Today's tip is to simplify your job as homeschooling teacher by combining grades and ages wherever possible.  If you're teaching multiple students, you can simplify your day and minimize your workload, by combining ages.  This is especially true if you have stair-step children, as I do.

This past school year, I had a Kindergartener, 2nd grader, 4th grader, and 6th grader.  I have always grouped my children together.  The older two students, and the younger two students.  It's just easier on me, and they enjoy learning alongside someone else.

This is easily done when using unit studies, but it can also work with textbooks.  For example, if you have a 4th and 6th grader, use the 5th grade social studies  or science text with both of them.  If you're using a literature-based curriculum, choose a lesson plan that is between the two ages.

This doesn' t work as well with math, but it can.  For instance, I could hold off on starting algebra or geometry until I have two students ready for it, instead of just one.   I could wait until my younger students are 5 and 6 or 5 and 7, then start kindergarten math with both of them.

There are curriculums that are designed to work for multiple ages, and even some designed to work for all ages of students.  If you are struggling to teach multiple-age students in your homeschool, consider switching to a curriculum that allows you to combine ages.  Or look at the curriculum you're using and decide where you can combine ages to simplify your homeschool.

April E.  (ElCloud Homeschool) is a Homeschool Mom of 6.  She has homeschooled for over 7 years, and enjoys sharing the things she's learned in her homeschool journey with others.