Simply Charlotte Mason

[AngelaR]

What is the group opinion/experience with this curriculum?  I've just discovered it, and am loving what I'm seeing so far...BUT.  Last year, I fell in love with Memoria Press because their books were so beautiful...I started actually implementing it this year with my little ones...and I hate it.  So, I really don't want to fall into that trap again.  If you have any experience with the SCM curriculum, please share.  I'm very very new to Charlotte Mason, haven't read her books, but have "For the sake of the Children" on order, and am also looking for a used copy of Karen Glass' Narration Book.  So, I'm trying to educate myself...it's slow going.  

What initially inspired me to research Charlotte Mason was the discovery of Burgess Thornton's Animal Book for Children, which I got from Blossom and Root as a Science course for my DS5 and DD7.  They ABSOLUTELY adore that book.  They come running to read it.  They have been a bit more tepid towards the "lovely" Memoria Press Book read alouds that we've done so far this year.  I mean, they love being read to, but they don't ADORE the MP books like they do the Burgess one.  If there's more books like that around, I want to find them quickly before they grow out of that stage.  

I've looked at Ambleside, Wildwood, A Mind In the Light, My Father's World, A Gentle Feast, and Simply Charlotte Mason.  I'm drawn most to the SCM Enrichment Studies at the moment, specifically the Music and Painter studies.  I'm also intrigued by the Habits (Laying Down the Rails), but I'm a little apprehensive about that because that'll be hard for me to work on too.  I'm happy with my Math, and Language Arts Curriculums that I'm using so I'm not looking do SCM Language Arts program.  I'm not sure about history yet...I think we will wait a year or two.  

Any insight would be appreciated.  

Also, for context:  we are not Covid homeschoolers.  But I'm not sure if I'll be able to continue homeschooling into their late elementary grades--I'd like to, but hubby's retirement in 3-4 years may require me to re-enter the workforce, depending on the situation we find ourselves in.  

[aaplank]

The only curricula we used from SCM were the artist studies. The pictures were gorgeous and great quality. It was pricey, but worth the expense for having it all out together for me. Those studies were the highlight of our morning basket. 

[Hunter]

When people fall in love with CM, Waldorf, and Montessori, they are usually falling in love with some aspect of STANDARD schooling from the period of that author. None of these authors were as revolutionary in their time as people think. They might have been in the minority, and protesting something common in the PS at the time, but were not revolutionary. They often wrote to an audience with more resources than the PS.

You love the BOOKS. Read the books. Make sure if you buy a curriculum that it includes the kind of books that you have fallen in love with.

Complicating simple things makes authors famous and sells books. And sometimes creates special schools that accomplish the complicated things that parents cannot do at home. Artificial complication is like artificial scarcity, but worse. Educational artificial complication disempowers people and teaches them not to trust themselves.

CM's audience was wealthier ladies with maids. You can often learn more from the books written to the young school teachers. Or the author Ella Frances Lynch. https://books.google.com/books?id=uX5ATXh2mEgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ella+francis+Lynch&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2qPPHuYvtAhWuGTQIHb0DCeUQ6AEwAXoECAQQAg#v=onepage&q=ella francis Lynch&f=false

When you like something an author says, so back before them and see what other authors were saying about that same thing. It is often cheaper or even free.

You like the books. Use Yesterday's Classics lists by genre to find books you like.

https://yesterdaysclassics.com/books/books-by-genre/

Do hang out at the forums. You will learn from the ladies, but figure out what YOU really like and do the part you like. It is so easy to get caught up in what others are doing, and before you know what happened, you are hardly doing the parts you like. 

[Another Lynn]

Regardless of how you structure the rest of your subjects, SCM's enrichments products are very well done and they make it super convenient to do those things which are easily overlooked or pushed aside if the day has you putting out fires.  (Mine always did).  Do what appeals.  Don't be legalistic about it.  Enjoy it.  I think it's good that you're happy with your LA and Math.  I think some of the CM-influenced advice in those areas can be misleading, unhelpful.  (Just don't tell anyone I said so.  😬 😜 )

[AngelaR]

Hunter, thanks for your insight.  I wasn't aware of Ella Frances Lynch, but I downloaded her book and started reading it this morning.  I'm looking forward to seeing what she has to say.  Thank you for that link.  

Another Lynn, thank you for the freedom to pursue what works for us and what doesn't. I happened to save several books from my own homeschool childhood (the Old School Calvert from the early 80s), and happily discovered that I have several of the books that keep popping up on the CM books lists:  Hillyer's A Child's History of the World, Crommelin's Famous Legends and I even found A Child's History of Painting this very morning!  Perhaps with a bit of research and using the things I already have, I can craft something that will work for us.  

Thanks for all the encouragement!

[Hunter]

Hillyer's A Child's History of the World does an excellent job of preparing a student to understand most classical literature. "Accurate" history isn't the most effective way to prepare a student to read literature.

Using Hillyer's A Child's History of the World is like teaching a child to fish instead of try to give them the most awesome piece of fish possible. The old Calvert and American School were amazing resources that are not the same as they were. First edition Saxon math, too. Homeschooling keeps getting less efficient: more work and expense; less results.

[Kfamily]

On 11/16/2020 at 7:11 PM, AngelaR said:

What initially inspired me to research Charlotte Mason was the discovery of Burgess Thornton's Animal Book for Children, which I got from Blossom and Root as a Science course for my DS5 and DD7.  They ABSOLUTELY adore that book.  They come running to read it.  They have been a bit more tepid towards the "lovely" Memoria Press Book read alouds that we've done so far this year.  I mean, they love being read to, but they don't ADORE the MP books like they do the Burgess one.  If there's more books like that around, I want to find them quickly before they grow out of that stage.  

Thornton Burgess also wrote a book for birds, the seashore and flowers. He also wrote some titles such as The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, The Adventures of Grandfather Frog, etc.

Feel free to message or email me if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help! Also, there are lots of articles on the blog portion of the website: A Mind in the Light as well as links to many books and resources under the tab Resources.