Curriculum and multiple kids

[nknapp5]

My oldest is 8.5 and after many different curriculums I feel I finally have found everything that fits right with him. Now I have started to school my 6.5 with the same curriculums and I'm finding the same things might not work for her. For those of you who have hsed 2 or more at a time do you end up teaching what fits right for the individual or what's easiest for yourself? I also have 3 other kids and I can't imagine having to use 5 different curriculums if it came down to it! Any suggestions?

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

We have 5 young kids and they do learn differently (well, the ones that are old enough for me to tell, at least). I thought I would have to use something different for 1st grade ds than for 3rd grade dd. When it came time to start math and spelling the same things are working great for him. We did start start spelling 2 years later with ds than with dd, though. He and oldest dd are combined for history and science. Preschool dd is doing some things I've never done with the other kids. I'm using Sonlight with her and plan to for at least another year and maybe a few more years. She loves workbooks, so I just bought her several workbooks to supplement what we were already doing as well as Singapore's Kindergarten math.

 

I'm homeschooling partly to give my kids individualized educations, and I do realize it is more difficult with multiple kids. But if something isn't working and I think something else will work better I'm going to try it. And I've actually found it to be fun to do a few new things with different children. It's more exciting than doing the same thing over again. So, we'll do some things the same and some different.

[Hunter]

I find something I love and that I'm fully equipped to teach. Then I teach it, tweaking it for individual students the best I can. Because I'm so comfortable, I'm usually able to adapt to their quirks. I stopped trying to meet every students needs and started meeting my own as a teacher. I'm just one person with limited resources. I can only accomplish so much. If I spread myself too thin, I do no one any good.

[Heidi]

I agree with Hunter. Find something you love, that you can teach, and adapt it for each child.

[NancyNellen]

I find something I love and that I'm fully equipped to teach. Then I teach it, tweaking it for individual students the best I can. Because I'm so comfortable, I'm usually able to adapt to their quirks. I stopped trying to meet every students needs and started meeting my own as a teacher. I'm just one person with limited resources. I can only accomplish so much. If I spread myself too thin, I do no one any good.

 

I agree. I have found that a curriculum that I understand and feel confident teaching can be used in many different ways to suit the child. Sometimes it means writing on a whiteboard, or using manipulatives, or not using manipulatives, or reducing the amount of writing, or adding to it, etc. I have actually never used a different curriculum for a subsequent child because of learning differences. I would not have enough shelves or money in the bank to do so. No one seems to have suffered so far.

[Zoo Keeper]

I agree. I have found that a curriculum that I understand and feel confident teaching can be used in many different ways to suit the child. Sometimes it means writing on a whiteboard, or using manipulatives, or not using manipulatives, or reducing the amount of writing, or adding to it, etc. I have actually never used a different curriculum for a subsequent child because of learning differences. I would not have enough shelves or money in the bank to do so. No one seems to have suffered so far.

 

 

This is sooo true. Very, very true.

[briansmama]

I was just thinking about this! We used a Waldorf program for my oldest until this year (we've transitioned to CM for third grade), and I'm trying to figure out if I will use the same Waldorf curriculum for my youngest who will start 1st this fall. It would be easiest for me to use CM materials but I feel that the Waldorf program would really resonate with him especially.

 

Ultimately, I'll probably combine the two. So to answer your question, I plan to use what is best for each particular child within reason. Waldorf requires a lot of prep work for the teacher so I will likely use the lang arts/math stories but not the complete program.

[RootAnn]

I think we should be open to switching if there is something that is just a horrible fit for that child. (Math -- spiral vs. mastery or needs-it-plain vs. currently-using-something-distracting/colorful or hands-on vs. workbook. Writing might be another one.)

 

I've switched a lot of things up from year to year, so I have a bunch on the shelf. I will also say that I am sensitive to each child's ability. What I use with one child at a certain age (skill-subjects) might not fit another child at the same age. So, I might use WWE1 at double-pace & then start WWE2 with an advanced 1st grader but use WWE2 at normal pace with a 'reluctant writer' 3rd grader.

[weederberries]

I'm in favor of individualizing where possible, but I also go out of my way to streamline where I can. I have two 4th graders (another streamline we started from day 1) and a 2nd grader. I choose some curricula for their ability to span the grades (like SOTW). I can't wrap my brain around 3 different systems. I'm blessed that my youngest is able and willing to rise to the challenge of some harder concepts and I accommodate his skills where I can (shorter summaries, only one writing assignment per week instead of more). We also use a math curriculum (Math on the Level) that allows us complete flexibility for levels. There are no grade levels or workbooks to be had. I introduce a concept, practice it, and add it to their individual practice when they are ready. All levels of students sit in on my direct teach (twice a week) whether it is new to them or review. The amount and frequency that they practice the skill is dependent on what they show they are capable of during our group practice. For my visual-spacial learner, I offer options during lessons while the other simply looks at examples, but I maintain the same lesson content from me and vary the work they produce.

 

Also, my 4th graders use the same spelling curriculum (Reason for Spelling), but their lists aren't usually the same each week. We take a pre-test and I individualize the list based on corrections made to the pre-test. They are still able to do buddy practice together, etc, but they spell different forms of the same words on their tests.

 

There are ways to adapt a curriculum to fit the various needs of students. There are some times when it is best to just follow a different path all together.

[Another Lynn]

I find something I love and that I'm fully equipped to teach. Then I teach it, tweaking it for individual students the best I can. Because I'm so comfortable, I'm usually able to adapt to their quirks. I stopped trying to meet every students needs and started meeting my own as a teacher. I'm just one person with limited resources. I can only accomplish so much. If I spread myself too thin, I do no one any good.

 

 

I agree with Hunter just as several other did. If I'm spreading myself across several students, it's more important the curriculum fit me than them. I don't have time to wade through materials that take a lot of my time to digest or use. Obviously, I don't want to choose something that's a terrible fit for a student either. CLE Math is an example of a curriculum that has been super user-friendly for me and good for all my students - both mathy and non-mathy.

[boscopup]

I think most curriculum are designed for various learning styles and can be used with a lot of different kids. There are some that swing one way or the other, but most are somewhere in the middle.

 

My oldest two are very different, but so far, I'm using the same math program and handwriting programs with them. I am going to try using the same grammar program, and I think that will work well. Their phonics differ in that oldest taught himself to read and never got direct phonics instruction for reading, while middle is working through a phonics program. I'm using the same program with my youngest though, and he is very different from middle kid. Youngest will also use the same math and handwriting.

 

I agree with Hunter - Find something YOU can teach, then adjust your teaching style to each kid. In math, my oldest doesn't need manipulatives, and they distract him from learning the concept. My middle son does need manipulatives and does really well with C-rods. Again, they're using the same math program (which *I* enjoy teaching), and I just use manipulatives with middle son and don't with older son. Easy peasy.

 

Now I'd be ok with using different programs in a subject or two here and there. I really don't care if they use different programs in skill subjects especially, since I'll be teaching the kids separately in those anyway. But I do like some continuity, and some programs I just enjoy teaching and think are very thorough, so if my kids aren't in tears and they are learning from it, no need to change!

[KristenR]

I agree about tweaking things the best you can for each child. Of course, if something is just not working with one child it will need to be changed but I attempt to work everyone from the resources I have.

I did a blog post last year about the process of "layering" lessons for the specific needs of each child. You might find it helpful. HTH!

[prairiegirl]

My two youngest are dyslexic (my youngest is, of the two, more seriously so) so what worked for my oldest for reading did not work for them so I did have to buy different curriculum. I didn't know much about dyslexia (had to learn on the run) so I couldn't have tweaked it for the two youngers. Math is another subject that I didn't tweak. Math is not my strong subject so didn't feel comfortable in tweaking it to fit a child. So at one point we were using 3 different math curriculums. It really wasn't that big of a deal. Now, though, I have it boiled down to only two. For subjects that I feel comfortable in--writing, history--I use one curriculum and tweak it for each child.

[happypamama]

It depends. I use the same history and science (just with additional supplements as needed for the fifth grader) for all of my kids, but they're using the same writing curriculum, just two different levels of it. For math, one uses Saxon, because it's a good fit for her, and the other uses Singapore and Miquon, because they're good fits for him. They have very different math abilities, though; DD did not like Miquon at all, and I don't think Singapore would really appeal to her, but DS1 loves them both.

[SilverMoon]

I have books I've used for four very different kids, with full plans to use them for the last two kids, too. Well, a couple of those books have already been used with my nearly 5yo. For the most part I can tweak how I use them to suit that particular child, rather than ditching it for an entirely different curricula. Phonics, grammar, spelling, and literature especially. We moved around more in math, but the younger ones have all primarily used the same line of books.

 

Every kid under 7th grade is also combined in the same history curricula. Their personal assignments are suited to their skill level, and I expect the particular best I know each child is capable of. Science hasn't been as easy to combine with the younger set. This school year my 2nd and 4th graders have done the same science topics, but next year they're separating. The topic the fourth grader is absolutely itching to dig into would bore the second grader to tears (architecture), but letting her spend a year on animals may let her rising K sister jump in more.

[christielee7278]

I find something I love and that I'm fully equipped to teach. Then I teach it, tweaking it for individual students the best I can. Because I'm so comfortable, I'm usually able to adapt to their quirks. I stopped trying to meet every students needs and started meeting my own as a teacher. I'm just one person with limited resources. I can only accomplish so much. If I spread myself too thin, I do no one any good.

 

 

I agree. I use the same materials with my three school age kiddos. Math, handwriting, spelling, and phonics are the only subjects right now that are done on different levels. This has made life SO much easier for me.

[QTMom]

We use MFW for my 2nd and 3rd graders. I combine them for bible, history, science and art. They do math, writing and spelling individually. This is the first year I have combined any subjects and it has made things a ton easier for me (and for them). My kids are a year apart in age which makes it a lot easier, but I think it is helpful to combine where you can and individualize things like math, etc.

[2_girls_mommy]

I

find something I love and that I'm fully equipped to teach. Then I teach it, tweaking it for individual students the best I can. Because I'm so comfortable, I'm usually able to adapt to their quirks. I stopped trying to meet every students needs and started meeting my own as a teacher. I'm just one person with limited resources. I can only accomplish so much. If I spread myself too thin, I do no one any good.

 

This is how I feel. I may use things differently w/each child. For example, one did/does some subjects a year ahead than the other did/does. Some things one gets very quickly and can do mostly orally, leaving more time to focus on other things where the next child really needs to drill drill drill on the core and to practice writing and spelling, and has less time for the content output than the other. But in general, I use what I have and the library for both. I use the WTM's general outline which works for me, but adjust as needed.

[mamamindy]

I feel like I've only just begun to "school" more than one, but I am thrilled that this second go 'round I feel so much more confident about what I'm teaching!! At least for math, we're sticking with it! Now, our handwriting choices were chosen for #2, and I'm not sure that #1 even needed any instruction at all. Same goes for reading. However, at this point in our homeschooling journey, it is most important that I am comfortable with what we're using. Thankfully, I have adaptable children. ;)

[nknapp5]

Thanks for all the advice! I guess my main issue is truly history, which I don't actually teach but my oldest does VP self paced. He loves it but my dd doesn't read well so I was thinking of doing MFW for history with my dd 6.5 and ds 5. Plus my oldest would move on to the next level in history while my youngers are just starting out. I'm not very familiar with MFW though, is it easy to teach to multiples?