by Linda Fantauzzo
Scheduling and Homeschooling Multiple Children
Wouldn’t you just love to be a fly on the wall? To see a day in the life of a homeschooling family or better yet a number of families? -truth is there are many different ways to do this. This is just what worked for my large family.
Don’t make a schedule, DON’T do it. (If your idea of homeschooling is math from 9-9:30, read aloud from 9:30-10 AM, etc. you will drive yourself bonkers.) Do you shower at the same time, especially on the weekends? Eat at exactly the same time every day? Homeschooling is a lifestyle and especially for young families and/or large families you will rob yourself of the freedom and joy inherent in this adventure if you become too regimented. Just because a child turns “5” and is in kindergarten you don’t have to drastically reshape how you live. Homeschooling, especially in the early years, is just an extension of those preschool years with the introduction to more formal academic subjects.
First be very clear about why you are on this path. Keeping your reason for homeschooling (your priorities) at the forefront will help you to create a plan that works for YOU. There is no ONE right way to do this. What are YOUR hopes and dreams? What do you want your offspring to look like at 18 when you launch them from the nest? Sit down with your better half and make a list. I want Johnny to be awesome-what does that look like? What core values, life skills, concepts, and abilities should he have? (compassion, honesty, good work ethic, how to procure food, do laundry, make an appointment, schedule his time, follow through on commitments, I want him to know how our country was founded and the rights and duties of citizenship, math facts, how to make change, how to read a clock (one with Roman numerals too) and read cursive, how to write grammatically, to be able to read, enjoy, and understand good literature, when presented with a problem, know how to think of possible solutions. What’s on your list? For my family we add in faith- to know, love, and serve God…. You are not recreating the brick and mortar school in your house and that’s fabulous. YOU are in control of what they are exposed to, and that my friends, is one of the best reasons to homeschool. Your kids don’t need a school desk or “school room” in your house to achieve these goals.
What is learning? What do you remember about science, history, etc. from elementary, middle, high school? How many of you are working in the area of your college major? How many of you remember the stuff you learned in those 4 years of college? How much of that content do you use today? With that in mind, what’s the goal of education? Why do we have compulsory schooling in the US? (What the state wants from your children is for a whole other talk). So, now that we’re in control, our goal should be to build strong fundamentals (and character development): ability to read and write well. The ability to think critically. You want to equip your children with the skill of knowing HOW TO LEARN. (Don’t squash their natural curiosity). You want them to develop a keen sense of HOW THEY LEARN BEST (learning styles). Real learning is relational-please limit screen time (and, please, your kid doesn’t need a phone.) Studies show we remember the things we love, and have an emotional attachment/reaction to. (Ummm-this is why all my memories are tied to food.) You remember the stuff that matters to you, that you have a definite need for. So when you plan your curriculum, keep that in mind. If your child is passionate about something, incorporate that into reading and writing. Work at the child’s developmental level, not what is expected for their age. It’s just as bad to have curriculum materials that are too easy as too difficult. So if we only remember what we love, can I skip math if Sally hates it? No! There are some basic skills everyone in society need to manage a household and support their family. (And yes, you, the teacher, get a chance to relearn all that stuff you forgot (or never got) alongside your children). You’ll be ever so much better at Jeopardy.
Amount of time you have to “do school” to provide your children with an excellent, college preparatory education is not 6 hours at the elementary level. How do I know this?-My family is proof. Individualized instruction is far more effective than group. That’s why special ed kids get pulled OUT! Do have a set amount of bookwork/reading that you plan to do most days, but I guarantee in grades K-8 it won’t take you as long public school. Some of the educational philosophies/methods advocate for short lessons-Charlotte Mason (for example). It is far better to work on math for 15-20 minutes 5-days a week than to do it once a week for an hour. The hours of formal schooling will increase with age. Thirty-45 minutes for kindergarten (excluding the time spent reading aloud) to work on phonics, small motor-cutting, writing etc, and basic math-counting and one-to-one correspondence. First-third grade about 1.5-2 hours with the focus on reading and math. Fourth-sixth grade: 3-4 hours with higher expectations for writing. Seventh-eighth grade: 4 hours. Ninth-Twenth 5-6 hours for college preparatory route including foreign language(s). We would generally start “school” after kids were up, had breakfast, dressed, brushed teeth-around 10 AM and except for the high school kids, everyone was usually done by 2 PM giving us plenty of time for afternoon activities, a trip to the library, etc.
Reframe what counts for school. “Kids are always learning.” Homeschooling doesn’t all happen within the confines of the HOME but you as their parents are responsible (per the NYS Regulations) for their progress and the majority of their instruction. Field trips and vacations can expand knowledge with new experiences. A group class for PE, art, music can be wonderful. Take advantage of the opportunities for enrichment activities offered in the community, but be careful not to overschedule yourselves. If you aren’t finding joy, (or if you are finding so much joy that no one is making academic progress) step back. Also, don’t be afraid to modify your curriculum. Don’t just do something because it is in the book. My kids have developed a keen eye for the “stupid” assignments and will bring anything to me that they question before wasting their time on a meaningless task. If a specific book/activity in your school time isn’t producing fruit, you can absolutely modify or even discard it and search for an alternate method.
Amount of time increases as kids get older, BUT they also become more independent. Work towards independence. Expect a little more every year. Kids who have been in the public school will need more time to grow this skill as they have become accustomed to being spoon-fed. At second grade (if child has had positive role models from older siblings and child can read), he/she can do quite a few things on their own. At high school, your role shifts from being a teacher to being a coach/grader/discussion leader. They may be enrolled in online or community college classes, and yes, this will require you to have some subjects at a designated day/time.
If you haven’t yet developed a relationship with your children that is based upon compliance (listening to and obeying your parents’ requests (generally) without argument) it’s time to go back and work on this. You cannot be fighting with your kids to do what you ask every single day; you’ll never last. A family unit is a team based on love-we live together and sacrifice for each other. There is mutual respect and cooperation. You listen, provide for their needs, and support them and they trust that what you’re asking is for their own good. Obviously this develops over time. Are some kids more challenging? Yes-so your parenting has to adjust if you’re dealing with special needs.
Every family is different and there are seasons in your life. Seasons with babies-lots of reading on the couch. You’ll miss two weeks because grandma died and you traveled, or everyone was sick. Please, please, don’t compare yourselves to others and don’t let Pinterest and Homeschool blogs make you feel inferior. Plan with YOUR purpose in mind, do the best you can, and start again tomorrow. Children with an innate interest in something can learn VERY quickly. You’ve got time. Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint.
Scheduling-no, Structure and organization YES, YES, YES! Develop a consistent routine (what gets done in the morning before school, what does our school time look like-incorporate something like a morning book basket, afternoon “tea”, quiet/nap time for little etc). Kids, especially those with special needs THRIVE on structure. Don’t make every day a circus (“I wonder what we’re going to do today???” You might be a free spirit and think this is fun, but it stresses out children. We have a huge # of kids with anxiety now. Be sensitive to this. Kids feel safe and can learn when they know what to expect.) We use assignment pads-a weekly list of all required work with check boxes to show completion.
Decide if you will homeschool year round or traditional (Sept. – June) or blocks (2 months on 1 month off…). But keep in mind that the academic year (from a state reporting point runs from July 1-June 30th). Your last quarterly report and annual assessment must be turned in no later than June 30th.
(Decide on books/curriculum early so you can plan over the summer. Don’t try to both plan, teach, feed and bathe them, talk to your husband, and rest/relax all in one day. One has to go-drop the planning. Divide up the work in a big teacher plan book or spreadsheet and have assignment sheets for each child with a check off list of things to do each day. Count the number of pages/lessons in the book and figure out how many need to be done per week/per day to get done in your timeframe. The equivalent of 180 days (four 9-week quarters for a total of 36 weeks is the amount stated in the Regs. If you can get the work done in 32 weeks, that’s fine. Designate which things are independent, which require a parent’s instruction, or are done as a family/group. Let them do their work in any order and eat when they are hungry. Warning-these independent assignments need to be purposeful otherwise kids won’t produce their best work and are just working to get it done. In the elementary and primary grades you need to evaluate (correct) their work on the spot. No stacks of books to grade later (because you won’t do it.). On my end it looked like the clown “juggling”-specifically the one who spins plates on a stick…Get one spinning, get another one going, return to the first, start a third, etc. but immediate feedback keeps kids from practicing errors.
Have a place to store everything-lots of bookshelves. Closed cabinet (big wardrobe or entertainment center with doors to hide it all). All I need to homeschool is bookshelves, a comfortable couch, a kitchen table and an endless supply of tea. Don’t invest in a white board, map, IPads for everyone, etc. Buy more quality children’s literature.
Vary your expectations based on your child-breaks for physical exercise, jump on trampoline, noise canceling headphones, lighting, temperature. Kids often need to be doing something active for learning to sink in-let kids play with Legos, draw, mold with clay etc. while you are reading. And yes, some kids (not me) CAN listen to music with lyrics and do math.
The 3 R’s are most important (Reading, English/Writing, and Arithmetic) so work with each child independently and at their developmental level here. Do math and reading year round. Older siblings can help younger siblings with some things (spelling tests, listening to reading, poetry memorization etc.)
Group kids for other subjects as much as you are able in the elementary years: history, science, art, music, PE, etc. Do unit studies, study historical time periods using something like “Story of the World” with additional read alouds. Have different expectations for older kids (draw a picture vs. write a sentence or paragraph).
Time savers & tips: use breakfast and lunch times and car rides for reading aloud/audio books and to listen to classical music. Pull out the messy art projects and science experiments only when the baby/toddler is napping. Go to the library every week. There’s an adventure in every book and if your child becomes an avid reader you won’t have to spend their childhood listening to “I’m bored”; plus reading boosts test scores like nothing else.
You are in the trenches-focus on survival! There are no interior decorators in the trenches. Adopt the philosophy of people over things. This translates into the reality that I’m not Miss Suzy Homemaker. We aren’t slobs at all, but are prone to only deep clean for company. Stuff like washing curtains, windows, dusting baseboards, dusting in general doesn’t get done weekly and that’s OK! I prioritize sleep (which helps me deal with people) over having an immaculate house. (Seasons-you can have a spotless home later!)
Make a weekly meal plan and shop for the week-because you cannot figure this out every day either & pick up and put away before Dad comes home because your home is your sanctuary.
Your kids WILL have gaps in their knowledge. What public school kid doesn’t? You cannot do and be everything for your children, but if you teach them HOW to learn, they can do anything and you will help them find the resources to achieve their dreams.
Hang with other homeschool parents for support. Tell the horror stories-not the FB picture perfect stuff. At least once a year go into the public school or spend time with the “regular” kids because when you interact with them, it will keep you doing THIS!
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