The problem
I started homeschooling my two eldest when they were in 5th and 6th grade. Right away, I began teaching them at grade level. I found that they were really good at some things and really confused by others. Some important concepts were completely new to them. So much information goes into their brains in public school and I had no idea what they had really grasped or what they just passed on their tests and then forgot.
The advantage of homeschooling is that you don’t have to move on until your child has grasped a concept. A disadvantage is that it is still hard to gauge what they might be missing along the way, even if they learn at their own speed. And at some point, you still have to move on.
This can make it hard for children to make needed connections. Sometimes their brain needs to develop more or there is missing information that would have made the connection easier to make.
It’s like when a computer gets fragmented. It doesn’t work as efficiently or as effectively as it does when it has been defragmented. It has so many bits of information, of so many different sizes, and blank spaces that could be filled with more. Here is what it looks like:
The Solution
Fast forward to today. My youngest two are about the same age as my eldest were now. We have had so much fun with their education. They have written songs and taken college level courses and have studied world history and explored many wonderful aspects of science and nature. They have learned many wonderful life skills and have enjoyed some big successes and some big failures. All in all, I think they are well rounded and could probably even hold down a job. But I know from experience that they have missed things along the way.
In order to figure out how to defragment my children’s brain, I relied heavily on my experience as a substitute teacher. I taught grades K-6. Each year had it’s objectives and standards and I got to know them pretty well. I found that third grade seems to be the bulk of a child’s education. It really is when core concepts in all subjects are established. So that is what I decided to do. In addition to their grade level work, they have also been reviewing third grade curriculum materials daily. They have able to monitor their own progress and make connections between basic core concepts and the work they are doing right now.
The Results
We’ve been doing this for about 3 months now and I’ve noticed a few of things.
- There are definitely things the children have missed along the way.
- As expected, they are different for each child.
- Both of my children absolutely love doing the activities.
- Their grade level work has improved substantially. I can’t tell if the daily work gives them more confidence or if they simply have a better understanding of core concepts. Either way, it has been a joy for all of us. I feel less anxious because I know they will have mastered important core concepts. And they have started enjoying school so much more now that they are mastering core concepts.
So there you have it. If you happen to see my tall son and my teenage daughter carrying around a third grade math book, don’t you worry. They are just defragmenting their brain. So if something happens and you need to start homeschooling right away, or you want to supplement your child’s education, third grade is a great place to start.
