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How do you juggle instruction for kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 4th grade? WTM, MFW...


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We've been using WTM since I started with my oldest 2 years ago. This fall, I'll be bringing my son into the mix. I'd like to have him do more of a self-directed kindergarten like my middle child did, but his personality wants more interactivity and structure, so I'm wondering how to divvy up instructional time between the three of them, since none are really at ages where they can do a whole lot independently apart from reading.

 

I'll be using SOTW 4 with my oldest (4th grade) and am thinking of dismissing the other two from school an hour early each day, so I can do that. After scouring the forums to research it (SOTW 4 is designed for upper elementary & middle school), I've decided to just not to do history with my younger two (I've had my now early first grader doing SOTW 3 with us this year and it's been a stretch, so basically I just make her listen to the reading and answer a few questions orally - sometimes she does the coloring sheet or copies her older sister's mapwork).

 

But even if I it do that, I'm still not sure how to juggle the other subjects. I can keep them together for science, but for language arts and math, they will all be at their own levels. I am using CLE math for the older two, as it has been working great, so it's mostly the language arts and Kindergarten instruction that I'm concerned about. I wish I could have my oldest do LA more independently since she is gifted in that area, but CLE LA is what we have now and I don't care for it. The other LA programs are more hands-on, so not sure what do with the younger ones while I do that with her, as I don't want to shorten the school day that much with my 2nd grader.

 

...So what ways have any of you figured out how to balance instruction time with independent work using WTM or MFW or another classical type curriculum with this set of ages? That's another dilemma I have - whether to keep with WTM or use more of a pre-planned program - Does MFW spell out what to do with each age group while working with the other?

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I have a master schedule that I write up each fall (and sometimes change after a month or two or a semester as things change) that has each of my "school kids" and me on it. Each kid can look at it and figure out what they should be working on and who gets Mom for direct teaching.

 

Now, my kids are the type who need Mom at their elbow at all times or their pencil doesn't work. My oldest, who is 9, is better about this now because we've been working on it a little at a time over the last couple of years.

 

For example, I can start Child #3 with a craft/coloring while Child #2 starts her 'review' page in Math. Generally, Child #2 will either not start until I get to her elbow or she'll start asking for help immediately. I'll spend 15-20 minutes teaching the math lesson while Child #1 does assigned reading or her piano practice. Child #3 is ready to run off to "imaginate" or play with a puzzle by then and Child #1 will start her math. While Child #2 attempts her math page(s), I'll get Child #1 off to a start on her math. I bob back and forth between these two while keeping the PlayDoh off the floor (Child #4) and putting Child #5 down for a nap (or trying to keep him from scribbling on the walls with pencil/markers/etc.).

 

I keep them all in the same area while we are working unless the older one wants to go into an adjacent room for some quiet. I stagger their start times some & having the schedule helps.

 

I will say that our "Kindergarten" is very unstructured and doesn't take more than 45 minutes right now unless it is "cooking class" day. We do fun stuff combined with a little math play (Miquon-style), a little phonics practice, and some writing with our fingers in sugar (much yummier to lick than salt).

 

Good luck with whatever you figure out. I think each household handles it differently.

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:bigear:

I've been homeschooling six years and each year it is harder and harder as I add another child into the mix.

 

I wish I had some answers for you.....the only thing that works is to multi-task in a BIG way!

 

Typically I am nursing a baby, giving a spelling quiz, dictating sentences, listening to one of my children read and answering math questions all at the same time....I am just slightly frazzled at the end of the day!;)

 

In all honesty, history and science were dropped mid-year this year! The basics were all that I had time or sanity for! ;)

 

Also, next year I am going to be utilizing some BobJones distance learning classes to help me out...we'll see how it goes!

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I currently have a 3rd grader (who's more like a late 4th grader), a 2nd grader and a K-er. I combine. In fact, this fall, the oldest two are going to travel the MFW track for a while together. :D The K-er loved MFW K, so she'll be continuing with MFW 1st. And the 3 yro...that's another story. :tongue_smilie:

 

I do lots of planning/organizing. I also spend part of the weekend getting stuff ready for the week (like right now!).

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I have a 2nd and 3rd grader this year. MFW has been a life saver for me, and it is VERY laid out. You can go to the site www.mfwbooks.com and see samples of the lesson plans, and how it's laid out. At the beginning of every week, there is a grid for the week, followed by written out instructions for each day of the week, as well as, a list of supplies that you'll need. This list is things that you will probably already have on hand.

 

On the grid I just pencil in whatever extras we need to do. Like last year when we were doing ADV and MFW 1st grade together.

 

It looks like for the next school year you will have a 4th grader, 2nd grader, and K'er. The K'er can do MFW K, or whatever else you have for them. MFW always will place your children in ECC before you go thru the chronological history cycle. This is good because the program is for 4-8 grade and 2nd graders with an older sibling in the program. SO that would be a great fit. We are doing ECC this year and it is wonderful!

 

In yrs 2-4 of the history cycle SOTW is scheduled. So you won't be missing out on that. I also like that you can go with MFW suggestions for LA and Math, but you could also choose to do the WTM recommendations, or whatever, as well. We do ECC with FLL, Saxon, Writing Strands, and Spelling Workout (which is an excellent program to use if you are combining students). Believe me, this is quite a well rounded program and thorough too!

 

Hope this helps!

Katherine

Edited by Cornerstone Classical
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This year, I have a 4th grader, a 2nd grader and a preKer who is more of a Ker. What I do (which works in spite of a crazy part-time work schedule for me) is this:

 

SL Core 4 for history, readers and readalouds - combine both boys and let the Ker listen in as she wishes. She picks up more than one would think about history. My boys share the readers since the 2nd grader is reading well above his grade level. One reads it and then passes it to the other one.

 

Apologia science (Botany and Astronomy this year) - We take this class in a co op but do the reading/questions at home. I read the chapter aloud and the boys answer the questions for their own notebooks at the same time. Ker listens as she desires.

 

Sequential Spelling - use this for both boys. They write on a white board.

 

Singapore math - each boy is on his own level, and I work individually with each, though sometimes they are able to complete workbook problems while I start working with the other. I use Essentials with my Ker and fit it in where we can. She is completely on track to finish books A and B by the end of the year, though.

 

FLL - I am currently doing three levels of FLL.:tongue_smilie: However, they are levels 1, 2, and 4. Levels 1 and 2 are mostly oral and take very little time. I work with each student individually.

 

WWE - Each of my boys is worked with individually. I have not started this program with my Ker. That will be next year. Then I will have three students using WWE.:D

 

I have worked with the K'er when I could here and there, with no set schedule, starting last summer using TYCTR in 100 EZ lessons. I don't love the book so am not recommending it, but indeed, with this slapdash method, she learned to read and has burned through most of the Bob books and is onto some SL K readers left over from my now 2nd grader.

 

Bible - Explorers Bible study - I read a passage and ask questions. All three kids listen. The K'er has some interesting answers.:D

 

All three are supposed to be doing handwriting. My boys are not doing it so they will be doing it this summer. (They know - their choice.;)) The K'er is doing handwriting, and I do work with her some. I also take her work to co op while we are waiting for her brothers to get out of class.

 

I hope you can glean something from that. As I write it out, it sounds like a lot, but in all actuality, it really balances out nicely.

 

Since I work part time, all of this is done on a weird schedule which changes every semester depending on my teaching schedule.

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I have a 2nd and 3rd grader this year. MFW has been a life saver for me, and it is VERY laid out. You can go to the site www.mfwbooks.com and see samples of the lesson plans, and how it's laid out. At the beginning of every week, there is a grid for the week, followed by written out instructions for each day of the week, as well as, a list of supplies that you'll need. This list is things that you will probably already have on hand.

 

On the grid I just pencil in whatever extras we need to do. Like last year when we were doing ADV and MFW 1st grade together.

 

It looks like for the next school year you will have a 4th grader, 2nd grader, and K'er. The K'er can do MFW K, or whatever else you have for them. MFW always will place your children in ECC before you go thru the chronological history cycle. This is good because the program is for 4-8 grade and 2nd graders with an older sibling in the program. SO that would be a great fit. We are doing ECC this year and it is wonderful!

 

In yrs 2-4 of the history cycle SOTW is scheduled. So you won't be missing out on that. I also like that you can go with MFW suggestions for LA and Math, but you could also choose to do the WTM recommendations, or whatever, as well. We do ECC with FLL, Saxon, Writing Strands, and Spelling Workout (which is an excellent program to use if you are combining students). Believe me, this is quite a well rounded program and thorough too!

 

Hope this helps!

Katherine

 

But I wouldn't be doing ECC with my 2nd grader since my 4th grader will be doing SOTW 4 (we really want to finish the series/cycle), and my K'er is too young. So I'm debating whether I want to do the special supplemental program for my 2nd grader (mostly read alouds - 2 from Little House - I was already planning to read them the whole series). Do they show you how to schedule that in the grid, like with what the 4th grader and K'er are supposed to be doing during that time? I suppose I could do ECC with my 2nd grader instead, but again, I'm not sure how to juggle all that...unless it's built into the grid - guess I need to go check the samples...

 

We use FLL and Spelling Workout, although midway through this year, my oldest made it clear she was sick of both - the former being too easy and with her being too advanced in the latter (she was on par with the spelling words but the exercises were designed for a 5th grader).

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Carol, I don't know as much about Sonlight - I should probably revisit it since it's been a while. I had planned on keeping my 2nd grader with us in history, but when I found out that SOTW 4 had more mature elements and was designed for 4th-8th grade, I didn't think it would be a good idea...also because my "soft" second grader (she's young for her grade) is not in love with history, as a lot of it is over her head in SOTW 3 (which, I now know, is also geared toward upper elementary but doesn't have the gritty stuff of SOTW 4).

 

I wanted to continue with Apologia Science as we have been using it the past year and a half, but their chemistry/physics book isn't coming out until a year from now, and I really want to stick with the WTM cycle, which we already deviated from this year by not doing chemistry (I was stalling, hoping the Apologia book would come out sooner, so meanwhile doing more of the animal books), so I have to combine those for next year...which I know MFW does, so that's partly why I'm considering that option.

 

When you do FLL or WWE with one, what are the others doing?

 

I feel that if I have to do history and language arts all separately, as well as a possible K program, it's going to get dicey. I don't want to compromise with history as I'm set on finishing SOTW, so I'm still leaning toward just dismissing the younger two early (no history or social studies for them) while I do that with my oldest. Language Arts is the area where I'm the most puzzled as to how to juggle (or even what to use because of the issues I've had - see my previous post in this thread).

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But I wouldn't be doing ECC with my 2nd grader since my 4th grader will be doing SOTW 4 (we really want to finish the series/cycle), and my K'er is too young. So I'm debating whether I want to do the special supplemental program for my 2nd grader (mostly read alouds - 2 from Little House - I was already planning to read them the whole series). Do they show you how to schedule that in the grid, like with what the 4th grader and K'er are supposed to be doing during that time? I suppose I could do ECC with my 2nd grader instead, but again, I'm not sure how to juggle all that...unless it's built into the grid - guess I need to go check the samples...

 

We use FLL and Spelling Workout, although midway through this year, my oldest made it clear she was sick of both - the former being too easy and with her being too advanced in the latter (she was on par with the spelling words but the exercises were designed for a 5th grader).

 

Whatever you do, you really need to combine as much as possible. You could combine either set, but probably the 2 oldest would be best for now. I would not do ECC and mfw 1850. Do you know what your LA plan is? We do individual LA and math, then combine for mfw. I have a little bit of a rotation, where I start LA with one while the other is dressing/brushing teeth/playing. Then I flip. Then I start math with one, while the other is doing their silent reading. Flip. Then we have snack, mfw, lunch, any stray subjects. When K was home, I would start with her and let the other 2 play. Once she was on her way, I would work with them. Does that help at all, lol? The juggling act is one of the many learning curves of hsing!

 

[Remind me to pull out my mfw stuff on Friday. Also, Holly has mfw K. You might want to ask her if you can look it over. I have mfw 1st and adventures on my shelf right now.]

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I am worried about combining all of my kids as well (although we are just starting out). My kids will all be two years apart in school too. I got some good advice at the HS convention this year because I went to a talk about HSing multiple kids. One of the best things I heard was to have the olders read to the littles in at least one subject to give you a break to do other things. Also the 4th grader should be able to start doing some independent work. If your Ker is anything like mine, you will need to do a lot of hand holding! Best of luck. Let me know if you find something that works so I can use it too!

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Whatever you do, you really need to combine as much as possible. You could combine either set, but probably the 2 oldest would be best for now. I would not do ECC and mfw 1850. Do you know what your LA plan is? We do individual LA and math, then combine for mfw. I have a little bit of a rotation, where I start LA with one while the other is dressing/brushing teeth/playing. Then I flip. Then I start math with one, while the other is doing their silent reading. Flip. Then we have snack, mfw, lunch, any stray subjects. When K was home, I would start with her and let the other 2 play. Once she was on her way, I would work with them. Does that help at all, lol? The juggling act is one of the many learning curves of hsing!

 

[Remind me to pull out my mfw stuff on Friday. Also, Holly has mfw K. You might want to ask her if you can look it over. I have mfw 1st and adventures on my shelf right now.]

 

When it comes to ideas, I'm out of the box and all over the map, but when it comes to putting them action, I tend to be very linear...so this whole notion of doing a rotation freaks me out a little, but it also sounds smart. It's probably what I'll have to do since it doesn't seem like I can find an LA program (or combo) that I like which my 4th grader can do mostly independently...then again, maybe FLL 4 is more like that, what with the workbook and all (it's just that she didn't like FLL 3).

 

I want to keep the two girls closer together, but I just know my youngest won't tolerate being excluded - he's already insisting on being part of everything they're doing, so that will be a challenge...

 

I talked with Holly today about MFW and she said she'll bring it Tuesday. And I'll definitely check out what you've got on Friday. Maybe I'll get even more ideas from our curriculum party at the end of the month. Thanks Shannon :)

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I am worried about combining all of my kids as well (although we are just starting out). My kids will all be two years apart in school too. I got some good advice at the HS convention this year because I went to a talk about HSing multiple kids. One of the best things I heard was to have the olders read to the littles in at least one subject to give you a break to do other things. Also the 4th grader should be able to start doing some independent work. If your Ker is anything like mine, you will need to do a lot of hand holding! Best of luck. Let me know if you find something that works so I can use it too!

 

I actually tried that a little because my youngest really wanted to be included in science, so I had my oldest read to him from our Apologia book (not that he understood any of it!). The problem there is that my oldest and youngest have trouble getting along. My middle child is the more mothering one and actually closer in age with my youngest, so I might try having her read some to him. Both my girls are excellent readers, so it seems worth a try...especially since I get tired of all that reading, but at the same time, I don't want to miss out on anything! So many paradoxes, so little time :lol:

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I'm linear too. I never thought of it that way before, but I am. Rotating between kids is a last resort for me. I'm sure I will get there with 5 dc, but I will go kicking and screaming!!

 

My plan for next year looks similar to what we are doing this year. I will get my 4th grader going with her independent work first. Then I will spend 30 min with my Ker. When he's done, I will spend 60-90 minutes with my 2nd grader. My 2nd grader will be released to do his independent work (basically just copywork), and I will work with my 4th grader. I will cover language arts, math, and handwriting with each of them individually. My 4th grader will cover literature, history, and geography through independent reading. BFSU will be done all together once or twice a week. The others will get some history via read alouds, and they will get religion and literature via bedtime read alouds.

 

Maybe I could have my 2nd grader read to my littlest two while I work with my Ker. Hmmm....that idea has promise.

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I'm linear too. I never thought of it that way before, but I am. Rotating between kids is a last resort for me. I'm sure I will get there with 5 dc, but I will go kicking and screaming!!

 

My plan for next year looks similar to what we are doing this year. I will get my 4th grader going with her independent work first. Then I will spend 30 min with my Ker. When he's done, I will spend 60-90 minutes with my 2nd grader. My 2nd grader will be released to do his independent work (basically just copywork), and I will work with my 4th grader. I will cover language arts, math, and handwriting with each of them individually. My 4th grader will cover literature, history, and geography through independent reading. BFSU will be done all together once or twice a week. The others will get some history via read alouds, and they will get religion and literature via bedtime read alouds.

 

Maybe I could have my 2nd grader read to my littlest two while I work with my Ker. Hmmm....that idea has promise.

 

This is similar to how I think - thanks for brainstorming along with me :001_smile:

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For a few days of LA, you could have your K student read from Webster's Speller and occasionally spell a few while your older children work from it for spelling. Since it was designed for one-room schools, it is easy to use with multiple ages, they all share the syllable as the basis of the work. Here is my son's schedule and progress through Webster's Speller:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208407

 

I teach mine handwriting together on the white board, my son writes less than my daughter.

 

Also, I just folded him in to MFW for history, he does it lightly. I prefer to do phonics at my own pace and not use MFW K or 1st grade. (Next year for 1st grade he will do ECC lightly. I will scribe his narrations, for example.) He does the full Bible Study and full science because he likes science. He sometimes gets to wander off early for history.

 

:grouphug: Good luck getting something figured out that will work for you!

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We have used a MOTH schedule for the last three years with great success. This year I have a 6th, 4th, and 1st (plus the toddler). Here's last year's schedule with K, 3rd, and 5th.

 

I try to do as little juggling as possible around here. The idea behind the schedule is to help me focus on one child at a time for a set list of lessons. The better I focus, the better the school day goes. Bouncing back and forth between kids in an I'm available for whoever needs me capacity would drive me batty.

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Whatever you do, you really need to combine as much as possible. You could combine either set, but probably the 2 oldest would be best for now. I would not do ECC and mfw 1850. Do you know what your LA plan is? We do individual LA and math, then combine for mfw. I have a little bit of a rotation, where I start LA with one while the other is dressing/brushing teeth/playing. Then I flip. Then I start math with one, while the other is doing their silent reading. Flip. Then we have snack, mfw, lunch, any stray subjects. When K was home, I would start with her and let the other 2 play. Once she was on her way, I would work with them. Does that help at all, lol? The juggling act is one of the many learning curves of hsing!

 

[Remind me to pull out my mfw stuff on Friday. Also, Holly has mfw K. You might want to ask her if you can look it over. I have mfw 1st and adventures on my shelf right now.]

Thanks for bringing validity to how I make homeschooling work. Sometimes I think... "If someone was watching me do this juggling act, it would probably look like chaos to them!"

 

But we make progress. Sometimes I not so sure how we make it but my kids know more than they did last year!

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This year I have a 5th, 3rd and 1st grader. Next year we will have a 6th, 4th, 2nd and K student. Here is what I do. On Monday I sit with my oldest for about 30 mintues and we discuss what he will be reading in history for the week. I give him his books with sticky notes on them with the page numbers. He decides how he will divide them up during the week.

 

During the week I start with the youngest first. All of the boys have different things they can do independently. They have two folders that I give them every day. They have a daily folder which I put all their work in they are expected to complete that day. Currently I will put their ETC work, Math sheets, any science reading I want them to do and worksheets, and handwriting sheets. Then they have a finished folder and they put their work in that folder and hand it to me at the end of the day to check.

 

I start instruction with the youngest first. Typically, I have to do more one on one the younger they are and as they get older they need less direct instruction. So I will start and we do OPG and then Math and handwriting together. I give him his math sheets and instructions (and unless I feel like he has been struggling) he does his math and ETC on his own.

 

Then I move on to the next child and we go through the same thing. At the end of instruction time, he will typically have (this is my 3rd grader now) handwriting, science worksheet, etc, math and a history and/or literature book to read.

 

Then I move to the oldest. It is a process to figure out what will work for you. I suggest that you search for loop scheduling here on the board. You can get a lot of great ideas of how to juggle all the children and the subjects you want to teach.

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Thanks for bringing validity to how I make homeschooling work. Sometimes I think... "If someone was watching me do this juggling act, it would probably look like chaos to them!"

 

But we make progress. Sometimes I not so sure how we make it but my kids know more than they did last year!

 

It's funny, because I looked at Deanna's schedule an all I see is a regular rotation of kids throughout the day. I think the only difference is the time interval. That said, I am SO not linear, I may be missing something.

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I'm schooling 4 K-4th grade. Our schedule has evolved a lot! This is pretty much what I do...

 

I usually spend about 1 hour per day with each child. One child want everything to be independent (and he works better that way) so I spend less time with him.

 

My 4th grader does almost everything independent. We use Math Mammoth for math... very independent. He reads and does grammar on his own. He listens to SOTW on CD, does a summary, map work and timeline all on his own. I do the review questions with him to make sure he understands. His summaries tell me that too. Science for him is also independent using Elemental Science. He does WWE4, spelling (AAS), and Latin (Latina Christiana I) with me. Next year I'm considering Spelling Workout for him, but he only has one level left in AAS so I may bite the bullet and just put in the time to finish the series with him.

 

My 3rd grader is less independent. I probably spend the most time with her. She does math, reading, grammar and sometimes science on her own. I have to read SOTW to her (the CD doesn't work for her) and sometimes we do science together. She does the map work with me, but narrates her history on her own. She also does spelling, Latin and WWE for writing with me.

 

My 1st grader is the most independent. He does spelling (SWO), grammar (GWG), reading, math all on his own. He does writing (WWE) and cursive work with me. He and his little brother watch Liberty's Kids for history and I read several books to them throughout the week that correspond with what we learn about on the show.

 

My youngest does reading (his reading program contains writing), and spelling and math with me. He reads on his own each day too.

 

I start all of this at 9:15am, we take 1/2 hour for lunch and we're done sometime between 2 and 3. It's a lot, but for us, the combining kids just didn't work. Next year will be a bit better with my youngest in 1st grade. He'll be able to do more independently.

 

Hope you find something that works well for you! :D

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I'm schooling 4 K-4th grade. Our schedule has evolved a lot! This is pretty much what I do...

 

I usually spend about 1 hour per day with each child. One child want everything to be independent (and he works better that way) so I spend less time with him.

 

My 4th grader does almost everything independent. We use Math Mammoth for math... very independent. He reads and does grammar on his own. He listens to SOTW on CD, does a summary, map work and timeline all on his own. I do the review questions with him to make sure he understands. His summaries tell me that too. Science for him is also independent using Elemental Science. He does WWE4, spelling (AAS), and Latin (Latina Christiana I) with me. Next year I'm considering Spelling Workout for him, but he only has one level left in AAS so I may bite the bullet and just put in the time to finish the series with him.

 

My 3rd grader is less independent. I probably spend the most time with her. She does math, reading, grammar and sometimes science on her own. I have to read SOTW to her (the CD doesn't work for her) and sometimes we do science together. She does the map work with me, but narrates her history on her own. She also does spelling, Latin and WWE for writing with me.

 

My 1st grader is the most independent. He does spelling (SWO), grammar (GWG), reading, math all on his own. He does writing (WWE) and cursive work with me. He and his little brother watch Liberty's Kids for history and I read several books to them throughout the week that correspond with what we learn about on the show.

 

My youngest does reading (his reading program contains writing), and spelling and math with me. He reads on his own each day too.

 

I start all of this at 9:15am, we take 1/2 hour for lunch and we're done sometime between 2 and 3. It's a lot, but for us, the combining kids just didn't work. Next year will be a bit better with my youngest in 1st grade. He'll be able to do more independently.

 

Hope you find something that works well for you! :D

 

Robyn, I just noticed you've taken the time to reply to several of my brainstorming threads, which I really appreciate. Our children are in the same age range and we seem similar in our classical approach, so thanks for helping me :001_smile:

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