Help
With Your Rule
Homeschooling Young Boys
Dear Holly,
I love your concrete examples from the post about Finishing School in the Morning! It's so helpful to see actual times attached to schedules. That's what I need, I am that kind of person! To go back to the original post...I have 2 fewer boys but their ages are the more troublesome...maybe. I have 3 boys, 1st grade, preschool and 3 years and I find I don't finish early either most days. Here is my problem: how do you keep the 3 and 5 year old occupied (read 'not fighting') when your 1st grade curriculum still requires a lot of engaged teaching time for a lot of subjects, and when your boy is so easily distracted. I feel like I am really neglecting my 3 year old and 5 year old because my 7 year old requires so much attention. I am trying to characterize the basic problem but I know there is much that goes into it including his temperament and mine, the curriculum and, in my opinion, a lack of discipline. I think he should be able to work more independently which means I have to send him to another room away from me and the other kids. Holly, what do you think about location of study for a 1st grader with a 5 and 3 year old in the mix?
Labels: Homeschooling
posted by Holly at 11:17 AM
3 Comments:
I need to comment on a bit more than 'location' in relation to this post. I don't think location is your main issue.
There are a number of things I would look at here;
1. First of all - Duration: A six or seven year old boy is 'bound' to be distracted if you are homeschooling as long as you suggest you are.
For Grade 1, I would hold to short 15 minute lessons on each of the main subjects - and a 15 minute break in between for him, which would give you time to spend with your other children. 15 minute session on phonics, reading, Math, and religion. Spelling and Printing at this level - if necessary - short at 5 - 10 minutes combined a day.
Keep them short and interspersed with other activity - from Lego to recess to whatever. Let him look forward to the break and have a good fun break, so he won't mind coming back.
Some mottos- Short and Sweet! Success breeds success! Make him feel good about school.
2. Boys are different. They need physical activity and kinestetic learning as much as possible, or they will indeed be distracted, which creates a vicious cycle of "Pay attention" or "Let's do this again".
So, you need a change of methodology: Whatever you can do hands-on, do it. Spelling with magnets or block letters; manipulatives for Math; writing on the board or white board; phonics thru cue cards or the odd worksheet; oral reading.
3. For other 'subjects' at this age - use the curriculum text as an idea-generator: If he is to study plants, then have ALL your boys actually plant plants or examine leaves under magnifying glasses or color leaf pictures or dissect (sp?) a flower or whatever!
But for all the subjects at this age (religion included, really) you can do introductory "group" work for science, geography, health, seasons & time, etc... I did a lot of stuff with my kids - hands-on experiments, large colorful wall displays, dramas and puppet shows, etc...
And I would do ALL of these 'extra' subjects as activity based - not school work based (as in texts and workbooks or notebooks).
Good videos on these things are also good. Have fun with ALL your boys while they are all young. There will be a time for more 'school' type sit-down work. The only real need for your Gr 1 child is independent Language Arts and Math - and even your younger boys can play with the Math manipulatives or have some of their own or color for a short 15 minutes or do play dough!
On the Holly's Notebook page of this website, I have a VERY LARGE LIST of activities for little ones while you tutor - check it out.
If your curriculum is causing you stress or fear about not 'covering things', either dump it and/or read Elizabeth Foss' "Real Learning". (While I do not agree with her wholesale dumping of all texts and all school methodologies, I most certainly recommend her 'real life' approach for all the early grades, as well as for partial use into the middle grades. I am all for balance in all forms of methodologies - choosing one means this month and another next - to provide variety and more, but that is for another post perhaps...)
I have found that those early phonics lessons with my 4-6 year olds were so frustrating with toddlers/preschoolers close by. They chatter and shout (with delight or tantrums!) while we are trying to sound out words. We need some SILENT (not just quiet) time.
I allow my almost-2-year-old and 3-year-old to watch the last 20 minutes of Sesame Street some mornings. They cozy up together with their bedtime blankets. Or I save 10-15 minutes of reading for the late afternoon/evening and my husband takes charge if the little ones.
This small amount of silence really helps. We can sound out C-U-P: cup. Instead of C-"Mom look!"- U-(hot wheels car noises)-P!!!
In my experience with toddlers I have found that a little quality time with mom first thing goes a long way for the rest of the day! In other words do an activity with your younger children first, then send them off to play. That early morning attention from you will help them start the day off well. You may assign something simple to your older child during this time or have him be a part of the activity. I also recommend keeping your curriculum to the very basics until he matures into being able to do more. I have found 45 min., 4 days a week to be plenty of "school" time for younger students. Mother of Divine Grace uses a simple approach to learning in the early grades. I would not expect too much in the way of independent work from younger children. I found that each year (starting in about 3rd grade) my children would become more and more independent. So you really have to expect in the early grades to have to teach all subjects, that's why it's important to keep it simple. Finally the more consistent you can keep your days the more content will be the children. There is peace in the discipline of the daily schedule.
Goodluck and don't give up!
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