on how to deal with taking turns. I guess that is the way to describe it. I am HSing 3 different grade levels and I have twin 1 year olds. Last week was our official first week with our curriculum. I had several very stressed out moments for myself when all 3 children had questions on their work and both babies were holding on to my leg at the same time. I will admit, I didn't handle it well at all. So any advice on how to space out time for the three older children, even with the babies tugging at my leg? I was thinking of making a board, where they put their name up if they have a question. Then I can go by the list rather then having 3 kids hollar at me at once. Making a list of scheduled time blocks makes me nervous too. As if the babies are fussing and then we run out of time for the block... Is it obvious that I have some issues
All i can say is once they settle into it they will be able to find there own ways of doing things on there own levels. i have a 12yr old at english high school level, a 10 year old in year 6 (Key stage 2) an 8yr old in year 4 (also KS2) and a 4 1/2 year old who has just started her reception year. I also have a 23 month old toddler and am 4 months pregnant. when working on topics rather than booklet work its alot easyer as the 12 year old is more than capable of finding out her own info and puting together her own work, the 10 year old needs a little guidence but once going hes ok to go alone so that leaves me with time to focus on the younger 2 while i let my toddler colour, draw, play ect. when doing booklet work, again my 12 year old is self sufficiant unless she need to ask me the odd question. the boys i try and not give them math at the same time as they both require alot of help so while one does math the other will do english/spelling/handwriting then they will switch, so i can give them my full atention (wich still isnt enough sometimes) my 4 1/2 year old chooses at will wich books she wants to do so its kinda working ok so far. last year we started on quite a strick timetable where they all did the same lesson at the same time,.. that turned out to be a bit of a night mare as they were all wanting help at the same time but on different questions. Also once my eldest is done with her work, she likes to help her little sister out (the 4 1/2yr) with her words, numbers ect. I hope that helps some nicolene DD12 DS10 DS8 DD4 1/2 DD2
Combine as much as possible. History and science are pretty easy to combine - of course you have different expectations of each child when it comes to assignments even if the assignment is pretty similiar, but the teaching would be done all together. I imagine the 9 and 11 year old could be combined pretty easily. Honestly, the 6 year old does not need any formal science or history and could just sit in with the older two or not. What curriculum are you using, some lend themselves more to independent work than others. If you are using Saxon for math for your 11 year old, get the Dive cd to do the instruction. Mostly, I think you just need to give it a little more time until everyone in settled into the homeschool mode - after summer break that can take several weeks.
Cheryl beat me to it! Teach history and science together. Your older kids are spaced the same as my three. They're ages 14, 12, and 8.5. I still teach history to all three at once, and science to the younger two at once. (My oldest is in her third year of Apologia Science on her own.) Last year, I also taught the older two Language together, using "Easy Grammar". We also do "English from the Roots Up" all together.
Welcome to my life as a human ping pong ball :lol::lol: Except I don't have the babies tugging on my leg (praise the Lord) I've starting getting all my 6 yr olds work done first (while the girls do work they definitely don't need mom for like handwriting, etc). Once he is done with reading, math, etc and moves onto handwriting or is done, I ship him upstairs to play on the computer, the Wii, whatever it takes to keep him quiet until lunch. Then I can focus on the other 2. I still tend to ping between them but not as bad as all 3 of them. Generally, my 10 yr old can do a lot on her own but I'm trying to be more hands on with her in certain areas because circumstances last year didn't allow much one on one time due to 3 moves in 14 months....so I'm trying to give her more direct teacher interaction (rather than a list of things and then a stack of graded papers in return). This, of course, makes me even more of a ping pong ball at times. I'm definitely no expert but I do understand your issue on a daily basis. Hang in there! I'm pondering trying to focus on one girl at a time for 30-45 mins in more of tutor mode (where they can only interrupt me for blood, a bone sticking out, fire, etc).....but I don't know if that's the best way either. I know some folks do well with a more tutor time schedule. We'll see. I'm still working it out in my brain before I throw it out to my oldest. We do science together as some have mentioned although my oldest and I are also doing Real Science 4 Kids Physics just the 2 of us. History we do separately because my 2 youngest prefer Abeka history readers and my oldest is a Sonlight girl (loosely using the IG....very loosely). We're also doing A Child's Geography together....which is going really well btw...all the kids seem to like it. Rhonda C.
I agree with the other ladies do as much as you can with all them. Like History and Science. Maybe do the subject they need the most help with when the babies are down for a nap.. Let them do there work they can do mostly alone when babies are up.
I think you've gotten wonderful advice. I only have 2 but I do try to teach as much together as possible (in fact we do it all but math and reading together). I also try to have one doing something they can do completely independently while the other is doing something I have to be there for (for example, one does handwriting while the other reads, then we swap). But I wanted to give you encouragement! I'm sure you're doing fine and in a little bit you'll get your schedule down and before you know it, everything will be as smooth as butter! Best of luck!
Have a whiteboard amd marker sitting near your school area, have each child write thier name and the time they needed help. Then they go on with the next thing while you wait on each child in order... as for twins, thats another problem all in itself isn't it? (grin) I love twins! I took care of twins from 2-5 yr old boys, vince and cheny they were such good boys but a hand ful when they both wanted something at the same time! I would try to set up either ( yes I now some people will say not that) a video or legos for the twins to play with, and have a second thing set up for them to go to when they need it. At montesory schools where different ages are done they have snack set up at the side with small kid sized trays, the children are alowed to take thier own snack sit in the designated spot and enjoy it when they are ready for it on thier own.. They also have several things on shelves that the child would take a tray, go sit someplace and play with that project. This is great for preschoolers! I have used the technique and it works wonders because they want to be doing something, and this gives them control and its like thier "school time". sometimes I wish I could travel around and set up rooms for moms of preschoolers and older kids for them! What a job that would be eh? I have so many great ways to do it, Ihad three diff ages, 4 yrs apart each, so had to deal with ages and stanges Lol. Now I have a Senior and Junoir ( shes ahead) and a 6th grader, so we made it this far!
Oh, one more thing, I scheduled MAths the same time and English the same time, for all three for a while , to keep my brain on each subject, well it didnt work that well cause its hard to jump from learing to add to algerbra! lol and then over to finding common denominators for fraction multiplication and then over to exponential notation... So what you could do is set it up so the older ones are set so each one gets a chance to work wiht you for like MAth, while the one who has the hardest math is working on that the other two can have either thier silent reading, or even free play outside or watching a video as well! Enlist the other children to help with the younger two! Have the readers read aloud while you teach the middle older one her math, there are ways to do it..
Professional I know you can do t because "normal" teachers do it with 30 children. What I would do is sit everyone down for there lessons and be as professional as possible. Have them raise there hands and wait there turns. Allow for side activities at the table in case there is a wait ( a vege platter, coloring pages, reading etc.). Schedule blocks but encourage one block at a time for everyone and then a break for special baby time for you. Them being stationed together suggests that they might work together and eventually as there knowledge grows they will be turning toward each other for answers quicker then you could answer them. So in fact you should saver these moments, one day the questions won't even come.
