What does your school year look like?

amysconfections · Post by **amysconfections** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:16 am

I am planning for next year and wondering how many days a week every one else does. Also, when do you start and how many breaks do you take? Do you finish one HOD book a year or extend it?

This is why I ask. I want to do 4 days a week but there's no way I would finish with BLHFHG next year doing that and that really bothers me. I really don't know what to do. We finish LHFHG at the end of the month but I think we both need a little break. Summer's get so busy with swimming all the time so it's hard to do school. Also I'm expecting a baby in September so I need to take off some then. Any advice is appreciated. I'm just panicking already!

Thanks

joyfulheart · Post by **joyfulheart** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:27 am

I plan on starting Bigger and Beyond in July and going 4 days week. We'll be taking hospital breaks, normal breaks for thanksgiving, Christmas, etc... But we do homeschool during the summer (he has retention issues if we don't).

We are just not going to worry about the districts school "calendar". We are going to work through it and finish whenever we finish. Then we will celebrate, take a week break and start the next level up.

This took alot of pressure off me. I'm trying to work to my SON's level, and not to some goofy calendar.

LeAnna · Post by **LeAnna** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:36 am

Hi! I am also wanting to try and do 4 days a week this fall. It will be my first year with LHFHG, so I will be happy to see the responses to your question.

I just kind of guessing how to do it, but I am wondering if you couldn't just double up each day on a particular box. So, for say history, on one day, just do 2 days worth and then that would take you to 4 days. The next day, maybe do 2 days worth of LA, and so on and so forth. You might have to go through and make little marks as you go through, so you can keep track of where you are at, but maybe that's an idea?

I think that I might try and do it that way... 4 days a week, and then on the 5th day, I would like to add some additional music, art, and health.
I don't know if I have helped at all, but maybe someone else can give some good ideas for you.

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:59 am

Hi there!
We just began Beyond and LHFHG two weeks ago after two years of trying to put together my own curriculum (and stressing!) At first I was concerned about the scheduling. Now, I am so agreeing with what joyful heart said about going at your child's pace and not worrying about someone else's calendar!!
We will school through the summer taking breaks here and there, but never for too long ,because of my son's retention issues as well. When we finish, we will just move to the next book. I have to report to the state here, so I will report that we have finished 1st grade and K in May. I am just going to be using the same books for the next grades!
We do 5 days a week. I am not an organized or energetic person, but with HOD it is SO DOABLE!!
Kelly

Melanie · Post by **Melanie** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:54 am

We pretty much school year round, just taking breaks whenever. I never have planned to do school 4 days a week, but that is what usually happens anyway.

I don't think it's a good idea to ever "double-up" on a day, just take it one day at a time and go at whatever is a doable pace for you and your children....think in terms of a *journey* instead of a race.
Now, about retention...don't think there's something wrong with your child if they have retention issues. Almost all kids have retention issues if they break for too long. In my former life as a ps teacher, we spent the first month of every new school year reviewing....every child needed it. I have a friend (my dh's college roommate) who is a principal at a school that recently went to a year round schedule. They go 3 mo. and take a mo off they start back for 3 mo. He told me that test scores have improved and the theory is that teachers do not have to spend so much time on review. This convinced dh and myself that year round (or as much as we can in the summer) would be a good idea. It doesn't always happen as much as we'd like...life happens.

As much of an Olive as I am, scheduling is something I've never attempted. I live in a state that requires 1000 hrs. and I just focus on getting those in and call it good!

inHistiming · Post by **inHistiming** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:28 am

We have to do 180 days/900 hours per school year. So, much of our day is taken up with school. The good thing with HOD (we're switching everyone next year!) is that it covers everytthing that is needed and can be done in less time than might be required with other curriculums.

We've pretty much done a five day schedule, except in the summer. Hubby has Fridays off in July and August, to maximize the summer months and good weather fun-time (his company does this). So, we only did 4 days during those months.

Being new to NY, I am still learning what can qualify for school and what can't, so I'm sure we will be able to adjust as far as what days are considered 'off' and what are just 'off campus'. I agree with Leanna; if you really want to double up, you could double one subject each day. That way, maybe it wouldn't seem as if you were doing too much. However, HOD is written so that you can just go by the day of your choice (day 1 can be Friday if that's where you are in the manual) instead of feeling like you have to do such and such page on such and such day...KWIM? It's easy to set a faster or slower pace as needed, because the basics are covered very well, but in a shorter period of time.

We plan to school over the summer, and will be moving at some point toward the end of the summer/beginning of fall, so will need to take time off then. I guess I do schedule some time off:Christmas about 10 days, Thanksgiving a week, a week in the spring. Other than that it's just as people are sick or if we have some other reason we need to skip school. Occasionally, we will take a day off just to enjoy the weather or to catch up on housework...not to often, though.

I hope this helps a bit. I know others will have some good ideas and suggestions.

Post by **Carrie** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:38 am

I just wanted to pop-in and say that HOD is flexible enough that it can change with your lifestyle from year to year. Some years we've done our guides 5 days a week (like this year) to get the guide done in a year. Other years we've schooled 4 days a week and finished the guide the following 9 weeks of the next schol year (still just doing a day a time - not doubling up). Other years, we've taken 2 years to do a guide, if my kiddos were on the young side (like in "Little Hands" and "Little Hearts" with my third son).

So, you don't have to have a plan in place for all your years with HOD, as it can change from year to year based on what your kiddos are able to do (and what life holds for you personally)! Just be comforted that HOD will serve your needs no matter what your family situation may be.

Also, once you get to "Preparing..." it is written on a 4 Day schedule (which can easily be stretched to 5 if you choose to do so)!

Blessings,
Carrie

water2wine · Post by **water2wine** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:01 pm

We started BHFHG and LHFHG this year doing them five days a week. We started about 3/4 into our year, a little longer with LHFHG but we are moving at a slower pace so it evens out. We will finish it next year perfectly with a four day a week schedule for HOD. We'll still school the fifth day but it is going to be our Bible Study and other fun stuff day. We do go year round though so having it carry over to the other year is not such a big deal.

I think you can pretty much do whatever you want with HOD and that is one of my favorite things about it.

amysconfections · Post by **amysconfections** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:29 pm

Thanks everyone

It's just hard to not complete it in a year. I would feel like I was not doing enough school, but I know that I will not be able to do 5 days a week. I need one day for errands and housework with the occasional field trip. I just need to let go and enjoy it. I am thinking I'll go ahead and start in June doing at least 2-3 days a week. HOD is easy to use however you want and I do love that.

water2wine · Post by **water2wine** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:23 pm

amysconfections wrote:Thanks everyone It's just hard to not complete it in a year. I would feel like I was not doing enough school, but I know that I will not be able to do 5 days a week. I need one day for errands and housework with the occasional field trip. I just need to let go and enjoy it. I am thinking I'll go ahead and start in June doing at least 2-3 days a week. HOD is easy to use however you want and I do love that.

I worried and practically drove myself crazy over that same feeling like we would not be finished. But I finally had a thought that freed me. It may not work for you but just passing it on in case. I realized that what I based grade level on was Math and LA really and the rest was more or less kind of fluid anyway. I mean what is a year of History and Science anyway. All the programs learn completely different things for the same year and history never really stops, you just keep on learning, Bible is a lifestyle not a year so what does it matter as long as we are tracking our progress and learning who cares if History and Science kind of carry over two "grade levels".

So had that realization and that was what got in my head starting HOD 3/4 into the year was a fine idea hahaha! And low and behold it was.