| Author | |
Aingeal
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 17 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 62
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I've been convinced by the merits of year-round schooling, and so that's what we'll be doing, starting this fall.
My question is for those of you who do this too....when do you take breaks, and how long are those breaks? I want to make sure we build in enough rest and vacation, but also don't want to break the year up too much with lots of stopping and starting.
So far, I have a week at Thansgiving, 3 weeks at Christmas, and a week off for Holy Week. I'm now onto spring/summer...
What does your read-round calendar look like?
Angela
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We've been following a year-round schedule for several years now and really enjoy it, Angela! The flexibility it affords is wonderful, and short, consistent breaks are refreshing to us without allowing a true degradation in skills which we had to deal with when we took 2 - 3 months off. AND....after a few weeks the kids start getting bored and acting out, and they're looking for routine. I'm OH-SO-HAPPY to provide it! 
Breaks
** We enjoy a one week break between each term of the year. This is refreshing for the children, and a good time for me to finish up the next term's plans, get them in place and tidy the learning spaces.
** We take off all Holy Days of Obligation.
** We take a week off the entire week of Thanksgiving.
** We take off three weeks around Christmas: the week of Christmas, and the week before and the week after.
** We take off all of Holy Week and all of Easter Week, or the remaining Octave of Easter.
That leaves us plenty of time for spontaneous time off during the year and medical absences. Starting early also leaves plenty of time for longer breaks if they are needed because of a crisis/emergency.
We wrap up our year in early-mid May, and begin again in early July.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aingeal
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 17 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 62
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 3:37pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jen, that's really helpful. How did you decide to start in July, as opposed to the fall, like September? I love the idea of a week off between terms to organize and reset. 
Angela
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 3:53pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We live in the EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID South, so by July it is BLAZING hot here. The children play outdoors or we garden in early morning or late evening, but the rest of the day it's indoors. It just made sense for us to start our schoolyear at this time of year so we could enjoy more time off in the temperate parts of our year.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aingeal
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 17 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 62
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ah ha! Makes sense. We are in CA where the fall is the hottest:) September is blazing, every year:)
Thanks for the feedback. I have a good base calendar now, plenty of breaks and flexibility.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Amber-v
Forum Rookie
Joined: Jan 29 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 83
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 5:08pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We are in CA too! Northern CA, an hour plus into the mountains out of Sacramento.
I am trying to gradually transition to a year round schedule. I keep moving back our start date so we can take more breaks during the year. This school year started in mid August, had a week off at the end of September, a week at Thanksgiving, six weeks at Christmas, and a week and a half at Easter. We also take 3-4 days off every other month to visit family. we will end on June 8th.
This year I want to start more towards the beginning of August, take two weeks off end of Sept/beginning of October for canning and a fall break, 4-5 weeks at Christmas and perhaps three off at Easter.
Amber
__________________
Amber
Mom to dd (born 2002), ds (2005), ds (2008), ds (2011), dd (11/2013)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 5:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
One of my favorite parts of being in OR instead of CA. The hottest part of summer is winding down by mid-August. Having those hot days going into September was miserable for me.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I do almost the exact same thing as Jen! Great minds.....right?!?!
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Claire F
Forum Pro
Joined: Sept 14 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 272
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 9:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
When we first began in September, I thought we'd follow the public school calendar, more or less. But the more I think on it, the more I feel that moving to a more year round schedule will be really beneficial. This year, I'm planning for not quite a year round schedule. We'll take off about 8 weeks this summer. I'm co-directing VBS at our parish, which will keep me quite busy during June and July. Then we'll take the week following VBS off (we'll all want a break!). Our school year will start up in early August though, giving us ample time to take breaks when needed or wanted during the year. I plan to take a week off in the fall, two or three weeks at Christmas, and some time in the spring as well. We'll see how this works for us and go from there!
I also wanted to add that I plan to still have some focused time the sake of routine during our summer break. I think we'll have morning basket time with a lot of reading aloud and some math games sometimes as well. Between that and a lot of nature study, I think that will give us enough routine and grounding that we won't find ourselves lazing about and the kids acting up because they crave a little more structure. Again, a work in progress, so we'll see how it goes. :)
__________________
Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kristinannie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2011
Location: West Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1363
|
| Posted: May 02 2012 at 9:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We live in mild West Virginia, but we still think the summers are too hot! We school year round. It just provides extra flexibility for us and less learning loss. This is what we did this year:
We started June 1. We took three weeks off during the summer (vacation, Grandma camp and Karate camp). We took off from Thanksgiving until New Year's (we did a couple of school days in there). We took off two weeks in March (cabin and homeschool convention) and we are finishing May 10. We will take a break until the first full week of June. We also had many 4 day weeks in there and I didn't feel guilty taking days off when someone was sick or if we had company coming or whatever.
I absolutely love schooling year round. I can't see us changing it anytime soon.
We continue reading aloud during our breaks. We even bring books on vacation. We will also sometimes do "fun school" during breaks which is science and history/geography or art or music or whatever. I do this if the kids ask to or if they are driving me crazy and we need something to occupy them.  We will often still do morning basket time as well. It really just depends.
__________________
John Paul 8.5
Meredith Rose 7
Dominic Michael 4.5
Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 7:09am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Betsy wrote:
| I do almost the exact same thing as Jen! Great minds.....right?!?! |
|
|
Exactly!
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mimip
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2009
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1526
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 10:02am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We school year around for the exact same reasons as Jen, since we live in south Florida and its just too hot for us here in July.
BUT we are having to transition a bit this year. Our oldest daughter got selected to be in a special camp for ballet and it is from the 11th of June until the first week in July. I don't think its fair to her to do school and this very intensive ballet study so we are taking our summer vacation during this time.
So this coming 2012-2013 school year we are starting the final week of July and going for 16 weeks. We'll take a week off somewhere in October depending on how things are progressing. Our last day for the fall is the Friday before Thanksgiving because of ballet schedules and we do all our Advent and Christmas preparations during this time. (BTW this year we'll have a NEWBORN BABY to play with as well)
We start up again after the new year and have our winter semester until Holy week. We take off Holy and Easter weeks and then finish our year with our last 10 weeks.
For us it works to not have even trimesters. Our Fall is always the biggest push, Then our Winter is the next longest with usually 10-12 weeks and then our spring/summer is short. Finishing up projects and our final books of the year. Usually only 8-10 weeks.
Hope that helps 
__________________
In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SarahCD
Forum Rookie
Joined: Oct 09 2011
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 54
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 11:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow! This totally appeals to me! (Especially after my post on "Summer Anxiety!") But I fear some major resistance from my children, who are still adjusting to Mom as mother AND teacher. [I think that often they think that the school work I assign is optional! (What do I do with that???)] We live in Minnesota, where the summers can get hot but also the winters are bitterly cold. Plus, we have a TON of children in our neighborhood, none of whom homeschool, so all of them will be around this summer. Has anyone had to "convince" their children of this, and if so, how did you win them over? Also, how many weeks are in a term? I did not think in terms this year ...
__________________
Sarah
wife to G
mom to dd 9, dd 8, dd 6, ds 4, dd 4 and ds 1
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aagot
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 06 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 649
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 12:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
One thing I am trying this year is 6 weeks on 1 week off. With extra time off at Christmas. This allows me to spend the first two " terms" giving special focus to Grammar and Spelling. They will also be doing Math. With just three subjects to do for most of the summer they will still have plenty of time to spend with ps friends. I will add in science during the second term. The other subjects will come in after the first two terms. That means those subjects will only get 30 weeks but I think it will be fine.
This also gives me more frequent household project weeks. I know I can work on the basement or garage or other major undertaking for a full week and not feel bad about not doing school.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 12:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sarah, I'm in a small area where most of the kids don't homeschool.. so while we have a few people who do. It is really hard to do work on days the other kids don't.
What I would do is what someone else mentioned. Which is doing lighter work like math in the morning and then reading in the evening or such.. so that they still get the benefit of time off with the kids that are their friends but you still have some school continuing and more structure to the day. Especially if you recognize when the busiest times of others being around are. For instance I notice that the first week the other kids are off is a huge thing for them to get out and play.. but then that levels off and as the end comes those families are busy with last minute trips and such so that it really wouldn't be difficult to take off a week or two and then do some lighter work and then start sooner than the schools do.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom2mpr
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 16 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 1:44pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We school year round and I usually love it. Since we moved to a colder climate I do struggle because it is so beautiful in summer, the days are l-o-n-g(sun goes down about 10 pm!!) in summer, there is a lot going on, and all our homeschool friends quit for the summer.
We have no family here so I flex a lot. People come visit--my parents mostly-so our school weeks revolve around them. I have no set school weeks or vacations, I take it as it comes.
I like schooling through summer because my kids get their energy out and seem better able to concentrate. I can flex more during the year when things come up, which happens a little too much 
Academically, summer is usually working on weaknesses, keeping up/catching up in subjects I let slide or it seems kids need more time/help with, field trips because there is so much going on here in summer--everyone comes out of their homes and camps and programs are in full swing! I usually pick new curriculum in summer if needed. I ended up doing it in March this year. Part of the flexing thing.
So, while it isn't as normal as the rest of the world, and it can be challenging at times, it is one of the reasons I homeschool, to be able to flex my life around school and my kids' needs and to keep family connections. It also helps me chill when I take time off during the year knowing I have more days to get it all in
__________________
Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
|
| Posted: May 03 2012 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
SarahCD wrote:
| Wow! This totally appeals to me! (Especially after my post on "Summer Anxiety!") But I fear some major resistance from my children, who are still adjusting to Mom as mother AND teacher. [I think that often they think that the school work I assign is optional! (What do I do with that???)] We live in Minnesota, where the summers can get hot but also the winters are bitterly cold. Plus, we have a TON of children in our neighborhood, none of whom homeschool, so all of them will be around this summer. Has anyone had to "convince" their children of this, and if so, how did you win them over? Also, how many weeks are in a term? I did not think in terms this year ... |
|
|
We didn't move to year round until two years ago. The kids were NOT happy when I told them what we were doing, but they haven't complained once since then. My kids' best friends are public school, so we do plan breaks around them to allow for play time. We do a 4 day week until our friends go back to school to allow one day to play with them.
__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ShannonJ
Forum Pro
Joined: July 08 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 172
|
| Posted: May 04 2012 at 8:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Aagot wrote:
| One thing I am trying this year is 6 weeks on 1 week off. |
|
|
We use this schedule as well and I really like it! It breaks things down in to a manageable chunk for me. We also take 3-4 weeks off for Christmas and I try to land one of our breaks during Holy week. If it is off by a week or two I just nudge the schedule a bit. I like about 4 weeks off during the summer, but no more or the kids start driving me nuts! This leaves me 5-6 weeks during the year for vacation and unexpected occurrences (family visiting, sickness, or just escaping!).
__________________
~Shannon
Mom of dd 12, ds 9, & dd 5
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: May 04 2012 at 10:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My husband teaches college and we more or less follow his schedule: Fall Semester, Spring Semester, Summer Pre-session, Summer Session.
We usually do a full load in the fall and spring. I usually have the kids do a lighter load about of work for two of the four weeks of Christmas break and the Summer Session. I usually give them at least two of the three pre-session weeks completely off. And then there is usually about two weeks between the end of the summer session and the start of the fall semester.
During the summer I usually have them do some sort of math review to help keep concepts fresh give more practice and solidify them. Then I might have them do something else small. But I try to not sweat it if we miss days here and there for summer fun.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CatholicMommy
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2007
Location: Indiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1254
|
| Posted: May 07 2012 at 8:26am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We do year-round, but rather flexible as someone else described. I have 2 elderly grandmothers who live in another state; and 2 home businesses with fluctuating needs; so we have to be really flexible!
We start our school year with the liturgical year, but that's really just a way for me to organize things more than actual changes in the ongoing curriculum we use (Montessori for the most part).
We always take Christmas and the 2 weeks following; Advent is used for easing into things; Bible history; household projects (which I always relate back to an academic subject). Then Christmas season is lots of reading, prayer, liturgical season focus.
We always end up with at least one week of Lent off - because of family situations. Then Holy Week and Easter we ease up, but only to focus on the liturgical year.
Through spring and summer we don't plan to take time off - we just let it happen as it comes. We don't take any time off at Thanksgiving officially (except Thanksgiving day) because we don't generally need it.
However, we also tend to take school with us - so we have kind of have 3 levels of plans for each week (I don't detail this out, but adjust mentally according to the situation and timing) - we have our "bare bones - this stuff MUST get done" - then there is the "if everything goes smoothly here is the most we could possibly get through this week" - and then there is the typical reality of "if we get this much done, it will be a satisfactory week".
But this way, we can sometimes do just 3 days of school a week; or just review specific items while visiting family.
I just have our weekly plans - every week - just like the planner I have for myself (same concept, different style) - so that whether it holds a lot of school or more liturgical or more chores - or more family time - we always have a weekly plan. This way, my son gets the "list" he needs AND the organization, while still being flexible.
We don't play with the kids at our apartment complex, because I've never been too positively impressed with the attitude, mouths and behavior of some of the boys. I am concerned about the example set for my impressionable son. But we balance that out with tae-kwon-do classes, having a co-op, visiting with church families when possible, and lots of prayer.
When the kids are outside playing, my son knows that there are plenty of times they are in school or on the bus (totaling 9 hours a day) when he's done either NO school, less than 3 hours of school, or just plain had lots of fun and didn't even call it school. He also does not have to wake up before the sun most days. So lots of reminders let him know how much time he actually has, which helps to get him focused back on finishing the task at hand, so he get his free time.
__________________
Garden of Francis
HS Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Nuggets
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Schooling Year-round
