Early on my husband and I assumed that the school day needed to be at least six hours in length. To rephrase that, we assumed that kids need to be actively engaged in instructional activity for at least six hours a day to make it in this world. We never questioned the validity of that assumption in the beginning of our homeschool journey.
Later we began to question the length of the school day and the homework hours. Why are kids expected to spend an entire day at school and do heaps of homework? After working with my kids at home, it seemed like they could get the work done in much less time and still learn it well. And we certainly didn’t need to add homework. Why then is the school day so long? The answer finally came to light.
The eight-hour work day is fundamental for our economy. – M. Mom
Our economy is based on the full-time job. In order to make jobs possible for parents, someone needs to watch the kids. The solution is the eight-hour school day. Not only are kids supervised all day, but they get an education too. Schools also create full-time jobs for teachers and staff. It’s the perfect solution to keep our country running. But for those of us who can watch and educate our kids at home, the eight-hour school day is unnecessary.
Another challenge to the validity of eight-hour school day was the discovery that learning is more efficient and effective at home. We jump right into the work. At school, the teacher wastes time repeating directions and managing students. Learning at home is more effective too. At home, my kids are on the hot seat so they have to pay attention and think. I believe that active participation accelerates learning. The brain has to be engaged to learn.
My kids sit on the hot seat of learning at home. No one else is going to answer the question for them. – M. Mom
At school, the learning process is passive. The teacher gives a lecture and the students listen. Daydreaming was a norm for me in school. The pace was too slow. The repetition was boring. The material was dry. I didn’t pay attention fully because I knew that I could learn the concepts on my own while doing the nightly homework. And that reveals the school system’s most efficient learning tool: homework.
People always wonder why kids have so much homework to do. I now assume since the school environment is not structured to allow hundreds of students to engage in active learning, they have to do it at home. Active learning occurs best on students’ own time in the stillness of their own homes. Hey, that’s what we do in homeschool!
I have found a more efficient way to use class time in my once a week co-op classes. It’s the opposite of what occurs in the school classroom. Students self-teach the lesson and do all the exercises before coming to class. This is possible because homeschool textbooks in general are designed for self-teaching. The class is a review (not teaching) of a week’s worth of information. Since the students know the material in advance, the review can be interactive and much more engaging. We often play review games.
This approach places the power in the students’ hands and greatly reduces the need for teaching hours. I’m not advocating this for traditional schools. My argument is that educating at home is more efficient and should not require eight hours each day.
It just occurred to me that the come-prepared-to-class model is like taking music lessons. A student prepares before sitting with the instructor. Coming unprepared slows skill development.
When I see homeschool-parent burnout, my first assumption is that the parent has been implementing the traditional school model at home. And there are home school programs that promote that model too. Comprehensive programs demand many hours from students and parents. The daily schedules create pressure to stay on track and never miss a day of instruction.
I debate the role of parent as teacher in my post: Teaching Experience Not Required.
Some parents log in many hours each day and attempt to turn daily activities into formal classes like the schools do. Schools add subjects like PE, art, and home economics to fill the day and add variety. These classes allow kids to do the things they should do at home but can’t because they are at school. It seems counterintuitive to model the school when the school is trying to incorporate home activities into its model.
When I come across unhappy home-schooled students, they are typically using such programs. I should know. We were a burned-out homeschool family when using a comprehensive program. I could not continue on that pathway. Our mission, after all, was to avoid the dull and grinding education we experienced as children.
At home, we study for a few hours a day and let life happen in the remainder. – M. Mom
We now pare down the course load to the basics. This reduces formal learning to three hours a day or less. We move at a pace that fits our life.
I don’t turn activities of daily living into formal courses like the schools do. We incorporate exercise in our daily life as a personal health and recreational choice – not because the state mandates it for the public schools. My kids learn whatever skills they choose – be it music, art, writing, coding, electronics, 3-D modeling, or baking. With the shorter school day, they have time to take their preferred activities to remarkable heights. In high school my oldest worked several part-time jobs too.
Related: How My Kids Spend Their Extra Time
To read about the benefits we gained by reducing the school load click on my Homeschool Perks post.
If you are wondering if this strategy hinders education, read about my daughter’s journey to college in the What I Wanted To Know Before Starting Homeschool: Now I Know post.
While the state is responsible for what occurs at public schools, we can and should call our own shots at home. The environments are different and so too should the plan. Modeling the traditional school has the potential to cause parent and student burn-out. It also ties kids up in busyness preventing them from developing their talents, skills, and interests. The eight-hour school day does not fit the home setting.
Related: An Off-Road Approach to the Elementary Years
Related: Rethinking Science and Social Studies for the Lower Grades
Related: Is Homeschool a Good Alternative During the Covid Crisis?
If you are feeling overwhelmed in your education journey, pray for a solution that will better serve you and your children. Children are beautiful gifts from God. They depend on us to provide more than academics and custodial care. To provide continuous love and encouragement to our children, we need daily refreshment from God. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, consult with a trusted friend who knows the Lord or talk with a pastor.
Musing: a period of reflection or thought. As such this post reflects my thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the topic. The choice to home school and the methods you choose are yours to determine.