Year round homeschool

[Guest nreid]

Do you guys continue to have school during the summer? I have heard that some continue their math year round. I would just like some thoughts on this.

 

 

Thanks,

Nicole

[KrissiK]

We will definitely be reading all summer (I have 2 kinders right now), but no formal phonics instruction. We will also probably be getting some writing in, in the form of nature studies - ants, rollie pollies, worms, etc. I was going to do some history, but... I just don't want to. I do know that if we don't read every day we will be in a world of hurt come August.

[AnnetteB]

We've been schooling around the calendar since dd, 26, was a "preschooler." We have just made study a part of every morning. During the colder, wetter fall and winter months we work until 2 p.m. The rest of the year and on Sunny Days we are done by lunch. I encourage the dc to work hard so that we can go outside when the dew is dry :) We tend to do math every other day during the summer and study astronomy July and August. We continue with history, spelling, and writing year round. We also grab a subject and put in an hour or two on the weekend if we took a short day during the week. Summertime is also the best time for woodworking and art projects that need alot of drying time!

[TKDmom]

I like the idea of doing school 4 weeks on, 1 week off, year round, and taking some add'l time off for holidays and/or vacations. This is my 1st year, and I'm planning on doing school all summer, then taking a longer break in the fall when I have a baby.

[tullyfamily]

On years when we are on track w/ our lessons, we do lessons 4 weeks on and 1 week off w/ larger time off here and there (usually holidays). However, life (babies born, child w/ club foot requiring lots of dr appts, sicknesses) has often brought many interruptions. So, we have done year-around lessons. We take a month off here and there.

 

This has been a blessing to our family- helped to take off the pressure for mama :) The children remember their lessons better & I feel like we get done a lot more in one year. We tend to move onto the next thing when we complete a book or level.

 

For this year, we are taking a 2 week break this month & then all of September off due to baby's arrival.

 

HTH!

Heather

[Annie Laurie]

We've always schooled year round, I think it keeps those skills fresh and my kids get too antsy after a few weeks without a routine. Year round schooling helps us to relax when we need to also- there are times we'll have shorter days and not cover as much and other times when we hit it harder.

[coralloyd]

We school year around, 4 days a week. We take breaks when we want. Example, the next 3 months we have camping trips in our RV planned; 2 of them are at least a week long each. Of course we will still do a lot of reading on these trips, but we will break from our other work. Christmas is another time when we take some time off from regular school work (we do crafts, bake, ect. for at least 2 weeks in December). My dh works at home so it just works for us to have a flexible schedule, taking time off when he can.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

We try to keep to the 36 week school year with 16 weeks off, but we divide the weeks off throughout the year. Usually we take three weeks off in Dec. and three weeks off in June. I divide the other ten weeks off throughout the year depending on what is going on. Sometimes we take a week off every month sometimes we go for two months straight and then take 2 weeks off, or some other variation depending on sickness, trips, etc.

 

It's working fabulously for us.

[FO4UR]

I am year-round schooling too.

 

We'll switch around our schedule with the weather b/c outside play time is hugely important to us. Right now, we work in the morning and are out by 11 am. The heat is intollerable from the end of June through August here, so we'll go outside right after breakfast and come in by 11am.

 

If we are home we will school - what else are my kids going to do with their time?????:tongue_smilie: I guess my kids are still young, but I don't want them watching TV and playing Video games and they can't very well do too many hobbies on their own yet.

 

Phonics and math are on par with brushing teeth for my kids - it is much easier imho to just keep going (even if only a few minutes per day) than to have to review after a break.

 

For other stuff -planned readings and other curric - *I* need a break, so we break about every 6 weeks. 6 weeks on/1 week off That seems to be a happy routine so far.

[debbielong]

...and in September we will start our seventh year (I can't believe it!!).

 

The one summer I took off became a nightmare trying to get started again (especially for me:)). I swore never to quit schoolwork in the summer again.

 

Summer is light and varied, with no set schedule. Some weeks are heavier than others - I plan on Sundays, based upon what is already going on during the week.

 

When the children were younger, I did 4-6 weeks on, one week off, but as they have gotten older, that schedule has gotten more difficult. I take time off as necessary and that seems to work for us.

 

The key is finding a system that works for your family (and then being prepared to change it as your children change and grow).

 

Regardless - have fun! It goes really, really fast!

[jenn&charles]

We school year round, but the summer is lighter. During the year we take off what time we need/want for vacations, holidays, illness, etc. The kids also usually get every other Friday off year round.

The last couple of years we all took a month or so off at the end of July, but I'm thinking of skipping that this year. It's just easier to continue on with at least the structure of some school time.

[PeterPan]

We go year-round, always have, but we have different seasons for things. In May we do fun stuff we miss throughout the year (art, unit studies, whatever catches our fancy). In the summer we do a lighter schedule and more outdoor school. And yes, math is every day, no matter what. Schooling year-round gives us a lot of flexibility and isn't a problem, as we have no connections to flub it up. Some people can't due to neighborhood children (play time!), sports, whatever. If it doesn't suit you, certainly don't feel compelled to. We just do it because we like the flexibility to take breaks, trips, etc. when we need them. It means I don't have to be "perfect" each day or stressed, because it all gets covered sooner or later. :)

[Maria/ME]

Yup, year 'round here too. We start our "new" year in January and switch curriculums/grades the following January. We school until 2 or 3 in the winter and school til noon in summer. That's the more "formal" part, we actually do "school" throughout the day both in summer or winter. Nature walks,field trips, educational movies etc...

 

I really enjoy this method. We take plenty of time for "breaks" and "vacations" too. And Sept-Sept schooling is almost foreign to our way of thinking any more!

[Wee Pip]

We school year-round, but with very few breaks (but I feel my kids' days are light, so it probably evens out). From Sept-April we have 2 Fridays off for co-op classes every month (14 days total each year). In the summer, we have beach days, park days, VBS, etc. that we'll allow some time off for. We took 2 days off for Christmas & 2 days off for New Years. We have the occasional playdate or doctor appt days that we take off for. But otherwise, we school every weekday:) I'm a highly disorganized person, with no routine to my days, so doing daily school at least gives us some sort of organization. Plus, I've noticed that when we take a week off, the kids start arguing with each other, getting bored, etc. So having something to do every day is helpful. Plus, it does help retain math and grammar skills.

[workingmom]

I like the idea of doing school 4 weeks on, 1 week off, year round, and taking some add'l time off for holidays and/or vacations. This is my 1st year, and I'm planning on doing school all summer, then taking a longer break in the fall when I have a baby.

 

I work part-time and this is how we do school. Its awesome. Even the days we "don't have formal lessons" the kids go the the "learning room" and find stuff they want to work on. Even with a four day week, we are way ahead of what we need to get done. So if we finish a particular subject like LA, then I do extra worksheets or order the next book. Right now I'm trying to do unit studies on things like dictionary skills, writing a small travel journal, etc.

[Ravin]

I also work part time, babysit for a friend while she takes a college class, and DD is in a once-a-week enrichment program run by a local public school district for HS'ers, so if anything we get MORE done in summer than during the year. Mondays aren't taken up by Eagleridge, half our morning isn't gone to running around picking up/dropping off my friend and her son, and it's too hot to play outside. So yeah, we do school all summer. It also lets me relax with all the interruptions during the year.

[skaterbabs]

We do math year round, and other subjects as needed. Last summer DS needed math and gramar, so that's what he got. This summer will be math, grammar, and probably history as well, for both sons. DD will do what she's been doing for the past two years and in Septemeber we're going to make a big deal out of "starting school" for her.

[chaik76]

Year round here, too. July 1 through June 30. We take breaks whenever we want or need them this way. We usually take a pretty big break in December too. This year, because ds has figured out that public school kids get a summer break we will probably take some kind of small "summer" break.

[Loupelou]

We do year round also. I tried taking a summer off once and it was a disaster. The kids were cranky and so was mom!:tongue_smilie: We usually take it a little lighter and add in more fun and play.

[tinkgumby]

Like many people have said, we do a lighter schedule over the summer and take vacation and breaks as needed, but we do try to keep up on basics (math, reading, etc.). For me, they retain knowledge so much better if they don't take three whole months off, and they don't get nearly as bored.

 

I'm also probably going to do some fun things, like take my son to a week-long Art Camp in Houston in June, swimming lessons, Cub Scout Day Camp, and other things that are still educational but not formal school.

[LisaKinVA]

Well, until this year, we have had a lighter load during the summer. But THIS year, the arrival of the new baby, and other things, have made it nearly impossible for us to have a light summer schedule. The older kiddos are still heading to camp for a week or two, but other than that, it's school... school... school... I'm hoping we can take some afternoons off and go to the pool/water park, but we'll just have to see.

 

Next year, building the house and all, we're going to push hard as well... but once we're in the house -- WHEW! I'm hoping we can get back to a lighter "nice weather" schedule.

 

I feel like such a meannie. But, we have no real choice right now. It's not like they haven't had a vacation at all... just not during normal times!

[Starr]

We work into the summer when we are home. It seems to get lighter and lighter until it drifts off for a few weeks.

[Lovedtodeath]

We plan to do 3 days a week. We have to do science because bugs are dead in the winter! We have to do math because we were behind, but Abeka is amazing!

[Carmen_and_Company]

We school year-round, too. I cannot fathom what to do with a whole 16 weeks off from school. We do take time off for High Holy Days during the fall, Pesech (Passover) during the spring, a couple of weeks for family vacations, and one week off during my youngest ds's winter break--hmm, that's about 8 weeks off total. Oh, and we take a day off for birthdays that fall on school days.

 

Now that I've written that out, we average 2 weeks off every 3 months--not bad.

[Ellie]

Do you guys continue to have school during the summer? I have heard that some continue their math year round. I would just like some thoughts on this.

 

 

Thanks,

Nicole

I see no reason to follow the model the local public school does. If I had ties to the school (say, one dc attended there, or dh worked there) I would keep the same schedule, but I don't so I don't. :-)

 

I used to put the books away around Thanksgiving. That gave us five or six weeks to have freedom to enjoy all the holiday activities; we started back around the middle of January. We took off a couple of weeks in the spring (I get spring fever, lol), and a couple of weeks in late August/early September when the weather was hot (So. Cal, no AC). And we took off any other random time for spontaneous trips to Disneyland in the middle of the week, or when friends were visiting out of town, or if I needed a mental health day. :-)

 

My school year began January 1 and ended December 31. We "promoted" in the fall, just to keep Sunday school teachers and grandparents happy, but we just kept doing school stuff until we finished, whenever that was, and moved on to the next thing.

[Closeacademy]

We school year round. There is no change in the lineup but we start to work on stepping up to the next grade level. We do take 2-3 weeks off in May but I just feel like if we have that consistency in our schedule of this is what we do then we won't slack off in any area over the summer.

 

Besides the pool doesn't open until 1:00 anyway. What else would we do all morning?:tongue_smilie:

[motherdear]

I like to go year-round, however somehow I never accomplish what I'd really like to because the weather is so nice we just have to get out! So my requirements are: one page of math/day, nature walks with notebooking when we find something really interesting, some kind of writing once or twice a week, and regular reading (which is usually a nighttime thing anyway-but it has to be educational in some way). We definitely don't keep up the schedule as we do in the regular school year, but I don't want any going backwards.

[mom4him]

We homeschool year around, well sort of. We start our official school yr the second full week of Aug. and officially end around the middle of July so we have about 3 wks of 'summer vacation'. In Aug., Sept., Oct. I take days that I need to can and freeze produce. We take the week of Thanksgiving off and 2-3 weeks at Christmas time. We also take a week in June for VBS.

We do a 4 day school week also and take other days here and there when needed. For my two it keeps them in a little more of a schedule and they seem to do better with that. Also, They don't 'loose' things that they had learned the year before like when you take 3 months at a time.