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SCM lesson plans contain 180 days of school, what counts as a homeschool day?
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Hello everyone,
I know SCM lesson plans are planned for 180 days in a school year. My question is then do other activities count as school? Do you add them onto your year so that you have over 180 days? Or do you substitute a day of SCM for a field trip, life lessons, etc?
I have heard “learning happens all of the time” but I don’t want to start deviating from our lessons and doing fewer days of math and L.A. I typically only count it as a school day if we do math and L.A. and using the SCM plans ( I was thinking about getting them) would mean that also. Any thoughts from experienced Moms?
Hi Grace,
I’ll put in my two cents. This is our 6th year homeschooling (we have 6 kids, 17.5-almost 6) and 5th year following the SCM lesson plans. After diligently following the plans for 4 years, I decided to slow the pace way down—about halfway, actually. I found that when I tried to do an entire year’s worth (180 lessons) it was too much for us because we like to go places or have days when we do other things besides lessons. Sometimes the chapters feel too long and I’ll close the book and ask for a narration and pick up where we left off the next time. It has been much more relaxed and enjoyable. I don’t worry about deviating from the lessons. They are always learning—whether we are driving to the orthodontist or lingering at the table having a good conversation after lunch. I try to see to it that the mornings are mainly the “have tos” and the afternoons are the “want tos.” If they buy into the beautiful CM concept of short, focused lessons this can be accomplished and then they have plenty of time for productive afternoons pursuing the things they personally enjoy doing the most.
This is our ninth year homeschooling, and I agree with Melissa. We tailor the history modules to work for us. We don’t incorporate the Bible study part of it, because I choose something else for that. Also, we slow down the readings because, as Melissa said, sometimes the chapters are too long for children to remember the story well.
Like Monica, we also do something else for Bible. The first few years we followed the SCM plan. Basically, I am now very comfortable with doing what works well for us. The plans are a great guide but everything we do in a day as we go through life together “counts” in my opinion. What a blessing to have the freedom to educate our own children the way we please.
Thank you. We actually use Truthquest History. I was wondering more about doing math and L.A. for 180 days.
Hi Grace. You may want to check with your state’s homeschooling laws. I have heard some states are very strict about what counts as a school day. I live in CA and the rules are very loose. Any instruction counts as a school day. As far as finishing 180 days of math etc. I think its safe to admit few homeschoolers really do 180 days of worksheets. The publishers put in enough to fulfill what is the typical number of days public schools would have. But even public school teachers dont finish the whole book. Most of the time the first and last several lessons are review which gives some wiggle room. We just plug along and dont worry if we start the next book in Sept or if it takes till Feb to move up, progress is the important thing. Until high school anyway, then things can get a little more formal and strict, depending on your state. I count field trips, educational video days, read aloud binges all as school days, even middle of the week camping trips, it all counts in my opinion.
Ok. Thanks Crystal. My state doesn’t require a number of days, just that we teach Math and Language Arts. So it is really just me wanting to make sure my kids get enough of the academics so that they are ready for high school. 😀
My state requires a 1000 hours of instruction, 600 of which must be in math, reading, social studies, language arts, and science. How or when we do those hours is up to me as the teacher. I am required to have a log of the time we spend. If I spend 5 hours a day, that meets the requirements in 180 days. Plus it keeps us on the same type of schedule as public school. I find that helpful knowledge for general planning purposes.
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