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tips for teaching different grade levels at the same time
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This last year my oldest was in 1st grade, and my second child was a kindergardener. My kindergardener pretty much only did math and phonics (but not daily). This next year I am attempting to put them together in just about everything exept phonics, as they are in very different places in that. I will have different expectations of narrations and such since they are in different grades. We’ve already started math together so I could see if it could be done. (They are 18 months apart in age, by the way). It’s worked well so far, as I believe my younger one can handle the math well. The thought of doing every subject seperately seemed like such a huge thing! That’s one of the reasons I switched from mainly AO, to SCM with a mix of some AO elements. I guess I’m asking for any tips on combining kids in school. I will also have a 3yo who is a challange to keep busy while we do school!! I’m trying to make a plan so our days go as smooth as possible.
Any tips or encouragemet in this area is very much appreciated!Thanks in advance!
My girlfriend’s kids are that close and the do almost all the same work. Mine are K and 2nd this year and also do the same work for all except reading and math, just different expectaions, like you said. It can be a little tricky for my older when little sis picks up on something faster so I try to make sure they each feel special about something. One likes to color, the other prefers to draw. One likes to dance while we sing, one likes to watch me play the piano. It was annoying to me at first b/c I felt like one would be paying better attention but once I realized they both are just at different places and have different learning styles, that helped me to relax which is of course better for them. That would be my advice for the two close ones. As far as the 3yo, check out the preschool activity bag discussion going on right now, total life saver, lots of ideas, and learning without resorting to PBS all morning in order to accompish anything. That said, don’t feel bad if a morning happens that requires PBS to make it through!
Thanks for tip, I will keep that in mind! As for the activity bags, I started that thread. 🙂 I am hoping to get a lot of activities pulled together and try them out over the next couple months. That way I’ll know which ones he likes by the time we officially start school in June.
It is totally doable, and just plain makes sense to work as a family in many subjects. My kids are 9, 6, 5, 3, 2, 4 mos. Everyone is together for history and usually for science, I just let the oldest fly deeper into material while the little tag along and the middles enjoy what they are ready for.
In other areas, like math, my oldest is in one level, the 6 and 5 yo are together in a level (and they do the same phonics generally too, with the 3yo tagging along).
One tip – if you end up with a gap, like I have between my first and second, let the older teach the younger/review with them/play related games. It gives the older a fun review and some teaching skills, while the youngers feel like big sibling takes time to be with them.
Hi Alice – I have 11, 10, 3, and 2 yr dds. Each “set” of kids is 15 months apart, with 6 years between the sets.
I do all that I can together with the oldest and the younger tag along. Really the only thing they do seperate is Spelling Wisdom and math, along with their personal reading. The spelling is seperate because of individual pace and learning differences. My youngers (like I said from the preschool thread) like to come and go as we do things. Really, the 2 yr old hasn’t much interest, but wow! In the last week, the 3 year old wants to do it all. Soooo, she does. With her own books. =) I made her a binder with the little things we make (lap books in a binder on cardstock instead of file folders – we are doing some of the before five in a row things with them), a number and alphabet coloring book (free from Enchanted Learning) and some preschool skills papers like tracing and cutting. When she wants to do school I pull that out and use it. It doesn’t require lots of my attention, and she loves it. =)
We also keep the watercolors and markers handy (and playdough on another table). The activity bags, file folder games and puzzles are close to hand. She loves that she is at the table with the big girls and so she is usually quite content to be quiet. Today she totally jumped in and sang our hymn, painted, and colored while we did our history.
Once I had the girls do a “report” (narration) on a book that only they had read to all of us. They took turns being in front of the wall map and telling us they story. She was so cute – she jumped up, grabbed a book on the topic, and insisted on her right to share her “story”. =) Very cute – but she is learning just by being with us! Yea! =)
My advice: do everything together as you can, just watch for any competition or comparison of your children and adjust schedules based on that. You really sound together, and it should work!
Sheila
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