Scheduling the School Year

netpea · Post by **netpea** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:21 pm

We are taking the summer off! Between yardwork, gardening, beach, playing with friends & Cousins who are in school all year, camping, and visiting Grandma, our summers seem to fill up in a hurry. I was thinking of doing schoolwork too this summer, but I am going to be taking care of my niece for at least a month, maybe two, so I don't want any more on my plate. Not to mention the other stuff I want to get done, cleaning out the basement, cutting up old baby / toddler clothes to make quilts for the kids' beds, cleaning out the sunporch, dejunking the house, etc...

I didn't manage to put together a MOTH schedule for this school year, but I am doing one for the summer to try and cram in as much of the stuff I've been neglecting as possible and still have time for playdates and trips.

I plan to start school up again in August. I will however read them lots of books over the summer to keep them learning. especially the ones listed in Beyond that we didn't choose to read for storytime.

my2guys · Post by **my2guys** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:06 am

Thought I'd link you to this thread too with more discussion on this topic

http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/view ... highlight=

my3sons · Post by **my3sons** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:23 am

We take June - August off, although sometimes we start mid-August (usually if I was expecting and knew I'd need the extra time later). I use summer for teaching chores and working on habits with the children. We do keep on doing phonics usually if a child happens to be in that stage.

I also use the summer for house projects - stripping wallpaper, "deep" cleaning, etc. - and also for the children and I to picnic outside every day that weather permits. Summer is our time off here in SD - mainly because of the weather! I also like the feel of a "start" and a "stop" to the school year, like we began something and ended it. It gives us a sense of accomplishment (even though we don't always "finish" an HOD program before summer). If I lived somewhere else that had nicer weather year-round, and if I wasn't married to a very avid outdoorsman, we might do things differently though.

In Christ,
Julie

inHistiming · Post by **inHistiming** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:35 am

We kind of play it by ear, each year. We have moved quite a bit in the last few years, so we never really know where we'll be in the fall. It's that way again this year. We won't know until about the end of July (hopefully by then!) whether we will stay in NY or be moving to another location. So my plan, for now, is to have a short break when we finish school for the year. Then, we will move right into Bigger...We expect that we will be moving at the end of the summer; even if it's just across town. So, we will be taking a longer break then too to get settled into our new place. I tend to try to do school year-round anyway, because we take a lot of time off during the year; Christmas and Thanksgiving, a break in the spring, then different days for sick children or just a nice day out, Daddy's home, etc.

Anyway, this is my tentative plan, but nothing is written in stone. My son just said this morning he wishes he could have a break from school!

So maybe we'll do that soon for him...we've been using this curriculum (not HOD) since August and we're getting a bit tired of it because it's not working for us. That's why we're switching everyone, after all.

I can't wait to see what everyone else is planning.

Motherjoy · Post by **Motherjoy** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:53 am

I prefer to start in the summer (June or July) because its so hot here that we can't go outside. The spring weather is beautiful, so its nice to take off then.

But, no one really wants to do school during the summer (including mom). By May, I'm ready to call it quits.

This year, I was hoping to start early as we have another baby coming in Sept. But we will start whatever day that we get our "Preparing" book in August