5: Teaching Multiple Ages

Dear Anne: Homeschooling one kid, I get. Homeschooling three kids of different ages and grades has me CooCoo for Cocoa Puffs. How am I supposed to finish three school days in one? I am worn out from trying to cover all the bases—there just isn’t enough of me to go around. Maybe I’m just not “super-mom-material”. Any tips for teaching multiple kids at once? Mary Poop-ins

Dear Mary Poop-ins: Let me first say that you are holding yourself to an impossible standard—no one consistently feels like “super-mom” in this job—we are all students of our children, and as with anything there is a learning curve. As for tips, here are two of many: 1) Streamline subjects when possible for multiple grades. Most years I am able to stretch over 2-3 kids our literature/history/geography/science curriculum (which I buy from a company that dovetails the subjects in a single lesson plan). For kiddos who have aged out of the content, they are likely old enough to do more independent work; for kiddos too young to fully participate, I arrange quiet play activities to stay in the same room and absorb whatever is possible. Much like the one-room schoolhouses of yesteryear, while the target grade range learns the material, youngers will absorb content early and older gain the benefits of review by listening and/or helping the youngers. 2) Develop a flexible schedule that also lets you work independently with each student in 15 minute chunks on whatever is his trickiest subject (math?). Definitely check out Lesson 7 in the Homeschool Like an Expert video series (or chapter 12 in the book) which is devoted entirely to this question. And, hang in there! The rewards of shared memories, sibling friendships, and a customized education is worth the effort.