Wanting to change to more of a Charlotte Mason type of homeschool...

[A home for their hearts]

I really like CM suits me and my dc best but I'm having trouble figuring out of to ease into it and how to do it without having to buy any new curriculum for now. We've tried R&S for grammer and it just seems to rigid for my dc right now. We have FLL which I feel is very thourough but sometimes it seems like it's a little to babyish for my dc.

 

I just feel like all we are doing is just getting it done. My dc aren't enjoying school and I really want them to love learning. They aren't ever going to love learning if I'm constantly trying to cram things done their throats.

 

Just my vent for the day. I'm just really feeling overwhelmed trying to learn a new theory of education, and figuring out how to implement it on top of teaching the way I've been teaching for the past few months! AGH!!:willy_nilly::smash:

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Have you read any of CM's books? There's lots of good information on Simply Charlotte Mason and Ambleside Online.

 

I would keep what you have since you don't want to buy new stuff and implement notebooks and CM's methods for history and science. You can add in nature studies, too. I would find some good copybooks and get started on copywork and dictation. You can do narration with history and science in their notebooks with them. That will be a good start and you can also add in things next year after you've done more reading and research.

 

A really good place to start is Ambleside Online. There's so much there.

[Jean in Newcastle]

The "hallmarks" of CM are short lessons, narration, nature study in the elem. years, living books - at least those are the things that are easier to point out.

 

You could still do something like R & S Grammar but if you just do the oral drill one day it is a nice short lesson. Then the written drill (done either orally or written) is a nice short lesson the next day. . . I do it like that but had to cut out all the writing exercises (composition) and poetry and stuff like that.

 

Or you could read a living book and spend some time looking at the words used - pick out the nouns, verbs etc. and diagram some of the shorter sentences (I'd use the R & S book to help you choose sentences that aren't too hard.)

[kim in ks]

WOW! that was me and my youngest daughter during her 1st and 2nd grade years, we did a lot of nature walks and drawing what we seen, I kept it simple, ( as simple as it gets for me) * a read aloud * reading* phonics*history crafts, coloring or drawing* easy grammar* Bible Reader w/ devotion writing

kim

[AuntPol]

Here is a post on afterschooling Charlotte Mason which may have some tips to help you transition

http://afterschoolers.yuku.com/topic/1017

 

I would also read all the FAQs etc on Ambleside online and SImply Charlotte Mason

[A home for their hearts]

A really good place to start is Ambleside Online. There's so much there.

 

 

I actually have gone to this site quite a few times and got so overwhelmed I made myself stop visiting the site. I made the mistake of visiting it again this morning and it has thrown the rest of my day off! I don't know why I just get really confused. There is a lot of wonderful information there, for whatever reason I just get overwhelmed.

[Tammyla]

You might check your library for a CM book.

 

I agree with Jean. You don't have to change it all to bring the CM style into your home.

[Ellie]

I wouldn't be easing into anything. It would be all or nothin' :D

 

And I probably wouldn't buy anything; I'd just do the short-lesson thing, take some walks, and go hang out at the library looking for good books on *anything*.

[mom2mea]

The book by Levinson is good - A Charlotte Mason Education (though it is best to read the original volumes of CM.) Another good, quick source is the Charlotte Mason Method chapter in the book Homeschooling Methods. The good news is that you can slowly modify and adapt to the CM method; it actually combines well with the classical method. Even Charlotte Mason advocates started out slowly and easily :001_smile:

[A home for their hearts]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice! I guess I just get anxious about this method because it seems so laid back. I'm still a little insecure about teaching my dc so if I don't have something that is completely layed out for me I worry my dc won't be learning what they need to learn. I will look into getting some books, my library doesn't have any on CM.

[LaMere Academy]

The Levinson books are good, but my favorite is A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola, it's more in depth and beautifully written and illustrated.

[5wolfcubs]

I just read a CM article at Heart of the Matter -- and it was written by Kysha who posts here!! :seeya:

 

Another article if you haven't already read it is CM in a Nutshell. A lot of these ideas are applicable to any curriculum you choose.

 

Also, here is my time wise comparison of the WTM and CM's schools.

[Oakblossoms]

Read this

 

Might I suggest you read what she wrote herself. The Modern Language Translation is amazing. Print out a few pages at a time. Highlight and mark it up. Savor the little bits. Let them affect how you view your homeschool. Ask yourself why you are attracted to this style.

 

Drop the grammar and give your children another year or two. A nice option (and free) KISS Grammar has some wonderful online workbooks. Just start from the beginning and don't pay attention to the year. They come in a document format. So, I just deleted the year and put in my child's year instead.