| Author | |
Kathryn
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 24 2009
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1520
|
| Posted: June 13 2012 at 5:28pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I have non-homeschool friends and family that I think are genuinely interested in this method of schooling I TRY to explain. And while I admit I am soooo far from a CM lifestyle, it is truly what I would love to embrace more and more so let's just say I talk about it...a LOT.  However, I find myself fumbling over my own words in explaining the beauty of it. When I mention that they CAN learn without workbooks or dozens of fill-in-the-blank pages or they don't need to write a book report and/or thesis paper to embrace a book and gain knowledge, I suddenly get that cock-of-the-head, deer-in-the-headlights, HUH look from them.
Soo...what do you say? And again, these are people (my mom, in-laws, a neighbor friend the other day) that really do support that I homeschool so I'm just curious how you explain your methods.
__________________
Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: June 13 2012 at 7:30pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't.
I'm often asked which curriculum I use, and I normally say something along the lines of, "We use a Charlotte Mason approach, and I design our curriculum and choose materials that work best with my child's learning style." Most of the time, that's enough info for the questioner, and I'm left alone.
If someone asks me what the Charlotte Mason approach is, I say something like, "Charlotte Mason advocated using living books across the curriculum, which really appeals to the avid reader in me. Narration and nature study are also important parts of this approach."
Usually, the big words and my confident attitude carry across my enthusiasm for the CM approach. I don't ever voluntarily try to explain HOW we do things each day. Most people don't really want to know, and I don't feel I have to defend myself. It works. My son's a junior in college and he's holding his own. My daughter, now 14, has discovered creative writing on her own and loves vocabulary study (she enjoys big words...can't think why...  ), so she gets plenty of writing time in each week, time she would not have at a traditional school.
I've also found that most people who ask me about our approach really worry more about math facts than any other aspect of homeschooling, and we can all say with confidence that yes, we use math books and teach math facts.
If your family and friends really want to know how it works, perhaps you should start with your favorite aspect (for me, that's living books, but it might be nature study for you...). By the time you finish explaining how you use it in your home, they'll have figured out that you do know what you're doing and that your children really are learning something.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Erica Sanchez
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 05 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1538
|
| Posted: June 15 2012 at 12:25am | IP Logged
|
|
|
This is such a good and timely topic for me. I love your answers, Nancy. Because we have some strong advocates for classical education in our local homeschooling group, I have found myself stumbling a bit when trying to explain a Charlotte Mason education. This is mostly because I really, really need to take the time and read her books and listen to the seminars linked here awhile back. Also, someone once said to me, while I was trying to explain it, that it was 'gentle'. I didn't have a comeback to that. A short time later in one of Jen's writings, she used the word 'rigorous' and I so wished I could have explained myself better.
I am feeling more confident in speaking of CM lately mostly because of all of the wonderful discussions here! And, I'm appreciating very much the discussions comparing a classical education to a Charlotte Mason education.
Oh, and Lissa lives less than a mile from me! :) You think I would have had this figured out by now because of that. She is really amazing when speaking of a Charlotte Mason education.
Anyway, just thought I'd chime in, Kathryn, because I can so relate to what you wrote. Echoing what Nancy said, if we tell people we do math, language arts, history, science, P.E., etc., and mention *what* we use for each or even just math , that seems to satisfy.
__________________
Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Explaining CM to others...
