[phathui5]

I'm heading to a curriculum fair tomorrow to buy things for next year. Working on my list it hit me that I'll have a 4th grader, a 1st grader and a Pre-Ker. Help!

We are relaxed classical homeschoolers. The kids do have set assignments during the week that have to be completed by Friday afternoon.

Normally, I wouldn't add (then) 4 year old ds as a student, but he's been asking for real schoolwork all year and the printed worksheets aren't cutting it, so I'm going to get him Preschool stuff at the curric. fair tomorrow.

How do I get schoolwork done with all three of them?

 

[MyLittleWonders]

I've decided to go ahead and make a loose "schedule" - really, it's a routine as it's not based on times. After we wake, we eat and get ready for the morning and then start hs'ing. Currently I have a 2nd grader, K'er, and toddler. Typically, the K and toddler sit with us and want to participate in things, plus I've started having my K'er do spelling and reading. So, here's how we do it:
For math, we all sit at the dining room table and I field questions as they come up. I'll teach little lessons as needed (or demonstrate something on the chalkboard). Usually ds#3 is doing something from one of his Kumon books (he so desparately wants to "do school" like his brothers). I'll work with ds#1 on his Miquon, and ds#2 will usually do some Miquon or dot-to-dots in his Kumon book.

For spelling, ds#1 and ds#2 are doing the same thing (we're using All About Spelling); the tricky part here is keeping ds#3 occupied.

For reading, we take turns on sitting on the couch doing our reading. For the kiddo not reading, they can sit there, or they can go play while the other is reading. Again, ds#3 wants to participate, so I try and rotate him in there too with a story.

For all other subjects, we are very relaxed and do them together, typically through story/books (history and science). All three also participate when we do science experiements (usually on the weekend when I have help from dh).

Overall, our focused/sit-down time is less than an hour. It seems to work for all of them. Next year, ds#2 will consistently be doing Miquon with ds#1, and from the looks of it, ds#3 will be right there learning with us. They will probably also stay together in spelling, so again, I'll just have to have another activity for ds#3 (the spelling program does require parent-participation in the lessons).

Not sure if that helps, but that is what works for us.

Have fun at the curriculum fair!

 

[CariOfOz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders I've decided to go ahead and make a loose "schedule" - really, it's a routine as it's not based on times. After we wake, we eat and get ready for the morning and then start hs'ing. Currently I have a 2nd grader, K'er, and toddler.

omg.. you're ME! lol. I have 2nd, k and disrupting

at least that's what the almost 3yo thinks his job is!

We have been VERY relaxed and interest led for the most part...and while that is not a BAD thing, it's not working for my 7yo. He's got serious hyperactive issues and seems to need a bit of structure (the days where we do lots of schoolwork he seems to act out less, as long as it is stuff he enjoys & is interested in!) So now that we are settled in the new house, I'm working up a weekly schedule (that will get tweaked as we go along). I'm not focusing on times either, but more in loose blocks through the day. That way neither the 7yo starts to get wild nor the 2.5yo feels neglected and must cause trouble

With my 5yo I'm keeping it very simple, he's not showing a huge amount of interest in learning to read/write yet but he does enjoy headsprout & drawing/painting. He'll often work on his headsprout while lucas does his MathUSee and then wander over and help himself to some blocks and build a 10s wall which is cool because it's really helping him get familiar with what a 1/2/3 IS as oppposed to just memorizing counting to 10. Usually we'll do our First language lessons for the day here too... sweet because it only takes about 5minutes... dh swears the child knows more about nouns than he does now lol.

Then we'll have a break and go outside

: for a while and have a snack. Then we'll get into the History Odyssey reading for the day (3 days a week is what I have planned), my 7yo loves egypt and such so I'm hoping he'll enjoy branching out a little bit... especially with all the nifty projects that he'll get to do

He will do some of the reading & I'll read some to all three boys.

On the other 2days a week, We're going to be doing some of the activities from R.E.A.L science. Since it's very hands on, I'm going to include the 5yo as well for fun

Fortnightly on the weeks we do NOT have our long group activity day, we're going to do an art activity from the Usborne art treasury. It looks like it should be a lot of fun!

So for Lucas in grade 2 that works out to: MUS daily, FLL daily, HO 3x a week (reading/writing/craft/social studies), science 2x a week and 'structured' art every week to every other week.

And for Connor in K: Math concepts (block play plus he has workbooks that he does when he asks), Read aloud time, phonics (headsprout), art with big brother and LOTS of running outside for PE

For Quinn (almost 3) that equals LOTS of time to climb all over us as we read and scribble with crayons as we do table stuff