Summer Homeschooling

This week’s TOS Blog Cruise question is, “Do you homeschool through the summer?”

I have homeschooled for 16 years. We have probably done every variation there is of homeschooling or not homeschooling through the summer months. Our basic school year runs from mid-August through May. We have taken most summers “off” from schooling, but have always included some summer educational activities.

For a number of years, we focused on Spanish and piano in the summer, since those were the two subjects that tended to slip during the year. I have often required the kids to practice math one or two days a week as well.

One year, we had formal school two days a week throughout the summer, enabling us to take off days during the regular school year.

Another year, we started in July and again were able to take weeks off to travel in the fall and a month off in December. I really like to take a looong Christmas break!

For the past 9 years, I have had at least one child in public school, so the child(ren) homeschooling kept to the same schedule for simplicity’s sake. However, Katie (child #3), is graduating this year. Next year, I will not have a child in school! If I send Emily to public high school as I did the others, I still have four more years without being tied to a public school schedule.  Yay! I am thinking about the possibilities. Should I start in July? Should we try schooling 4 or 5 weeks at a time, then take a week off? What has worked for you?