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Vanna
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Hi everyone. I'm new here and we are just beginning on our homeschooling journey. My son is 12 years old and will be starting to homeschool the beginning of next school year (what would be 7th grade for him). My husband and I are overwhelmed by the possibilities out there.
I believe that we have settled on Charlotte Mason style teaching (I think). I really liked the website Simply Charlotte Mason. I just don't really get the whole "make your own history book" thing. Does anyone do this? Could you elaborate for us?
Also, I would really like to bring our religion into our studies in a big way. I have to admit that I do not know enough about the Catholic faith. I attended RCIA about 4 years ago and have been doing my best to learn as I go. I really want to do better for my children. I just don't even know where to begin to look to find good Catholic books for my kids. How do I incorporate our religion into our lives more? I know this is a broad question but anything you could share about your daily lives and how you integrate your faith would be VERY appreciated.
Thank you.
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Maryan
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There is so much good stuff!! It's hard to narrow it down. For starters on incorporating the Faith, Vanna, I would check out this new sticky post that MaryM made. It has tons of resources!! I would click away at the ideas on those links for a starter! 
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
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MaryM
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Vanna, I am seeing this but only have a minute. When I get back I'd like to take some of your questions and post them in specific threads by topic so you'll get more specific answers. There are some great past threads on a book of centuries - the make your own history book type thing, that I can help you find.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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mom3aut1not
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Vanna,
You don't make a whole history text -- you make a Book of Centuries which is a timeline with pictures, short paragraphs, etc. I'll see if I can find some links for you.
As for religion --- besides a good religion program, you can add in good historical fiction (see Bethlehem Books), saints' biographies like the Vision Books from Ignatius Press, and books like Sword of Clontarf from Hillside Education. It is also important to consider what you use for history.
http://www.bethlehembooks.com/
http://www.hillsideeducation.com/
http://www.ignatius.com/index.aspx
Many people use a spine for a history text and add in historical fiction, biographies (saints and others), etc. Since you are relatively new to the Church, I would recommend using a Catholic text as a spine. It is sometimes hard to spot errors in non-Catholic texts. Another option is for you to read up on history yourself -- Warren Carroll's books for example.
I'm sure other people will have other suggestions as well.
In Christ,
Deborah
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mom2mpr
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I only have a second but wanted to let you know I have learned more on my homeschooling journey with my kids than through years of school(and CCD). I found we all learned a lot about our faith through the Faith and Life series of books--among other resources. Reading a chapter at the breakfast table once or twice a week has really taught us a lot about the faith. It is a wonderful journey you are starting. All the best to you and your family!
Anne
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SimplyMom
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Feeling overwhelmed is really common at first. There are just so many wonderful resources. My mother-in-law once made me laugh by questioning how we found enough for our children to do, in reality the biggest problem is picking from among all the options out there. 
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Darcee
SimplyMom from Simply Catholic
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12stars
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I am very interested in future posts I also have a 7th grader and I am also unsure of how to go about choosing what she needs. 
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Claudia in Southern California
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Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
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mom3aut1not
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Vanna,
Feeling overwhelmed is not only common, it's normal. If you were blase about it -- especially with an older student -- you would either be coming from a disastrous situation or not a good mom. It doesn't sound like either is the case.
Take a deep breath. Relax. You can do this.
First of all, look for local resources and other, preferably Catholic, hsers. Co-ops were not a good fit for our family, but other people *love* them. Other hsers are also a great resource. They can show you what they use and tell you why they do or do not like a particular item. You can also see how people manage their homeschooling and see what may work for you or what definitely won't. Homeschooling is definitely not a one-size-fits-all affair.
Remember that even long-time hsers are not authorities on you and your family. You are. Feel free to accept or reject advice. One of the biggest mistakes I made as a newbie was to follow advice from a veteran even when her earlier advice didn't work. She was so firm and confident that I thought she must be right. She wasn't -- or at least, not completely. I did not have the confidence to reject her ideas. Remember, God put you in charge, not the nice lady over yonder.
Next, think about what you want to accomplish. You have mentioned some things like incorporating the Faith more in your lives. What else do you want to accomplish -- both short-term and long-term? It is much easier to pick materials if you have a good idea of what you want to accomplish. It is also easier on the budget as you are less likely to overbuy. (Don't worry too much if you do get some stuff you don't use; I don' t know any perfect homeschoolers.)
Check out your local library. It can be your best friend. I am not a big fan of textbooks, generally speaking. I use lots of library books and dvds. You might be surprised by the books you can find.
You might also look for local hsing yahoo groups. BWHE is one such list for the MD/DC/VA area which has been a fabulous resource for field trips for my son.
Cut yourself a little slack -- you are entering new territory. It's scary because you care about your child. But -- you are not alone. You are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses as well as fellow homeschoolers. Be not afraid! (To use one of Pope John Paul II's admonitions.)
In Christ,
Deborah
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Donna
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| Posted: May 13 2008 at 4:51am | IP Logged
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Vanna wrote:
| I just don't really get the whole "make your own history book" thing. Does anyone do this? Could you elaborate for us? |
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This thread may help you out.
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Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
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Vanna
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| Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:22pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all so much!
I will look at the links and your suggestions. It is such a help to have your advice.
When we first started thinking about homeschooling (2 years ago), we thought we had decided on Seton. Then my husband decided he wanted something less structured for our son. He did like Seton materials. He just wanted to go in a different direction. Does anyone use the religion class books from Seton? Would it be something you would recommend?
I guess right now our goals are to raise kind, intelligent men of God. I want them to succeed in the traditional sense (good solid SAT scores when the time comes, etc.) as well as enjoy life and learning along the way. I want to keep my oldest son. I don't want to swim away from us into the junior high cess pool. I want our family to be the most important influence in his life, not his peer group at his school. I want my children, even though they are 10 years apart in age, to be best friends...which right now they are but I could see how that would change over the next few years if my oldest was in public school.
I'm really excited to be here with you. Thank you for letting me be a part of this group.
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mom3aut1not
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Vanna,
I like your long-term goals. Right now your *short-term* goals will help you determine curriculum. What do I mean? Let me give a couple of examples from my list for my son. Btw, he is autistic so his goals are somewhat atypical. I also have been making up these goals for a while so they are somewhat lengthy (which helps impress reviewers). You don't have to have a zillion goals, but I have found that the more specific my goals are, the easier it is for me to achieve them. I have also found it helpful not only in buying but in using curriculum -- I keep my eye on *my* goals, not on someone else's.
Language Arts
Goals
Learn to greet peer or adult consistently without prompting.
Learn to greet peer or adult without prompting and with eye contact.
Learn to ask the name of a peer without prompting.
Learn to ask the name of a peer without prompting and with eye contact.
Learn to follow two-step commands.
Learn to distinguish between “How are you?” and “How old are you?”
Learn to converse on topics of great interest to him.
Learn to converse on topics of some interest to him.
Learn to converse on topics of little interest to him.
Learn to make inferences about feelings in stories.
Learn to recognise his own emotions and the emotions of others.
Learn how to express his own feelings appropriately and how to avoid tantrum behaviors.
Continue learning phonics. In particular, learn the letter clusters such as th, oi, ch, and so on.
Learn about long vowels.
Listen to poetry.
Memorize three poems.
Learn to answer Who, What, Where questions.
Learn to ask Who, What, Where questions.
Learn to ask How and Why questions.
Learn to answer How and Why questions.
Learn to sort words into categories such as fruit and vegetables, the various seasons, and so on.
improve his ability to put pictures in a sequence.
Tell others the parts of a picture sequence in order.
Improve auditory processing.
Science
Goals
Observe the life cycle of a butterfly.
Learn that insects have three body parts, six legs, and a skeleton on the outside.
Learn that insects hatch from eggs.
Learn about metamorphosis.
Learn the four stages of metamorphosis and be able to identify each by pointing.
Learn that insects may fly, jump, crawl, or swim.
Learn about moths and how they differ from butterflies.
Learn about mammals. In particular that mammals have hair, have live births, and produce milk.
Learn that mammals may eat meat, plants, or both.
Learn that mammals may run, fly, swim, or jump.
Learn that mammals live in the water, in deserts, in forests, and elsewhere.
Learn how animals prepare for winter.
Observe birds and learn about them.
Learn that all birds have feathers and lay hard-shelled eggs.
Learn that birds usually fly, but may run or swim instead.
Learn that birds may eat insects, worms, seeds, etc.
Observe plants.
Learn that plans needs sunlight, water, and dirt to grow.
Observe the growth of seeds into plants.
Learn and identify the following parts of a plant: stem, leaf, root(s), and flower.
Investigate other topics as his interest dictates.
For resources I have more than fifty books listed for science and about ten resources for L Arts.
Ahhhh! you say. What should I do for a seventh grader?
What does he need? Grammar instruction? Composition work? Work on percents? A better foundation in science? Exposure to poetry and fine literature? What is he interested in? Knights? Rocks? Zoology? Math puzzles? If you can narrow your focus from language arts to, say, parts of speech, it is a lot easier to research (through these boards and IRL) what will fit your needs.
Some common materials that some people like
Faith and Life 7
Lingua Mater (covers poetry, composition, grammar, and more)
math of choice (I'm both fussy about math curriculum and very comfortable with math. I can't bring myself to recommend some popular programs that many other people love ....)
American History for Young Catholics 7 or 8 or whatever
or
History and Geography per Mater Amabilis
MacBeth's recommendations for science at her website
or Real Science 4 Kids level 2
or class at co-op
and so on
Btw, if your ds is in scouting, there is a lot of academic content in many of the merit badges. I have heard of people who structured their hsing around merit badges!! I myself am using Cub Scout activities as part of my curriculum.
One more piece of advice. Try to find something *you* like -- the best curriculum in the world is hard to use to good advantage if you dislike it.
In Christ,
Deborah
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TracyQ
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Hi Vanna!
I have a 7th grader who will be beginning 8th grade next year. Just take one step at a time, you're doing great!
One thing I've been really using for our Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling, and will continue to use through her high schooling too is Simply Charlotte Mason It's been a real blessing to me! There is a curriculum guide there, and some great, inexpensive helps there too to make our homeschooling easier.
It's never easy to make decisions for your child or your family, particularly because there is so much out there! But just keep praying and trusting God, and He'll sort it all out for you, and will lead you to what will work for your family!
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Vanna
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Wow! Thanks, Deborah. You've given me a lot to think about. I do need to set some short term goals.
Tracy- Simply Charlotte Mason is exactly what we are thinking of using! When my husband and I found that site, it was like, "Ahhhh! This is sooo nice." It is exactly what we were looking for, solid academics with the love of God and family. Perfect!
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TracyQ
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Vanna,
Yes, that's how I feel when I'm there too! And after praying, it's absolutely where I feel God led us for this coming year, and for our high school plan.
It's also flexible, so that for Bible Study, we'll replace that with our Catholic studies (study of our faith, using various resources), and I can substitute science or english resources, etc., and still have it fit the plan of implementing Charlotte Mason's philosophy. As a matter of fact, I FINALLY understood how to implement it when I went here. Before then, I just didn't get it. They really make it very simple, and flexible to use it for us. And I can use or not use their resources, which I've found to be great when we do use them! Glad to know someone who likes this program too!
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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SallyT
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You might have a look at Mater Amabilis. It's an online, Catholic, Charlotte Mason curriculum -- essentially reading lists for each subject for each "level." In a "real" Charlotte Mason education, you don't have grades as such, but levels which usually span two grades. A 7th grader would fall into Level 3.
I've used MA as a "spine" for several years, never as written and often mixing levels to suit particular children. Their book recommendations are generally excellent, and the fact that it's not a structured day-to-day curriculum means that it mixes well with other things you might like to use. I have loved their recommendations for religion -- Level 3 includes, among many other things, Amy Welborn's Prove It books, which are fun, readable, and fairly thorough apologetics for young teenagers. We were journeying into the Church with our children when we discovered MA, and I can honestly say that that whole program, and especially the Amy Welborn books, had a huge influence on my older children's embracing the Catholic faith.
MA is great for giving you an overall game plan -- if you've got a list of books you want to use, then you can schedule your reading and other lessons like math or languages into your week, and you're good to go. As you go you can work in a "Book of Centuries" -- my 10yo son came up with the idea of doing a timeline book of military history, focused on great battles, and it didn't even occur to me until later that, hey, he was making a Book of Centuries! You can also make room for co-ops, if you like doing that -- sometimes you can cover a subject like science by doing hands-on lessons with a couple of other families.
Simply Charlotte Mason is a great resource -- and you can plug MA books into their planner and have your lessons all scheduled for you.
Good luck and prayers for your upcoming year.
Sally
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Topic: Feeling very overwhelmed...
