Why I Homeschool Year Round

Summer Learning - Wetlands Ecosystem

We took a traditional "summer break" the first year we homeschooled. Honestly.... it was a break for ME as well! I was tired out. I wanted to have a summer off too. And, it was lovely,... until....

Summer Learning

We started back in August. Ugh!!! What do you mean you don’t remember how to borrow and carry? What do you mean you don’t know what an adverb is? What do you mean you don’t remember the names of continents? Etc...

I didn't like repeating myself! I wanted my children to remember what we had worked so hard to learn! I wanted them to actually KNOW this stuff. Teachers actually get paid to repeat themselves (the same material) year after year. I, on the other hand, wasn't getting paid. LOL! We had to figure out how to keep their minds sharp! My children also didn't like "relearning" the same material..

Spring Learning - Maple Tree Tapping

So, as you can see, I learned a lesson. My children needed to keep their minds sharp. Three whole months of utter fun (a quarter of the year, by the way) was way too much time for them to be away from the books. Even if we had done some review work here and there over the summer, they would not have forgotten so much information.

Fall Learning - The Pumpkin Patch and Apple Picking

We should never stop learning. Small breaks here and there work for our family. We take breaks when we have things going on, sicknesses, feast day celebrations, etc. We normally have long weekends. In the summer months, we only do one to two days of school per week. The goal is to keep their minds stimulated. We also find fun camps for them to do - nature camps, science camps, sports camps, and music camps. These workshops and camps help them explore their interests and the world around them, and utilize the extra time we have for constructive activities rather than pure fun and entertainment.

Winter Learning - Decorating our Classroom

Every season of the year presents a unique opportunity for children to learn. It doesn't have to be relegated to a classroom, and to fall, winter, and spring. It can be adaptive to the change in weather and vegetation, adaptive to the lifestyle that we live! This is why we homeschool year round. We find the beauty in learning each season and embrace it to the fullest!

Never Stop Learning!

T.E.A. 2018