Do you give your child breaks between curriculums for homeschooling?

Question

I don't know if I should give him a break between each curriculum or every 1 1/2 or 2 hours?

Answer 1

The one thing I wouldn't do is schedule out the day like a classroom.  I understand the thought behind it - and our first year, I had it scheduled down to every 15 minutes - but I soon found out what a complete train wreck that was.

In a classroom, in order to keep 20-30 kids on track, you have to schedule everything out.  Otherwise, you end up with absolute chaos.  In a homeschool however, learning is a lifestyle.  You don't have to do math from 9-9:45, spelling from 9:45-10:15, free reading from 10:15-10:45, science from 10:45-11:30, etc.

You should have a lesson plan and a basic idea of the order that you're going to work in, as well as a basic knowledge of "this should take around half an hour", but that's really as structured as most families get.  If you go any further than that (unless your child is a control freak), you end up sucking the joy out of learning.  It doesn't seem like it would work this way, but often it does.

Give your child breaks whenever s/he needs them.  If it ends up being every half hour at first, take short breaks every half hour and work up to longer periods of time.  Instead of "we have to do math for the next 35 minutes", present the lesson and then give them the assignment.  Give help as needed, but let them work it out.  If they're done in 15 minutes, move on.  If they drag it out over an hour, well, they just lost some free time and it probably won't happen again.  

Be willing to be flexible and go with where your child is.  Instead of tailoring your child to the curriculum, tailor the lessons and curriculum to your child.  If your child wants to read outside on the lawn in a beanbag, let them.  They're reading.  It doesn't have to be done in a desk.  :)  If they learn their times tables while jumping in rhythm on the trampoline, let them.  They'll never forget those math facts.  If today's history lesson needs to go into tomorrow because they're just not understanding the causes of the War of 1812, that's fine - once they get it, they'll really get it.

Homeschooling is different than public school, and that's a good thing.  Go with where your child is, wherever that may be, and help them get to where they can be.  :)

Answer 2

It depends on how old they are. And their personality and gender. Frequent breaks seemed to work well in the elementary years. A great book to read is called For The Children's Sake. She talks about working on getting 15 minutes of focussed attention to each subject, starting out in elementary school.

Best of Luck!

Jana

http://www.purehomeschooling.com/

Answer 3

If it's a boy even 1 1/2 hours is too long.  For one thing his bladder isn't that big.

Answer 4

It depends on the child and what is going on that day.

For the oldest, he needed a small break between each lesson for the first couple years.  The second one breaks only for lunch.  The youngest doesn't take a break, but she doesn't do a lot of book work.  She learns differently than the boys did, so even though we are using the same books, we are not using them the same way.  

Then there are days with little things coming up which mean a break happens or we do a little less that day.  We have the freedom to make our "schedule" flexible.  

Answer 5

if your child is young you should make the breaks closer together. try playing an educational game, that way he thinks he's getting a break but he's still learning. or if he did well in a subject/ worked without complaining you can give him a reward such as a cookie break. it's good to take frequent breaks, nothing is worse than a bored/ tired child that you're trying to teach.