Large Families - Curriculum/Independence/Help! :)

[pocjets]

I have 6 children that I will eventually be schooling. Currently, only 3 are in school right (3rd, 2nd,K) and the other 3 are younger. I feel like we are just getting the basics done right now and have little time for history/science. I cannot imagine what it will be like when they are ALL in school! 

 

Does anyone have any curriculum suggestions that they use that help? I can't figure out if something like HOD would help (no planning at all on my part) or if it's too much?? 

 

I know for now that TOG is too much. I don't have extra time to plan (and I don't really enjoy that part). Plus, I hate to spend so much time on that when I need to continue to solidify the basics with my kids and teach them to work toward independence. 

 

Other than TOG, I'm not really opposed to anything (would like a biblical worldview) - workbooks, textbooks, living books, no books. :) Only kidding about the last part. 

 

If the answer is that it's just going to be hard/busy, no matter what I choose, that will be good to know too!!

 

Thanks so much

[mom2bee]

Its going to be busy no matter what you choose. I say focus all energy on a thorough grounding in the basics up until 3d or 4th grade. Add one extra topic/subject from there each semester or grade until you are doing everything that matters in your home-school.

 

You can do reading and informal projects to cover all the history, science, art, social studies that you need up to that 4th grade without breaking a sweat. You are on the internet, for crying out loud. You can find quality documentaries, worksheets, books, games etc to cover exposure to those other topics. Go to your library and see what they have in the Jr.  non-fiction section. You can do this mama! You can do this! You can do this! One step at a time, you need to work smart, not hard.

 

You can do this :).

[simplemom]

Have you heard of or looked at Simply Charlotte Mason aka SCM? The geography, history, and Bible guides can be done as a family, with the older kids having extra independent reading for depth. There are read alouds for the early years. It is a 6 year history cycle with 3 years on the ancients, but the reasoning for spending 3 years on ancients is that those years are heavier Bible history to line up with world history in ancient times. For the younger years, you can keep to the 3 r's adding in the extras as time permits through library books, field trips, programs, audiobooks, and other things. Remember that as your littles grow into school age, your olders will be more independent in their school work. Also, as your children grow they will be able to share many household responsibilities that you are doing on your own now. Things like cooking, cleaning, laundry. I don't have a large family, but can imagine that life would be even more busy for you having 6 in regular school where you have to help with homework, keep up with the info in the folders the teachers send home for parents to sign, make lunches each morning and give each kid a good breakfast in a time crunch, monitor the social health of each child in a different classroom, and fundraising/volunteer pressures. I am guessing it will be hard and busy to homeschool 6 children, but would guess it is easier than the season you are in right now with many little ones dependent on you for most daily needs. Your reward in the end will be great even though it may be hard and busy. Someone with more than 2 children can shed more light on whether or not it can be smooth homeschooling 6. I would also encourage you to spend most of your time and energy beyond the 3 r's for your oldest on working on habits like obedience, attention, and chores. This will keep you busy now, but will make it easier for you later when all are school aged.

[JudoMom]

1.  Be kind to yourself.  What you are doing is hard.  It will be hard.  And once you get it figured out, one of your kids will have the nerve to grow/change and it'll go right back to being hard.  But even though it's hard, it's worth it.

2.  Priority number one when my boys were younger was teaching them to read.  Next was math.  Then penmanship.  For our first cycle of history, we pretty much listened to SOTW CDs, did the coloring pages (though not always) and map work (not always).  They learned so much just from listening to the CDs--even when I thought there was no way they were listening.  

 

3.  Science was hit and miss.  If I knew then what I know now, I would get the Magic School Bus DVDs and random age appropriate science kits and just let them explore.  And keep lots and lots of books around.

4.  My boys are all fairly independent.  However, I didn't realize that them being independent wouldn't really lessen my workload.  Sure, it frees up my time to teach someone else, but someone needs to at least look at the work they do independently.  I've always got a stack of papers to go through.

[coffeegal]

I have 6 children that I will eventually be schooling. Currently, only 3 are in school right (3rd, 2nd,K) and the other 3 are younger. I feel like we are just getting the basics done right now and have little time for history/science. I cannot imagine what it will be like when they are ALL in school! 

Actually, as children age it gets easier... and harder. ;) My older children are more responsible about getting their schoolwork done, so we're able to cover more territory than we could when they were 3rd, 2nd, and K. 

 

Does anyone have any curriculum suggestions that they use that help? I can't figure out if something like HOD would help (no planning at all on my part) or if it's too much?? 

Yes, concentrate on the basics for now. Pick up SOTW, either the book or audio, and slowly work through it as a family read-aloud. You can listen to the audio in the car or during lunch or art projects. Vol. 1 activity book has wonderful picture book suggestions to bring home for the children to read. You can keep a book basket next to pillow or a chair, but I'd strongly suggest keeping the history low-key at this time. Pick out a few projects you can easily do, or that will entertain most of the children. Building pyramids out of sugar cubes might be fun, for instance. I suspect the younger children will eat a few cubes though. :001_rolleyes:

 

Science: again keep it low-key. Elemental Science works well for my family now, but Christian Kids Explore Science might work well for you. It's geared towards younger children, and we used it for a few good years. It has a small blurb to read, coloring pages, and experiments. The best part, in my mind, is the additional books to check out from the library and keep in the book basket. Bill Nye videos worked well for my family as well. I'd read the topic in CKE while the kids colored, we'd attempt the experiment, then I'd send them in for a Bill Nye video on the topic.

 

Art: plan a time, say Friday afternoons, to pull out finger paint or play dough and let everyone have fun. As the kids age you can become more formal, but for now keep it simple.

 

I know for now that TOG is too much. I don't have extra time to plan (and I don't really enjoy that part). Plus, I hate to spend so much time on that when I need to continue to solidify the basics with my kids and teach them to work toward independence. 

I love TOG, but I didn't start it until my oldest was 9th grade. I wish I'd started when he was 5th grade, but TOG would have overwhelmed me earlier than that. I have wonderful memories of doing SOTW with my children.

 

Other than TOG, I'm not really opposed to anything (would like a biblical worldview) - workbooks, textbooks, living books, no books. :) Only kidding about the last part. 

 

If the answer is that it's just going to be hard/busy, no matter what I choose, that will be good to know too!!

It is busy, crazy, and some days are just plain hard. I try to stay ahead of my printing by printing as much as I can in the summer before filing it by week and child. Each school age child has a crate with their school supplies. I've also color coded school supplies as much as possible. It cuts down on the fighting, lol.

 

Homeschooling also changes each year as the children age. Having a schedule or routine helps.

 

:001_smile:

 

Thanks so much

 

[Mom2TheTeam]

I'm not much help.  I'm in the exact same situation.  I have 3 doing school, 2nd and twin K'ers, and 3 youngers (twin 3 year olds and a 12 month old).

 

We use MFW for this year.  I'm changing to HOD next year.  I like it all planned out for me.  I'm nervous about HOD being all separate learning, but MFW isn't working for us right now.  

 

It's hard.  We get the basics done most days for all 3, but anything else is tough.  We get it in, but not as much as I would like.  I have very little time for anything else unless I'm blowing off school like I am right now. :blush:  

 

We do school year round to help decrease the stress of getting it all done by a specific date.  We do in 12 months what takes most people about 9.  So, we have wiggle room to get derailed often.  We don't have a set schedule.  We just school when we aren't doing anything else and not getting derailed by the youngers.  We even school on most Saturdays since my husband works most of them. We definitely do take off at least 2 or 3 days a week simply because of appts or everyday life getting in the way.  Schooling year round is a life saver for me.  Our year goes July-June.

 

I just assume it's going to be hard for quite a while.  However, I do think it's going to get a little easier when the littles are older.  It will still be a lot of work, but little are really hard while schooling.  So, it will be different and I'm looking forward to it someday.  I'm looking forward to not having to remake their bed (including mattress!) or clean up water because I didn't check on them for 15 minutes and forgot to lock the bathroom door.  I'd rather have them not getting into that kind of trouble.  I know it will still be hard and have different challenges.  But, I'm looking forward to when they are all doing school work instead of some making trouble and me struggling to do school with the olders because of the youngers.

 

All in all, I do think it's worth it....today.  ;)

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I have 3 in school (4th, 2nd, and K), plus a preschooler and a toddler (and expecting a baby in April).  We fell into a pretty good routine last year and have kept with it for the most part.  After taking into account nap times, snacks, and meals on our schedule, I just planned our academics in the time left.  Other than history, science, and read-alouds, I work with each kid one at a time.  My oldest is working right now.  She has become fairly independent in several of her subjects.  I just need to be around for when she has questions.  She still has a few things that, because of the curriculum that we use, I'm still teaching (like AAS).  We do history or science together after the toddler goes to sleep but before lunch.  After lunch the 3yo goes to sleep and I work one-on-one with my 2nd grade and K students.  I usually have a few subjects left with older dd, too.

 

Luckily, the kids (usually) get along pretty well and don't get into too much trouble.  Since I'm only teaching one at a time most of the time there are older kids to play with the younger ones.  Sometimes the 4 younger kids are downstairs in the morning, but they often just play upstairs in their bedrooms.

 

I've found that having a good daily/weekly routine is key for us.  Once we fall off track due to illness or whatever the kids are crankier and we get much less work done.  Our routine has evolved over the years, depending on who is napping and when, how many kids are in school, and how long it takes to get their work done.  Just this year oldest dd has really taken off in being able to work on her own.  She is also doing better with getting distracted, which was a huge problem when she was younger.  So I guess what I'm saying is find a good routine and stick with it.  Don't be afraid to change it as your family's needs change but stick with whatever routine you are currently doing every school day.

[happypamama]

It IS going to busy, and YOU are going to be busy, but I am trying to prioritize where I need to work with them and where they can work independently. We have just started using History Odyssey, and honestly, I really love it. It is all written out for me, which means it is all written out for them. All I had to do was to go through the lessons and draw lines to show them what I expect them to do in a day. For instance, my third grader was able to look at his history list for today; he is directed to read a chapter of Story of the World, do a map page (I may need to help him with that a bit), and write two things he learned. The downside to them working independently on history is that I am not learning alongside them, but the upside is that while reducing my timeload a bit, the two big kids are discussing what they're learning with each other (same topics, different levels).

 

We use Saxon math for my sixth grader and Singapore/Miquon for my third grader. Saxon and Singapore can both be self-taught, and I often hand them the books and let them see if they can figure the topic out or not. Often they can. (I should say that third grader is in Singapore 3A, and it is largely multiplication; he knows the concept just fine and is working on learning the tables, so the work doesn't require much input from the teacher. As well, DD is in Saxon Algebra 1/2, and as of 24 lessons, she really has only seen one new concept; the rest is review. There HAVE been times when I have needed to teach them directly a bit more.)

 

I do Latin with each of the big kids, but alternating days. On the days that they don't do Latin with me, they do a different language independently via Mango.

 

Currently, science is a very hands-on subject; I read out loud to them and run the experiments, and the kids do the review sheets on their own, with help from me as needed. WWE3 is a mom-intensive subject for my third grader, but it doesn't take too long. DD can generally do WWS on her own with just a bit of help occasionally. I do spend a fair amount of time doing geography, picture study, art, Shakespeare, and religious biography with the whole group (even the toddler and preschooler -- they LOVE picture study), but only one of those a day.

 

I use workboxes -- six per older kid, plus a couple for group subjects -- so every morning, they know to do whatever of their boxes they can. Usually that's at least four subjects that don't require any input from me unless they get stuck. In return for having set the boxes up the night before, I have some time to attend to small boys or to spend with my preschooler before I do the subjects I need to do with the big kids. Science and art/etc. are often after a lunch break. The biggest thing I have worked on in the past year with my older kids is: do the next thing that you can do; if you get stuck, go on to something else until Mom has a chance to help you.

[happypamama]

And oh, yes, there is always a pile of stuff that I need to check. I have been pleasantly surprised that SWB gives such good directions in WWS that I don't generally have to do a lot of correcting to DD's writing, but I still need to check it. And check the math problems and everything. It is very easy to get behind on that, but when I just don't have time to sit with them as they do the work, I have to check papers. I end up doing that a couple of times a week while nursing the baby to sleep or watching TV. :)

[Amy M]

I only have a first grader and a pre-Ker that I'm homeschooling, but we also have two toddlers, and that makes it feel like 10 kids! I keep hoping it will get easier next year when they're both a little older, but then I'll have more children to school as well...

 

The first half of the year, I read Story of the World aloud to my son. Now my pre-ker likes to hear as well, and I'm finding it harder to have time. So Ive been using the audio of it while I make lunch. It really helps to get it done, without taking my time! I sit down for 2 minutes afterwards, ask the questions, and help my son form a narration for his notebook. They color the sheet from the AG while they listen. At the beginning of the year, I don't think that would have worked so well, because Jim Weiss spoke a bit fast for my young child. But he's maturing and able to catch the concepts a little better now.

 

Anyway, all that to say, that I think audio stuff really helps. Maybe do Bible with Your Story Hour Bible, or just have a dramatized version of the Bible read to them. Same with history. Magic School Bus DVDs for science. etc. That way the extras can get done without taking your time, and the kids think it's fun. Last year we got this amazing bundle of audio downloads from homeschoolfreebieoftheday for $11, and there's all kinds of goodies in there!

[Irishmommy]

I haven't read all the replies, but...

FIVE IN A ROW

FIVE IN A ROW

FIVE IN A ROW!

 

Seriously, it works, is simple to implement and will be something that will benefit all of your kids, all you have to do is require more of the older students. I feel very strongly about much this curriculum prepares the students in creative thinking and problem solving. You just can't beat it! If you have any questions you can head over to the Five in a Row message board. I used FIAR for my son from 1-4. We mostly did the lessons orally in the beginning because he was behind in fine motor skills.

[KeriJ]

For us, using streamlined, simple workbooks for individual skill subjects and then SCM to combine everyone for the rest has been the perfect fit!  Our days are so much simpler, and school is getting done!

[pocjets]

For us, using streamlined, simple workbooks for individual skill subjects and then SCM to combine everyone for the rest has been the perfect fit!  Our days are so much simpler, and school is getting done!

 

 

I noticed that your signature says that you do science in the summers. That is a great idea!! How have you liked it? 

 

Thank all of your for your help and thoughts. I'm taking notes for sure! :)

[KeriJ]

I noticed that your signature says that you do science in the summers. That is a great idea!! How have you liked it? 

 

Thank all of your for your help and thoughts. I'm taking notes for sure! :)

We tried it this summer, and I thought it worked great!  I still have them do independent science reading during the school year.

[SnMomof7]

Whew howdy. I hear you, and I only have 5 so far. First of all - it is OK if you only get skills covered some years. Honestly. Hey, you can even skip some skills some years and it will be OK. Ask me how I know ;). That might not be what you want to hear, but sometmes it just gets tough.

 

Get them reading and dong some math. Use open and go curriculum for skills that encourages independence. (My pics are in the signature link.) Get them reading and watching some educational documentaries. If you want to, get ONE book and read it together for content - pick history or science. Do one for a while, then switch. Talk to them.

 

It will work out :).

[Excelsior! Academy]

Those are fun ages! Keep the little ones busy. Look into busy bags, table time, toddler trays, whatever you need to occupy them. It will give you time to work with your older ones while preparing them for school themselves. I have a friend with 6 that uses ToG and they love it. We haven't used it so I can't comment further. We have used MFW, VP, Montessori, and various textbooks. I would suggest MFW, CM, or textbooks for the easiest on mom. I love Montessori for those ages, but it requires $ and knowledge to get started. Enjoy this time, do nature studies, read lots.

[happycc]

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN HOMESCHOOLING LARGE FAMILIES

 

1)  Make sure you have a hobby you like. This is really important to have an outlet for yourself. Even better if it is something you and your husband both enjoy and can do with you and the kids can join or not.

 

2) Start early training kids to do chores. Set up a chores schedule and chart and stick with the bare minimum. Clean dishes, clean clothes, empty garbage cans, clean kitchen floors, clean bathroom. One child focus on one chore for years. It takes a long time for many kids to master it and then it is better to just keep having the same kid doing it because you know it is being done correctly. Recently after three years, two kids decided to switch chores and they were in charge of training each other how to do each other's chores. That went relatively smoothly.  

 

3)Sticking with the bare minimum does not require the kids to make their beds etc. We want the most important things done and by having them do it, it frees you to take care of the baby's needs feeding, diapering, lesson planning, planning in general, making meals (although I have now trained the kids to make meals for the family).  

 

3)Have kids do chores first thing in the morning. My kids wake up, go to the bathroom, get dressed and go straight to chores. Then you have clean dishes, clean clothes and empty cans and clean floors and bathrooms for most of the day. 

 

4) Definitely focus on the basics first. Language arts and Math. Then add in the rest when reading is moving more smoothly. You can read science and history information aloud before bed or listen to books on tape or even watch videos/movies. I like to do history and science on the weekends when husband is home. THen he can watch the little ones.

 

5) I like to use brainless curriculums meaning curriculum that is scripted because it is already a chore just to get the books opened to the right page and get a quiet moment to start doing school. It is worse to have to preread the lesson and then prepare for it. WHo has time for that? I don't.

So I use a lot of FLL/WWE/Writing Tales/All about Reading/Spelling/ Michael Clay Thompson, Jacob's Ladder, Elemental Science, Story of the World, I Speak Latin, Right Start Math, Singapore

 

6) I have tried using a lot of the other Christian curriculums but nothing was really easy to use than the above mentioned.  I definitely combine the 11 and 9yrs old for a lot of things like Jacob's Ladder, Science, Latin and History.

 

7) I do separate things for the 4yrs old because he is not reading yet. So I guess I kind of separate the groups to readers and non readers. 

 

8) Get a crock pot and use it frequently. Also for lunches or snacks whenever we are out of the house I have several insulated backpack and place my food in pyrex. Pyrexed food always looks so yummy to me. We eat yams, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, oatmeal with blueberries/raspberries, dinosaur chicken, chicken with rice and veggies, grapes, greek yogurt with a fruit, cut up apples/bananas. So each Pyrex has one of these items and my kids just pull out a pyrex and eat away when we are out and about. Saves a lot of money! It is also very very healthy compared to a bunch of processed stuff out there. 

 

9)My husband does the grocery shopping on the way home from work so I don;t have to drag all the kids everywhere. Sometimes I take a picture of what I want and send him a text message of the list. 

 

10) Enjoy your time with the kids! It goes by really fast!

 

[momto2blessings]

I was also going to suggest Simply Charlotte Mason. The lesson plans are wonderfully laid out, simple, but plenty to read at every age level and on the same cycle.  My kids are 5th and 8th and I've handed the history readings over to them independently (even the spine that is for family). We just read Bible together, and do the geography assignments together. 

[Amy Jo]

Well my kids are older, but I've been on a quest to find more independent options too. For reference, we use Ambleside Online, and I am not good at combining - I like to tutor, don't like crowd control. Some of the more successful things I've done:

• Dropped a mom-intensive math (MEP) for an exploratory or independent program (Miquon younger, Math Mammoth olders)
• Dropped the completely mom-dependent Spell to Write and Read. Still feel guilty. The elders are doing CM-style dictation and the younger is doing Word Mastery, and will move to CM-style reading lessons soon.
• Dropped the workbook heavy, mom-intensive, expensive when you multiply by 4 Latin program from Memoria Press. Moved to the reprintable video-based Visual Latin.
• My 9yo is reading almost everything for his AO year on his own.
• I combined my 9yo and my 11yo for a few books and for Latin, Spanish and Greek.
• We do Latin most days, but alternate Spanish and Greek. (We watch videos in Spanish and use ANKI, so this works. And Greek is super light right now.)
• My 11yo is an audio learner and we lean heavily on librivox for free audiobooks.
• I keep my 7yo's work light, and sometimes instead of me reading aloud we listen to an audiobook. He can't quite focus if I leave him alone, but at least this saves my voice.
• I have some coloring pages from the web printed for DD, and am using the Wee Folk Art preschool program, which is just 2 books a week. We haven't gotten to the activities yet, maybe after the holidays.
• I BIND all their worksheets and their weekly task list into one book each, which goes on a clipboard. This actually works really well. My 7yo doesn't have many worksheets, so I can put 2 weeks in one booklet. I wouldn't want to go bigger anyway, since they can be hard on the booklets. But I love not having lost & floating papers running around, and they can get done what they need to do with only a pencil.

It gets easier. They do grow and become less mom-dependent.