When I started my summer homeschool year, we still enjoyed summer fun like outdoor barbecues with traditional tasty Texas beef brisket, swimming parties and some putt-putt golf. Besides knowing how to homeschool means you learn flexibility quickly.
Did you know that it was not until my sons started high school that I started my homeschool year in the more traditional month of August?
There are 7 advantages of starting your home school year in the summer for both seasoned and new homeschoolers.
Seven Advantages to Starting Your Year In the Summer
When the first day of school is in August, it feels like a race from the beginning.
1. Euphoric Feeling of Being Ahead.
Being able to dawdle at the beginning of the summer school year feels like a luxury and it sets a relaxed pace.
2. Curriculum Not a Good Fit?
One of the most important reasons I liked starting in summer was that it allowed me time to use a new curriculum for a few months to see if it was a fit for me and my kids.
This is a priceless perk because if it’s not working, nothing is really lost.
There is still time to switch curriculum and keep on schedule.
3. Complete Shipments.
We use many physical books and I get my shipment complete and in record time because companies are not really busy yet.
Too, I am able to telephone and chat if I need to with a curriculum vendor about his or her product because the early part of summer is not as busy.
4.Slower Start Equals Greater Momentum Later.
Another insider tip is that there is no need to start all of your new homeschool curriculum on the first day. Why do we think that we have to do that?
The more children you have the more stressful this can be.
Start with one new curriculum and then gradually fold the others in. Until I started doing that, I was not really reading the instructions on the best way how to use my new gems.
Each week, I folded in another new resource savoring the tips shared, making adjustments to our schedule until we found a schedule that would work for the new year.
5. Meaningful Break from Co-ops and Classes.
A lot of co-ops and classes follow a traditional public school schedule.
This can be a peaceful break from the stress of having to be on the road each week.
With no piano classes to take the kids to or co-ops to attend, those few months of meaningful school without having to break up the day have been some of our best teaching moments.
6. History and Science Immersion.
What do kids clamor for more of and we struggle the most with?
Getting to the best part of homeschooling, which is hands-on activities for science and history.
Taking a few days here and there, without covering any other subject, we immersed ourselves the whole day into history or science projects.
Being able to sprawl out our crafts, books, maps or play-doh for the day and make one activity after the other was a welcomed changed to the fast pace of a traditional school year.
7. School Supplies Binges.
Okay, shopping early before school supplies are all picked over may not be an advantage for those that don’t gush over new office supplies, organizational thinga-ma-jigs, pens, binders and folders.
You know I have a sickness passion for cool supplies, new notebooks and notebook binders.
Don’t give up the fun and long lazy days of summer.
Use them to kick start your homeschool year in a relaxed way.
What do you like best about starting your homeschool year in the summer?
Look at these other tips:
- What is Year Around Homeschooling? Part 1
- What is Year Around Homeschooling? Part 2
- 3 Traps to Avoid When Home and School Come Together Mid-Year
- Top 10 Tips To Getting a New Homeschool Year Rolling