Managing a Multi-grade Home-school WITHOUT the Str
Homeschooling a single child is often a simple matter of assigning what hours will be set aside specifically for school work and then providing the lessons to complete. However the more children you add the more complex this scheduling becomes.
In my home we have five students in total, four of our own and a friend's child who completes her schooling with us. The most common reaction I get from people is an open jaw followed by the question, "Are you insane" and the second most common response, "How on earth do you manage that many?" Learning how to manage "that many" took four years of trial and error. Exploring options and then finding what worked for us.
The Tried and Not So Proven
While one-on-one instruction is beneficial for your child, there are only so many hours in each day. When homeschooling multiple grade levels this "one-on-one" environment is not ideal. It demands too much time and spreads the parent too thin. We spent only one academic year attempting this routine and it was a complete failure. The kids were not receiving a thorough instruction on any subject because I was trying to fit 24hrs of instruction into an 8-10 hour day. I was exhausted, over-worked and frequently frustrated and it reflected on my children's academic instruction.
Another popular recommendation for the multi-grade home-school is the infamous unit studies that group multiple subjects across a single theme. This is the most ideal because it often allows you to teach two students from the same unit study if they are within a couple of years of each other. The two flaws our family found, my students were never within two years for more than a few months at any given time and they have VERY different learning needs making combined unit studies less effective if not impossible. Still this form of study was our solution for two years, proving to be the most desirable for everyone involved.
While unit studies seemed to be the best solution available I still wasn't satisfied. Our school day began at 9am and didn’t end until 6pm, and on longer days it was 8pm. At least that is how long my school day was, the parent leading their education. Each kid had a block of 4hrs scheduled for education, something very simple to accomplish with unit studies, but I had 4 students at that time making it a long day just the same. As a result I continued seeking the perfect fit for our family and schedule.
Finding what worked
Our school days have changed drastically since then beginning with our 2007-2008 school year. Where I once spent as many as twelve hours a day educating my four children I found a successful way to spend 4 hours educating 5 of them. My secret? Self taught curriculum.
This doesn't relieve parents of the responsibility of teaching their children basic concepts. There is still a level of involvement, especially at the younger years, but the difference is even at the kindergarten level you are preparing your child to teach themselves.
The first year of school demands the most one-on-one attention for the younger student as you prepare them to read independently and they learn early math concepts. By second grade your young reader is ready to spend their reading time completely independent from your side, and with the right math curriculum and preparation those first two years, they are also able to spend their math time with less intervention as well.
Making it Work and the Learning Curve of Adjustment
The trick is that first year of school, whether you are starting at kindergarten or a higher level - our first year we had a kindergartner, 3rd grader, 7th, and 9th grader. Each student went through a similar reaction of mom how do I do this, or where is the… What they each had to learn was how to find the answer on their own. I provided everything they needed to do so, and now it was their turn to learn the discipline to use the tools they had in front of them.
They quickly learned when they needed my help and when they didn’t, coming out with questions on an as needed basis after, and only after, they had completed several steps of trying to find out the answer on their own. This approach not only provides them with a complete curriculum but it also frees my time making me a better instructor when they need me, they are learning to think independently, and learning how to discover the truth rather than just take my word for it.
The second trick belongs to the parent. It took a lot of adjusting on my own part, even though this approach was something I initiated. I had to train myself to allow my children to think for themselves and not tell them where to find the answers. I had to reassure myself daily during that first year that they were learning, because I wasn’t in constant control of their schooling. Watching my 9th grader go from a C average in math to an A and my kindergartner learn to read both print and cursive simultaneously was proof enough that this was the right choice. The kids were learning. They were thinking for themselves and directing their education in such a way that they were progressing rapidly and I was left to oversee and focus my attention where it was needed most.
There are many self taught curriculums available on the market today. The concept is becoming more and more used and accepted in home-schools across the US. Teaching multiple grades has become just as simple as teaching only one child without cutting back on your child’s education and your child is equipped to think for himself under any circumstance. Providing an education using the self-taught method offers your child a well rounded education that you can feel good about at the end of the day.
About the Author
Michedolene Hogan, publisher of UniqueParenting.com, is a seasoned homeschooler of 10 years. Homeschooling has been her passion since before the birth of her first child and determined to make it a success in her home. As her family grew, so did her approach to both homeschooling her children and teaching solid values to live by.