Homeschool Doldrums
We're entering the pre-Christmas doldrums, that time when a student's mind starts to wander to thoughts of presents and sledding and, most of all, a couple of weeks off from school.
It's no different in homeschooling than it is in public school. We have a week to go until the holiday break, but my son is slowing down just as he did last year and the year before. The decorations and the tree are some of the many distractions that are making it hard for him to focus on school subjects.
It's the change in our daily routine that is the wrench in the works. Sticking to a routine is key to homeschooling, and we've been off our regular schedule since the first of the month.
But the great thing about our situation is the flexibility. It's a simple matter of making the school day shorter, concentrating on core subjects like math and literature in the morning, then doing a fun activity or experiment in the afternoon.
I have some cool documentaries coming tomorrow, including "Modern Marvels: Sugar" and the PBS series "Rough Science"... Good stuff for these lazy days.
After the Christmas break we'll all be eager to get back on that schedule and feel like we're focused on our goals again.
It's no different in homeschooling than it is in public school. We have a week to go until the holiday break, but my son is slowing down just as he did last year and the year before. The decorations and the tree are some of the many distractions that are making it hard for him to focus on school subjects.
It's the change in our daily routine that is the wrench in the works. Sticking to a routine is key to homeschooling, and we've been off our regular schedule since the first of the month.
But the great thing about our situation is the flexibility. It's a simple matter of making the school day shorter, concentrating on core subjects like math and literature in the morning, then doing a fun activity or experiment in the afternoon.
I have some cool documentaries coming tomorrow, including "Modern Marvels: Sugar" and the PBS series "Rough Science"... Good stuff for these lazy days.
After the Christmas break we'll all be eager to get back on that schedule and feel like we're focused on our goals again.
Permalink posted by Idaho Dad at 12:18 AM
4 Comments:
I remember when I was home taught and we got to watch a PBS documentary about the snack food industry. It focused on how to create, test, make, and market a new snack food. That snack food? Combos. Everytime I travel I grab a bag at the gas station and have a few, taking me back to that magical time when I learned a lot about how they came into being.
As for the homeschool doldrums, that is very common from what I understand. Flexibility would be key for me too, so I didn't stress out and in turn stress my kid out.
Surely you know this already, but one trick I've learned from years as a teacher (pre-12, currently middle school) is to use the distraction as a subject wherever possible.
For example, when it snows, or when a snow day is coming, my computer classes learn how to use online sources to track weather, and my current events and social studies classes do a "compare and contrast" exercise looking at the difference between listening to the radio, watching the tv, and using the internet to be told when there's a snow day...and then write a letter (in Language arts) to their younger sibling recommending one medium over another, and explaining why.
Christmas can't be taught in school...but homeschooling may provide a unique opportunity to use the "christmasing" of the household as a study subject. I bet math and ther subjects could be tied in...
Happens to me too. I have trouble focusing, always have from the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year.
Blog Banner looks great
boyhowdy has a great reminder; improvise and turn things to a positive
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