| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 7/23/2009 10:23:21 AM Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru the Early Years Newsletter--July 2009 |
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------- HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru the Early Years Newsletter--July 2009 Multi-Level Teaching: Homeschooling More than One Child ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends, Homeschooling one child can be challenging enough, but adding more children can make a homeschool mom feel like the juggler doing the zany plate-spinning act, rushing from pole to pole to give each a quick twirl to keep those plates in the air. This month, I'd like to share some ideas for keeping the homeschooling "plates" from crashing to the floor! 1. Set goals and prioritize http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6757 -- Map out your year but be flexible (use pencil!). "Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge..." (2 Peter 1:5). You'll want to include character training and Biblical discipleship http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6758 to as well as academics http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6759 . (It's much easier to teach an obedient, diligent, cheerful child!) And speaking of academics: Don't make it complicated. In the younger years, your goal is to build relationships within your family while nurturing their relationships with God, and facilitating experiential learning--"hooks" on which they can hang his learning about God's world. Many parents feel most confident if they concentrate on mastery of the foundational skills areas of language arts and math at each child's own level, and then add a multi-level approach in the content areas of history/geography, science, and arts by utilizing family-friendly, non-graded materials. 2. Organize your home and your schedule for success http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6760 -- Simplify your homemaking and your chores. Have a routine, but be flexible! Build in some "down" time as well as catch-up time. Have realistic expectations, and create an environment conducive to a learning lifestyle! http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6761 3. Encourage independent study -- Train them to work without you right at their sides each moment; this may be difficult at first, but it really does get easier! Have educational "while you wait for Mom" materials on hand for those times that a student needs to wait a few moments for help. Consider using the computer for drills, research, and educational software. Make it easy for them to correct their own work in skills areas such as math. Consider giving him his own planner with his assignments listed so he can move forward at his own pace, or try Sue Patrick's workbox system http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6762 . Categorize materials into "learning stations" to make self-study more user-friendly; some items to include might be cassettes or CDs, supplemental workbooks or coloring books, games, or drills, as well as books on various topics related to the studies at hand. Most of all, remember that they do what you inspect, not necessarily what you expect, so do stay nearby and available. 4. Include your little ones -- Provide "mommy time" early and often; if you spend time with the little ones first, they will be more content playing nearby on their own while you work with the older children. (Need ideas? Check our resources section http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6763 .) Include your toddler as a young learner; you'll be amazed how much he'll pick up by the trickle-down approach! Include the younger ones in the discussions; don't expect an answer, but don't discount that possibility, either! Keep educational toys nearby for the younger ones during the lesson times. For more insights, read "What to Do with Your Preschooler" http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6764 and Mary Pride's "Top Tips for Teaching Toddlers." http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6765 5. Read aloud http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6578 -- Hearing good literature read aloud encourages in children a love for language, builds vocabulary, motivates them to read, and encourages them to use their imagination. They have a much higher receptive vocabulary than reading vocabulary, so it's okay to read books aloud that are well above their reading level, and stop to let them narrate back to you or to dramatize what you've read. Leave time for discussion and enjoy the experience! 6. Adapt curriculum or use multi-level materials, especially in content (non-skills) subjects. These might include: > textbooks or workbooks > workbooks > living books > biographies > historical fiction > CDs and videos > games > projects/experiments To adapt your textbooks, use the table of contents (from the oldest child's book) as a guide, then use "living" books for learning time, modifying assignments for younger ones. Skim chapters, noting vocabulary (bold words or vocabulary lists), timelines, important people, project ideas, and experiments or field trips. You might use just this one book, or you might find lower level texts that cover similar topics for the younger ones, then use them as references. Or you may prefer to simply use the same multi-level, family-friendly, content-area program for all, such as Konos http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6766, Tapestry of Grace http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6767 , Trail Guide to Learning http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6768, or Five in a Row http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6769 , to list a few. For additional practical tips for teaching multiple ages, join us for the August 19 webinar on "Multi-Level Teaching" at HSLDA's @home e-vents! http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6770 With encouragement from a mom of many, Vicki B. HSLDA Early Years coordinator ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Can you call your attorney at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning? Our members can get in touch with their attorney even after business hours, when they have a legal emergency. Wouldn't you like this level of service? More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1100 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
