Showing posts with label 5 days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 days. Show all posts

Friday 21 April 2017

Charlotte Mason and Geography

Welcome to day five of the Homeschool Review Crew annual blog hop. Today I would like to encourage you to teach the subject of geography holistically and not as an isolated subject within your homeschool. One of the things I appreciate about Charlotte Mason approach is making geography an integrated and living aspect of your education process.
"The panoramic method unrolls the landscape of the world, region by region, before the eyes of the scholar with in every region its own conditions of climate, its productions, its people, their industries and their history. This way of teaching the most delightful of all subjects has the effect of giving to a map of a country or region the brilliancy of colour and the wealth of detail which a panorama might afford, together with a sense of proportion and a knowledge of general principles.” Charlotte Mason Vol 6 p 228

Geography is often thought of synonymously with mapping but this is only a small part of geography.  Geography is all about places to begin with but ultimately it's about the people and those places. C. C. LONG, Ph.D. had this to say:
Geography may be divided into the geography of the home and the geography of the world at large. A knowledge of the home must be obtained by direct observation; of the rest of the world, through the imagination assisted by information. Ideas acquired by direct observation form a basis for imagining those things which are distant and unknown.
Geography begins with finding the content you are learning about and then it drills down to countries and finally cities.  It has taken me a few years to discover what a living geography text is but the journey has been worthwhile.  The first living geography books I ever read were by Holling Clancy Holling.
The process was so easy.  Read the book, find the place on the map at the end of each reading. Learning to know the names of places takes practice and for each family this needs to take on it's own form.  Some families print maps and fill them in daily, others use tracing paper and trace the maps and fill them in until through route it is learned and others use geography songs.


I am directionally challenged and am eternally grateful that gps navigation is now at my finger tips.  As immigrants we posses an un-quenching desire to see the world around us and as such love to explore new places.  I find there is no better way to learn geography then to go for trips both short and long.  Stop and read memorials where ever you go and you will soon build a repertoire of places and people.  Many signs will explain things of significance and these days the information on geology and ecology abound in public places.

I have found some amazing resources and explanations on teaching Geography from a Charlotte Mason perspective, that I would rather not reinvent the wheel but would encourage you to grab a warm cuppa and read a few of the posts I have found below.

The Parents Review - Geography

A Monthly Magazine of Home-Training and Culture
Edited by Charlotte Mason


On the WWW
Thank you for joining me in a look at geography in homeschool.  What are your favourite resources?

Blessings
Chareen

There are some pretty fabulous posts the crew have been sharing and I would encourage you to grab a cuppa and spend some time cruising the blog hop list at the bottom of this post. 
5 Days of Homeschool Annual Blog Hop - 2017


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Wednesday 19 April 2017

Charlotte Mason Book of Centuries Time Time Lines Resources

Welcome to day three of this weeks blog hop.  In my first two posts I shared some of my all time favourite resources on begining with Charlotte Mason in your Homeschool.  There were: Understanding a Charlotte Mason Education and Charlotte Mason Method Book Recommendations. One of the central themes spoken about outside of living books in this educational method is more often than not Notebooking, Book of Centuries and Time Lines.


There are a number of things to consider when thinking about books of time, notebooking in a Charlotte Mason education. Firstly you need to decide how much of a purist you are.  The only true way of knowing for yourself how to notebook or use a book of centuries or century chart is to read the words of Charlotte Mason and then decide for yourself how you feel it needs to be and how you can be implement it in your homeschool.

Charlotte Mason addresses history in Volume 6 Chapter 10 The Curriculum, Section II The Knowledge of Man - History page 170.

The heart of the matter is showing our students the flow of time in history in 100 year increments to a page.

Century Chart

Century Chart*

In order to give definiteness to what may soon become a pretty wide knowledge of history - mount a sheet of cartridge-paper and divide it into twenty columns, letting the first century of the Christian era come in the middle, and let each remaining column represent a century BC or AD, as the case may be. Then let the child himself write, or print, as he is able, the names of the people he comes upon in due order, in their proper century.We need not trouble ourselves at present with more exact dates, but this simple table of the centuries will suggest a graphic panorama to the child's mind, and he will see events in their time-order.  Charlotte Mason, Home Education (1886) p292
I first heard about a Century Chart from Jeanne at A Peaceful Day at a local homeschool Charlotte Mason support group. It was from her blog post on the subject and Charlotte Mason day that I first became interested in making a Century Chart.

The purpose behind a century chart is to represent how long 100 years is on one page.  We use 100 years for a few reasons such as this is generally the limit of a man's life span and we generally refer to time in centuries of history.

The idea is basically a square containing 100 squares.  Square one is the year zero (or 1900 or 1800 etc) which ever century you have chosen to study and add to a century chart.  The last square is the year 99 (1999 or 1899). You can view a sample of this at Ambleside Online here. Explain that each square represents one year of time.

For very young students to grow in understanding of the progress of time it would be good to do the current century and add in the year they were born and members of the family and special family events such as other births, deaths, marriages etc.  This will help the child understand that this is the progress of time.

Once the child has grasped this concept it is time to create a century chart which covers the time period you are studying in history.  The use of symbols is recommended to help fill in the chart.  You can view a sample of this at Ambleside Online here. You can view a beautiful sample of a century chart for the year 1500 to 1599 on Ambleside Online here.

A local homeschool friend has used a 12" scrap booking journal and made a whole time line of century charts. Each square is one inch by one inch.  As they learn history they fill in the square for that year with the most important event.

This is not the most important event to you it is the most important / noteworthy event for the student.

*To understand the dynamics, reasons and a detailed step by step how to teach and use century charts please read The Parents Review (a monthly magazine of Home-Training and Culture edited by Charlotte Mason) Published in the year 1891 in Volume 2, page 81-90 - The Teaching of Chronology an article by Dorothea Beale, Principal of the Cheltenham Ladies' College. 

About Century Charts On the WWW

the teacher 'shall by the help of histories inform himself of the worthiest minds that were in the best ages.' To us in particular who are living in one of the great epochs of history it is necessary to know something of what has gone before in order to think justly of what is occurring to-day. - Charlotte Mason Vol6 page 170

Original Book of Centuries**

 A Book of Centuries is a Charlotte Mason version of a time line.  The purpose of a Book of Centuries is so a person can see a visual of a full century at one glance. On a double page spread the one side has a hundred years and the opposite side is blank. A short title or description is added in the appropriate rectangle, but the main idea is to have the owner of the book make up their own symbols to represent things that they find interesting. The opposite page is for sketches and little notes to elaborate on what the owner of the book finds interesting.

In it's original form it was a Museum Note Book.  The first published Book of Centuries (1915) contained 48 blank leaves (96 pages).  The last 10 pages were kept aside for maps.

In the article you will read a step by step guide in how a Book of Centuries was put together and used.

**You can read more about the original version in The Parents Review (a monthly magazine of Home-Training and Culture edited by Charlotte Mason) Published in the year 1923 in Volume 34, page 720 - 724 - The Book of Centuries an article by G.M. Bernau.
***Shared with permission

Recreation Sample of an ORIGINAL book of Centuries by Janis Scott ***

More about Book of Centuries on WWW

Books to read

"[W]e have learned to feel that the chief work of the educator is not to give facts, but to order them so that they can fit into the "forms of thought." Dorothea Beale
If you like podcasts you can find one on the topic of history at A Delectable Education: Episode 15: History Things 

Do you use either a century chart or a Book of Centuries? Did you make your own or purchase one ? Tell me more I'm keen to know.

Blessings
Chareen

{All links to the Book Depository are Affiliate Links in this post. This does not change the cost of books should you choose to click on my links. The cost to you remains the same. I only recommend/link to books I have actually used or personally own.}

5 Days of Homeschool Annual Blog Hop - 2017
This post is a part of the Homeschool Review Crew Blog Hop. Grab a cup of your favourite beveridge and be encouraged by this group of homeschool Mom's sharing their hearts and homes with you
 
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Tuesday 18 April 2017

Books to Understand a Charlotte Mason Philosophy

Welcome to day two of the 5 Days of Charlotte Mason Resources.  Yesterday I shared my Charlotte Mason Method Book Recommendations. These books were the very first books I read about home education and they are the books which influenced my home educating journey.  Until recently these were the only books on the market about educating using a Charlotte Mason Philosophy. The topic today has been in response to the following question from my friend in Singapore.

"What books do you suggest that I can pick up and read to understand more?" - Lady T...


For most of my home education journey I have only had access to A Charlotte Mason Companion. This book inspired me and still does. When ever I need some encouragement or reminding I go straight to this book for it.

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of attending a Charlotte Mason Afternoon here in Melbourne that I came face to face with a deeper understanding of her method and how it works in real life.  That wonderful day was hosted by  Jeanne from A Peaceful Day.  Jeanne is passionate about Charlotte Mason, her passion and joy are an inspiration and a deep source of encouragement.  It was at this meeting that I first heard about the two books I am sharing with you today.


Consider This : Charlotte Mason and the Classical Tradition

  • Format Paperback | 138 pages
  • Dimensions 152 x 226 x 12mm | 220g
  • Publication date 12 Oct 2014
  • Publisher Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
  • Language English
  • Illustrations note black & white illustrations
  • ISBN10 1500808032
  • ISBN13 9781500808037
This book inspired and encouraged me to think deeply about why I choose to do things in my homeschool.  Karen asks some very deep questions that most of us simply gloss over.  Karen helped me see that a Charlotte Mason education is deeply purposeful.  Karen explores the Why behind every aspect of Charlotte's methods.  Having a deeper understanding of the Why definitely enables to better pursue the how. I found the word studies fascinating and insightful.  I came to realise that reading Charlotte's books takes on a whole NEW meaning when you understand what the words meant in her era.  Karen has written a book to empower the Charlotte Mason educator to understand the principles that are behind her teachings. Once you have an understanding of these deeper principles you will be able to structure a full educational experience for your child with full confidence.

I wish to share what I think I know concerning the connection between her understanding of educational philosophy and the traditions of the classical past...
I assume you are reading because, like me, you are interested in Charlotte Mason and classical education. If we had the opportunity to sit down comfortable and chat over a cup of coffee, these chapter are what I would share with you. - Karen Glass
This is exactly what Karen has done in this beautifully written book.  This book will challenge and inspire you regularly.

You can connect with Karen on her blog: Karen Glass: Author of Consider This.

The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks with Charlotte Mason

  • Format Paperback | 210 pages
  • Dimensions 154.94 x 228.6 x 17.78mm | 340.19g
  • Publication date 16 Oct 2013
  • Publisher Underpinnings Press
  • Publication City/Country United States
  • Language English
  • Illustrations note black & white illustrations
  • Author: Laurie Bestvater
  • ISBN10 0615834108
  • ISBN13 9780615834108
I really enjoyed reading The Living Page.  Laurie invites us to take a closer look at what Notebooks are and how they were used by Charlotte Mason and more importantly why.  I was surprised to learn just how much notebooking has changed and the deeply personal nature of a Notebook.  A few of the types of notebooks Laurie looks at are:
  • Nature Notebooks
  • Scrap books
  • Science Notebooks
  • Calendar of Firsts
  • Motto Books
  • Poetry Book
  • Fortitude Journal
  • Commonplace Book
  • Copy Books
  • Other Copybooks
  • Timelines
  • History Charts
  • Book of Centuries
  • Calendar of events 
I love the samples and insights.  This book will change the way you view written work in your Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool.

Mason had shown me that the notebooks can be forms of vitality, literally the shape and outline, the liturgy of the attentive life. They nurture the science of relations and the art of mindfulness. They teach us to see the very brief beauty of now, to know the landscape of here, to be present in all our pleasures and pains.  - Laurie Bestvater

You can connect with Laurie here:

Which books have you read that have helped you have a deeper understanding and appreciation for a Charlotte Mason education?
Blessings
Chareen

{All links to the Book Depository are Affiliate Links in this post. This does not change the cost of books should you choose to click on my links. The cost to you remains the same. I only recommend/link to books I have actually used or personally own.}

5 Days of Homeschool Annual Blog Hop - 2017
This post is a part of the Homeschool Review Crew Blog Hop. Grab a cup of your favourite beveridge and be encouraged by this group of homeschool Mom's sharing their hearts and homes with you

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Monday 17 April 2017

Charlotte Mason Method Book Recommendations

Welcome to the annual Homeschool Review Crew Blog Hop.  This is post one in my series for this week: 5 Days of Charlotte Mason Resources.  Before I begin though I would like to let all my readers know that I have been accepted into the Book Depository Affiliate program and will be using affiliate links in this series. 

The topic today is  Charlotte Mason Method Book Recommendations.  A few months ago I had the wonderful privilege of meeting a beautiful home school family from Singapore.  It was so lovely connecting with someone new whom I met via my blog.  The hours flew by and were too short but we have managed to stay in touch via my blog Facebook page.  One of her questions to me was:

"How do you get started with Charlotte Mason?" - Lady T...
My journey with Charlotte Mason started around 19 years ago.  We had just immigrated to New Zealand and heard home education. We were very much sitting on the fence regarding education and the idea of educating my own children was something so stunning my mind was reeling in shock!


Answering my friends question is a little harder than a simple straight forward here read this.  Today there are so many books about Charlotte Mason and her philosophy of education.  Personally it is good to read a few different things and then decide what is best for you and your family.

When I first learned about Charlotte Mason there were very few books available and her personal writings were not in print either.  The interent was a thing on the horizon and most people I knew did not own a computer! (including us)

 I am deeply grateful to all those who have written books on what they have learned about Charlotte and the more of them I read the broader my understanding becomes.  Today I will share with you the first two books I read and that influenced my choice to pursue a Charlotte Mason Philosophy and Methodology.

Books to start with


I was given a copy of For the Children's Sake : Foundations of Education for Home and School to read. Reading this book created a whole paradigm shift for me. I had never heard of the gentle art of learning before.  This was the fist book I read introducing me to a Charlotte Mason Education. In fact reading this book is the catalyst that started me home educating.



A couple of years later Karen Andreola introduced me to the practical side of a Charlotte Mason education and A Charlotte Mason Companion was soon become my favourite home schooling resource and is one that I recommend to any homeschool Mom who asks me which books I would recommend they read. It is still my go to book when I need some homeschool encouragement.

This beautifully illustrated book is full of encouragement and how to chapters. Karen covers practical topics like: The Art of Narration, Mother Culture, Shakespeare and Dickens. Topics of Art and Music appreciation along with Grammar, History, Nature Study and a few more kernels of wisdom.  A beautiful book full of gorgeous line illustrations.



Books Written by Charlotte Mason
None of Charlotte's books were in publication when I first started home educating and come to think of it there was no internet either! When they were first brought back into print they were still very rare.  I managed to procure Charlotte Mason's Original Homeschooling Series recently and will be reading through it over the next year.

There are six books in the series:
  1. Home Education
  2. Parents and Children 
  3. School Education
  4. Ourselves this book was written to be read with parents and high school aged students
  5. Formation of Character
  6. Towards a Philosophy of Education
The series has now been published in a single volume of over 2,700 pages! The Original Home Schooling Series by Charlotte Mason.

The Original Home Schooling Series is available on Kindle  
Or for FREE here:  Charlotte Mason in Modern English

Online Resource for homeschooling with Charlotte Mason Methods

Connect with Charlotte Mason Home Educators on Facebook

I am looking forward to sharing more resources with you tomorrow.
Blessings
Chareen

{Affiliate Links to the Book Depository have been used in this post. This does not change the cost of books should you choose to click on my links. The cost to you remains the same. This decision will not impact the way in which I recommend books to you my readers.  I only recommend books I have actually used or personally own.}

5 Days of Homeschool Annual Blog Hop - 2017
This post is a part of the Homeschool Review Crew Blog Hop. Grab a cup of your favourite beveridge and be encouraged by this group of homeschool Mom's sharing their hearts and homes with you
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Thursday 13 April 2017

Coming soon - 5 Days of Charlotte Mason Resources

I'm looking forward to next week when I will be joining the Homeschool Review Crew 5 Days of Homeschool ... Blog Hop.  There are some really interesting topics to read.  I would like to encourage you to set aside some time to meet my fellow home educating families who are sharing their journey's with you and will be sharing the things they have learned along the way.



I will be sharing with you some of the resources I have been finding to help me in pursuing a Charlotte Mason philosophy in our home school.

I do hope you will join me and take a peak at these blogs next week too

In anticipation of great things

Blessings
Chareen
Debra - 5 Days of Growing a Heart for your Community
Dawn - 5 Days of Homeschooling Teens
Michele - 5 Days of Keeping your Homeschool Alive
Amanda H - 5 Days of Homeschooling Without Going Insane
Annette - 5 Days of Things We Enjoy in our Homeschool
Ashley N - 5 Days of "Kitchen-Schooling" with preschoolers
Carol - 5 Days of An Honest Look at High School
Cassandra H - 5 Days of Knowing When and What to Change in Your Homeschool
Christina C - 5 Days of Building Positive Thinking
Crystal H - 5 Days of Creating Independence in Your Homeschooling
DaLynn M- 5 Days of Threadbare Homeschooling
Dana L - 5 Days of Homeschooling with Epilepsy and Other Issues
Elyse R - 5 Days of Finding our Homeschool Strengths
Emilee R - 5 Days of Homeschooling as a Single Parent
Erin S - 5 Days of Homeschooling with Living Books
Felicia M - 5 Days of Living the Bible in Your Homeschool
Hillary M - 5 Days of Morning Time for All Ages
Jaime G - 5 Days in the Life of a Stressed Out Homeschool Mom (and how not to be one)
Jacquelin C - 5 Days of Hands-On Learning
Jennifer K - 5 Days of Inspiring Reluctant Learners
Jennifer N - 5 Days of Books To Help Homeschooling Moms
Jodi G - 5 Days of Hiding the Word in Their Hearts.
Julia C - 5 Days of Homeschooling from Scratch
Karen W - 5 Days of 5 Days of International Studies for Young Children
Kelly KL - 5 Days of Homeschooling Children with Special Needs
Kemi - 5 Days of Working Through Math Struggles in Homeschool
Kirsten W - 5 days of Homeschooling Twins
Kristi H - 5 Day of Preschool Math
Kym T - 5 Days of the Rewards of Homeschooling Teens
Linda S - 5 Days of Wit and Wisdom from Veteran Homeschool Moms
Lisa M - 5 Days of Popular Homeschool Teaching Styles
Meghan W- 5 Days of of Literacy in the Home{school}
Melissa B - 5 Days of Extracurriculars to Add to Your Homeschool
Meredith D - 5 Days of Homeschooling a High Achiever.
Missica J - 5 Days of Eclectic Homeschooling with Special Needs
Monique G - 5 Days of Homeschooling the Middle School Years
Rebekah T - 5 days of Simple Homeschooling in a Complicated World
Ritsumei H - 5 Days of Homeschooling Books
Wendy R - 5 days of Homeschooling Kids with a Large Age Gap
Yvie - 5 days of Road-Schooling

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Friday 12 August 2016

Traditions and your family ...

Creating family memories and traditions is something that is very close to my heart and has been for many many years.  Traditions within your family is the cement, the foundation and the core of your family identity.  It's the anchor that helps your children know who their family is and keeps their hearts alive with joy and anticipation.  It's the activity they remember as adults when they reflect on when they think back on their growing up years.

Traditions can be created on purpose or evolve over time, they create our family identity and teach our children something of the reality of God in our lives.  Special moments don’t just happen they are planned on purpose.  Consider creating links between generations so that our children understand the heritage that is theirs.



What does the bible say?
I got to thinking about why would we have traditions and realised that the Lord Himself would create memorials when ever He did something for the Israelites.  Traditions help the Jewish people KNOW who they are.  It defines them as a culture!

Jesus himself told the disciples "Do this in remembrance of me ..."

Psalm 77: 11—12
I will remember the deeds of the Lord,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works,
and consider all your mighty deeds.

Define Tradition
  • a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time
  • a long-established custom
  • the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation
  • an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior
  • cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
Dr. Dobson says:‘The great value of traditions comes as they give a family a sense of identity, ‘belongingness’. All of us desperately need to feel that we’re not just a cluster of people living together in a house, but we’re a family that’s conscious of its uniqueness, its personality, character and heritage, and that our special relationships of love and companionship make us a unit with identity and personality.’ 
Pondering the words above I realised that as a family our morning cup of tea together is something we've always done.  It's a natural part of our identity.  It's not something we have to work at or something that is forced.  It's something we do because we love doing it together.

A few years ago I attended a workshop with Diana Waring and she shared the story of how her family found their own family tradition. I was particularly struck with her sharing how she was trying to do all this stuff with her family because it was what "everyone else" was doing and she felt she was not a good mom if they weren't doing it.  She came to realise they were doing stuff just for the sake of doing stuff and no one in the family was enjoying it. One day she realised what their family enjoyed doing over the holiday season was their own personal family tradition and it took no effort to do because everyone wanted to do it.

Frequency of Traditions
  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Monthly
  • Yearly 
  • Holiday Specific
  • Life change/milestone traditions
  • Graduation traditions
  • Birthday traditions
  • Milestone traditions
  • Wedding traditions
  • Seasonal traditions
  • New Year traditions
  • Farewell traditions.

Some ideas to cultivate as a traditions
  • Read a book aloud together Every Day.
  • Not Back to School Party This is one that surprised me. We never set out to make it a tradition but it's one Nathaniel and his friends ask about every year.
  • Celebrating Advent
  • Christmas Traditions This is one I'm particularly passionate about!
  • Enjoying a cup of tea together as a family before beginning your day.
  • Weekly family movie night
  • Favourite weekly family meal on a certain day of the week (Our family meals was macaroni and cheese and to this day it's the meal my siblings want when we get together with a particular pudding!)
  • Holding hands when we pray a blessing on the meal.
  • Board games night
  • Attending certain annual events (for us this is Night Zoo, Christmas in Melbourne and Winter Fireworks in Docklands) 
  • Eating a particular treat over the holidays which is ONLY eaten then.  We have a waffer biscuit we all enjoy and I only purchase them for eating during Advent.
  • Going out once a month for a special treat (ice cream, donuts, lunch etc)
  • Taking a picnic basket with a pre-packed flask on field trips.
Now a tradition is not a rut. A rut is doing the same things year after year because you don't have enough imagination to do anything new. A tradition is something you do once and discover a joy so deep that you do it again, Christmas after Christmas, to keep on savoring it and make it last -  Franklin Saunders (page 23 At Home in Dogwood Mudhole )
Further Reading on the WWW
“Celebrations are the ritualized interruptions in the continuum of daily life which remind us who we are, where we came from and where we are going.” -Milo Shannon-Thornberry
For more information on Traditions the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.


5 Days of Homeschool 101
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Wednesday 10 August 2016

Homeschool & Home Management

Home management and house cleaning along with homeschooling full time in the mix is certainly not my strength...  A google search will soon reveal many many fabulous ideas on how to perfect the art.  So today I will not be sharing any miracle method or technique to be successful in perfecting these two things and keeping them in balance.


Keeping it real:  Mount Washmore is my never ending nemesis.  Mount Ironmore ... say no more. Dishes in the sink, lets just say I'm so grateful I have an electric maid (aka dishwasher) who washes the pile of dishes I create in feeding my family every single day.   Since this is not my area of expertise I will leave it to my Crew mates to encourage and equip you.

I have learned that the key to making house cleaning more attainable is having an organized home / home school area and finding your rhythm and what works for you during your particular season of life. What works well for one person might not work for you so experiment and try new things until you come to a place of contentment.


Further Reading on my blog
Recommended Resources 

Pinterest
For more information on Home Management the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.


5 Days of Homeschool 101
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Tuesday 9 August 2016

What about Homeschool Planning?

Thinking back to when I was researching home educating one of my biggest concerns was how will I know how much to do and when to do it ?  I was petrified I would not do enough and as it turned out I was doing far too much and overwhelming my six and four year olds. Homeschool planning is as individual as homeschool families.  There is no one perfect way to do it. Today the Schoolhouse Review Crew are sharing their insights on homeschool planning.



To give you a little perspective on my approach to planning I would like to share a little background about our homeschool journey. Years ago when I was looking into Curriculum options there were a few available with planning sections semi-done for you.  One of my personal passions is literature and after months of prayer and searching we settled on using Sonlight Curriculum for our first year of home educating.   Two things swayed me towards using Sonlight.  The first was the wonderful literature which is the core of the program and the second was their instructor's guides!  It took all the stress of wondering what to do out of my day.  It was like having a veteran coach sitting with me and telling me exactly what to do next and how.  It was  my record book and activity guide all in one.  It set the pace and gave me samples of what to expect and equipped me the parent with all the information I needed.    We homeschooled for a few years using that then tried a few other options but to be honest the guidance I received from those guides has been my saving grace on more than one occasion and they still influence how I do things now 19 years later.

We have used many different types of home schooling over the last nearly two decades and at present we are pursuing a delight directed approach mixed with Charlotte Mason Philosphy/approach. I've become an eclectic homeschooler and do not follow a written plan. I do each day what we know and follow the same rhythm we have for the last few years.  We home educate year round and role onto the next thing on the list when we finish the thing we are currently on.

Things to consider
  • Find a planner that suits you. Some of us are natural planners and it's easy and for others its a journey of self discovery.  This is normal. There are a number of options from paper planners to digital support and planning. 
  • Research your local laws pertaining to homeschooling as this will influence how much detail you will need in your planning.
  • Your plan is your SERVANT.  It's there to serve you and help you homeschool your children successfully.  It should never be your task master.  
  • Decided what you need to do daily and set the list aside.  
  • Start SLOWLY!  Do one thing and then gradually add in one more thing until you have it all happening the way you want. I highly recommend Successful Homeschooling Made Easy eCourse to help you on your journey. 
  • Do NOT add in anything just because another family is doing it.  Remember to remain TRUE to yourself and who you and your family are. This is my number ONE RULE.  It's the true secret to freedom in your homeschool. 
  • Do not be afraid.  Fear will rob you of the joy of the wonderful years of home educating and enjoying your children fully as they grow. 
  • Schedule time out in your daily plan. 
  • Make regular time for Mother Culture in order to prevent burn out.

A word from my *Daughter Jane on Planning to Homeschool.

Take a deep breath and rest easy in the knowledge you are about to embark on one of the greatest journeys of your life.

Some days it's okay to just remember to take it at your own pace and to have patience with yourself. Often when you are weary, we are too. It's okay to take a day off to have a picnic.

Being home-schooled was one of the greatest blessings my mom has ever given me, and I am thankful every day. It enabled me to pursue the subjects that I was passionate about and helped me to work at my own pace.

I do believe you need to be willing to compromise and shape your curriculum to work around your family structure.

Make sure you remember to have fun, and it's okay to change things up!

Here on the blog
Over the years I have shared my thoughts on a number of different aspects of homeschool planning. Here are some of the posts I would encourage you to read: 
"Every lesson must have its own time, and no other time in this world is there for it. The sense of the preciousness of time, of the irreparable loss when a ten minutes' lesson is thrown away must be brought home." - Charlotte Mason Companion page 93

Recommended Resources
Charlotte Mason advised the teacher to replenish her soul with a continual supply of ideas. ...stimulates your educational thought in many directions and keeps you from drifting into mere routine... Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself."
 On Pinterest
For more information on planning and home educating the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.
 

5 Days of Homeschool 101
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Monday 8 August 2016

Help! What is Homeschool Curriculum?

 Curriculum a subject that has become as wide as the oceans and can be a rather daunting tide to wade through when you're starting out. I was fortunate enough to begin home educating back in day when online hadn't even been invented yet and all my information was found through visiting friends.  I spent months visiting many patient and gracious home educating families to see what they did, how they did what they did and asking many many questions.  After months of searching my husband asked in desperation "What ARE we going to use?" because I would come home every week with something new and say "This is definitely the one!"

Through this experience I began a love affair with homeschool curriculum which lead to me joining the Schoolhouse Review Crew in 2013 as a homeschool Curriculum Reviewer. I enjoyed my first year looking over curriculum so much I reapplied and did a few more years on the crew as a reviewer (2014, 2015) This year I've been working for the Crew helping with their blog and done a few reviews on my blog of products I'm passionate about.


Whether you are new to home educating, looking into possibly homeschooling your children or a veteran homeschooler the word curriculum is one you will often hear.

What is Curriculum?
  • noun: curriculum; plural noun: curricula; plural noun: curriculums
  • the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. "course components of the school curriculum" synonyms: syllabus, course of study/studies, programme of study/studies, educational programme, subjects, modules
Do I need a Curriculum to home educate?
NO!   In essence many curriculums out there are what someone else has created to meet a need within their own homeschool.  Other parents have liked what they see and asked to copy it and from this a new curriculum is birthed.   The rule of thumb for EVERY home educator to remember is: Curriculum can become a your best friend or your dreaded task master.  Curriculum needs to serve YOU.  Not you the curriculum.

How do I find the RIGHT curriculum?
When it comes to it you need to consider a few things which come with experience and you need to ask yourself a few questions before you begin.
  1. What are the country/state legal requirements for me to home educate my children. In some countries this will determine the type of curriculum you may need to use.
  2. IF you are bringing your children from traditional school to home take some time to detox school from your system, build new routines and get to know your students.  Find out where they are at and build a relationship with them. Find your own personal rhythm. This will go a long way in helping you determine what will work for your family. In homeschooling we educate according to where our child is at in each subject area.  In other words my 5th grade student may be doing third grade math, seventh grade spelling and fifth grade history. 
  3. Choose something that you will enjoy doing.  As the saying goes "If Mama aint happy no one is going to be happy"
  4. Remember Curriculum is NOT set in stone.  Use what you've chosen for four months.  Write down what you like and what you don't and then let that guide your choice for a new path.
HELP! I'm overwhelmed with where to start...
  1. Ignore Google, go and buy an ice cream and relax.
  2. Go to the library find a couple of twaddle free books (here is a list of our 6 favourites) and Read Aloud Together Everyday. (You can find a list of my book list resources here.)
  3. Become equipped: Know What YOU think and Why.
  4. Request a couple of curriculum catalogs: Sonlight, Rainbow Resources and Christian Book Depository. Take some time to read them become acquainted with what you like and the terminology.
  5. Set a budget and then purchase what you need.  This can be from numerous sources OR you can buy a complete curriculum in a box.  IF you have the time then attend a local curriculum fair. 
  6. If you can't attend a fair then be sure to check out the following posts:
Curriculum Choices 
Click on any of the graphics below to find out more about some curriculum options for that subject.



What if there is NO money for curriculum ?
No problem.  There is a lot of FREE curriculum available today courtesy of many clever home educating families and the internet.

One word of caution don't become overwhelmed!  Pinterest is another fabulous resource and there are many wonderful homeschool people on their who share amazing ideas and resources but don't measure your own success based upon their polished presentations!

I have written more on this topic here: HELP There's NO money for Curriculum! 



You CAN homeschool for FREE
Here are some links to get you started, click on any of the graphics to find out more:
On Pinterest
For more information on Curriculum and home educating the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.


5 Days of Homeschool 101
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Friday 1 April 2016

Tip FIVE - Read Aloud Together Every Day

Today is the final post for this weeks Tips for Homeschool Parents blog Hop. The first four tips for the week so far are:

  1. Become Equipped: Know What You Think and Why.
  2. Finding Your Rhythm  and keeping to it.
  3. Buy some Ice Cream - Dealing with difficult days.
  4.  Tip FOUR - One Step at a Time
Today I would like to encourage you to read together every day. There are many many benefits to both the student and the one reading out loud.


Some of the Benefits of reading out loud to your family
  • Vocabulary development
  • Improves focus and concentration skills
  • It's a good way to grapple with difficult issues
  • Books allow you to develop an awareness of people and situations outside of your personal experience
  • They help us develop a sense of empathy to our fellow man.
  • It develops a sense of closeness and bonding.
  • Improves speech fluency
  • Develops comprehension
  • Grows phonological awareness
  • Reduces stress
  • Expands knowledge
  • Develops analytical thinking skills
  • Promotes creativity
  • Improves grammar
  • Creates a family tradition
 Did you know a child’s reading level doesn’t catch up to his listening level until eighth grade?

For more information on the benefits of reading out loud to your family Jim Release has authored a book called The Read-aloud Handbook.

Here are some interesting articles on reading out loud to your family
I love this story.  This father read out loud to his daughter every day until she started collage. That's a total of 3,218 nights in a row! They have over 700 favorite books.  You can read about their journey here:  A Father-Daughter Bond, Page by Page 

Sarah over at Amongst Lovely Things hosts the Read-Aloud Revival.  You can find out more here: About The Read Aloud Revival.

With all the amazing books out there it can be overwhelming.  Here are a few lists to get you started reading together as a family:
This post is part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew 5 Days of Tips for Homeschool Parents Blog Hop.  Blog posts from these bloggers will be going live between 8 am EST and Midday.

I invite you to grab a cup of tea and head on over to these bloggers to see their word of encouragement to you today.

Blessings
Chareen



If you're on Pinterest I encourage you to follow the board 5 Days of Tips for Homeschool Parents for some wonderful NEW content for your Homeschool Boards.

Follow Every Bed of Roses's board 5 Days of Tips for Homeschool Parents. on Pinterest.
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