We're considering breaking up our summer "vacation" into more manageable 1-week chunks following each unit, and continuing into the next year-plan after the fourth unit. Has anyone else tried this? I don't want to end up burning everyone our, but none of us enjoy "burning up" 3 months every summer, either.

I would like to know this too! I think I would like that schedule, but my kids would plan a revolt - they love their summer break and it's their time to play with the neighbor kids who all go to public school and have the summer off. But year-round schooling does have many benefits! I would love to hear others respond to this too.

I'd encourage you taking some time off. That would give you time to do summer things and to do planning for the next year.

We slowly work into the year beginning in August. The kids get bored if we go too long without school. (I've used a 3 week on/1 week off schedule in the past (before TOG). We usually go very casual in the summer and then build into the new year.)

We do sort of a modified year round. When I am not planning the arrival of a new baby (which I am this year) we usually take a week off between units. I like to be finished with our first semester before Thanksgiving so we start in late July or early August (I haven't been doing TOG that long so I am still learning how this will work each year.) I don't like to take much summer time off either. My children become so restless and so do I. My preschoolers NEED the regular schedule. By the time we reach July in TX we're burning up and don't want to be outside. I am not a big fan of swimming so we don't do much of that. Why not just start school since we're going to be inside anyway? I guess you could say that we take half a summer vacation and then an extended holiday schedule. Ideally I like to have plans for those breaks so we're not completely off. For instances, I will pick a classic and a biography to read over the summer and perhaps work on a Christmas lapbook or unit study during the holiday. I do consider this doing school year round though. We don't follow the tradition school calendar. This year is a bit different as I am preparing for a new baby. But her arrival is a few weeks before Thanksgiving so we are only taking off a couple of weeks early.

In His Grace,

Karen

helpmeet to Chris (12 years)
joyful mom to J, J, A, A, J, and baby A due Nov '08

Thanks, Karen! I love this idea, we always have so many plans between Thanksgiving and Christmas (most of the family birthdays fall during this time, too!) that we end up taking way too much time off to fit into a traditional year. My 10-year old is actually the one who asked NOT to have a summer break next year (she was so bored this year) so I think we might try that.

Hi Faith,

I just noticed that you live in Arizona. Where in Arizona do you reside? We currently live in Wisconsin and we will be moving to the Surprise area by November 1st. My husband's job is being transferred. Thanks. Laurel

Faith,

As an "older" mom (2 in college, 2 high school) looking back, I'd say if you are able to school in some sort of year-round fashion, do it. It may lead to more calm days. If you are able to take the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to just focus on family, giving projects, baking, concerts, etc... it is a richer season. We did this when ours were younger. Then we'd go light in May-June when it was nice out, and school more in the hot part of summer, esp. afternoons, if you have AC. They grow up so fast, and this type of schedule gives more time for enjoyment of life.

Linda

Laurel,

I'm also in AZ, actually in Glendale, which neighbors Surprise! Small world, eh?

I kind of like the idea of doing the year-round schedule, so that we are free during holidays, and we don't get so crazy over summer (this year was a little tough, even with all the activities we did). But what do you all who DO year round do during the summer when the support groups or co-ops are on break? Do you just miss out? I don't want the kids to miss out on playing with other kids. We have kids in our neighborhood, and a cool playground, but my kids have not had opportunity to make friends with them as they aren't out at the same times. And I'm too nervous to allow my kids to run around outside without me watching. They are probably old enough now, but I'm a little paranoid, especially with the world we live in. How do you all handle this?

- Diana, and sorry for the rambling

I do a year round schedule. We are doing 9 weeks on then two weeks off. The only time that it doesn't work just right is for Christmas. We take off the week of Christmas and the week after. Then for our summer break I take off a month to prepare for the new year. The kids like this schedule because they don't need to do very much review, and they still feel rested between units and years.

It also still allows some freedom in case an unsespected break is required, like this year we may be moving cross country from Los Angeles, CA to RI. Or new babies being born.

This is our first yr using TOG muy pland is totake one week off in between each unit then maybe 2 to 3 after unit 4 then start the next year I am sure yet if it will work. We will see. I think I liked the break more than the kids. They get bored. Faith we live in Maricopa, AZ also where do you live?

I don't know that I'd call it year-round school, but we do educational things year round.

For my first grader we "do school" between Labor Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend - I like having solid bookends of time for him. Then in the summer we do what we call "school light." This is math and phonics, nothing else structured. I don't keep a schedule for this - we just do whatever's next for each subject, a few times each week. Of course, whenever we're out and about there are tons of teachable moments and we're always learning more science and social studies, but with more of an unschooling manner in those subjects (over the summer).

I do it this way with him because my focus at his age is phonics and math, and it keeps him fresh with those subjects. Plus, this takes some of the pressure off during the regular school year, allowing for more time with science and social studies at this time.

For my high schoolers, they're involved in a co-op during the school year, and we primarily follow the co-op's schedule. They'll finish with co-op two weeks before Memorial Day weekend (my official end to the school year), so I'll use those two weeks to do unit studies on safety and our state (part of our state requirements). During the summer we'll be doing a study of the Constitution, but it will be the only thing they'll be studying. It will be a family learning unit - grandparents and aunts in the mix as well.

I follow this schedule with them because of their co-op, primarily (along with their athletics) - but then I can use the summer to add in the special studies I want them to have that aren't part of their co-op. Again, this is just to take some of the pressure off the regular school year, and yet it still feels like a vacation.

HTH

Maybe I am stating the obvious, but in "The Well-Trained Mind" by Susan Weiss Bauer, she has a chapter that offers several options of schedules that school year round. I found it helpful.

I always do my schooling year round. We start our year the 2nd week in January and end before November. We take several weeks off throughout the year and I plan it to be flexible. I plan one unit at a time and continue to alter my plan as we go along. We are flexible for family emergencies, family dropping in and family vacations when everyone else is in school. It works well for our family and helps us focus on Thanksgiving & Christmas which tends to be the most hectic time of year.
Leigh Ann

I have always schooled year-round, and love it. We like to travel, and it is much nicer to travel (domestic or abroad) in October or April or some other off-month (cheaper, weather is mild, and less tourists).

I take a week off after each unit, and when the kids were younger (LG age) I took all of Thanksgiving-Christmas off. I miss those days! This year for the first time we took off the entire summer, and it was rough going when we started back up. But our summers are now being spent in a way that doesn't really work with schooling, so I'm afraid my year-round days may be over.

If you can do it, definitely go year-round! Lots of breaks throughout the year prevent burnout, and nobody feels overwhelmed (by no breaks) or bored (by breaks that are too long). If relatives arrive unexpectedly, or a mini-vacation presents itself, there is no guilt, or no worries about being off-schedule. Even with all the time off, we usually run a quarter or 1/2 year ahead of their "grade".

Good luck on your decision!

We also do year round. We started this before TOG. We school for three months and take one off - so we are off in December, April and August. For now, we are just doing three units of TOG per year. When my oldest hits high school we will probably adjust that and take our breaks differently.

One thing I've found with summer is that the extra activities stop - co-ops, piano lessons, etc. so we have extra time in our days. This allows them to get their school done in the morning and still have time to play with their friends and enjoy the weather in the afternoon.

December is filled with holiday activities and April is great for travel so this schedule works well for us. I actually started this for myself originally because I didn't think I could last for an entire 9 months without burning out.