I realized that year around homeschooling for my family meant shorter days, longer breaks, more meaningful lessons, less prep time for teacher to cover things “lost” during a long down time. Also, look on my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.
And year round homeschooling meant a choice of vacation time that suited my family’s rhythm whether it was summer or otherwise.
Then the next thing I wanted to know is “How does the schedule look?”
What are others doing that makes it successful for them or a good fit for their family?
Next, look at some of these books to help you plan to school year round.
5 BEST How to Homeschool Books
I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.
Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is a real eye-opener on homeschooling. It will alleviate a lot of the anxieties about getting started homeschooling. Reading each chapter’s highlights will give you encouragement, knowledge, guidance, and peace of mind to homeschool with confidence. The best part is that you’ll be educating the person who loves your kids the most in this world--YOU! Armed with the knowledge to make better choices in curriculum will empower you to continue the path of home education. Unlike many books based on one family’s experience, Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is also based on Tina’s many years of mentoring hundreds and hundreds of new homeschoolers at live workshops. When you don’t know where to begin Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers equips you to successfully homeschool your children.
Homeschooling is a wonderful, worthwhile pursuit, but many homeschool parents struggle with feelings of burnout and frustration. If you have ever felt this way, you’re not alone! Most of us need to be reminded of the “why” of homeschooling from time to time—but "The Unhurried homeschooler" takes parents a step further and lifts the unnecessary burdens that many parents place on themselves.
Those who have made the decision to homeschool their children have done so out of great love for their children and a desire to provide them an excellent education in the context of a warm, enriching home.
Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?
Education has become synonymous with schooling, but it doesn’t have to be. As schooling becomes increasingly standardized and test driven, occupying more of childhood than ever before, parents and educators are questioning the role of schooling in society. Many are now exploring and creating alternatives.
More Homeschooling Year Around Tips
- What is Year Around Homeschooling? Part 1
- What is Year Around Homeschooling? Part 2
- Homeschooling Year Round – Chaos Or Calm?
- How a Homeschool Planning Calendar is Superior to a Regular Calendar
- 4 Benefits to Planning Early for the Next Homeschool Year
What is Year Around Homeschooling Part 2
Here are some options for schedules that I have followed and are following:
- 4 weeks on, one off, until spring or holiday times, then off for a month.
This I found was best for when the kids were younger, and I would get behind on house work and chores.
Too, when I was pregnant or just sick and needed more rest, this was a much more relaxed time since the down time was longer.
You can even take off a month during the holidays or springtime.
- 4 days schooling, one day off during the week instead of one consecutive week.
(This is the schedule I am presently kind of following. I prefer to have “off” one day during the week that is not school so that I can re-organize, catch up on work, help newbies or just do nothing. I don’t take it off EVERY week but maybe ONCE every three weeks or so)
- 6 weeks schooling, take off one week.
This will give you more time at any “interval” during the year where you may want to take off 2 weeks.
- One month off for “travel” for science and history.
Here is the problem – although it’s a nice problem but is this REALLY off or are your children learning while you are going to museums, field trips and visiting Washington D.C?
Summer months we hit school harder because here in Texas, it is too hot to be outside too long.
We save being outside for milder weather.
We can actually swim here in Texas all the way through September. So plenty of time for being outdoors and have a “summer” it’s just not in summer, but in fall.
Keep to the regular school schedule. If this is working for you, no need to change something that your family likes.
Summer months hit lighter. (We did this for this past year as my past year was very busy with school and my husband’s work). So, math and reading only and mostly rest.
Cover only like or two subjects during the summer. I always cover math.
But some homeschoolers prefer language arts, but I do not.
I prefer to do some science or history or craft projects that would be more time consuming during the year. This way we can give almost the whole day to learning about it.
One year I just schooled until we needed a break, like 8 to 10 weeks and then took like 2 weeks.
This is also a GREAT schedule. It is very refreshing, and you feel like you can stay caught up during the year.
What Year Round Homeschooling is NOT
1. Missing making fun summer time memories.
This is plenty of time for that and to keep moving forward in school.
2.No rest for the weary. It is really just the opposite.
My husband can tell when I and the kids are finishing a break. I have way more energy and patience in dealing with the children.
3. Drudgery. Homeschooling is about life; life is about homeschooling.
If our life hits drudgery, and it can at times since we are just human, it just means we need a change.
Drudgery is something that seems to sap long time homeschoolers, so we need to re-focus and realize the blessings that come from a long term relationship.
Change can come with new curriculum, a new routine, less structured work or just getting among other fellow homeschoolers.
The “newness and freshness” of new homeschoolers, the EXCITEMENT that consumes their every waking minutes and passion they have are contagious.
What do you think? Have you given year round homeschooling a try?
