BJU Press Blog

Tips for Homeschooling Multiple Children

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homeschooling multiple children at the same time
When I started homeschooling four years ago, I wasn’t homeschooling multiple children. I had one student and a toddler in tow. It wasn’t hard to get through our homeschool day. My biggest stresses usually came from the toddler when she was grumpy or getting into things. Since then, I have added two more students (and another toddler), and now things are definitely a little more challenging. Not only am I trying to keep the toddler out of trouble, but I am also trying to teach and/or manage over 20 homeschool courses. Next year I will add another student, and my head is already spinning.

But I feel like I have had it pretty easy. Some of you haven’t had the luxury of starting your homeschool journey with only one student. Some of you are homeschooling for the first time with two or more students. You are doing a very brave thing. Homeschooling multiple children is challenging but very rewarding. Unfortunately, there is no “magic formula” that works for every family. But here are some tips for homeschooling multiple children that have worked for my family and for some of the other homeschool families I have interacted with.

Work on teaching your children how to learn independently.

Let’s start off by acknowledging that it is probably not possible for you as a homeschool mom to teach every single course to every one of your children. There simply isn’t enough time in the day. That’s why it is so important to teach your children how to work and learn independently.  Your children can probably do a lot of things independently now. All of my children do handwriting on their own, and my oldest two teach themselves spelling and Bible. My sixth-grader loves history and has always done very well in heritage studies. So this year, she is teaching herself Heritage Studies 6. I give her an assignment every day, but she completes the reading and any activity manual pages independently. It saves us a lot of time, and she enjoys the challenge.

Teach a course to more than one child if possible.

Some homeschoolers recommend doing subjects like heritage studies and science as a group. That can work well if your children are close in age, but it is difficult to do if there is a large age span between your children. My husband and I tried this approach with two of our children last year. For some reason, we thought that it would be a good idea for my kindergartner to do the same Bible course as my third grader (Bible 3). It wasn’t a good idea. My kindergartner wasn’t ready for the content, so she was frustrated. We ended up abandoning the approach a couple of weeks into the school year.

If you are considering teaching a single course to multiple children, remember that usually it is better to hold back an older child than it is to try to teach something that a younger child is not prepared for.

Enlist the help of older children.

Some skills, particularly those introduced in the early grades, require a lot of practice. Beginning readers may need to review word families or high-frequency words. Second graders may need to practice math facts. Enlist an older child to help younger siblings with these kinds of review tasks. Not only will it save you time, but it is a good review for your older child too!

Rely on video courses.

Our homeschool uses a mix of video courses and parent-led courses. This allows my other children to continue learning while I focus on the needs of one child. We’ve chosen to use video courses for subjects that require a lot of prep work (such as science) and for subjects that I don’t feel comfortable teaching (such as math).

Some days you are going to feel completely overwhelmed with teaching multiple children. Some days you will feel like you accomplished nothing during the day. But on those low days, remember you have accomplished something pretty incredible—you have poured yourself into the education of your children. You won’t regret it.

Homeschooling multiple children has some pretty great rewards. You get to spend more time with your kids, and your kids get to spend more time with each other. In the end, your entire family is going to grow through your homeschool experience.

So don’t give up—you will get through this. And if you need additional support, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local HomeWorks consultant. She’d love to help you!

Teaching Tragedies: Lessons from 9/11

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9-11 memorial and teaching tragedies
Next year, September 11, 2021, will mark the 20-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the 2,977 people who lost their lives on that day and on the days following. As time passes, the pain and fear of those days have dulled, and many young adults have no knowledge of the attacks outside of their history textbooks and the stories their parents have shared. Today we face new fears and tragedies that the whole world shares in. How can we possibly approach teaching tragedies and equipping our children to handle them? How can we even truly express the tragedy and horror of what happened on September 11, 2001?

Your heritage studies materials will be helpful in covering and introducing the events, and even helping your children to develop biblical perspectives on tragic events. If you would like to go deeper in discussions about tragedies, here are some themes that you can use to guide your children’s thinking and your discussion.

Love Others.

In the midst of a national or worldwide tragedy, people will be hurting. People will be afraid. And many will be angry. It’s even harder to accept what is happening when we don’t know all the facts that led to the tragedy or who is responsible. For most people, it’s often easier to just react to the things that are happening, but we don’t always know what other events our reactions may lead to. As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors. In order to love appropriately, we need to be patient and honest with others and with ourselves. Patient in dealing with those who are afraid and need assurance, and honest about what’s happening so those who are hurting or angry can respond and grieve appropriately.

God Is in Control.

During a tragedy, the thing that drives fear most is the uncertainty. What will happen next? After 9/11, our fears were centered on war. What kind of retaliation would occur? How many more lives would be lost? How would we rebuild and recover? Job must have felt much of the same fear and uncertainty after losing everything. But no matter the circumstances we face today, tomorrow, or 20 years from now, those who have put their faith in Christ can always take comfort in knowing that God is in control. Nothing that will happen or can happen is against His plan (Isaiah 14:24).

God Brings Good out of the Evil That People Do.

Because God is always in control, we can rest assured that any tragedy will glorify Him, even if we can’t see how in our lifetime. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). The events of 9/11 helped many lost and broken souls to realize their desperate need for salvation. One pilot’s testimony also brings us a beautiful picture of the sacrifice and redemption in Christ’s death on the cross. In addition to the souls brought to Him, the loss and tragedy of those days also brought the people of the United States closer to each other for a time, and countless other nations showed Americans support and compassion in a time of overwhelming grief and fear.

These Are Times to Pray.

We should, of course, be teaching our children that they should “pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) but times of tragedy are special times to lift up others in prayer. Not just the families of those who have lost their lives or are suffering, but for many others as well. For leaders to make good and wise decisions. For first responders who risk their lives for the safety of others. And for military personnel, who may be called in for additional support, to give an appropriate response.

Resources for Teaching about 9/11

Mastery vs. Spiral Learning

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mastery vs. spiral learning
We hope that what we teach our children sticks with them, and that they build on that knowledge for the rest of their lives. But traditional approaches to education often fail to help children retain the material. Short units that focus on good test performance succeed in short-term retention, but do not result in learning that sticks with students long after they’ve finished the unit. However, different approaches that emphasize mastery of concepts help students retain material longer. Two dominant approaches for learning that sticks, specifically in math, are mastery and spiral learning. These learning strategies are tools you can use to choose and adapt curriculum to best support your children.

Mastery Learning

Mastery learning is studying one concept at a time in-depth, mastering it before moving on. This approach focuses on giving children as much time as they need to understand the material. Most traditional approaches have students working in time-constrained units where they move to the next unit even if they haven’t mastered the material. That approach can impede students’ learning. For example, children who don’t understand the concepts necessary for Pre-Algebra will eventually hit a wall because they have too many gaps in their knowledge. They may think, “I just can’t do math!” However, they likely just never mastered the foundational material. In a mastery learning approach, there are no restrictive time frames for learning the material. Students won’t feel rushed to understand all the material. They can move at their own pace to master the concepts.

Spiral Learning

Spiral learning is repeating a set of topics throughout the year, adding more depth to the material each time. For example, each unit may contain addition and subtraction but each treatment of those topics adds a new skill, like increasing the amount of numbers in the equations. If students don’t master the material the first time, they will have many opportunities to practice that material throughout the year. There is no pressure for a child to learn the material the first, second, or even third time.

Frequent practice and review increases a child’s ability to retain information. Spiral learning also encourages flexible thinking and critical-thinking skills because students will have to decide what concept to use to solve a problem. Learning multiple concepts at the same time also encourages them to see relationships between concepts.

Our Approach

While we generally use spiral learning for all courses, at BJU Press, we use both of these learning strategies in our math materials. Our approach promotes mastery as students are continually reviewing skills and uses the spiral approach to cover the same concepts in greater detail each time. Our materials emphasize understanding and application beyond memorization. They provide strategies for helping students master the material and practice real-world application.

Both of these approaches have advantages, and the wonderful thing about homeschooling is that you can match your curriculum to your children’s needs. Perhaps a mastery approach works best right now, but maybe in a different season a spiral approach is better. Remember that there is no timeline for when your child needs to achieve mastery. However long learning takes is the best timeline, and whatever way your children learn is the best approach for you.

Growing Stronger in Hard Times

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growing stronger in hard times
If these past few months of quarantine have taught us anything, it’s to appreciate all the extra time we’ve been able to spend together as families. Many parents have had time to stop and reevaluate what’s really important for their family life. Despite the hardship of isolation from neighbors, coworkers, friends, and church family, we have all learned invaluable lessons. As this unique trial eases or continues, let’s hold on to these lessons and allow God to use them to strengthen our families so we can be growing stronger even in hard times.

Growing Stronger as a Family

One of the main lessons we’ve learned is that we often allow busyness to overtake our lives. This time of quarantine has forced families to postpone normal activities such as work, sports, and music lessons. All of a sudden, everyone has had a lot more free time on their hands! Families have been able to enjoy simple things like outdoor walks, board games, bonfires, and picnics. We’ve been able to tackle those intended chores and house projects. We’ve been free to pursue new hobbies, such as gardening or crafting. All of these activities have provided special times of bonding with our children and making lasting memories. As this period of isolation wanes, let’s continue to guard our time together and keep busyness to a minimum.

More Time for God

Another vital opportunity we’ve been given during this trial for growing stronger is teaching our children to trust in God more than ever. With so many people living in fear and anxiety, there’s never been a better time to remind our families that God is still sovereign, all-powerful, and good. My husband and I have had several wonderful conversations with our daughters about the Lord. We’ve discussed Bible verses that point us to our hope in Christ, our security in His promises, and His faithfulness to us. One of the main verses that has been an encouragement to us is Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

What a comfort to know that God can use even a virus for good in our lives and for His salvation purposes! We have a peace unbelievers don’t possess or understand. We know that no matter what, God will never forsake us. Nothing can take away our eternal security or our future heavenly home. If you haven’t already, spend some time with your family sharing what God has revealed to you about Himself and His Word during these past few months. Discuss how God wants to grow and strengthen your family as you persevere through this trial, however long it may last.

Special Opportunity

We didn’t ask for, expect, or want this upheaval in our world. But as we keep our focus on the Lord, He can produce lasting spiritual fruit in our lives. Let’s allow God to draw us closer to Him and use our families for His glory during this time!

• • • • •

Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

Always, Yet Never Alone: Homeschooling During COVID-19

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when you're dealing with homeschool loneliness
I am always, yet never alone. That’s my life as a homeschool mom in this strange and troubling COVID-19 world. When my governor closed all essential businesses back in the middle of March, my world came to a screeching halt. No more in-person music lessons. No more dropping off my kids at my local gym’s childcare program so I could get my 30 minutes of exercise. We don’t have anymore church fellowships or ministry obligations or homeschool group get-togethers. My husband continued to go to work everyday just as he had before the pandemic, but I suddenly found myself basically confined to my home all day, every day. I was confronted with a deep homeschool loneliness.

But I am not confined alone. I am locked down with my four young daughters. And no longer can I call a babysitter to get out of the house for a few hours. No longer can I meet another mom at a local park for play and fellowship. It’s just me and them 24/7.

So here I am–caught somewhere between extreme loneliness and the need for rational, adult conversation and a strong desire to sit for a few hours in complete silence. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you too are wondering how to cope in such a situation. Here are a few tips.

Spend time in the Scriptures.

Your relationship with the Lord is crucial to your ability to cope. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that “He will keep him in perfect peace as his mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee.”  There have been times during this pandemic that I have felt on the edge of a panic attack. It is so easy for me to feel completely overwhelmed by the constant trouble around me, especially when I can’t easily talk to someone about it and I’m struggling with homeschool loneliness.

When I do feel fearful or overwhelmed, Scripture is my best comfort. God’s Word reminds me that I am never truly alone. The Lord is with me! Here are a few Scripture passages that have been especially precious during this time of lockdown. I have each of them posted on the window above my kitchen sink so I can refer to them all day long.

  • Psalm 91
  • Psalm 112: 1, 7
  • Matthew 28:20
  • Psalm 36: 5-8
  • Psalm 100:5

Pray.

You may not be able to unload your burdens to a friend over a cup of coffee, but you can do something far better–you can unload your burdens to the Lord in prayer. Talk to Him about the pressures around you and the turmoil within your own soul. He is the only one who has the power to help you in your time of need.

Take a break from the media.

Sometimes spending time on social media or listening to the news can leave me feeling lonelier than ever. I have found that I can only emotionally handle so much media a day. I can’t listen to the news all day long, or even spend a lot of time on social media sites. Instead, I listen to the news headlines every morning and check my social media accounts 2 or 3 times a day. But that’s it.

Find ways to connect with other adults.

We were created as social creatures—that’s why the isolation that comes from being under a lockdown is so difficult. Yes, I am working on developing deeper relationships with my kids. But I crave adult conversation. That’s the root of homeschool loneliness.

Thankfully, we live in an age that allows us to use technology to connect with people who are physically far away. Use the tools that you have to reach out. Text back and forth with a mom friend during a busy day. Set aside an evening to video chat with some moms in your church or community. Share prayer requests with friends or extended family members over email. Interactions like these have helped remind me that I am not in this alone.

Another great resource available to you is your local HomeWorks Consultant. Even if you have never met your consultant in person, don’t feel shy about calling her. She would love to answer any homeschool questions you might have or to chat with you about the homeschool challenges you are facing.

These are unusual days that we live in. Challenging days. Lonely days. But the following prayer from Valley of Vision reminds us of our hope.

We are weary, give us rest,
ignorant, make us wise unto salvation,
helpless, let they strength be made perfect in our weakness,
poor and needy, bless us with Christ’s unsearchable riches,
perplexed and tempted, let us travel on unchecked, undismayed,
knowing that thou hast said,
‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee’
Blessed by thy name![1]

We can take heart in the midst of homeschool loneliness because we are never truly alone—we have the Lord, and He is enough.

[1] Bennett, Arthur, ed. “Fourth Day Evening: God All-Sufficient.” In The Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, 214–14. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975.