Recently, I’ve shared a bit of the reasoning behind the alternative school schedule that we have implemented for years (this conversation happened via our Instagram community, you may want to follow along there if you aren’t already). Our school year runs year around, with the fullest schedule happening from May-September; a time when most are “out for the summer”.
Why?
Well, mainly it is a decision based on our location. The typical US school calendar doesn’t really make any sense for us. Why would we be out of school for the hottest, wettest months of the year? Trapped inside with air conditioning for the sweltering afternoon or avoiding torrential rainshowers… It is logical to make good use of that indoor time. We may as well be gathering around our books if we are spending the afternoon inside anyway!
Most of our scheduled breaks are in winter. Winter here offers our most livable weather. It is temperate to cool, but rarely ever truly cold. And it seldom rains from November – April. We are often outside more than we are inside! Who wants to sit at a desk for copywork when it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside?
This schedule makes our holiday season less stressful, provides more time to accommodate our “open season” at the homestead (Nov-April) and allows us to take full advantage of that amazing weather.
As homeschoolers, we have the freedom to make our school year whatever we want it to be. So why not?
We still hold school hours in the fall, winter, and spring. But without the arbitrary deadline of the start of summer, we don’t feel rushed. If we need to take time off due to life circumstances it doesn’t make us “fall behind”. We know we have all of that “extra time” in the summer.
Our annual portfolio evaluations takes place at the end of September. So we consider the start of October the beginning of the next “grade level”.
If you total up our weeks off, they equate to roughly the same amount of break time as a typical summer break. The difference is that ours is broken up throughout the year. We have several holiday breaks and a three week break in February designed to enjoy the best weather before hotter days begin. But most of our off time exists as week long breaks after the completion of each unit study. I mark these on my schedule outline as “planning weeks” as I use them to get organized for the start of the next unit. We do not complete any schoolwork during this time. The kids have a chance to rest and reset before we launch the next study.
I should also mention that on my copy of the outline I actually name each unit study we have planned. But below I’ve just labeled those periods with “unit study”. The idea isn’t for you to copy our actual syllabus, but rather to show how we structure our time. Allowing you to simply see what a school year can be. You could use a year around schedule similar to this with any method. You do not have to utilize unit study.
Our on/off weeks follow a 5 weeks on, 1 week off pattern because that is what works best for us. Some folks use a “Sabbath schedule” that is 6 weeks on, with every 7th week off. However you choose to go about it, the concept is the same. You have work periods and rest periods year around.
I hope it will inspire you to think outside of the box.
If your child isn’t in a classroom, there is really no reason to follow the rhythm of a school calendar, if it doesn’t suit you. Education can happen in a way that naturally fits the rhythm of your actual life.
Here is our school year outline:
Oct 2 – Nov 3 — unit study
Nov 4 – Nov 11 — planning week (off)
Nov 12 – Nov 21 — unit study
Nov 22 – Nov 25 — Thanksgiving break
Nov 26 – Dec 3 — planning week (off)
Dec 4 – Dec 22 — unit study
Dec 23 – Jan 7 — Christmas break (off)
Jan 8 – Feb 10 — unit study
Feb 11 – March 3 — Winter break (off)
March 4 – March 31 — unit study
April 1 – April 7 — planning week (off)
April 8 – May 11 — unit study
May 12 – May 19 — planning week (off)
May 20 – June 22 — unit study
June 23 – June 30 — planning week (off)
July 1 – August 3 — unit study
August 4 – August 11 — planning week (off)
August 12 – Sept 14 — unit study
Sept 15 – Sept 22 — planning week (off)
Sept 23 – Sept 29 — evaluation week (off)
Sept 30th new year starts!
Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to leave a comment.
Emmy Goulet 