I have 3 daughters, they will be in K, 2nd and 4th grade this year. We are starting tomorrow ,but today we were getting our stuff together and took out some books and did a little work. Well, my head was spinning and i'm getting nervous now. If one wasn't talking the other one was, if one wasn't asking a question the other one was. But because they are obviously working on different things one's questions sidetrack the others. If dd5 was asking me a question, the other 2 will stop what they're doing and lose concentration to listen to us. :roll: Oh boy, is this normal, will they just fall into what we need to do, or is there something I am doing wrong. Maybe they need to be separated for certain subjects that they will need more assistance with? I don't know, please let me know how it works best for you guys!! Thanks so much!!! Just to let you know, this is our first year HSing, so maybe I am just freaking out over nothing but I don't want to start off on the wrong foot.
Whenever possible, you should use multiaged curriculum. For the other stuff, it is so normal. You could give a separate area for one on one work where the others cannot hear so much.
I give my kids a checklist which helps focus them - I have samples on my familyd website linked below. Also, after a while they will learn to focus on their own work and not interrupt to listen, especially if it's math - my kids don't want to listen to any more math details than they absolutely have to! The first few weeks will be interesting to say the least, but you will eventually find your rhythm!
Rewind my life two years ago and I was you...a K, 2nd and 4th grader. I was a PING PONG ball I still am sometimes but it has gotten a bit better. Part of it depends on what you are using but part of it is getting the oldest more independent. K really doesn't take that much time. My K son (at the time) did his work in 10-15 min bursts because he needed to move around so I would help one or both of the girls on his breaks. By 1st grade (last year) he was motivated to get it all done so we did his schooling almost straight through and was done in an hour or less (he did science with his sisters later). I definitely haven't mastered being a human PING PONG ball but I'm am bouncing around less during the day.
I use a check list also...and we are figuring out how to do the things that need more help...like I work with one on spelling while the other is in the other room typing... I agree that the kinder one doesn't need a whole lot...and she will pick up a ton just by being around the elder ones. (alphabet color pages that correspond to what your doing with the older ones?) I am doing Science, Literature and History together...even though I have a 7th and 4th grader...I just don't ask the 4th grader to do as much writing. He is doing Spanish...so when ds1 is working on the extra writing stuff ds2 can do Spanish. (which is currently a workbook that is pretty easy for him to do on his own.) We also allow free reading...but I do spend a bunch of time hunting down one boy or the other because as soon as they finish the specific task I set they disappear. (I am working on getting them to go on to the LIST!) Good luck...give yourself some time to figure what works best for you guys...it is going to look different than MY house...and different than you had pictured too!
okay, We had that problem for a while so I had to change my plans. I made MATH work all done at the same time and invoked the raise your hand rule. It seemed a bit schooly but it worked for us! IF they had a question they raised thier hand, they got thier names on a whiteboard ifthey got 3 xs then had a detention ( time out) at play time. Another good idea is to seperate them during work time, it means you walk from one room to the next but at least your 4th grader should be able to be instucted for a few ( up to 15) mins and then work quietly either reading or completing written or math work, whileyou work more with the 2nd grader. You could also do what I ended up doing I had my dd play on a longer recess because her work was easier, with the ds for me, younger one. They played in another room or in the back yard. While I worked with my older ds on the difficult stuff. Then we would switch, he played with ds while she and I worked. Trading off with the kids helps when they wont settle down too! IT gives them each a little bit of fun with younger sib too!
Thanks, I'm just going to have to sit them down and let them know that we all have to get our work done, and they need to cooperate. I do have them doing the same Science and History curriculum and when they're reading and writing I think they'll be fine, I guess it's just the math and me working with my 5 yr old on her letter sounds and reading. I have to do a lot of talking of course for that, maybe i'll have my older 2 pick out a special place to do their work while i'm doing that. I'm sure they would like to change "work stations" once in a while, it'll keep things interesting. Also I don't have my language arts curriculum in from Abeka yet and by the sample pages it looks like i'll be working a lot with my 8 yr old too. I guess they'll just have to be patient and wait their turn for help if i'm explaining something else. Tomorrow is day 1, so i'll come back and let you know how it went. Hopefully it will go well and I can relax a little!
You know I had certain areas for a while, I just recalled for different subjects, like Science was done in an area that looked sciencey, and english/reading in a quiet zone part of the house, ( living room for us) ... math seems to gravitate to kitchen table a lot normally here. The white board went on a chair in there to work as a black board substitute.
Also, to keep things simple, for some areas of the check list it reads "see mom" - that means they need to go one on one with me, or we do it as a group. Until this year (we're using teaching textbooks for pre algebra) we do math first, and if my ds (oldest) had some extra complicated stuff, we got started about 15 minutes earlier with just him so he could have some strong one on one time with me before his sisters were even in the room. We are at the point now where if it is a new lesson, they wait their turn for me to get them started. Dd 9.5 always wants to try and read it on her own first, then ask for help is she doesn't get it. My other two always waited for me to get them started in math. A lot of their language arts (spelling, handwriting, vocab and even grammar) is usually done without me, as it reading and writing about it in their notebooks. They may have some independent reading/writing for history or science, but we usually do those as a group. We do science experiments as a group, the same with history craft stuff, read alouds for history, lanugages, art, and music. They also have education CD roms they work with on their own.
Well, I've only got 2 so it's not as bad but I sometimes feel flustered when they both need explanations. They just have to wait their turn. Mine are 1st & 4th. Some days they do math at the same time, sometimes not. If one is learning a new concept I try to plan that the other one is on their review pages so that one doesn't need help. It works out that way for other subjects too.
im using abeka, and yes the 2nd grader will have alot in language, but you will get through, lol. i have a 1st and 3rd grader this year, along with a 18 month old. we do school after lunch when baby is napping. we do science and history together in the morning, when baby is up, but she just watches and listens for that part, lol. and then all else is split. this is an idea of my schedule. 1st period,lol, 3rd gr does writing on her own, i have it in a folder with postit and instructions. she just opens and finds a quiet place to write, while i do math with my 1st gr. then next my 1st grade does his writing while i do math with my 3rd gr. his writing is also in a folder with post it instructions. then i do language with 1st grade, while my 3rd does her reading for the day, along with writing spelling possibly. then i switch, and my 3rd does language with me, while my 1st writes his spelling words. i try to fit in about 5 min there to listen to him read for a bit. then he reads for a bit on his own. then my 3rd does her health reading on her own, and i do flash cards with my 1st grader, then my 3st grader does flash cards with me while my 1st does something diff, maybe a coloring page, or a puzzle, etc.this is just part of our day, it usually takes us between 2-3 hours, and that is if everyone cooperates. any thing that isnt done by them in that time is deemed homework and done bf they get to go and play. of course i have diff things on diff days, like spelling is sometimes writing the words, sometimes doing a work sheet, sometimes me drilling, or writing the words in a sentence. but my point is, while im teaching one, the other is doing independent work, or seat work stuff in abeka. i dont go overboard with their seatwork, unless they just need the extra review. my 1st year, i tried to do everything the teacher manuals said, and man, it was overkill and burn out majorly by christmas. so the last 2 years have been very tweaked. i will say we switched to another math curric this year, abeka was moving very fast, so we switched to cle, which is similar, just a bit gentler. my 3rd did standardized test this year and scored as well as a 7th grader would have on that same test, so id say they are doing great. the first year can be frustrating i think. you are trying to figure out what you need to get done, they are trying to figure out the rules and how they work best, where they work best etc. im sure you will do excellent. just try to remember tomorrow, it will get done, dont stress, have clear boundries, maybe even a written rules list, for them to have a visual and just have fun. make school fun, and you will enjoy it as well.
This year is going to be interesting since I now have 4 I am going to be teaching. Last year I only had 2 and it was pretty simple. Now I have a 3rd grader, 1st grader and 2 in K. If my dd who is 4 gets bored, I think I will back her down to preschool stuff again....she seems ready for K but we will see. I think I will be in your boat soon!
Haven't read most of the responses (I need to get offa here! LOL) but... I have a K, 1st, and 5th grader this year. I keep my younger two together for most things, and we're using a "one room school house" kind of approach this fall. Basically, I get my oldest started and he works mostly independently. THen I work with my littles - they are on different levels for math and reading but together for everything else. Most of the time I will work with one on math while the other does computer math that day, and then they switch for reading - the one who did math with me does reading (Starfall) on the computer and the one who did computer math does reading with me, so it switches every day. My younger one does his workbook while my older one does grammar or spelling, which is new for him this year. Then after they are done I do the subjects with my oldest that he needs my attention for - history and read aloud (related to history) mostly. Dad does science weekly. I'll read up on the other responses later.
I"m working on a plan - but I have a question...I was considering subscribing to one of those homeschool internet thingies that change up as your kid progresses (looked at Time4Learning - seemed pretty good) - anyone use one of these as opposed to CD roms?
I have pre k (4) 2nd (7) and 5th (10). I often send the younger two off to play while helping oldest with anything hard for her, or when we do spelling and I need to test her. I try to set DD (4) up with paints or some other activity while working with the other two. It's hard to make it work all the time. Every day is different. Sometimes DD (4) sits on my lap and "helps" me bead with the other two are working on their school stuff. It's good for her fine motor skills! LOL! I've also set her up with her own plastic beads so she can bead at the table, while we are working together. Scissors and paper and glue are also great for keeping the little one occupied at the table while we are all working. It's all a big hunt to find productive things for my little one while the older ones get their seat work done. I really need to plan that better. Our days would go much smoother if I had pre-k activites set up before time so she is happy while we do workbooks.
I scanned the responses quickly....looks like you got some good advice! You mentioned you need to tell them it's school time... How about having a "meeting time" and explain to them that there is a difference now that you school at home. Then let them participate. Ask them what they think would help the days go smoothly. Ask if they think talking to each other whenever we feel like it will help get their work done or slow them down. Then ask, "What are some good rules we can come up with for our school?" Let them make suggestions, and you encourage the ones that really will help: "No talking while working on schoolwork? Great idea! Any other great ideas?" Or something like that, whatever works for your family. Then ask what the consequences should be if they don't follow the rules, and let them help with those. That way they "own" the rules and consequences, and they make sense to them! They helped make them, so they're more likely to follow them! If they DON'T follow them, and receive the consequences, they can't say, "That's not fair"---because THEY decided on those consequences! Remember that it's an adjustment for all of you to make and it will take some time! Try to go with the flow as much as possible while you all get in to the homeschooling groove. In other words, allow yourselves an adjustment period where the kids will forget sometimes, and things won't run as smoothly as you wish. Best wishes to you all!
That is great! I just remembered we had a little bell that we would ring when it was time for school and when it was time to come in from outside, they loved it cause it was like "Little house on the prairie" and all that ! They even asked if they could ring it so we worked it into our behavioral modification awards!
