Homeschooling year-round

One of the many benefits of homeschooling is the freedom to make your own schedule.  There are many homeschoolers who follow the traditional September-May schedule, there are some that school for a certain number of weeks on, then a break and continue that pattern throughout the year, and then there are those who homeschool all year around.  We have actually done a mixture of those schedules in our 8 years of homeschooling and I have landed on the year-round approach.

I still typically have them start their new grade in the summertime, so that it is more in line with things like classes at church, etc. but there are times when they have started new grades in January or February.   Just recently my 6th grader completed her math level and moved up to the next one, when it comes to things like that it wouldn’t make sense to wait until “next school year” to start something else.  But also it takes the pressure off having to finish a certain subject by the end of May.  

Also with homeschooling year-round we have the freedom to work on the core subjects during the main part of the year and then in the summer read those extra books on topics we studied throughout the year, take time for art history, learning cursive, just to name some examples.  I have multiple children that are school age now so knowing that I can count on those summer months allows me to stretch out what we do and puts less pressure on me and on them, they need the freedom to work at their own pace and not feel rushed to get something done.  I want them to enjoy learning.  When my 3rd grader and my 1st grader are up in their room playing paper dolls when it’s “school time” I can just let them, I know the work will eventually get done and I feel very strongly that creative play can be just as beneficial for them as academics at their young ages.  Spreading all the subjects out throughout the year makes our days and weeks more flexible, which basically means more playtime!

This past week all the “brick and mortar” schools were off because of snow and extreme cold temperatures, yet we (and most other homeschoolers I talked to) kept up with our school work, which will allow us to not feel guilty about taking the nice days off this coming spring to get out and enjoy the weather. 

In the summertime we more relaxed with our schedule because we usually have completed the main curriculum I have wanted them to finish before moving on to the next grade, well, this year my 1st grader won’t have her stuff done but it will work out great since I won’t be working with her older siblings as much I will more time to focus on her stuff.  But I see no reason why on the very high humidity days when we just stay home that they shouldn't get some schooling done so that say in December we can spend a good amount of the month making cookies/treats, cards and gifts for others.  

Now for the most part I am talking about my 6th grader and 3rd grader when I talk about them getting their schoolwork done.  I do have my 1st grader, Kindergartener and preschool do some school work too, especially my 1st grader, but I tend to take more of an unschooling approach when they are young.  Which also works so well with the year-round approach, to me there are always opportunities all around them to learn, it doesn't have to be sitting at a desk.  (I could do a whole other post on that :)