# how many hours a day do you set aside



## proudmommy5 (Mar 25, 2009)

I was just wondering how many hours a day do you set aside for homeschooling? I am trying to rework my schedule that I have for my kids and was wondering what everyone else does. 

also do you teach or is it more independent work?


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

We do formal academics for about 2 hours a day, but we're learning all day long. Also, are you asking for time spent on preparing, too, or just the "kid's butts are in seats" time? I spend a bit of time outside of that preparing work. 

My youngest still requires a lot of interaction and guidance from me, at thirteen. My eldest, who is fifteen, is almost completely independent. I wouldn't say that I TEACH, but I do FACILITATE. It's a slight difference, but significant to us.


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

I have a 7yo learning (I think the age and numbers of kids makes a difference) along with a 4yo and 1yo in the mix. After trying different things, she's chosen to start her work at 3pm. Since we are not morning people, and other afternoon times didn't work, I gave her the choice of time. The stipulation was that she had to be done by dinner (6pm) or we try it my way again. We've done it 'her way' for a month or so. She typically gets her work done now within 2 hours. A lot of what she does is drill (math facts) so she works independently on this, and others requires my involvement (writing, spelling, reading).

But to ditto what Tracy said....We are learning all day long. [Right now, my kids are pretending to have battles against England! England has 'one villager fighting and trying to get into Texas'. Kind of a cross between Age of Empires and Revolutionary War!]


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

We break ours up. I do formal instructions from 9 am to 11 am, then when dh gets home he does about an hour with DS. (I save math and handwriting for dh, if you saw my handwriting you would understand why) But like Tracy, we're learning all day. I try to use everything as a teaching tool. DS loves to cook, so we incorporate math, science and home ec into cooking. When we butcher chickens it becomes an anatomy lesson. Homesteading lends itself to teaching. Since DS (almost 11) has language delays, as well as some motor skill problems I've found alternative methods to teach. Lots of games and hands on that I didn't include in that 2 hours.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

My kids(6 and 10) are slow (IE goofy and won't focus most days) at doing their work. Seat work they could easily do in 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day. Some days they do do it that fast (or faster), some days it takes 4+ hours. That's for English, reading, math, phonics. Science and history we do more of a hands on/unit study learning. That can take 15 minutes to 3 or 4 hours, depending on what we are learning and how "into it" they get.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I have on DS - 8. We school for about 1 1/2 hours 4 days a week. I work with him problem by problem, sentence by sentence - otherwise I think it would take him 6 hours. He has attention issues so we stick to basic academics only on those days.. 

On day 5, we do activities - gym & swim at the YMCA - science projects, art projects - those can take 3-4 hours. We visit the kids museum in town once a month. for an all- day event. We also do Cub Scouts. When it rains, we have a special book of history activities we do or we work puzzles. I think it is these activities that helps him apply the learning from the other days - and I think that makes them more important in the long run. 

I try to think of how many hours a week we spend rather than each day.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

According to the paperwork I filed with the state, 6hrs per day. :icecream:


according to my actual day, anywhere from 2 to 10.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

We strive for independent learning. We usually spend about 2-3 hours together doing our Bible, History, some Science, some English, and other odd subjects together. I often read for 1/2 hour or until my voice peters out; then the children usually work on their math, writing, history projects, science projects independently but with assistance from me as needed, but we also do some projects, labs and such together, so it varies from day to day. I then usually spend about 1/2 hour reviewing or grading papers, projects, listening to memorization and such. 

Dawn


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## Janossy (Feb 3, 2006)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> We do formal academics for about 2 hours a day, but we're learning all day long. I wouldn't say that I TEACH, but I do FACILITATE.


Totally agree with facilitating. We also do about 2 hours a day. 14 yr old works well on her own. 2 in K, not so good on their own. What is so hard about learning phonics by yourself at 5?


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## proudmommy5 (Mar 25, 2009)

thank you for sharing It has helped me out a lot.


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