How many hours per day?

[ProfessorPlum]

It's hard to measure them, but how many hours per day are your kids doing strictly academic work (not including phys ed, art, and music) at home? How much do you think is appropriate?

[qanda]

1. My children do about three hours a day

But they are only 6 and 8. If I included reading for fun, art, music, phys. ed. and other learning activities, it would go up considerably.

[Maddy McCall]

2. Lecture and "class instruction" would be approximately four hours/day

Music lessons, art lessons, and "independent study" would make it more like six hours/day.

Considerably more than what he was getting in public school.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. The assigned curriculum varies with my 6 year old

We use Calvert School. Sometimes the daily lesson takes as little as an hour. Sometimes it's as long as three.

We supplement a lot with computer website activities, home-grown science experiments, field trips, etc. The majority of the time I have him involved in these activities, he has no clue they're about school!

"Appropriate" depends on the child, in my opinion. When they lose interest, it doesn't matter whether they're at home or in school...they aren't going to learn.

[mzmolly]

4. I agree. I've heard that a child can learn at home in two hours, what

they learn in school in 6 hours.

We run between one and two hours of actual "nitty gritty" for Kindergarten.

[kostya]

5. Please tell more about Calvert

Hi Goddess,

How long have you used Calvert? Do you use the ATS stuff too? Do you have 3rd and 5th grade state tests to pass (we do in OR) and do they support you in that as well? TIA, K

[mzmolly]

6. I just got a catalog from them via their website.

I may consider some of their curriculum next year if I'm still at it.

:hi:

http://www.calvertschool.org/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=CES1512

Click on request a catalog on the right.

Also, you can click on a specific grade to see what they offer.

[kostya]

7. Yeah, I ordered the catalog, too. But I was hoping for some

feedback from someone actually using their program. I especially want to know if the counseling part is worth it. I can't imagine they can help much at the prices they quote. Thanks. - K

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. We're not using the advisory service right now (1st grade)

I feel fortunate, however, that we've maintained a relationship with his Kindergarten teacher. She's been a tremendous help whenever we have questions about his progress, his need for enrichment in certain areas, and so on.

We don't need the service from the grading aspect of teaching. I still have him take the tests, though. It's good for him to recognize what he's learned. More importantly, though, we make every effort to have him apply what he's learning to daily life.

When my older boy used Calvert, I regret that we didn't use the advisory service from grade 6 upward. I suspect he might have responded more positively to feedback from someone who wasn't a parental figure. Other kids might not, though.

[kostya]

10. That's a good point about using outsiders

Thanks Goddess, that's great info. I think you're right about kids getting encouragement from others besides their parents. We are just slightly biased, aren't we! :)

We're hoping that we can find other homeschoolers in our area (who are not religous fundies) so we can 1. share the schooling load, and 2. get some social interaction. - K

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Check the Calvert website

Once you've registered and paid for your curriculum, they'll link you up with other Calvert homeschoolers in your area, if there are any.

Enjoy!

[kostya]

12. Thanks! I sent them e-mail to inquire if they have others in our

area. I think after paying for it may be too late (if there aren't any).

Happy Holidays,

K

:+

[mzteris]

16. Not sure exactly where in OR you are

but check with these guys:


Oregon
Eugene-Springfield Homeschool Association
http://www.eshaoregon.com
The Eugene-Springfield Homeschool Association is an inclusive homeschool support group in the Eugene-Springfield area of Lane County, Oregon. We offer a cordial and welcoming environment for homeschoolers to gather together for social and educational activities.

As an inclusive group we work to welcome all homeschoolers. All children, indeed, all people, who attend ESHA activities shall feel welcome, accepted and safe. There are no dues, no hierarchy and NO MEETINGS!

******

SWWAH
107 Members, Archives: Membership required
This group is for homeschoolers in Southwest Washington State. It is for all homeschooling families wanting to stay connected to events happening in our area. It is also for sharing ideas & support in homeschooling. SW-WA-Homeschoolers is not religiously affiliated, or affiliated with any particular organization or group. The goal of this group is to be all-inclusive. SWWAH is welcome to all homeschooling families. Key Words: Longview, Kelso, Vancouver, Cowlitz County, Clark County, Thurston ...(more)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWWAH/

***

eugenehomeschoolcoop
24 Members, Archives: Membership required
A COOPERATIVE OF COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION The Eugene Homeschool Co-op is an intimate group of homeschooling families sharing in the consistent organization of educational opportunities, study groups and activities. The purpose of this list is to connect homeschoolers in the Eugene, Oregon area who want to be actively contributing to a fun, supportive, open-minded, community-based homeschooling cooperative. The EHC has no religious affiliation.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eugenehomeschoolcoop/

****

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. The tests aren't required for homeschoolers here.

In fact, part of the reason I pulled my older boy out of public school was the fact that they were teaching to an absurd, poorly written test when he was in 3rd grade. Tax forms are more comprehendable.

Sorry to take so long to respond to your message! Also, see below. :hi:

[ray of light]

13. How much is appropriate varies

upon many factors.

You have to realize Professor that homeschooling is not measured in times or grades. It's measured by each child's personality and skills.

One of my children could complete 30 Saxon Math problems in Algebra 2 and Trig. in 30 minutes. The other one who was one book/grade behind would dawdle and was just more meticulous would take 2 hours. We set an agenda for the day and the time it took would depend on when they completed the agenda.

Also, some subjects for us were a mandatory time-such as instrument practice was a minimum of 30 minutes, period.

Reading, Literature, History, Science etc were more research type projects and/or experiments and included hands on whenever possible so those subjects were variable time limits.

Math, Science, Instrument, were mandatory components of each day. Writing, Literature, Reading, History were the components which are natural consequences of research and projects. So in essence, they happened each day too, but not in a strict "teacher-down" type "rote" learning that they would have received in school.

Each homeschool is different. Mine was a combination of traditional regarding the Math, but for the most part they were "unschooled" in that they learned through projects and their own self interest and investigation.

AND they are both college juniors at age 17 and both scored above the top 98% on the PSAT and the SAT and the ACT.


Not bad for a family who had strangers and acquaintances aggressively critisize this personal decision...don't you agree?

[kostya]

15. Generally agree with Ray of Light, but our experience is new...

In fact, I'm not sure what the original poster meant by "appropriate". We're using Calvert, the reading/writing/math/science plus computer apps manual for our 1st grader. To cover a daily lesson is roughly 2-3 hours including "recess", but as others have pointed out there are lots of opportunities for teaching outside of that basic curriculum.

First off, though, the curriculum and schedule is important both for our child and our teacher (mostly mom so far), to get in a groove. As time goes on I'm sure we'll be more flexible and add in lots of other activities, especially ones that follow our son's interests. I've also suggested that it wouldn't be difficult to accelerate the curriculum by at least 25% and thus get onto 2nd grade sooner, and so on. We'll see.

- K

[LeftyMom]

14. We unschool

so LeftyKid spends almost no time doing any of that sort of thing. He does spend a great deal of time exploring his interests, whatever they are. He'll go through bursts where he just wants to count things and add them up all day, then days where all he wants to do is learn words in spanish, play on the computer, take pictures or mix colors with paint.

Then of course there are days where he just wants to get the toy lightsabers out and play Star Wars or follow us around telling knock knock jokes. Except for the banana joke, those days are fun too. :)

Of course with a four year old, learning usually looks like play. It's a bit unusual for him to sit down and try to write numbers (what he's doing as I type, although he really ought to be in bed) or do something else that's really obvious and schoolish but he learns.

[niallmac]

17. welcome to home schooling!

We use Calvert and are incredibly pleased. It took most of the year to get into a routine. I have a 10 year-old beginning 5th grade, and a 6 year old accelerated to the 2nd grade. My 10 year old spends anywhere from 3 to 6 hours a day. Calvert absolutely spells out everything, and a typical lesson plan runs about 4 hours at that level. Of course, it is flexible, and you can combine lessons, to allow a day off for field trips, or subject immersion, or...baking cookies and raking leaves.....

About halfway through the academic year, I began doubting myself, and took them both to the nearby public school for the state SAT test. Both tested in the top 1/10th of the top 1% nationally. So, I stopped worrying.

We use the ATS service and find it invaluable. It is why I have appropriate level placement for my six year old. It is why my 10 year old feels good about her math skills, and how we learned that this very right-brained artist child, happens to be strong in science. They look forward to the letter back following a test; it is always positive, like getting a letter from a favorite aunt. Good luck! -Margaret