| Homeschooling more than one school aged child | | | | multiplication tables. Go through each month of the |
| can seem like a daunting process to parents that | | | | school year and see where your unit studies and |
| are considering homeschooling. Here are some tips | | | | subjects will best work for each child and then |
| to make that process go more smoothly for you. | | | | how it will work best for everyone (including you!) |
| - A Unit Based Approach There are several topics | | | | together. |
| that lend themselves well to a unit based | | | | - Timing your day I find that more difficult |
| approach so that the same subject matter can | | | | subjects may really require your undivided |
| be taught to your children at varying levels. To | | | | attention such as science experiments. Older |
| give you an example, if you want to study the | | | | children can have a time with you in the later in |
| history of Ancient China, your older middle | | | | the afternoon on this but younger ones generally |
| schooler can do a report on different dynasties or | | | | focus better in the morning. When the one child is |
| even different religious impulses in China while | | | | getting solo attention, the others can be doing |
| your third or fourth grader can study some of | | | | independent work from an assignment book |
| the myths and cultural traditions of the time | | | | (works best from 4th grade on) or doing artistic |
| period. An early elementary child can help you | | | | or musical projects. If the children know what to |
| prepare traditional Chinese food and look at some | | | | predict about their daily schedule, then the day |
| of the ways people dressed long ago. Everyone | | | | can run smoothly, at least most of the time! |
| can enjoy a field trip to nearby Chinatown or to a | | | | - Be Flexible When you are schooling multiple |
| celebration of a Chinese festival or artistic | | | | children at home you will find that sometimes |
| performance. Units that require nature | | | | even the best established homeschooling rhythms |
| observation are good subjects for multiple ages | | | | will either go astray or need to be changed based |
| as well since they can be taught at many levels. | | | | on something that comes up in the moment. |
| One great one to do is a unit on weather, | | | | Learn to take these shifts with an attitude of |
| including building a home weather station, learning | | | | flexibility. After all, your goal is not stuff your child |
| weather lore and doing careful cloud identification. | | | | with facts but to encourage your child to learn |
| - Planning Ahead The best way to deal with | | | | with enthusiasm and depth. Sometimes learning |
| multiple children and their schooling is to do some | | | | one thing in depth is better than trying to cover |
| advance planning! In late spring, visualize how the | | | | everything on your list. |
| next year will look and get it down on paper. | | | | Homeschooling more than one child can be a very |
| Plan what topics you want to do together like unit | | | | rewarding process if you plan, stay flexible, and |
| studies. Look at topics that are related yet | | | | focus on efficient use of group unit study of |
| separate, such as one studies US Geography | | | | subjects. Let your older children do some teaching |
| while another studies South American | | | | as well. It will help them review their own learning |
| Geography.Consider what topics are the same but | | | | and will allow you time to focus on a child that |
| at very different levels like math. I think it is | | | | may need more attention. Remember always |
| easier for everyone to be working on math at | | | | why you decided to homeschool and enjoy the |
| the same time and the older children can help the | | | | opportunity to learn and grow together as a |
| younger ones in tasks like mastering the | | | | family. |