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NMMountainMom
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Posted: July 08 2010 at 7:02pm \| IP Logged

Does using a curriculum make things easier for an extremely busy, not naturally organized hs'ing mom? I love Charlotte Mason philosophy and am a creative, literature and nature loving person. In a perfect world I would implement a pure CM method for homeschooling. But as I shared in my recent post, I am overwhelmingly busy. I need my children to be as independent as possible (of course not to the point I'm neglecting them) and I don't have alot of time for planning. I really resist the idea of a curriculum, but I'm wondering if I need to compromise. I'm looking at CHC and MODG. -Danielle

Becky Parker
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Posted: July 08 2010 at 7:14pm \| IP Logged

We enrolled with MODG because I needed a curriculum. My dh needed it to be accredited. I find MODG to be very CM friendly.
But, don't forget Mater Amabilis which is Charlote Mason based. I'm sorry I don't have a link but I know someone here will have it.

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amyable
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Posted: July 08 2010 at 8:12pm \| IP Logged

Mater Amabilis

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Angie Mc
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Posted: July 09 2010 at 11:34am \| IP Logged

Danielle, I can see that you are torn. I don't think that any homeschooling family needs a pre-packaged curriculum. I do think that some families will want/choose a pre-packaged curriculum - or parts of it. I'm not splitting hairs. What a family needs is to have a vision/big picture, clear priorities, and ways to meet goals that respect the needs and reality of their family.

I don't know if you need to compromise as much as find a reasonable plan for your family. A formal CM approach may not fit the practicalities of your family life right now, but you can certainly take inspiration from CM. Also, whenever I hear that a mom has a heart for creativity, literature, and nature, I encourage her to enjoy those gifts with her children! Perhaps you can go with your strengths in those areas while adding a math program like Math-U-See.

Do you have access to living books that cover a wide variety of topics? Can you go to the library? Can you purchase them online? Do you enjoy shopping for used books?

Do you enjoy adding craft/art/music to your day?

Are you able to go outside regularly? Do you travel and enjoy exploring new locations? Do you enjoy field trips?

Do you have access to DVDs, online resources, and other research/enrichment tools?

Love,

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herdingkittens
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 7:51am \| IP Logged

We use a combination of different things - some are curriculum-y and some are following a suggested plan. So we have a bit of a mix.

For example, I follow the CHC lesson plans LOOSELY (meaning all their ideas, but my children work at their own pace) and use their workbooks for spelling, grammar, and handwriting. History and Science are done a la Well Trained Mind as a group, and this coming year we do Religion as a group. All the extras (Nature walks, Art apprec., music appreciation, etc.) are from various ideas.

I am not suggesting that my way is the way, but just to offer an example of using both styles. Personally, I would go nutty trying to follow a plan - I prefer to pick and choose. And it seems to change very subtly each year as we figure these things out. At the same time, there are certain things that I like from CHC that prevents from reinventing the wheel.

HTH!

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lapazfarm
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 12:44pm \| IP Logged

I am going to step in here and say that I do not think a curriculum is *necessarily* easier. It depends on your strengths, of course, and a curriculum may streamline things for some, but for others a curriculum just adds unnecessary clutter to the day.
To me there is nothing simpler than a CM education. Of course there are ways to make it more complex than it needs to be (and I can be guilty of this), but really the method taken literally is quite simple and very, very effective.
Think about this: rather than having to worry about following plans, checking off lists, filing papers, filling out workbooks, teaching lessons, answering end-of-chapter comprehension questions, giving spelling tests, then checking to make sure it was all done correctly...all of that stuff that sticking to a curriculum entails...
You simply read a bit each day from lovely books. Then you listen as your child re-tells what was read.
That's really the meat of it!
Language arts is covered through simple copywork and for the older child, dictation and written narration. Science is done through nature study out-of-doors, followed by sketching and more reading.Add to that a simple math lesson book and I cannot imagine anything simpler.
And the best part, and what makes it so very simple, is that rather than a checklist or lesson plans to follow, you simply pick up your book the next day and read the next thing.
So, yes, a curriculum can simplify some things-perhaps especially the planning part. If planning is a weakness then a curriculum is a good tool. But if you really want to simplify your life on a day to day basis--the implementation part--then my bet is on CM.

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Angie Mc
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 2:41pm \| IP Logged

lapazfarm wrote:

You simply read a bit each day from lovely books. Then you listen as your child re-tells what was read.
That's really the meat of it!
Language arts is covered through simple copywork and for the older child, dictation and written narration. Science is done through nature study out-of-doors, followed by sketching and more reading.Add to that a simple math lesson book and I cannot imagine anything simpler...you simply pick up your book the next day and read the next thing.

Love this summary, Theresa.

Do you think that the hard part of this CM inspired process is trusting it? I do trust it because I've experienced it first hand and have seen the objective fruits derived from it, praise God. So does "easy" need to involve convictions of the heart, for CM, to be comfortable educating in ways that aren't commonplace in our culture?

Love,

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Angie Mc
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lapazfarm
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 4:14pm \| IP Logged

Angie Mc wrote:

Do you think that the hard part of this CM inspired process is trusting it? I do trust it because I've experienced it first hand and have seen the objective fruits derived from it, praise God. So does "easy" need to involve convictions of the heart, for CM, to be comfortable educating in ways that aren't commonplace in our culture?

Love,

Yes, I do! It can be hard to trust because it just seems too easy! Plus it is so counter-cultural and so different from the way we ourselves were educated.
What has helped me recently is going back and re-reading CM's original works. In Volume 6 she lays out her reasons in such a convincing way, it makes it much easier to trust. Re-reading has really reinvigorated me to get back to my CM roots and trust the process once again. Life really was so much more *simple* when CM inspired our days.

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Theresa
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Angie Mc
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 4:42pm \| IP Logged

lapazfarm wrote:

In Volume 6 she lays out her reasons in such a convincing way, it makes it much easier to trust. Re-reading has really reinvigorated me to get back to my CM roots and trust the process once again. Life really was so much more *simple* when CM inspired our days.

I just grabbed Volume 6 off of my bookshelf and will take it with me on vacation

.

Love,

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Angie Mc
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Mackfam
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Posted: July 10 2010 at 8:03pm \| IP Logged

Angie Mc wrote:

I'm nodding in agreement with Theresa!

Yes, a part of the challenge is trust! It's so simple and so much of planning and executing a Charlotte Mason education is stepping outside of our own experiences (mine were so stale and dry) and pre-conceived ideas and trusting and embracing the simple and effective methods Charlotte Mason outlined. A Charlotte Mason education is a rich banquet of ideas spread before a child, encouraging self-education through rich and beautiful living books. At its heart it is the living book that does the teaching and conveys the ideas - the author's own passion for his subject, the ideas springing from reading well written subject matter, the clarity expressed in the writing! It is a living education I embrace again and again in my heart, in our plans, and in our days. I cherish the learning alongside. It is as you point out, Angie, a conviction of the heart at some point. You engage and commitment becomes a matter of the heart as well as the mind.

NMMountainMom wrote:

Welcome, Danielle!!!

My stars, but you hit the nail on the head! We're all challenged to manage the gift of time as we plan with and for our children! But, can it be done? YES!!! Is it worthwhile to brainstorm and put some tools in your basket if educating in this manner is your passion, your conviction of the heart? A resounding YES!!!

Home education certainly doesn't have to be a one-size-fits-all approach! I'm certainly grateful others have the opportunity to examine their educational philosophies and pursue them through resources that fit their philosophy, finding support through curriculum providers. And, I recognize what an extraordinary and unique BLESSING the 4Real Board is for those home educators that choose to embrace a living learning lifestyle and design and plan their own curriculum, many of whom do so based on Charlotte Mason's methods!

I'm so grateful to be able to share with you my own enthusiasm and conviction of the heart when it comes to planning and designing a Charlotte Mason education.

Since you expressed that you enjoy Charlotte Mason but aren't naturally organized and are extremely busy, can we help you brainstorm so that planning out this lifestyle of learning feels more do-able, more approachable?

The being busy part we've got covered!

There's not a one of us that isn't RIGHT THERE with you! Now, for organization - I'd say it's probably a very helpful tool, but the way it looks can be very different from home to home! People achieve order and organization in different ways. And it's a skill that can be developed and honed! Have you seen an idea you like? Take it and start considering it...how will that work in your home? Translate it!

We can brainstorm ideas on organization and ordering the day - time management! There are list makers and post-it note organizers here, pilers and filers and sorters, bins and basket lovers...surely we can help you brainstorm systems of ordering the day, organizing, and planning that inspires you and seems intuitive!! You'll need to decide how you want to commit your days educationally speaking - from there, we can help brainstorm!

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NMMountainMom
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Posted: July 12 2010 at 8:20pm \| IP Logged

I would LOVE some help brainstorming! The other day I received an email newsletter that extoled the virtues of a planned curriculum. I thought it was an answer to prayer. I am so conflicted though, because then I read Theresa's post and felt differently again:

lapazfarm wrote:

Bottom line... I just had a baby three months ago. Things were going very well when I was pregnant. I had implemented a "Mother's Rule of Life". My prayer life was great and I had really workable routines going. Now I have five kids. I feel like I could do large family + homeschooling or running a business + homeschooling or business + large family. But I just don't know how I'm going to do business PLUS large family PLUS homeschooling. That is why I was asking about a curriculum.

I live in the southern Rockies and this is such a fabulous place to do CM homeschooling. I went on a hike in the woods behind my house this afternoon while DH stayed with the kids. It is so beautiful here and some of the views are so amazing that they can actually bring me to tears. It was so inspiring and I felt like God was touching my heart wrt to homeschooling and CM. But HOW am I going to get this done?

Practical suggestions welcome! As I said, I did really well before the baby with a Mother's Rule. I mostly work at home, but sometimes I do have to go in to our office. I am visual... I need to see everything. Out of site, out of mind. Honestly, I can be lazy if I don't have a plan. Lazy and overwhelmed and then I don't get anything done. I can fall behind in my work and I neglect spending enough time with the kids. (Talk about a moment of honesty!) I suppose that is why I wonder if a curriculum would be better for me... I guess I feel that an outside curriculum would be an external source of motivation when I can't muster it internally. BUT, if I can figure out how to implement it, my heart tells me that a pure CM homeschooling experience would be amazing for the kids and for me.

There you have it, my honest challenges and weaknesses. Suggestions and thoughts welcome.

-Danielle

MicheleQ
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Posted: July 12 2010 at 10:14pm \| IP Logged

lapazfarm wrote:

Angie Mc wrote:

Gosh I think this is key! We've been convinced by others (curriculum suppliers, teachers, the school system, concerned friends/relatives) that a child won't learn naturally and that they need to be "forced" (for lack of a better word). We don't trust them, we don't trust ourselves and so we give over control to a program.

I often hear the complaint that Mater Amabilis has "too many subjects" but that is how Charlotte Mason did it. She wanted children (all children) to be exposed to as many good things as possible and it was a wide and generous curriculum that did that. Because education is the science of relations we want children to get in touch with as many "thoughts and things" as possible. NOT in a rigid, stifling --"this must be done!" kind of way but in a generous, abundant, "Ah what wonderful things the world is full of!" kind of way.

We need to give them the good stuff and get out of the way and we need to LET GO of our expectations somewhat. We simply don't know what the child is going to take from a lesson (reading, nature study, music, art) --what it will mean to them, how THEY will form the relationship but they need to be free to form it.

Yes of course we correct wrong thinking, redirect if they seem to be straying in the wrong direction but we have to trust that they are forming connections because they really ARE.

We can't know completely what they are taking away from what they are given, we don't know what seeds are germinating (which is why choice of materials is SO important IMO) we don't know what connections are being made or will be made later. They narrate and we can get a sense of what their comprehension is but ultimately we don't fully know because these things take time.

And you know, there are no guarantees. Not with a perfectly laid out curriculum, not with anything. There WILL be holes (you have holes in your education right?) but they CAN be filled if they know how to learn and if the LOVE of learning hasn't been snuffed out. Sadly, some curriculum programs can do a pretty good job of snuffing out the love of learning.

I have learned SO much talking to my older kids (25, 24 & 21) who were homeschooled ala CM. They got it but I couldn't always see it. I wasn't confident in my abilities (no college degree here --I became a mom at barely 18), I didn't know a lot about education and well I just wasn't sure. I made A LOT of mistakes along the way but they still learned and they learned HOW to learn and they are still learning and so I feel much more confident with my younger children.

Danielle you are in a crazy busy season of life (my first 5 are boys too --the 5th was an infant when I started homeschooling). You just had a baby and that makes it harder no matter how you choose to homeschool but I do think a more relaxed CM way would be a good direction for you to consider.

I do understand your struggle. I have large family (10 children --7 still at home --2 with a chronic disease [juvenile diabetes] that requires a good bit of attention), we (me and dh) run a business from our home and we direct the RCIA program at our parish. Life is BUSY and if I had to be tied to a particular plan I wouldn't be able to do it. It's the flexibility of CM that keeps me sane.

I am NOT a naturally organized person. By nature I am a right-brained, fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal but even I have learned how to put pegs in my day to keep things moving forward (mind you my naturally organized left-brained husband would prefer even more organization but thankfully he loves me anyway.)

I hope this is helpful. Do keep asking questions --we're here to help if we can.

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Posted: July 12 2010 at 11:18pm \| IP Logged

NMMountainMom wrote:

I am visual... I need to see everything. Out of site, out of mind. Honestly, I can be lazy if I don't have a plan. Lazy and overwhelmed and then I don't get anything done. I can fall behind in my work and I neglect spending enough time with the kids. (Talk about a moment of honesty!) I suppose that is why I wonder if a curriculum would be better for me... I guess I feel that an outside curriculum would be an external source of motivation when I can't muster it internally. BUT, if I can figure out how to implement it, my heart tells me that a pure CM homeschooling experience would be amazing for the kids and for me.

Me again. I don't know you but you sound a lot like me so I'll just share what works for me. A set plan that is someone else's idea doesn't work for me. I can be lazy too and I always thought (as did dh) that a set "plan" would motivate me. It doesn't --it discourages me it makes me feel stifled and that in turn makes me grouchy and demanding. Not the kind of wife or mother that I want to be. A routine --a regular way of doing things hung on "pegs" throughout the day (we eat breakfast, we do our chores, we start out lessons) works MUCH better for me and makes for a much calmer, happier wife and mother.

Do we get off track and accomplish very little some days? Sure but we're happy and not sniping at each other over it. I know there are enough days that we DO get things done to make up the difference. Also, being so busy I have to be careful where I spend my time --the internet can be very tempting and a big time eater so I try and limit my time here.

Oh, I too am very "out of sight, out of mind". My planner sits on my desk wide open so I can see any important things I need to do that day or week. If I don't leave it open like that I will forget to even look at it!

If there's a book I want to read I pull it off the shelf and put it on my desk. I put all the kids weekly work in piles so they can be seen. If I want to make sure we get a nature walk in I set out the nature journals to remind me, etc. Mind you I am also very visual and I can't stand clutter so I do work to keep things tidy which generally means non essentials are kept to a minimum. But it works. Those here who have been to my house can attest to it not being terribly chaotic but not perfectly neat either.

OK I'm off to bed!

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Michele Quigley
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TracyFD
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Posted: July 13 2010 at 3:38pm \| IP Logged

I used MODG for the first time last year and found myself feeling stressed, grouchy and demanding. Yuck. I hear you, Michele! I wanted a pre-planned curriculum because it was a baby year and I wanted to settle in with something that I could stick with through high school. I liked the blending of CM and Classical.

That said, I am going to use it again next year with some modifications, specifically with math, language arts and science. This is to meet my children's needs as well as my own. Most of the other subjects worked well for us: religion (adding Catholic lapbooks), poetry, Latin, history, art and music (with some additions and revisions) and geography (with lots of enrichment - Shepperd software, games and puzzles). I also add to the curriculum quite a bit with weekly nature journaling, French, more narration, weekly Aesop for 1st grade, more saints and biographies for an advanced 2nd grade reader) and copying a stanza from the poetry selection each week.

I would also advise against using the lesson plan book with the daily assignments already organized into boxes ready to be checked off. I put way too much pressure on my 4th grade dd to complete all the work in every subject each day so that we wouldn't "get behind". Next year I will use the regular syllabus and design my own weekly assignment sheet so I can write in the boxes myself. This way we can be "ahead" in some subjects and "behind" in others.

Mother's Rule of Life! I just re-read this and revised our school routine. Doing school from 9:00-10:30, taking a 30 min recess (send out a timer with them) and resuming school from 11:00-12:30 is working GREAT. My goal is to only require seatwork that can be completed in these three hours without stressing. This leaves the rest of the day for lunch, read aloud, laundry, reading, crafts, music practice, outside time and dinner at a decent time.

Blessings,

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mami bonita
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I too read MROL a few years back, and that is a great spiritual backbone to the day. After having that, then I have implemented Managers of their Homes as the specific tool I use for planning the day. It has really helped put those "pegs" in the day. It also has helped because I, too, am an out of sight, out of mind type, so having a written and visual schedule posted out and on the door/wall is helpful. Of course, then you have to stick with it, which is the hardest part. It doesn't have to be militant as the original authors have their days scheduled, I have large blocks of time as "free time" or (gasp) tv time. Most of our afternoons seem to be out with various activities, so it helps me to stay on track in the morning.

This last week, I have used it to schedule the kid's school time for this coming year. Last year we used it as just a block of "school time" using workboxes. The girls (dd 6, dd 4, and ds2) liked to look in the afternoon when the baby was down and pick from our list of nap time activities (all of the messy art stuff). They could get on board with it. This year, I hope it will just help lay those rails, because #4 will be arriving in November.

Finally, I have a curriculum that I tweek big time, to the point of wondering if it is even helpful. I will only be using it for religion and social studies, and grammar because I didn't think that the reading was great, and the literature was non existant. I have always used a different math, and Handwriting without tears. But, that is where all of this wonderful CM comes in, and Cay Gibson's Picture Perfect Childhood and Catholic Mosaic. I get all of those fabulous picture books for the social studies and science, and do the narrations, copywork, lapbooks.

To sum, Mother's rule of Life is the spiritual base, Managers of their homes is the nuts and bolts of putting order in our day. MOTH is daunting without the spiritual point of view, but with it, it is a great tool. And it helps even the littles to find their place in the world which helps everyone to be a bit more self sufficient.

Mackfam
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Posted: July 15 2010 at 6:31am \| IP Logged

NMMountainMom wrote:

Practical suggestions welcome! As I said, I did really well before the baby with a Mother's Rule. I mostly work at home, but sometimes I do have to go in to our office. I am visual... I need to see everything. Out of site, out of mind. Honestly, I can be lazy if I don't have a plan. Lazy and overwhelmed and then I don't get anything done. I can fall behind in my work and I neglect spending enough time with the kids.

This resonates with me, Danielle! Like you, I am highly visual, and I unravel and become very overwhelmed if I don't have a good plan that can act as a guide. It seems a contradiction, but a plan, considered and well-thought-out that fosters a love of learning, is FREEING to me and allows me to operate in a way that is more relaxed, more trusting of the process.

Ok...brainstorming practicals. I'm hoping it's ok to break this approach into two directions -

1. ordering the day - an assistance in living out the day
2. ordering the school plans - gives direction and a guide for the day.

There are a gazillion variations to both ordering the day and planning for school. No one is more right or more perfect. Each of our vocations is different, so our answers and the order we seek to provide and shelter within the day is considered as it meets the needs in our day, in our unique vocations. I'll offer some examples, but they're just examples. If there is an idea here, take it and translate it into your home so that it fits and assists you in living out your vocation.

A routine for the day - everyone's is different, and it should be! My needs and my day isn't yours. A Mother's Rule of Life was very helpful to me and gave me some good ideas I could work with in helping me order my day. I think one of the things I'm hearing from you (and I might be reading between the lines...so tell me if I'm totally missing the boat!) is that you had a good routine/rule of the day going...and then the 5th little one came along. The baby is only 3 months old. It takes some time to settle into a *new normal* after a little one. This is always a little unsettling to me - this re-learning/re-finding the *new normal* - because...I happen to crave order. So, it's a good growing and stretching process for me to relax and trust! When a baby comes, I pull back to absolute basics of the day and allow God's grace and the gift of time to settle us all into what will become the *new normal* with that little one.

Michele works in pegs, I work in blocks of time, but either way the idea is the same - peg activities to the sure things in your day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, evening prayers. So for example, for the breakfast block/peg, in our house I have considered that we need to accomplish:

:: morning prayers & devotions
:: outside chores
:: tidy room - make bed, laundry down
:: morning hygiene
:: quick tidy of the living and learning spaces

Does that make sense? So you might take this basic idea and consider, what needs to happen in the morning, fairly consistently, to get your family moving towards the day with a good momentum? Make a list on a piece of paper, put everyone's name (including yours) at the top of a column and list the duties and responsibilities each of you have/need to tend to during the day in individual columns. The workload should be shared, you can't do everything! Train.Train.Train. Delegate.Delegate.Delegate. Consider carefully...you have a business to run - are there "business chores" that only you can do? Are there some business chores that can be delegated? Investing a little time in training the children HOW to complete a chore well will pay dividends!!!! This time right now, where you are settling/easing into a *new normal* is a PERFECT TIME for training and/or re-training in chores. Make your expectations clear and let the kids HELP!!!!

Continue with your list and consider morning, lunch, afternoon, and bedtime routines in big blocks, or pegged, as Michele does, to non-negotiables (like food

and prayer). I've found that once we lay down some good habits of routine and the children are assisting the household running, the days are smoother.

Ordering the school day
Now, there are times in between the chore/household blocks of time. For us, that's between 8 - 12 and again between 1:30 - 3:30 (for older children...this time is quiet time for the younger children) - those are times for lessons and school. So, the next thing to tackle is the school planning. Let me ask some questions before I start brainstorming there:

** Have you read a good bit on the Charlotte Mason philosophy - enough that you could implement the methods in your home? I'm NOT implying that you've memorized things cover to cover...but do you know about living books, narration, copywork, a Book of Centuries, short lessons as part of the day - those kinds of things?

** Have you taken a look at Mater Amabilis and Ambleside Online, both of which offer GREAT examples of plans already laid out for various grade levels?

With your year, the challenges you're facing, could I recommend starting with a modified form of Mater Amabilis plans for each of the children? They're gentle, considered and beautifully Charlotte Mason. Live it a bit. Next year, you might find that you are confident enough to write more on your own. To me, this offers you the best of both worlds - the plan is basically already there for you...AND...it is a wide, generous Charlotte Mason education.

We can further brainstorm how to plan a more family-specific CM plan for school - this would be a plan you consider and implement entirely yourself. This is TOTALLY DOABLE!!!

How's this? Fire away with questions! Where have I left something out? Is something unclear? (likely...and don't be afraid to say so!) We can clarify, or offer other ideas! It could be that all that is really needed is to step back and re-consider your Rule you had worked on. Just consider it in light of the new little one, and your business needs, and have the kids share the load.

I'm hoping others will be able to chime in with other ideas for you to consider. Let us know where you'd like us to go next! I'm wondering if we're starting to narrow this a bit - are we working our way inward to some of your specific needs? What direction can we take next in brainstorming that would be most helpful for you?

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, ds 16

, ds 11

, dd 8

, and dd 3

Wildflowers and Marbles

NMMountainMom
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Posted: July 15 2010 at 5:35pm \| IP Logged

Mackfam wrote:

Ok...brainstorming practicals. I'm hoping it's ok to break this approach into two directions -

1. ordering the day - an assistance in living out the day

Yes, I need to rework my rule. I do need blocks or "pegs" (never heard that before, but I like it). What I need is basic structure with a little flexibility within the structure.

Mackfam wrote:

2. ordering the school plans - gives direction and a guide for the day.

Let me ask some questions before I start brainstorming there:

** Have you read a good bit on the Charlotte Mason philosophy -

Yes, CM is my first love, if you will, wrt to homeschooling.

Mackfam wrote:

** Have you taken a look at Mater Amabilis

Yes, this is what I used with oldest DS when I homeschooled him.

Mackfam wrote:

I'm wondering if we're starting to narrow this a bit - are we working our way inward to some of your specific needs?

Absolutely. This thread has been so helpful. Your post in particular was an amazing answer to prayer. I was contemplating along the lines you laid out when I was out on a prayer walk yesterday. I asked for some concrete confirmation of what I felt that God was placing in my heart and your post was exactly that... right down to your suggestion about Mater Amabalis. I loved MA when I used a few years ago. I was looking more toward MODG or Catholic Heritage Curriculum because I thought I needed something very specific, but I realized as with my household routine I need the basic outline and room to move around within that. I think my wanting a very specific curriculum was swinging the pendulum too far to one extreme when what I really need is something in the middle. Structure with flexibility is my new theme.

NMMountainMom
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Posted: July 15 2010 at 5:43pm \| IP Logged

TracyFD wrote:

I would also advise against using the lesson plan book with the daily assignments already organized into boxes ready to be checked off. I put way too much pressure on my 4th grade dd to complete all the work in every subject each day so that we wouldn't "get behind".,

Yup, that is me. If it is all laid out and I can't check all the boxes, it is stressful. Homeschooling becomes about checking the boxes instead of real learning. I need some structure with room for adjustment and creativity.

TracyFD wrote:

Mother's Rule of Life! I just re-read this and revised our school routine. Doing school from 9:00-10:30, taking a 30 min recess (send out a timer with them) and resuming school from 11:00-12:30 is working GREAT. My goal is to only require seatwork that can be completed in these three hours without stressing. This leaves the rest of the day for lunch, read aloud, laundry, reading, crafts, music practice, outside time and dinner at a decent time.

That sounds about like my routine last year. Somehow I need to work in business time, though. It is taking me more time to accomplish things because of the baby (that's ok, baby time is some of my best time of the day!)

NMMountainMom
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Posted: July 15 2010 at 5:50pm \| IP Logged

MicheleQ wrote:

Yes, it does sound like you and I are alot alike. This thread has helped me to realize that what I need is definitely a good routine, but nothing too rigid. I need lots of wiggle room. I brought the idea of needing a rigid routine and more self discipline to my spiritual director a few years back. I was expecting him to encourage me in that endeavor, but he thought I needed to function more in line with how God had created me and thought too much rigidity would be detrimental to me personally and as a mother. This thread reminded me of that advice I received.

MicheleQ wrote:

Those here who have been to my house can attest to it not being terribly chaotic but not perfectly neat either.

That sounds like my house. I do have a closet and drawer problem, though. I had a giant master closet in our old house and my husband called it "the scary closet". On the surface, everything is basically orderly, though. Looking at clutter drives me crazy.

SuzanneG
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Posted: July 16 2010 at 12:36am \| IP Logged

Danielle~
I also think you're in a really good position to "ease" into this. Even though it doesn't feel like your "easing" into anything right now!

The oldest that you're homeschooling is 7, right? So, even though you're running a household of 7 people, you're only home educating ONE right now. Keep that in perspective. Your focus right now seems like it's on the first thing Jen mentioned:

Mackfam wrote:

1. ordering the day - an assistance in living out the day

Which reminds me of one of the "Principles" that is in this GREAT LIST: Principles of Happy Moms Who Home Educate:

Quote:

* Home education is a portion of my full vocation as wife and mother. Keep it proportionate.

And, I love these:

Quote:

* There is no perfect curriculum (self-designed or prepackaged.) Perfect is the enemy of the good. Be content with good enough. (Good enough does not justify sloth which is not good enough. Know when to realize that any additional effort toward improvement would result in a negligible improvement, especially in comparison to the effort required to gain it.)

* Plan primarily based on the truth about Mom, playing to my strengths, secondarily on the needs of the family as a whole, thirdly on the individual needs of each child, playing to their strengths.

They are ALL worth reading, of course

....but just pulling these out as i thought they would help at this particular moment.

__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)

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