What is your opinion on siblings homeschooling siblings?

Discussion in 'Other Conversation' started by Jo Anna, Jun 14, 2010.

  1. Jo Anna

    Jo Anna Active Member

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    I mean as a parent we homeschool to teach our children right? So, what is your views on say you have an 18 year old at home and a 6 year old, with many others in there also. Would you allow your 18 year old to teach your 6 yr old? To do the homeschooling, pick the curriculum, you know take over?

    I wonder at times if this is what happens in large families with lots of children. Well one example of it, yet probably not to the extreme would be the Duggars. Their whole buddy system, I think it carries over to school also. Now I can see helping out, but I mean actually teaching them. Like teaching them to read, doing the whole thing with them.

    What is your views on this? Do you think it is right? Or is it the responsibility of the parent no matter how many children you have?
     
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  3. Meg2006

    Meg2006 New Member

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    I don't know about teaching them 100%. The parent really misses out on what the child is learning. That is also alot of pressure on the older child to perform, and succeed. I think the child can teach a certain sibject, but really I think it's the parent's job.
     
  4. Jo Anna

    Jo Anna Active Member

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    That is my opinion also. Yet I have read a few things lately that lead me to believe this does happen more than we would like to admit it.
     
  5. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I'm thinking that in instances where the parent has no choice but to be out earning the living, much-older sibs - assuming the parents has hs'd them well in the first place and is emotionally/mentally/spiritually in a place where this would be feasible - might be able to homeschool younger sibs successfully, if older-sib is also willing to do it and the younger sib respects the older sib's authority. If they can babysit while the parent's gone, they should be able to see that the younger(s) do the work the parent has laid out. But I think the parent would need to go over everything and do the choosing and all that whenever possible.

    I dunno - I was raised as an only, and I only had two, 9 1/2 years apart, so this is outside my personal experience. I know of one family where the oldest girl has homeschooled some younger sibs and one other unrelated girl, but the mom was actually present in the home most of the time (just really busy!), and it was for just a couple of years. Mom kept charge of the younger two or three and taught them, and the oldest girl had the others that were younger than herself and the unrelated girl who was same age as one of the middle sisters. It worked pretty well for them, apparently.
     
  6. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    I don't think it's right for any older sibling to be more responsible than an occasional baby sitting while the parent runs to the grocery store (and I'm not talking grocery shoping, I'm talking she forgot to buy a pack of butter and needs to just grab that one thing).

    Coming from the standpoint of being the older sibling who litterally raised a younger sibling while the parent worked (she totally could have worked a day job or even 3rd) it's not fair to expect a child to raise or educate a sibling.
     
  7. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    I think it's a great idea, depending on the child. How else do they do it in large families? If I had young children, I wouldn't hesitate letting Rachael take over to some extent. It would be good training for her. Now, I feel I would have to supervise her work, but I feel she'd be quite competent.

    To me, it's no different than giving an older child the responsibilities of making dinner or doing the laundry. If you're a hs'ing family, that's part of managing a household, and I expect my chldren to be able to manage ALL aspects of the household.
     
  8. MamaKittyCat

    MamaKittyCat New Member

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    I don't think that is a bad thing - I mean look at what teachers were before the public school system was firmly established. Teachers could be 16, if they passed the test.

    Also what if the older child has a strong desire to teach in some capacity later in life, that is a good opportunity.
     
  9. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    ...or have the desire to homeschool your grandkids?
     
  10. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    Agreed.

    You had the kids, it's your responsibility.

    Now there is nothing wrong with say the 6 year old isn't getting something, ask the 18 year old if they might try explaining this one concept. Sometimes a different person can reach the child and explain things so they get it. I'd ask dad 1st probably, but I see nothing wrong with a bit of help from an older sibling, but not 100% responsible.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2010
  11. Meg2006

    Meg2006 New Member

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    Asking an older sib to help a smaller one on a specific thing is ok, but having the older pick out the curriculum and take full responsibility is not my cup of tea. The older sib has to have the right mentality to teach, the drive to do it right, and I don't think ALL kids posess that ability and drive. Example: I could have done it, I love kids. DH couldn't have, he's not good with any kids except his own. It's not his fault, they just don't seem to like him. lol

    I'd agree that if the parent had all of those children then they should take responsibility for them in everyway...even academically. If you knew you couldn't handle teaching so many children, then why did you have them and vote to homeschool all of them..by yourself. Maybe a tutor could be hired?
     
  12. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    I totally agree!! If you can't physically and emotionally take care of the kids yourself, without having a "buddy system" where your older children are responsible for many aspects of the younger children, then maybe you should have planned a little better. I understand the desire to not use any form of birth control, but there are ways to help prevent a pregnancy without any form of birth control outside of a calender, maybe a thermometer, and paying attention to ones reproductive cycle.
     
  13. 2littleboys

    2littleboys Moderator

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    Parents are in charge. Period. They should choose the curriculum and oversee everything in the home.

    However....

    I like the old way of learning things where family units lived together. Older women taught younger women. Younger women taught young girls. Young girls taught children (or at the very least, served as a model). I don't like the way "we" (as a society in general) have isolated ourselves. We have fenced yards. We don't talk to our neighbors. We don't show up unannounced with a hot dinner for a new mom. We don't look out for each other. Family size doesn't matter to me. I think older children should be learning how to teach younger ones, and they should be learning that it's the responsibility of more mature people to teach less mature people, regardless of age.

    Would I mind if my boys taught another child? No. I'd encourage it. That other child's parents would be in charge, and by boys would act as a tutor. In the case of siblings, I think the same should be true. Older siblings shouldn't take over the role of mom and dad, but they can certainly have larger, harder responsibilities as they grow up... including tutoring younger siblings. It could be homework help, teaching a lesson, filling in while mom recovers from a birth, etc. It shouldn't be done long term and/or without guidance, though.
     
  14. Jo Anna

    Jo Anna Active Member

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    I guess I was not clear. I have no problem with a child "helping" or someone learning something from someone else. My thing is would you put say teach your sister how to read this year. I think that is the parents place not the your child not matter what age.
     
  15. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    I got what you meant JoAnna.. I know there are many time I will ask Garrett to help do something with the other kids, but I'm always right there and it's always something small (help Rylee write this letter the right way, please.), never anything that he really has to be the teacher on.
     
  16. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    OK, let me put it this way. Rachael will be taking Calculus in the fall. Today I was asking a HS'ing friend with older children about Calc. She told me that her one daughter could teach Rachael Calc. This girl is 19, and I've no doubt she could do an excellent job if her mom says so. I know, you'll say she's "not a kid anymore, so that's not the same thing!". But it IS the same thing! She's capable, and to be totally honest I'm not in that area.

    But I AM capable of teaching a 6yo to read. BUT SO IS RACHAEL!!! And if she wants to do it, why shouldn't she, just because she's 16? Yes, I would oversee her. But I would be willing to let her make curriculum decisions WITH MY INPUT (just as I make curriculum decisions with Carl's input!).

    I'm not saying this is for EVERY child. But it CAN BE good training. You all are making sweeping, blanket comments. That's not fair. If it works for any INDIVIDUAL parent and child, who are we to say it's "wrong"?
     
  17. BrandyBJ

    BrandyBJ New Member

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    I think asking a 10 yr old would be ridiculous. Asking anyone over the age of 14 is completely adequate, and is instilling virtuous values for them...also giving them insight into something they may have an interest in later on.

    I mean-would you ask them to change a diaper or babysit? Would you ask them to read to the younger child at storytime or at night?

    Having them sit down and teach curriculum, or teach concepts is a natural extension of the same thing.

    Also-Bear in mind that high schools have classes for this exact thing-where parents take their children (ages 2-8) and drop them off (for 1 to up to 3 or 4 hours a day depending!) and the kids in the high school: 1.put the curriculum together 2.put the classroom together 3. do ALL the teaching AND the discipline 4. do not have to be fingerprinted or have any educational training at all and most of the programs are not supervised by the teacher once the "school" starts.

    I know because I took exactly 3 of these classes(back east). Starting as a freshman (so 13) and this was at a public school (its in home ec classes). My sister is taking one now (in CA) (age 15).
    Just a thought for perspective.
     
  18. BrandyBJ

    BrandyBJ New Member

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    Oh and for a "big" family-well, on my kids' chore lists the older boys have "project" time and "reading" time with their younger siblings-but they aren't required to "teach" them an entire subject themselves.

    I think an 18 yr old could....I think I would only encourage the actual constant teaching if this person actually wants to be a mom that hs's or wants to be a teacher. Otherwise -it would be an assistant type thing-like go over their workbook work with them because I have to help so and so more than I thought I would....or something.

    Boy do I hope this makes sense......
     
  19. 2littleboys

    2littleboys Moderator

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    I started teaching piano when I was 12. I was paid next to nothing, but I still got paid. LOL! :lol: ... and yes, one of my students was my younger brother. My parents had no say in the book I chose, because they have no clue about music. My grandmother is the one who paid me for his lessons. My other students were classmates.

    Does the subject make a difference? You have to know how to read to get a job, so parents need to teach that. You don't have to know piano to get a job, so that one doesn't matter?
     
  20. kbabe1968

    kbabe1968 New Member

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    I would say it happens.

    For example, my youngest (just turned 5 in March) has not had official curricula yet this year. I do small stuff with her and she played on starfall a lot.

    BUT...in my kids free time they play "school" and she's learned A LOT from her siblings. DID I MAKE THEM? No. BUT, do I discount what she's learned because I haven't taught her? No.

    :)
     
  21. RebekahG77

    RebekahG77 New Member

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    Without putting too much thought into it, my gut reaction would be no. I think an older sibling could help with work, read a story to the younger, etc... but I personally wouldn't have an older sibling take over completely. That's not their responsibility, it's mine. They can carry that burden when they have their own kids.
     

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