“During that 12-to-13-week period where kids are out of school, they are, in fact, losing that knowledge that they’ve already learned to the degree that, on average, kids on the traditional calendar are required to be re-taught or instructed on the curriculum they were taught the year previously between four and eight weeks annually. If you compound those four to eight weeks of required re-teaching in 1st grade through 8th grade, it’s quite possible a student entering high school will be a year to a year and a half behind their counterparts.”
It is nice that we are free as parents in charge of our children’s education to decide whether we want to do this or not. For us, we school year-round for several reasons. First, we like to do a lot of field trips and other types of experiential learning throughout the entire year. We don’t fall behind this way. Second, we don’t have to waste time reteaching material from the previous school year. Third, a light school load during the summer gives them some structure before we go out and enjoy our day. We do not do a complete school load during the summer. Their primary summer academic work is math, instrument practice, a little writing and reading (they would read anyway). I don’t want to have to backtrack on math in the fall.
I know some families look forward to that extended break over the summer. So glad they get that time off. 🙂
Is it Time to Move Away from the Traditional School Calendar?
thecontemporaryhomeschooler 