Ambleside lists, what are they?

[Princess5]

I see in several posters plan for 1st grade students plan to read from ambleside lists. What are these lists? We have a 6 yo and a 3yo

[Ethel Mertz]

You might want to edit your thread title so it says "Ambleside." Then the Ambleside folks will be more likely to chime in and help you out. I use the lists of books as a resource and pick and choose. Others use them more as a curriculum. The Ambleside forum is another place you might check for more information.

[....]

One of my daughters (10 year-old) follows Ambleside Online (she's doing Y3 this year).  It's a free Charlotte Mason curriculum, but some people just use the booklists.  There's the link:   www.amblesideonline.org  

 

[Hunter]

The forum provides a TON of information about how to turn the LISTS into a CURRICULUM. It would be pretty tough to use the lists exactly as written without forum support.

 

I admire the Ambleside Advisory greatly and they are doing some great work. But they are pretty clear about who their target audience is and who it is NOT. Not all people are welcome at the forum, even though all are welcome to download the reading lists. Questions about tweaking the lists for secular and Mormon use are not welcome and usually forbidden.

 

Advice on personal matters to other forum members that does not match the advisory's version of Christian advice might not be tolerated, and is best avoided, if someone wants to continue to be able to post about curriculum issues.

 

The AO curriculum and forum are probably one of the top 5 best homeschooling resources currently available, but be VERY careful if you don't want to jeopardize your future access to this resource. You might think you don't care in the heat of the moment, only years later to regret not having taken careful precautions and having shown significant restraint in how you post and interact. My advice is to let another forum member flounder, before jeopardizing your access and/or posting privileges to the forum. Your attempt to make a difference in someone else's life really won't make a difference in anyone's life but your own, so choose what you do wisely, selfishly, and looking at the LONG term as AO is going to be around for a LONG time, and each potshot attempt to offer advice that is not AO advisory aligned will never amount to anything.

 

I am not slamming AO. Next to this forum, it is the forum I'd be most heartbroken to see the homeschooling community lose. It would be devastating to a lot of families. But, not all families are able to use AO in either a limited or complete fashion, and I wish that were different. The least harm is done when people enter using this resource armed with as much knowledge about how it all works, for everyone's protection and comfort. Do NOT just barrel in there and announce your presence, like you would do at most any new forum.

 

And my advice is NOT to just say, "Well, if it's like THAT, I don't want anything to do with them!" Seriously. They are offering too much. Maybe not what you are looking for THIS year. So what. Life can change so drastically in ways you can never predict. Guard your future options for when you might be a different person with different ideas and access to different resources.

[....]

But they are pretty clear about who their target audience is and who it is NOT. Not all people are welcome at the forum, even though all are welcome to download the reading lists. Questions about tweaking the lists for secular and Mormon use are not welcome and usually forbidden.

 

 

:iagree:    Or just tweaking the curriculum in general...

[scoutingmom]

I'd agree that the answer to tweaking AO questions on their forum are generally answered not to. I don't know if they do any banning or post deletions.... maybe I've just been good. I was on another program's forum that was moderated, and any slightly negative post was not approved. AO forum has never been like that. There are some topics I do recommend avoiding though, as mentioned tweaking for LDS issues - especially removing a book with an anti-LDS chapter, is something I would try to avoid.

 

Btw - I was on the Yahoo group of AO years ago.... when this issue was hotly discussed, and why I left AO for a while. I was pretty vocal. I have had no issues rejoining the yahoo group, and then the forum.... so not sure I'd say it would affect you for years.

[Hunter]

I know for a fact that AO deletes posts and restricts and banns people from posting. And so does EVERY forum. Each for their own reasons.

 

AO doesn't always warn before taking action or give the person any opportunity to discuss an issue. Maybe, legitimately they are too busy, and to do so would take them away from more important work. I like to alway give people the benefit of the doubt and see them in the best light possible. It makes it easier for me to live my life that way. And I'm too tired not to take the easy route.

 

My reason for warning isn't just to protect newbies, but the advisory is busy and I doubt they like taking disciplinary action. Anything that takes up their time and energy prevents them from working on projects of benefit to the community. The homeschooling community is a community and anytime we weaken a member we weaken us all. I do NOT want to see them weakened even when I do not agree with what they do or have been personally affected.

 

Do I wish the world and the human species were better? Yup! But they are not. This unfortunately is the way it all is. I just want to see the least suffering possible take place. For everyone.