Creating a Multi-Level Homeschooling Classroom

by | Apr 23, 2015 | Uncategorized

Many homeschool parents have students in several grade levels.  Some make the decision to establish learning plans tailored to grade-level textbooks and learning materials while others use a multi-level approach designed to teach everyone in the class the same subject at the same time while assigning work based on each child’s age and personal abilities.

Multi-level homeschooling classroom situations may include:

  • a combination of different year/grade levels;
  • a variety of proficiency levels; and
  • a broad mix of motivation levels.

Although handling a multi-level homeschool situation can be difficult, it is important to keep in mind the advantages of such an arrangement:

  • students are empowered to work independently;
  • students’ self-confidence and motivation may increase;
  • students are encouraged to develop cooperative approaches to life;
  • students are taught to develop organizational skills and manage their own learning; and
  • students are given the opportunity to work at their own pace.

A lot of planning and strategizing is necessary to create a successful multi-level homeschool classroom.  The goal is to ensure that everyone in the class is given the opportunity to work at their own level using a mix of tools and approaches.

The Internet is rich with blog sites written by homeschool parents who offer a wide variety of suggestions for structuring a multi-level homeschool.  Some of these ideas include:

 

COURSEWORK and TEACHING METHODS

  • Use a computer-based learning curriculum or place students in a virtual school – This can be an effective way to begin a multi-grade homeschool.  Review available online curriculum offerings and virtual schools, decide which ones are most appropriate for your students, and then work as a facilitator to manage each level.
  • Use daily experiences as teaching opportunities – This idea has also been referred to as “context-based learning.”  (Example:  Math problems can be presented as part of a cooking lesson where adjusting measurements is important or a woodworking shop             experience where learning how to use a tape measure involves use of fractions.)
  • Work towards a “self-taught curriculum” model – As described in one homeschooling blog, “self-teaching assumes that children, once they can read and write well independently, can learn at their own speed without a teacher.”  In a self-taught             education model, the homeschooling parent’s role is to teach the student where to go to find information they need rather than focusing on telling them what to do every   minute of the day.
  • Integrative Teaching – assign all students the same lesson materials, but at different grade levels.  This teaching style includes adapting the same subject to different children’s abilities (vertical integration) or rolling several subjects into the presentation of one lesson (horizontal integration).

 

DISCIPLINE

  • Set basic disciplinary rules – Kids get bored. When they get bored they are more apt to “act out,” creating a situation where specific “rules” may be required to keep order in the classroom so everyone can stay focused on their work.  Don’t make a big deal of   the rules.  Go over them with the class, make it clear that everyone is expected to be personally responsible for following the rules, post the rules where they are visible to everyone and then be ready to be the enforcer.

 

ORGANIZATIONAL DETAILS

  • Allow older children to work independently – Once a child learns to read, you can begin to assign independent work – perhaps reading, writing or computer work.  Keep in mind that it will be important to check in with those working independently to be sure their questions are answered and they are staying focused on their assignments. Independent study activities can help instill a sense of self-motivation, and self-responsibility that might not be learned in a group education setting.
  • Peer Tutoring/working in pairs – If your homeschool includes a mix of younger and older children, older children can learn by helping younger children with their studies.  Or pair up your students who are working on the same subject and ask them to work together to complete assignments.
  • The “Workbox System” – This is an idea created by author and curriculum designer Sue Patrick.  The system is described as “An effective teaching system to reduce your organization time and increase your child’s self-control, independence and learning.”  The idea is to provide each student with a personal drawer or bin where they will find   their daily subjects and assignments.  At the beginning of each school day the child goes to his or her “workbox,” pulls out materials for the day and begins work on their own.

 

SCHEDULING

  • Create schedules based on each child’s age and learning styles – Make sure your daily    schedule includes time for individual and group work.  Working together as a family can be a great learning experience, but some children thrive on “alone time.”  Some kids are ready to start learning at 7AM and others wake up slowly and aren’t ready to “kick in” until 10 AM.  As much as possible, create schedules that align with your children’s rhythms and energy levels.
  • Spend individual time with each student – While you work with one student, the other children can do independent work.  With a multi-child homeschool, it’s impossible to spend an hour a day with each child and still keep the process moving, but you may be able to handle fifteen minute blocks of one-on-one time with each child each day.
  • Remain flexible while maintaining a basic structure to the day – As one homeschool blogger wrote, “Flexibility is vital in a family of lively, inquisitive, vibrant little human beings.  It’s important to have a plan, both as a starting point and a fallback position, but it’s just as important to be able to let go if something better comes along.”

 

TEACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY

  • Be available and present in the homeschool area during the full school day –  Homeschool bloggers report that a typical homeschool day averages about four hours for 3rd and 4th grade students, about three hours for a 1st-grader and an average of an hour to an hour-and-a-half for pre-school children.  As a multi-level homeschool    teacher/parent, you must be available and present 100% of the school day.  Your job, in addition to teaching, is to be available for questions and to keep everyone on task.