How much time does it take to homeschool?

The length of day varies based on the student's age, ability, and diligence but it is usually considerably shorter than a comparable "school day" because many of the distractions and time wasters are eliminated. Additionally, one-to-one instruction is much more efficient than group teaching because the curriculum and schedule is based on the specific needs of the student. This enhanced time efficiency allows students to pursue others interests for which there often is not enough time in a conventional school schedule.

Another factor in the length of a school day is an understanding of what constitutes school time. Many activities are educational in nature, even if they are not done by sitting at a desk and writing. For younger children, most of their day should be spent in active learning, not in just pencil and paper activities. Movement reinforces learning and accommodates their maturity and developmental level. Nature walks, building activities, drawing, discussion and listening to stories read aloud are all part of educationally appropriate activities. Even as a student gets older, these types of activities are very beneficial. The essence of cooperative learning is interacting with others in a meaningful way. This can be accomplished in a homeschooling setting by discussing what has been read or heard and coming up with a response - whether it is written, oral or artistically created doesn't matter. The more the senses are used, the more tools the child has to remember information.

If your child participates in support group activities or field trips, it is not necessary to return from such activities and then sit and do hours of paper and pencil work to complete your school time. Education consists of more than paperwork, and children should not be required to do twice the work simply because they are being homeschooled. Write in your log or lesson plan book the nature of the educational activity you participated in that day, skills that were used, lessons learned, etc. to provide evidence that educational skills were practiced or achieved.