How to teach two kids at a time

[Jenny D]

I am new to the homeschooling scene. In fact, I'm still in the planning phase. My kids are currently in public school, but I will be teaching them next year. I am doing all the research I can and I really like FIAR. My question is...Is there a FIAR book I can use for both my 4th grader and 1st grader? It would be nice to be doing the same stuff. Please help, Jenny

[Mary FL]

:hi: and Welcome!

We love FIAR! If you did Vols. 1 - 3 it would be a great fit for your first grader. Maybe you could add a lot of go alongs for your 4th grader to make it more challenging.

I'm sure others will chime in too.

[Melinda S.]

4th and 1st are pretty far different. However, you will probably have a separate math and language arts program for each, and that will help a lot. Science, history, and Bible (if you do that) can be the same topic, just with a bit more depth for the older one. You could add library books that are somewhat harder on the same topic, eg.

I have found it easier to have a separate curriculum many years, and just switch off from one child to another, with the second child doing seatwork like math while I'm with the first. However, that could also be because I have had babies or toddlers most of the time. If all I had were the 2, I might try harder to combine.

[NurseNicole]

I would combine them...sure. If I were rowing a title from FIAR 1-3 I'd BEEF it up for my 4th grader. I would get MORE in depth in each of the lessons. I'd have her write MORE, reasearch MORE...basically I would ue what is there and go DEEPER. I'd let my 1st grader do the lessons as IS...but listen in to the more in depth ones if she wanted to. I would also row from vol. 4 using the lessons there for the 4th grade and require LESS from my 1 st grader.

I'm sure they will LOVE it!!

Of course I would use a different level of math for each of them...and a seperate LA program for my 4th grader but NOT my 1st grader

[Kendall in GA]

Is there a FIAR book I can use for both my 4th grader and 1st grader? It would be nice to be doing the same stuff. Please help, Jenny

:hi: Jenny,

I have a 4th and 1st grader. I school them separately when it comes to FIAR; HOWEVER, my 1st grader tags along with my 4th graders lessons by choice...He's my tag-along rower. :)

This is the second year that I've used separate FIAR products for them. Originally, they rowed FIAR Vol. 1-3 together. Last year my dd moved to Vol. 4 and my ds continued with Vol. 1-3; BUT, he sat through each of her Vol. 4 lessons. He loved Vol. 4, too. This year my 4th grader is in BY and my 1st grade ds is still rowing Vol. 1-3.

I'd recommend that you try FIAR Vol. 4 if you really want to school them together. :)

[Alexandra]

I would combine them...sure. If I were rowing a title from FIAR 1-3 I'd BEEF it up for my 4th grader. I would get MORE in depth in each of the lessons. I'd have her write MORE, reasearch MORE...basically I would ue what is there and go DEEPER. I'd let my 1st grader do the lessons as IS...but listen in to the more in depth ones if she wanted to. I would also row from vol. 4 using the lessons there for the 4th grade and require LESS from my 1 st grader.

I did this last year with a 5yr old, an 8 yr old and a 10 yr old (with separate LA, math, readers, etc). I used the more challenging stories (Who Owns the Sun, Walking by Woods, Mrs. Katz and Tush, Grandfather's Journey etc). It worked fine for the 8 and 10 yr olds but I lost the 5 yr old. The stories were just too heavy for her. If your first grader is an older 6ish or 7, I think it would work just fine. If it were my first year of homeschooling, I'd do everything I could to keep them together.

[AndreaD]

I have a 4th grader and a 1st grader- I do Beyond with my 4th grader, and FIAR with my 1st grader. You Could combine them- at least to start out and get your rowing feet- but it'd be a little tricky, and you'd want to beef up the fiar titles.

[MarieD]

You have already gotten some great advice. I have a 4th grader and Kindergartner using separate curriculum - so I do have one more year between mine than you do. My oldest definitely catches everything her younger sister is hearing.

Remember, your 4th grader will more than likely be able to do a lot independently. Whereas you 1st grader will need more of you sitting nearby. Like many mentioned, it is easy to beef up the lessons for an older student. You can assign chapter books that go along with the theme of the FIAR title you use for the younger student. They can both learn from the FIAR title, but the 4th grader could be reading a historical novel or biography that ties in. The 4th grader can write a book report, and do science experiments that may be be too complex for the younger.

So, it is possible to row them together, if just depends on you. Do you want to have to "beef up" FIAR volumes 1-3, or just have the 4th grader use Beyond FIAR and watch for times when the stories tie in (which several can)?

[Jenny D]

Wow! What great support. I am really excited about homeschooling and I think FIAR is what's going to work for me. Thank you to all the people who responded to my question. I feel like this is very do-able. Jenny D:clap:

[Mary FL]

Wow! What great support. I am really excited about homeschooling and I think FIAR is what's going to work for me. Thank you to all the people who responded to my question. I feel like this is very do-able. Jenny D:clap:

It is very doable and super enjoyable too! Glad you're here!:)

[Nedra in So. CA]

I am new to the homeschooling scene. In fact, I'm still in the planning phase. My kids are currently in public school, but I will be teaching them next year. I am doing all the research I can and I really like FIAR. My question is...Is there a FIAR book I can use for both my 4th grader and 1st grader? It would be nice to be doing the same stuff. Please help, Jenny

FIAR would be perfect for your 4th and 1st grader. You can cover the topics a bit more in depth very easily with your 4th grader. Use the archives here on the FIAR boards. They are absolutely amazing!

What a HUGE blessing that you found FIAR so early in your homeschooling adventure. I sure wish that I had...........

Welcome to the boards!

[Lori D]

Last year I taught my 4Th, 1st, and preschooler together- really the preschooler was just along for the ride, but he enjoyed all the books. The only time I ran in to trouble is when we rowed "Who Owns the Sun"- at his age my preschooler could not grasp the context and was somewhat frightened (can you tell he is my 'thoughtful' child!?).

I did not really beef it up for my 4Th grader, but it happened sort of naturally. As we would row a book and discuss things, first my preschooler would wander off, then my 1st grader, and my 4Th grader and I would be sitting there together with the conversation (aka: learning) continuing. He is also the one who approaches the librarian to find extra books on what we are studying.

I think you will have a great first year learning together!!

[Heather W]

You might find it easy to start them out together and then move to working separately. If it were me, I'd choose books for the fourth grader and have the first grader row along at his/her level.

I brought my oldest home half way through first grade. I think one thing you will find is that you will need to de-school your kids- particularly your then to be fifth grader!!

That first semester home was perhaps our favorite one!! My goal was to get my son to love learning again we took things super easy. We read a lot of books together and did math and some written work and that was it.

All that to say that having your kids work together may not be hard at all for the first half of the year or longer.

Typically they say it takes a month for every year your child had been in school to sort of bring them down off of that.

Be sure to read Jane's helps for new people at the top of this forum. I'm sure that will give you some ideas too.

I'm excited for your family!!