LauraKay28 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I have 3 children (another one due in June), and the youngest does a few minutes of "preschool" every day, otherwise she's off playing either by herself or a neighbor. She's not my problem. I have a dd8 and a ds7 and they are nowhere near the same level in ANYTHING. So I can't really work with them together or things get too chaotic. So my question is, what kind of independent work can I give them to work on quietly while I work with the other? Since they are so young, we are concentrating on the basics, and I feel like I have to be with them every step of the way. I hate the idea of "busywork" but I don't want them off playing either, because then it's hard to get them back into school mode. Any ideas?? I do have my dd8 go read to herself for about 30 minutes, while I work on reading with my son, but other than that I am at a loss on how to schedule them! We don't do much in the way of workbooks except for math and ETC. Thanks in advance for any advice!! Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Copywork (you could try a copywork jar), typing (DS8 uses DanceMat Typing). Can they each take a bit of time to work with your youngest? You could try audiobooks as well. I purchased Miquon recently, I'm hoping they will do it mostly on their own. Now if they read well, they could do more. Math Mammoth is independent I've heard. Can you start one on a task then work with the other? I do this for math sometimes: go over the teacher's activities with them, then have them finish the worksheet alone (beside me, so they stay on task and can ask questions). You might want to look at Manages of Their Homes and make a schedule of who will be where. I'm not using mine right now, but I hope to be back on it next week. Things go SO much smoother when we stick to the schedule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 math worksheets, like MM or a Kumon book handwriting so long as they know they have to do their best independent reading written narrations (notebooking) What if you have one of them do all their work the first part of the day, then have to other do all their work. Whoever gets the second part of the day might be unfocused at first, but not for the whole time. Maybe you could start by reading aloud to them - a read aloud could be the last thing for the child who gets the first part of the day and the first thing for the child who gets the second part of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Copywork (you could try a copywork jar), typing (DS8 uses DanceMat Typing). Can they each take a bit of time to work with your youngest? You could try audiobooks as well. I purchased Miquon recently, I'm hoping they will do it mostly on their own. Now if they read well, they could do more. Math Mammoth is independent I've heard. Can you start one on a task then work with the other? I do this for math sometimes: go over the teacher's activities with them, then have them finish the worksheet alone (beside me, so they stay on task and can ask questions). You might want to look at Manages of Their Homes and make a schedule of who will be where. I'm not using mine right now, but I hope to be back on it next week. Things go SO much smoother when we stick to the schedule! We do this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I've never been able to combine any of my kids in anything either. :) We start with handwriting and a "daily journal" as independent work. The daily journal is just a composition notebook. This year, I found composition books with half at blank page at the top, and lines on the bottom. My 9yo son does his daily journal each day. He likes to write about the stuff we've done or are doing, and he draws a picture. "Today I have speedskating practice. I got my schoolwork done early." Once they can read independently, I have them read on their own for a bit each day. Then by about 2nd grade, I spend a short amount of math instructional time with them, then encourage them to "finish this page on your own." It does get easier as they get older. I remember feeling like a ping-pong ball when my older kids were younger! I had a tough time having them all at the same table, because they tended to be more interested in what each other was doing, rather than their own work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemLights Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I agree on the copywork - I use scripture or poem memorization that they are working on, but you could pick anything you like. Typing We do Rosetta Stone French - not very faithfully but I sometimes use it when I want them to stay in "school mode" but can't give them my attention right then. Reading to the younger is great also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 My first grader can do a good bit independently, with a good bit of supervision: independent reading handwriting practice/ copywork (with strict instructions on doing best, and things to watch for, like tall letters touching lines) reading comprehension workbook (I use Rod and Staff partly because it teaches those sorts of skills) math fact practice (worksheet or MUS drill on computer) finish math work on her own Daily Geography worksheets or games on Sheppard Software She can do some reading on a topic for science or history. some piano practice drawing/ Draw Write Now typing some Spanish (watching videos, simple worksheets) My kindergartener can do some reading practice on the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 My daughter does her Prima Latin (watches the video, does the workbook pages) herself then we review (I check her work and we do flash cards together). She also does Explode the Code by herself. We use MM behind our regular math program, so she does it herself. She also has assigned literature (Little House and the Big Woods right now), geography workbook pages, logic pages and such that she uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 handwriting practice/copywork journal writing math worksheets/workbook computer work (math games, typing, etc) drawing independent reading piano practice I switch back and forth. I teach a math lesson to the older and then she finishes her math work independently while I do math with the younger. I go over her writing assignment with her and then she writes on her own while I work with the younger on language arts. The younger gets a long break while the older does French, history, and science. Then she practices piano while the younger reads aloud to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Foreign Language? Could one child listen to a book on CD, or watch a short video? At my old library we had access to so many Children's French books on CD. My dh also made movies of himself reading some books. You would see the book and hear his voice reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraKay28 Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 All great ideas, thanks! A ping-pong ball is EXACTLY how I've been feeling. :tongue_smilie: I also have been thinking that I need to teach the kids to not come to me with help if they don't get something right away. Like, if dd8 is doing her math, instead thinking through a problem, she'll blurt out that she needs help....and I'm in the middle of helping ds7! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Any ideas?? They can do the survey subjects of science and history together and if finding time to get it all done is a problem then they should definitely do them together. So, all you are talking about is math and language arts. Sit them down and move back and forth between the two. This shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. OTOH, right now you are tired and hormonal. It takes a lot of energy to grow a baby. Have them listen to SOTW on audio and watch Magic Schoolbus/ Bill Nye science videos. For LA primarily have them listen to books on audio for the rest of this year. (Mr.Popper's Penguins can be enjoyed by all.) Let the 8yo read independently and the 7yo read to you from something like Early Reading Comprehension in Varied Subject Matter. Cover math lightly with a Kumon workbook and call it a day. I'm sure that they won't lose ground and maybe you can nap through the science videos.:) HTH- Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RahRah Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 DS6 can do some independent work each day.... Copywork and/or handwriting practice ETC or Click N Learn Online Watching videos in DE Streaming I've designated for the day Drawing what we've done in his Science Journal Adding to his Science Journal items he wants in there Map work Arts & Craft projects (easy ones) Some Science Projects (easy ones or building projects) and/or experiments Math worksheets Phonics worksheets Collecting things in the yard if needed (rocks, leaves, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin I Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 All great ideas, thanks! A ping-pong ball is EXACTLY how I've been feeling. :tongue_smilie: I also have been thinking that I need to teach the kids to not come to me with help if they don't get something right away. Like, if dd8 is doing her math, instead thinking through a problem, she'll blurt out that she needs help....and I'm in the middle of helping ds7! Have you ever heard of Sue Patrick and the workbox system? I don't think all of it would work, but she has an idea about giving each child 3 "help" passes. They have to give up a pass if they need help. It's supposed to help them really think if they need help or not. With young ones though, maybe more than 3? :) just a thought! Not sure what I'm going to do when the 3 year old joins us! Right now I use nap times!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snipsnsnailsx5 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 The independent work that my 1st grader does is EtC, his math workbook after I give him instruction (we use Math in Focus), handwriting without tears, his journal..and I think that's about it? We read together, do spelling and English together (we use FLL and WWE for English/Grammar). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Just remembered Music Ace Deluxe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfcartmama Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I use file folder games, Dance Mat typing, Sheppard Software, copywork, reading, playdoh and miscellaneous crafts (like draw a house from colonial times and what they would have eaten for dinner). We don't journal, but that sounds like a great idea as my son gets older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Before my oldest was ready for independent work, I just schooled the 3Rs at different times of the day. After breakfast I worked with my oldest. My second oldest got the after lunch slot. They had built-in transitions since their schoolwork was pegged to food. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristin in NE Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Each of our kids has a list of independent work to do, and I just roam around working with kids and going over their work with them as I can. 8 yodd's independent work: Saxon Math - we do this totally differently Studying God's Word Book D Bob Jones reading - just reads story and does workbook pages that go with it CLP Spelling (I obviously have to administer the tests) Journaling A Beka Health - just reads and does worksheets to go with it Geography notebook - we requested visitor's guides from each state that each child goes through and cuts out interesting information and glues into a notebook 6 yodd's independent work: Saxon Math - we do this totally differently Bob Jones reading - just reads story and does workbook pages that go with it Explode the Code Geography notebook - we requested visitor's guides from each state that each child goes through and cuts out interesting information and glues into a notebook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristin in NE Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Also, both girls love to do ETC Books A-C and Saxon Math K with their 4 yo brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEP Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 The independent work that my 1st grader does is EtC, his math workbook after I give him instruction (we use Math in Focus), handwriting without tears, his journal..and I think that's about it?We read together, do spelling and English together (we use FLL and WWE for English/Grammar). this is pretty much us as well and my son is in kindergarten. ETC; Math, if able; Journal; Read for 15 mins w/o me; Handwriting 1/2 page; Together- Math; Reading 'lesson'; SOTW w/ siblings; Apologia w/ siblings I have five children and I used managers of their home to set up my schedule. it is a life saver. it is on our fridge right now. maybe you could incorporate some chores in there so that there is a staggering of time for you to work with both? also, scheduling some time with the youngest sibling to play a game; read a book, etc... the managers of their home is good about showing examples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 My older two were definitely parent-at-elbow types until this year. They are still parent-within-two-steps types. Are your kids bribable? SWB talks about something she tries sometimes with kids who are capable of doing something on their own but ask her too quickly a lot of times. I can't remember the details, but it is something like that she puts 10 M&Ms on their desk in plain sight. She tells the child that everytime they ask her a question on their work (math, copywork, something the kid can do on his/her own), she gets one M&M. When they are done & their work is checked, they can keep/eat the remaining M&Ms. Me, I'm not above a little bribery. My dd#2 couldn't for the life of her remember the correct 4-skip-counting (pre-4 multiplication table) until she asked if she could have a special treat if she did it all correctly by memory. Amazing stuff. I keep puzzles in our school area (up on top of cabinets) that I can offer the younger ones to tide them over until I can deal with their issue. Otherwise, I have no additional advice. For us, it is a one-subject-at-a-time battle for independence. :grouphug: And get some sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 an audiobook, an educational TV show, an educational computer game, headphones and music (you could always do classical or something), a craft activity, a regular book to read, some sort of nature activity (sit on the porch and listen and write down how many sounds you hear/how many birds you see/sketch something you see in nature, etc), chores, shower/bath time, a puzzle, a journal entry.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 (edited) We use HOD and I have my DC combined for all subjects except 3Rs. For these we have a pretty good system. I have mine scheduled so one is working with me and one is working independently. Child A 1. math with mom 2. math workbook 3. ETC 4. English with mom 5. cursive 6. reading with mom Child B 1. ETC 2. Math with mom 3. math workbook 4. copywork 5. reading with mom 6. quiet playtime We don't move onto task 2 until the first task is finished by both. This works nicely. When one finishes early, they sit at the table and draw. I do usually have to help with math workbook pages a bit...or at least keep them on task. Edited April 5, 2011 by Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I was able to leave dd at her desk to finish up math and handwriting. Pretty much anything that had to be read was out before 2nd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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