When a typical school teacher starts their day they know that they will most likely teach only one grade in the elementary years. Even in junior high school or high school they only teach a span of three to four years. When you homeschool your children you may teach preschool clear to the 12th grade all at once. While we realize that managing a classroom of 25 students or more is difficult and that our teachers do an amazing job in our school systems, we also acknowledge the difficulty in teaching such a wide span of grades and ages.
As a homeschool parent you may find yourself discussing current events with one child while teaching colors and shapes to yet another. With every extra child there is more fragmentation of thoughts and attention. So what can a homeschool parent do to take the mayhem out of teaching so many grade levels? We hope to offer a few tips to lighten your load or to just inspire you.
- As children grow, help them become independent and self motivating about their homeschool curriculum. Naturally you will still have to supervise but if you can trust that they know what to do it will take a lot off of your plate.
- Themes and units can be very useful because you can be studying one topic and just provide information and activities for each age. For example, you could be studying Native American tribes. You can have activities for older children as well as the younger children but the activities very to be age appropriate but you will be amazed at how much the younger children pick up on what you are teaching the older students.
- Be prepared to spend equal time with your high school students as you do your younger students. Not all the time, of course, but there will be times when they need undivided attention. This is normal.
- Keep plenty of activities on hand for your little ones. If you have toddlers or preschool age children with shorter attention just be prepared with plenty of activities so that when the children need to switch gears you are ready for it. This will prevent a lot of frustration.
- It is not necessary but you may find it helpful to belong to a homeschool co-op and/or homeschool support groups. With support groups you will find other parents who have great ideas and insights. With a homeschool co-op you may teach music to a group one day but your children may go and gain the experience of being instructed by someone other than you for a day or two a week.
Homeschooling multiple children simultaneously is a great challenge but with some careful planning and great organization it can be very satisfying. Homeschooling is a great way to bond your family together and share in all that life has to offer. The key is to not get overwhelmed.
