Melinda
05-15-2009, 04:05 PM
Alright, I know this probably sounds like a strange question, but how far ahead do we need to be in order to be okay with a lengthy break? We have worked hard this year and are ready to be done, but I kind of feel like I will have to re-teach concepts and do extra review if we take a break longer than 2 weeks. I am considering a few different options (they are at the end of this post). Which would you do or would you do something different?
Hannah is working ahead, but only works 10-15 min/day in math and 10-15 min/day in reading. She is not required to do any school at this point, but enjoys it so much we do a little.
Jared is officially registered as a K student. Here is what he is doing and where he is:
Overall:
He has completed World Book's course of study through grade 3 except for doing book reports, making a class newspaper, and knowing our phone number/address. Oh, and alternating feet walking down the stairs.
Math:
He finished Singapore 1B last week (started it on 4/10) but we have not started 2A yet
We are finishing Right Start B (started mid-March, I believe. When we started Singapore 1B, we stopped RS B).
Reading:
He is reading way ahead of grade level (haven't tested in a while, so not exactly sure where), but lacks fluency. He is able to read any phonetic word he comes across, and only needs to be told a sight word once to remember it. His fluency has greatly improved since starting the Pathway readers at Easter, but it is still somewhat choppy. I started him at the beginning of first grade in the Pathway readers and he will be finishing the last first grade reader/workbook set at some point next week.
We are also about to finish McGuffey's First reader and will be following up with Elson's Book One.
Spelling:
We finished All About Spelling, level 1 this morning (started mid-March) and he begged me to start level 2. We didn't, because I am trying to finish up the other subjects, but may start level 2 on Monday.
Writing:
We will be finishing Writing With Ease, level 1 by the end of next week.
Grammar:
We have roughly 3 weeks of lessons left for FLL 1.
PE:
He has gymnastics class 1x/week and swimming lessons (no swim team, hallelujah) 1x/week. The kids also go to the park roughly 1x/week, and ride their bikes or run around outside a few times/week.
Art, music, health, and social studies we have been slacking off. We are still doing these things going about our everyday lives, but I have not been making time to do them on a set schedule (oops).
So, here are the options I am considering. Our first day for the fall is August 24:
a) Work through July 31. We have a week where we will be gone in June (will not be doing school at that time). Our summer vacation would be the first 3 weeks of August, one of which (August 1-8) will be spent at the beach (beach week is set in stone and will be at that point regardless of school schedule).
b) Slow *way* down starting now. The kids are way ahead and are very young. A break would do them (and me) good. Once public school lets out, hire a mother's helper to play with the kids so I can get things done around the house, take a shower during the day, and veg a little bit.
c) Work through July 3 full speed ahead. Hire a mother's helper and take the rest of July going on field trips (with the mother's helper in tow). Spend August relaxing at home and getting lesson plans finished up for the fall.
d) Work through June 12, then work week on week off for the rest of the summer. Our weeks off would be spent going on field trips.
e) Something else?
Thanks!
Hannah is working ahead, but only works 10-15 min/day in math and 10-15 min/day in reading. She is not required to do any school at this point, but enjoys it so much we do a little.
Jared is officially registered as a K student. Here is what he is doing and where he is:
Overall:
He has completed World Book's course of study through grade 3 except for doing book reports, making a class newspaper, and knowing our phone number/address. Oh, and alternating feet walking down the stairs.
Math:
He finished Singapore 1B last week (started it on 4/10) but we have not started 2A yet
We are finishing Right Start B (started mid-March, I believe. When we started Singapore 1B, we stopped RS B).
Reading:
He is reading way ahead of grade level (haven't tested in a while, so not exactly sure where), but lacks fluency. He is able to read any phonetic word he comes across, and only needs to be told a sight word once to remember it. His fluency has greatly improved since starting the Pathway readers at Easter, but it is still somewhat choppy. I started him at the beginning of first grade in the Pathway readers and he will be finishing the last first grade reader/workbook set at some point next week.
We are also about to finish McGuffey's First reader and will be following up with Elson's Book One.
Spelling:
We finished All About Spelling, level 1 this morning (started mid-March) and he begged me to start level 2. We didn't, because I am trying to finish up the other subjects, but may start level 2 on Monday.
Writing:
We will be finishing Writing With Ease, level 1 by the end of next week.
Grammar:
We have roughly 3 weeks of lessons left for FLL 1.
PE:
He has gymnastics class 1x/week and swimming lessons (no swim team, hallelujah) 1x/week. The kids also go to the park roughly 1x/week, and ride their bikes or run around outside a few times/week.
Art, music, health, and social studies we have been slacking off. We are still doing these things going about our everyday lives, but I have not been making time to do them on a set schedule (oops).
So, here are the options I am considering. Our first day for the fall is August 24:
a) Work through July 31. We have a week where we will be gone in June (will not be doing school at that time). Our summer vacation would be the first 3 weeks of August, one of which (August 1-8) will be spent at the beach (beach week is set in stone and will be at that point regardless of school schedule).
b) Slow *way* down starting now. The kids are way ahead and are very young. A break would do them (and me) good. Once public school lets out, hire a mother's helper to play with the kids so I can get things done around the house, take a shower during the day, and veg a little bit.
c) Work through July 3 full speed ahead. Hire a mother's helper and take the rest of July going on field trips (with the mother's helper in tow). Spend August relaxing at home and getting lesson plans finished up for the fall.
d) Work through June 12, then work week on week off for the rest of the summer. Our weeks off would be spent going on field trips.
e) Something else?
Thanks!