May 15 2009
Year Round Home Schooling
Should we home school year round or not? That is a question that a lot of parents ask. Many times, when the public school is about to break for Summer, people will say things to me like, “Well you ARE going to give them a break aren’t you?” What am I going to give them a break from? Can they take a break from living? Over the years, I have looked forward to the Summer months as a time to take a break from lessons. However, it seems that the lessons don’t really stop, they just change. Besides the obvious opportunities for outdoor sports and messy science projects, my own children participate in the July 4th parade, visit museums, zoos, observatories and any other interesting attractions that their father find for us to visit. We have much more social interaction, as these are the months of outdoor picnics, barbecues and birthday parties. Also, to kick off the Summer, my children always sign up for the Summer reading program at our local library, which means that they will read numerous books. This year, in particular, I purchased workbooks for each child, with the skills in which each needs more practice. For example, my oldest needs more math practice, whereas my youngest needs help in the language arts.
Therefore, we do, in a sense, practice year round home schooling. As I have said in previous blogs, learning is present all the time. There is no reason to limit the children to having class 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, off on weekends and holidays. There is something to learn in everything that we do, and the most diligent home schooling parent will be sure to keep records of each task, even those that aren’t assigned.
Have a Great Day!
Laurel Santiago
