Homeschooling Teaching Style

Teaching three kids with different learning styles and at different levels is a big challenge. I can't imagine the challenge public school teachers must face with 25 or so students. This year I plan to make a few changes to the flow of our school day.

First of all I plan to organize the day into three main parts:

Mornings
- Reading, Writing and Math
- Long term pursuits (music and language)


Nice Weather Afternoons - Outside play time and sports
Rainy Weather Afternoons - Afternoon walk, History, Science, Art and other Unit Based Studies

Evenings - Crafts/hobbies, preparing for bed, computer time, and reading with mom

Over the past two years or so my teaching style has drifted farther away from a loosely structured day to a day filled with teacher directed activities. Although I feel student led and teacher led activities are both important, I think both the kids and I would be happier with less teacher driven activities. The kids have proven time and time again that when they are given free time, they make good use of it by doing high quality activities.

I plan to work with my 1st and 5th graders together quite a bit, since they enjoy similar books. I can have them take turns playing math games with me and silent reading on their own. My son can read to my daughter and I hope they inspire each other with writing.

Here's what the other homeschooling bloggers had to say about teaching style.

Barefoot Hippie Girl- New Year, New Styles
Every Bed of Roses - Teaching Goals
One Magnificent Obsession - Christian Classically Eclectic
Hammock Tracks - Clear Goals
Navigating by Joy - Finding Our Way Back to Unschooling