Moving from Homeschooling to Afterschooling!

[Runningmom80]

Any tips or tricks for the transition?

 

My twins will be starting public school after the winter holiday break. I'd like to continue a couple of things, but I figure we will need to wait until they adjust to school. 

My after school plans are 

Mandarin (they will be going to an IB school that teaches this once a week.)

MCT grammar Island (We haven't done any formal grammar, and I enjoyed this with my older.)

Mystery Science (They love this)

 

Like I said we will not be doing this right when they start, I'll probably add in Mandarin first, and see how it goes.

 

This is all a little sudden and kind of feels crazy, but it also feels right, so I'm getting myself in order to try to make the transition as smooth as possible.

TIA!

[nature girl]

I don't have any good tips (although we made this same transition), except that I'd recommend giving it some time for them to settle in before starting afterschooling. It's a huge transition, and you wouldn't want to overload them. They'll also have homework (the amount depending on their ages and the school system), and will be exhausted at the end of a long day.

If you do afterschool, I'd focus on just one or two subjects, and at least in the beginning limit it to weekends. We do BA, but only rarely, and that's really all we do. I want to give DD8 time to play and read books and create...all of which I think are far more important than academic learning. (We only do BA because they're doing Go Math, which I'm not thrilled with, and she's pretty mathematically minded so finds it fun.)

[amymarie3]

My boys are 3rd grade.   If they have homework from the school always it happens first.   

Then they do 15 minutes of math from Math Mammoth, Strayer Upton, or sometimes just games to practice math facts.   

They have to read something each day.  Usually it isn't a problem and they get in about 30minutes between the bus ride and just picking up random books.

Last we do a nightly read aloud.  This comes from the Build Your Library program.  I read the assigned books.   It is only 15-30 minutes a night that I read to them and we go slow and keep it fun.   We have been working through Medieval history for the last year.

The main thing to remember is that you let the school teach them most stuff and you fill in the gaps at home with the things that you feel are important and aren't covered in school.  Keep it simple. Don't make them sit with workbooks.

[SKL]

I would probably start with Mystery Science since you indicated that this is something you are already doing and they love it.  I think you can keep doing it even while they are starting school, but move it to a time like Saturday when it isn't right up against school stuff.

How much else you can do, and when, depends on so many factors.  But I think it is a good idea to do "something" just so they know to expect that as a part of life.

I was able to do quite a lot with my kids when they were younger, but very little now.  If I had it to do over, I probably would have done a little less in the younger years so they could have more free time.  And I would have focused on the things that would help them most in school.  But that is my individual situation based on my own kids.

[Runningmom80]

Great advice everyone, I appreciate it!

[goldenecho]

I'm in the same boat.   I've only really been able to continue the reading program with him, occasionally.   Just feels so tight the time we have after school.  

But I have plans for the summer to continue our history and do some science he wants to do.

[gstharr]

we do about 1.5 hours Friday, Sat, Sun and Monday. Advanced math and vocab only.  Our schedule does not interfere with school work.