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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 1:01pm | IP Logged
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My first post here! I am trying to decide on our 2012/2013 school year calendar and wanted some feedback. This got long, hopefully someone can hang in until the end.
Background: We have moved to an almost year round school year. We take off 7 weeks in the summer and take week long breaks during the school year. We like this, but I have one problem . . . . FEBRUARY!!  Every year it gets worse. Around the last week of January I start feeling burned out. It took a month to recover this year and we lost a lot of school time. I actually learned a lot during this time and how to better do our lesson plans so I don't have to re-do those. That was a positive out of a lot of negative, but how do I avoid this burn out? I have read a ton on burn out and I do a lot of the typical stuff to try to avoid it. Moving on . . . .
Another issue is that even though we want a 5 day week, 50% of the time we only get a 4 day week (and maybe one or two subjects on that 5th day if lucky).
The Plan: I am thinking of cutting our summer break to 4-5 weeks. Perhaps going to a 4 day week schedule for part of the year. This would be before and after Christmas and in the summer (we have public school friends and want to be able to still get together on their break).
Problems with this: Afraid we won't get enough school in doing a 4 day schedule (yes, I know I said we practically do this now, but I feel like we don't get enough school in!) Can I survive such a short summer break? I usually save project all through the year to get done during the summer and I didn't get them all done last summer break with 7 weeks.
What do you think?
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Mom21
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 1:42pm | IP Logged
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Hmm . . . have you considered doing a typical school year, September through May and the summer off? For me, I still have the mindset of needing June, July and August OFF. I find that if we take off too much time during the school year it's hard to get re-motivated to start back up. And yes, I can so relate to the January/February burnout, as I'm sure many of us can. Also, what does your state law require? Our state requirements help me stay on track.
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JennGM
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 1:44pm | IP Logged
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Pumpkinmom, welcome. What kind of approach do you do for your schooling?
What kind of projects are you referring to that you put off until last?
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 2:56pm | IP Logged
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We did a typical school year for a few years and we stopped because I got tired of "I'm bored!" after a month of summer vacation and I really just need more breaks during the school year.
JennGM wrote:
Pumpkinmom, welcome. What kind of approach do you do for your schooling?
What kind of projects are you referring to that you put off until last? |
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I am pretty much eclectic. I like Charlotte Mason and classical. My projects usually include painting (rooms or furniture), school planning, big cleaning projects or projects around the house.
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SallyT
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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Welcome!
One way at this is to think about what, specifically, is contributing to your burnout. Some of it might be the structure of your school year; some of it might be that there are things that aren't working for you, and the effort of trying to make them work is making you exhausted (I think we've all been in that place!). Maybe that's something to unpack and think about here.
I actually like January and February -- we take a long Christmas break (3 weeks this year, since that was how long my college child was home), which follows on an Advent during which we don't exactly take off school, but our main focus is Advent and Christmas preparation. We change our readings, we spend a lot of time on crafts and Advent rituals, and we pare down our regular schoolwork to a small core (math and writing, basically). Then by January *I* am ready to jump back into our regular routine -- routine looks really good by that point, and the dreary winter weather is good for being cozy inside by the fire, reading aloud and doing our work. (and then by March I'm ready for it to be next year already, but that's another conversation!).
Our year goes something like this: we start usually right after the Feast of the Assumption -- I think of our fall term as "Assumption Term" -- and bang right on through until All Saints/All Souls, which we take as holidays. I try to make as much of our fall "new school year" energy as possible. After Thanksgiving, we're into Advent, which I think of almost as a kind of "mini-mester," when what we're into is Advent and Christmas prep, as I said. In January and February we replicate our autumn zeal, because we've had that long change of pace and long break; from March to June, when we have spring fever, I make sure we have new and interesting read-alouds to vary our reading schedule, and because my kids like workbooks, I'll buy some cheap-but-colorful workbook resources (math skills, whatever) so that they feel that they have something new.
I have never yet been able to school through the summer, though I always feel we need to. Partly it's just a mental thing -- my kids know that everyone else is having summer break -- and partly we really are interrupted by things like Scout Camp.
But here's the thing: in my recordkeeping, I have my year divided into trimesters: fall, spring, and summer. And I count most of the summer days as school days -- they're just mostly unschooling days, during which kids are outside doing physical things (PE! even in the heat!), making art projects (art!), reading (literature! history! whatever subject matter the book happens to cover!), spending days in the mountains (nature study!) or otherwise traveling (field trips!), being read aloud to (see "subject matter," above), and so on. They'll even play math games on the computer, so we get some math review in, not to mention all the real-life math we encounter via shopping, cooking, dividing up the cookies, playing board games, or whatever.
Per my state laws, I have to schedule and keep attendance records for 180 days of school, but I can define "school" pretty much any way I want. We're not really unschoolers, but our year includes both seasons of more formal learning and seasons when our focus shifts to an emphasis on what I guess I'd call "whole-life" learning, for lack of a better phrase -- and with the understanding that it's not that we're doing a lot of that the rest of the year, too. Until about 7th grade, when my children's focus does become more academic and their workload more demanding (and they work independently), I keep "formal" school short and sweet. Or, well, short. It's not always sweet, because I am not always sweet, and neither are my children, always. But that's the ideal.
My own experience has been that it's helpful not to think of non-formal-school time as non-learning time -- maintaining an environment where learning happens by having daily read-aloud time (even/especially if it's "just for fun"), encouraging lively dinner-table conversation, having art supplies, science stuff, magazines, books, and other "learny" things lying around, spending time together outdoors, etc, and then observing what children are learning even in their "off-time", really takes a lot of get-it-all-in pressure off the formal school time.
Anyway, just some thoughts. I realize I'm spouting off without knowing much about your homeschooling style, or how many and how old your kids are, all of which make a difference in how *you* would best approach this issue. I know how I do it, but that might or might not be really useful to you. It will be interesting to hear various people chime in, from their various experiences.
Again, welcome to the forums.
Sally in NC
(with a daughter 18 and in college, a son 14/8th grade, a son 9/3rd grade, and a daughter 8/2nd grade)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 5:09pm | IP Logged
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Welcome pumpkinmom!!!!! 
Your first post is in my FAVORITE forum! 
(I apologize ahead of time - I'm posting without reading the other generous and thoughtful responses since I'm posting hastily! I might be redundant in some of my observations or ideas I post - if I am, I take it as a good sign that we might be onto something! )
We school year-round, and moved to that type of schedule a few years ago, and find it a delight!! We take off between 4 and 6 weeks in May and June. It addresses a number of needs for us, many of which include (but definitely aren't limited to):** Allows us to take long breaks throughout the school year, like fall breaks, long Christmas breaks, Holy Week and Easter week off...and allows us to consider other fun opportunities without stressing about getting our days in.
** We live in an area of the country with insanely hot and humid summers. Schooling year-round lets us take advantage of temperate times of the year off, while schooling in the hottest parts.
** The kids have some positive work to occupy them for the majority of the year.
** We don't lose momentum or forward motion in academic skills we are building. This is especially great in any math subject, but especially helpful for littles working on penmanship, reading, etc.
** In case of family crisis, suffering, pregnancy, etc, we are not instantly behind - we have more leisure and margin built into our year to be able to tend to crisis moments in schooling when we move on a year-round schedule.
** It's just allowed for a more relaxed approach to days in general. I'm not advocating for everyone to go to school year round, but I am saying it can be a great and really workable solution for some families, and if you feel drawn to moving in that direction, pumpkinmom, why not give it a go for a year? Call it a year to consider the option. It's not permanent! You can always change next year if you find it isn't a good fit!!!
Now, regarding 4 day or 5 day weeks - I think that's totally workable!!! Especially as you propose to do, in times of the year you anticipate being especially busy. You're giving yourself extra margin and that's great!!!
=========================================
NOW....let's talk burnout. I'm going to be candid here - I don't think burnout is normal for homeschooling moms. Yes. We have all likely endured it at one point or another (I've sure been eyeball deep in it, and it was tough!), but is it normal for burnout to land on our doorstep every February? No. It isn't. I do think it is absolutely normal and very healthy to evaluate where your family is, what's going on, what's working, what isn't - all that around Feb. It's good to be critical of self-discipline in areas - if we couldn't be honest with ourselves, we couldn't stretch and grow, and that's how we become a saint. So, I'm really glad that this year you found some positives coming out of your time of introspection. But let's talk more about this, and since the boards are closing for Holy Week, we might have to wait to continue our conversation after Easter, but that's ok, it gives time to reflect and be prayerful about this!!What's going on that you're feeling burnt out:
Are there issues with lack of good habits in the family? Children? Yourself?
Are your days fairly smooth overall, but in Feb you allow yourself to feel the weight of the year's lack of living up to potential?
Are you able to be gentle on yourself and set reasonable goals?
Are your expectations realistic or perhaps too lofty?
Are your days simple to live out, or do they require herculean feats of organization and execution?
Do you feel you just need more support, friends to come alongside and let you know that this is HARD WORK? (You are in the right place for that!!! )
Let me ask some questions about your home education in general:
Is your home education philosophy something that really inspires you, answers your needs as a family?
Do you feel like there are areas you don't understand? Could better implement?
Does home education feel over-complicated, stressful, or does it seem to move in natural and intuitive ways for your family?
Could it be more intuitive with a little tweaking?
Is it possible that you have been overcomplicating something that is, in essence, very simple? (I have done this! THIS was the source of my burnout!)
How about the kids:
What are their ages/general grade levels?
Do you have some special needs in there?
Are you dealing with children all under the age of 8 or 9? ==========================================
You don't have to answer all these questions out loud here, but they could be good to think about and consider. Here's a secret, there isn't a secret to homeschooling.  I mean, there isn't one right way, one magic bullet to make everything picture perfect smooth. If there were, I'd make a million selling it!!! It's hard work, and a good combination of elbow grease in habit formation and some good books coming together and mixing up in different, unique ways for different families to blend into a (often very eclectic) mix that begins to work, begins to fit within grooves and move days in ways that make sense.
Burnout happens, in my experience, when we're working against the grain too much. So, my goal in asking you those questions was to really try to help you find the natural grain of *your family*. I think once you can find the intersection of: your kids abilities, and your natural home ed philosophy (where you naturally gravitate in the expression of your days)....you will begin to find some good, workable material so that every February isn't burn out time, but time to fine tune. And this fine tuning can be a joy!
Now see.... ....you thought YOUR post was long....but oh no, my friend! I've got you beat!!! Seriously, pumpkinmom! You are on the right track! You're looking at your home education days and seeking to find the positive so that they work for you, work for your children, and have a smoother edge to the days. I hope we can help you gently and joyfully smooth out those edges!!
I can't wait to visit with you again after Easter! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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MamaFence
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| Posted: March 31 2012 at 7:33pm | IP Logged
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Welcome!
I say, go for the plan. See how it works out, and adjust as needed when you feel a change will help your family learn better.
I love the ideas suggested here already. I still feel like a new homeschooler and haven't quite found our family's perfect schedule yet!
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Gina, mother to 4
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DD 5yr (6.06)
DS 3yr (6.08)
DS 2yr (11.09)
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mamaslearning
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| Posted: April 09 2012 at 4:30pm | IP Logged
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I start "official" school the first week of August and plan on finishing by the end of May or early June. This gives me plenty of time to insert breaks throughout the year and to also be available for our ps playmates when they have school breaks. I plan on five days a week, but I plan the core subjects for only four days. The fifth day is a catch-up day, field trip day, project day, or whatever we need day. I also do 1/2 days throughout the year.
I like to plan field trips, museum days, and other more active learning during February. I also attempt to gather groups together for some group learning (a book, a craft, some food) to help break us out of the doldrums. I suffer from SAD as well, so Jan/Feb/March are very difficult for me personally.
HTH!
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Lara
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Maryan
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| Posted: April 09 2012 at 7:12pm | IP Logged
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Welcome!
My husband is on a school schedule, so year round school doesn't work for us because he runs activities in the summer that the boys like to attend. So!
- we start when he does (around August 27)
- I schedule by week, but I start with scheduling about 5 days worth of work a week...and then move to four days a week worth of work in midOctober when our enthusiasm starts to wane
- I take a week of at Thanksgiving, and we do two weeks in December
- I too have a hard time in January & February, so I schedule three days of work during those weeks and keep projects to a minimum
- we take two weeks off at Easter -- we continue working if we are behind
- we end at the end of May because my husband finishes at the end of May
Once I have the weeks mapped out then I plug in the work according to what I want to get done for the year. This year we are on track, but as the baby is coming at the end of the month... I suspect May will be off track. 
ETA: This is my way of explaining how a mostly four day a week schedule works for us! I would not be able to cut out four weeks of summer because I like to revamp our house and lesson plans during those two and a half months!! But it's always good to give something a shot!
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
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Claire F
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So much great advice here (lots that is helpful to me too!), but I just wanted to add that I have realized that our time flows much better if we schedule a 4 day week with Fridays as a light and/or catch up day. At first I felt like, how could that be enough? But once I embraced it and actually wrote out our schedule that way, it has smoothed out some rough edges for us very nicely. By Friday, we're all a little tired and I take a lot of solace in the fact that I know we're already covering tons more material than he'd be getting in a public school, simply by way of efficiency.
It has also been very helpful for me to consider my goals for our little homeschool. My approach would be different if my goal was to create little geniuses who could rattle off facts and do 5th grade math in 1st grade. My goal is to create a love of learning; to introduce my children to the wonders of the world and get them excited; to teach them what they need to know to be life long learners. With that in mind, things like scheduling our main work in 4 days with a 5th day for leeway actually makes a whole lot of sense for our family.
So do consider your goals as you plan your school year. I have found that to be very helpful in putting things into perspective for me.
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Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: April 10 2012 at 8:45am | IP Logged
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Thank you everyone!!
Everyone's responses have been vey helpful and gives me lots of good stuff to consider. I am sure I will be rereading this post a lot.
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MamaFence
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| Posted: April 11 2012 at 1:39am | IP Logged
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Claire, I love that you commented on goals. Keeping that in mind is so important! (and a very timely reminder for me right now!)
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Gina, mother to 4
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Planning the next school year calendar
