How to teach 3 kids close together in age??

[Tinkerbell11599]

Hi,

 

DH and I have been talking about homeschooling our three kids who are almost 5, 3 1/2, and 2 years old. We have been discussing homeschooling mainly for a variety of reasons.

 

My biggest concern is how to teach the three kids. The two oldest are learning to read (Dick and Jane storybook) and my youngest is learning her ABCs and 123s. As they get older and their developmental levels change, I'm worried about how to teach them and their needs.

 

How do you all do it? I'm trying to figure out if I can handle this.

 

Thanks

 

JenC from Upstate NY

[kaylk in tx]

I separate school stuff into individual and group. For example, phonics/math/spelling/handwriting/grammar/writing are individually taught, science/history/latin/spanish/religion are taught together. While I'm working with one individually, the other two have something to work on, review math sheets, reading a book, practicing memory work, etc. I rotate them through then we all have a 10 min break. Next will be a group activity. Then another break. And so goes our day. I've found the key is structure, structure, structure.

 

HTH

[siloam]

JenC,

 

Well you just do it and find your way as you go. :D

 

A lot will depend on your style, outside interests, their learning needs ect... I tend to like working with each child one on one, and I like doing everything every day to build routines so we all know what needs to be done next. Thus I spend about an hour a day one on one with each child, then I do history and science as a group. That means that my house suffers at times (on bad weeks), but that is fine with both dh and I. If that wouldn't be ok in your home then you just make different choices. Combine them in more topics (Quality Character Language Arts has this sort of combining built in), or use more workbook based programs. Have them use textbooks for history and science so they work independently in those topics. All those would save time and have hs done much earlier than it is around here.

 

Plus things are easier when you aren't changing diapers, and making everyone's meals, or being interrupted to get juice, ect... While not physically demanding they take an emotional toll-having to be "on call" all day long. Now that the kids can take care of much of their own needs I have more mental energy to devote to hsing.

 

Heather

 

 

 

[coffeegal]

JenC,

 

Well you just do it and find your way as you go. :D

 

Heather

 

 

:iagree: My first 3 came in 2 1/2 years. I've found it's easiest to accomidate for individual differences by separating the children for math and language arts. We do history and science as a family, but as each child reaches logic state they complete the logic state recommendation in TWTM independently. Other families prefer to keep the children grouped as much as possible. Grouping complicates my life because I detest collecting the children en masse. Also, my oldest sits there and answers all the questions while his little sister looks wise and nods her head. :lol:

[Hen]

I think you work it out as you go along...but I would advise to cluster them into as many shared subjects/books as you can, to save your sanity.

 

I have 2 girls who are 18 months apart, they are in 8th and 6th grade, I cluster these two for History, Science, Literature when I can, Classical writing and Latin. My 8th grader reads some books for TOG that my 6th grader does not, and I ask for higher level essays from my 8th grader.

 

My other cluster is 2 boys age 9 ( 1 is a friend's boy) and 1 girl age 6. I am able to cluster them because A) I am determined to and B) my 6 yr old is very bright and my 9 yr old is average and the bonus student has Auditory processing disorder..so it works. All 3 were learning to read this year, I finally got an online program to take that off of my shoulders.

 

They all have their own math book/level, own handwriting and own level in phonics. The older girls have their own grammar levels-they are doing GWG, so they can work on their own...I am going to try to keep the 3 littles together for grammar. I am using MUS so I don't have to teach all those

diff. levels.

 

I actually am doing science will all the kids, we went with Noeo physics level two..which is more towards the girls level, but we teach down to the littles. Then I have the 2 clusters for health, once a week using readers.

 

good luck, I think you will figure it out as you go, but I do recommend highly, that you try to cluster as many subjects as you can.

[mamaof2andtwins]

Hi Jen,

 

Our children are very close in age. It seemed closer when they were littler, but we always taught science and history together. In the early years we used Five in a Row. The 3 R's were taught individually.

 

This worked well for us.

 

Jennie

[Ria]

It's really not that hard. Teach history and science together. Do math and English/reading with each child individually. You instruct a child in math, make sure he understands, and assign the work. The first child sits down and begins the lesson work, and you move on to the next child. You do this with each of the individual subjects.

 

We liked to do individual work during the morning (math, English/reading) along with stuff the kids could do on their own (MathShark, spelling workbook...these could be done if the child had nothing else to do while waiting for me to work with them). We'd have lunch, and do our group subjects in the afternoon.

 

Ria (6 kids in under 8 years)

[Jeanne in MN]

We have twins with an 18 mo. older sister-11, 9,9. It was harder when the 9 yr. olds were three and I was trying to do school with their then 5 yr old sister. But everyone is right on about how you will find your groove and it's easier to lump together what subjects you can.

 

I see it very much like how people space their kids. You have three littles close in age. You don't know what it would be like to have kids farther apart in age and it doesn't matter because you have what you have and you make it work. It's the same with teaching, you have what you have and you'll make it work.

 

Good luck with your decision!

[Pamela H in Texas]

What worked for me when I had more kids was to combine as much as possible and give each kid what they needed individually otherwise. At one time, for example, I had 4, 6 and 6. Any social studies, science, memorization, etc could be done together. One 6yo did 5th grade math, the other 2nd and the 4yo did Kindy. They each did reading at their level (3 vastly different levels). Writing could be done somewhat together, but just tweaked for each.

 

Anyway, I also like Five in a Row which is great for an age span.

[FO4UR]

Mine are (almost)6, 3 (4 in march) and 2 (3 in June).

 

I have spent very little time teaching my 3yo anything, yet she picks up 75% of everything her brother does.;) I have only just begun doing any sort of lessons with her and it's just simply teaching correct letter formation (b/c she was teaching herself the wrong way). She has learned letter sounds, counting, numbers, etc....all from osmosis.

 

By the time my 2yo is ready for kindergarten or 1st grade, my oldest will be an independant reader and can read his own lessons, and read to my youngest. Hopefully, my 2yo will learn some by osmosis as well.

 

They won't all start schooling in the same year. You can start one off, then the next, and then the next....like potty training (joy:tongue_smilie:). I am right there with you - my dc are the same ages. I try to keep in mind what life will likely entail when purchasing curriculum and making plans. Phonics and math are individual, and everything else is as a family.

[E_Edgerton]

I am a home tutor/nanny for a homeschooling family. The children I work with are 12, 9, 6. There are some subjects that are wonderful to combine...history (read-alouds, map work, and coloring pages) science (reading and experiments), music, and art. These are subjects that are easily combined for the kids..of all ages. However, math, english/grammar, spelling, etc. These are things that probably should be done kind of separately. This can be easily be done by simply planning your day with a little care and thought. :)

[Tinkerbell11599]

Thanks all...I just needed to hear things from others who have BTDT.

 

JenC from Upstate NY

[teamturner]

Hi Jen,

 

Our children are very close in age. It seemed closer when they were littler, but we always taught science and history together. In the early years we used Five in a Row. The 3 R's were taught individually.

 

This worked well for us.

 

Jennie

 

I also used Five in a Row in the early years. My twins and my oldest dd are 21 months apart. It just evolved over the years. Pre-K was just FIAR with a lot of me reading to them. Throw in some crafts if you'd like, hands on learning stuff, etc. FIAR has all of that kind of stuff built in. When my boys reached K, I added a phonics program and a formal math book (I used Phonics Pathways 10-15 min. w/each child and MUS Primer we did together, which took about 20 min.) and continued FIAR. In the 1st grade I dropped FIAR (although many continue this program) and added instead Story of the World 1 with the activity guide.

 

Each year you just keep adding subjects and for me, I've kept History and Latin together. Next year I'm having all 3 olders do writing together. I do science at co-op, but science is another good "do together" subject.

 

Now that mine are older, we work on math and latin together, then I work with my boys on grammar and spelling while my 7yo dd plays w/the 2 yo dd. Then we switch out. We leave history for the afternoons when the 2 yo is taking a nap.

 

You just find what works for you and it's great to start homeschooling when they are the ages of your dc. I'm glad I started when mine were young like that. It starts out pretty simple and each year you just add a little more, fine tuning your schedule as you go.

 

Blessings,