I learn by watching others do painting. I like motivating videos & think they the best option for me. I do agree with Laurie about using the tubes, good brushes & quality paper for painting. I have updated the above post and added a video on painting a simple flower. Also see these lovely pink roses painted by Trevor Waugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAvvP-pb6CQ

Hi, It took my (preschool) children, about a month to learn the alphabet using these Alphabet Colouring Sheets (pdf)

Hi, Re: Key to Ray's New Arithmetics (Primary, Intellectual & Practical) by Mott Media Just to let others know if they are in the same place as me, we spotted a mistake in the answers for Intellectual Arithmetic lesson 29 (XXIX) third part of Qu.9, ans should be 50/90 instead of 80/90. In lesson 30 (XXX), the first answer to question no.10, should be 1 1/10 instead of 4/5. Well, at least one positive thing is it forces us to think and revise more and not take the answers for granted. I am changing some answers in the book, wherever any little space allows me to, but I think we need to create a new RA correction book. If anyone comes across any more errors, please do let me know which questions they are. Regards & God Bless!

Hi This is a very nice thread :) I have so much to learn and may have some questions, but first need to know whether the questions get answered here online, or in SW videos?

So far my kids have been following the RA books and my kids have gained a lot of knowledge, but I have recently noticed in the Mott Media version to Key to New Intellectual Arithmetic, some of the answers are incorrect. Has anyone else come across this problem?

I've now bought Oxford refill pads, from Rymans. No ink bleeding through the lined paper! :)

I don't know what has happened to the quality of paper these days! I am looking for lined paper or notebooks, from UK where the ink from fountain pens will not bleed through. Has anyone got any suggestions? Although the quality is important, we're not writing to the Queen, it's for the children's own handwriting, copywork & dictation. Regards :)

Those links for Ray's Arithmetic are now obsolete. Try these: Ray's New Primary Arithmetic http://archive.org/details/raysnewprimarya00raygoog Ray's New Intellectual Arithmetic http://archive.org/details/raysnewintellect00rayjrich Ray's New Practical Mathematics http://archive.org/details/raysnewpractica00raygoog Key to New Intellectual and Practical http://archive.org/details/keytoraysnewari00raygoog Ray's New Higher Arithmetic http://archive.org/details/raysnewhigherar00hillgoog Key to New Higher http://archive.org/details/keytoraysnewhig01raygoog Ray's New Test Examples in Arithmetic http://archive.org/details/raysnewtestexamp00rayjrich There are still further books by Joseph Ray: Ray's New Elementary Algebra: http://archive.org/details/newelementaryal00raygoog Ray's New Higher Algebra http://archive.org/details/cu31924031285806 Ray's Test Problems in Algebra: http://archive.org/details/testproblemsina00raygoog Ray's Plane & Solid Geometry: http://archive.org/details/cu31924031307733 Ray's Geometry & Trigonometry http://ia700409.us.archive.org/35/items/treatiseongeomet00tapprich/treatiseongeomet00tapprich.pdf http://openlibrary.org/books/OL13507523M/Treatise_on_geometry_and_trigonometry Ray's Analytic Geometry: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL6932287M/A_treatise_on_analytic_geometry Ray's Elements of Astronomy: http://archive.org/details/elementsofastro00peab More info on Ray's books :@ http://www.dollarhomeschool.com/raysarithmetic/

Two things I consider important: 1. Writing must be seen as something enjoyable & interesting. 2, Handwriting must not be rushed. My children write in cursive all the time. I recently caught my dd saying she was practising her manuscript because she 'forgot' how to write in print! I suppose that sounds more like good news to me that her cursive has become her normal writing. In the beginning, while the kids were learning cursive, I always wrote out their narration in pencil for them and they traced over my handwriting. Now they write their own work in their handwriting. For spacing, I reminded them to keep one little finger space between words. If their writing gets sloppy at any time, I discuss what went wrong and I ask them to re-write it again. Drawing & painting, has helped my kids write better. Encourage him to be creative and do his own drawing s & paintings Do see 'Draw Write Now' for more tips, by Marie Hablitzel. Best Wishes

Let it go. Try living books - good quality literature. TWTM has lists of great reading resources at the end of each grade level & section. SCM has information on living books & twaddle here: http://simplycharlot...3/time-to-read/ http://simplycharlot...ddle-too-often/ http://simplycharlot...f-a-good-story/ http://simplycharlot...-a-connoisseur/

I think in classical education, the child is supposed to write neatly each letter he learns, correctly from the very first time, which means as he continues the child's writing should be getting more neater, with very few corrections. See copywork here: http://simplycharlot...ubject-part-11/ If your child has got scruffy writing, ask him to write neatly each time and try giving him shorter passages, it will take time to get out of this habit, but be patient with him. I always emphasised to my children that handwriting must always be neat, beautiful and to write each letter carefully right from the beginning. I asked them to copy and write one interesting sentence, neatly (in manuscript) from the books they read. When they started using McGuffey's First Reader, I introduced the cursive script. I gave them a cursive alphabet sheet which I wrote out myself by hand in pencil. All the upper case and lower case letters were large, to trace over. I wrote out a similar sheet using smaller letters and I gave them an extra cursive alphabet printout to look at for practising daily and to improve writing the letters at least once a day. They did this without me, but I had to watch them when they were writing down their narrations (in ink). I kept a few blank labels, which I stuck over if they misspelled a word and then asked them to re-write the correct word. They learnt very quickly to value neat writing and now have neat handwriting with very few corrections. I hope your son will soon enjoy having good handwriting skills. Best Wishes

Thanks for the feedback! I agree with both of you and these are inter-related. From SCM, narration (telling back) is synonymous to oral composition, so writing it down then may mean, written composition: http://simplycharlot...ts/composition/ According to TWTM, narration helps how much a child retains & understands what is being read. It develops the child's vocabulary, his power of expression and lays a foundation for good writing. In FLL, narration helps a child to comprehend spoken language and formulate his thoughts for original written composition. Sharon Shafer says outlining can be another form of narration: http://simplycharlot...utlining-skills TWTM has included some resources outlining here: http://www.welltrain...ning-resources/ I'm concluding that reading a passage and asking questions helps a child to think & to comprehend, to narrate and to compose their writing. Best Wishes

Thanks for the links. Yes, the fabric designs are beautiful, just like the old stencil arts. I meant printing, sorry Stripe, been looking at too many paintings! These were hand made: http://www.4living.c...fe-Ottoman.html Ottoman designs:

....Anyone??

Pick the most important subjects, & resources you think you need. Try planning a schedule as suggested in the Well Trained Mind Book. There's more on how to schedule here: http://simplycharlottemason.com/2008/03/19/the-big-picture/ http://simplycharlottemason.com/store/planning-your-charlotte-mason-education/ If you follow through, you will know which resources & topics to drop, which are the most important for your child's interests & the time you have available to use those during the year.

Sandst, If you do believe in God, then first, never give up hope & keep praying for your son's cure. God answers all prayers. I would research natural remedies and try to build up his immune system & go to a naturopathist. Completely avoid GM foods, refined sugar, candies, junk or processed foods, wheat (gluten) high carbs, (which feed bacteria, viruses, pneumonia & fungal infections). Give him a really healthy diet based on natural foods, meat, chicken, fish, lots of vegetables, and eggs. (See phase 1 Harcombe diet, Aruyvedic or Anti candida diet). I would definitely add ginger & garlic, spices, onions, leeks, spinach, cauliflowers, aubergine, cabbage, in food and strictly avoid trans fats and polyunsaturates e.g sunflower oil (it may reduce immunity). Use olive oil, butter or coconut oil, instead. Combine this with some good physical exercise - if he is able to do it. For his education, I would do as you said, live a quality life with your son and base all his educational needs on his interests (academic, or hobby-based). Keep him happy. May God protect your son & grant him and you all with good faith, health, & success, (ameen).

Hi, May be it's because it's 3.30 am, but I just can't seem to figure out the difference between the three or how these relate to each other in grammar. I keep thinking narration is composition, and comprehension. (Obviously they aren't, otherwise wouldn't be termed differently). Can someone shed some light?

Bringing school at home does not work. Plan ahead. Be clear on your objectives & persevere. Remember that you are not alone. Focus on the most important, or difficult tasks, the rest will flow ~ Learning is a life-long journey. Enjoy. http://simplycharlot...lanning-series/ http://simplycharlot...he-big-picture/

Take time to understand your child's needs & aptitude. Whatever can not be resolved at home, won't be solved at school. It took more than a generation to force institutionalised schooling, it will take more than a generation to decide whether home education was all worth it. 'Success is failure turned inside out'. Take examples from history of successfully home-schooled men & women. Don't let other's anxieties affect your beliefs, personal choices & decisions. Take one step at a time. Best Wishes

Thanks. I just found the Latin A subset - so easy. However I still couldn't find these double o signs with u or dash above them in the middle (probably hiding).

Thanks everyone for helping me out - really appreciate the feedbacks. Yaucabird I haven't a clue about changing subsets to Latin A. Michelle, it was much easier finding the character map than using the shortcuts. There were still some symbols missing e.g. the 'oo' symbols, but Wikipedia has them all. I'll just copy & paste from there. I will use the character map though esp. for Urdu & Arabic alphabet. If anyone else is looking for the phonetic symbols, here they all are: http://en.wikipedia....ing_for_English Many thanks :)

Thanks for the feedback. I saw the symbols but they seem different, and there isn't an upside down v, the two dots or upside down e. There is a u shape one....I suppose I can use two full stops for the two dots and dash for the other one.

Okay, I had a look at the 'symbol' font in word starter but the symbols used on page 369, are not there. Even if they were there, how would I put them above the alphabets/vowels? (I just wanted to type out the cards and print them out on card stock).

Hi, I bought the ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading by Jessie Wise and creating my own flash cards with the phonetic symbols to use with the lessons. I though I might be able to do them on word doc but don't know how to paste the symbols on the vowels or alphabet characters. How did the publisher get those symbols printed in the book? Is there another font downloadable online?

Thank you Maggie, I will check out those links and the book. Nan, I agree there are loads of nice videos on youtube but not many discuss composition or style. I did like the Henri Rousseau's Jungle thematic art here: Anyway just for fun, we saw this today and it made us realise how creative animals are (and also able to run an art studio)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAvJElLFAEQ