Homeschooling is wearing you down

This is a post in a series of 31 Days of Minimalist Homeschooling. See the intro post with all the topics here. 

I apologize for my lack of regularity in posting daily about homeschooling. I blame bed rest for making it very difficult to concentrate.

I read another great post about homeschooling from Melissa, homeschooling mom to a large brood: Homeschooling is wearing you down

A few of the points I loved:

“…combine kids in whatever grades you possibly can. It doesn’t matter what their ages are but what their competencies are.”

Totally agree. In the beginning of our homeschool, I taught 3 of the children together using Five in a Row. Now, I teach writing and history with my two middle kids together.

“…you need to get the kids as independent as possible.”

Yes, indeed. Any work that can be done independently should be. It frees your time and puts the responsibility for learning on the learner.

“I do chapter reviews, comprehension,  and vocab tests out loud but I do require complete sentences. If you think this method won’t work, think back to the one room school houses with lesson recitation and how well it worked.”

Amen to this as well. Narration is a wonderful tool in your homeschool. It saves wear and tear on a child who hates to write or whose hand tires easily. It’s quick, as you can immediately assess whether the child comprehended the lesson, and there is no paperwork so less clutter. Win all around.

Go here to read the rest of her post, including tips on keeping up with the housework while homeschooling: when homeschooling is wearing you down.