Combining - Teaching math to many students

[TriciaMR]

Teaching two children math & LA?

My second ds is starting K this year!
For two or more children do you teach their math, reading, LA at the same time or at separate times?
I will add that my two ds are at different levels for reading & math & LA.

I am a little nervous about teaching two!

I think it depends on what works for you.

Here's how I've done it so far. I have twin boys in 1st. I do Reading with Trent, then Reading with Charlie. I usually have mazes, dot-to-dot, or Lauri Toys for one to do while I work with the other. Then I do Math with Trent, then Math with Charlie. Again, I try to have something (usually with the Lauri toys or pattern blocks) for the one to do while I work with other.

Our first two days of doing RTR and 1st looked like this:
(RTR Bible done night before at "bedtime snack time")
1st Grade Bible
RTR History, Science, and going over things oldest can do while I work with boys.
I work with the boys here
Then I did math and LA with oldest (after lunch).

So, I teach them "back to back," but not at the same time.

-Trish

[Wendy B.]

I have my 8yo do bookbasket reading while I work with my 5yo. When it is the 8yo turn, I have the 5yo work on a project---Lauri toys, pattern blocks or a craft.

Eventually I will be able to have them work at the same time. It is easier teaching LA and math at the same time with slightly older children. Around 9 or 10 they will be a little more independent and able to find something to get started with if I'm busy with the other child. With my older kids I staggered the new teaching. I might teach new math concepts to ds on Mondays and new concepts with dd on Tuesdays etc. They were able to work at the same time but still get instructions at their level.

hth

[NCJessieRN]

I do not do them at the same time. What I do is while I'm working with the 7yr old math, I have my 6 yr old play with the 2 and 1 yr old. Then we switch. For LA I do the same.

[netpea]

I do my children at the same time mostly. I go over the math textbook with one and then start him/her on the workbook, then go over the textbook with the other one. I do the same with LA, go over the text with one and start them on their assignment then go over the text with the other one.

[jasntas]

hi everyone, we are starting school this week and are planning to just go with the TM schedule with a 5th, 2nd, 1st, and a 2 and 4 year old. I am not sure how Math the 1 hour slot would work. Would I just increase that time to cover everyone? So if anyone is using with no problems could you let me know? Thanks
Filitsa

I only have 2 and no little ones underfoot but math usually doesn't take more than 30 minutes total with a 4th and 1st grader here. I get the 4th grader started and make sure he understands what to do. Then do math with 1st grader while the other one works independently. HTH

[TriciaMR]

In later T.M.s it recommends maybe doing one student before lunch and one after, if one needs more help than the other. Another way is to have one do a notebooking page or English or some other subject while you work with one, and then once they get going, go work with the other one.

-Trish

[Carina]

I have three chidren and I have an hour alloted for math--my 7th grader uses the whole hour. (I spend the first 12-15 mins doing the Saxon warm-up with her and then she goes off to work through the DIVE DVD and mixed practice questions on her own.)

After the 15 mins with 7th grader, I explain the lesson to 5th grader. He usually only needs a few minutes of instruction before working on his own, but I allot 15 minutes of instruction time with him also. He now works on his own for the reminder of the hour. (45 minutes is plenty of time for him to do his math.)

Finally, I work with 3rd grader. He has some learning disabilities and needs a lot of one on one instruction. A half-hour of math per day is plenty for him and I spend as much time as needed working with him during this half hour. (Sometimes, he only needs a few minutes; sometimes he needs almost the entire 30 minutes.)

This scheduling allows us all to be doing math at the same time and also allows me to give each child some individual instruction! Hope this helps (or even just makes sense!)