NOT Back to School

I confess we gloated when September arrived. No school buses. No packing lunches. No stressful and expensive back to school shopping for backpacks, new clothes, shoes, and endless lists of school supplies. Instead, we eagerly anticipated the arrival of carefully chosen music, art, and science supplies; enjoyed wandering through nearly empty museums, aquariums, and libraries with seemingly limitless time and space to ourselves, and built sand-castles and played on beaches devoid of summer crowds. During the last lazy days of autumn we romped at the park with other moms and kids reveling in our NOT-Back-To-School freedom.

To achieve the greatest degree of flexibility we became Year-Round Learners.

As year-round learners we divided subject material, sometimes by Spring/Summer/Winter, other years a Sept-May/June-Aug schedule was more effective. For example: September to May we studied Language Arts (including Latin), History, and Math – along with chosen electives, such as Music lessons and anything that fit into Cub Scouts or a Girls Achievement Program. June through August we focused on Art and Science, included theory games and composition with Music lessons, and electives such as typing or mechanical drawing, and had the flexibility for summer camps and Friday beach days. We also enjoyed weekly field trips and park-day outings throughout the entire year.

And yes, vacations. Every six to eight weeks we would take a few days or even a week off from scheduled studies and embark on personal pursuits.

If you are wondering how to fit all the required academic subjects along with your children’s personal interests into your schedule, year-round learning might be an option.