The one room school house has been around for over 200 years and some still exist today. And that for many of you is what you are managing with several children at home, all at different grade levels. Some methods used at the turn of a previous century can be helpful to make the day operate a little more smoothly and provide quality instruction in this current situation. The list below is an adaptation of common practices gleaned from a variety of sources used in one room school houses. I think many have merit:
1. Assign an older student to a younger student to provide assistance, keep on track, correct mistakes, and provide feedback,
2. Engage as much as possible younger children in tasks and curriculum of older students. This provides younger children opportunities to stretch their skills and thinking, acquainting them with ideas and concepts that might come up in their later school career. Smallest members can contribute,
3. Allow students to progress at their own level and at their own speed. Less stress upon completing in a time frame and more stress upon mastery of concepts,
4. Use what you have on hand, common household materials, games, and activities to reinforce lessons, e.g., 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cube butter, spelling words instead of numbers for hopscotch (I know that reference to hopscotch really dates me.)
5. Share resources,
6. Use Recitation – demonstrating proficiency in a task – younger children can hear and see work done at a higher level. Younger children need opportunities to share their work than older students because it provides feedback on what they have done well and what needs to be corrected, “Let me see what you are doing. Fix this problem up.”,
7. Focus upon relationships and working together,
8. Celebrate victories.
Again, be thankful that you are not dragging a bucket of water with you from home and building a fire in the pot belly stove. And be thankful that your skirts are not required to be more than two inches above the ankle. Things could be worse.
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