Charlotte Mason and Classical Writing

[notbefore7]

Ok, so I have spent the summer absorbed in CM books. I LOVE so much about it, but don't adhere to her lack of grammar and writing in the early years. BUT, I am not fond of pushing that either.

 

Writing with Ease has been a nice fit and my soon to be 8 year old will begin level 2 this year.

 

HAs anyone struggled with how that fits in with the idea of narrations, the Charlotte Mason idea? I feel like narrations let the child retell the story with the details they want, but WWE is creating a summary. I don't want to confuse my child??

 

Anyone else done both of these? Do narrations for assigned chapter book chapters? Keep WWE separate? How do I help her understand now you are summarizing and now you are retelling everything that happened??

 

THx

Mary

[mamamoon]

:lurk5:

[Kfamily]

Well, I know others here will have better advice but at least my thoughts on this will give you a bump.:001_smile:

 

I struggled with this very problem for a couple of years but I haven't entirely resolved my whole approach to this from beginning to end. I've started this issue with my older dd who has never really given me narrations with a summary method in mind. She has always given me narrarions in the CM style yet learned writing separately as a subject. It is just this year that I have combined writing with our narrations and it hasn't been easy to arrange this. I feel like I have this mostly under control now but I have not even looked at my younger dd yet. She too has not used WWE or other methods of a summary narration. I will probably not use this as our writing program. My comfort is with retellings until I think she is ready to learn summarizing.

We use Classical Writing. My plan with my older dd is to use the Homer core book only now and use the skills as they are taught here and apply them to our own models. CW will teach summary sentences and later how to write a precis. I think this is not making much sense but essentially I will follow the CM method of narrating (and there can be so much more to it than just retellings) adding elements and skills as needed. I could explain what I have planned but I think it might take too many pages. :lol:

Let me know if this is not clear... if you'd like.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Kfamily

[notbefore7]

I think I follow....

 

In the elementary years, persist with narrations. I will probably do more oral till 3rdish grade? I will write them for her. Perhaps keep daily copywork as well for handwriting practice and some basic sentence formation, etc.

 

Add in mini-lessons here and there? Are there times in the later elementary years that you would go through a rough draft, then editing it together - maybe focus on punctuation or adjectives, etc and then make a final copy?

 

Then in middle school begin something like IEW or Classical Writing?

 

How does grammar fit in your picture? Do you still (I can go back to your list) use FLL or any grammar before middle school?

 

Thanks! Glad to know I am not the only one struggling. I have this WWE 2 workbook...now I am not sure I'll use it.... :)

 

Mary

[Kfamily]

Yes, this is essentially what I mean.

 

I actually started Homer a little late (which is why I'm trying to move through it at a more rapid pace now). You could start IEW or CW Homer as early as 5th grade. I'm working on plans now to use the Homer Core book and CM narrations right now. If I get this sorted out I can pm you more of what I was planning.

 

I know other moms use WWE and still follow CM in other methods or combine it with narrations.

 

I use Harvey's Elem. grammar right now but have also used Primary/Intermediate Language Lessons too.

 

Sorry, this is so unconnected...we are going on vacation and have much going on at home right now. I keep getting interupted so my thoughts are really coming out in a jumbled mess. I will try to straighten this out soon.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Kfamily