If anyone is successfully hs'ing two dc that are 3-5 yrs apart, how do you work it?

[HappyGrace]

I'd love any tips-I am sinking over here! They are just too far apart to do together, but I am a very hands-on teacher and there aren't enough hours in the day to teach like I prefer. Help!

[Guest Momlovesbooks]

Mine are 5th, 1st and a 4yo Prek

 

Here is our current schedule:

 

 

730- do school with ds#3 (PHonics Pathways and EarlyBird Math)

8am-Ds#1 and #2 wake up/dress/teeth

Eat Breakfast (mom reads Bible devotional while kids eat)

8:30- School starts and goes til 12 when we break for Lunch

 

830- All kids do Bible reading with mom

8:45- ds#1 L.A. ds#2 Math ds#3 puzzles and plays with counting frogs

9:30- ds#1 History ds#2 LA ds#3 Handwriting and drawing

10:05- ds#1 Science ds#2 History ds#3 watches LeapFrog/educational

11- ds#1 math ds#2 Science ds#3 joins in on science with ds#2

Ds#2 and #3 have free time until lunch

12Lunch (mom reads aloud while kids eat) Usually a choice for ds#3

1230-130 Outside time/ Nature Study

130-2 Music/art rotation

2-230- Silent reading for all 3 ds#3 will look at picture books quietly

230-3pm- Geography lesson and start any projects/experiments

 

Ds#3 goes to bed at 730

Mom reads aloud any history or reading books for ds#1 and ds#2

Ds#1 and #2 in bed at 8:30

Mom FREE

 

 

 

Ds#1 does history and science pretty independently using living books and written narrations. I still have to supervise and participate in all things with ds#2.

[2_girls_mommy]

How old are you talking about? I have 2 that are 3 grade levels apart in some things. I would say we have been successful. But my youngest is a 1st grader. What works for me wouldn't apply to someone doing upper elem. or logic stage work...

[rowan25]

:bigear:

 

I have a 3 year old, who only plays at school right now, and an almost 7 year old. While it isn't a problem now, I can see that it will be soon since my son will soon need/want more individual attention. I'll be following this thread with interest and a pencil!!

[Veritaserum]

I prioritize what needs my attention (skill subjects like math and language arts). I have them work independently on content areas (history, reading literature, etc.). I check in with them after their independent work, but with four kids doing school, there are not enough hours to teach every single subject.

[mom2bee]

Removed by the Author.

[AngelBee]

I'd love any tips-I am sinking over here! They are just too far apart to do together, but I am a very hands-on teacher and there aren't enough hours in the day to teach like I prefer. Help!

How old are your children?

[shanvan]

nm- hit post too soon

[SnowWhite]

I have fourth, first (on the young side, Sept. birthday) and a 20 month toddler.

 

We do devotional time together, but ds9.5 reads a Psalm on his own and ds6 reads a Bible Story to me. Then we do WinterPromise Sea and Sky with Younger Learner Guide. I eliminated a couple tough resources (they were tough for me even), and we are sharing one of the YLG resources (Scholastic Ocean Atlas). Ds6 listens in to the read-aloud, Pagoo, Ships, Awesome Ocean Science, and Tools of Navigation. He also helps out with the hands on stuff. Ds9 does Oceans for Every Kid and Planet Earth with me and ds6 starts his handwriting. Ds9 listens in or reads aloud to ds6 most of the YLG resources.

 

The boys do their "basic" studies fairly independently, and I alternate between them with my assistance (giving a math demonstration/lesson, pronouncing phonics words, dictating passages to ds9, listening to the boys read aloud).

 

All through this time, I am juggling ds 20 months. He sits on my hip, is read aloud a story when I have a moment, nurses when he insists on it.

[shanvan]

As others have posted, I'd need to know ages to give a good answer.

 

I was over my head at one point with the same age difference. I had to ..

 

1. Carefully consider if there were any subjects that could be combined.

With the ability difference I am finding that I am not able to combine much. One child always suffers with combining. Either the youngest is being rushed or the oldest is being held back and bored.

 

2. Decide which areas were priorities for each child for the year.

 

3. Decide which subjects absolutely had to be taught by me and consider curriculum that is more independent. I say consider b/c I find everything goes better when I actually teach. Out of necessity I have DS (12) doing some subjects more independently than I would like.

 

4. List areas of quality independent practice that could be done without me while I am working with the other child. For us these were things like:

 

- online math drill

- piano practice

- memory work

- Vocab (for DS who is 12)

- practice of previously taught handwriting and spelling

- independent reading - literature and sometimes in content areas like science & history

 

The possibilities grow as the child gets older and more able to handle independent work.

 

5. Design a schedule that does not include every subject everyday. For example, for spelling I meet with each child for actual teaching and review twice a week. The other days are all independent assignments. I do much the same with science.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Shannon

 

 

[prairie rose]

I found 3 to 5 years apart a manageable gap. My first three kids are all within in 3 years, I had 3 kids under 3yo at one time. They were very easy to work together on almost everything and only separate out when they had a significant difference in ability. The younger two of the first three (child #2 and child #3) still work together on many subjects as they are only 13 months difference in age.

 

My third child and my fourth child are almost 5 years apart (4 years and 10 months) This gap was a little tougher but I've still had them work together on some things. I just have different expectations for the older one. The younger one might narrate to me and draw a picture of what we read while the older one writes a paragraph on some extra research. But they both listened to the same main lesson.

 

When you say you are a "hands on teacher" do you mean that you like teaching with games and manipulatives? Do you mean that you prefer to teach rather than have them work independently? Also what ages are we talking about? If you have lots of littles (say 3rd grade and below) and are having trouble having enough time in the day, it's time to take a look at what is taking so much time and perhaps consolidate and cull unnecessary time eaters. If you have a 1st grader and a 6th grader, maybe it's time to start having the older one do some work independently and prioritize which subjects get hands on teaching. Sometimes there just not enough hours in the day to teach everything to everyone in a hands on manner so you have to decide which subjects and students get the most benefit from the hands on approach and streamline the rest.

[Verity]

I have a 6th grader, 3rd grader and a pre-Ker. The older boys both have some learning disabilities, ADD and fine motor skills which effect their writing ability; so they require alot of hands on and side-by-side work from me. The only way I can manage and keep sane is by combining everything possible.

 

Both boys listen to Bible readings together, then I ask leveled questions (meaning tougher ones for the older and easier for the younger). Same with Music Appreciation. I allow my older son to help teach the younger in the sense that he sometimes explains concepts, which in turn cements his understanding as well. We do some history together, I read SotW to both with the leveled questions, my younger does the narrations and colors pages. My older answers questions and is also doing outlining in the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia and following History Odyssey. I just match up the SotW to the History Odyssey for the most part.

 

They both do FLL and WWE at their own levels, I just take turns working with each, my younger will sometimes take a break and build legos, go outside to swing or work on a math sheet while I do LA with my older, then the older might be doing an outline or math while I work with the younger.

 

We do Noeo Chemistry together, I expect exposure and the occasional note page (a drawing and a few words) from my younger, my older I quiz for understanding and he does some vocabulary. They both get to observe the experiments.

 

Math and Latin are separate but I use fairly simple curricula to teach those: Math U See (the dvd does the initial teaching, I reinforce and assist) and Latin for Children (again using a DVD), we chant together and it's great because the chants for the younger son are a review for the older son while my younger heard this all last year when my older was doing level A. So far that is working out pretty well.

 

I do read alouds with the whole family. Both boys have their own assigned reading books that we discuss individually, both are learning the recorder, we do our practice before dinner, sometimes while I'm cooking, usually separately - and that's the day. Basically I ping pong back and forth. With the ADD if I let one go for long they are completely gone and it's nearly impossible to get back on track for the day.

[heritagelearningacademy]

I have an almost 11 year old (5th grade) and a 7 year old (1st grade) an almsot 4 year old. The little one goes to preschool two mornings a week outside of the house. We get LOTS done then. LOL

 

My oldest does a computer math program and so that is easy to start him and it grades him. It has been great. The other subjects I start him and he is very independent. It works well. And, the past month he has just really figured out if I don't mess around and get my work done I get more free time. So, that has been a HUGE blessing.

 

My 1st grader works with me. But, we have shifted to my showing him what to do and I step away for a minute and I discovered he really can do it. When I sat there with him, he wanted more of my help. So, that has been helpful with math worksheets, spelling worksheets and even some copy work. He reads out loud for social studies and reading and so that has to be a dedicated time.

 

Our challenge is my youngest who sometimes wants all my attention. The computer is her "school" work during some of these times. I have also had my older help play with her too.

 

I think it would be much more challenging with a young toddler like yours. Maybe your oldest can play some to occupy?

 

I have found when we really focused on getting my oldest two to work more independently they have thrived. I do hands on with them too, but they like to feel independent so it has been a good balance that does actually free me up a little more to interact with youngest.

[Dolphin]

I have a 3 year old and a third grader. I have been spending a lot of time this year (and probably next) try to teach him to teach himself. I am still doing a lot with him, but I want him to be able to do an hour alone a day in fourth grade so I can work with my PreK daughter, and and hour and a half by 5th etc...

 

I will be watching this thread with interest.

 

Nicole

[redsquirrel]

I have a fifth grader (about to be 11) and a sort of kindy (just turned 6 two weeks ago).

 

We do school 5 days a week. We tend to be in the same space together. I have to leave a couple days a week to take the younger child to our local public school (around the corner) for speech and OT.

 

I have some subjects, such as logic and spelling that the older child does on his own while I work individually with the younger. While the elder child does his math work, I get a good amount of time with the younger but I am right there if needed. Later in the day, the younger child draws, plays with legos etc, etc while I work one on one with the elder. When I take the younger child to his therapies, the elder child is able to do his reading, music practice etc in the quiet.

 

I have them on the same history cycle. I have the kindy kid doing ancient history with SOTW. He loves it and was NOT going to sit that out, lol. He also joins in for lots of the elder child's science stuff. I also have him do his own stuff, as per TWTM, but he enjoys watching big brother dissect stuff.

 

Honestly, I find it very easy. It flows beautifully. Our day fits together like a puzzle, lol. Now, if they were two years apart, it would be more challenging.

[laughing lioness]

All of my kids are 3-5 years apart. My youngest is now 8 and I am also schooling an 11 yo and a 16 yo. We've followed this basic schedule for about 20 years, including the first 2 years we homeschooled when I ran a full time day care for 7 other children.

Having a toddler mucks it up quite a bit as toddlers are busy doing the toddler thang ;)

 

Breakfast and chores first.

We do skills in the morning at the table together. Kids have to focus. 3/4 year olds and up are invited to the table, and included in all memory work. I also make sure I have Kumon workbooks, Usborne mazes, dot-to-dots, Get Ready for the Code, etc. so that get the sense that they are included. I don't allow a lot of cross-talk or jabbering. I remind the kids to focus on their work during this time. They can talk about the subject but the goal is for them to stay on task. As I only have 2 that need real hands on help right now I sit at the end of the table and they are on either side of me. When I had 4 kids needing help we all worked in the dining room/living room and I helped as needed. My 16 yo and I go over his work for the week and break it down by day 1/week. He works in the dining rooom area with us unless the younger kids and I are making too much noise. Memory work (which we often do together, even the older kids who are way past the grammar stage), math, english, workbooks.

Content in afternoon with kids in the living room, dining room and their rooms- History, science, reading, Bible, Read alouds (or we'll do our read-aloud in the evening together depending on what we are reading).

CD's for breakfast, lunch or afternoons: grammar, poetry, history, CC cd's. Legos/playmobile and sketch books are welcome during read-alouds as long as the kids can narrate back and aren't being disruptive with their toys.

 

All of my kids are always on the same history cycle. We have SOTW and CC cd's for that history cycle that are req'd school work for the year.

We start at different times each day due to my dh's schedule.

Edited February 7, 2011 by laughing lioness

[mominbc]

My children are 17,13,6,2 and we have always homeschooled. When the older 2 were younger I focused science and history on the older and added in some easier books on the topic and some hands on things for my daughter to do. We did a lot of fun kits so she enjoyed them too. As the my oldest got older and more independent I spent more time with my daughter and even did an animal unit that included my son who was 4 and she was 11. I did the core subjects separately but found if I catered to the oldest always, the younger sits in and learns too. That's just how I did it and kept sane. It is definitely do-able :)

[8filltheheart]

I work with one and then they go and do their assignment for that subject and then I work with another and keep rotating through. I have only ever managed to combine kids successfully the very ood yr. 2 of my kids combined in math for 3 1/2 yrs until the younger one that had caught up with the older one ended up flying by her. This yr I combined my 3rd and 6th grader for Further Up Further In and history. I could only do that b/c my 3rd grader is an incredibly strong reader and has a large vocab.

 

But......for the most part it is more about pre-planning, time management, and rotation.

[----]

I had a moment the other day when I was almost in tears with the thought of trying to pull everything together for a 6th, 3rd, and K in a few years. Not sure how I'm going to do that, so I'm watching and listening with interest.

[HappyGrace]

Thanks for the ideas so far! I have an advanced 5th grader and on level 2nd grader. We do skills in a.m. (separately) and content in afternoon. Can't do content together, I found-older gets bored and younger gets lost.

 

By hands on, I mean I like to teach them-I like interactive programs like PR, TOG, R+S English, and teaching them the math-I guess I mean I like to "tutor" or "disciple" through the subjects rather than turn them loose to just figure it out independently. The learning is so much more rich that way (for us) and we enjoy the interaction.

 

I do about an hour and a half in the a.m of skills with each one individually; meanwhile the other one works independently. Younger can only do a few things independently so far though so he doesn't do much during his "independent time", which is ok, I guess.

 

I want to follow rabbit trails on content stuff together and then have them write or notebook about it on their own level, etc, but tried that with TOG and it doesn't work. They are just way too far apart in levels.

 

Younger needs tons of time with me in skill areas and is begging for more content-he is not a fluent enough reader/student to do much on his own yet-he is excited to learn and I am guilty to push him off. Older is ready for serious meat/discussion, etc. I am blessed to have motivated learners but constantly feel torn.

 

I basically love to teach/explore learning with them-and that works so well for them too and is the way I envisioned hs'ing-but I can't do that all day for each one individually and I don't know how to teach other than that way!

Edited February 7, 2011 by HappyGrace

[Karis]

I'd love any tips-I am sinking over here! They are just too far apart to do together, but I am a very hands-on teacher and there aren't enough hours in the day to teach like I prefer. Help!

 

 

We study the same sequence/ time period for history and science. But each child works on their level.

 

Math is individualized, of course.

 

I add books, activities, any extras that will support what we are learning.

[FO4UR]

:bigear: Mine are all 3 within 3.5 years of each other. My middle dd is on level with my older in LA (surpassed him in reading level), and she's behind him in math. My little guy is just now reading CVC words and hasn't started any formal math...I have a feeling the next 3 years are going to be a game of one leaping ahead after another after another after another...

 

 

I hear you on wanting to teach more hands-on, following those interests. I am :bigear: to this thread...but I'm taking a guess that that those rabbit trails are going to have to either be something the dc do fairly independently and you become a facilitator and cheerleader (giving you time to focus on the basics for them both), something they take turns doing (one week you do a project child A desires, and the next week you read about a topic child B desires), or something that sends you to the looney bin.:tongue_smilie:

 

 

I keep holding on to the thought that as they get older and more independent, this HSing thing gets easier...(but I have to stay away from the high school board in order to believe it:lol:)

 

Can you simplify other parts of your life? Cut outside activity that isn't as fulfilling as the rabbit trails??? just a thought

[EKS]

I used to bounce back a forth between them when my older one needed me more often, but now I teach the younger one in the morning and the older one in the afternoon and it works great. The older one works independently in the morning.

[melmichigan]

I am currently teaching four DC at three and a half levels (;) I can combine my twins for some things). We are using TOG which has helped a lot this year, and moving into PR from a combination of other programs to help streamline my day. I teach everything fairly teacher intensive and it is just a juggling game from breakfast until dinner. :lol: The only thing that helps save my sanity is to do a lot of planning and self teaching ahead of the game. I try and organize as much as possible during breaks and spend time each weekend going through everything for the coming week so that it is all ready to open and go.

[Crimson Wife]

I've got an advanced 3rd grader and a young K5 student. For science & history they study the same basic topic but at different levels. So for example, right now we're studying the American Revolution. I read aloud a picture book biography of George Washington to both. DS then colored a coloring page portrait and practiced printing the name "George Washington". I assigned a chapter book biography to DD plus a paragraph book report.

[agst1967]

I have a 3rd grade/1st grade/PK

 

And I have found myself juggling a lot, too!! I have been thinking about next year when my youngest will require more "school" time with Phonics and math (This year we are just doing a letter a week)

 

I think I am going to teach in "blocks"...meaning I will cover the full day of lessons with oldest...math lesson/grammar/vocab, etc and allow about an hour-hour and a half and give him assignments for the day.

 

The younger two will be doing morning chores/watching an educational show/DVD while I am doing this...they may even still be eating breakfast.

 

Then, I will move on to the next one...doing our math lesson/phonics/grammar which should take about an hour and give him his assignments for the day.

 

I will then move to the youngest. Doing math/phonics/FIAR

 

I will, of course, be available to help if they need it on anything!

 

It will probably be lunch time by then.

 

After lunch we will all do our read aloud time and then history/latin/science on a rotational basis depending on the day.

 

If they are not done with the day's assignments, they will work on those after group learning.

 

I don't know if will work in reality, but it just seems a little more organized to me!

 

Alicia

[hmschooling]

I have a 1yo and 3 that I homeschool....they are 4, 7, and 9 (K4 to 4th grade). If not for Heart of Dakota...I would have sunk horribly long ago. I get the hands-on time, easy to follow plans, and I am able to do all those things I never thought we'd otherwise get to and be done with them around lunch time or shortly after. That's including breaks and nursing sessions with the 1yo.

[happypamama]

Mine are in 3rd and kindergarten this year (and a 2yo who thinks he needs to be included in everything). I get one of them started on something independent (either DD is reading on her own, or I get DS1 started on his writing/workbook pages for the day), and I work with the other for a bit (math for DD, reading lesson for DS1). We do history, literature, and science together. It's usually geared toward DD, with supplemental stuff that is more at DS1's level, and I do stop to explain things as needed. Some books are harder for DS1 to understand than others. And DD has more work than DS1, so he goes and plays or something while she finishes her work.

[patchfire]

My oldest two are 10 & nearly 6, so technically 5th grade & K. Both of them are working at least slightly ahead of grade level. Ds (nearly 6) has to have someone else in the room in order to get his work done. They don't have to be helping him or even sitting beside him, but either older dd or I need to be in the room or he loses all concentration.

 

What I've done:

• Ds has a few things that are very nearly busywork to do, so that I can grab the 5-10 minutes I need periodically to check in with dd. For instance, ds does a ReadyWriter drill every day. This is probably unnecessary for him, but at least it's developing a skill. Next year (1st), he'll do copywork every day, even when it's not scheduled in WWE.

• Dd works very independently for the most part; I spent the summer creating a sheet for each week of history, for example, and she works from each week's sheet. She also has a planner; each week has her assignments and outside activities written in it. Finally, she has a chore list for household tasks & music practice. The more that is pre-written, the more I can tell her "go do something from X."

• I outsourced logic for dd. Next year, I won't, so I'm outsourcing some other subject via online class, and possibly more than one.

• I compromised. In an ideal world, I would use AAS for all three kids. Ds doesn't *need* it, however, so he is using Spelling Workout. In the future, I'll go through the key cards and the red cards to make sure he knows them. I'm using the yellow phonogram cards already, but I don't have the time to use the full program with him. Dd NEEDS the full program. On the flip side, ds likes more interaction, so we're using Right Start math with him. Dd didn't need that interaction (and still doesn't), so she used Developmental Math, Miquon, and moved on to Keys to... and Life of Fred.

• The Schedule. I have a grid for each day, with three columns (dd, ds, and me). If I'm doing LA with dd, I can't be teaching math to ds at the same time. We may get "off schedule" insofar as the TIME which something takes place, but I try to keep the subjects matched. LA for dd is ds's mid-morning break, etc.

 

Because of the age spread, very little has been combined. We do listen to Classics for Kids, Classical Kids, and other music enrichment together. Dd has a more systematic music appreciation, but it's enough by itself for ds. Similarly, I do sometimes have dd read ds's history books to him (giving me time for a short break and/or time with younger dd, who's 2). They aren't really synced up in history (though they are both doing ancients this year, but they won't be on the same topic again until 2013-2014), but things like the "You Wouldn't Want to Be..." reinforce dd's learning without insulting her by assigning them. ;)

 

Basically, I work to have my kids more independent at earlier ages than a lot of people I see. It was inadvertent at first (I had a toddler when dd was in first grade, so I had to run after him at times), but now it's somewhat deliberate. I save my teaching time for the necessary subjects.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Block teaching helped me a lot. Have one do some drill or independent reading while you teach the other, then switch. You do the instruction, but not the work. You can even allow for one of them to sleep in while you get busy with the other. It helped a lot here. You can even go so far as to teach 2 lessons in one day and alternate who gets instruction on which day, with the 5th day for a family subject time.

 

So far as history and science pick a spine that is easy as the "intro" for the older, then send them on their way for independent work to solidify and build on what you learned.

[Tammyla]

I feel your pain....I struggled with this for years and finally had a light-bulb moment when ds, said..."Mom, I'm just not a morning person." I reluctantly...very reluctantly gave up my ideal schedule of both completing instructional time by lunch. Then they were working pretty much independently in the afternoon while I was free to cook, clean, run errands, and basically have some me time.

 

Mine both work better and prefer not to work in the same room. Different work areas helped a bunch when they were younger. My high schooler has a much longer day than her brother, so our current routine works for all of us. Her brother isn't disrupting her concentration. I do miss having my afternoon kind of free if neither needed homework help.:tongue_smilie:

 

I'd love any tips-I am sinking over here! They are just too far apart to do together, but I am a very hands-on teacher and there aren't enough hours in the day to teach like I prefer. Help!

[johnandtinagilbert]

Thanks for the ideas so far! I have an advanced 5th grader and on level 2nd grader. We do skills in a.m. (separately) and content in afternoon. Can't do content together, I found-older gets bored and younger gets lost.

 

By hands on, I mean I like to teach them-I like interactive programs like PR, TOG, R+S English, and teaching them the math-I guess I mean I like to "tutor" or "disciple" through the subjects rather than turn them loose to just figure it out independently. The learning is so much more rich that way (for us) and we enjoy the interaction.

 

I do about an hour and a half in the a.m of skills with each one individually; meanwhile the other one works independently. Younger can only do a few things independently so far though so he doesn't do much during his "independent time", which is ok, I guess.

 

I want to follow rabbit trails on content stuff together and then have them write or notebook about it on their own level, etc, but tried that with TOG and it doesn't work. They are just way too far apart in levels.

 

Younger needs tons of time with me in skill areas and is begging for more content-he is not a fluent enough reader/student to do much on his own yet-he is excited to learn and I am guilty to push him off. Older is ready for serious meat/discussion, etc. I am blessed to have motivated learners but constantly feel torn.

 

I basically love to teach/explore learning with them-and that works so well for them too and is the way I envisioned hs'ing-but I can't do that all day for each one individually and I don't know how to teach other than that way!

Since we use similar materials, may I suggest RS + PR in the morning and also math; TOG OR science in the afternoon. If you only do one or the other with the younger, you can focus on more with the older on the "off" times and still have an opportunity for both dc each day.

 

At the youngers age, you don't have to complete all areas of PR every day. My 3 days a week of each is going very well and will keep us on track to complete the program well.

 

Audio books help a great deal. Libravox is great. Something else I've done is record myself on cassette. It allows for me to insert questions where I would if I'm doing real alouds and also to reread important points. Both are good ways to add the rabbit trails. Videos can be nice here, too.

 

Once they get a little older, like D and R, it does become easier to put science and history a little closer together b/c the core content can be the same springboard, then the R have the independent study skills. It gets better once you don't have to hand hold in grammar stages. :grouphug:

[bnbacademy]

It was easiest for me to find a curriculum that included both dc. I have 2 boys, 3 years apart. During the younger years we did a unit study approach (Konos), now for history we are doing Winterpromise. We are also doing Chemistry together. All the other subjects are done with Mom input as needed.

 

Oh, workboxes has helped in organizing our day and fostered independence for both.

[robsiew]

I just moved everyone to working independently in all subjects. For the younger two we just read books in history and science and that's going really well. I base the history books off of what the older two are doing in SOTW3. So we do follow that progression. In science everyone is kind of doing something different. My oldest is doing ES Chemistry and loves it. He's independent with that. My dd is doing a lap book on Hummingbirds and she is very independent with that. The younger two I read books to. We are reading a fun chemistry book right now, but after that I'm just going to let them pick what they want to read about. I think the trick I figured out was to put more time into making sure the older two have "meaty" stuff to study and lighten up on the youngers. There is PLENTY of time for those younger guys... we focus in more on the 3R's with the younger ones. We also moved to a 2 day history/2 day science week and that's going really well. I don't feel like I have to get in both science and history every day. They do a bit more work each day, but overall that's been a big stress relief for me!

 

I see a lot of benefit to each doing his/her own work. I can customize the work for each age level. 5 years is a big gap. There's a huge difference between a K'er and a 4th grader! I was not doing either justice! Now, I feel like everyone gets the best I can give them. It really doesn't take any more time than it did before because I made sure the older two could be independent in both history and science... just checking in with me after they've completed the work. SOTW on audio has been the key for history!

 

I do school from 8:30-2:00/2:30 most days though... so it is a chunk of time! I figure as they get older they all get more and more independent in their work. I already see a difference in my oldest (10) this year.

[shanvan]

 

I see a lot of benefit to each doing his/her own work. I can customize the work for each age level. 5 years is a big gap. There's a huge difference between a K'er and a 4th grader! I was not doing either justice! Now, I feel like everyone gets the best I can give them.

 

:iagree:I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has come to this conclusion. Combining just was not the magic answer I thought it would be. We tried Apologia Elementary Series b/c I thought it would help me combine. It does not work well for us for various reasons (which were recently discussed in another thread by many.). I tried various other curricula that claim to be adaptable for all ages. Not many of them were a good solution because they offer no real help for the parent, just lots of ideas for extra assignments for the older DC--with no real guidelines. I do use TOG so that they can be on the same history rotation-- also because so much of the work is independent. That has been a huge help for me. But really, how can you combine a 7th grader who needs to get ready for high school with a 3rd grader who needs to work on reading comprehension. Recently I had been combining them for Latin, but I know DS would whip through the curriculum if I didn't have to set the pace for his younger sister; so, I think I'll be separating them so he can move along.

 

One last note--I have had to cut down significantly on our 'rabbit trails'. I now think carefully about what will need to be cut from the schedule in order to follow them. Sometimes, if I think it is worth it, we do them. I will say, that I notice my DC following their own rabbit trails in their free time anyway!

 

Sorry for rambling. I think there is a lot of good advice here for organizing your schedule to meet the needs of your DC.

Shannon

 

[HappyGrace]

I am grateful to have so many good ideas, thank you all! I am mulling this all over......

[Catherine]

I have only ever done history together, and even that, only superficially. Meaning, for the youngers, we RA or listen to the chapter in SOTW and discuss it or look things up, follow interests a bit, then separate them. Younger does maps, sometimes the questions from the AG orally, and sometimes some independent reading related to the chapter, and older reads KHE, then a combination of: maps, outlining, writing, extra reading, research, but only some of these.

 

They are currently fourth and eighth. Elder is away this year so will interrupt my perfect history-cycle planning LOL. I do math, grammar, Latin, WWE, spelling with younger, usually first, plus a short piano practice. Then math, chemistry, grammar, writing, with the older. I try to limit our together work to two hours daily with each, which seems more than ample but is sometimes difficult.

 

We do some together independent learning-looking up science youtubes, researching topics of interest together in the library or online, and basically, talk a lot. : )

[silliness7]

I tutor my children one-on-one in 2 hour shifts. They have a list of independent work to do when they are not being tutored.

 

I gave up on teaching any of them together even though they are close in age.

 

ETA: I'm reading backwards through the posts and read more of your situation. I like to guide my dc through their subjects, help them make connections, have thorough discussions, etc. I also like to drill them myself and not leave this to their own devices. There are many times I would like to spend longer than 2 hours but the time is just not there. I have to squeeze 5 kiddos in and rotate them through so that I see each 4 times a week. I recommend carving out a few hours for each child and seeing what you can get done with that time. You may be surprised how fast you can get through some things if you sit down in one spot with ALL your materials prepared to camp out thus freeing up time for those longer discussions and teaching times. Camping out eliminates the time spent to hunt down science stuff and then getting up to put them away only to shuffle around getting out the notebooking supplies. There is also a bit of trial and error figuring out how to be more efficient how to cut out unnecessary steps and also getting the dc proficient enough in certain skills to eventually launch it onto the independent list. I just launched my 3rd grader's cursive from tutoring to "homework" and now there is more time there for us to work on something new...probably geography...haven't decided yet.

Edited February 8, 2011 by silliness7

[Lovedtodeath]

I basically love to teach/explore learning with them-and that works so well for them too and is the way I envisioned hs'ing-but I can't do that all day for each one individually and I don't know how to teach other than that way!

My homeschooled kids are 5 years apart but Jake is still 3.

 

But... (skill areas) I have learned a lot about teaching a lesson and then letting DD finish working the page on her own, instead of sitting with her for the whole thing. When PR needs to be more independent I can have her watch the DVD (rare, but it has worked a couple of times) or copy the building code page, framing code page, or notebook page (not real often, but you can find some that will work well this way). I have also given her a list of the PR words for the week and had her mark them. She then has to tell me what the rule tunes are when she is done marking them. That way I get out of all of that dictation for the lesson. I still have to dictate for the spelling test. We still do the lessons in the interactive tutoring way most of the time, so it isn't the same as giving up and buying a workbook program, kwim?

 

For content subjects I read to her part of the time and I have her read it part of the time. Between history, science and read aloud I will find one of them to hand to her so that she will read it herself. That cuts my teaching time down. She then tells me what I missed in our read aloud, or makes a notebook page for history or science that day so that I know what it was about. This way she is not off on her own in any one subject... I am still involved most of the time.

 

I hope that helps a bit.

Edited February 8, 2011 by Lovedtodeath

[Lovedtodeath]

You may be surprised how fast you can get through some things if you sit down in one spot with ALL your materials prepared to camp out thus freeing up time for those longer discussions and teaching times. Camping out eliminates the time spent to hunt down science stuff and then getting up to put them away only to shuffle around getting out the notebooking supplies. There is also a bit of trial and error figuring out how to be more efficient how to cut out unnecessary steps and also getting the dc proficient enough in certain skills to eventually launch it onto the independent list.

:iagree:We have really whittled our time down by focusing on one area that day. For example, we will do 5 pages in math and skip history, then the next day we only do one page in math and do 2 days worth of history. Or we may do 3 days of science one day and 3 days of history the next. For PR we will do all of the spelling in 1-3 days, do the grammar in 2 days, and the literature in 1 day. Not switching subjects helps a lot!

 

I realized that when I homeschooled myself in high school this was exactly what I did. In fact, I would do a whole year's worth of one subject in only a couple of weeks. I never followed a schedule at all. I am just not a schedule follower.

[GothicHipChick]

All of my kids are 3-5 years apart. My youngest is now 8 and I am also schooling an 11 yo and a 16 yo. We've followed this basic schedule for about 20 years, including the first 2 years we homeschooled when I ran a full time day care for 7 other children.

Having a toddler mucks it up quite a bit as toddlers are busy doing the toddler thang ;)

 

Breakfast and chores first.

We do skills in the morning at the table together. Kids have to focus. 3/4 year olds and up are invited to the table, and included in all memory work. I also make sure I have Kumon workbooks, Usborne mazes, dot-to-dots, Get Ready for the Code, etc. so that get the sense that they are included. I don't allow a lot of cross-talk or jabbering. I remind the kids to focus on their work during this time. They can talk about the subject but the goal is for them to stay on task. As I only have 2 that need real hands on help right now I sit at the end of the table and they are on either side of me. When I had 4 kids needing help we all worked in the dining room/living room and I helped as needed. My 16 yo and I go over his work for the week and break it down by day 1/week. He works in the dining rooom area with us unless the younger kids and I are making too much noise. Memory work (which we often do together, even the older kids who are way past the grammar stage), math, english, workbooks.

Content in afternoon with kids in the living room, dining room and their rooms- History, science, reading, Bible, Read alouds (or we'll do our read-aloud in the evening together depending on what we are reading).

CD's for breakfast, lunch or afternoons: grammar, poetry, history, CC cd's. Legos/playmobile and sketch books are welcome during read-alouds as long as the kids can narrate back and aren't being disruptive with their toys.

 

All of my kids are always on the same history cycle. We have SOTW and CC cd's for that history cycle that are req'd school work for the year.

We start at different times each day due to my dh's schedule.

 

This is interesting. I'd like to try this at home. I usually do the "content" in the mornings and then by the time it hits afternoon, they all get the wiggles and want to play or chill out. Thanks for sharing! :)