A lot of people ask me about my daily life as a homeschooler. “What do you do?” “Do you learn about neutrons and electrons?” “Do you get snow days?” Yes. Yes. No. So I have decided to write this on my life as a homeschooler from the time I get up in the morning to the time I get done with my schoolwork.
I wake up between 6 and 7 AM. Lately I’ve been waking up at 6:30 and this picture is a good example of what I look like in the morning (bed hair and all). I am allowed to sleep in, especially if I am very tired but I prefer to wake up early. I feel more accomplished at the end of the day that way.
When I get up, I see no point in getting dressed immediately, so I climb down the stairs to the office where my sister and I do our schoolwork. This is the schoolroom (a.k.a the office).
At this time, I boot up my trusty laptop and open Microsoft Word and began working on my novel. Yes folks, I am writing a novel and I really am going to publish it. Usually on Mondays I write my novel for the whole time of my schoolwork. The rest of the week I usually write from the time I get up to 9-9:30 AM and then do my other schoolwork.
This is what I usually eat for breakfast.
Just kidding! I usually have Cream of Wheat, an egg sandwich (because my dad loves me so much that he makes me one nearly every morning), or two eggs with toast or saltines.
After I eat, I will go back in the office and start some of my schoolwork. Below is my History & Geography, Science, and Accounting. For these three subjects I use the LIFEPAC curriculum and for each grade (in my case, grade 10) they come in 10 units. I am currently on unit 4 as shown in the picture. I don’t usually do them in any set order.
After I do my LIFEPAC books, I often move on to my English & Grammar. I use the Bob Jones University curriculum for this.
I just started Spanish this year but I don’t always do it everyday. I use Rosetta Stone Spanish Latin America Level 1 and I love it.
<----- And this is what I look like when I do it. Every time I finish a subject I have to write it in my transcript for each day.
Now, sometimes in between my English and my Spanish I might get dressed. Sometimes afterwards. But seriously, what is the point of getting dressed in the morning when you don’t have too? Sometimes I regret my decision to not get dressed first thing in the morning when we have unexpected visitors.
For those who don’t know, I am an extreme bookworm, the kind of girl who’s Facebook newsfeed is taken up by all of the awesome fandoms I’m part of. I. LOVE. TO. READ. When I am really into a book, Mom occasionally lets me give my schoolwork the boot for that day so I can read. Hint: If anyone wonders what I possibly want for Christmas this year, I would love Amazon gift cards so I can buy more books on my Kindle.
This is my one and only classmate and sister, Rachael. Right now she is 12 and is in 7th grade and…
…she is also a professional prognosticator.
There are days I give or take a few subjects. Once in a while we do go on fieldtrips or skip school to go shopping or something (although that doesn’t happen that often). Being homeschooled is a blessing because I have the time to go after my dream of being a writer and can learn exactly what I want. I wouldn’t change my life for anything.
And that is my typical day of school. Below is a list of frequently asked questions.
FAQ:
Do you get summer off? Yes. I would simply die if I didn’t.
Do you get holiday vacations? Some of them. I always get the entire Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays off just as everyone at school does. Some minor holidays I’m not supposed too but most of the time I can convince my mom to let us have them off.
Do you get snow days? No.
Who teaches you: your mom or your dad? Mostly my mom. Most of the time I can do my school work myself since they’re all textbooks or computer programs but sometimes I need help with science or math and that’s when I request her help. My dad, who is very good with history, helps me with that when I need it.
Are you going to go to a homeschooled college? No. The closest I would ever get to that is doing college online.
Have you always been homeschooled? I did half of Kindergarten at Bradford Elementary and since then I’ve been homeschooled.
Are you way ahead of your schoolwork than everyone at school? Yes and no. Some of my schoolwork I’m speeding right through and some of it not so much.
Do you like being homeschooled? Yes. I wouldn’t change it for anything.
How does homeschooling work in correlation with the state of Maine? Check out here.
What’s your favorite subject? Creative writing and reading.
What do you plan to do when you graduate? I would like to major in journalism and be an author.
Do you take SAT/ACT? I will next year when I’m a junior and I will be taking them right at Central High School.
Do you have midterms? Nope.
Do you have tests? Yes. They come with my textbooks but I don’t do very many.
How do you score/grade yourself? You can ask “so, what score did you get in your history” but I honestly won’t be able to answer you. My LIFEPAC books have there own scoring system based on the test that my mom scores and transcribes to my transcript. My other subjects also have their own grading system which my mom will also put in my transcript. I don’t really pay attention to my score (unless I have a low score on a test).
Can you take classes at school? Yes I can. I am actually allowed to participate in any during school and after school activities and classes.
