Which way to turn?

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Which way to turn?

by Vanessa
(Johannesburg, South Africa)

We have been a homeschool family for almost 2 years, after taking our girls out of regular school. Our four girls are 11,10,10 & 6. I consider this journey to be such a privilege and I am so grateful that I have been blessed and called to do this, but feel like I am drowning in the quicksand of curriculums out there.

My main problem to date has been how to manage with 4 children, so close in age, but yet so far - all needing my hands on input. I have bought several wonderful looking/sounding things over the past 2 years, but always find I am unable to see them through. I have prayed, and continue to pray into this area, but just feel that I haven't found the right thing to work for my family. I've tried the 'one room schoolhouse' approach- this doesn't seem to work for us-the little one isn't interested and the older one is held back by the middle 2, the unit study approach- too much prep work involved;too overwhelming, even ordinary 'school' text books- some are so dry.

I feel perhaps each child needs to work on grade related studies at their own pace - I also need scheduling done for me as I don't have the time or expertise to spend on planning and sourcing material for each one. I'm so tired of making mistakes and spending money unnecessarily - I just want to find the right tools so we can begin to enjoy and flourish in our homeschooling journey! I would appreciate any input or advice from other moms who have found success with multiple children and ages.

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Which way to turn?

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Jun 27, 2010
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Multi-Aged Learning
by: Liza

Hi,
I only have one child, but have used "Five In a Row" (FIAR) which is literature based and is for K-3rd grade. You can teach all the kids together,the younger one can do the simple stuff, and the older ones the more complicated stuff. Also, you can have the oldest do research on any of the given subjects that go with each book.
Basically, you read one picture book a week, once each day. Then all the activities are right there in the FIAR book for you. The first volume is ~$20, you can get the picture books from the library or yard sales, and other than basic staples (i.e., pencils, paper, crayons, etc.) that's all you need.
My daughter loved it, and still asks to do FIAR. (This past year she went to private school, but is coming back to homeschooling next year.)
I would highly recommend you checking it out. My favorite part was that everything was written out for you. It even comes with a planning page in the back that you can copy every week to keep track of what you do.
Hang in there. It will eventually all work out. It takes a while to find your groove. Give yourself a break. Also, remember, most kids catch up to whatever they've "missed out on" by the time they are in 4th or 5th grade.

Liza

p.s. There is also a "Beyond FIAR" for 4th-6th grade.

Jun 12, 2010
Rating

muddling through
by: Anonymous

Hi there,
The way we have found that works for us is to do our "oral"subjects together, reading history, stories, geography, narration and then break off to work on individual things (prepared beforehand, I'm afraid!!) and then each child gets individiual time with mum working on attention-needed skills like reading and writing and math. It's best to keep instruction times with mum short and sweet. Let the older ones work on reading orally to the younger ones, or just out loud while you're helping another with a different topic. If the older ones stay up later you can always work with them when the house is quiet. Also, there's nothing wrong with enforced quiet time after lunch when the little ones need a break and the older ones could get some attention then.
Keep going, we all muddle through somehow!!
Liz

Jun 12, 2010
Rating

multi-aged / grades
by: Basheerah

Dear Vanessa

Hi there. I know exactly what you are talking about. I am the mother of 5 children aged 15, 11, 10, 7 and 5.

When we started homeschooling, the most difficult thing for me was managing the multi-grades. There were days when i wanted to cry. But, I know why I am doing this and I am not sorry we made this choice - I could never imagine putting my children in a school!

I am more confident now. We set up timetables for each child. The older ones obviously have more to do but I try to make sure everyone is busy with more or less that same thing at the same time. Every one will be doing maths or a numeracy related activity. This me focus on a particular learning area at a time. The older ones have learned to work on their own a lot. So once we have gone through the work I leave them to carry on and sit with the two younger ones but I am there for assistance and help. And so we go on. When the older ones do something like natural science or geography, the young ones do something a lot more basic but related. This means that I jump around in books sometimes and dont work from cover to cover in that order. Or that I'm looking for additional material. Sometimes we just need to take a deep breath and relax and ask one of them to build a puzzle or read a book while we work through a problem with someone else. I comfort myself in the knowledge that we are consistent and that we work every day and that they would not be learning more at school.

I hope this helps. You are doing the right thing. You are a mother who loves her children and wants the best for them. Follow your instincts and ask your creator to strenghten and guide you.

All the best, kind regards
Basheerah

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