

 

 

This is it. He is stressed by the lack of downtime but is loathe to give anything up. He reminds me of my husband a bit, in fact. I think it's time to put the mommy foot down.

[Arcadia]

He is stressed by the lack of downtime but is loathe to give anything up. He reminds me of my husband a bit.

 

Hopefully your husband is not unintentionally giving him pressure to keep everything on his plate. Everything has a season, now would be a good time for him to figure out what is important to him at this point in time with your help.

[Loesje22000]

Our dd is someone who needs her sleep.

So her outside activities are limited to wedness afternoon (cultural thing here) friday night and saturday during daytime.

Sports in the evening are only allowed if they don't cross our bedtime limit.

But I can see a different child could be in need for more sports time, mine is in need for enough free reading time and that is easier to realize.

 

In our dd's case I would opt for the project school or the online classes, not a combination of both.

I know her time management skills are not developed enough to handle both.

 

Your schedule is too much for us, but I realize we live in a lower pace then some other people.

[kolamum]

I audibly gasped when I read it.. not because I think it's bad, but because if that was my 13 year old he'd be in total shut-down mode. Overwhelmed indeed. I'd say it's just an awful lot.. 

[Haiku]

I've thought more about this, and I agree that you seem to be chasing two ideals--the free spirit approach with the project school, and the rigorous academics approach with the online classes and the acceleration. Were it our family, we'd have to let one of them go. If the more unschooly approach is not your prime goal, I'd ditch the project school. It's requiring a huge amount of your time. It's sucking 24 hours of your week. It sounds fun, but not every fun thing can fit.

[Halcyon]

We are going to talk to the school today about attending less. We may also consider dropping Physics if we can't figure out a way to manage it without so much work. I told DH flat out that he's doing to much. Full stop. 

[Farrar]

Since he's not quite to high school, I might stick out the project school but drop it fully next year. He only has a little more time before that rigor becomes a path he has to commit more fully to if he's going to do it. But that probably reflects my values for middle and high school more than yours and his...

[Halcyon]

Physics probably requires 1 1/2 hours daily. But since he is not home M-Wed-Fri this is a challenge. We could follow the textbook on our own at a slightly slower pace without the daily assignments. The class, fwiw, is great.

[Halcyon]

That is reasonable and could be scheduled in.

 

 

Can you help me think of how? Math requires about an hour a day, Latin about 45 minutes a day, Writing is intermittent--usually2-3 hours a week. This does not include two 1 1/2 hour math classes weekly and a 1 hour physics clas and a 1 hour writing class. He does work in the car during the drive-we either listen to history or literature or he does math or physics. 

 

My issue right now is that he is always "on".

[Halcyon]

That is reasonable and could be scheduled in. Would he be learning the same concepts in project school?

 

 

No. The school is a hands-on, experiential school. For example, last semester projects included building a bridge, building a giant rube goldberg machine for a competition, building a solar-powered hydroponics system..now they are working in teams on the theme of homelessness in the county, and how they can help, each team is responsible for hosting one homeless dinner at a local church, organizing, finding sponsors, food, and fundraising.

 

The physics class he is doing is based on Hewitt's text Conceptual Physics nad has daily assignments, readings and weekly quizzes and cumulative tests every two (?) weeks. There are also labs and projects due approximately every 2 weeks.

[The Governess]

Is there anything you are doing with him that could be saved for summer or done only lightly during the school year and finished in the summer?

[Arcadia]

Physics probably requires 1 1/2 hours daily. But since he is not home M-Wed-Fri this is a challenge. We could follow the textbook on our own at a slightly slower pace without the daily assignments.

How is his reading speed for the textbook? My kid is not home for wed, thurs and sat full day. We actually do the online classes while at the library and then walk to his chinese classes nearby. What he did was pre-read a chapter ahead of schedule.

Did all the daily morning exercise/problem sets during the weekend once the teacher puts them up. I would check his work when it is done and he goes over any careless mistakes he made. It takes him maximum 30mins to do the daily amount of morning exercise/problem sets/chapter review questions.

 

Labs took him an hour on a weekend because he has so much fun he spend more time doing more than required. Younger brother is his lab assistant :)

 

He tends to be fast on the quizzes and tests too but he was in K12 online for three years and is a seasoned online test taker.

 

ETA:

I would be incline to drop TKD for the time being as that is dinner time and it is once a week. Soccer would be kind of PE.

 

What he spend on soccer would be about what my kid spend on cello.

My kid has German test weekly in school :lol:

[Halcyon]

Since he's not quite to high school, I might stick out the project school but drop it fully next year. He only has a little more time before that rigor becomes a path he has to commit more fully to if he's going to do it. But that probably reflects my values for middle and high school more than yours and his...

 

 

He already knows he is dropping the school next year--that was his choice, not ours. 

[Halcyon]

How is his reading speed for the textbook? My kid is not home for wed, thurs and sat full day. We actually do the online classes while at the library and then walk to his chinese classes nearby. What he did was pre-read a chapter ahead of schedule.

Did all the daily morning exercise/problem sets during the weekend once the teacher puts them up. I would check his work when it is done and he goes over any careless mistakes he made. It takes him maximum 30mins to do the daily amount of morning exercise/problem sets/chapter review questions.

 

Labs took him an hour on a weekend because he has so much fun he spend more time doing more than required. Younger brother is his lab assistant :)

 

He tends to be fast on the quizzes and tests too but he was in K12 online for three years and is a seasoned online test taker.

 

ETA:

I would be incline to drop TKD for the time being as that is dinner time and it is once a week. Soccer would be kind of PE.

 

What he spend on soccer would be about what my kid spend on cello.

My kid has German test weekly in school :lol:

He is a slow reader. I dont' think the teacher puts up the daily assignments until the very day they're due, but i could be wrong, in which case that might be a solution.

[regentrude]

Way too much school. And way too fragmented. Too many different things going on, no unstructured downtime.

Why school on Saturdays? That would be my first thing to go.

Why three different online classes? I would cut there as well.

 

I would critically examine whether the project school is worth it academically. Including the commute, it takes 24 hours out of his week - that's the amount of hours my homeschooled 13 y/olds spent on school during the entire week.

 

 

Monday: Leave home at 8 for project school from 9-3. Get home at 4. Rest for an hour, snack. Then homework from 5-7. Soccer from 7:15 to 9. Bed at 10 --we shoot for 930 but it doesn't always happen.

 

Tuesday. Wake at 7. Start work at 8, usually math or history reading or writing if needs to get something done. Online writing class 10-11 am. Work from 11-2 on math and physics. 2:30-4 online Algebra 2 class. 4-5:00 work. 5:15 to 6 TKD. 7-9 read or something hopefully less intense, but if there's a lab or a big assignment due or a test, he usually will study at that time.

 

Wednesday: Leave home at 8 for project school from 9-3. Get home at 4. Study or read. Soccer from 715 to 9. (it's 20 minutes away so it ends up being a late night).

 

THursday. wake at 7 ish School starts at 8 ish. Same as Tuesday with the addition of an hourlong online physics class from 102 pm. Tues and Thurs are LONG DAYS because of the project school on M-Wed Fri.

 

Friday, Same as Wednsday but no soccer (thank goodness)

 

Saturday. Relax for 2 hours in the morning, then school work until 230. Soccer match until about 430, then relax.

[Arcadia]

He is a slow reader. I dont' think the teacher puts up the daily assignments until the very day they're due, but i could be wrong, in which case that might be a solution.

 

She usually uploads a whole weeks worth of morning messages and problem solving :) I download and print them out for him since my wireless printer has been cranky lately so it is a long wait at my printer for everything to be printed.

 

Does he have a tablet? If he has, I would load all the pdfs for online class sessions, test reviews and answer keys for those he has completed into his tablet so he can read and revise on the go.

 

Lab instructions are usually uploaded by Friday night so he has two weekends to complete the labs.

[Halcyon]

She usually uploads a whole weeks worth of morning messages and problem solving :) I download and print them out for him since my wireless printer has been cranky lately so it is a long wait at my printer for everything to be printed.

 

Does he have a tablet? If he has, I would load all the pdfs for online class sessions, test reviews and answer keys for those he has completed into his tablet so he can read and revise on the go.

 

Lab instructions are usually uploaded by Friday night so he has two weekends to complete the labs.

 

 

I had no idea she put these ALL up on the weekends! That's what I get for 'delegating' to my son LOL. And yes, I can load the pdfs and such onto his tablet--that's a good idea. I prefer he work on the problems on paper, but the review stuff can go on his ipad. Thank you. This is a great class so I hope we can figure out a way to keep going with it.

[Pen]

The project school sounds wonderful to me-- I'd be trying to drop one day of it if possible since that could make a big difference in time availability for everything else.  If it is impossible to drop one day, I'd still be inclined to have him keep it, especially since it sounds like the other son goes and it does not change the parental commitment to commute time.  I think at that age/stage the opportunity to work with peers is just as valuable and important as (so long as it is not negative, bullying etc.), and likely more valuable than the academics are.

 

Physics sounds excellent too, but wouldn't it still be available next year?  Maybe he could read on his own this year as able and take the on-line class next year.

 

And just soccer no TKD sounds like it would help a lot.

 

Me, I'd also drop history for now, and consider the work with the homeless in the project school to be his full social studies for this term, as well as community service, and possibly he is also learning some about organizing, public speaking, and finance as he helps seek out funds, food and so on.  Honestly to me that sounds more valuable to life than most of his academics this term.

[freesia]

I agree. You can drop social studies and scale back in some other subjects that are covered at the Project school. That is harder with online course, though. I think you should drop the physics, too. The project school sounds great and it may be the last time for something like that.

[Tess in the Burbs]

If he is dropping the school next year, why not do it now(year early)?