Monday, January 27, 2014

Structure the School year




Now that you have begun your homeschooling schedule, there are



various questions that trouble you. Should you study continuously,



take a number of short breaks or a long vacation? What about



public holidays? When should you take a break?





The answer to these questions and many more like these are



actually quite simple: Do whatever suits you best. This is one of



the appealing benefits of homeschooling. You do not have a set



pattern to follow. You do not HAVE to take that autumn break, or



close shop for a prolonged summer vacation. Flexibility is the key



here. For some practiced unschoolers, even a definite curriculum



is not necessary because lessons are a part of their day- to-day



life. But this may not be the case with beginners. Beginners may



need to chart out their activities to fall into a pattern.





Before you plan the structure of your classes, consider some of



the most important issues. What method of homeschooling will you



be following, what is your teaching style and your child's



learning style, what are the work and play schedules, what are



your vacation plans. Some families plan small 1-week vacations at



different times of the year. Other families prefer to go away for



a month or more. Consult with the members of your family, and



chart out a holiday schedule that most suits you.





There are some positive benefits in following the traditional



summer vacation schedule. Firstly, your children can benefit from



the various summer activities, camps and classes. Your child's



schedule will coincide with that of his school-going friends. A



summer job may be possible. A longish summer break also means that



both parents as well as children get a break from their daily



lessons. This could also be a major drawback, as it is sometimes



difficult to get back on track once the classes resume.





On the other hand, there are some advantages to taking numerous



small breaks in the course of a year. Firstly, children do not get



bored since they get time to explore other interests. You can



cover more topics in the extra time that you save. You can also



take family trips and vacations during the less popular periods of



travel. This means lesser crowd and better prices. But beware if



your child becomes restless when other children are enjoying their



long summer vacations.





As far as homeschooling is concerned, you and your family are the



people in charge. Taking care of the individual needs of the child



is the primary focus of this system. So, tailor the school year to



suit your child's needs. Periodic evaluation is a must. Set some



realistic goals and see if you are able to achieve these goals.



Most importantly, avoid burnout - both in yourself and your


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