How many of us start in the fall? Versus some other season or at the beginning of the year? What is your schedule like? How do you organize your year? If you're a year-rounder how do you do it? How do you organize? I like the idea of seasonal semesters or else following the calendar year, but so far we just go with the school year, but I think that at the end of this year we might try something different and branch out more if 8yo and 6yo don't continue with state virtual school.
May to May. We do a short summer trimester (mid May thru mid June) for lighter subjects like health or extra practice for things like "fun" math. We do 4 weeks of summer camp, a week of VBS, and 2 weeks of vacation. Our Fall and Spring trimesters follow pretty closely to a traditional calendar, except they're slightly shorter and have longer breaks. That's where the bulk of our work gets done.
I have started in the fall and finished in the summer. We haven't had one uninterrupted school year yet so we have finished late. I do want to go to a year round schedule. My boys would prefer a shorter summer with more breaks during the year. I'll probably always start a new school year in the fall though.
We school all year round. We take days off for sickness or special dates. But other then that since school only lasts a couple of hours why stop? I have this year broken the year into quarters and set goals for each child for each semester. So long as they are learning we keep plugging away
We're in our first year so it's all an experiment Right now I intend to run basically like the regular school year. We'll end early, though, if we get enough days in (175). Both children have friends in ps, so it's just easier this way. Of course... the learning doesn't ever REALLY end, so it's just the 'official' stuff.
We do "Sabbath Schooling". We started the last week in Aug. We go 6 weeks on 1 week off. Took 4 weeks off in Dec. and will take 6 weeks off in the summer. This is the best things that ever happened to our homeschool!
We start in January and work through the end of October/middle of November. I set yearly goals (usually history and some math topics) and we work until they're done. Other subjects, we work at and progress at the child's pace. Several reasons we chose this, but the bottom line is that it works best for our family's particular needs. We just started our fourth year. Prior to this year, I've planned a month at a time (based on goals for the entire year), and divided each week's work into four days. The fifth day was for catch up, or the occasional day off. I'm leaning away from that this year. It is taking my kids a comparatively long time each day now to complete lessons. It's just that they're working slow and carefully - not fooling around. I'd rather let them work for five days than stress them to get things done in fewer. As far as the "other" things we used to do on that fifth day (doctors/dentist appts, field trips, etc), we'll figure it out as we go along. If we need to cram work a day here and there, that's still not the same as forcing a daily pace that isn't comfortable for them. OTOH, if they suddenly pick up, I, for one, would be happy to have that day back LOL Daily schedule, we just made yet another adjustment. It's working really, really well. We do a group reading (I read to them). Then they do math...until the lesson is done. Then they write...until the assignment is done correctly (which doesn't take very long since they are still on the young side). Then they read (aloud or silently) until I tell them they may stop (usually for lunch). During lunch, we listen to an audiobook (school related). After lunch is still "school" but not core. Right now, various people in our house are doing the following after lunch: computer programming course (self study, thank God) working through the Lincoln Logs book of building plans practicing recorder and/or piano and/or guitar free reading writing comic books (NOT assigned - totally their idea, but giving some interesting insight into their sense of sequencing) FWIW, I have recently banned any video games or television watching (including educational) until an hour (or less) before my DH gets home. If the kids have those options, they won't choose to play any other way (not a healthy balance, IMO) and they neglect their school work by constantly begging to play video games/watch TV (even the education stuff) rather than spend time and attention on what they're doing.
Our school year officially starts in July. We do not start doing our full load until mid/late August though. July and August is usually just math and some assorted work and lots of pe. In August we start back with the full load. We take about a week off at Thanksgiving, 2 at Christmas and then assorted days as we need them. I try to have us finished in May so we have alot of free time in June when the weather is nice (not too hot or cold). May and June are when I finalize curriculum and finish planning out the next year.
This is my second year but we also go year round. School is only a few hours and we like to take trips and adventures to places. The summer we slow down but still do some work before we play. I also want to ensure that my kids are adapting socially so we try to do several activities with other kids through the week, especially in the summer.
We start Tues. after Labor Day and go until the end of May or the 1st/2nd week of June. I would love to try what Carrie does, but I am out voted every year. I'll try to get the vote again this year, but don't see it happening.
We go year-round. As we finish one curriculum in one subject, we go ahead and move on into the next level. Sometimes, I'll hold off on moving up until we can get to the annual book fair--- if I'm wanting to look at something in new. As far as time off, we just take whatever days off we want to, when we want to. I don't like too many days off in a row because then the kids and I all get out of the routine, and it takes some time to get back into it. This kind of organization is fairly important to us, though, because summers are useless here in Texas. It's way too hot to want to go outside, and even traveling around in the car amounts to a lot of heat. This schedule lets us take more time off in the fall and spring when the weather's nicer [and our falls/springs don't last too long, so we have to take advantage of the moderate temps while they're there!].
I agree summers in Texas are just too hot to be outside doing anything. We will start our school year on Monday. We will finish up by the time my oldest gets out of ps for Christmas break next year. We will take a week or month of here or there. We will probably take the entire month of July off for sure as we are going to Colorado for vacation and will spend some time at the country club pool.
We go August-August (usually starting around the third week... after DS' birthday). We take random, periodic breaks. But we have to put in so dang many hours that if we don't go year-round, we won't make it. We do our normal curriculum during the 'regular' school year and 100% fun learning over the Summer. Matter of fact, the boys don't even think they have school over the Summer. lol.
I would really LOVE to "do school" year-round, starting in January and finishing in December, taking regularly scheduled time off. But I'm pretty well stuck with doing it like public school here, starting in August (but later than they do), and ending the end of May.
We school year round, taking breaks as we feel like it. We are out often, going to lots of museums, science centers, homeschool group classes, trips, and get-togethers. We also slow waaay down in December and during the summer. We get to the seatwork when we get to it. No stress. But it does get done.
We school year around. I really want to do the sabbath schooling, but our days off usually depends on the business and when we are busy and when we are not. But I do start in January and finish in Nov. We took DEc off this year, I am not sure if I liked it or not. The kids were stuck inside because of the yucky weather, and got bored easy. We do school 5 days a week. If we get all 5 in during the work week that is great we take Sat off. If not we work on Sat. It really isn't a big deal. I start new circ, when ever the one before it is done. I just set Jan as the beginning so I can have something to judge our progress by.
We start in September, but this is our first year. We will probably do some low key stuff during the summer. But our new grade begins in September.
I love this idea as well! idk how well it would work here, but I can see how it would help everyone keep going.
We still use the ps calendar for the most part, starting in August because my oldest is in public school and I am in college. It helps to have everyone in the same frame of mind lol!
We start in August and usually finish up in late May or early June. We take off days as necessary or desired and make up time later. I often have them do school in the summer with a reduced schedule----mostly math and fun learning. One summer we did astronomy classes at night. The kids loved it! My son graduated on June 19, 2010 and is now attending technical college. My daughter will graduate around the same time this year. She plans to attend a local university this fall.
