when do your children start working independantly?

[catherine smith]

My just turning 7 yr old is a good reader, loves to read. I'm wondering when to let her go and if she'll not like independant reading when I do??? There are some things she could be reading now like science and history on her own and then I'd do the teacher intensive subjects like grammer, math, etc with her. Any suggestions?

[Ester Maria]

I personally like to mix - allow them to work independently on some area one day, then continue with them next day (not review - continue, respecting what they did on their own if they did it well), etc. I still have that type of approach - I mix my lectures, the independent work, our "talks" (/quizzes) and reviews in basically any subject. There are some areas which are studied the best through dialogue, and I find the aspect of the dialogue to be crucial in learning, but I leave a lot of dry practice and reading/preparation for the dialogue for the independent work. And yep, I also started them working partially independently pretty much right away, since they could read well.

[LisaKinVA]

It depends upon the individual child. My 5th grader should be able to do most of his work independently, but won't. My 2nd grader will do most of her work independently, and does. My 1st grader, on certain subjects can be given just an introduction and then can complete assignments independently.

 

I think something is wrong with my 5th grader. :glare:

 

I will say, that by 6th grade students are really transitioning into the reading to learn stage. Some students can make this leap earlier -- and obviously others later -- than others. But I'd say somewhere around 11-12 years old.

 

As far as independent reading goes, all three of mine will read very well independently. They still "need" me to model some reading things (for example, by my reading aloud I teach them how to make funny voices, change them for different characters, model proper pauses at commas and periods... things like that), but they don't need my help really decoding anything.

[Starr]

We always did science and history together. It was more fun that way even though they read well. I'm not sure ds will ever want to do all of his work independently but he has a few more years before he graduates. :)

[lllll]

...

[Tree House Academy]

My 5th grader (10.8 yrs) is almost 100% independent. He reads to me, we go over English (R&S) together and do oral drill, and we do music together once a week. Otherwise, I only am there to answer questions and help when needed.

 

My 1st grader (6.7) is working toward independence. He does handwriting, thinking skills, and science/social studies (CLE workbook) by himself with me sitting close by. He can do French by himself too (CD ROM does most of the teaching). He reads all sentences in his work - be it Science, English, etc. I do not read to him except for HOD's History/Bible devotion (which are in books from CLP 3rd grade). For math, I make sure he knows what he is doing in each section and then I sit by him while he works through the problems so he can ask any questions. I guess he is "working toward independence" already.

[Meriwether]

I think it depends a lot on the child. I also think it depends on the situation you are in. My 6 year old is somewhat independent. I try to have her work organized workbox style. I teach her math and grammar most of the time. I try to do a little spelling and history with her. I'll answer specific questions if she has them. I look over her work periodically to make sure she is using complete sentences. Every once in a while she will tell me I ought to read her reading assignment because it is a good story. For her, it is combination of readiness and necessity. I wish I could have worked with her more this year, but it was a crazy year. Hopefully, we will do more together this summer and next year. My 5 year old would sit for an hour waiting for me to give him instructions. He won't be independent any time soon.

[Reya]

My DS was doing a LOT independently this last year--that he now needs a little help on (with, honestly, more appropriately challenging materials)!

 

This last year:

Reading: Independent, with discussion.

Composition: Independent. I just reviewed. (I used prompts--some mine, some from a creative writing book--just to get him used to formulating ideas on paper.)

SWO C: Independent. I just checked it and helped when he got stuck.

GWG 2: Independent. I just checked it.

Handwriting: Independent, with checking.

RS E, SM 4-6: Pretty darned hands-on for me to prevent daydreaming.

Science: Independent 4 days out of 5.

History: Independent, with discussion.

Latin: Hands-on 50% of the time.

Spanish: Hands-on 90% of the time.

Art: Taught lesson, followed by independent work.

Violin: Hands-on 90% of the time. (No self-discipline to self-correct yet.)

Bible: One hands-on curriculum (1xweek) and independent Bible reading, with discussion.

 

This makes it look like DS just happily works away on his own. That's not true. The absolute longest he can go without checking is 15 minutes, and 10 is better. For some things, 5 is a pipe dream. And transitions often take a lot of pushing to avoid him flaking out and staring at the ceiling for an hour.

 

This next year it's:

 

Reading: Independent, with discussion.

Classical Composition: This is going to be really teacher-intensive at first.

Pollard's Spellers: I'm going to have to teach a lesson first.

GWG 6: I have to teach the lesson here.

Handwriting: Independent, with checking.

NEM 1: Much more independent. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Science: Independent 4 days out of 5.

History: Independent, with discussion.

Latin: Hands-on 50% of the time.

Spanish: Hands-on 90% of the time.

Art: Teach lesson, followed by independent work.

Violin: Hands-on 70% of the time. (Moving there... I want 25%.)

Bible: One hands-on curriculum (1xweek) and independent Bible reading, with discussion.

Mandarin: NOT taught by me, mostly

Piano: Hoping 50% me

 

The goal for the next year is to finish GWG 6 and with any luck AG (and drop grammar from the curriculum), to finish Pollard's Synthetic Speller (100 pages and about that many days) and start the Advanced Speller (404 lessons). Once we drop spelling and grammar, we'll have space for a vocab program (DS's dyslexia makes it more useful than usual) and the rest will be eaten by more time reading and writing. DS will probably finish Classical Composition 1 this year, too. (Not something that's for every child, but with his particular needs, it is a good choice.)

 

We'll probably finish NEM 1, too, and be well into NEM 2, as right now the first part, which supposedly takes the longest, is taking no more than 3 days per lesson and more often 2. We'll definitely finish Cambridge Latin 1 and will get lots of time for extra reading as well as get well into Cambridge Latin 2. Spanish...ah, Spanish is truly plodding, but I go the speed of the student.

[kalanamak]

Mine just started about a week ago! I get him started and he asks me to "do the laundry" and to "see if he can be done by the time I get back". This is new and exciting for both of us. I'm getting all my blinds dusted! However, if the math is tricky, I spend more time going back and forth....so it might not be the deal I was hoping for.:D

[Peela]

Honestly? My dd15 has always been able to work independently- she started homeschooling at age 9. But she needs some contact and interaction or it's just too lonely for her.

Ds14- only this year could I say he has basically started working mostly independently. I remember asking on these boards when he was 9, 10 , 11- when will he work independently? I stopped asking eventually. Yes, he has become gradually more independent, but his problem isnt really doing the work- it's a great difficulty with reading instructions, so how the work is presented makes all the difference for him. And me going over his work with him beforehand makes a big difference.

I would try and find a balance because I know that some kids might prefer to sit alone and plough through their work daily...but I honestly think thats a lonely way to live, and a bit of a cop out for the mum too. Yes, the kid might be "independent" and that is a wonderful thing. But just because one can work alone, doesnt mean one necessarily should, all day. (I do know some kids who do that and the mum is off doing other things all day).

I very much value our daily together time, and the more I stay in touch with my kids' work, the better they do- who wants to just work work work, get marked, then do it again the next day? But I do realise there is that other end of the spectrum where one just wants to be able to sit down and not be "teaching" all the time, because it is exhausting. It will happen. I just dont think its good to let go of the reins completely while kids are still homeschooling.