Teaching Multiple Grade Levels Together

If you have more than one child and you intend to homeschool, at some point you will need to address teaching multiple grade levels together.

{I understand there may be situations where children are spaced very far apart, or twins, or where one sibling thrives in a homeschooling environment and one does not. This post is specifically aimed at folks with children of different ages who need to accommodate everyone at the same time in a homeschool setting.}

For the 2020-2021 homeschool year we have students in 9th, 7th, and 4th grade. So, one starting high school, one middle schooler, and one elementary student. 

In traditional public or private school, they would obviously be not just in different classes, but entirely separate schools. Here at The Oscar Darwin Homeschool for Happy Humans {yes; that is our official name}, however, we have no choice but to make a mixed-age “classroom” work.

Following are some ideas we have used to make teaching multiple grade levels together work smoothly. 

I realize our students are not that far apart in age {currently 14, 12, and 9.5} so this may not work as well if you have, say, a 6-year-old and a 16-year-old. But we have found these four tips helpful, and you may as well.

Work Together, But Independently

I find it beneficial to have everyone doing the same kinds of things together, even if they work at different levels. For instance, all three students sit at the table and work on math and language arts simultaneously, using student-appropriate material at their own pace. 

This will give your homeschool more of an old-fashioned one-room schoolhouse feel, which can be win–win for everyone. It makes it easier to switch gears if everyone is doing written work as opposed to one student completing a reading assignment, one working on science experiment, and one solving math problems on the whiteboard.

Here you can also enlist the help of your older students; they can help the younger ones if a problem arises while you offer one-on-one help to another sibling. Often I sit with them and do my own “work” {blogging drafts and planning} at the same time. 

You Do Not Need To Stay At Grade Level

For the most part, it is totally fine if what you study does not follow typical grade level expectations. If chemistry fascinates your second grader, go for it. If your middle schooler wants to cover algebra and geometry in the same year, great. 

I used to be a huge fan of checking those “what do second graders need to know” and “which subjects are typically covered in sixth grade” kinds of websites and books. And, truth be told, sometimes I still do this when planning the homeschool year.

However, these are all just suggestions and averages. While certain concepts do build on each other, there is no reason why you can’t mix it up.
 
You probably remember from your own school experience there were specific subjects you learned in certain grades and that was just the way it was. But why? Obviously some areas need more order than others {I would not ask my fourth grader to factor polynomials} but most of it can be pretty arbitrary. 

Do we need to explore the life cycle of a butterfly in first grade? Do all fourth graders need to know their state history just exactly then? Did it matter what year you took biology versus physics? 

When you consider possibilities beyond do this because you’re in this grade, teaching multiple grade levels together based on interest becomes much easier. 

Choose Excellent Resources Regardless of Reading Level

When teaching multiple grade levels sometimes your book choices won’t be a perfect fit for everyone. It is okay if what you are reading is “too simple” for your oldest and “too much” for your youngest. If you read a variety of books—and a lot of them—it will balance out.

For example, during  the Senior Agents’ 3rd and 5th grade years, we read Evolution: The Human Story by Dr. Alice Roberts. This is a great book, but not geared toward kids at all. 

It is extremely dense with information and graphics, and we had to take it very slow. We even skimmed parts. But, they loved it, and wanted to re-read parts of it a few years later, when more of it began to click for them.

The reverse is true as well. Don’t be afraid to bring a few “younger” titles back into you read-aloud time. This can be a great way to review subjects or re-new interest in a topic you would like them to consider further.

Exposure Over Mastery Is Okay {Even for Older Students}

Of course there are subjects where you need to master earlier steps before you can build {math, reading, foreign language}; however, many subjects we learn do not work that way. 

I strongly believe that children should be exposed to lots of ideas without always worrying about turning it into a teachable moment. You can always go back and memorize facts or give quizzes or write term papers . . . if that is your jam, and if you think it will help. 

Do not let the thought that you need to be “teaching” all the time stop you from simply wandering around the zoo, watching a documentary just for fun, or choosing random selections from the library because the pictures look amazing. 

When your students are ready for more concentrated study, they will let you know. 

If you consistently expose your students to good books, fun places, and interesting people, they will greatly benefit and be more well-rounded for it. They will love learning, and not see it as something they need a break from.

Are you teaching multiple grade levels together? How does this look in your homeschool? Do you have any additional advice to share?

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