How long each day?

Emily - posted on 02/22/2011

We generally get a solid 4 hours, minimum. This is for the "basics". Then, in addition, we do art projects, field trips, science experiments, educational videos, extra reading, and so on. I only insist on the basics, but I never refuse the extras, and they clamor for them. I don't think the hours spent are critical, unless your state requires a set minimum. If you put your mind to it, you can find ways to be teaching them when they don't even know it. All things considered... our family has lessons about 12 hours a day. They just don't look like "school" necessarily.

Jenny - posted on 02/10/2011

Hi everyone,
we spend on average about 3 hours each day and get a lot done. We don't take any breaks and we find that 3 hours is just the right amount of time. Sometimes they ask if they can carry on longer, so of course we let them. They do a lot of reading and art in what they call their free time. So our 3 hours is solid work.
We have been homeschooling for eleven years and it's worked for us.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Krissy - posted on 02/09/2011

Ok, I spend about 10 hours daily... but the kids don't... that includes individual time plus together time... they USUALLY are given between 5-7 hours of work each full school day we have.. but that usually includes extra curricular stuff and free reading time, too. My kids LOVE reading, so as long as they have enough actual school hours, I credit them for the time they spend reading up to 2 hours per day... plus my daughter gets 30-45 minutes daily toward violin.



I would spend less if I didn't babysit. Babysitting makes it so hard. I have school aged kids, and in the morning they get to playing or watching TV before the bus comes, and my own kids take forever to get into school mode after that.



Also, we've had tons of snow days, and usually I get a rambunctious rather noisy three year old boy a few days per week shortly after lunch... so I have to work hard to get the required hours in (1000 yearly according to the state of Missouri)



On top of the 10 hours daily of teaching, logging, grading, etc... there are extra days full of curriculum hunting, extra planning, research on my part, cleaning and organizing the school room, etc...



So... this is more than a full time job for me.... sometimes we do Saturdays, too, but usually to make up work when we've missed so much to snow days or for extra field trips or projects or celebration days.



I so often wonder if I'm pushing them too hard, but many days they jump up eager to get going, and most subjects they love... (just math and having to write that makes them grumble)...

Lisa - posted on 12/15/2010

My daughter is in kindergarten and we are enrolled in Treca Digital Academy. Some days we are about 2 hours and some days 3-4 or more depending on attitude and silliness.

Heather - posted on 11/30/2010

When I did my practical teaching components for my teaching degree, I timed the actual active learning and lesson times in the classroom. (Australia) It was about 3 and half hours per day. If your one-on-one teaching/learning, actually working time is 3 hours, you are doing fine. Probably more than a child would do in school in a whole day.

Deanna - posted on 11/27/2010

I think every homeschool family is different. We do about 6-8 hours average though there have been days we were so caught up in lessons that we did 9. (we mainly just started right after breakfast and stopped at 5p) Anyways, I know someone that does about 4-6 hours a day and she says that she was told that most homeschoolers average about 3-4.
I personally just do what is best for us. Sometimes we will have lessons planned for the day and we will even be starting our day when I suddenly change my mind by taking the to the zoo or a nature center. We still make it educational and the kids always love it but it is easier for us. We have actually logged over half of our 1000 hours for the school year already this year. I intend on schooling year round though and keeping track like always. (so what if I am over on hours) My kids get days off and they will get their Christmas break. However, my kids are used to learning all the time. We have a "summer program" that I put together for them where we work on sign language, Spanish, creative writing, cooking, art, and one or two others. We don't do it all the time every day but we do it periodically and they get credit for it. I just do a mental log of the amount of time we spent on it so that I can jot it down when I get a chance. (I also keep a small notebook in my purse for just this reason.)

I hope you find the right amount of schooling time for you and your child.

good luck and god bless.

Tiffany - posted on 06/21/2010

We just finished 1st grade. We try to start each day by 9:00, take a break around 10:30 and finish up by noon, with the exception of PE, that's after lunch. At the beginning of the school year, when it's still hot, we head to the park and walk around the lake BEFORE school to get their PE done. My kids, especially my son, have a hard time concentrating once it gets to 12:00 so we try to get our lessons done by then.

Joy - posted on 03/15/2010

I am using Ambleside Online and my son is doing the Grade 1 reading and Kindergarten everything else. It takes about 2 hours to do: Charlotte Mason reading, handwriting, our new word for the day, math, Bible, Science and either nature study/art study or music study. He enjoys the short lessons and I think it helps keep his focus better.

Monica - posted on 03/12/2010

I spend about 4-5 hours a day on lessons. They range from 1/2 hour to an hour each lesson. I do different lessons everyday, except language and math. As far as life skills, well my kids learn constantly even when we are not doing lessons. I constantly question them about what they have learned, keeps them on their toes. They enjoy it because its like trivia. I also take off time when I need to...homeschooling is very flexible, one of the wonderful things about it!!!!

Michelle - posted on 03/10/2010

it depends on the day. Most days we try to get 30 to 45 minutes for each subject and an hour of life skills. Also since alot of things we do in life is actually a learning experiance like learning to cook and build things or grow thing we spend alot of time on nontraditional schooling.

Misty - posted on 02/11/2010

Well, my kids are only K and PK, but our actual sit down time of school is in the morning for about 2 hrs. total. This includes, weather, singing some songs, workbooks, flashcards, etc. It does not include art, educational games, outdoor or free play, or story time. We do these activities normally after quiet time. When I log my paperwork (in Ohio you have to have 900 hrs of documented school time) I log 4 hours a day and then add 1/2 hour for lunch (the pub. school counts this). On speech, library and gymnastic day I add the time we spent in those activities. So, our daily "logged time" ranges from 4 1/2-6 hours. Hope this helps some.

Crystal - posted on 02/10/2010

We spend about 4-5 hours a day doing school. If you condense the school day down to actual learning in public school, it's safe to say that they only do about 4 hours of learning. Most of the rest of the day is spent on administrative nonsense, going from class to class (even for the little ones), and taking breaks, eating lunch, and recess. So...yes, I believe you could have quality learning for that amount of time each day.