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An accompanying, separate e-mail is being sent with this
newsletter entitled "Craftsman/NSTA Annual Search On
for Best Young Inventors"
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The Teaching Home
E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
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Volume II, Number 13
Sept. 5, 2002
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Table of Contents
Back-to-HOME-School (Part 2 of 4)
1. Teaching More Than One Child at a Time
2. Separate Classes for Basic Skill Development
3. Combined Classes (plus Examples)
4. Covering All Your Bases
5. Include Dad Too!
6. Combining Both Students & Subjects
Sept. 6-8: National Days of Prayer and Remembrance
Grandparents Day
Jewish Holidays in September
Sunny Side Up (Humorous Anecdote)
Greetings!
Are you all set for back-to-HOME-school with goals,
plans, procedures, schedules, lesson plans, supplies . . . ?
If not, join the club, but don't be discouraged! Many
home-school families ease into the beginning of their
school year.
It is better to take some time at the beginning of the
year to be sure your plans are realistic and attainable,
than to become bogged down and overloaded later.
Of course, our number one suggestion is to seek the
Lord for wisdom, guidance, and strength! God warns us about
laboring in our own strength and promises His provision for
us in Psalm 127:1, 3:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
In "Back-to-HOME-School, part 2" we will explore
different possibilities of teaching several or all of your
children at once -- dividing your work and multiplying
your effectiveness.
Sincerely,
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian Welch
The Teaching Home is a home-school family business
produced in our home since 1980.
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Build Musical Homes with Sacred Music Services
* Find straight answers to help build healthy music
standards in the book Harmony at Home.
* Set your child on a firm foundation with the exciting
recording "The Wise Man Built His House"
* Visit Us Online http://www.smsrecordings.com/HS
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Back-to-HOME-School
Teaching More Than One Child at a Time
If you are a veteran home educator, you probably
already know how to conserve time and effort by teaching
several of your children together in one class.
There are many possible variations, and there may be
exceptions and different combinations each year, but here
are some general guidelines.
Separate Classes for Basic Skill Development
Subjects that depend on mastery of certain
building-block skills (before others can be learned and
understood) must be taught separately. Your children will
need individual instruction and practice in these subjects.
Beginning levels of reading, math, grammar, and
penmanship would fall into this category.
After the basics are learned, children of different
skill levels can read together (or follow along in the
reading) or review and drill basic math facts together.
When one student is receiving individual attention, the
others need to be prepared in advance to use their time
constructively, working independently.
Older children can take turns supervising young ones
while Mother tutors the new reader, or Big Sister or Brother
might do some of the tutoring.
Combined Classes
Subjects like literature, geography, history, science,
Bible, and electives which do not depend on prerequisite
skills for understanding, can be taught to the whole family
together.
Teaching classes to all, several, or most of your
children together will save you much time and energy.
Some home educators are able to have each child in an
independent class by themselves for each subject, and if
that works for them -- great! However, many find this
format too much to handle.
You may find some new benefits of home schooling your
family together if you combine students for one or more
classes. There is a group chemistry that comes from the
interaction with other learners that can enrich the bonds of
common experiences and provide motivation and enjoyment in
learning.
Examples
Here are a few examples of how you can do this:
* Read together from an intermediate or higher level
text book (depending on the ages of your children) and
supplemental materials, stopping to explain words or
concepts to younger ones and inserting your own thoughts
that you want to teach to your children.
* After your study together, children could be given
different assignments or amounts of the assignment depending
on their age and skill level. Older students can do extra
reading or research.
* Written or oral reports can then be reviewed at the
beginning of your next class period.
* Alternately, each of your children could read and
study the same subject using different books, each on his
own level. Then discussions and projects can include the
whole family.
* If you have a very large family with a wide rage of
ages, you may want to have two group classes for one subject
area: one for the younger group and one for the older ones.
If they were studying the same content in each class, they
could then combine some of the supplemental activities such
as a discussion, project, educational video, or field trip.
Learn More
Two Teaching Home Back Issues contain Special
Sections on teaching several children at once.
March/April 1997: Multilevel Teaching (11 pages)
Oct./Nov. 1991: Home Schooling a Houseful (16 pages)
TTH Store: Sections on teaching several children at once.
(Back-to-HOME-School is continued below.)
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Your magazine is not a one-time read-through
for me. Even after several years of filing them, on
numerous occasions I have retrieved articles to
reread, sometimes to search for ideas and at other
times to gain a fresh perspective. What a helpful
resource, even years later!
-- Louise L., Saskatchewan, Canada
The Teaching Home Back Issues
The Teaching Home Back Issues never go out of date.
They are timeless classics, always applicable to your
needs today.
Easy & Secure Ordering!
51 Back Issues Available Individually or in Sets.
Each Issue Is Pictured and All Articles Are Listed.
Search for Topics Two Ways.
Make your teaching easier, more fun, and more enriching
by reading through The Teaching Home Back Issues.
http://TheTeachingHomen.goemerchant7.com
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Back-to-HOME-School (Continued)
Covering All Your Bases
You may be wondering (hopefully, not worrying) how
to cover all the subjects for each grade level when you
combine different-aged students in one class.
Most publishers cover any given subject several time
throughout grades K-12, repeating subject matter three or
four times. For example, American history may be covered,
in increasing depth and detail, in kindergarten, 3rd, 7th,
and 10th grades.
A publisher's scope and sequence can show you this
repetition and rotation of subjects (see links to three
online versions below).
All publishers will cover the major areas of a subject,
but each may select different details to include. You do
not have to worry about getting everything just so, because
there is not only one "right curriculum" or scope and
sequence.
Free Online Scope and Sequence
A Beka
http://www.abeka.com/Resources/ScopeAndSequence.html
Bob Jones University Press
For an example of how most textbooks repeat subject
matter at different grade levels, see the site below and
click on a subject such as "Heritage Studies."
http://www.bjup.com/resources/overview
Alpha Omega Publications
http://www.aop.com/lifepac_scope.htm
Include Dad Too!
Dad might like to join in a class if your family would
take time in the evening to read and discuss a subject with
him, rather than watch TV or do individual activities.
This could be very motivating for your children and an
excellent way for Dad to have an opportunity to participate
and teach in your home school.
Combining Both Students & Subjects
Another way to teach your children together is through
a unit study.
Teach the building-block subjects such as beginning
reading and math separately. Other subjects such as
literature, history, science, and Bible can be integrated
around a particular theme (see link below for free sample).
Unit Study Curriculum
Konos Curriculum
Konos offers a free download of a sample week of their
curriculum. This will acquaint you with how a unit study
works.
http://www.konos.com
The Weaver Curriculum
(Note: This page may look blank, but scroll down.)
http://www.aop.com/article.asp?chan_id=183
Education Plus
http://www.edplus.com
As you explore some of the above teaching options, you
can design a plan that will help you work smarter, not
harder. Your whole family can participate together in the
joy of learning.
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Milliken Publishing Company
Publishers of supplemental curriculum, math, and
reading software and a full line of reproducible workbooks,
since 1960. Check out our new Single User software products
at http://www.millikenpub.com. Click on Milliken Store,
then search on "Single User."
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Presidential Proclamation: September 6-8
National Days of Prayer and Remembrance
Excerpts from President Bush's proclamation:
As we remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001,
and the thousands of innocent lives lost on that day, we
recall as well the outpouring of compassion and faith that
swept our Nation in the face of the evil done that day.
In designating September 6-8 as National Days of Prayer
and Remembrance, I ask all Americans to join together in
cities, communities, neighborhoods, and places of worship
to honor those who were lost, to pray for those who grieve,
and to give thanks for God's enduring blessings on our land.
I ask that the people of the United States and places
of worship mark these National Days of Prayer and
Remembrance with memorial services, the ringing of bells,
and evening candlelight remembrance vigils.
I invite the people of the world to share in these Days
of Prayer and Remembrance.
Read the complete text at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/08/20020831-2.html
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Sunday, Sept. 8th
Grandparent's Day
The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated
with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West
Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause
of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to
persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their
grandparents could provide.
Make Grandparent's Day last all year by:
1. Recording your grandparents' accounts of family history,
special memories, and advice to their grandchildren.
2. Visit a nursing home. Offer to do a short, informal
program of singing together, playing a musical instrument,
or reading a poem.
You do not need to be polished or professional for your
audience to love seeing your smiling faces. They will
appreciate a hug or hand shake and a few warm words of
friendship.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/grandparentsday.html
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Play Time, Faith Time!
Discounts up to 40% off Retail! Toys and games that
plant seeds of faith in young hearts. Add Christian Values
to your child’s play time with toys from "Best to You"
that delight and capture young hearts for Jesus.
http://www.besttoyou.com/cgi-bin/besttoyou.storefront/EN/addtobasket/UserTemplate.93
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Jewish Holidays in September
There are several Jewish holidays in September.
Annie's Feasts of the Bible pages have much information,
Bible links, recipes, customs, links to Jewish sites.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/feastsa.html
Sept. 7: Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish New Year and the Feast of Trumpets.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/trumpets.html
Sept. 16: Yom Kippur
Day of Atonement, the most important day of the Jewish
year. It is a time for us to consider Jesus as our
atonement.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/yomkippur.html
Sept. 21-27: Succoth
The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) is a festival of
thanksgiving.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/tabernacles.html
Sept. 29: Simchat Torah
A festival of rejoicing in the Torah, marks the end of
the annual cycle of readings from the Torah.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/simchattorah.html
This would be a good time to start (or restart) reading
through the Bible in a year. The Teaching Home has an
online schedule that takes you through the Bible in a year
by reading just 15 or 20 minutes 6 days a week (allows for
church on Sunday), four weeks per month. This gives you 4-7
days each month to catch up and stay on schedule. See
complete information, and links to other reading plans at
http://www.teachinghome.com/supplement/bible/index.cfm
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Audio Classics Audiobooks
Charlton Heston, Walter Cronkite, and more bring
to life history’s greatest events and influential thinkers.
Learn about Plato, Socrates, The Revolutionary War,
The Bill of Rights, The Civil War and over 135 more topics.
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?know-products+pLNgRy+homres.html
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Sunny Side Up: Reading Comprehension
Our 6-year-old, Sarah, was becoming proficient at
reading road signs. As we were traveling down the road,
she suddenly exclaimed, "Dad, you went right past it!"
"Right past what?" Dad replied.
"That sign said, `Do Not Pass'!"
Submitted by Cathy V., Ohio. You are invited to send
a humorous anecdote too.
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God Loves You.
Because we were separated from God by sin, Jesus Christ
died in our place, then rose to life again. If we trust Jesus
Christ as our Savior and Lord, He will give us eternal life.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a
result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
http://www.TeachingHome.com/about/salvation.cfm
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