Scheduling for 2 kids at different levels...

[Kay in Cal]

OK, I know, I know... some of you have 5 or 6 or more! But this past year was the first year we had both of ours at school age, and it's been tough to get work done.

 

My older is 7, has ADHD among other issues, and pretty much works best when supervised and in conversation with an adult. Once we run through GWG text, or do the spelling pre-test he will work independantly for a short time--but most things we teach are pretty "hands on". This is a child who does not play by himself well, will stop what he is doing every 30 seconds and want you to come "check his work"--he's really an extreme extrovert who hates quiet and alone time. He also is working far above grade level.

 

My younger son is 5, and he's just starting to take off on his reading and math. He'll entertain himself pretty well, but I feel like he gets 20 minutes or so of instruction a day, and then has to run around and fend for himself. Next year we want to start some grammar, science, etc... but he also wants Mommy or Daddy right there to hold his hand. He's the one who is quiet and could easily be left behind because he doesn't demand attention in the same way--but deserves it, of course.

 

I'm trying to figure out a fair and balanced schedule that meets both boy's needs... any ideas? Switch back and forth, do some things together? For example, they both listen to SOTW and do the coloring pages/maps, but only ds 7 has done a narration (though ds 5 will chime in sometimes)--how will they both do that simultaneously? They are much farther apart in ability than their age difference might indicate--you can see what they are currently using right now in my sig. But I think this past year was less than effective :glare:, lots of wasted time and trying to keep one entertained or busy while focusing on the other.

 

I'm cross posting this from the curriculum board because on re-reading I think that the main issue is the different developmental levels. I've got one reading "The Cat in the Hat" and one re-reading the "Ender's Game" series again... but they are close in age.

[Colleen in SEVA]

According to SWB's lecture last weekend, it is "normal" (whatever that means :tongue_smilie:) for 7 yos to have most subjects still be in the "Parent at Elbow" stage, with only 1 or 2 subjects at the "Hovering Parent" stage -- meaning most subjects will be with you literally at their elbow, with only a couple of minor things where you can be in the room, but able to look over their shoulder and help them at any time. I asked her just to double check that I was correct in my thinking, and she confirmed that it is important to keep these levels tied to their AGE level, not the level they are working at.

 

That said... here is how I work this issue out in our family, being sure to give time to everyone as needed.

 

First, the best thing I did was move us all to work at the table at the same time. Everyone. Even the two year old. I know someone is going to say "but you don't know my two year old", let me assure you -- he is VERY MUCH two in every loud, destructable, ME TOO, MY SCISSORS!!, kind of way. :D This took a little bit of adjustment for Blue because he was used to doing some subjects with complete quiet, but that just isn't realistic in our house -- or in any future education or career environment.

 

Then I divided up all that we do into four chunks -- for us that is Latin/Logic/Math, Spelling/Grammar/Vocab, Reading/Writing/Handwriting, and History/Science/Research. I have all of the books that everyone uses during a single chunk in one box (the 2 year old gets an old workbook used by one of the older boys, and he colors, cuts, circles objects). In each chunk, each person has something he can do himself (even if it is just busy work, it promotes fine motor skills!), and something he does with me. Because we don't do every item every day, I stack up the books in front of each boy that he is to work on, and as it is done it is placed back in the box. (On a side note -- SWB said she does something similar with her kids, and it made me feel SOOOOOO smart for figuring it out on my own! ha ha ha) Everyone starts his own work, and I work my way around the table. I usually start with the 2 year old, because then he feels included, does his 10 mintues, and runs off happily to play.

 

The first 2 chunks are the easiest because everyone is working on something that is leveled, so they each have their own ETC or WW workbooks, and I call them over to the letter tiles one at a time to do spelling. In math, he works on Calculadders or Mind Benders or Latin until I'm ready to do his lesson.

 

For history, everyone has a copy of the picture to color while we listen to the CD. I then have Blue and/or Green complete the map activity, Green reads the red Kingisher while Blue reads the white Kingfisher and goes to the UILE websites. Blue will do a History Scribe page or picture/narration and sometimes Green will ask to do one as well, but this is optional. We read some of the additional books together (the picture-type stories), and some Blue reads on his own. If it is an easy book to read, I will let Green read it to everyone and he feels so big! For exaple -- this week I read Gods and Goddesses of Olympus out loud and helped Green read Hour of the Olympics, while Blue read D-Aulier's and Blackships Before Troy on his own (in addition his fun reading). Blue takes the SOTW quizzes for points (he also earns points for Calculadders quizzes and he saves the points up for things like ice cream out with Daddy, or a new book from Amazon). As it relates, I also add in Battles of the Ancient World for the oldest, DK Eyewitness books for the older two, and How Children Lived for the older 3.

 

The reading/writing/handwriting chunk is a little trickier, and we usually save it for Red's nap. Blue self-selects his books for reading on his own, because he does a good job choosing a variety of styles and levels (this week it is Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dr. Seuss' The Sleep Book, a book about crystals, and some picture books to his younger brothers). I don't have time to read the books along with him, so for now I have him doing a Pathway reader book for his out-loud reading, and the workbook on his own (many probably see this as busy work, but I like a lot of the activities and can see the value in finding a word on a page to list which paragraph it is in). We are saving literary analysis for when he is older. We do the MCT writing lesson together during this time. Green then reads aloud part of his current book or a couple of lessons in OPG, then Yellow does his reading lesson in Phonics Pathways. During each boy's reading-to-me time, the other boys are sitting at the table working on something quietly (HWT, fun workbook, or even just drawing).

 

In summary -- during each chunk, all 4 older boys are at the table, and each has something to work on by himself and something to work on with me. For things that are leveled, each boy has his own work and he just does the next page/lesson. For things like history or science, I just adapt the work level to what each boy needs.

 

And speaking of that... I should get back to it! :)

Edited May 8, 2009 by Colleen in SEVA

[JennW in SoCal]

Well, we've survived a similar situation here. My oldest, who is ADHD and gifted but learning challenged, needed so much more of my attention over the years than his younger brother ever did. And I felt guilty many a time over how much time my youngest spends on his own, but he sees things differently. He is quite happy exploring on his own, and has taken advantage of the situation to weasel his way out of some school stuff because I'm too busy to notice something isn't getting done. All that has changed in the last year or two because the oldest has been out of the house doing his own thing more and more, and the youngest has hit the age where high school and the prospect of college make him feel like he has a stake in his own education.

 

But I digress!

 

We survived by combining history, literature and science. I read aloud for many years to both of them -- through middle school in fact, or we listened to audio books. Output, such as narrations, was based on their ability but the input was completely equal. We spent lots of time at local museums and the zoo and just out and about in the city. Attending plays and concerts. We played grammar and vocabulary games, did science kits and experiments. The kids did lots of crafts and funneled their creative energy along with whatever we were studying by making stories together, designing their own pokemon cards, creating huge Egyptian tableaus out of legos, or making their own museums with toy dinosaurs.

 

I'll bet you can train your oldest to give you some uninterrupted time with the youngest. Use a clock or a timer and start with 10 minute increments then work up to 20. Make an incentive chart -- ADHD kids work well with the carrot and stick approach -- and reward him for a week's worth of giving you uninterrupted brother time each day. He must be quiet long enough to read books like Ender's Game -- can you make that work to your advantage?

 

I would sit with the oldest to help keep him on task while the younger would come in only as needed. Sometimes they had to sit together at a table with me and do whatever workbook stuff they had. The worst period was when the oldest was in middle school and decided the youngest was too stupid and annoying for words. I got us through a few more read alouds then gave up on joint schooling altogether.

[Desert Rat]

I start out with my 6yo in the morning. He does his table work with me for one hour while Huck reads in his bedroom. When I'm finished with Tom, Huck sits down and starts his work. I usually let him pick the order of his subjects but prefer he starts with math or Latin. When we get to history, I call Tom for him to listen; he doesn't have any work to do at this point because he's just in kindy. Next year, he'll have some notebook work to do for history as well. Then he's off to play again until lunch. After lunch, we all do science and read alouds together.

I haven't figured out next year's schedule yet but I will have a 1st and 4th grader. I imagine I will keep the schedule looking similar. My oldest doesn't work well independently but we are working on it in earnest. My little one works relatively well alone.

FYI, our day starts at 8am and goes to about 2pm with 30 minutes for lunch.

HTH

[EKS]

My kids are 5.5 years apart in age. My older boy is gifted and has ADHD and dyslexia. At 7 he was completely unable to do *anything* school-wise without me right there redirecting his attention every two seconds. He also couldn't focus if there was even anyone else in the *house* let alone in the same room!

 

My younger son started kindergarten when the older one was in 6th grade. That year, I decided that the older one was going to have to learn how to do schoolwork without me being there. So I would work with the older one on the things we needed to do together and then he would go into another part of the house to do the "independent work". He was not on medication at the time and it sometimes took forever for him to get things done. But it was during this time that I was able to work with my k-er. Now that he is taking medication for his ADHD, he is able to work in the same room with us without being distracted or distracting. This is a huge leap.

 

If I had your situation, with your son being only 7, I would probably just teach sequentially, starting with the 7yo. Also, my younger son was able to do some work independently at 5 and never had a problem with having his brother in the same room. So while I'm working with the older one, he does some of that. Educational software can also be good for this. Maybe these things would work for your little one as well.

 

In time your older boy *will* be more able to work independently. Really!

[Mom0012]

Hi Kay -

 

I have a 7yodd and a 9yods. My son has some lds, so the curriculum I choose for him is usually pretty teacher intensive. I remember feeling the same way you are feeling right now when my daughter was littler. One thing I have come to terms with is that my son is going to need more of my time as far as school goes than my daughter ever will. I am fortunate in that my daughter does work independently, but I don't want her to feel neglected either.

 

When my daughter was in K, I spent about 20 minutes a day having her read to me and about 20 minutes doing RS math. I worked with her first and still do. Now, that she's in first grade, we spend our time doing WWE and RS math first thing in the morning so she always gets some of my time. While I am working with my daughter, my son is working on the things he can do on his own. I have him do things like math fact software, cursive practice, daily paragraph editing, etc.

 

After about an hour of schoolwork, I make breakfast and then I read to the kids while they are eating. We use SL and they absolutely love it and look forward to it. So here is another area where my daughter is getting some of my time.

 

After breakfast, my daughter does her independent work while I work with my son. She doesn't have as much to do as my son, so I have tried to nurture different interests that she has, such as doing arts and crafts and drawing. I got the Little Hands Art Book from the library and last year she would get that out as soon as she finished her schoolwork and find a project to do. I had her go through the book and tab the projects she was interested in so I would have the supplies on hand. I just subscribed to Mark Kistler's online drawing program so she should be able to do those lessons on her own. I found some math software that she really enjoys. I assign it as schoolwork to help keep her busy. She is now taking piano and she will practice while I'm working with my other one.

 

So maybe if you could find one subject you could all do together and then find some structured activities your littler one can get involved in, that would help. I will say that it has gotten much easier from last year to this year. My daughter has much more to keep her occupied and I never really feel like she's just off on her own now.

 

Lisa

[babysparkler]

 

So maybe if you could find one subject you could all do together and then find some structured activities your littler one can get involved in, that would help. I will say that it has gotten much easier from last year to this year. My daughter has much more to keep her occupied and I never really feel like she's just off on her own now.

 

Lisa

 

This is what we plan to do... We will have science and history together as a family (ds9 & dd7 with little ds4 & ds2 around if they want to listen & watch). All of the LA and Math work will be individualized for each child.

[marf1273]

If they have different preferences, then the best way is to spend time with each of them. Perhaps you can prioritize the younger one and then be with the older one at a later time.