Most moms of several children become experts at multitasking with experience--although don't let anyone convince you that it's as simple to homeschool a bunch as it is one or two. Those same people use the argument that once you have so many children, adding more doesn't make a difference--each child makes a difference (otherwise, why does it seem so different if even one or two of them are gone for a while?), but we can trust the Lord to enable us to care for them and homeschool them. The multiplied joy more than makes up for the sometimes multiplied challenges and trials!
We often are asked how we manage homeschooling multiple learning levels and I find it difficult to explain. It's like preparing a seven course dinner--how do you tell someone exactly how to prepare everything in such a way that it's all ready at the proper time and stays the proper temperature?
I suppose you could lead them step-by-step through all the directions and it would be easier, but still experience is the best teacher. And there is no way we could have a "normal" homeschooling day if I had to take the time to write down each and every thing that was said and done. (I'd go crazy well before 9 a.m.--wait!! slow down, children, I'm not getting all of this written down fast enough!) Besides, each family is unique. No one else would have the exact same combination of personalities, learning styles, number of children, curriculum and other circumstances that we have.
In the very early years, I worked a little separately with my oldest child while the younger ones played--later the next oldest would sit in on what we were doing and start to pick up things, and I would spend a few minutes introducing her to new things, too. We talked about things as we did the laundry, cleaned house, cooked, played, etc.--all those ways parents teach and influence their children every day.
Eventually, we wound up on several different levels of math and reading, but did history and science together by reading aloud books and discussing textbooks that were on one of their levels.We filled in any gaps by extra explanations to the younger one and older one.
There would be times when one of the children would leap ahead or others would need extra attention in an area, and then I provided help or used different materials. Since we used a lot of "real books" in our homeschooling (not limited to one grade level), this helped.
We also worked to give them the basic tools they needed for independent studies and encouraged them from an early age to spend even five or ten minutes working on something with us nearby, but not watching over their shoulder.
During one period when my youngest two were babies, I had the older three children in one level of BJU (Bob Jones University Press Textbooks) English which made it much easier. This method worked for three years. (Later we used another basic high school grammar course and writing materials geared more toward independent studies.) During this same period, my fourth child used a different BJU English textbook, but she participated in the older girls' history and science studies, while the my older son worked on a higher level independently. For example, we used one of BJU's Heritage studies as a "springboard" to more studies using real books for the girls, and my older son did a separate BJU course. This was during the time I had a very active toddler and a nursing baby andit was helpful to have a combination of texts and books so I didn't have to spend hours supervising and planning things.
So, for some years, we were able to cover some of the same subjects with some of the children at the same time, but it was unrealistic to think we could do this all the time for every subject. Some children prefer to work alone, rather than in groups, too.
For several years now, my older children have preferred to do mostly independent studies, with the exception of occasional unit studies. Recently they studied Classical composers and their enthusiasm was so contagious that the younger children wanted to get involved, too!
We no longer use as many textbooks, but have a traditional high school on CD-Rom program that the teens are continuing to use, along with reading a large variety of good books and writing. Our "unit studies" would be better defined as using books and materials to research topics in depth and don't always include "hands on" projects.Our older children are involved in our family business and ministry though--the ultimate "hands on" projects!
I am now doing very much the same thing with my younger two that I did with my oldest two when they were this age--we do things separately for math and reading, but read aloud books for history and science together and discuss them. Some things go over my youngest child's head, that's fine. There is no pressure. Her slightly older brother is advanced in some areas and so we help him research interests and make sure he stays challenged.
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