Charlotte Mason

[reverendmother]

Is there anyone out there homeschooling using a Charlotte Mason "whole book" approach?

I'm especially interested in anyone who may be familar with C,M. and have a poor reader.

[Linda in Arizona]

I am very interested in CM and I think that we will move that direction, but my oldest is only 5. I have some nice links to CM sites, though, if you would like them.

[reverendmother]

I would love to get some CM sites.
Thanks for responding.

[Mamax3]

I would like those links also, as I am looking into homeschooling and would love to check out any curriculums out there. Thanks.

[Inwe Surion]

I get a monthly CM newsletter. Here's the link to subscribe:mailto:[e-mail]

Also here's a CM site/board:
http://members.aol.com/BeeME1/

[Linda in Arizona]

here are some links. Some are VERY christian. We are pagan. I feel that I can get a great deal from the ideas, but I have an easy time walking away from ideas that just won't work for us (like copying bible verses!) Enjoy!

http://members.aol.com/PennyGar/

http://317537.homestead.com/AmblesideOnline.html

http://members.aol.com/BeeME1/links.html

http://www.home-school.com/Articles/CharlotteMason.html

[reverendmother]

Thanks for the web sites.

Is there anyone one out there who could share a bit of how they "do" CM?

Also, does anyone know if there is any link between Rudoff Steiner and CM? They lived about the same time and while CM is very orthodox Chrsitian and Steiner is Anthroposomorphic they have areas where they seem to be "on the same page" in regard to education.

I am moving from a Waldorf style homeschooling (which I find more difficult to do alone and at home) to a CM style. Any suggestions -- espcially regarding narration.

I have a right brain poor reader, poor writer who is 11 and a pre-K 5 yr.

[Linda in Arizona]

As far as I know, there isn't any link between Waldorf and CM, even though many of their ideas are similar. I think that they are both reactions to the industrial age. At a time when the educational bent was producing little machine people to run the new machines, they both wanted to educate the whole child. I think that they are both more concerned with process than with product.

I find CM ideas much more homeschooling-friendly, as she was primarly intersted in homeschooling. Her ideas were translated to a school environment so that more children could benefit from them. Stiener was interested in creating great schools, not in home based learning.

CM did not recommend narration with kids under 6, so I wouldn't do it with the 5 year old.

Here is a link just on narration.
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/beeme1/page2.html

Elijah Co sells a book called Listen My Children that I think would help in getting started with narration. Here is a link http://www.elijahco.com/store/search.cgi

Is your 11 year old doing any copy work?

[reverendmother]

Again, thanks for the web sites. I'm am still trying to figure out where to go for various topics. I subscribed for two days, but the mail was overwhelming!

We have recently switched to the following method.
We read (she reads to herself, or she reads aloud to me, or I read to her) then she narrates back to me the content.
As we reach certian points in our history study, I have her narrate a report to me. Then the next day I dictate it back to her while she writes it in her copy book. She usually draws her own pictures or maps.

The problem I have is that I'm not sure she is getting enough grammar. We also have not talked about organizing her thoughts as you would in writing a "regular" report...i.e. note cards etc.

Are there any guidelines about how to progress. Are we behind significantly for 6th grade? I'm not hung up on grade level, but I would like some sort of guide.

We are doing GREAT in math.

[Linda in Arizona]

I know there is CM friendly grammer book, but I can't remember the name of it!! I don't think it sounds like you are behind for a 6th grader.

Is she making a Book of the Centuries?

[reverendmother]

I've read about the centuries book, but not done it. Has anyone else made one?

I'd also like some insight into how others schedule the day and week. Not only lessons, but HOUSEWORK!

[Linda in Arizona]

I use the flylady system for housework.

http://www.flylady.net/index.asp