Structure the School year

Now that you have begun your homeschooling schedule, there are 
various questions that trouble you. Should you study continuously, 
take a number of short breaks or a long vacation? What about 
public holidays? When should you take a break?

The answer to these questions and many more like these are 
actually quite simple: Do whatever suits you best. This is one of 
the appealing benefits of homeschooling. You do not have a set 
pattern to follow. You do not HAVE to take that autumn break, or 
close shop for a prolonged summer vacation. Flexibility is the key 
here. For some practiced unschoolers, even a definite curriculum 
is not necessary because lessons are a part of their day- to-day 
life. But this may not be the case with beginners. Beginners may 
need to chart out their activities to fall into a pattern. 

Before you plan the structure of your classes, consider some of 
the most important issues. What method of homeschooling will you 
be following, what is your teaching style and your child's 
learning style, what are the work and play schedules, what are 
your vacation plans. Some families plan small 1-week vacations at 
different times of the year. Other families prefer to go away for 
a month or more. Consult with the members of your family, and 
chart out a holiday schedule that most suits you.

There are some positive benefits in following the traditional 
summer vacation schedule. Firstly, your children can benefit from 
the various summer activities, camps and classes. Your child's 
schedule will coincide with that of his school-going friends. A 
summer job may be possible. A longish summer break also means that 
both parents as well as children get a break from their daily 
lessons. This could also be a major drawback, as it is sometimes 
difficult to get back on track once the classes resume.

On the other hand, there are some advantages to taking numerous 
small breaks in the course of a year. Firstly, children do not get 
bored since they get time to explore other interests. You can 
cover more topics in the extra time that you save. You can also 
take family trips and vacations during the less popular periods of 
travel. This means lesser crowd and better prices. But beware if 
your child becomes restless when other children are enjoying their 
long summer vacations. 

As far as homeschooling is concerned, you and your family are the 
people in charge. Taking care of the individual needs of the child 
is the primary focus of this system. So, tailor the school year to 
suit your child's needs. Periodic evaluation is a must. Set some 
realistic goals and see if you are able to achieve these goals. 
Most importantly, avoid burnout - both in yourself and your 
children. 

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