Elementary School tips
- Inspirational subjects at this age like history, literature, recitation, poetry, science (especially Nature Lore), geography, current events, and Bible are the easiest to combine students. You can pick the book scheduled for the younger child or the older child or the grade in between assuming both students would be fed and are able to narrate the material.
- Disciplinary subjects at this age like math, reading skills, science labs, grammar, and dictation are more often best tailored to the individual student.
- Outside activities such as nature walks and study, PE, and dancing can all be combined. Along with singing, picture study, composer study, handicrafts, art, and modern languages.
- If both students are reading reasonably well, you can combine, and they can take turns reading aloud to each other and then take turns narrating.
Middle School tips:
- The same ideas apply as for elementary students with the addition of the option to have an older student read a book or two to a younger student and take the role of teacher for that subject if able. They will learn a lot as they seek to serve the younger student. This may provide a time slot later in the day for the teacher to work individually with the older student on a subject particular to them.
- Science labs, readings in Ourselves, current events, Latin, Shakespeare, and Plutarch are all additional subjects that combine well at this age.
High School tips:
- The same ideas apply as for the younger ages with the addition of students being able to have more discussions together about the books being read. While there is a step up in difficulty in the books between 9th and 10th grade. The level stays relatively the same from 10-12 with an increase in content maturity in some subjects. This makes it easier for students in HS to be combined across all the grades. Educational camaraderie along with growing independence is especially desired and important at this age.
Subject and Grade Specific Tips:
- Some books are always in a certain grade or subject and do not rotate with the history rotation. You will want to be careful not to combine kids in subjects like that unknowingly. If you combine a 7th and 8th grader in a subject such as 8th grade economics, you will need to substitute something else for your 7th grader next year when you are making your schedule as your 7th grader will have already read the book.
Student Specific Tips:
It is helpful to consider some specific questions about your students as you make decisions about what subjects they can do independently, combined with other students but still independently, individually with the teacher, or combined with a teacher.
- Can my students read their lessons on their own? Can I help them recap a lesson, and then have them read by themselves? Have I prepared them to succeed in doing lessons independently, if not, they will need some instruction and practice.
- Is there a student who struggles or would feel inferior/superior if they were combined with other students? Split them up if so, especially for narrations.
- Would doing the subject together or apart hinder my student in any way? Does one need more accountability in a certain subject? Does one need encouragement and camaraderie?
