Year-Round Homeschooling
With the school year drawing to a close, summer break is just around the corner! Many of you have been looking forward to this since about the third week of school! Others are wondering what this thing called “summer break” really is because you don’t pause at all. If the thought of continuing with school just as you have been for the past several months appeals to you, year-round homeschooling might be just the thing for you!
Homeschooling gives us the flexibility to take a long break when it best suits our family. This may happen in the summer, but it can happen just as easily in the fall, winter, spring, or not at all. Here are just a few benefits to homeschooling year-round:
- No summer slide
Summer slide is REAL and is a real danger to our kids’ academic progress. Engaged parents can help prevent summer slide by seeking out fun activities that instill a love of learning in their children. - No time spent reviewing material
Homeschooling moms and classroom teachers alike spend the first three to four weeks of the new school year reviewing the previous year’s material. If you homeschool year-round, there’s no need for review because you don’t take a long break (you can take a short break between grade levels). - Less hectic holiday season
What do the holidays have to do with homeschooling? If you’re a year-round homeschooler, you can take some time off around the holidays while others are in school. If it fits your family’s lifestyle to take off two weeks around Thanksgiving and another week around Christmas, by all means, do so. Again, you don’t need to wait until summer to take some type of break.
Proponents of year-round homeschooling argue that taking summer break isn’t representative of the real world. After all, employers don’t grant employees a two-month break during any season, let alone summer when many industries are reaching their peak. Those in favor of summer break feel it’s a rite of passage for youth and should be a time-honored tradition. Wherever you stand, do what works best for your family. While there is no right or wrong way to approach this topic, the best way is to do what works for you.
