Applying Summer School Leaning Toward Your Academic Year

Jump into summer!

Summer is here!

This post is about why and how we are applying summer school learning toward our 2012-2013 academic year.

Thoughts on why:
Philosophy.  Consider that homeschooling is an all-day every-day life style (24/7/365), not something we do for 180 days a year and forget the rest.  It just so happens that states require 180 days of record keeping.  One of Jennifer's favorite quotes is, "class is always in session and we are tested every day."

Value.  Worthwhile learning does indeed happen every day.  The summer months are a good opportunity to focus on a summer reading program, improve a skill like spelling, or develop a new interest.  If we are going to be intentional about it, we should be getting credit for the effort!  "We" includes both parents and kids.

How:
What constitutes a school day?  Number of hours?  Completing that day's schedule?  Just getting through the day with your sanity intact?  Or is sanity optional?  There is no right or wrong answer, it depends on the family (the beauty of homeschooling).  We decided that for summer purposes, 5 hours of effort would equal "one school day."

Those 5 hours would not necessarily have to be in one 24 hour period.  For example, math on Monday takes an hour.  Spelling on Tuesday another hour.  Wednesday night youth group is 1 1/2 hours.  Another 1 1/2 hours on Thursday.  5 hours in, 1 day's credit earned.

Use a form to track progress.  Our form is inspired from the book Senior High:  A Home Designed FORM + U + LA by Barbara Edtl Shelton (published by Homeschool Seminars and Publications, Longview, Washington - www.ourhomeourschool.com

Its design:

Course:  Summer School 2012

Classmember:  Ryan

Description:  Participate in various activities during the summer to stay sharp

Value:  5 hours = 1 day

Requirements:

• Finish Apologia Physical Science Course
• Participate in Carmel Clay Public Library Young Adults Summer Reading Program
• Algebra 1 – 1 lesson or systematic review or test or honor lesson per week
• Guitar for Dummies
• Physical Education – 30 minutes per day
• Rockin' the Grove (our church's Youth Group - future posts about the value of youth group coming soon)
• Writing as self-directed, post to blog as appropriate

Come out with school days in the bank!

As the student completes an activity, time is logged.  At the end of the summer, add the number of hours, divide by 5, and you have school!

It does help to have good self discipline to be successful.  This is the first year we're trying this.  Wonder how it will go.

What are you doing to stay sharp this summer?