Who is currently using Ambleside Online?

[freeindeed]

We started this week with Year 1 for ds8 and Year 3 for dd10. We are loving it!:) I am impressed at the richness and depth of this curriculum. Just curious to know if anyone else is using this.

[prairiegirl]

We are using it but not the history. This year we are doing Yr. 1, Yr 3 and Yr 6. I love the book recommendations.

[Kfamily]

We are, but we adapt it. My 2nd grader is using a Year 2/3 mix and my 8th grader is doing Year 8. We love it too.

[Another Lynn]

I'm pulling from years 1 and 2 for my k, 2nd and 3rd graders. My 6th grader is also in Middle Ages, but not ready for HOE.... I did read Daughter of Time aloud to him to edit a few things on the fly (year 7). We loved it.

[suzf242]

We're in Year 3 and have been doing it from the beginning. We love the selections, too, although there are a few we edit out as dd is fairly sensitive. It is a lot more than a booklist. :)

 

Take care,

Suzanne

[zookeeperof3]

I use their methods and booklist, but not as our "core" history program.

Kim

[AngelaNYC]

We're using it, too. We follow the schedule as written for everything including nature study, artists, composers, and poets. We do remove all the religious readings, though.

 

Ds is 9 and we're finishing up Year 2 soon and can't wait to start Year 3.

[happypamama]

I use parts of it and have really liked their book suggestions!

[anabelneri]

We're doing a Yr1&2 blend, with SOTW added in and switched out the religious choices. Oh, and we just started using Mater Amabilis' geography -- Sweetie hated Paddle to the Sea with a passion. But we're 80% AO.

 

:)

[Mama2Many4]

I'm using a combination of Ambleside, Old Fashioned Education and Simply Charlotte Mason. It's been a Godsend since we've been using it around 3 weeks now. I've got my 5 and 7 year old working together on everything except reading, spelling and math. It's the best "curriculum" around!

[justamouse]

We're using it, too. We follow the schedule as written for everything including nature study, artists, composers, and poets. We do remove all the religious readings, though.

 

Ds is 9 and we're finishing up Year 2 soon and can't wait to start Year 3.

 

this is how we use it, too. 2 year 7s and 3 year 3. I glomped everyone together. :001_smile:

[pooh bear]

I'm using with my 10 yo ds. He is working through Year 6 at the moment. I am working through Year 7, so I can know that books before he starts them. I mash together AO and WTM. I follow WTM history cycle, and move the AO books around to fit in with that.

 

The only part we don't do is the Religion.

[Medieval Mom]

We are! We're currently in Year 2. We do add in SOTW, but I don't try to match ch. with Hillyer or anything :tongue_smilie: If things don't exactly match up, they're great review! :D

 

We tweak a little here and there, but, mainly, we follow AO :)

[Annabel Lee]

If I may hijack just a teensy bit, how do you know what to do with all the wonderful suggestions AO, CM & OFE offer? Maybe I was still too "new" a homeschooler when I looked at AO, but at the time it looked like a big list of books. What else do you do with them other than read? How do you know when or what to have them narrate, copy, dictate, etc.?

[AngelaNYC]

If I may hijack just a teensy bit, how do you know what to do with all the wonderful suggestions AO, CM & OFE offer? Maybe I was still too "new" a homeschooler when I looked at AO, but at the time it looked like a big list of books. What else do you do with them other than read? How do you know when or what to have them narrate, copy, dictate, etc.?

 

AO comes with a 36-week schedule that tell you what books to read when. It is also broken up into 3 12-week terms with different artists, poets, composers, and nature-study-topic per term.

 

My suggestion is to go to the "site map" page and read as many of the links as you can. That was the only way I understood AO. I also joined the Yahoo group and started reading the messages from the beginning (lol, not suggesting you do that, but it's good to join the group).

 

You have to have a good understanding of the CM method when using AO. Reading Charlotte Mason's original writing is a great idea, but the AO website gives a wonderful overview with lots of explanations, suggestions and advice.

[strawberry]

My 6th grader is also in Middle Ages

 

This is where I'll be in the fall. Which YR of AO falls in line with SOTW 2?

 

We have the spines that AO uses, used them for one year, and then moved to SL. I'm ready to leave SL and am trying to figure out where we fall into other "schedules." No reason to leave those beautifu books unused on the shelf. :001_smile:

[Kfamily]

This link shows the timeline AO follows with regard to history. I think that SOTW2 includes middle ages and the renaissance and this would be the following years at AO (roughly :001_smile:):

AO Year 2 and 3

AO Year 7 and 8

 

AO spends a year on the middle ages and a year on the renaissance/early modern time period (roughly :001_smile:).

 

 

http://www.amblesideonline.org/History.shtml

[AudreyTN]

My ds7 has just finished week 7 of Year 1. We are using it for his core curriculum.

 

This Monday, my 9yo will start Year 3 and my 10yo will begin a mix of Years 3 & 4. (Schedule in Yahoo Group files.) I'm not sure how we will approach the History since we are using TruthQuest.

[Guest aquiverfull]

If I may hijack a bit too please... For those using AO are you following it basically on grade level, or a year or two behind, or what? I'm been looking at AO some lately, I might use some of it with my younger girls and I wondered how people usually approach this. Thanks!

[Medieval Mom]

If I may hijack a bit too please... For those using AO are you following it basically on grade level, or a year or two behind, or what? I'm been looking at AO some lately, I might use some of it with my younger girls and I wondered how people usually approach this. Thanks!

 

At grade level, but we started with ds6 on AO1. People hopping in later often feel it's best to go back a level or two.

 

On the yahoo group, many AO users suggested starting at grade level if beginning at the beginning; otherwise, look at the booklists for each grade to see which would be the appropriate level for your dc. The selections are meaty, challenging, classic. I think *adults* would do well to use AO as a self-education programming, beginning with AO 1 ! :)

[prairiegirl]

If I may hijack a bit too please... For those using AO are you following it basically on grade level, or a year or two behind, or what? I'm been looking at AO some lately, I might use some of it with my younger girls and I wondered how people usually approach this. Thanks!

 

We started AO from the beginning with all three of our children. I started my oldest at grade level--Yr 1 in Gr. 1. It has worked out very well. With my younger two, though, I didn't think it would be a good fit for starting Yr. 1 when they were 6 so I waited a year with both of them and started them in Yr. 1 when they were in Gr. 2. This has worked well for them as well. It all depends on the child.

[justamouse]

If I may hijack a bit too please... For those using AO are you following it basically on grade level, or a year or two behind, or what? I'm been looking at AO some lately, I might use some of it with my younger girls and I wondered how people usually approach this. Thanks!

 

Well, I made the switch from TWTM to AO this year.

 

I used to think it wasn't rigorous. I was very, very wrong. Exceptionally wrong. So horribly wrong. SO, what I had to do was acutally put my 10th grader BACK to 7th because even though the reading is slow, the books are much harder, and I ALSO didn't want to switch everyone from Medieval to whatever AO was on. I also had a 6th grader that was slightly advanced. 7th was Medieval so we made the jump back. It works for us.

 

You're going to have to really look over the curric and knowing your kids, make the best decision to where you should place yourself.

[Another Lynn]

Well, I made the switch from TWTM to AO this year.

 

I used to think it wasn't rigorous. I was very, very wrong. Exceptionally wrong. So horribly wrong. SO, what I had to do was acutally put my 10th grader BACK to 7th because even though the reading is slow, the books are much harder, and I ALSO didn't want to switch everyone from Medieval to whatever AO was on. I also had a 6th grader that was slightly advanced. 7th was Medieval so we made the jump back. It works for us.

 

You're going to have to really look over the curric and knowing your kids, make the best decision to where you should place yourself.

 

Slight hi-jack :) How is your 11yo liking yr 7? Does he enjoy the Churchill book? What has he enjoyed most? Are there any parts he has "endured?" Thanks!

[AngelBee]

We use AO in our mix as well as OFE. :)

[freeindeed]

I'm using a combination of Ambleside, Old Fashioned Education and Simply Charlotte Mason. It's been a Godsend since we've been using it around 3 weeks now. I've got my 5 and 7 year old working together on everything except reading, spelling and math. It's the best "curriculum" around!

 

That sounds like a great combination. I've also looked at SCM and Old Fashioned Education. We've always been Charlotte Mason homeschoolers, but I'm currently reading For the Children's Sake and it has renewed my passion for CM.

[freeindeed]

If I may hijack just a teensy bit, how do you know what to do with all the wonderful suggestions AO, CM & OFE offer? Maybe I was still too "new" a homeschooler when I looked at AO, but at the time it looked like a big list of books. What else do you do with them other than read? How do you know when or what to have them narrate, copy, dictate, etc.?

 

The AO site has lots of help for these questions. I joined the AO Yahoo group as well. There is also an AO Yahoo group for schedules, which is very helpful. Several sample schedules are available to download. In our family, I have the children orally narrate each reading. Then I have them do a written narration twice a week. As they get older, I'll have them write more. I think it's really based on what's best for you & your children.:)

[freeindeed]

If I may hijack a bit too please... For those using AO are you following it basically on grade level, or a year or two behind, or what? I'm been looking at AO some lately, I might use some of it with my younger girls and I wondered how people usually approach this. Thanks!

 

AO is quite advanced. For my ds(almost)8 I'm using Year 1 and for my dd10 I'm using Year 3. Also, be sure to read about Charlotte Mason. It's important to understand her philosophy before starting AO.:001_smile:

[Krisi in GA]

Some of you may find this ladies website useful

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cheps/

She uses AO.

 

Kristi

[Guest aquiverfull]

Thanks to all who answered my question about placement. I love CM's philosophy and want to incorporate a lot of her ideas into our homeschool no matter what we use. :) I'm going to look at AO more closely. I have 2 dds very close in age but at very different places in ability, so I can fully understand the comment that it depends on the particular child as far as placement goes.

[Amy Jo]

We are reading from year 2 (8yo and 6/7yo boys) as a family (not history, I'm keeping the kids together for that). We enjoy the "extras" too - nature study, artists, composers. I've made each of the kids a Book of Masterpieces for artist study (as on Charlotte Mason Help) and they love it, even the 4 year old.

 

My main changes are to combine for history (two strand history) and to simplify as in LCC. Which doesn't require much at this point. (I'll decide what to do later on... later on. :D)

 

Anyway, the plan is to read AO 3 together next year, when my sons are 9 and 7/8, then hopefully have my eldest start year 4 more on his own, while I do year 1 with my younger two sons. We will see how that goes...

 

Amy

[Pam Wilhelm]

We have just gone from a traditional method of hsing to AO........ at the recommendations on the Yahoo site I have placed my 10 year old boy in AO2 (he has been a slow reader and they recommended the medieval knights/kings/etc for him...its cool). My girls I have always kept together so we put them in AO4. They are handling it very well and moving forward rapidly and without problems.

 

My philosophy was to work at AO in a comfortable and relaxing manner this first year and then ramp things up as we go along........ all my kids absolutely love it!

[Susie in MS]

:lurk5:

[mbosh237]

I am! Or...will be. I will be starting DD in Y1 this July/August. At least right now we will be following the schedule with composers, etc pretty much how they have it on the AO website.

 

I'm also a part of a lot of the AO Yahoo groups which has been a great source for scheduling and just overall advice.

[kalphs]

We started this week with Year 1 for ds8 and Year 3 for dd10. We are loving it!:) I am impressed at the richness and depth of this curriculum. Just curious to know if anyone else is using this.

Since I was classically educated with a Charlotte Mason taught grandmother we tend to combine the two philsophies.

Dh and I use AO and the WTM as our handbooks for hsing Dd.

[justamouse]

Slight hi-jack :) How is your 11yo liking yr 7? Does he enjoy the Churchill book? What has he enjoyed most? Are there any parts he has "endured?" Thanks!

 

I actually read that to him (the readings are such small bites) and because I had used WTM SOTW 2 before-he actually was able to follow along very well. It all went together like a perfect braid. You can see each book building on the other. I'm ALSO using Our Island Story just for filling in spots (I was reading it to the littles anyway-he just sits in on it). ALSO-he, by FAR, is my best narrator and always has been so this wasn't a huge jump for him. I mean, he will try and give it back to you word for word so this may just be the way he's bent.

 

We are enjoying The Once and Future King the most. :D:D We cannot *wait* to read that every day.

 

enduring--def this term's Shakespeare, HenryV is slow going. Though I had read other Bard stories to him before- I had never bought a Henry V for youngers -I wish I had. BUT this is his first reading and not his last I expect. Plutarch is fun. I thought Caesar was a riot and we talked a lot about that. What an egomaniac. There's a line in there about the most barbaric people in the world--the Sicilians! We *died* laughing. Dh is 100% Sicilian. :lol: It's the family tag line. :tongue_smilie:

 

Go for it!

Edited January 21, 2011 by justamouse

[Poke Salad Annie]

 

A really odd question, but--must you use the history selections from Ambleside to consider yourself as *doing* AO? I guess what I mean is, are the history selections the core of the whole program? Really wondering about this, as we've used it in pieces, but not as intended for a couple of years. I'd love to use Year 2, but I'm not sure about the history selection since we're slogging through ancients with another book. (Well, not really slogging, but we could stand to be further along than we actually are...:glare:)

 

What sayest the hive?

 

 

[justamouse]

A really odd question, but--must you use the history selections from Ambleside to consider yourself as *doing* AO? I guess what I mean is, are the history selections the core of the whole program? Really wondering about this, as we've used it in pieces, but not as intended for a couple of years. I'd love to use Year 2, but I'm not sure about the history selection since we're slogging through ancients with another book. (Well, not really slogging, but we could stand to be further along than we actually are...:glare:)

 

What sayest the hive?

 

 

 

 

Personally I saw the sense in what AO is trying to build as far as history. No, they're not the core of the whole program-the core is the philosophy of CM-but the *way* these books are written carefully grows the child toward the final product of the AO education.

 

I think there a many people who deviate from the books list, but I would pick the books very carefully. SOTW and SWB's history books for the older grades might be a perfect supplement.

[jvenice]

I don't consider adapting the history portion "not" doing AO. I have taught at CM conferences and using the 'Science of Relations' can apply to all living curricula. The history portions may not fit into the time period you are studying, but the literature selections are excellent.

 

To digress, one of the things that bugs me about people who don't understand CM's original writings and the PNEU schools is that they think CM philosphy is not rigorous and not classical. She adapted a classical education to create an 'abundant feast' while using materials, habits, and activities that work for children with a variety of learning styles to keep it fresh and alive. AO is a good example of a rigorous curriculum in the CM style. I also like Simply Charlotte Mason--especially their work on habits called 'Laying Down the Rails'. 'Spelling Wisdom' is also good and both of these would augment AO very well. Sorry to ramble...you can tell I am a student of CM.

[Poke Salad Annie]

We have been using Builders of the Old World by Gertrude Hartman. So far it's been a very nice read for us. I checked CHOW out of the library yesterday for comparison, and I also have the Young People's Story of Our Heritage books in the mix. Looking at them all side by side, I do see that CHOW is very engaging. The YPSOOH book is a rewrite of CHOW, and I can tell that the writing style is definitely changed, and it does not read like a grandfather telling the world's history. The Hartman book (which we are using) is much better detailed, though a few of the stories are different as far as people covered and to what extent.

 

I guess what it comes down to is whether the Hartman history book is as *living* as CHOW, KWIM? It is getting rave reviews with my child, so I thought maybe I could insert that for the history and carry on. FWIW, we are also listening to Our Island Story via Librivox.

[michelle l]

Not doing AO as of yet, but I keep peeking.;) We did SL last year...part of Winter Promise S&S this year...and I'm in the process of figuring out how to finish this year.

 

What I like about SL is that I can group the kids together so easily, and it's really easy to follow because it's all laid out. However, I'd prefer AO's classic reading material over SL's readers.

 

I don't knouw. I feel very drawn to CM in general, and particularly to many of the AO choices -- looking at BF too -- obviously still quite undecided!

[Poke Salad Annie]

I don't knouw. I feel very drawn to CM in general, and particularly to many of the AO choices -- looking at BF too -- obviously still quite undecided!

 

Have you read the Charlotte Mason Companion? I got my copy out this week to spend time reading over it again. It makes wonderful reading for this time of year when it's so very cold outside. I love the gentle way that Karen Andreola describes the CM thought of schooling.

[AngelBee]

Not doing AO as of yet, but I keep peeking.;) We did SL last year...part of Winter Promise S&S this year...and I'm in the process of figuring out how to finish this year.

 

What I like about SL is that I can group the kids together so easily, and it's really easy to follow because it's all laid out. However, I'd prefer AO's classic reading material over SL's readers.

 

I don't knouw. I feel very drawn to CM in general, and particularly to many of the AO choices -- looking at BF too -- obviously still quite undecided!

You can combine kids in AO as well. :)

[AngelBee]

Have you read the Charlotte Mason Companion? I got my copy out this week to spend time reading over it again. It makes wonderful reading for this time of year when it's so very cold outside. I love the gentle way that Karen Andreola describes the CM thought of schooling.

:iagree:Great book!

[mbosh237]

:iagree:Great book!

 

 

:iagree: Here too. It is actually the first book I read that I really "got" the CM philosophy and really drew me to it. By the time I finished just a few chapters I already knew that was the direction I wanted to go in.

[Another Lynn]

I actually read that to him (the readings are such small bites) and because I had used WTM SOTW 2 before-he actually was able to follow along very well. It all went together like a perfect braid. You can see each book building on the other. I'm ALSO using Our Island Story just for filling in spots (I was reading it to the littles anyway-he just sits in on it). ALSO-he, by FAR, is my best narrator and always has been so this wasn't a huge jump for him. I mean, he will try and give it back to you word for word so this may just be the way he's bent.

 

We are enjoying The Once and Future King the most. :D:D We cannot *wait* to read that every day.

 

enduring--def this term's Shakespeare, HenryV is slow going. Though I had read other Bard stories to him before- I had never bought a Henry V for youngers -I wish I had. BUT this is his first reading and not his last I expect. Plutarch is fun. I thought Caesar was a riot and we talked a lot about that. What an egomaniac. There's a line in there about the most barbaric people in the world--the Sicilians! We *died* laughing. Dh is 100% Sicilian. :lol: It's the family tag line. :tongue_smilie:

 

Go for it!

 

Thank you, Justamouse! I love your family's humor and I appreciate the encouragement! My original plan for my oldest was AO yr 7, but I chickened out and you don't even want to know everything we've tried since last August. Glad to hear it is working well for you!

[kalphs]

A really odd question, but--must you use the history selections from Ambleside to consider yourself as *doing* AO? I guess what I mean is, are the history selections the core of the whole program? Really wondering about this, as we've used it in pieces, but not as intended for a couple of years. I'd love to use Year 2, but I'm not sure about the history selection since we're slogging through ancients with another book. (Well, not really slogging, but we could stand to be further along than we actually are...:glare:)

 

 

 

 

 

What sayest the hive?

 

 

 

Dh and I pick and choose what we want to use from AO.

AO is based on the educational philosophy of British educator, Charlotte Mason.

A good book to read on CM is "For the Children's Sake" by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.

[stripe]

A really odd question, but--must you use the history selections from Ambleside to consider yourself as *doing* AO? I guess what I mean is, are the history selections the core of the whole program? Really wondering about this, as we've used it in pieces, but not as intended for a couple of years. I'd love to use Year 2, but I'm not sure about the history selection since we're slogging through ancients with another book. (Well, not really slogging, but we could stand to be further along than we actually are...:glare:)

 

 

 

 

I think that's an interesting question.

 

I think if you change your book choices, you're not quite "doing" AO, but inspired by them? I definitely think the emphasis is on history and literature.

 

I also don't believe Ambleside is the only, or necessarily (!) the best, way to "do" a CM education. So there's no need to feel bad about "deviating" from their suggestions.

[mbosh237]

Out of curiosity, do all of you keep nature journals? If so, how do you *personally* do them?

[justamouse]

Thank you, Justamouse! I love your family's humor and I appreciate the encouragement! My original plan for my oldest was AO yr 7, but I chickened out and you don't even want to know everything we've tried since last August. Glad to hear it is working well for you!

 

You know, I was terrified of AO for years. Every time I looked at the site I got horribly overwhelmed.

 

What I found was the each time I went back to look, a little more became clear. There's no shame is starting at an earlier grade. AO is not light by any means.

 

I put my 10th grader 'back' into year 7 so she could transition more smoothly.

[Mommyfaithe]

You know, I was terrified of AO for years. Every time I looked at the site I got horribly overwhelmed.

 

What I found was the each time I went back to look, a little more became clear. There's no shame is starting at an earlier grade. AO is not light by any means.

 

I put my 10th grader 'back' into year 7 so she could transition more smoothly.

 

:iagree: I have used AO is some form or another since its inception and even before that when it was Parents Union Online...LOL. I have had 8th graders in year 5 because that was what fit them best...

 

I love AO, it is rich, flexible and has given my kids a wonderful education.

Faithe