Homeschooling Multiple Children

Homeschooling more than one school aged child can seem like a daunting process to parents that are considering homeschooling. Here are some tips to make that process go more smoothly for you.

• A Unit Based Approach There are several topics that lend themselves well to a unit based approach so that the same subject matter can be taught to your children at varying levels. To give you an example, if you want to study the history of Ancient China, your older middle schooler can do a report on different dynasties or even different religious impulses in China while your third or fourth grader can study some of the myths and cultural traditions of the time period. An early elementary child can help you prepare traditional Chinese food and look at some of the ways people dressed long ago. Everyone can enjoy a field trip to nearby Chinatown or to a celebration of a Chinese festival or artistic performance. Units that require nature observation are good subjects for multiple ages as well since they can be taught at many levels. One great one to do is a unit on weather, including building a home weather station, learning weather lore and doing careful cloud identification.

• Planning Ahead The best way to deal with multiple children and their schooling is to do some advance planning! In late spring, visualize how the next year will look and get it down on paper.  Plan what topics you want to do together like unit studies. Look at topics that are related yet separate, such as one studies US Geography while another studies South American Geography.Consider what topics are the same but at very different levels like math. I think it is easier for everyone to be working on math at the same time and the older children can help the younger ones in tasks like mastering the multiplication tables. Go through each month of the school year and see where your unit studies and subjects will best work for each child and then how it will work best for everyone (including you!) together.

• Timing your day I find that more difficult subjects may really require your undivided attention such as science experiments. Older children can have a time with you in the later in the afternoon on this but younger ones generally focus better in the morning. When the one child is getting solo attention, the others can be doing independent work from an assignment book (works best from 4th grade on) or doing artistic or musical projects. If the children know what to predict about their daily schedule, then the day can run smoothly, at least most of the time!

• Be Flexible When you are schooling multiple children at home you will find that sometimes even the best established homeschooling rhythms will either go astray or need to be changed based on something that comes up in the moment. Learn to take these shifts with an attitude of flexibility. After all, your goal is not stuff your child with facts but to encourage your child to learn with enthusiasm and depth. Sometimes learning one thing in depth is better than trying to cover everything on your list.

Homeschooling more than one child can be a very rewarding process if you plan, stay flexible, and focus on efficient use of group unit study of subjects. Let your older children do some teaching as well. It will help them review their own learning and will allow you time to focus on a child that may need more attention. Remember always why you decided to homeschool and enjoy the opportunity to learn and grow together as a family.

Homeschooling Multiple Children