When to Begin
I don't know what happened to July and August is in a state of flash flooding with events on my calendar. I am starting to panic! Next week is Vacation Bible School and on Friday I get to go back to the dentist to have my tooth crowned. Then John's brother and family will be here for a few days. On the 13th, I am going to school to help the regular teacher set up the classroom. I am so blessed that she is even doing that. I thought that I would have to do it all. Kindergarten orientation is on the 18th. I've been asked to be there but I don't have to do anything. The principal just wants the parents to see my lovely face. My substitute job actually begins on August 25th - a week without the students.
I have been deliberating about when to begin homeschool. I will not actually be at home during "school hours" and the children will do most of their work independently. John will be at home with them. (I always feel compelled to throw that fact in lest anyone assumes I am leaving my nearly grown children completely unattended.) I would love to start in this already busy month of August. However, Gabriel wants to work as much as possible in order to make up for the lack of hours he was given at his first job. Then I thought we would begin the first week in September. But John decided to visit his parents during the second week of September and take the children with him. I don't see any point in beginning the school year one week and taking a vacation the next. So I continued to contemplate the situation and I thought, why not begin in October?
Did all of you non-homeschooling readers (and maybe some homeschoolers) just hit your jaw on the floor? I think October is a great time to start our year for several reasons. It will give Gabriel time to get in a lot of hours at work. It will allow John and the kids to go to Florida. I will have the chance to adjust to my new job without being overly concerned about homeschooling. And last but not least, it gives me yet another opportunity to flaunt the flexibility of homeschooling. OK, I'm just kidding on that last point, sort of . . . We will probably do a couple of subjects in September anyway. That will make a lighter load come June when everyone wants to be finished for the summer.
I have been deliberating about when to begin homeschool. I will not actually be at home during "school hours" and the children will do most of their work independently. John will be at home with them. (I always feel compelled to throw that fact in lest anyone assumes I am leaving my nearly grown children completely unattended.) I would love to start in this already busy month of August. However, Gabriel wants to work as much as possible in order to make up for the lack of hours he was given at his first job. Then I thought we would begin the first week in September. But John decided to visit his parents during the second week of September and take the children with him. I don't see any point in beginning the school year one week and taking a vacation the next. So I continued to contemplate the situation and I thought, why not begin in October?
Did all of you non-homeschooling readers (and maybe some homeschoolers) just hit your jaw on the floor? I think October is a great time to start our year for several reasons. It will give Gabriel time to get in a lot of hours at work. It will allow John and the kids to go to Florida. I will have the chance to adjust to my new job without being overly concerned about homeschooling. And last but not least, it gives me yet another opportunity to flaunt the flexibility of homeschooling. OK, I'm just kidding on that last point, sort of . . . We will probably do a couple of subjects in September anyway. That will make a lighter load come June when everyone wants to be finished for the summer.
Labels: children, Homeschool, Lesson plans, Substitute Teaching, Summer
posted by KarenW at
6:18 PM
7 Comments:
October sounds completely logical to me then! However, you know I am a homeschooler, so of course, my jaw didn't drop...LOL!
BTW, is Holly going to homeschool this year again, or is she heading back to school with you? For some reason, I thought I remembered you saying that you would be hs'ing her again...
October is when we are starting. We just finished (due to going to Disney earlier in the year throwing our schedule off.) We are taking August off for summer fun and then the first 2 weeks of Sept we will be in Romania (I'll be thinking of you!) for the dedication of a children's home and helping whereever needed. Then the girls will need some decompression time, so October it is.
Don't you love being able to schedule around what helps your kids not frustrates them?
that is the wonderful option of HS'ing you can start whenever you feel is great for your family. Last yr we started in Aug and was done by the end of May.
This yr we will start after Labor Day. We are going to the lake the end of Aug. for 4 days,so we will wait until our mini vacation before we start. I was lucky, a local Christian School gave away FREE home school books, so we are set for the new school yr.
October sounds lovely to start your school yr.
Hugs,
Kerley Family in NC
October sounds perfect! We always start the Monday after Labor Day, take the whole month of December off, a week around Easter, the kids' birthdays, and finish up around the end of May. :o)
I think October is a splendid month to start.
PS you and I will be getting 'crowned' the same week.
shudder shudder
The great thing about homeschooling is the flexibility. Want to school Saturdays and take Thursdays off? - no problem. Want to school in the summer and take December through February off? Go ahead!
Most people aren't going to opt for those things, but if it works for you, why not?
We have very much the same perdicament for the end of August, start of Sept. travels and whatnot. I have thought Oct. too, not sure when we will start. We are all looking forward to our studies this year - just not looking forward to the nearing of winter.
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