Do full-grade dvd programs work with ld/gifted/adhd kids?

[Faithful_Steward]

My kids need a highly structured environment, and there are just too many of them. :) They crave lots of discussion and mom-time, but there are simply too many disruptions and demands on my attention. DH has adhd and thinks a super structured dvd curriculum is the way to go. I think it might be boring, but IME my gifted side was satisfied with stimulating people and experiences outside of school rather than my gifted classes (or even accelerated or honors classes for that matter). I also think all of the drilling and memory work would be good for their working memory/processing speed issues.  But I also worry about an entire year of kids whining that school is boring, too hard, too much work, or too long.

 

(PS is always on the table, but I'm not wanting to explore that in this thread.)

 

I guess I've just never heard of anyone with ld or 2E kids going this route, and I'd like input on the validity of that option for adhd/ld/gifted kids.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Faithful_Steward

[maize]

I've got 2E, ADHD kiddos; what works for us is bare basic essentials for the stuff I feel they need, plus a wealth of support for them to pursue their own interests.

 

What are the ages of your children?

[Faithful_Steward]

_{----------------- (edited for privacy)-----------------------------} 

 

_{Right now we mostly do the basics and read a lot. They love science and do a lot of Thames and Kosmos kits on their own. I tried Exploration Eduation with my 6th grader but she left her project and the kit out and her little brother destroyed it. Each lesson and project builds on the last, so science was ruined for the rest of the year. When I'm working with another kid they either disappear (not working on their assignment) or destroy something, depending on which kid we're talking about. :) They just really need a lot of supervision and direction.}

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by Faithful_Steward

[Faithful_Steward]

Uggh, I keep editing my previous post but I can't seem to fix the wonky formatting!

 

[PeterPan]

Hmm, you want the truth?  In general it could work.  But you should only use it to solve a *few* subjects.  Go buy full grade kits for multiple kids and you'll have a VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE in the making.  But for some kids, for some structure, yes, absolutely.  Or transition your oldest two.  What are the SLDs?  The youngest are the ones most likely to be affected.  I think you need to make some custom choices here.  I would not do a pat solution for everything.  You're thinking BJU, right?  (hint, hint)

 

Are you already using daily work checklists?  Does every child have a checklist and clear structure?  It sounds like you need some environmental control (definitions of where we're supposed to be, body in group, but also places with a door for older kids to protect their stuff).  

 

I don't think science is over for the year because it kit was destroyed.  The older should have put it away, so she pays.  The younger destroyed it, so he pays.  You could replace it.  You could go this is a Mom Lesson and we're going to move to something with more structure.  But I think it's not just one thing.  You're not going to be any more organized with videos than you are now if you don't actually see the holes, kwim?  

 

Checklists, clear structure, plans for everyone, visible plans, incentives to work the plan, consequences if they aren't on plan.

 

Honestly, I'd sit them all down and do social skills every morning.  Of course I just went to a Social Thinking workshop, so that's on the brain, lol.  But think with me.  They learn about body in the group, the group has a plan, people have feelings, expected vs. unexpected behavior.  Think about how some common language, a group meeting every morning for 10 minutes where you talk about this stuff, could help that.  

 

Do you use timers?  You don't have to have so much of an hour by hour schedule, though honestly maybe you need to.  You could have check-in points that give you structure, like breakfast is at 8:30, family meeting at 9:00, end of discussion, you must be there.  Then repeat at noon or whatever with another family checkin.  

 

I have a friend who used videos with her (non-SLD) group of kids.  Actually I have several friends who've done this.  It's not my choice, though I've done some BJU courses over the years with my kids.  The courses are engaging, interactive, appealing.  They're still going to require work from you.  You're going to need to think through how you'd structure it.  Most people have a separate location for every child, complete with laptop and headphones.  You have to do the print-outs and set up for each subject.  If you want it to run WELL, that's what you're going to do.  You'll ahve set-up with the printing, the notebooks, etc.  Then you're going to need to check work, monitor, teach subjects that are disability subjects.

 

In general I would put the older kids in more put the younger kids in the enrichment stuff (heritage studies, science).  That way you can teach the youngers with SLDs yourself in their weak areas.  For my dyslexic ds, when we did the heritage studies 2 last year I needed to be there to help him negotiate the text reading.  Depending on your dc's particular disabilities, this may be an issue.

 

The BJU courses are great!  But you're STILL going to need to organize, supervise, etc.  It's still YOU making it all happen.  

 

Do you think your kids will actually sit for the courses and comply?

[Storygirl]

I never used video courses, so I can't help you there, but I can sympathize. I had a very hard time meeting the needs of each of my kids, because they each needed so much help. They did have independent work once they were old enough, but it was not enough to keep them occupied and out of trouble. Even when they were on task, they would interrupt me as I was working with another child, to ask questions (even though they knew they would always have their own time to work with me and ask questions). I was frazzled. There was just not enough of me to go around, and I always felt overwhelmed.

 

I always felt the solution was providing lots of structure and keeping them busy with productive things (easy to say but hard to do). I'll share a couple of things that did help me. We only did schoolwork in one area of the house, and I was always there with them. We had one big table that we used for group lessons (anything that you can do as a group will help you), and in an adjacent area they each had a desk for independent work. We all did school at the same time. If someone finished or needed a break, they could play quietly nearby (our school area was in our basement, so we had a play area there), but they still stayed in the vicinity.

 

When they were little, I used a picture schedule with velcro tabs, so that we could rearrange the order of the pictures or take them off the board once we were done with that activity. When they were older, we switched to checklists.

 

I'm not sure how video courses work, exactly, but I'm guessing they will still have assignments to complete and that you will still have to oversee everything and work with them on areas where they need more help. If you can set up a system so that some of them watch their lessons while you work with others, and then switch, it might be a way to give them some structure and a productive way to use their time when you are otherwise occupied. I don't think it will be a cure all, but it might be a tool that you can use to make your days run more smoothly.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Storygirl

[Faithful_Steward]

Are you already using daily work checklists?  Does every child have a checklist and clear structure?  It sounds like you need some environmental control (definitions of where we're supposed to be, body in group, but also places with a door for older kids to protect their stuff).  

 

I don't think science is over for the year because it kit was destroyed.  The older should have put it away, so she pays.  The younger destroyed it, so he pays.  You could replace it.  You could go this is a Mom Lesson and we're going to move to something with more structure.  But I think it's not just one thing.  You're not going to be any more organized with videos than you are now if you don't actually see the holes, kwim?  

 

Checklists, clear structure, plans for everyone, visible plans, incentives to work the plan, consequences if they aren't on plan.

 

Honestly, I'd sit them all down and do social skills every morning.  Of course I just went to a Social Thinking workshop, so that's on the brain, lol.  But think with me.  They learn about body in the group, the group has a plan, people have feelings, expected vs. unexpected behavior.  Think about how some common language, a group meeting every morning for 10 minutes where you talk about this stuff, could help that.  

 

Do you use timers?  You don't have to have so much of an hour by hour schedule, though honestly maybe you need to.  You could have check-in points that give you structure, like breakfast is at 8:30, family meeting at 9:00, end of discussion, you must be there.  Then repeat at noon or whatever with another family checkin.  

 

 

 

Do you think your kids will actually sit for the courses and comply?

 

Yes, I do all of this, though I'm sure I could do more. The three oldest kids have their own desks in the schoolroom. I work with the little one at a small table in another room. They have checklists, calendars, places to put completed work, schedules, etc... But like I said, they require constant supervision and direction to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. I can't do that while I'm teaching other kids and supervising the toddler. But I also can't teach in the same room with other kids because it is too distracting for them. We used to have timers but they lost one and broke two.

 

We're zoned for a great (overcrowded) school in a great district in a great state. I'm trying to compare what I can realistically offer at home vs what the school can realistically offer.

 

 

I never used video courses, so I can't help you there, but I can sympathize. I had a very hard time meeting the needs of each of my kids, because they each needed so much help. They did have independent work once they were old enough, but it was not enough to keep them occupied and out of trouble. Even when they were on task, they would interrupt me as I was working with another child, to ask questions (even though they knew they would always have their own time to work with me and ask questions). I was frazzled. There was just not enough of me to go around, and I always felt overwhelmed.

 

I always felt the solution was providing lots of structure and keeping them busy with productive things (easy to say but hard to do). I'll share a couple of things that did help me. We only did schoolwork in one area of the house, and I was always there with them. We had one big table that we used for group lessons (anything that you can do as a group will help you), and in an adjacent area they each had a desk for independent work. We all did school at the same time. If someone finished or needed a break, they could play quietly nearby (our school area was in our basement, so we had a play area there), but they still stayed in the vicinity.

 

When they were little, I used a picture schedule with velcro tabs, so that we could rearrange the order of the pictures or take them off the board once we were done with that activity. When they were older, we switched to checklists.

 

I'm not sure how video courses work, exactly, but I'm guessing they will still have assignments to complete and that you will still have to oversee everything and work with them on areas where they need more help. If you can set up a system so that some of them watch their lessons while you work with others, and then switch, it might be a way to give them some structure and a productive way to use their time when you are otherwise occupied. I don't think it will be a cure all, but it might be a tool that you can use to make your days run more smoothly.

 

Thank you. Frazzled and overwhelmed are good words. We all do really well when I stick to a strict schedule and a super structured environment, but that takes so much energy to maintain that it is hard to stick with long term.  How are your kids doing in school? How has it been having one at home and some at school?

Edited May 10, 2016 by Faithful_Steward

[Ravin]

I'm pretty sure my DD would be bored silly, and/or bored to tears (lots of tears). She whines about most documentaries, and doesn't like Khan Academy videos. 

 

We have gone to mostly child-led. With your crew, I would probably look at a unit study approach and let them pick topics by consensus.

 

My DD DOES need a lot of structure, but we keep the structure in her day through her daily morning/evening/chore routines rather than through the type of curriculum we employ. This is working better than the online school did, which had a great deal of regimentation but also demoralizing demands for more output and a higher pace than she was capable of (even with an IEP).

[Faithful_Steward]

I'm pretty sure my DD would be bored silly, and/or bored to tears (lots of tears). She whines about most documentaries, and doesn't like Khan Academy videos. 

 

We have gone to mostly child-led. With your crew, I would probably look at a unit study approach and let them pick topics by consensus.

 

My DD DOES need a lot of structure, but we keep the structure in her day through her daily morning/evening/chore routines rather than through the type of curriculum we employ. This is working better than the online school did, which had a great deal of regimentation but also demoralizing demands for more output and a higher pace than she was capable of (even with an IEP).

 

Yes, I'm worried that my kids would be bored silly, too. And that will bring on more behavior challenges. Everything I read about kids like mine says they need more academic freedom and more hands-on learning situations. I just don't know how to work with this and still maintain my sanity. :)

[Storygirl]

Yes, I do all of this, though I'm sure I could do more. The three oldest kids have their own desks in the schoolroom. I work with the little one at a small table in another room. They have checklists, calendars, places to put completed work, schedules, etc... But like I said, they require constant supervision and direction to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. I can't do that while I'm teaching other kids and supervising the toddler. But I also can't teach in the same room with other kids because it is too distracting for them. We used to have timers but they lost one and broke two.

 

We're zoned for a great (overcrowded) school in a great district in a great state. I'm trying to compare what I can realistically offer at home vs what the school can realistically offer.

 

 

 

Thank you. Frazzled and overwhelmed are good words. We all do really well when I stick to a strict schedule and a super structured environment, but that takes so much energy to maintain that it is hard to stick with long term.  How are your kids doing in school? How has it been having one at home and some at school?

 

This is our first year at school. I really wanted to continue homeschooling, but it was taking a toll on me. School has had pros and cons, but overall it is working well enough for us to continue. Two of them have IEPs now. Next year my two boys will be continuing at the same school; DD10 will be switching to the private dyslexia school; and my oldest is likely to enroll in high school (95% sure about that but still working it out). So then they will all be in school. At times two of them have mentioned that they would like to homeschool again, but those comments were during low moments for them and don't reflect their true feelings. The truth is that they are happy in school and prefer it.

 

Academically, it has been a mixed bag, because the school curriculum is not tailored to their specific needs, and we have to take what is offered there. If I could choose the materials for them, I might make some different choices. Okay, I definitely would make some different choices. But I have found a relief personally in not being 100% responsible for their education any more. I was floundering, and it has been helpful to have a team of other teachers, even though they have not always focused on the same things I would have. Homework at night is no fun, because my kids need a lot of help, and now I don't have control over their assignments, so we end up spending time on some things that I wouldn't consider important. Or I have to re-teach things that they don't have mastered yet, but I have to do it the way their school curriculum is set up, not the way I would prefer. It has been helpful to have that built in accountability, though, because when I was so frazzled at homeschooling, I always felt I was letting some things slip by. They have definitely done more writing at school than we did at home, and that has been a good thing (writing is hard for each of them for different reasons, so we would get bogged down).

 

Overall, it has been a good thing. It's been challenging to work with DD14 during the day for homeschooling and the others in the evening for homework. She does a lot of work independently, though, so she doesn't always need my direct help. I thought she would continue homeschooling through high school, but when she decided she wanted to enroll, I was okay with it. I'm still tired. I love homeschooling and ideally wish I could still do it, but practically, I am glad that I am going to be done. I will just miss having her around. But I think not homeschooling any more is the right choice for my own well being. I was, though, at a pretty extreme level of burn out. I am a highly sensitive person and an extreme introvert, so homeschooling my noisy, challenging, prone to interrupting, high needs, multiple LDs, energetic, silly, fun children really taxed my coping abilities. I'm grateful for the time we had at home, and I'm grateful now that they are able to have some of their needs met at school.

 

ETA: My kids are not 2e, but we have ADHD going on (two, maybe three of the kids), plus multiple LDs including dyslexia, writing, math, reading comprehension, nonverbal learning disorder, sensory issues, anxiety, processing issues, and some defiance. (Not all in one kid, though some have more than one of these things, and one has almost the whole list)

Edited May 10, 2016 by Storygirl

[Mom28GreatKids]

What about a few classes for the older ones at The Potter's School? Academically rigorous, awesome teachers ;-) and an online classroom environment for structure and accountability? Great for the oldest 2, which would free up you for the younger ones.

[kbutton]

If you think you can deal with unit studies (or at least a topic approach that incorporates all the kids at their own level), I think I like that idea in your situation. Why? Your kids can have the discussion time they need, and then you can parse out a bit of work at grade level for each of them as a spin-off. You are all together for that time, but working together, not trying to keep the wheels on separate vehicles that won't drive on the same highway.

 

Unless you really like unit studies, you might have to ease in by doing history as a group with spinoff assignments (composition, handwriting, whatever), and then science, etc. 

 

Whatever you do, I suggest that when you start over for the new academic year, you introduce one thing at a time, whatever that is you want to do first. I would start with something relatively fun that is part of a group study. When you get your routine down for that, add another subject. And so on. We don't really ever start all gung ho at the beginning of the year, or we're doomed.

 

I would not put too much stock in what "they" say about gifted/2e kids. I would listen to it, and then decide how much of it applies. Sometimes my 2e kids feel really competent with something boring or cut and dry, and it gives the confidence to go out on a limb for something less structured and more "gifted." We tend to mix structure and freedom, with freedom being more of something they do with their own hobbies, not so much with school. I do keep my kids involved with selecting materials and talking about what we like and don't like about them. YMMV, but don't be afraid to try things that maybe you wouldn't like if you think they might be successful. I do understand how it is to do something boring as the teacher and have to watch, wait, etc. while the kids do it. It's frustrating. However, if it's effective, you find a basket of laundry to fold, a mindless knitting project, an adult coloring book, etc. and sit there doing that while you watch and facilitate. It's hard, but if it's working for the kids, you might have to have a few minutes of tortured boredom.  :lol:

[PeterPan]

Yes, I'm worried that my kids would be bored silly, too. And that will bring on more behavior challenges. Everything I read about kids like mine says they need more academic freedom and more hands-on learning situations. I just don't know how to work with this and still maintain my sanity. :)

 

*Some* of the courses from the BJU are really, really good.  It just depends on what your dc like and what they find engaging.  I did some of the science with my dd (fine), history (great), and thought about the upper level lit.  Some kids are real go-getters and like the independence.  Some kids are going to struggle in the inflexibleness of it.  They're a best fit when the dc finds the subject and teacher engaging *and* has the ability to be flexible in how he learns that subject.

 

I think we can burden ourselves quite a bit with the vision of what we'd *like* to do vs. what we *can* do, no matter how many kids we have.  The dream and the reality just are not going to match up, at least not in my world.  You could back up and ask a more basic, fundamental question: how do you want to do high school?  Where do you want to be in 2 years?  Your 12 yo is a rising 7th grader or rising 8th?  It sounds like you've done everything that you can do to set them up with structure at home.  There are just limits.  Even with just 1-2, I can't be Wonder Woman, kwim?  I can dream up this and that, but dd wants more of some things, bucks others, has off days, gets sucked into a project.  If you're considering school at some point, maybe even just for the olders, I would work backward. In some schools, jumping in at 8th might be smoother than jumping in at 9th.  You'd like to know that.  Then you can say ok, if I know I only have 1 year left with my oldest, what do we WANT to do and what do we NEED to do?  And maybe all you *need* to do in that year is finish math 7 and maybe what you *want* to do is go out with a BANG and do some really interest-driven project-based study, kwim?  That would be a way to work backwards.

 

Do you want to list out your kids and the disabilities and what you're thinking? Maybe people could give you some ideas.  :)  Do you like the schools in your district?  Do they have any strengths that would work well for your kids?  I'll tell you one thing my dd REALLY took off in for high school was drama.  She's been doing drama camps, costuming, volunteering at a costume museum, etc.  So I wouldn't discount even the value of extra-currics.  It's a time when their personalities and interests blossom, so the little seeds you've planted need room to grow.  

[PeterPan]

Another way to work backwards?  If you *really* want to go *way* out of the box for high school, the two things that are going to bite you (the two things to nail) are math and basic grammar.  Remember, when you make that transcript, they're really not going to care too much what text you used, whether it was 6 labs or 8, blah blah.  You can go way out of the box there and you're fine.  However the way they're going to assess your student, the ONLY real way they have that is standardized, is the ACT/SAT.  

 

So just my two cents is that, if you're thinking you want to go WAY out of the box, that's what you want to have a plan for.  Math done daily, check.  Doesn't have to be as high pressured or elite as what some people say, but just some math from a reasonable curriculum done every day. And then something to make sure they have the basics of correct written english (punctuation, etc.).  I'm keen on Abeka these days for that.  

 

So you work back from the ACT/SAT, and as long as they can do what they need for that, in reality you have utter freedom to do anything you want. That's another way to work backward.  

 

We've done some really neat things with homeschooling high school and accomplished some good things, but just in general I, well let's just say if I had known then what I know now I would have wished for more options.  It's hard to answer that question of what would have happened if we had gone another way, because we didn't go that other way.  I'm just saying I would be more option to it in hindsight.  

[PeterPan]

The other problem with the mysterious "they" is that they don't acknowledge the ENERGY needed behind all this stuff to make it happen!  It's not like stuff just happens on its own.  Sometimes you need to hire that out, send them to a mentor, etc.  Sometimes we have to be more realistic and we go 3-4 hours with me in the morning then the afternoon at x place with your mentor.  

 

Tutors, paid teachers, these people come in fresh, being paid to turn it on.  I'm sorry, but I'm no longer at a point where I just turn it on endlessly for every subject in every situation. There are things that might dd would enjoy doing that require some herd effect to get her to do.  That takes mom energy or a class. 

Edited May 10, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Faithful_Steward]

The other problem with the mysterious "they" is that they don't acknowledge the ENERGY needed behind all this stuff to make it happen!  It's not like stuff just happens on its own.  Sometimes you need to hire that out, send them to a mentor, etc.  Sometimes we have to be more realistic and we go 3-4 hours with me in the morning then the afternoon at x place with your mentor.  

 

Tutors, paid teachers, these people come in fresh, being paid to turn it on.  I'm sorry, but I'm no longer at a point where I just turn it on endlessly for every subject in every situation. There are things that might dd would enjoy doing that require some herd effect to get her to do.  That takes mom energy or a class. 

 

Yes, this. This is the crux of the issue.

[Faithful_Steward]

I think we can burden ourselves quite a bit with the vision of what we'd *like* to do vs. what we *can* do, no matter how many kids we have.  The dream and the reality just are not going to match up, at least not in my world.  

 

Yes! We're military and we move a lot, so we don't even have backup in terms of family or close trusted friends. DH and I are "on" all the time. So I really do need to outsource some things and find *good enough* for the rest.

[PeterPan]

You might see what thing is MOST important to you (for your olders, for any of them) and nail that thing.  Then you'd know ok we nailed the thing that was REALLY important to us, and all the rest we flexed on.

[Ravin]

Yes, I'm worried that my kids would be bored silly, too. And that will bring on more behavior challenges. Everything I read about kids like mine says they need more academic freedom and more hands-on learning situations. I just don't know how to work with this and still maintain my sanity. :)

 

Some ideas:

 

1. Have them form a Planning Committee. Let them throw out ideas for what they want to learn, as a starting point to which you will give structure. 

 

2. I wasn't kidding about the unit studies approach. With multiple kids of multiple ages, it can be a good way to keep everyone going together. Often, the input will be much the same (or perhaps more in depth for the older ones), and you tailor output to expectations for each child.

 

3. Controlling the environment can be huge. Routines have helped us a lot. Each child has a checklist for their morning routine, a checklist for their evening routine, and the older one has a chore list (DS has requested one of these; I may incorporate one for him soon). DD currently has a checklist for her assignments, which are based around topics she has chosen or things in which she is interested.

 

4. Regular field trips provide excellent hands on learning opportunities.

 

5. How about a routine for the day where each child has particular times they are to be working independently (perhaps in small groups), while you are working with the other ones? You can set up Montessori-style "stations" for them to work at as well. Planning is the key to hands-on--that and employing child labor for the clean-up afterward.

 

6. Co-ops, enrichment programs? See what's out there in your community!

[kbutton]

Questions to help flesh this out a bit...it's only tangentially related to how we work at home, but this is what I'd be asking if we were to do more unit studies. I am also genuinely curious since some of these things are things we do at home, but have varying levels of success, and I thought the answers might help the OP as well as help me polish our way of doing things.

 

Some ideas:

 

1. Have them form a Planning Committee. Let them throw out ideas for what they want to learn, as a starting point to which you will give structure. Do you give them ideas, or are they self-starters?

 

2. I wasn't kidding about the unit studies approach. With multiple kids of multiple ages, it can be a good way to keep everyone going together. Often, the input will be much the same (or perhaps more in depth for the older ones), and you tailor output to expectations for each child. Do you buy unit studies or have a format/planner for putting your own together? 

 

3. Controlling the environment can be huge. Routines have helped us a lot. Each child has a checklist for their morning routine, a checklist for their evening routine, and the older one has a chore list (DS has requested one of these; I may incorporate one for him soon). DD currently has a checklist for her assignments, which are based around topics she has chosen or things in which she is interested. Do you have to modify checklists frequently, or does this tend to stay the same over a long period of time? Do you revisit this weekly, for instance? 

 

4. Regular field trips provide excellent hands on learning opportunities.

 

5. How about a routine for the day where each child has particular times they are to be working independently (perhaps in small groups), while you are working with the other ones? You can set up Montessori-style "stations" for them to work at as well. Planning is the key to hands-on--that and employing child labor for the clean-up afterward. We have some Scholastic e-books purchased on sale that have stations. Also some Evan-Moor centers. Those aren't a bad starting point for ready-made stuff for things like geography and science.

 

6. Co-ops, enrichment programs? See what's out there in your community!

 

OP, my younger son is Fifty States and Where to Find Them (Barefoot Ragamuffin, I think), and he really likes it. I could use it with both of my kids, but my older doesn't have time this year. Anyway, you can scale it very easily to cover some literature, some history, etc., and it would be very easy to throw in handwriting or compositions (they leave room for the child to notebook about each lesson--my younger son draws a picture and then we write a sentence about it). It has built-in references to the Holling C. Holling books if you are interested in doing those with the study (we may start to incorporate that next year--we're taking it slowly since he loves all things history and has other history he's doing as well).

[1shortmomto4]

I understand where you are coming from - I'm a law enforcement wife with a husband that worked the craziest longest unpredictable days off schedule going!  I homeschooled 4 kiddos (two have now graduated) and all of them have some type of learning disability or challenge and one is severely hearing impaired.  My word there were days!  Trust me - spring has sprung, the weather is changing and if you didn't have the homeschool slump in January it is probably hitting about now.  That brick and mortar school looks soooo attractive as an option and maybe it is but I think I'm reading that you are just overwhelmed but trust me - it is just a season and usually what seems like a long season is really short.  What I'd give to be back in those days...I digress.

 

You might use 1, maybe 2, DVD online courses but I'd only use for the 12 and 10 year old.  If you like BJU then perhaps their reading course?  Those are really well done and are challenging.  I actually used a grade lower because of the dyslexia issues but it was great preparation for future literature skills needed in the upper grades and college.  Those videos take about 45 minutes to work through the lesson and then there is an assignment to work through.  That would buy you some time to work with the littles on important reading and math skills that take the most time.

 

Are you combing the kids in any courses?  Teaching history or science together? These are the ones that you usually work together as a group - which MFW might be an excellent choice.  It is scheduled so you don't have to be scrambling.  You can use the history and science portion and use either items that are working to cover math/English/phonics/etc.  Another option is WinterPromise but just use the history.

 

I tend to work from the top down so I'd work on getting your 12 year old stronger on working independently.  It takes some time but it does happen.  I've always felt that I had more time later to help the youngers and I did but I was running out of time getting the older ones ready for college.  What I learned was my youngest was learning through osmosis and now I work hard on finding something he didn't already learn from just listening in over the years.  A curriculum that is designed to teach independence is Heart of Dakota.  The goal of HOD is for the student to become independent and it is somewhat unit-study like each week.  It might be something to consider.  It helps keep you accountable because you just open that guide and work through the boxes. 

 

And I'd look at Timberdoodle (their catalog has some awesome stuff!).  They now have curriculum sets which might work but what they really have that would help are educational activities (hands-on) logic, puzzles, building, science, etc. sets that little ones could be doing while you are working with older ones.  Keep their hands busy.  Also those $1.00 crafts at Michaels are an inexpensive way to help with creative minds, too.

 

And finally Amanda Bennett offers unit studies and if you sign up for her website you get emails with $5.00 specials all the time.  You can make them as long or as short as you like.  These would be fun things to do with the kids - maybe everybody 10 and down and help your 12 old grow towards independence and make his/her own path using something else (Notgrass maybe?)? 

 

I guess the more I've written the more I think I'd lean towards helping your oldest become independent (make that the goal for the year) and group the rest together and then the following year work on the next oldest.  Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

 

Just a few quick rambling thoughts