Classical/Charlotte Mason September Thread - Page 3

[craft_media_hero]

Yesterday was my first day teaching my night class since I had the baby 5wks ago.

So dd had dad as her hs teacher. I really think having both of us work with her is really good since we approach/explain things differently. Apparently they got into a pretty in-depth examination of place value, the power of 10, etc. He probably went more into it than I would have, but dd understood, so that's good.

Also, dd seems more self-motivated with dh supervising because she knows he doesn't really know the routine as well, so she takes some pride in guiding him through it. I wish she'd be that easy on me

I am really surprised how much she's getting from the SSL cd. We have been doing one theme at a time and then just listening to the cd, and she's retaining a lot from those songs! More than the workbook stuff, I think.

We have been spending the bulk of our time on math and reading with the Classic Languages starting out the day and getting us rolling. So we haven't really had much time for anything else, but I think that's okay since reviewing the math and sharpening her reading skills is really the biggest priority.

I have to order art supplies today, oh darn I will try not to go overboard.

I was going to try and plan out everything for every week for the whole year this year . . . I'm just not that organized! So many to you mamas who are able to do so!

[Jennifer3141]

Our Latin came today!!! Hooray!

And so did my last "things of Michigan" book, I think. I hate when we go for walks and the kids say, "What kind of butterfly is that?" "What's that mushroom?" etc. etc. So I've collected butterflies, several bird books, trees, flowers, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals of Michigan.

I think I need fish yet. And more bug identification books. And then I should be covered!

Have fun with the art supplies, Craft!! Our favorites are oil sticks and the crayons that turn into watercolors.

[Momma Aimee]

i just wanted to say again -- i you all -- thanks so much for letting me tag along

[MJB]

We are homeschooling my 2nd grader. We homeschooled for K but sent him to 1st. My kindergartner is at school. Here's our plan:

Spelling Workout level B
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
Writing with Ease Level 2
Story of the World Ancient Times
Rosetta stone spanish
Master Skills 2nd grade math workbook (was going to do Singapore but had this already and he likes it) + Kumon for fact review
Classic Science Life Science
Dance Mat Typing

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders

What is the Eggleston book like? It looks interesting from what you can see on Amazon, but I'm wondering if it needs some "editing" while reading (for instance, I don't teach that Columbus was a hero or that the Native Americans were savages ... not saying that this book does this, but others I have thought would be good to use did and thus became banned from our house ).

I don't know if it perfectly fits the bill, but I yet to find anything that does. I hope to introduce things from a variety of angles and edit as needed. We are studying Columbus but will also spend some time studying Native Americans as well and their life outside of it's relation to settlers and such.

[*Jessica*]

I just have to say that I started using the File Crate System for planning this year and it has been working for us amazingly well! We have accomplished so many fun things than we did last year because I took the time to plan for them in advance!

Now to work on getting to that Nature Study that I've been neglecting! LOL

[MyLittleWonders]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

I don't know if it perfectly fits the bill, but I yet to find anything that does. I hope to introduce things from a variety of angles and edit as needed. We are studying Columbus but will also spend some time studying Native Americans as well and their life outside of it's relation to settlers and such.

Thank you for the information. I may have to add it to my cart at Amazon.

Originally Posted by *Jessica*

I just have to say that I started using the File Crate System for planning this year and it has been working for us amazingly well! We have accomplished so many fun things than we did last year because I took the time to plan for them in advance!

Now to work on getting to that Nature Study that I've been neglecting! LOL

I am loving the file crate system too! I've even had a couple weeks (we just finished week 7) where a few things didn't get done but I was able to determine if I could just skip them or fit them in because I already knew the progression of the school year.

So, I actually filed most all of my nature study challenges from the Handbook of Nature Study blog, and then realized I wanted to do the Autumn challenge eBook she published. So, this weekend (we hadn't started nature study yet as this past week was a very short week) I am going to un-file all my nature study and then refile the new stuff. But, by George, we will do nature study next Friday!!! (Oh, and by doing all this I need to erase all my 6-week planner notes for nature study and rewrite them, but hopefully that'll only take a few minutes.)

[crunchy_mama]

I didn't do the File Crate System, but decided to pretty excplicitly plan out what we are doing for each subject. I have just done the first term(12 wks) so far as I wanted to see how it goes. I am absolutely loving it as I already picked out what lit we are reading and the art projects- I don't think about it we just do it. I do have our year of History and Science planned out already.

MLW- I need to check out that Autumn Nature Study- we were planning on just doing the challenge but something season focused might be good. We are loving our nature study time. I might have to rewrite all of our Nature Study plans as well

I haven't put Geography into our schedule either as I am still waiting on it to come in and haven't put in SSL either. I really want to get a place set up to put our maps to flag various people and places we study and wouldn't mind to do a time-line card. However, we do schooling in the greatroom and I don't want the map on my dining room wall. I know what a party pooper I am.

[*Jessica*]

Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders

I am loving the file crate system too! I've even had a couple weeks (we just finished week 7) where a few things didn't get done but I was able to determine if I could just skip them or fit them in because I already knew the progression of the school year.

So, I actually filed most all of my nature study challenges from the Handbook of Nature Study blog, and then realized I wanted to do the Autumn challenge eBook she published. So, this weekend (we hadn't started nature study yet as this past week was a very short week) I am going to un-file all my nature study and then refile the new stuff. But, by George, we will do nature study next Friday!!! (Oh, and by doing all this I need to erase all my 6-week planner notes for nature study and rewrite them, but hopefully that'll only take a few minutes.)

I'm only filing 6 weeks at a time to give myself flexibility to make changes if we need to. I actually did the second 6-weeks worth of filing today. A n d, I filed the Outdoor Hour Challenges and I'm determined to get to them!

[MyLittleWonders]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

I haven't put Geography into our schedule either as I am still waiting on it to come in and haven't put in SSL either. I really want to get a place set up to put our maps to flag various people and places we study and wouldn't mind to do a time-line card. However, we do schooling in the greatroom and I don't want the map on my dining room wall. I know what a party pooper I am.

We hs in our dining room, which is really just an extension of the kitchen. We don't have any wall space in there for a map because we already have a chalkboard behind one side of the table and a calendar on the other side. But, our kitchen/dining room are open to the entry way, and that has a very nice wall that with the front door open, still allows about 10 linear feet. So, we've been tossing around the idea of a wall map for that wall. They look like they are nice enough to be "wall paper like" and yet would still allow us to have a nice big visual for school.

[MissRubyandKen]

MLW- That map is awesome! I ordered two laminated wall maps, one U.S., one world, and they now grace one of my dining room walls, lol. We school mostly in the dining room these days, but it doesn't bother me as we are hardly a formal dinner family anyway. That whole room is covered with school stuff, bookshelves with books, art supplies, science kits and supplies, math manipulatives, also my computer desk. I'm surprised we still have room for the table and chairs, but it all actually fits nicely enough. Read alouds and reading generally take place on the comfy couch in the family room. We have sky lights and the back patio door has three large panes of glass, so lots of natural light to read by in that room.

I'm not doing the file system, but I do have the entire year planned out. I'm using homeschool skedtrak online. That way when we skip something it bumps it up to the next day that subject is scheduled for me. We've mostly kept on track so far, besides one sick day and two field trip days.

[Jennifer3141]

We're dining room schoolers too. A large map of the world is gracing our walls with lots of pins and marks for Mesopotamia, Egypt, etc. on it.

So the Latin showed up and I've got the matching game and the teacher's edition but NOT the student book. It's backordered for a few weeks. I ate when companies have something backordered but don't tell you until you get the rest of the order. I was so excited to start!!

We're going to clean house and decorate for Halloween today. An then we're going to finish history for the week.

Anyone else up to anything exciting?

[Citymomx3]

Jumping in here too!

We love CM. Ds is 9 and we're finishing up Ambleside Online Yr 2 and should be starting Yr 3 in a month or 2. We follow the AO schedules for readings, poetry, artist study, composer study, & nature study. We also leave out all (or most) of the religious readings.

In addition to that, we are using:
Spelling Skills Grade 4 (Harcourt)
Writing Strands 2
Simply Grammar
Teaching Textbooks 5
Life of Fred Fractions
Minimus Latin (then Latin for Children)
And various resources to learn the Greek alphabet and ASL.

I don't have a file system. We homeschool on the couch and at the dining room table. The AO schedule is up on the wall and we cross out things as we cover them. We incorporate tons of group classes and field trips as well.

My goal this year is to be more consistent with nature, artist, & composer study, the book of centuries, and outdoor time.

We are currently reading: The Little Duke, An Island Story, Child's History of the World, This Country of Ours, The Burgess Animal Book, Tree in the Trail, Wind in the Willows, Abraham Lincoln, Handbook of Nature Study, Tales From Shakespeare, & Five Children and It.

Lessons are about 15-20min each. We start around 9:30am and we're done by 12/12:30pm (earlier if we have a class or trip that day). Ds has mild dyslexia so we use a spelling program and he reads to me and to himself every day.

[LoveToBeMom]

Question regarding "twaddle" at the library...

I'm taking my preschool-aged son to the library weekly. I want to fill his world with quality books, and I can certainly do that when I am in complete control over what he's exposed to. However, at the library he is drawn to cartoon-y "twaddle." I want him to experience choosing books, checking them out, taking care of them at home, returning them on time, the whole library-thing.

BUT, I don't want twaddle in my home!

Do you go to a public library regularly? What's your routine? Any ideas as to how we can utilize the library while not undermining our kids' personal preferences?

[Mama Rana]

Originally Posted by LoveToBeMom

Question regarding "twaddle" at the library...

I'm taking my preschool-aged son to the library weekly. I want to fill his world with quality books, and I can certainly do that when I am in complete control over what he's exposed to. However, at the library he is drawn to cartoon-y "twaddle." I want him to experience choosing books, checking them out, taking care of them at home, returning them on time, the whole library-thing.

BUT, I don't want twaddle in my home!

Do you go to a public library regularly? What's your routine? Any ideas as to how we can utilize the library while not undermining our kids' personal preferences?

My two cents, but you may not like them: he'll never learn the difference between the two unless he experiences both. Allowing him to bring home "twaddle" allows you to draw comparisons with good books. I do sometimes veto books, but I also reserve the right not to read every single book he brings home.

[crunchy_mama]

MLW= I have drooled over that map as well! I don't have any space big enough for it though- even though the great room is 20x30. I am eyeing the 44x31 though- I have a perfect spot for that. Dh could frame it for me and I could put cork board behind it. Actually I think it might end up looking nice depending on what style I get.

You are enabling me to spend even more money!!! I just bought the Outdoor Challenge Autumn e-book last night. I went ahead and added on the Art and Music study as well. I have pic study scheduled but nothing concrete for music so I think it will be good and certainly worth a few bucks.

re: library twaddle: we go at least weekly as well. I let them pick out some books, I pick out a lot of books and I reserve the right to not read some. Like my little girl who on her own has developed this deep Princess love and thinks barbie books look so cool. I read one to her and even deeply paraphrasing it was torturous for me. I don't read them anymore. She can look at some though.

Jennifer- that stinks about the Latin! I was in a similiar situation w/ our Geography, so frustrating! I should now finally have it after waiting over 2.5 months!

Exciting things here.... hmmmm... excited to check out the Autumn Nature Study book. We are absolutley loving nature study time. DS is finally getting older and really appreciating it and I notice that they are both so much more observant. Oh, and the cutest thing we read them Pinocchio a month or so ago(the original version) and now everytime my dd(3.5) sees a grasshopper or cricket she freaks out and yells- "It's a talking cricket". Cracks me up everytime.

We are currently working on Pippi Longstocking - I just adore that book! I am not good w/ reading multiple chapter books at a time. But I am reading multiple books for lit- though. Not sure what we will tackle after we finish Pippi this week, suggestions? I have 5 children and It and a fair selection of the classics suggested for this age.

[LoveToBeMom]

Originally Posted by Mama Rana

... he'll never learn the difference between the two unless he experiences both...

Good point. Thanks.

[LoveToBeMom]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

... Like my little girl who on her own has developed this deep Princess love and thinks barbie books look so cool...

It's "Bob the Builder" here. blech.

I'm expecting baby #2 any day now, and we're expecting a girl this time. I'm not looking forward to the whole princess/barbie thing!

Anyway, thanks for your input as well.

[crunchy_mama]

Well, maybe you will be lucky I am hoping girl #2 will be a tomboy! I don't think I can handle 2.

[MyLittleWonders]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

MLW= I have drooled over that map as well! I don't have any space big enough for it though- even though the great room is 20x30. I am eyeing the 44x31 though- I have a perfect spot for that. Dh could frame it for me and I could put cork board behind it. Actually I think it might end up looking nice depending on what style I get.

You are enabling me to spend even more money!!! I just bought the Outdoor Challenge Autumn e-book last night. I went ahead and added on the Art and Music study as well. I have pic study scheduled but nothing concrete for music so I think it will be good and certainly worth a few bucks.

re: library twaddle: we go at least weekly as well. I let them pick out some books, I pick out a lot of books and I reserve the right to not read some. Like my little girl who on her own has developed this deep Princess love and thinks barbie books look so cool. I read one to her and even deeply paraphrasing it was torturous for me. I don't read them anymore. She can look at some though.

LOL on the wall map. Hmm ... I like the idea of a slightly smaller one and then putting cork behind it, and then having it framed.

I am so tempted to get the music and art study as well. I might have to do it now! Have you seen her other blog - Harmony Art Mom? She does "sketch Tuesday" where she gives a "prompt" for a sketch and then you can scan/submit them by the next Monday to be included in a slideshow. The prompts look fun (for instance, sketch something that has a battery, sketch something that grows on a tree, sketch something with writing on it) and look easy to add to a day without adding a bunch of time.

In regards to the library - we go weekly (most weeks). I allow the boys some "twaddle" but limit how much and also have the same "rule" as others - I can choose not to read something they bring into the home. My children love listening to literature, classic stories, myths and original fairy tales, and they love looking at/reading Spongebob. They know the difference between the two, but you know, there are times I want some brain candy too (I went on a major Sophie Kinsella kick this summer). As long as they are reading/listening to a good deal of quality stories/books, I don't mind the occasional brain junk food. It has not deterred them from wanting the good stuff, just like the occasional popsicle or piece of candy has deterred them from picking a piece of fruit or raw carrots as a snack. Just my two cents.