Before I share the dynamic reader question this week, I have to share a few other things I have been playing working on.
I have been putting this off way too long, but I have a YouTube channel now. Lordy, lordy. I have my first video up. Or, I should say my first video up with my kids. You know I have done videos before with my web workshops, but this is the first one with Tiny. We never had so much fun opening a dumb box, but I had to share it and my channel. I will be uploading more videos too. Come on over and give my channel some love. I will try to make another one soon if I can keep from laughing through it all. Mr. Awesome helps narrate this one too.
Also, I have a free fall unit study coming up ……………….
a printable for our planner, and the next part for our South America Unit Study. I know, I know, but I LOVE keeping a lot of things stoked. It gives me a head rush and a pep in my step.
Switching gears on you I want to share a dynamic reader question. I think there is always something we can learn about homeschooling when helping others so I wanted you to get the benefit too. Here is Julie’s question. Can you sympathize?
Do you have any advice or any articles/blogs to send me to? We are starting Kindergarten. I have triplet 5 year old boys. I think I am struggling most with what do I when we are teaching the same thing but they are going at different paces? Right now I do just think of us like a little classroom but I don’t want to just be a school at home. Right now I just teach to the slowest learner and the one who may be moving a little faster just doesn’t get to. He gets extra busy work. It’s not ideal but it’s all I can think to do right now.I want them to have the advantages of home schooling but don’t know how to implement it for them. What happens if they have different learning styles? I really don’t want to have to teach three different curricula. Do I schedule individual time to cover the differences even though it’s all the same information? We are using Math in Focus, Handwriting without Tears and The ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.
Right now we just do school in our living room. I have one who is a wiz at math, one who is a great reader and if almost teaching himself and one who stays under the radar but seems to be fine with whatever I am teaching.
Thank you so much for any advise.
Julie
Having helped new homeschooling families with triples, though I do not have any, was one of my most challenging feats. From visiting with them at their house to helping them set up their school area, I have learned that some of the basic rules of schooling multiple children applies to them too.
I won’t sugarcoat it for you and tell you homeschooling triplets or twins is easy. There are challenges that the rest of us don’t understand and in many ways it can’t be compared exactly to homeschooling multiples. It truly is a unique situation that calls for pulling out all kinds of teaching tips from moms who school an only (more on that in a minute) to moms who school multiples.
Teaching one grade level allows you to be absorbed in what they need to know at that grade level. Even though you may have one son that is ahead a grade level, that is still just two grades. As the teacher, you can really hone your teaching skills in on one grade level at a time unlike a mom who may have 4 grade levels. Savor each grade because like a mom of an only, you will not repeat it, unless of course you have younger children. The families I knew did not have younger children after having triplets.
Busy Work OR Learning the Value of Independence
You are not alone in the dilemma of how to educate one child while working with your other children. We all face that similar dilemma. They are a number of solutions that will work and one of them is to have the more advanced son work on something that is easy. (Applies only to this age because 5 year olds need lots of hands-on games and activities. Gifted and talented children are still a different topic and this would not necessarily apply to an older child) Yes, easy, but still educational, challenging, but not busy work.
When the work is easy enough for a 5 year old to do on his own, this allows you the true 1:1 time with the slowest learner without being interrupted by the one that is advanced.
Look at these teaching ideas.
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Too, it is okay for him to spend time by himself because each child learns that the world or schedule does not always revolve around them. This is good practice too for learning independently in the future like in highschool.
Just enforce the rule that its still school time even if he is doing something by himself.
Slowest learner sets the pace. You are right on target for this. Moms of twins, triplets and even multiples can all agree on one fundamental fact and that is regardless of birth date, each child develops differently. This is something that all of us contend with if we have more than one child. This is also the reason we all homeschool. Whether you have one, three, or seven, no mom wants their kids lost in a classroom of 30 kids. So delight in the fact that he will not get left behind but will get the same level of fine teaching as your other children. Yes, you schedule time to work with them individually. Have you studied my illustration of my teacher’s schedule?
Different learning styles does equal different curriculum. I know it’s overwhelming to you right now and it will be for a while, but the truth of it is that just because your triplets will be doing a lot of the same things together like sports and probably have the same friends, they may have different learning styles. Each child flourishes when they have a curriculum that is suited to their learning style.
When they are young, their main learning style is Wiggly Willy and hands on. I talk about learning styles in my #3 video workshop:God’s Gifted Children that is about two hours long and right now your boys are too young to identify their learning styles.
You have a few years yet and by that time you will understand learning styles better. Right now, take it slow and teach them using your learning style. Throw in plenty of hands-on activities and teach in shorter spurts like 25 or 30 minutes and then take a break and then come back for more.
Take Tips from a Mom Of An Only Too. Shock!
Moms of onlies can be geniuses at creating situations where their child learns to develop at being an individual. They don’t have a sibling to rub off the rough spots so these parents work double hard at being sure their child’s inner self develops. Whether it’s a field trip, volunteering or taking a class with other kids, take an example from them in learning to both seize and create moments for each child to shine individually and not as a group.
Though twins or triplets have a sibling, there is no natural pecking order of older, middle and younger child so each child may struggle with self-identity.
Too, there is a natural competitiveness I have seen from children who are twins and triplets and the desire to be seen as individuals is needed. This is a balancing act because in one way my experience through the years is that these siblings end up being each others’ best friends and they should. However, they also crave individuality.
Hang in there Julie and though I won’t even go there to say we all completely understand your circumstances, I can say we all share similar problems.
I have seen the benefits of homeschooling by providing more opportunities for unique situations. And, it is not always necessary to separate them for unique experiences to the point of being stressed. They came into this world together and I think that is part of their inner self too.
Are you a mom of twins, triplets or even multiple children and have any advice for Julie?
Hugs, love ya and be sure to visit our first video, and subscribe to my channel as we got some new Zeezok curriculum
