How We Homeschool: Jabber (Blogging Through the Alphabet)

J was a difficult letter to find a topic for, but I've decided on jabber. Meaning, the incessant chatter!

Homeschooling children of multiple ages can become difficult. My oldest needs a quiet area to work and think through her lessons. My second is a verbal child who works problems out loud. My third is right at the age where anything is distracting, and my youngest does everything with mom, so we are constantly talking.



We have a school room where we do most of our work, but no one is required to use it! It certainly is easier to work in the same room as all of your pencils, books, etc., but it can be very distracting at times. We do consider it the "quiet school room", which means that anyone in the room isn't being unnecessarily loud or disrespectful to the others working there.

So what do we do?

The kids go to their beds to do their work quite often! Sometimes they work in the living room. My son goes up to his bed and does his work with as much talking as he needs to. My girls go work quietly on their beds when they want, sometimes only my oldest does this which leaves me in the school room with the two youngest. Then my third grader can focus better, but has me nearby when she needs help. My youngest is only in kindergarten, and has gotten better at recognizing when others are working and not interrupting. She also takes breaks to play and get her wiggles out so she is ready to focus on school.

When anyone takes a break, they play and chatter and sing (if they are so inclined)! It's fun to listen in on the games my youngest girls create.

When we are doing The Family School, we do the lesson together and we talk a lot! But the kids are usually good about not interrupting one another. We discuss subjects so much that some days we spend an extra hour or so learning!

I do admit that it has been difficult for my older children to learn to do school with a younger sibling who constantly talks. She is also a verbal learner and needs to share her thoughts out loud. Thankfully my son understands this, and my other children recognize the different learning types and each other's need to have things done a different way. Compassion goes a long way when we are learning on our own levels, yet learning together.