Teaching with lots of little ones underfoot is definitely difficult. Large family homeschooling is made up of multiple ages from babies to teens.
If you have several young children and the few oldest are school age, you may feel like you are not doing enough in your homeschool, are not getting it all done. And, I am here to say… I understand!
When you homeschool in the USA, you have tons of flexibility. Check your state’s homeschool laws, then customize your homeschool to fit your season of life!
What does that look like for a very busy family with several small children? Read on.
Large Family Homeschooling Resources
Large Family Homeschooling
Large Family Logistics: The Art and Science of Managing the Large FamilyThe Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on HomeschoolingTeaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable PeaceSo Many Littles, So Little Time: A worn out mom’s guide to mothering little onesFlexible Homeschool Planning: A Simple Method for a Simpler Homeschool
“Winging it” in our homeschool when teaching with lots of little ones …
Yes, that is what I do every single day. I just “wing it”.
I do not plan ahead for my schooling. I do not decide on doing x-amount of that book and x-amount of this book each day, week, or month.
I seriously wake up each day and say, “okay, let’s do the next thing!”. I have a rough plan/schedule in my head but do not hold myself to it.
We pull out our language arts program that includes handwriting, phonics, spelling, reading, writing, and grammar and we do the next lesson. Some weeks we just review and other weeks we do two week’s worth.
We take out our math book and we do the next lesson. Some weeks we get all of our weekly math work done, other weeks we need to take more time.
We do plenty of science, history, and social studies through reading, watching educational movies, and LIVING in the real world.
And, this has worked. At least, for elementary grades.
Read more about how we have Homeschooled over the years HERE.
Isn't it just awesome to see our kids LOVE to learn??!! All my kids are self-motivated and I love that..And I love how they can read something and retain it. Chancy loves to read about anything..including dictionaries, survival skills, animals, bugs, tress and plants…oh about anything. You ask him and he usually has a answer 🙂 Liberty is really getting into reading and coming and telling me all about it. She has no idea she is giving me an oral report 😀 My older girls play piano (self taught), crochet, sew, paint, draw, bake and so much more and mostly self taught. I lOVE it! I am not a perfect teacher.. I just thank God that they have the love of learning…and yes I pray they will love to learn more of our Jesus and what He has done for us!!
I like how you "wing it", I have to most of the time too. I've noticed the love of learning is more obvious in my little kids, but some are much more motivated or interested no matter their age.
I also wing it, quite often. Young children need time to play, explore and learn at their own pace…and they WILL learn. There is nothing more exciting than when their interest is sparked and they start trying to find answers on their own!
I have also wing it, and have ever since Mom passed away. Life is just always getting in the way and if I don't just let go then I start to get discouraged.
I have another point of view that I want to point out because some people seem to be blessed with quick learners and don't seem to see that you CAN have a child that loves to learn and not very good in their daily "school work". I have a child who LOVES learning about the world around them. This child has questions about EVERYTHING! Also can remember #'s VERY well and is the person I ask to remember all of those kinds of things for me, but the same child has struggled over seat work since the beginning. As this child's mother I know this child knows a lot of things, but is different than what the world at large thinks is "smart'. This child has a huge heart and loves everyone and God's word.
Everyone is different. This is the reason I do not think testing tells us very much. It will not tell you a persons true character and whether they will be a patient and good worker who will get along with their co workers, etc.
I have another child who is quite bored with traditional learning and "hates school", but doesn't struggle with tests or anything at all. We are prayerfully working on this child's character because according to them life is never exciting enough or fare. Everyone is out to get them…sigh so we are real people over here I guess.
Thankful you have ,"quick learners" for you need that. It takes so much prayer and"waiting on God" to teach a child who just can't seem to "Get it" when it comes to learning to read.
No, I'm not offended, just want to help people to see a different point of view.:)
I understand.. I wasn't even trying to imply that my kids are excellent at the typical textbooks anyway… just that they love learning in general. 🙂 I haven't done much of any "school books" with any of them except Josiah.
I know the first child you are referring to and I know that child is VERY smart and holds a lot of knowledge in their brain, has a very good heart, is a hardworker, desires to know and follow God, and whether that child tests well or not is not important (or shouldn't be, but sadly our nation/world is beyond seeing and knowing the hearts of people and all about tests and labels)… anyway, that child will succeed in all the ways that matter in this life. :O) I think once "said child" is an adult, reading, writing, spelling, etc. will come easier and the brain knowledge that they have attained will already be there just waiting for them to apply it to whatever is set before them… does that make sense??
As far as the second child (I'm not sure who you are referring to), but I think it is probably a "heart matter" and probably something every human must go through and prayerfully will come out the other side grateful and content and desiring God's will more than anything else. I will pray with and for you. 🙂
We are very real over here too. 😉 I know it's easy to only point out and talk about the "good/easy" things on my blog, but I don't want anyone to think that I'm implying that we are in any way perfect.
p.s. the first child will probably be a missionary/preacher/teacher (I picture them being a missionary teacher.. lol), or something else that helps people in a very special way… just saying. 🙂 (of course, God already knows and directs their path, but just what I could easily picture them doing, with how big and caring their heart is!)
Thank you , Clarissa. Yes, only God knows. I too wonder about that child being a missionary in some way…and yes, please do pray for us. We all need prayers on our journey here on earth.
Question about the phonics road….Do you have every level? They are pretty expensive, is it worth it? Now that I am homeschooling all my girls, I am trying to find what works for everyone.
I have levels 1-3. They were awesome to use with just one kid, but when I added in the younger kids it got harder. I still use them as reference and occasionally we watch the DVDs together for introducing new phonics rules, etc. But we use Abeka as our main textbooks for the younger kids. Josiah did Abeka for language arts for K & grade 1, then levels 1-3 of the Phonics Road, then he started Fixit Grammar and Easy Grammar Plus in 5th grade and has continued those this year for 6th grade. I do think the Phonics Road is an awesome program, it taught me everything I never learned in elementary school! It does require 60+ minutes to do on the day you watch the week’s DVD and then probably about 30min the remaining days of the week… It was just too much of a time commitment for me as I added in more kids, etc. It also depends on how you, as the tracher, like to do things, etc.! A lot of factors play into whether it’s a good fit for your family’s style. But in and of itself, it’s the best program I’ve used for phonics, spelling, etc. I still apply what I learned to how I teach the younger kids. I do think Abeka is the next best, but there’s things that bug me about Abeka. However, like I said, we are using Abeka for Hadassah, Marcus, and Cyrene this year. Sorry, probably not helpful, lol!
The time put into the Phonics Road needs to be focused and dedicated time. With Abeka, I can get one kid started, go on to help the next kid, etc. It probably takes 30-60min per day for each kid to do the Abeka books, but it’s happening all at once.
Hadassah is in second grade this year and I did the Phonics Road with her for K and first grade. Marcus is in first grade this year and I did the Phonics Road with him for K. They are both doing Abeka for language arts this year. But I kind of modify and teach the concepts from the Phonics Road. In some ways, the Phonics Road is for the parent more than the child!