Streamlining a Boxed Curriculum for Multiple Ages

Hey all!  Yes, I know I’ve been heavy on the homeschooling and Mother of Divine Grace (MODG) posts lately.  I hope you’ll bear with me!  Today, I’d like to address how I’ve been streamlining MODG (the boxed curriculum we use) to make it easier to use with multiple ages.

One of the reasons I initially shied away from using a boxed curriculum was that I didn’t want to give up on the idea of combining subjects where we could learn cooperatively.   Learning more subjects together means less one-on-one instruction time is needed with mom.  There is also the benefit of the family atmosphere that is created when we work together.

When we switched to MODG, I knew I wanted to stick as closely to the syllabi as possible.  BUT, I also knew if I was going to make this program work, especially as I had more school aged children, I was going to have to do some customization and streamlining.

Now, I’m no expert at this.  This coming year, I’ll have a 4th grader, a Kindergartner, and a preschooler.  Preschool and Kindergarten are pretty relaxed at our house.   Obviously, it isn’t super intense at our house right now, but I still see ways that I can streamline my day with these ages living and learning together.

Simplifying a Boxed Curriculum

1.Combine the arts

I love the arts, and think they are a vital part of our children’s overall education, but they are the first thing to tweak and combine when you are looking to use a boxed curriculum.  Will it really matter in the long run if your 4th grader joins the kindergartner for art appreciation or art class?  Not likely.

I view the arts as something to be lived in the home and to be studied only lightly in the school setting.  My main goal in art and music appreciation is to expose my children to the beauty of classic art and music.   This year,  these will be worked into our Morning Basket time.

In regards to the MODG syllabus, we’ll be combining art (appreciation and instruction) and music.  During the week we will work on memorizing poetry individually, but will give family recitations once a week as part of our Morning Basket.  We’ll still be using the MODG suggested materials, but combining the different grade levels to simplify our day.

2.Cut non-essentials

Don’t feel like you need to do something just because it is on the syllabus.  Over the course of homeschooling, you develop a “mom-gut.”  You can size up an assignment and quickly see whether you feel it is of value to your student.  I’m NOT a crafter, and I don’t believe kid crafts are important in my children’s education.  When I come across crafts in any assignments, they are immediately cut.  I find my children will develop their own crafts without me staging something for them.

Another area we were able to cut this past year was much of the geography unit for my 3rd grader.  My son’s favorite past time is getting on Bing Maps and following old abandoned railroad lines.  As a result, he can read a map as well as I can, and knows a lot of American geography.  MODG has 3rd and 4th graders work on map skills and American geography.  We’ve been able to zoom through the assignments in this subject within a couple weeks because of my son’s interest led learning.

We also don’t do elementary science in our home.  It is my personal opinion that a lot of science taught at this age can be learned through observation, is environmental activism (not that I don’t think we should care for our world), or is pretend science.  I was further convinced that elementary science is a waste of time after learning more about the Robinson Curriculum.  {Long story short, this man started his children in science at the high school level.  All of his children went on to get science related degrees (Veterinarians, Chemists, etc.).  If you want to learn more about the Robinson Curriculum, you can watch this Youtube video.  It is a long one, but I find it fascinating!}

In short, we skip crafts, science, and things we already know.

3.Foster independence

We work on developing independence in our children as soon as they start school (also something I learned from the Robinson Curriculum – see above).  We give them an assignment, and then leave them to work on it (when possible).  We try not to nag, but will leave them to complete their work, even if it takes them till kingdom come.  They quickly learn that the faster they do their work, the faster they are done. 

I also work hard on setting up systems that help my kids work as independently as possible.  Occasionally, my third grade son has been done with the majority of his school work before 8:30 am because he can make and eat breakfast, and self start on his school work.  Of course, there are several things we need to do together, but more than half of his work can be done independently.

4.Combine

While preschool is VERY relaxed at our home, my 3 year old wants to participate.  I bring her in on many of the Kindergarten lessons with my 5 year old.  I already anticipate keeping them together on many subjects as they get older.  Again, we also learn the arts together.

5.Prep, prep, prep!

The more organized and prepared we mothers can be for our school year, the easier it will go.  Print and copy anything ahead of time that you can.  Take time over breaks to put systems, habits, and routines in place that will not only create independence, but also make your whole day run more smoothly.

Ideas of systems that will help your homeschool day are:  discipline and character training, chore system, house cleaning schedule, meal planning, lunch rotations, biweekly grocery shopping, student binders, schedules and routines, etc.

6.When all else fails…stick to the 4R’s

When things get crazy in your homeschool, stick to the 4 R’s (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, and Religion).  Sometimes, I think we can over-complicate education.  While all that “other stuff” is important, the 4 R’s are the tools that will serve our children in all their educational endeavors.

Do you use a boxed curriculum?  How do you simplify?

You’ll also enjoy:

10 Must Do’s in Your Catholic Preschool

Preschool at Home Your Way

Summer Schooling using a Boxed Curriculum

Preparing your Heart for Homeschooling:  Practical Tips