Teaching Different Ages

Most home school families (62%!) have three or more children at home. Teaching three or more children of different ages can get complicated! The good news is that it is and can be done. While not every strategy works for every home school family, there is a strategy that will work for you. The trick is finding it.


Dealing with Babies and Toddlers

Children too young to participate can complicate matters. Trust me—I know firsthand!

While some families prefer to coordinate school time for the older children with nap time for the younger children, I encourage parents to try to keep their little ones close by during school time if possible. I have been amazed to see how fast my young child learns as she watches her brothers. She usually supervises from her perch in the high chair, where she happily snacks or colors pictures. Some parents have found success dedicating a box of toys specifically for use school time, so that the unfamiliar toys hold the child’s attention longer.
If the younger child is detracting from the learning of older siblings, the children should be separated. Put the child in naptime or separate them into different rooms.

Work Together

Homeschooling takes a lot of hard work and dedication from the parents. However, there is nothing wrong with letting a skilled child practice with or even teach a younger child (with supervision). Do you have a child who is talented at math or reading? Encourage them to teach what they know to a younger sibling.

Do you have a child who needs to practice reading, and a child who loves to be read to? Set them up together and let the reader practice reading aloud to a sibling.

Teach the Same Thing

With the exception of certain skill-based material, such as reading and math, the children can be taught together in history, science, etc. While older children will be more prepared to tackle complex information and remember it, younger children will still be able to learn some of the content.

Take advantage of “Unit Studies” which allow the family to learn the same thing at their own independent level. This allows the entire family to learn and work together, without placing unrealistic demands on younger children or cheating older children of a challenging educational experience.

Encourage Independence

Independent learning is a wonderful skill that can be taught and acquired in a home school environment. Older children can be given tasks and encouraged to work without direct supervision.

Keep Perspective

A hundred years ago, one room schoolhouses with all age groups were the norm. Those children survived and thrived, producing educated individuals that excelled beyond the capacity of most modern-day graduates. It takes work and devotion, but homeschooling families with different age groups is very rewarding. Keep up the good work!

Build Sight Reading Skills

Reading is an essential life skill that challenges many parents and students. Even individuals who know how to read aren't often interested in exercising that skill. For many, reading takes too much time and effort.

Sight-reading is very beneficial. It increases reading speed and allows the reader to focus on the meaning and not the phonics of the words. Skilled readers often recognize the shape of the word without analyzing the individual letters. Building this skill in yourself and your children will make reading much faster and easier!

To encourage my children to sight read, I labelled everything in the house. I used wide strips of paper and a bold permanent marker to clearly write the names of all the large items in the house. The couch, refrigerator, door, wall, windows, bathtub, computer--everything was labelled. Visitors thought I was crazy, but the strategy is effective! It allows children to see the word and the object at the same time.

Flashcards are another easy and successful sight reading method. Make flashcards of the most commonly used words (listed below) and words that you frequently use, such as names of family members. Use a stopwatch to see how long it takes your child to recognize all the words. Set time limits and have the children compete against the stopwatch.

Another way to practice sight reading is by reading Dr. Seuss books aloud. These books are made up primarily of the most commonly used words, and they are excellent practice. Parents can improve skills by reading to their children. =D

The 100 most commonly read words are:

1. the 
2. of
3. and
4. a
5. to
6. in
7. is
8. you
9. that
10. it
11. he
12. was
13. for
14. on
15. are
16. as
17. with
18. his
19. they
20. I
21. at
22. be
23. this
24. have
25. from
26. 
    
27. or
28. one
29. had 
30. by
31. word
32. but
33. not
34. what 
35. all
36. where we 
37. when 
38. your
39. can
40. said
41. there
42. use
43. an
44. each
45. which
46. she
47. do
48. how
49. their
50. if
51. will
52. up
53. other
54. about
55. out
56. many
57. then
58. them
59. these
60. so
61. some
62. her
63. would
64. make
65. like
66. him
67. into
68. time
69. has
70. look
71. two
72. more
73. write
74. go
75. see
76. number
77. no
78. way
79. could
80. people
81. my
82. than 
83. first
84. water
85. been
86. call
87. who
88. oil
89. its
90. now
91. find
92. long
93. down
94. day
95. did 
96. get
97. come
98. made
99. may
100. part

For a list of the 1000 most commonly used words, visit http://web1.d25.k12.id.us/home/curriculum/fuw.pdf

Homeschooling in the News

Several news reports caught my attention recently, and I would like to share them with you.

#1:  Homeschoolers Prevail in Illinois

Despite the dangers and failings of Chicago schools, Illinois state senator Edward Maloney (D-Chicago) has decided to crack down on children who do not attend public schools. Maloney, the sponsor of Illinois' Senate Bill 136, said, ""We're not after private school students... What we want is to know where homeschoolers are."

He can't understand why approximately 4,000 homeschooling parents and children gathered at the state capital in February to protest the bill. However, the bill has since died.


Although the bill has died, Senator Maloney is still trying to find ways to regulate homeschoolers. I urge you to read the entire content of the article found here. If you live in Illinois and would like to express your concerns about home school regulation to Senator Maloney, he can be contacted via email (emaloney@senatedem.ilga.gov). Additional contact information is available on the contact page of his website.

#2: HSLDA Helps Out in Ohio

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) came to the rescue of an Ohio family who had listened to the well-intentioned but inaccurate advice of friends instead of consulting a legal professional. She wisely applied for an expedited HSLDA membership and received the help she needed. The entire article is very brief, so I have posted it in its entirety below. (For more information on the HSLDA, please read our April 1 post titled "Legal Organizations.")

"HSLDA Arrives: Superintendent Does 180" (taken from HSLDA)

When Ms. Manning (name changed to protect privacy) opened a letter from her local school district she was alarmed by this message: “I am denying your request [to homeschool].”

The superintendent was refusing to excuse the Manning children from compulsory attendance because he had not received receipts for their curriculum, and the children had received allegedly poor reading assessments. The reading assessments were the result of a surprise testing appointment set up by Ms. Manning’s former spouse. “Failure to enroll the children in school by the end of this week,” the superintendent wrote, “will result in filing truancy charges.” 

Unfortunately, Ms. Manning had relied on a friend’s inaccurate advice and had not notified the school district of her intent to homeschool at the beginning of the school year. After being contacted by a truancy officer and learning about the requirement to submit a notice of intent, Ms. Manning complied with the law. She then found out about HSLDA and applied for a rush membership. 

Because the superintendent was not following the law, HSLDA Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly communicated with him on Ms. Manning’s behalf to clarify Ohio’s homeschool law. The matter was referred to the school’s attorney, and after further correspondence, the superintendent excused the Manning children from public school attendance.

While being connected to other homeschoolers is important, it is just as important to get competent legal advice. HSLDA exists to help homeschoolers comply with the law but also to defend them when ignorant or zealous school officials overreach their authority. Had Ms. Manning been a member before she started homeschooling and sought our assistance, we could have assisted her and likely prevented a very stressful and threatening encounter with the school.

In an email to HSLDA, Ms. Manning wrote:

“I just wanted to express my deep gratitude to the both of you for the work and time you put into my case, and the support you have given me. I have received a letter from the Superintendent excusing my children from compulsory school attendance. Another victory for HSLDA! You guys are the best! Thank you so much again, and may the Lord bless you both and your organization abundantly!”

#3: Homeschooling Faces Increased Scrutiny Abroad and in the US

The above articles seem to verify this article's statement that "an expert has noticed a 'marked increase' in the scrutiny that parents and students can face when they choose to pursue an education at home.' In some countries, parents are being fined and children are being removed from homes simply because the families are homeschooling. A suspected reason for the scrutiny is the increasing population of homeschoolers who "disproportionately represent the best and brightest." I strongly recommend reading the article, which can be found here. (http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=12750&fp=Y)

Rock Candy Science Experiment

It's been a long, long while since I've eaten rock candy, but the kids and I made some last week as part of our science studies. It's easier to make than you might think!

You'll Need: 
Clean wooden skewer (for each piece of rock candy)
A clothespin (for each)
A clean glass jar (for each)
Water
Sugar
Pan


The Process:

Boil water in a pan. Add food coloring if desired. Once the water is boiling, encourage each child write a hypothesis about how much sugar will dissolve in the water. Be sure to keep track of how much sugar you are adding to validate these hypotheses!

Add 1/4 of sugar at a time until no more sugar will dissolve in the water. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool for 20 minutes.

Dip each skewer into the mixture and roll it in sugar. Set the skewers aside and let it cool completely. (Investigate why rolling in the skewers makes the sugars grow faster!)

Pour the sugar water into each jar until the jar is at least 3/4 full.

Place one skewer in each jar with the sugar-coated side downward. The end of the skewer should be approximately an inch above the bottom of the glass. Use a clothespin to hold the skewer in place over the jar. Allow it to cool and wait 3 - 7 days for the sugar crystals to grow.

Thoughts about PE (Physical Education)

For many reasons, PE (physical education) can be a major homeschooling challenge. Although it is not a mandatory part of the curriculum in all states, it is required in some places. If you are struggling with PE in your homeschool environment, consider these ideas:

Active playtime counts! You don't need complex equipment or an expensive gym membership to exercise. Take time every day for active play--tag, Frisbee, dodgeball, basketball all count.

Chores are exercise, too--especially if strenuous outdoor work is involved.

Incorporate exercise into a family service activity. Clean up a park, or help build a playground! Go door to door and gather food for a food bank, or collect used magazines for an abused women's shelter.

Purchase fun exercise DVDs.

Visit parks and playgrounds! Older children may enjoy a visit to a skate park instead of a playground.

Have a dance! Turn up the music real loud and dance around.

Enroll children in community sports.

Nurturing Natural Curiosity

The ultimate goal of all educators is to teach. Anyone who invests their time teaching wants to know that their students are going to take something away from each discussion and lesson. Homeschooling parents are no different.

However, homeschooling is a unique scenario that balances teaching and parenting. Sometimes, the busy parents in us can squash the natural curiosity right out of a child without even realizing it. After all, how many times can any person be asked “Why?” without exploding?

The most important fundamental of any educational environment must be to nurture that basic curiosity that all children possess. Children are born wanting to learn, but most children learn somewhere along the way to hate learning. Why?

Most of us have heard at least one teacher say, “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” Children must be able to believe that. Once they’ve been shamed for asking a question, they may become discouraged from asking more. Repeated shaming or negative responses can kill the desire to ask any more questions.

One of the benefits of homeschooling is not being forced to adhere to a strict curriculum. If you deviate for a day, hour or week to discuss something you hadn’t planned to cover, things are still going to be okay. Nurturing that curiosity, especially at a young age, is more important than racing through other “more important” material.  

Learning must be fun. It must be interesting. If we are going to instill a lifelong love of learning, and not just the basic knowledge needed to survive, our children must have a reason to love learning. At a young age, they naturally do. This is the perfect time to nurture and encourage that love.

Children are also more likely to retain and remember information that they wanted to know.

I have been asked hundreds of questions at inconvenient times, and I will admit that I am not perfect at putting this philosophy into practice. Nevertheless, I know that it is extremely important and I try to make answering questions a priority. If I am unable to answer immediately, I write the question down and promise to answer it later.

If your children have stopped asking questions like “Why” and “How” and seem to have lost their natural curiosity, it does not mean that all hope is lost. Reignite their curiosity by asking them questions. Trust me –there’s nothing more fun than bugging a child with persistently asking “Why” after everything they say (I’m sure it’s not because it feels like revenge or anything. =D). Ask “Why” and “How” until they reach the end of their knowledge and start guessing. Then, seize that opportunity to teach them something new.

Field Trips for Less: Discounts, Deals & Freebies

Shaking up the educational experience with a field trip can keep learning fresh and interesting for busy children and bored teens. It’s not necessary to spend hundreds to go to unusual and exciting places, however.

Another great way to save money is to look for discounts and coupons.

First, check for any discounts you may be eligible for. Veterans, seniors, disabled individuals, etc. can often get a few dollars or a certain percentage shaved off of their price just by showing an ID.

Look for discounts and deals in the community.  Entertainment Books for most areas can be found on Amazon.com (click the product link and do a search for your specific area!) contain many coupons, but the initial price can be steep. Many places offer coupons on their website that can be printed, so always look online before planning a trip. Some grocery stores offer discounted tickets to certain places, such as water parks.

Homeschooling groups that organize field trips together can benefit from group discounts. A later post will provide more information about homeschool groups.

While families on a budget may wonder what they can do to supplement their educational experience, there are many options.

Watch for the word “free.” Free is my favorite price! In Seattle, there are several museums that participate in a free museum night on the first Thursday night of every month. During certain hours, entry to these places is totally and completely free.  In Olympia WA, the children’s museum is free on the first Friday evenings of each month. Look for free events in the community and don’t miss them!

Summer is an especially easy time to find free events. Keep tabs on local newspapers and kid’s magazines. A magazine called “Seattle’s Child” offers a calendar of free and fee events in the Western Washington area. Getting a subscription to magazines like this can provide you with periodic reminders to check for freebies (which can be very useful because, let’s face it, homeschoolers are busy!).

Also, simple searches like “Free events Seattle” or “Free events Houston” etc. can find free events in major cities near you (of course, that only works if you search for cities near you… I don’t generally look in Houston. =D)

What are you favorite ways to find low-cost or free field trips? Share your ideas in the comments below, or in the discussion forums (in the 'Discuss' tab at the top of the page!)

Field Trips for Less: Passes

Field trips aren’t just for public schools—in fact, field trips are ideal for homeschool students. Since homeschool parents do not have to take 20+ children with them, spur-of-the-moment detours and regular errands can become memorable teaching moments. For example, grocery stores can be a very educational place for vigilant homeschooling families (more information on grocery store trips will be posted on a later date).

Families can go to (almost) every single place that the schools go—planetariums, zoos, museums, theater performances, etc. While admission to these places can be expensive, families can get more for their money by considering season/annual passes.

For example, my children love exploring the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. One trip alone would cost our family $35 or more (definitely more when you include paying for parking!). However, we spent $80 on our first trip and purchased an annual membership that allows six named individuals unlimited admission to the regular exhibits, plus 15 free regular IMAX film passes for the year and five free guest passes to the regular exhibits per year. We added my husband’s parents to the pass for an additional $10 apiece—that’s annual admission for less than the cost of a single one-time adult admission! Now, we can take the kids to the Science Center (or their grandparents can) anytime during the year without worrying about the price of admission. In the first month of owning the pass, it’s already paid for itself. Parking, of course, is still a pain.

Another side benefit of certain membership plans, such as the one for the Pacific Science Center, is reciprocal admission programs. By holding a Pacific Science Center pass, we get free admission to more than 290 science centers that participate in the ASTC Passport Program. Since we often travel out-of-state, we are eager to explore all of the science centers we will be able to visit free of charge.

Zoo passes have similar benefits. The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, is an amazing place. Their passes are based upon how many people are in your family, and their ages. Adults are $42 apiece and children 3-18 are $11 each. However, you are also granted free or half-price admission to nearly 150 additional zoos and aquariums across the country.

Also consider buying passes for places that aren’t strictly “school” based. One of our favorite places to go as a family is the water park. Homeschool may seem like just a great excuse to justify the expense, but our children have learned the principles of buoyancy (positive and negative), current, etc. by playing in lazy rivers and wave pools. Other principles, like inertia and gravity can also be taught there.

Be creative. Create memories. Have fun! Always remember that school can be more than just an educational experience. It can also build and strengthen relationships.  

Check back Friday for more field trip savings ideas!

Buying a Curriculum

Buying a curriculum isn’t for everyone. Some homeschooling parents really enjoy the ability to teach without stressing about curriculum development; other homeschoolers can feel burdened or restricted by the idea of a purchased curriculum.

There are some definite pros and cons to purchasing a curriculum. Before you decide to, consider the following:

PROS

Ready lesson plans

The curriculum makes school easy for parents, because it eases the burden of preparation. Everything that needs to be taught is laid out in the curriculum material.

Resell-able

Used curriculums can be resold, which can help mitigate the effects of the steep initial price. However, to get the best benefit from reselling, workbooks should be unused. This can lessen the convenience of the curriculum.

Reusable

Statistics show that most homeschool families have three or more children. If you are going to re-use the curriculum with another child, however, you may be unable to find another workbook when you need it. For most effectiveness, copy the workbook pages and do not write in the actual workbooks—or order additional workbooks if possible.

CONS

Expense

Purchasing a curriculum can be pricey, and can leave the family with less funds for “fun stuff” like field trips. Some families may feel obligated to continue using it, even if it doesn’t work well for the family, because of the cost involved.

Buying a used curriculum or re-selling it can help lessen the expense.

Learning & Teaching Style

Some curriculums can feel very similar to classroom school-work and lack the opportunity for curiosity that homeschooling naturally fosters. Did you choose to homeschool because your child wasn’t doing well in a classroom-style school environment? You may want to consider that before buying a curriculum. Is your student ahead or behind of the average student? You will want to consider this also, because most curriculums are designed to be at an average level.

The classroom-like qualities of a curriculum can be mitigated if the family uses the curriculum as a guideline for their work without actually adhering to each activity and assignment. However, this can lessen the cost-effectiveness of such a purchase.

Ultimately, it is important to make sure that the curriculum caters to your child’s learning style—and your teaching style.

Do you use a purchase a curriculum? Why/why not? What are your experiences?

        

Homeschooling Methods

There are a hundred (perhaps even a hundred million) ways to homeschool a child. Almost every strategy can be categorized within the three primary categories of homeschooling:

STRUCTURED (Traditional)

Structured learning is the most traditional variety, and is generally the first method people think of when they consider homeschooling. This is because structured home schools are so similar to public schools. Structured homeschooling requires the family to have a set, stable structure. School starts and ends at the same time. The curriculum is taught in a certain order, at certain points of the day. Often, structured homeschooling parents will use textbooks, teacher’s manuals and other school materials to guide their teaching. Distance learning, such as online and correspondence schools, fall into the structured homeschool category.

This method is ideal for organized parents and families that who have fairly regular daily activities and work well with schedules. Families who are beginning to homeschool after the children who have already been in public school will likely find that the similarities between structured homeschooling and public school help ease the transition to home learning.

UNSCHOOLING

Unschooling is very misunderstood (likely due to its name), but is actually a very legitimate homeschooling style. It is extremely unstructured. Curriculum and school hours are directed by the interests of the child. Unschooled children might never work from textbooks. Instead, these children are led by their natural curiosity to learn about the subjects that interest them.

Unschooling is an ideal homeschooling method for extremely young or extremely curious children. Children who generally reject the idea of school outright may find that unschooling can pique their interest for learning. It certainly doesn’t work for everyone.

ECLECTIC

Eclectic home schools combine traditional and unschooling methods. Some subjects are structured while others are unstructured. This allows children to learn the necessary skills (such as math and reading) for their age in a structured environment while exploring science and history as their own interests lead them.

AFTER-SCHOOLING

After-schooling children removes the pressure of curriculum from the parents but does not offer many of the benefits that homeschooling does. After-schooling parents send their children away to school (public, private, charter—whatever their choice) and then continues the educational process at home through homework help as well as extracurricular teaching and field trips.

This site is intended to encourage and assist homeschoolers of all types and in all circumstances. Use the method that works best for your family, and – no matter what method you choose – there will information posted here to help you be successful.

Personally, my family best benefits from using an eclectic style that leans heavily toward unschooling. I work from home and my spouse is disabled and cannot work. We have absolutely no success with schedules and all of our attempts at traditional, structured homeschooling have lasted a few days and then failed miserably.

Every family is different. Find the methods that work best for you. If one method does not work, try another. Consider trying others even when you have found one that works, because you just mind find one that works better.

—

Sources

Homeschool Learning Network. (2010). Structured Homeschooling. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Homeschool Learning Network: http://www.hlnfamily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1184&Itemid=166

Homeschool.com. (n.d.). “Relaxed” or “Eclectic” Homeschool. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Homeschooling Approaches: http://www.homeschool.com/Approaches/Eclectic.asp

Unschooling.com. (n.d.). FAQ. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Unschooling.com: http://www.unschooling.com/index.shtml