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Elizabeth
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In a previous post, Cay Gibson posted the following:
ALmom wrote:
CHC looks very much like what you CCM describe...
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I second Janet's opinion. I have always felt CHC was a VERY Catholic-CM program.  They focus on nature days, short lessons, hands-on Montessori approach, projects, etc. cushioned in the safe realms of Catholic teaching. CHC is safely traditional without any hint of liberalism.
Elizabeth wrote:
| I am unfamiliar with CHC--though I have enjoyed paging through the catalog twice this summer. |
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Elizabeth, I can hardly believe that.  Louise and I have used CHC's materials for years and have often promoted it.
The 2nd grade lesson plans are stunning! I'll be using CHC this year (almost exclusively)...with a little salt of this and a little pepper of that added to the feast. 
I've talked with Theresa Johnson via email. Though I'm sure she gets several emails from hsers, she's always very gracious and humble and answers promptly and wholeheartedly.  This is a family who walks the walk and lives the faith.
*******************************************************
I might have to eat my words this year as I am contemplating a rather large CHC order. I do have a pressing question though: where's the literature? I don't see any whole books except for saints stories. But I'm working from the website, so I might be missing them. Do the lesson plans recommend living history books to go with the history plans, for instance? Or are there picture books to go with the Third Grade geography plans? I think it all looks great and I'm really drawn to the comprehensive Catholic feel, but are you ladies just adding in the literature on your own (something I could easily do, pulling from the Sonlight collection)?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Louise
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Dear Elizabeth,
I don't have time for a very elaborate answer today but here you go.
Elizabeth wrote:
Do the lesson plans recommend living history books to go with the history plans, for instance? |
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In the middle grade plans they refer you to either "Let the Authors Speak" or the Reading Your Way Through History.
Elizabeth wrote:
Or are there picture books to go with the Third Grade geography plans? |
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The books suggestions for the third grade geography are included in the lesson plans. For example for Canada among others they have, A Prairie Boy's Summer, A Prairie Boy's Winter, O Canada, and Paddle to the Sea. They also list chapter books, and a biography of Kateri Tekakwitha.
Let me know if you want to know more.
Blessings,
Louise
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momwise
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I am thrilled with my new 4th grade lesson plans. I may use CHC for every grade except 11th next year. Like Louise said, they recommend Let the Author speak. The plans are basically a Catholic spine that has a lot of activities to choose from. For example the first 1/4 of 4th gr. history is to research your state and write a report. The ending activity is to bake a large sheet cake and there are instructions for decorating it according to your state's topography. There are many movie, short story and website suggestions. When the plans say "do research," they are basically leaving it up to you to find the information on your books shelves or library; that's what I love about it.
As for literature, I have crossed out the plans for reading comprehension with a reader and put in literature with narration.
Other than that I wish the poetry selections were included. But I am very, very happy
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Cay Gibson
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Elizabeth,
I have lesson plans K, 1,2,3, and the Middle school years (5th-8th), so if you have any specific questions, ask away. 
One thing I like about CHC is they don't try to do it all for you. They give you a weaving and plan for the hammock. You fill in the holes.
They offer you literature AND movie selections but they also direct you to more complete literature selections that they know are worth looking over. You can use selections from FIAR, Sonlight, or any other list with ease.
The younger grades do give you complete booklists and, I was happy to see, that the books from FIAR are included in CHC's lists. But, be alerted, when I first looked over the 2nd grade booklist; Chelsea had already read every one of those books!! I didn't view it as a bad point though. It simply gave me the freedom to use another booklist for the year.
CHC is extremely Mother friendly...and that was a BIG selling point with me.  It also leaves lots of room for all that extra *real learning*.  The lesson plans are only 4 days per week and we've managed to do the plans between 9 AM-12 N.
But...one word of caution. CHC is "light". I believe I typed in another post what CHC says about having a "light" program (I'll have to go back and look). But, if you have an advanced/motivated learner, you'd best get them a high grade level.
I desperately wanted my 7 yr old to use their complete 2nd grade lesson plans mostly for the religion. She has a late fall b-day so would be in 2nd grade in public school but a tutor I use for her in math and Shurley english, is already working with her at a 4th grade level. She calls Chelsea her *spark plug*.
Still, she's making her 1st communion this year, so we dutifully begin with CHC's 2nd grade and Chelsea is doing 8 pages of grammar without stopping, writing whole stories, and counting out money like a tax collector. Next thing I know, she's a week ahead of schedule.
But then she begins to complain and whine. She's bored! Dh says she needs to be challenged more.
So I've dug out the 3rd grade lesson plans which I used for Garrett and I'm going to advance her. Chances are she'll be finished by Christmas and I'll have to go into 4th grade.
Perhaps she's more of a Seton learner. I'm also thinking of getting her more computer programs.
What road will she take me down?
Is CHC too *light* for her?
But, getting back to your post...about the literature. Yes, you could use your Sonlight collection and other selections from the library.
CHc gives you the *freedom* to use all those wonderful booklists that abound...but still offers practice and coverage of those frustrating test skills (which I've been meaning to write about but lack the time)  .
So you have a choice to use the grade level of the child (even if it's below his grade level) and allow him the freedom to explore real learning/unschooling/literature-based and still cover all the academic cores with a Catholic flavor.
In brief, it seems to weave all the things I love into one curriculum. For us it's a great fit this year.
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Becky Parker
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Would any of you that have experience with both MODG and CHC care to compare them? I'm using MODG syllabus for my 6th grade boy (mostly because I like the history and we needed a bit more...ahem...discipline ) and CHC for my 1st grade dd . I really like them both and I can't decide if I should keep dd in CHC all the way up or switch to MODG as she gets older (like in 5th or 6th). I also have to admit that my husband is a little hung up on the accredidation thing. Do any of you think an accredited program has benefits over CHC?
Thanks!
Becky
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Mary G
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Becky Parker wrote:
Do any of you think an accredited program has benefits over CHC?
Thanks!
Becky |
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Becky:
As far as acceditation -- I think you don't need to worry about that until high school and only then to ease the applications into college. For the younger grades the trade-off between an accredited and a non-accredited curriculum is that you lose some of the autonomy and flexible-ness (ok, maybe not a WORD) of creating your own curriculum with some guidance. For example, we have my 14 yod in 9th grade Seton for the accreditation and the "objective" grading that she wants as she dreams of going to Notre Dame (notoriously hard for homeschoolers to get accepted). My little ones I have doing an "eclectic mix" of Mater Amabilis, unit studies, unschooling, "real learning" and CHC -- because I'm trying to instill in them now a REAL LOVE of learning so that when they are in high school, no matter what is thrown at them, they will learn it because the habits of devouring the subject (even if it's one they're not particularly interested in) is instilled when they're young.....
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Elizabeth
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I'd rather it be light than not, I think. I'm already committed to Bravewriter Arrow and a Kidswrite Basic class. And I have nature study plans percolating. I figure that once I add in all the living books, it won't be light at all .
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Leonie
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Elizabeth,
I haven't seen the CHC lesson plans - but maybe don't place a hefty order just yet.
Perhaps just buy one thing and give yourself time to peruse and think about it - if it is what you really want.
I only mention this because a) I know you were drawn to the idea of the little way, after reading Homeschooling With Gentleness and b) I can't count the number of times I have been "gung ho" about a resource
( omeschool, fitness, whatever) - bought a whole bunch - and then realised that it really wsn't for me. 
Ignore this post of none of this applies. But, for some reason, I felt compelled to add my
(incoherent) thoughts.
Leonie in Sydney
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Louise
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Leonie wrote:
I only mention this because a) I know you were drawn to the idea of the little way, after reading Homeschooling With Gentleness
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I have not read Homeschooling With Gentleness but to me CHC is homeschooling with gentleness and it certainly follows St Therese's "little way" beautifully. The Johnsons have a great devotion to Saint Therese and it transpire very much in their material.
Let's not forget that Saint Therese was a Carmelite. Her life in a convent was a simple but orderly life. It is through this life of obedience that she practiced her little way.
One of the thing I like about CHC is that it helps both my children and I to live our faith more deeply.
Blessings,
Louise
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Louise, mom of 11
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Elizabeth
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Leonie wrote:
I only mention this because a) I know you were drawn to the idea of the little way, after reading Homeschooling With Gentleness and b) I can't count the number of times I have been "gung ho" about a resource
( omeschool, fitness, whatever) - bought a whole bunch - and then realised that it really wsn't for me.
Ignore this post of none of this applies. But, for some reason, I felt compelled to add my
(incoherent) thoughts.
Leonie in Sydney |
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(We need to make those emoticons roll !
It all applies Leonie. Over the last few weeks, I've been considering my goals. I really like the infusion of Catholicism in CHC. I don't think we've had enough of that of late. We loved, loved, loved doing the Easter vigil notebook and then the Papal notebooks last year. They were by far the highlights of our year. CHC looks like there are plenty of such springboards. I'm not pretending I'll stick to the plan--I know better.
I'll FIAR-plus it for my little ones and I've added to our atrium quite a bit so I look forward to spending lots of time there. For my third-grader, I'll add FIAR georgraphy picture books to the CHC geography plans. I think she'll like have something all her own. My next two up are an advanced fifth grader and a dragging seventh grader. I can see correlating Sonlight with CHC for them and it's the Sonlight year they were interested in, anyway. They both like having things spelled out. Christian, especially, can't get enough of the saints' stories and faith-based work. This is his confirmation year, so he's ready to roll with this.
And Michael, poor soul, is up to his eyeballs with test prep.  . Part of my inclination towards CHC is probably the whole test thing. If I can avoid this panic (and I probably can't) with the next few, I'd like to do that.
But, like I said, the chance of following the plans as written? Slim to none  .
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Karen T
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I've ordered bits and pieces from CHC before and liked them but not the whole lesson plans thing. This year I almost ordered the middle school package; it looks so good, but if I remember right (no catalog handy) the history wasn't going to mesh with what we'd already decided on. Ds (12)had American history over and over in public school, up through the 5th grade when we pulled him out, so we're trying to do more world history before returning to the States.
I did end up buying the kindergarten plans for 5 yo ds but haven't even opened it to read through yet! So far we're doing FIAR very lightly (he likes the stories but is pretty resistant to doing anything further with them), Phonics Pathways and Family Math. I also bought the kindergarten Who Am I books for religion and some saints stories for younger kids. I think I need some un-interrupted time to pore over the K plans and that hasn't materialized yet!
Karen T
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Leonie
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Louise,
It was great to hear your input. I certainly wasn't criticising CHC - I don't have their stuff! Just tyring to share my experiences with over buying - of anything!
Elizabeth,
It sounds like you have some interesting plans!
Leonie in Sydney
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Elizabeth
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Louise wrote:
I have not read Homeschooling With Gentleness but to me CHC is homeschooling with gentleness and it certainly follows St Therese's "little way" beautifully. The Johnsons have a great devotion to Saint Therese and it transpire very much in their material.
Let's not forget that Saint Therese was a Carmelite. Her life in a convent was a simple but orderly life. It is through this life of obedience that she practiced her little way.
One of the thing I like about CHC is that it helps both my children and I to live our faith more deeply.
Blessings,
Louise
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This is interesting! How is this so Louise? What do you see that helps you know that CHC is infused with a devotion to St. Therese?
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Mary G
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I love the CHC lesson plans, but as a life-time member in the "doesn't follow directions club"  , I use the lesson plans as I use many things -- as suggestions and ways of doing what I need o do.
As I am an "eclectic homeschooler", I just occasionally need someone else's schedule to ensure I'm getting it all in -- the times when I'm feeling lazy  or stressed and am sure I'm taking my kids down the wrong path....y'know what I'm talking about.
CHC is a wonderful mix of workbooks, living books, and getting down and dirty with the kids -- as a spine, it's great!
Blessings to one and all as we start a very unschooling day today......shhhhh don't tell anyone.... 
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Bookswithtea
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Fwiw, I swore I wouldn't buy any more daily leson plan set ups after years of modifying Sonlight. Since then I've bought several years worth of CHC's materials...and I haven't resold them yet. :-)
I like that there is a column on the left side of the K-4 plans that breaks down the goals for the week...I couldn't follow the daily plans if I tried, but its nice to have a basic idea of what to cover in a week. I type up my own weekly schedule from that, and then the lesson plans go on a shelf and I don't pull them down again till I'm ready to do one of the devotional activities.
I love their devotional material...very CM ish and unit studyish, and I've found that they aren't particularly age graded, either. They seem to inspire my kids better than books like Faith and Life (which CHC also uses, but we won't be using them before 7th grade). All of my kids will be doing the Rosary project in the 3rd grade plans at some point this year...not sure when yet...thinking about Lent.
I also bought the Middle School Lesson Plans and I'm so glad I did. The Virtue Tree is wonderful and could easily be translated into a Notebook project for the whole family. The 8th grade lesson plans include a really neat family devotional/history project using masterpiece artwork from 2000 years of Christian history.
That said, Leonie has a point. :-) This Spring, I was so burned out I decided "I'm just going to follow the lesson plans" and I bought some stuff that I normally would not have purchased, just to have "everything" the plans asked for. Sigh...I'll be posting with Cathswap soon, I think.
.02
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Cay Gibson
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Seems some posts got lost here... 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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mom to 5
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Elizabeth
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I've alerted Tim to lost post problems. I lost one too...stay tuned.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Louise
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Elizabeth you asked me what make me say that the Johnson’s’ devotion to St Therese transpire into their material. I have years of CHC catalogs saved and I can not page through them without failing to notice how much they love St Therese. For many years they exclusively sold a beautiful children biography of Saint Therese along with a coloring book (I still have the cover framed, put up in our learning room), and a rare little book with excerpts from St Therese’s Story of a Soul with 52 precious illustrations drawn by her sister Celine. And as long as I remember they have sold sacrifice beads. In a catalog from 2001 they have a picture of their dd Sara (who is about the same age as our dd Sara) who had just been received into the Lay Order Carmelite. In the past I have had a few emailed with Teresa Johnson where I shared my devotion to St Therese and in her replies she also revealed her great love for her. But that doesn’t explain my statement about how they imbue their material with the spirit of the “little way”.
First let’s ask, what is Saint Therese‘s little way? It probably could be summarize it into one word, “Love”.
Now let me quote a recent catalog.
CHC materials are designed to make your job as a parent easier by reinforcing good manners, obedience, discipline, and self-giving within the family, while also forming your children to live those qualities through adulthood and into eternity.
CHC resources are solidly Catholic, but do more than just teach the Faith; they teach the child how to LIVE his Faith, in the context first of his family and then of society.
And from their website.
Our Faith permeates every living moment, whether we realize it or not. Our children's happiness, self-discipline, obedience, sharing, cooperation, thoughtfulness, all stem from being exposed to the teachings of our Faith. If we do not teach our children to know, love, and serve God, all the academics are for nothing.
A complete education includes the formation and development of God-given talents and moral character. A Christian places his education and energy at God's disposal. We realize education is not for mere acquisition of knowledge but for sharing our gifts with others.
In other words they want to help us educate our chidren to "Love".
OK, but how do they do this? By inspiring our children to become holy. From making prayer books, reflecting on the mass, working on virtues, reading saint stories, to preparing a snack for the little ones, or leading a decade all of these are encouraging your child to joyfully serve others and God. Each lessons plan are full with little gems ready to be fully explore. And only when schoolwork is kept simple and with the right orientation can we delve into these important “lessons”, where God is the focus and “Love” is the curriculum.
And then there is plenty of time for all these lessons to continue into daily living. Be it the practice of virtues in small ways within the family, to the pursuit of rabbit trails. This could be in the form of a few children curled up around mom listening to favorite picture books, or a complete self-directed study on a subject of passion. In some way like teaching your child the rudiment of phonic and then see him pick up that easy reader and take off, and later devour novels or soak up books for the sheer joy of knowledge. Or seeing your child lovingly forgetting himself for others after hearing and discussing a beautiful faith filled story.
Blessings,
Louise
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Louise
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Cay, I don't have much time but here is some quotes from CHC about being "light".
Thanks be to God that CHC materials are "light"!
Light: "1. not heavy, or burdensome; 2. illuminating, not dark and dreary. 3. 'For all of you are children of the Light...' 1Thess.5:5."
Those are exactly the qualities that CHC seeks to promote in its approach to homeschooling!
In addition, CHC recognizes that secular society pushes children to a "premature puberty," that robs children of the simple joys of childhood and family. Similarly, overwhelming young students with hours and hours of school each day can also result in robbing them of their childhood, and discourage them from ever wanting to learn anything.
It is CHC's belief that, when solid academics are offered in a gentle, flexible manner, the vast majority of primary children will blossom spiritually, emotionally, and academically. This educational approach lays a joyful foundation, resulting in children who achieve at and above grade level, do not 'burn out,' and instead 'learn how to learn.'
In summary, dieticians agree that balanced servings of protein, cereals, fruits, and vegetables at every meal will result in a healthy child. However, if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, it does not necessarily follow that twenty apples a day will be an improvement on the one. In the same way, CHC strives to offer balanced "servings" of all essential core subjects, with ample enrichment activities, yet without overwhelming the student or his teacher. In all this CHC strives to build souls and families, being ever mindful that parents are, first and foremost, educating for eternity!
End of quoting.
That's the beauty of a "light" curriculum. It sparkles our days and cast a special glow.
We will always have time to read our FIAR books and do some of the activities. And we have had wonderful discussions after reading books from your
Children's Hour booklist. It all weaves together beautifully.
Blessings,
Louise
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http://ecolebuissonniere.blogspirit.com/
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Tina P.
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To Karen T: The Middle School Lesson Plans include 6th and 8th grade, both of which study World History, not American. In 5th and 7th it's American. But who says you can't swap?
To Mary G.: You crack me up! We're in the same club. However, homeschooling sometimes 5 (when I feel like it) but most of the time 4 children, two or three of whom still need hands-on reading help, I feel I need more direction. I depend on CHC to keep me on track.
God bless, Tina
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: CHC again
