Looking into Charlotte Mason - How do I learn more without overwhelming myself?

[eastkygal]

I have become interested in learning more about the Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling.  In so many ways it appeals to me.  I began my journey into homeschooling with Waldorf (loved it).  We used to live in a city with a Waldorf school and I loved the Parent/Child classes.  When I began trying to implement it, I was overwhelmed.  It didn't really fit into our lifestyle and seemed to take too much effort to truly do Waldorf education at home.  I need to be able to homeschool very cheaply.  I keep the Waldorf aspects that work for us, and I added Rod and Staff preschool workbooks for our kindergarten year.  We do those along with Starfall Phonics worksheets and computer games.  Lately, DD1 has been having some issues with Math, and I have been feeling pressured by trying to keep up with public school type schedules for learning... like she should be counting to 100 by now, and recognizing written numbers readily.  DD1 is having much difficulty with this, and it has become a problem with our schooling.  She has become frustrated to crying, and I have been frustrated as well.

I am ready to give up this schedule of keeping her in line with the public school.  I want her education to be one of discovery, full thought, artistic expression, a feeling of freedom to express mathematical and scientific ideas... an appreciation for art and music/drama and dance/literature... understanding of her place in the world, other cultures, etc...  I want her to know scripture familiar with our faith and scripture - that would be the Christianity and the Bible, but I also want her to be familiar with other world religions and their texts.  So, Charlotte Mason and its similarities with Waldorf are really appealing. 

Any suggestions on how to look more into this, and maybe try it out.  I have been looking into Ambleside Online.  I just don't know where to begin.  I need to be able to inform myself in small useable chunks.  I have just started a work from home job that relates to my other work as a childbirth educator and doula.  I am also working on a novel.  But, it is important to me for us to be settled into a schooling method/philosophy that will work for us, and give my daughter a well rounded education.  I want her to be able to think for herself and make decisions.  If she can end our schooling time with those abilities, I will have considered myself successful.  I don't want to quit looking at CM because I am overwhelmed by educating myself in the philosophy.  Can we learn as we go?

[Citymomx3]

We have been using Ambleside Online for a few years and we love it.  I agree it's overwhelming when you first look at it, but once you understand what to do and how to do it, it's so wonderful.  We started Year 1 with ds when he was 7.  We bought all the books and followed the schedule as written.  We use AO secularly, so we did remove all religious readings.  We also follow the 12-week term schedule for poets, artist, composers, and nature study.  AO is very CM and there's a certain way to do things and a certain philosophy to incorporate.  Lessons are short, we try and get outside every day, afternoons are free, we include narrations, copywork, and dictation in our week.  A typical schedule for us looks like this (we are currently finishing up Year 2):  Mon, Wed, Fri:  Math (TT5), Spelling, Poetry, Copywork, 1 AO reading w/narration, & 1 "free reading".  Tue:  5 AO readings w/narrations, & Spelling.  Thu:  Artist, Composer, Spanish, Dictation, Nature.  Ds has mild dyslexia, so we use a spelling workbook and he also reads aloud to me everyday.  We start at around 10am and we're finished usually by noon. 

I love that there's a weekly schedule rather than a daily one, because you can break up the week in any way that works for you.  I would suggest joining the AO yahoo group for advice and support, read as much as you can on the AO website (see link below or pull up the "site map" page), and also try and read Charlotte Mason's original writings so you understand more about her philosophy.

Ambleside Online Overview

[Tjej]

A short, clear book I just borrowed from the library is A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison.  I just read it (only 78 pages plus appendix).  Clearly talks about each topic and how CM approaches it.  Sample schedules in the appendix.  Suggestions for some books for some topics.  It's a great little book, IMO.

Tjej

[kittywitty]

I will recommend AO or Mater Amablis. I like the Mater suggestions and schedule better, but it is Catholic biased which means there is inclusion of Catholic religious book recommendations which are seperated from the "regular" books. So the suggestions are different than Protestant AO. The Mater suggestions also are more updated and modern vs. some old (and some racist) books.

[Climbing Rose]

You can totally learn as you go!   You can just implement ideas one at a time, as you find them and like them. 

I don't know if this will help, but I can tell you what we did.

When my oldest were little, we were a very unschooly Charlotte Mason HSing family.  

My favorite resource was a book (just one book as a complete resource- so not overwhelming!) called 'A Charlotte Mason Companion' by Karen Andreola.  I felt free to overlook parts of it that wouldn't work for us, but I did like it a lot- I even took notes!

Then I found a little chart on the internet that had subjects listed on one side, and the CM way to do that subject on the other side.  It was really neat, and had little things listed as well, like "nature walk."  It was simple and would just gave me little ideas.

For a book list, we would often use the Sonlight catalog and the library. 

It was fun, but we were still pretty loose about it, and more unschooly than anything most days.  So no pressure.

As my biggest DC got older, I really wanted 'more' and that is when I found Rod and Staff.  I just loved it! 

Now, I would say we still are along the CM method, with the R & S books.  We have some short simple lessons on the basics using the R & S books.  I use the R & S books as living books- for instance, we just read the chapter in a science book about the life of a chipmunk.  So DD-9 got all excited, got out the nature guides, drew a chipmunk with some food and a burrow, wrote a bit about it, and and ran outside with some bread (per a suggestion in the R & S book) to try and feed the one that lives in our tree.  It was really fun to be a part of, and my other DC enjoyed it as well. 

So that is where we are.  I just wanted to share because you mentioned a lot of things that we use and like.