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together vs. separate
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I have a 9, 8, and 6 year old in grades 3, 2, & 1 this year – 4, 3, & 2 next year. So far we’ve done everything together except their math and some copywork. When we do notebooking pages I just require different amounts of writing or drawing. I’m seriously considering splitting them up to do more on their own for this coming year. It’s not that I don’t like being with my children as they are learning but right now I feel like I’m actually kind of holding them back a bit as they wait for mom or little brother to be available or to catch up. We go so slow and seem to cover so little that they almost seem bored. We have a full homestead that we run too which takes a lot of my time too. Of course my children’s education is priority but I’m wondering what some of you may have experienced in splitting them up vs. doing everything together. On the one hand it seems it should help with planning and such on my part (time) but to keep them all together is time consuming too as they are close and yet far apart in some ways. And if this has been discussed before feel free to share links that I can check out 🙂 TIA
I am teaching my two together, ages 8&9, but I teach to the older and let my younger absorb what he can and he does a bit less in writing or I will write for him while he narrates. You will be surprised at how much the younger will take away from the lesson! So I would teach the assignment for your 4th grader, then assign less work for the other two depending on their abilities. It is what works here. Does he “get” everything? probably not, but he is “getting” far more than he ever would in ps and did I “get” everything when I was a kid? nope. LOL I think having you less stressed and less time consumed trying to do 3 sepreate lessons for each subject is a valuable benefit, so that when they do need you, you can be available, and you can be a non-stressed you.
Can you share your schedule? Maybe there are some tweaks that could make life easier:) Your 4th grader can be moving towards more independent work, so in a couple years life should get easier having 2 kids working more independently. I’ve personally seen advantages both ways, but I think generally around 4th is when it’s easier/more beneficial to separate for some things.
At our home, it’s gotten easier separating them for any core subjects that both my kids are capable of reading on their own, and then they narrate to me. The subjects that don’t take much time (like the arts) are best done together(for us).
Together time sometimes seems to ‘waste time’ because one kid is waiting while another needs to use the bathroom, gather something to draw with, deal w/a dog, etc. But they need to be decent readers and ready to work alone:) Hope you find a good fit!! Blessings, Gina
I think it depends on your teaching style, and each child’s style, as well as other commitments. There are so many variables. Maybe they want to build with blocks or draw while you read.
Maybe you have a boy who would rather be outside, so he looks bored with everything.
I prefer to group teach for Bible, history, science, and extras(artist study, etc.). We play math games together too.
My son, who would rather be outside, prefers independent work, but enjoys being read to, as well as discussions. As long as we don’t hold him up too long:)
As the kids get older they do science independently. I combine labs for those close in age.
Hth,
C
I was just thinking of this today! I have dd7, ds6, dd3 and dd10 mos. My dd7 takes longer with everything so I try to alternate lessons between them. I’ll start with her reading then his we’ll play a math game together or take turns individual again. I was sharing narration from Aesop’s but my dd7 does better with more time and assistance. Other than copy work, all other subjects are together. I was wondering about my son being bored though. They can do crafty things while they wait, play with bins of approved “school” toys or sometimes play an educational iPad game. It’s usually a total of 20-30 mins waiting so it’s not that bad. Curious to hear more thoughts from others.
This is such an interesting topic because there are so many ways to approach it. I have eight children with four who are officially schooling and one who is now insisting he do math and learn to read. So those five are age 12, 9, 8, 6, 5. Then I have three more ages 3, 2, 9mos. We’ve had some unusual situations in the last two plus years since Mason was born with so many medical needs. We’re closing in on 150 doctors appointments just for him and are about to schedule surgery #13 in his 2 short years of life. My children had to learn to work independently in many areas and family subjects must be given full attention to make best use of time.
The 7th grader (age 12) has been largely independent in her work. The 9, 8, and 6 year old do math, scriptures, one literature book, and copywork, independently and science, history, art together. They receive an assignment sheet each week listing what to do each day and they get to work each morning. If I’m not available due to helping a little one or another school age child they move on to more independent work. If they’ve finished all their independent work they go play until I am free.
Because of this we try to begin our day with family work. Then they begin splitting off for independent work.
Next year we’re moving to more family lessons (including the then 8th grader with the rest of the family). Each will have things to do with the material we are exploring that fits their age/ability, but we’ll all be on the same topics a lot.
I’ve seen where some people do school in the morning with one or two children (one on one teaching) while the others do independent work, then in the afternoon they switch and do one on one teaching with the opposite children while the others move to independent work.
For us the key is having a balance of activities a child can do independent of mom and let those fit in between the family subjects.
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