The family homeschool, like the one-room schoolhouse, and to some degree, the K-8 school, show how children of multiple ages learning together can be a successful model.
To make the most of your family learning environment, use a combination of working-together styles:
- working together on the same project with more-or-less equal contributions and participation at each child's ability level
- working together on separate projects, side-by-side or in the same general area
- working one-on-one with a parent or sibling while the others entertain themselves
- each child working alone in self-guided activities with occasional check-ins with other family members
Collaborative Projects
With creativity, you can find a way to include all your children in a collaborative project, each working at their own ability level. With very small babies, a rocking swing or comfortable baby carrier can allow the baby to see what's going on.
Circle time activities can bring balance to a homeschool day by bringing together children for creative and cooperative activities. Circle time may work well between parallel or solo activities.
Parallel Play
Children often like to have company while they work out problems, build or create things, or otherwise do their work. When you set up a different activities for each child in the same space, you add the energy of a productive communal atmosphere that feels positive to everyone.
In some situation, you may see younger children attempting to accomplish what they see the older ones working on, which can inspire them and help them grow and develop their own skills.
Children have various naturally preferred learning styles and activity styles. Some children work better alone while others work better in groups or with frequent interaction. Getting to know your child's optimal manner of learning and style of working on a project will help you design and make the most of your homeschooling routines.
Solo Activities
You can create time to focus on individuals by incorporate some child-directed " unschooling " practices into your daily routine. While you participate in a structured project or learning activity with one or two children, encourage the others to choose their own activity, creative play, physical activity, documentary or movie, book, video game, etc. This could also include time spent attending classes or doing social activities apart from the family group.
According to research on natural learning behaviors, play, exploration, and physical activity are fundamental to successful learning. Children need time to experiment, make mistakes, and think about things before true learning takes place.
Create an atmosphere rich with learning resources and your children will easily satisfy their instinctive drives to learn and grow. Sometimes they will collaborate. Other times they will prefer to work alone. As with other parenting activities, the homeschooling parent can use creativity to find ways to meet everyone's needs both individually and as a group. The homeschooling family has the time and flexibility to grow and change as needed, to try different things, and to find their perfectly-suited lifestyle.
You might also enjoy: The Homeschool Organization Collection
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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