littleWMN Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 This year I have 5th, 1st, and K kids. My K will repeat K. She's new to homeschooling and has some special needs. We have a decent routine where most of the work gets done but everyone is separate b/c my K'er is really more like a 3 year old on average (she's late 2 to high 4 I'd say, in different areas). Mostly I feel like my oldest is doing most of her work independently, which is great, but I miss learning together as a family. I'm thinking ahead to next fall and wondering what I can change to keep them separate in some subjects but combine in at least one. Oldest is using VP self-paced history and I don't really want to change that, so I'm stumped. I also have a toddler who will be 2.5 in the fall. So it's busy. They will be 6th, 2nd, and K. Is there anything you can combine for those subjects? I *love* the thought of a literature based program but it's been a fail every year we've tried it. DD10 just isn't a great auditory learner (slow processing). But surely, there is SOMETHING we can do to make learning together fun. I feel like nobody is as close as we all used to be. :( Ideas? I'm totally stumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 This year I have 5th, 1st, and K kids. My K will repeat K. She's new to homeschooling and has some special needs. We have a decent routine where most of the work gets done but everyone is separate b/c my K'er is really more like a 3 year old on average (she's late 2 to high 4 I'd say, in different areas). Mostly I feel like my oldest is doing most of her work independently, which is great, but I miss learning together as a family. I'm thinking ahead to next fall and wondering what I can change to keep them separate in some subjects but combine in at least one. Oldest is using VP self-paced history and I don't really want to change that, so I'm stumped. I also have a toddler who will be 2.5 in the fall. So it's busy. They will be 6th, 2nd, and K. Is there anything you can combine for those subjects? I *love* the thought of a literature based program but it's been a fail every year we've tried it. DD10 just isn't a great auditory learner (slow processing). But surely, there is SOMETHING we can do to make learning together fun. I feel like nobody is as close as we all used to be. :( Ideas? I'm totally stumped. In general, history and science seem to work best when there are multiple ages. Maybe you could do science together. Considering God's Creation looks good. It might be above your little one, but she could still color and stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 With that age spread, it's going to be very hard to combine, I think. :grouphug: You could combine science, but my gut feeling is that it would be a disservice to your kids. You could do read alouds and memory work together. Art might work. PE stuff. You could have your oldest work with your K'er. You could combine your 2nd and K'er for history and science, probably. But combining that particular age spread is going to be tough, esp with special needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Personally, I wouldn't combine that age range and ability level. Which doesn't mean you can't do fun things together. Volunteering, nature walks, board games, movie night, talking, reading, cooking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I combine History, Science, Bible, Geography, read-aloud time, Art, Artist/Composer study, Math Lab, and Nature Study with my crew. I am working with 4th grade - pre-K here, so the spread is less. I gear toward the older kids and let the younger pick up what they can/will. Most of the math lab style books I've seen are pretty hands on, and it isn't too difficult to give a dual explanation of a concept. Art can be very hands on and open ended, (I'm not thinking cut and paste crafts), so it could work for multiple levels. Geography is another subject I have found lends itself to hands on learning. If there is a subject that contains a common interest for your children I would try to make that the focus of shared learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleWMN Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 I forgot to mention I outsource most of science. I think read alouds and geography is best. I do read aloud but not as often as I should. My little two are quite disruptive. I wish I had a little stair-step family, but that's not how it worked out. My middle two are 10 months apart but with the younger one's delays it works out to be more like 3 years apart cognitively. We do fun things together, walks, games (those too are kind of hard), field trips, etc. I think what is *really* going on is that my 10 and 6 (almost 7) year old have always been very, very close and my 10 year old has reached puberty and no longer has the same interests and is in that awkward stage. My K'er and toddler are actually not too far apart cognitively in some areas. Maybe I could combine them in some things. I think we need to work on character... I'm not sure it's a "school work" problem, but just a "sibling getting older" problem. I try to allow the 10 year old to have some space and don't want to force her to do everything with the 6 year old (they share a room, even). *sigh* I think it's just part of life, just one I haven't adjusted to yet. Thanks for the input. Any suggestions on geography? Galloping the globe? Geography is something we all really like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Thanks for the input. Any suggestions on geography? Galloping the globe? Geography is something we all really like... How about Exploring Countries & Cultures? It might even be combine-able for all the ages you have, since there are two sets of worksheets (easy and harder) that come with the set. Could you do ECC in place of VP history for a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 We combine history, art, science, music and language. It's easier to teach them as a group in those subjects. I do modify assignments, making them more or less difficult, as needed for each individual child. Less writing for the 1st grader; more reading for the 5th, for example. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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