How many of you homeschool lots of kids? How do you manage it?

[Cindy in C-ville]

We have six kids ranging in age from 14 (9th grade) to 7 (2nd grade). We already are involved in a local co-op at which my older kids take Apologia science, math, and an amazing writing course. They are taking Latin online at Memoria Press's Classical Academy. As I look ahead to next year, I'm a bit overwhelmed. What it takes for me to give them a quality education at home and still teach my younger kids is a bit staggering. Thoughts from those who have BTDT? TIA!

 

~Cindy

[Kendall]

Cindy,

 

I don't have good advice because I'm in the BT(Doing)T category, and can't yet say that I've done it! I'm only schooling 5 of my 7(10th down to K) but the 3 yo is needing lots of school time(the others didn't then) so it is close to 6.

 

One thing - I have dropped quantity and tried to up quality with my youngers. It has been hard for me to accept not doing history and science daily and thoroughly, but I have had to accept getting history and science done much less frequently and mainly with reading and not activities. I do assign history/science books for them to read on their own, but our together time in those subjects is quite limited. I focus our time on quality language arts and math.

 

I’m not outsourcing anything, though next year I think my oldest will do Latin 3 online, because I am only barely keeping up with Latin 2 and am expecting a baby in June.

 

If I allow it (which I sometimes do), I can feel overwhelmed all of the time!

 

I have found that all of the time I have spent in learning things myself (grammar, Latin, what little bit of writing I have learned) has paid off BIG. I can cover things so much more efficiently with my younger ones than I did with the older 2. I can point things out as we go along, things that took a separate subject or separate lesson time to do with the older ones.

 

If I had more money to spend I might do a few more online classes and try to learn it with them so that I could better teach the rest.

 

A set schedule for the school day and a checklist for each child helps me to keep everyone moving on and remembering what to do.

 

I’m not much help but I can sure relate!

 

Kendall

[Quiver0f10]

We have 10 and are schooling 8 this year. I outsource what I can, which has been foreign language, upper level math,writing and science. Next year we are switching to BJU Homesat for a few classes which I am praying frees up some time to concentrate on other things.

[scottie]

One thing I've done this year is have science once a week (Friday am) and only do science on that day. We spend a few hours reading and doing projects etc. Prior to that we regularly skipped any science.

As for scheduling, I have a clip-board with a list of what I have to do with each child which I make up each week. This really helps me keep on track. Each child has a schedule of work they need to complete every day - just a list, no time slots. I work with them individually, starting with the youngest (6) working up to the oldest (17) in the afternoon. It takes a bit of organizing but if I don't have a list, nothing gets done!

Hth,

Sandra.

[FloridaLisa]

I'm in the trenches with you. I have 7, ages 16, 14, 13, 11, 8, 3 and 12 months. Many days, I feel like I spend most of my time keeping my littles busy so that the house is quiet for the school-aged dc to do their work. That's this year. Every year looks a bit different.

 

Here are the strategies that have worked best here:

 

1) start some of my one-on-one teaching very early in the morning before the baby is awake;

 

2) avoid teacher-intensive programs and aim for solid curricula that can be done independently;

 

3) give each dc a weekly schedule so that they know what needs to be finished each day;

 

4) outsource some of the older dc's classes (they love it; I love it for many reasons);

 

5) spend my evenings grading papers, complete with sticky notes of what needs to be re-done or what to point out to a child in the morning. I don't *always* get to grading in the evening, but that's the ideal.

 

6) use DVDs such as IEW, Latina Christiana, Atlier and Calvert to alleviate my plate.

 

Truth be told, it's a tricky balance. I do not spend an hour with each child (a la Vicki Farris). I do not teach every class. I don't always discuss at length each book my child reads. But they've had that in-depth discussion, in Bible, in book club, in lit class.

 

I spend the bulk of my time during the day on writing, grammar and math intruction (and spelling for one). I spend *a lot* of time each evening so that I'm ready to spin the plates the next morning. I put books in their hands as much as possible with a reading schedule, rather than pulling together an elaborate history program. We read aloud in the evening after littles are in bed.

 

Oh yes --- I try not to drool over the posts of those with one or two sweet children who are doing a bang-up job home educating. :) It's just not going to look like that in our home. :)

 

Blessings,

Lisa

[Quiver0f10]

Oh yes --- I try not to drool over the posts of those with one or two sweet children who are doing a bang-up job home educating. :) It's just not going to look like that in our home. :)

 

Blessings,

Lisa

 

Oh, this is so true! I have to remind myself often that we are not the same as everyone else and we are doing the best we can.

[Cindy in C-ville]

We also use a clipboard with daily assignments that I make once/week. That is SO helpful. Right now we're in the midst of a busy two weeks - too busy finishing up with a Medieval Faire on Friday. This is so NOT me. I don't do stuff like that, but one of my friends does and corralled us into coming. I totally agree with choosing curriculum that is not teacher intensive. With that in mind, what do you recommend for a biblical worldview type of class and for history? Thanks for coming alongside!

 

:) Cindy

[momee]

Cindy,

I bet you're doing better than you think at this!

You're a great mom and the kids are going to totally benefit from that.

After reading these boards for quite a few months now I realize I have compounded this super school in my head. A bit of everyone's shining accomplishments, ya know?

My goals for our home are success scholastically but much more than that. With many children there are many distractions from what is truly important. Concentrate on those - seek ye first the Kingdom right and ALL these things will be added.

Our spiritual emphasis fades into the background when I start concentrating on doing a "bang up" job educationally.

Look at the long term - what you're learning over time instead of day to day.

Hope these meager words help to encourage you - I've always admired your dedication to the Lord and your attempt to raise your children for HIM.

With all of your church commitments also I'm sure the kids are gaining useful things from there also.

I do know what you mean with juggling the different grades and needs of the children but He is more than faithful.

No practical advice, just a friendly chat.

Stephanie

ps you should see my big ole' belly :eek:

[scottie]

Sonlight's History of the Church.

I have 2 boys doing this - they do most of the reading alone and we get together a couple of times a week to discuss what they have read etc. Seems to be working quite well though we've changed a few of the book choices.

Sandra

[AngelaC]

It IS so frustrating when you want to do so many things and all of them good!

 

A few things that have worked for us over the years--I know some of these were probably already mentioned above, so bear with me.

 

-- Really, really weigh the activity you are doing with the amount of "good" it does you. We tried the co-ops and had a hard time with them. It is not fun putting on shoes and getting ready to go somewhere, having kids hungry and tired when you get home. Nothing was worth that amount of pain to me:) I remember thinking that I could sit down and learn the Latin with them instead of driving to a class--so I did. It hurt my brain, but life was less chaotic:)

 

--If you can, do all your running around/music lessons etc. in ONE day (see above regarding the shoes, hungry kids and tired ones above)

 

--Pay for the driver's ed class (we have to here in OH or they have to wait until they are 18) and let those older ones do some driving. If you have a driver, suddenly life gets a bit easier.

 

--Have lots of learning toys and activities for the younger kiddos. My younger ones have always learned a lot from playing with puzzles, listening to tapes, using math manipulatives and so on.

 

--Use nap time to help with one on one instruction. So quiet!

 

--Assign older children to read to a younger one. This helps the little one and the older child gets reading practice.

 

--The last one. Ugh. This one hurts. Try hard to stay off the computer!! I don't know about you, but once I get on I may as well kiss an hour or two goodbye. When life gets hectic for me and I feel like I'm not getting much done it usually directly relates to the time I'm spending on my computer. Sniff, that one hurts;)

 

I know you've heard this a bazillion times, but life with young ones goes by so fast . . .