How long does school take and what are your ages?

[PinkInTheBlue]

I'm curious, how long is your average day of school in your house? Not counting lunch break or errands break or snack break, of course. Actual "we are doing school" time, how long? Also, what are the ages and grades you are teaching during this time? It doesn't take us nearly as long as many people list and I feel like we are getting a bunch done. How are we getting finished so quick (well, comparatively) or are we actually not alone?

Thanks! :)

[Kris]

We're doing ninth grade and get four to six hours of actual work in each day.

[Sue G in PA]

dd11: usually 4-5 hours including her reading
ds9: 3-4 hours incl. reading
ds8: 2-3 hours incl. reading
ds6: on strike right now :D but typically an hour
ds5: 30 minutes - 1 hr. depending on day and the act.

We get everything accomplished. dd11 works quickly and efficiently on her core subjects incl. Spanish now and typically is done in 2 hrs. in the am unless she has a writing assignment to work on. Pm's we do History or Science and the dc read for 30 min. to an hour (depending on child's age and ability).

[Elinor Everywhere]

I'm curious, how long is your average day of school in your house? Not counting lunch break or errands break or snack break, of course. Actual "we are doing school" time, how long? Also, what are the ages and grades you are teaching during this time? It doesn't take us nearly as long as many people list and I feel like we are getting a bunch done. How are we getting finished so quick (well, comparatively) or are we actually not alone?

Thanks! :)

We start our new school year in April, but it won't be too much different than last year, which ended in Feb.

For my 5th grader, about 4 hours of my school time, with homework (worksheets & reading) varying, depending on her moood. Sometimes she plays with her pencil and putzes around, other times she cranks out the work and is done with her Latin, math, & grammar homework in an hour.

My son is in 4th grade with a few LDs, and he has about 3 hours with me, and homework on his own. He typically buckles down and gets his stuff done in an hour, except history reading, which he spreads throughout the day and finishes in bed at night.

[beansprouts]

I have just recently eased into a routine with our school. We generally take 4 to 5 hours (for my 4th grader). Included with that is an hour for reading plus I allow two hours for science and history so she can play around with her experiments or explore topics of particular interest. I am beginning to homeschool my 4 year old also. I read to him for an hour during dd's reading time, and grab time here and there for reading lessons and math pages while dd works on something independantly.

[Daisy]

DD 8yo - 3rd grade - 3.5 - 4 hours
DS 6yo - Kinder - 1.5 hours

We spread school throughout the day and I'm not including independent reading, piano practice or nature study.

[Plaid Dad]

First grader - 1-1.5 hours/day.

[Amy loves Bud]

9 yr old 4th grader and 7 year old 2nd grader. We take about 4 hours, plus whatever time they spend on independent reading. That's actual work time, which is stretched from 8:30 a.m. to 3p.m. with chores, breaks and lunch thrown in there. We do Bible, Math, Latin, Grammar, Spelling, Writing, Literature, and History or Science during that time.

[6packofun]

we have Kindergarten, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grades going here and I am teaching/helping for about 5-6 hours a day. But the K-er is only doing an hour or so, while the 7th and 8th grader do at least 4.5 hours.

[MtnMom]

DS7 is 1st grade and we average 1.5 hours/day, four days a week with Fridays as "Science and Discovery Days". In addition he does some of his own reading for enjoyment.

DD5.5 is K and she does about 45min - 1hr, a couple of days a week, plus joining in on Fridays.

That's one on one specific teaching time. Beyond that, I know they're learning all the time.

[Virginia Dawn]

My 9th grade son takes about 6 hours a day four days a week and another cumulative 2-3 hours spread out on other days.

My 3rd grade son spends about 3 hours a day four days a week, and another hour on a fifth day. He does his work in chunks throughout the day, because I don't make him sit straight through.

[Laura Corin]

I think it depends what you include. Calvin (5th) currently does about 4 1/2 hours a day plus an hour of PE. That includes two foreign languages but doesn't include assigned reading. Hobbes (2nd) does closer to 3 1/2 hours plus an hour of PE. That includes two foreign languages, but also includes his assigned reading.

Laura

[prairiegirl]

My 3rd grader does about 4 hours of school daily. My 1st grader does about 1.5 hrs daily.

Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)

[Michelle T]

With raging ADHD and LD's. We had been taking about three hours for academics, but I'm in the process of increasing our school time to around four hours.
Michelle T

[Amy in Orlando]

For academic subjects only (and not including literature reading time), my older boys (ages in my signature) spend between 5-6 hours a day. For other "subjects" that we require, home-ec (they cook, do laundry, rudimentary sewing, general cleaning) and also life training (car repair/maintenance, lawn care, remodeling, construction, changing light bulbs) and just being human, ie doing nice, unrequested things for other people, I'd add another 10-20 hours a wekk based on what is going on here. The boys are very active in scouts and tae kwon do. Some weeks, there is NO non-academic stuff, other weeks there is a lot. It varires, just like life.

My just-turned 8 yr old does about 2 hours of "school." He does several more hours a week helping his brothers in the above.

[Pencil Pusher]

I'd say ds (2nd) does 2hrs core stuff. He spends some time in the AM doing independent work, but I don't know how long it takes him.

But really, for all he complains, you'd think it took us 8hrs. (Actually, that's how I've been feeling lately, too.) :o

Dd4 does about 15min of phonics/day, plus other stuff as she's interested. (Or as I'll provide it--she's almost always interested!)

[Soph the vet]

My 4th grader spends 3-4 hrs. per day. 2nd grader 2-3 hrs. This does not include piano practice or outsourced activities like PE and art.
We had a veteran homeschooler come to our co-op and share on many things but the one thing I remember her saying is "even in high school we did not spend more than 4 hrs. per day on academics". She has schooled seven children, one is in law school, another in college and some in PSEO classes, some still in lower grades. I like to remember her quote to keep me balanced:).

[KarenC]

But it usually takes:

11 yo dd 4-5 hours including reading and violin

9 yo dd 3-4 hours including reading and flute

6 yo dd 2-2.5 hours including 1 hour read aloud time.

Karen

[Closeacademy]

For K and 2nd--we do about 1 to 2 hours in the morning of schoolwork and activities. And then I read for about 1/2 hour at bedtime.:)

[Pamela H in Texas]

Just remember all kids are different. You can have a rigorous program and it not take very long but the same program may take twice as long with another kid or even less time with someone else's. It just depends on the kid, family, etc.

For us, school always took MUCH less time than most people posted. Now I would guess we're a little closer though.

My son is 13 next month and this year is averaging about 6 hours per day. Before this year, though, it was 2 1/2 to 4 hours per day. My 15yo averages that 3-4 hours most days though she has a full load (plus...she's just fast). Before high school, I don't think she ever went over 3 hours.

[Beth in Central TX]

My older boys (5th & 6th grader) school for about 6 hours a day which includes 1/2 hour of free reading time. Friday is a lighter day for us though (that's when we do music and art), and we are generally done at lunch time. My youngest (K) is always done before lunchtime. He works about 1-1/2 hours a day.

[Heather in Canada]

We go from 7:45 til noon every day, then on Monday and Tuesday, we have an hour or two in the afternoon as well. The other afternoons, she has music lessons, skating, orchestra, that kind of thing.

[KidsHappen]

not including independent reading. I have no idea how long it takes the 9th and 10th graders but they spent about they same amount of time as the youngers when they were that age. Our day break down as follows:

Math 20 mins.
Grammar 20 mins.
Word Study 20 mins.
Writing 20 mins
Latin 20 mins.
Science or History 20 mins.

I don't count art, music or PE as school time. I guess if I included those in formal time along with independent reading we would have about 4 hours per day.

[allearia]

my first grader takes 1 to 1.5 hours for the basics of math and language arts (reading/writing/grammar/spelling depending what we are working on that day). We take up to another hour for history or science which includes me reading aloud and doing a project, and this is considered "fun" and the project time is the majority of this. He also likes to mix his 1/2 hour piano practice in between math and language arts. PE, art and other "fun" stuff is beyond this time, I count it as an essential part of our school but ds doesn't realize it ;)

[Scarlett]

I try not to be discouraged by the super moms on these boards. ;) Ds just turned 8, is doing 2nd grade work, except for 3rd grade math and we spend an average of 3 hours of seat work a day. 4 days a week. Fridays are usually free. That doesn't count the reading I do with him at night or any of his free reading. Or piano lessons. I am counting piano practice in the mornings, Bible reading, ect.

[HootyTooty]

My son who is doing grade 1, does about 3 hours including free reading.