diaperjoys Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I'm wondering if it is reasonable to get my two oldest sons into the same level in math. They are only 13 months apart in age. The 6.5yo is on track to barely finish BJU1 this school year (math isn't his strongest subject). Our 5.5yo is on track to finish BJU K5 at least 10 weeks early (math seems to come very easily to him, and we often double up lessons). In any oral math questions, the younger is often the first to have the answer. We have 4 little ones very close in age, and I need to double up where I can, and they love working together, but I'm reluctant to hold back our oldest. Even though math isn't his strongest subject, he's doing fine. I'd rather permit the 5.5yo to catch up and work a grade ahead of his age, since that seems to be his bent anyway. But I'm just not sure of the logistics in how to get him there. Maybe he could use a different curricula for 1st grade math, and work through it quicker? Or maybe I need to put the oldest in some sort of review text and have him "tread water" for awhile?? Any ideas?? Is it insane to try to get them on the same level in math?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springmama Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I wouldn't hold one back for the sake of the other. Math is only one subject. How much time are you trying to save per day by having them do it together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Definately not. Even if they were twins I wouldn't do that. Not with a core subject like math. For things like history, science, art - you can group them together but they need to be able to work at their own pace be it ahead, behind, on grade etc and not be influenced by their siblings. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Very, very bad idea to hold back a child so the slow ones can catch up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmorris Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have children 15 months apart. My older son is slower and my daughter is faster. I haven't held back or pushed ahead either of them ( just going at their natural pace) and I do think DD will naturally catch up to him within the next year. She is almost finished with 1st grade math and he is about halfway through his 2nd grade math. I don't think they will stay at the same level for long though because she just naturally moves faster. I have a lot of children close together and I know how tempting it is to group them but I agree in Language arts/Math they really need to move at their pace. I group Gospel Study, Science,History, Art,Music ect and that works really well and saves a ton of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Any ideas?? Is it insane to try to get them on the same level in math?? Yes. :D My kids are less than a year apart. I started doing math with them together. That worked for about 9 months, and then one started seriously outpacing the other. One was bored, and one was frustrated. Thirteen months is a big age difference for little kids, and much of math depends on the maturity to understand abstract concepts. I wouldn't try to teach them together. I think, as a general rule, people say that you can teach content subjects to kids of different ages but that you should keep the skill subjects separate. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I wouldn't do it on purpose. My 2 oldest are 13 months apart and the oldest is "slower" at math. She's at the beginning of Singapore 3A and ds is finishing up 2A. At some point they WILL be on the same level... and then he'll pass her up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diaperjoys Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Thanks for the input, ladies. Yup, I think ya'll are spot on. I'll just plug away and let them each progress on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I would absolutely not hold back one child in math or language arts in order to let another catch up. IMO, that's not fair to the child able to do the more challenging work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneC Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I give all three of my older children separate Math lessons. It didn't work even trying to teach the twins together and they are about the same level in the same book at the moment. Their learning style is completely different. We group Greek, Latin, History, Science and Art but NOT Math and no LA/Reading, I have tried and it doesn't work for us at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I wouldn't hold one back for the sake of the other. Math is only one subject. How much time are you trying to save per day by having them do it together? :iagree: My kids are close in age too and we do combine a lot of things but math and english( mostly- I have combined kids in english when the older one needs review) are the two subjects I keep them at their grade level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacnchs Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 A friend of mine had a similar situation - daughters were really close in age...the older slacked on her work but had a really competitive nature. So, she kept the older one on track and worked extra hard with the younger one until she caught up. It helped the older one keep on task (she had someone to "compete" with though she always won b/c she was older). They talked to the younger one who was completely on board to "skip a grade" and she was fine with working a little longer everyday. As far as I know, she is completely caught up now (4 years later) but even when she wasn't and she would get some answers wrong while her older sister got them all right, she didn't care - her mom would remind her that she is working at a grade level up and make her feel accomplished for doing as well as she did. She has 4 REALLY close in age and her boys (11 mo apart) are working at the same grade level as well (but she started them off that way in Kinder), even though it takes the second boy a little longer to finish school and stay on task (but that is more because of his personality than anything). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 My two oldest are about 2yrs. apart (and one "grade" apart) and they are doing the exact same math. We have one big math time in the morning together. My younger boy went through a K book and a 1st grade book in his K year and needed more of a challenge; the older one was plugging away at his grade level, but needed a different approach to understand his math better. So we switched math curriculums; we are now combining three programs--MEP, Singapore, and Miquon. My older boy stepped "back" a level to do this, and some think my younger is too young to be doing this level---but it is working very well for all of us. My guys are working at their own level; it just happens to be the same level.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I would definitely NOT try to keep any two kids together in math, even if they were twins!! I just find that teaching/learning math is so much easier when the child can go at their own pace. . . taking side trails to review or do facts as needed. . . or to give a mental break when a topic is frustrating. . . I can teach/lead math in under 5 min avg per day per child, so can't see much benefit in combining. FWIW, you *could* and probably should combine them regularly for math games that strengthen either/both math skills. That could be super fun. And, you could allow them to join the other when they are doing a teaching lesson that is fun (weights and measures are always a hit in our house. . .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Absolutely not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 They are at least 2 years apart in age--with the younger one being more advanced and the older one being a bit more cautious. I'm teaching them SEPARATELY. They have 2 completely different learning styles--I'm talking VERY different. While they 'could' take my class together (easier time management and cheaper for the family) this is the BEST way to go for the students. Instead of them having to adapt to my teaching I'm able to adapt my teaching to THEIR learning styles--and they are both doing amazingly well! My own girls were 2 years apart in age but working at nearly the same level in all subjects. I taught them together as much as possible--but NEVER for core subjects (reading, writing, math). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairie rose Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. I teach my two kids that are 13 months apart together when ever possible. Math is one subject they are pretty close in ability level so I teach it together. Yes it does save me time because I only have to teach the lesson once and it makes for games and such that they can play together. It helps that the older one is a little slower in math and the younger one is a pretty bright student all the way around. I don't "hold one back" or "push one ahead" to accomplish this, they are naturally pretty much on the same level in this subject so I save myself about 30 minutes by teaching them together and not teaching the same lesson twice. They haven't always been this way and I've had to teach them separately at times and if one bounds ahead, I will teach them separately again but for now teaching them together works for us. I do have to teach them separately in other subjects, for example, spelling they are on two entirely different levels but English lessons I combine all 3 of my school age kids, 3rd - 5th grades, and just have different expectations for each of them when it comes to the composition part. 30 minutes might not be much to some but with an older child to homeschool and two little ones underfoot, one of them about to start school so I'll then have 4 school age ones to teach, time is a precious commodity. If you think it might work, try it, if it doesn't work out for you, then you'll know and can teach them separately again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diaperjoys Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. I teach my two kids that are 13 months apart together when ever possible. Math is one subject they are pretty close in ability level so I teach it together. Yes it does save me time because I only have to teach the lesson once and it makes for games and such that they can play together. It helps that the older one is a little slower in math and the younger one is a pretty bright student all the way around. I don't "hold one back" or "push one ahead" to accomplish this, they are naturally pretty much on the same level in this subject so I save myself about 30 minutes by teaching them together and not teaching the same lesson twice. They haven't always been this way and I've had to teach them separately at times and if one bounds ahead, I will teach them separately again but for now teaching them together works for us. I do have to teach them separately in other subjects, for example, spelling they are on two entirely different levels but English lessons I combine all 3 of my school age kids, 3rd - 5th grades, and just have different expectations for each of them when it comes to the composition part. 30 minutes might not be much to some but with an older child to homeschool and two little ones underfoot, one of them about to start school so I'll then have 4 school age ones to teach, time is a precious commodity. If you think it might work, try it, if it doesn't work out for you, then you'll know and can teach them separately again. This is good to hear! When I think of a classroom setting, there are always a range of abilities in the class. From what I can judge of my two oldest boys, there is no more difference in ability than would be present in the average classroom. Yes, they are working in different levels right now, but I'm still wondering if I pace it right, if we can bring them together into the same book sometime soon. They would have all kinds of fun doing time tests together, and all the chants & speed drills. And the added perk is it does save 30 minutes a day, at least for awhile. I don't want to permanently "hold back" either of the two boys. But as long as they remain fairly close in ability, it seems like it is at least worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 This is good to hear! When I think of a classroom setting, there are always a range of abilities in the class. Yes, schools keep children of varying abilities in the same classroom sorted by age as if that somehow makes sense to anyone but a bureaucrat. That is why schools are such dismal failure. What's the point of going through the expense and trouble of homeschooling if one is going to cram all one's children in the same mold for for the sake of convenience? That's what public schools are for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I would keep them at their own pace. However, I would buy RS Math Games and teach them to play together.;) Then you can streamline the currics a bit maybe...keeping them "drilling" together atleast. Maybe that will make independent math lessons 30 min instead of 45???? (or however long it usually takes) I do the same with phonics too, when I can. My 6yo has some visual perception problems and my 4yo is already reading at his level...I don't DARE give the hint that she is anything but "preschool" but they play phonogram/word games together. They both benefit. The play RS math games together too...ds6 taught dd4 her math facts through "Go to the Dump". Still, dd4 does her own thing for "school":tongue_smilie: My 4 and 3yo's are 14mo apart. I'm with you, tweaking a planner, trying to figure out how to fit in everything I want to do for my dc next year.:grouphug: Prioritize reading, writing and math...everything else can be done through read-alouds or another year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Yes, schools keep children of varying abilities in the same classroom sorted by age as if that somehow makes sense to anyone but a bureaucrat. That is why schools are such dismal failure. What's the point of going through the expense and trouble of homeschooling if one is going to cram all one's children in the same mold for for the sake of convenience? That's what public schools are for. I see you have 1 dc to juggle. I think the OP is looking for advice from moms who have successfully juggled several littles and made it through to tell the story.;) Your post comes across quite harshly. It is obvious that the OP is wrestling with her options...not looking for 101 reasons to NOT be like ps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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