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Before public school, children grew up in a world filled with people of all ages. Taking care of the younger ones, working alongside parents, apprenticed to craftsmen and women, or learning at home, old and young helped each other.

Modern societies no longer put children into the labor force. We see school as a time when children are protected from the harsh conditions of "the real world." But in segregating young people in classrooms and peer groups, we have thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

In fact, many parents choose homeschooling to keep their children away from the negative impacts of today's youth culture. While some fear homeschooled children become isolated, lacking opportunities to develop social skills, the opposite is often true. Allowed to interact with people of all ages in a variety of settings, homeschooled children often seem more mature and self-assured than their classroom-bound peers.

The key strategy, then, for homeschooling children of different ages is to include everyone, let everyone help, and give each child opportunities to lead and to teach. Do not re-create mini classrooms in your home, maintaining the very barriers you want to tear down.

Yes, there will be days when the young ones are noisy and demanding while older children need quiet time to study. If bad weather keeps everyone indoors, creative projects and upbeat energy will definitely be needed. But everyday challenges also provide great opportunities to build problem solving skills, as well as patience.

If you homeschool children of difference ages, here are three areas to explore that can offer ideas and strategies for learning:

Social and Emotional Learning

Public schools across the world are finding a need to teach social and emotional skills to students as they address issues of drug use, bullying, and violence. Edutopia, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, is one website offering resources for schools that can be adapted for homeschoolers. The ability to nurture positive emotional growth is a natural strength of homeschooling we all should build on.

Project-Based Learning

This is another natural approach for homeschooling, namely, building learning into projects rather than teaching subjects in neatly divided pigeonholes. Project-based learning is a great approach for mixed age groups, because projects can be divided into age-appropriate chunks.

Authentic Learning

Advocates of authentic learning want schoolwork to be more meaningful, more like real life. Research shows we all learn more easily and more deeply when we believe in what we're doing and see its relevance to our lives hardly surprising! Homeschooling is an ideal way for children to learn in authentic ways.

The Internet, public libraries, and local colleges and universities offer resources for exploring these areas. Organizations like Home Educational Magazine, the National Home Education Network, and the American Homeschool Association all have websites as well as local groups.

Drawing on a variety of educational resources while building on the natural strengths of homeschooling will be far more satisfying for parents and children than trying to import classroom management techniques into your home. Celebrate everyday life for all the learning opportunities it will offer your family!

Learn more about this author, Mary Pat Lynch.
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