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Teaching the Whole Family
by Ruth Beechick, Curriculum Specialist courtesy of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine/The Homeschool Minute At one time the public schools believed in mixing ages in one classroom, and many schools tried it out. The idea did not catch on universally, mainly because teachers needed retraining to handle the new kinds of groups. Many educators still believed in the advantages of mixed age groups. It was more like real life, younger can learn from older, and older grow more sympathetic and helpful to younger. But they could not manage it efficiently in the public schools. Homeschool parents are trained in mixed ages year-by-year as their families grow. They don't need to switch over from handling a class of thirty age-mates. And they are reaping the advantages, possibly without even realizing it. Their children do treat the younger more kindly and talk with adults more naturally. The younger do learn from the older. These and other real-life skills develop even while many parents try to imitate the artificial life of school age-segregation. Teaching the whole family feels like a struggle. Parents try everybody on one history or science topic, try some independent studies for independent students, try different curricula, and search for new kinds of curriculum. But the struggle pays off. You're always doing the best you can at the current time. The age mix in your home is exactly right. Even if you have only one child he is better off with parents and friends and relatives than he would be with a herd of thirty age-mates at school. |
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| Dr. Ruth Beechick is a respected and recognized homeschool authority and regular contributor to The Homeschool Minute. Reprinted with permission from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. To find out more about free subscription offers, call toll-free 1-888-718-HOME or visit www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com. |
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