Curriculum for an anxious, crafty girl... and an active, onery boy?

[ssavings]

Is there a way to combine curriculum for two very, very different children.

1st grade, advanced in reading.

 

I feel like there must be a simple answer I'm missing... like I'm over-complicating it.

[craftyerin]

I have very close in age kids (12 months apart) with extreme differences in abilities and temperaments. I do FIAR (literature, history/social studies, science, art) and our Charlotte Masony stuff (picture, composer, and nature study) with all of them combined.  I cannot do 3Rs combined.  Even in subjects like math and handwriting where they're actually all using the same curriculum and in roughly the same place, to try to teach it to the group makes me completely bonkers.  I do FIAR with all, 3Rs with the older, then 3Rs with the twins.  That's our general daily routine.  And reading is actually split up completely--can't even keep twins totally together for that. I've tried, and it just frustrates us all.  We have much more peaceful days when I do separate short lessons with individuals  (even if it's the same math lesson twice in a row with different kids) than to try teaching together for kids who learn so differently.  

[gratitude]

Like the previous poster I separate the 3 Rs; even though they use the same curriculum for them they are in different places in it. My oldest 3 are 20 & 21 mo. apart.

 

I combine Bible, History, and science with MFW. It does work really well for different learning styles. The appendix has long lists of books for book basket that go with the topics. My oldest avid reader reads & reads and learns a lot that way. I also use HOD & Beautiful Feet books for his book basket reading. My second is hands on and wants to do. The curriculum has plenty of hands on learning for him to do & it increases his learning and enjoyment: he couldn't do work sheets all day at his age or with his personality without really disliking school. MFW has been good for both of them for different reasons. My third I haven't fully figured out yet. She seems to do well with writing & school work of any kind. My 4th has downs so is schooled separately.

 

There are many ways you could combine the content subjects of history, science, and for us Bible as well. MFW, Sonlight, Beautiful Feet, TOG, SOTW, MOH, etc. I think it is the 3 Rs that have to be their own. I am trying to get them independent just enough though so we can do them at the same time & not have them take all day.

[craftyerin]

 

I combine Bible, History, and science with MFW. It does work really well for different learning styles. The appendix has long lists of books for book basket that go with the topics. My oldest avid reader reads & reads and learns a lot that way. I also use HOD & Beautiful Feet books for his book basket reading. My second is hands on and wants to do. The curriculum has plenty of hands on learning for him to do & it increases his learning and enjoyment: he couldn't do work sheets all day at his age or with his personality without really disliking school. MFW has been good for both of them for different reasons. 

This is really encouraging! I have been leaning toward MFW for when we're finished with FIAR in another year or so.  

[5LittleMonkeys]

My two oldest are 14 months apart and are totally opposite when it comes to learning style, temperament, attitude, and ability.  I agree with the above posters regarding having to have separate core subjects.  There is just no way to do each of them justice by trying to teach math, language arts and foreign language together.

 

Content subjects, while being able to at least stay on the same topic, still proved tricky to do together for me, however, I was able to use SOTW, Apologia, NOEO, and various lapbook studies with them combined when they were younger.  One would just do more crafty, activity type assignments and the other would do more reading and written work.  As they've gotten older I've had to separate everything, and actually find it much easier to not have them doing the same program.  

 

They have such completely different interests and move at such different paces that combining, for me, has always been frustrating. 

[ammv15]

I am just finishing up grade 1 with my two dc 14 months apart. I used Mcrufffy for math and La and k12 for Science and History.

[ammv15]

I am just finishing up grade 1 with my two dc 14 months apart. I used Mcrufffy for math and La and k12 for Science and History.

[HeartatHome]

Heart of Dakota might be a good fit as it caters to a variety of learning styles. I will be using it for my daughter who is super wiggly and loves hands on stuff.

[freeindeed]

Oak Meadow might be a good fit for both.