Homeschooling Twins {The Planning Process}

I have been homeschooling my kids for over 5 years. My oldest, a 9 year old girl, is in the 4th grade. I also have 7 year old twin boys in the 2nd grade AND 5 year old twin boys in kindergarten. In my years of homeschooling, I have picked up a few things that have been beneficial to me in the planning process of homeschooling twins.

I hope that what I have learned can be helpful to others homeschooling twins or considering homeschool for their twins! However, before talking about the process of planning homeschool for twins, I believe it is very important to establish a basic fact.

Different Strengths and Weaknesses

While twins may look alike, they usually have different strengths and weaknesses. The same holds true for both of my sets of twins! Of my 7 year olds, one son really excels academically. He enjoys being challenged and is determined to exceed expectations by being the best at everything. He is very meticulous and methodical. However, his drive for perfection can sometimes leave him quite frustrated and upset.

On the other hand, his twin is very creative and intuitive. He is always thinking outside the box and is quite the free spirit! However, excelling academically does not seem to be high on his list of priorities. As you can see, while looking alike, both boys have very different strengths and weaknesses!

Planning for Strengths and Weaknesses

When I am planning homeschool for my twins, I definitely take into account their differences by realizing that although one twin may seem to excel academically that each child does in fact have specific God-given strengths that allow them to excel. As a mom/teacher, I believe it is my job to not only address and help them with their weaknesses but to find and capitalize on each of their strengths! I look for activities, assignments, and projects that allow each of them to excel based on their different strengths. I incorporate those strengths in their academic areas so that each child feels “smart”!

Different Learning Styles

Looking alike does not guarantee that twins have the same strengths and weaknesses; nor does it guarantee that they learn in the same manner! The three main learning styles are auditory (learning by hearing), kinesthetic (learning by doing), and visual (learning by seeing). Before beginning to plan homeschool for twins, I feel it is very important to also take into account their learning styles. Quite often you will find that each child exhibits a combination of learning styles, but often times they tend to lean towards one particular style.

For example, of my older twins, one son is definitely a kinesthetic learner. He is very hands-on and likes to “move around” while doing his work! However, his twin is more of a visual learner! I can usually show him what to do and once he has seen it, he can do it on his own.

If you are unsure of what your children’s dominant learning styles are, you can easily do an internet search and find Learning Style Quizzes to help you in the process. Knowing your children’s learning style will enable you to tailor your teaching to their specific learning needs.

What About Mom?

While I am very aware that my children all have different strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, I also realize that trying to cater to all of the differences in twins can be overwhelming and time consuming. So, while I am very aware of their needs, I do take myself {the teacher} into account as well! I purposely choose to NOT teach two completely different curricula to my twins because it would be too much for me to handle. A burnt out mom is not what my kids need.

Choosing Curriculum

So, how do I address all of their different needs in the process of planning their homeschool? I look for curricula that addresses multiple learning styles. That way, both twins receive instruction in the way they learn best AND they have the opportunity to be challenged in the areas of learning where they struggle. I have found that selecting curriculum that addresses multiple learning styles not only benefits my twins, but it also allows me to streamline my teaching. You can click the images below to see our current curriculum choices for my twins:

Planning Logistics

The curriculum has been selected and now the actual lesson planning begins! While many curricula include detailed lesson plans, I now prefer to use the Weekly Homeschool Planner to plan out the assignments for the school year.

The Workbox System has been an answer to prayer for our homeschool, particularly for the twins! In the years we have been using the system, I have tweaked it to meet our ever changing needs! Have more questions about how we use the Workbox System? Be sure to check out my Workbox Q&A post.

Because I have selected curricula that addresses multiple learning styles, I can simply differentiate and adjust a few assignments based on each child’s dominant learning style, strengths and weaknesses. For example when practicing math facts, my visual learner may prefer flashcards, whereas my kinesthetic learner may prefer using something more interactive like our Education Cubes! However, since I have begun the planning process by selecting multi-learning style curricula, I don’t have to make too many adjustments as I strive to teach each child how they learn best, all while capitalizing on their strengths while working to improve the weaknesses!

Planning for One-on-One Time

When planning to homeschool twins, I have found that planning for one-on-one instruction time is key! Since I use curricula that addresses multiple learning styles, I am able to teach the twins together. However, I have found that intentionally planning for one-on-one educational time with each twin allows me to help them in the areas where they are struggling and need extra help. Plus, it allows for some individual time with mom, which is always something that all of my kids want! As I have stated, each twin has different strengths and weaknesses and one-on-one time allows for me to intentionally celebrate the strengths and help work with them on their weaknesses!

Don’t Forget…

In all your planning, plan to have fun! Learning should be fun and sometimes as mom/teacher we can get caught up in the academic process so much so that we forget to have fun and enjoy this precious time we have with our children!

More Information…

For more information on homeschooling twins, check out my post about the Joys and Challenges of Homeschooling Twins!