Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Home schooling: How do you keep up?

I need some tips! My DS (5 yrs) likes hands on learning and new things, and I just don't think I'm keeping up with his level very well. By the time I work out where he is, he's past it. And I wish he liked workbooks, cause at least they're easy!

So how do you do it?

My DS is 8 and in most areas is doing middle school work. His handwriting is that of a 6 year old :-) I try to do more unit studies and go "deeper" rather than "wider." For example, one of his favorite subjects is mythology. He's pretty well versed in Greek and Roman mythology at this point so we dove deeper into Egyptian and Norse mythology. We spun from there into fables and folktales and into tall tales of the American frontier. We're wrapping up investigating creation myths of native populations and a discussion of how the mythology of ancient cultures helped support the governmental structures. The grade level standard is "Identify key figures in greek and roman mythology". We finished that weeks ago :-)

I figure I have about two more years in math before I can't keep up anymore. We're doing AoPS Pre-Algebra and it's a challenge for me too. I assume Algebra will be the same and that my humanities based brain will cramp up after that! We'll get a tutor, take online classes or work it out somehow.

Well,when our hg was about that age we let her go "deeper" into a few areas that held her interest (I think it was mostly dinosaurs back then), gave her lots of free time and nature study time, and focused on a few basics, i.e. reading & math, figuring that if they can read well and know math they can learn anything they want in the future.

Don't know if that really addresses your question, but hth.

Thank you. I am trying to not worry about year levels or standards, since we live in a place I don't have to worry about that much.

But this...



... really spoke to me. See, I used to teach, and although I'm not thinking about it, I am aware of roughly what kids are interested in at his age and this is not serving me well!

I am trying to use libraries and things and that helps a bit.

the other thing I'm trialing, that I think is helping is using higher level 'spine' books, and going whereever he likes form there.

I think it's time to delve back into my library list!

When my dd was 5yo, I found this difficult as well. Everything I tried to introduce, she seemed to already know. It took us awhile to find the spot where she was challenged and learning new things. I found that place by compacting curriculum and moving very quickly for about a year (as in going through almost 3 grade levels of math). It was difficult and a little scary at the time because I was using her brothers as a reference point and getting a little panicked at how to keep up with her.

We did find a balance point eventually though there are still times when I feel like I am being dragged behind her because she tends to learn whole to parts so while I am trying to introduce something, she already has it figured out and is ready to move on. I am used to her now, though, and don't "panic" anymore.

Like someone else mentioned, I find it best to use a high level spine and plan to go very deeply into subjects like history and science. I have the materials on hand and dd is nearly always very interested in learning more so I am prepared to go there with her. She is 9yo and currently going as deep or deeper into subjects than her brothers in middle and high school.

Yes. When I go to the library, I always try to get at least a few books that are too easy, a few that are just right, and a few that are too hard. Somewhere in there I always seem to get some that hit the mark, but they're often not the ones that I expected. DD has rejected books as "too hard" when they were well below her tested reading level and has devoured books that were many years above it.

Other than that, my only advice is to be flexible and not plan too far ahead.