How do you teach 'em all?

[willtheycallmeblessed]

Which curric best facilitates teaching multi children that span all stages?

 

Thanks!!!

[Mesa]

Well for one thing after about the 4th or 5th grade most of the homeschooling kids I know are doing the majority of their school work independently. Of course the parent is always available for questions and grading..

 

I usually teach math to my oldest and then while he works on his worksheet, I teach math to my 6 yr old. I alternate like this throughout our day.

[Katiebug_1976]

I have fallen in love with My Father's World! MFW has made my school day possible! We are using Creation to the Greeks for dd13, dd12, ds9 & dd6 (even dd2 is picking up a thing or two along the way). All of our history, bible, science, vocabulary, art & music are combined and done together(this saves soooooooooo... much time!). It is also all planned out for me! Everyone has their own math & english, however, my oldest 2 dd's are doing the same english this year. I can't imagine keeping up with things if everyone had "their own" history, science, math, english etc. In my opinion, combining is the only way to go and stay sane! Especially with large families!

[8filltheheart]

Which curric best facilitates teaching multi children that span all stages?

 

Thanks!!!

 

I don't use any boxed curriculum, but pick and choose materials by subject for each child.

 

I work with my youngest school ager first and work with her until she finishes all of her work. While I am working with her, the older kids are reading/working on material they can complete on their own.

 

I then move to my oldest's toughest subject and work with her. Then I rotate down to the 2nd youngest and work with her. And so I rotate back and forth through all the kids all day long.

 

I do not leave my kids "teaching" themselves. I work with them, they complete assignments on their own, then we discuss what they have done.

[dhudson]

MFW (My Father's World)works really well for us.

[SilverMoon]

We don't use packaged curriculum. Every kid has math and language arts on their own level. Science and history are easier to combine, especially if they're close in ages. I attempt keeping mine all (or nearly all) on the same science topics or time of history just to keep myself sane, but even that takes a bit of juggling for the various skill levels.

 

My oldest is often on his own in spite of my attempts. He's just too far into the logic stage to lump with his grammar stage siblings. He can move through the same material, even with extra side assignments, at twice the speed.

[TengoFive]

For history we really enjoy The Story of the World. We listen to the cds in the car and then discuss the chapter. I follow up with books from the library at each child's level, which they read independently. Sometimes I'll get dvds that go along with the lesson from the library and they watch those all together as well.

 

First Language Lessons, while not meant to be used with more than one age group, has worked wonders here. My 5th grader has her own grammar text, but has learned more listening to her younger siblings while we do FLL than she has in her own text.

 

Apologia Elementary Science: Everyone listens while I read the lesson (from 6th grade to K) and then we discuss it and do experiments. Once again I follow up with books from the library at their reading level and sometimes dvds.

 

We do Latin in age groups, the 2 oldest in the Big Book of Latin and the 2 younger in Song School Latin.

 

Music we do together, listening to Themes to Remember, Beethoven's Wig, the Classical Kids series, supplemented with books from the library at their reading level.

 

With each of these subjects, I expect different things from different kids, but we still do the core parts together as a family. I love having us all on the same page, so we can go on field trips that everyone can appreciate, including me.

[rwjx2khsmj]

I give each child (7,10,13) a check list for what needs to be done each day. They choose the order of completion with history/science being done after lunch. We do history and science on alternating days and we begin them together with the olders following up with more research after the information/experiment is introduced.

 

I chose curriculum based on TWTM and also looking for programs that could be used/adapted to multiple age groups. We use R&S Grammar, Writing Strands, Spelling Power and Math on the Level for youngers and Lial BCM for older.

 

They take turns doing subjects they can work through on their own with subjects they need my help. My oldest two often alternate checking each others work in R&S to keep it moving.

[siloam]

For me it is Tapestry of Grace.

 

Heather

[Lori in MS]

My Father's World for me too. We've been using it for 5 years. I have 5 children 7th grade to 3 yrs old

[kdurfee]

We have pushed into a new area now as my oldest is more advanced than the rest of us but MFW worked well for years with my four (at the time ages 5-11).

[Mommyfaithe]

Which curric best facilitates teaching multi children that span all stages?

 

Thanks!!!

 

This has been the bane of my existence since I began...and I finally came to the conclusion that you CAN"T teach them all together. Either it is all way over or under their head. That said:

 

I do Bible reading, read alouds (My 4 year old (now 5) LOVED Beowulf! and love Shakespreare...go figure...) Art, Music appreciation and poetry together.

 

Math, LA (all segments) and reading lessons are all done separately. My olders use some online courses such as writing, logic or economics. My olders also get a short lesson from me...then they are responsible to complete their assignments and then I check them over. We discuss areas I think they need help in.

 

My youngers do their math, reading and LA with me...first one, then the other. Some days this can take hours...especially if they are resistant.

I hate those days...:tongue_smilie:

 

~~Faithe