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NicKatMommy
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| Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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Hi, I have read various Charlotte Mason books, but confess to not having read her 6-volume series. I came upon something yesterday that seemed to suggest that Charlotte Mason did not believe one should read to a pre-schooler for endless amounts of time, but should read in short periods so that the child will retain more. My children love to be read to for hours on end (if I was so inclined!), one book after another. I thought this was a good thing. Can anyone enlighten me on this topic? Thanks so much!
-- NicKatMommy (Nelda)
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dawn2006
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 9:01am | IP Logged
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Personally, I would say read to your child for those hours on end. If for some reason it ever becomes difficult for your child to sit that long THEN consider the shorter bursts of time. You know...don't fix it until it breaks! LOL!
Maybe she's referring to 'heavier' material. But if she was talking about pre-schoolers than I can't imagine that being a consideration. Hope someone has specific advice for you concerning CM.
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Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 11:52am | IP Logged
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I need to refresh my memory on some of Miss Mason's writings and I haven't before this post...so take it with a grain of salt.
I know Miss Mason encouraged short lessons for purposes of retention and also so that a child was not frustrated. Her belief was that young children (of a preschool age) need plenty of time to explore the natural world around them. And, I do remember that she was a strong advocate in not offering formal lessons for a child under 6, believing very strongly that they learn more through their environment (the natural world, beautiful images), and inspiring thoughts from picture books.
So, let me ask a few questions first...
**Are you offering plenty of time for imaginative play, time outside exploring God's creation, time to sit and admire the treasures found in nature?
**Are you incorporating your children into the real living that goes on in your home? Are they baking with you? Sweeping with you?
**Are you offering something beautiful for the children to look at and something beautiful for children to hear?
**Are you reading from beautiful, living books? I like Ambleside Online's booklist. It's a good starting point anyway.
**Are you working on some habit formation with them? Attention (obviously, you've got this one covered if they want to sit and hear you read for hours on end  - good job mama!), Orderliness, Courtesy, Neatness, Manners, etc.
In short, is there some balance to reading for hours and hours on end? Children need time to exercise their imaginations and explore. These experiences are so valuable - Charlotte couldn't stress it enough and neither can I.
So, I guess I'm not saying that reading for long periods is bad - not at all! I think it's absolutely great and that you've obviously cultivated an extraordinary attention span in your children. This will serve them well. I think you know you children better than I do though - trust that! Try to answer those questions which are really only meant to help you reflect in order to see if there is that beautiful and rich balance going on in your home and then READ!!! Let them play...and then read some more!!!
Does this help at all? Now you have me wanting to go back and re-read CM! Thanks for providing some impetus! 
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Jen Mackintosh
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violingirl
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 2:07pm | IP Logged
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My 3 year old would sit in my lap and have me read to him for hours at a time too. my 18-month old is just now starting to be able to sit through 1 short board books before scrambling out of my lap.
I've just begun my Charlotte Mason reading, so I'm not an expert here. The only problem I see with spending hours and hours reading is not getting to other things- self care, cooking, outside time, etc. Jennifer's list is excellent!
We read for about an hour a day total, at 2 or 3 separate times, but only because my 18-month old doesn't allow for very much sitting time.  Like I said before my older one would read with me for ages if he had the opportunity, but he also would choose to read over playing outside, so I have to be the one to say "3 books are enough; we need to go outside/bake/help with cleaning/etc."
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NicKatMommy
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 2:59pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for that list, it was good to think through it and take inventory. We are hitting on all the areas you mention, sometimes some more than others, i.e., the windchill here yesterday was 0 so no time outside, although we did get a small plant kit to plant inside.
We do have a certain level of order to our day, but we are not super-structured as this is my first year getting my feet wet with homeschooling (pre-school), and I am somewhat all over the place, trying to figure out how to incorporate all the ideas I like ... I have and (sometimes) use the Little Saints curriculum, I have studied some Montessori an incorporate some of it (mostly in practical life ways), and I especially like the Charlotte Mason way and do have the Laying Down the Rails book but have not fully integrated it into our days, I also have the Catholic Mosaic as I am attempting to have our family follow the liturgical calendar. We attend a homeschool-pre-school co-op class twice a month and each of my two children attend a gym class once a week. My son also enjoys Starfall through which he is learning beginning phonics but at this point we do it mostly just for fun.
I have not stressed out too much this year about our lack of structure since my son is only three, and when I asked some homeschooling moms what they recommended for him this year, many said just to let him play and read to him a lot. He will be four next month, and so I figure that next school year should be a more structured and organized year of pre-school for us. All this to say that, we do not read all day, but given the chance, we do enjoy reading for long stretches at a time, including my almost two-year-old daughter.
From the sound of your message, I think we're ok, given that we do hit on all areas, but does our lack of a clear homeschooling vision and structure pose any problem at this point? Sorry for my long-windedness and thanks for all responses.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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NicKatMommy wrote:
| does our lack of a clear homeschooling vision and structure pose any problem at this point? |
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I just happened to be setting up my January nature shelf, Nelda and saw your response and wanted to instantly reassure you that it sounds like you're doing great!
Having a lack of a clear homeschooling vision and structure describes many of us here right now. I'm kidding a little.
The short answer is - you DO have a clear vision in homeschooling right now. I can read it in your post. You sense that your children need to be read to, you're offering opportunities for play, you're not pushing but rather observing them and answering their needs with delightful and beautiful things. I'd do exactly the same thing next year if it was me! It is the perfect vision for homeschooling a preschooler. It doesn't mean you can't learn and read up on different philosophies and ideas - I love that part of homeschooling! But, trust your heart and your knowledge of your kids and the vision you have right now. It will take you a long way through homeschooling if you relax into it.
From what you describe I think you're doing just fantastic and if there is real learning going on in all parts of the home, I wouldn't disrupt a read aloud! Just immerse yourself in this magical time. Snug your kids in close and let yourself be 4 again. It is sheer delight! Your other homeschooling friends were wise in their advice - just let them play, explore and read to them.
I think the plant idea is a lovely one, by the way! Nature study for us has to be done indoors a lot too - it's way too cold to be exploring when it's 5 degrees out (like yesterday!) But, we love bird watching from the windows and were so thrilled to see a Brown Thatcher enjoying the popcorn we left for the birds. He's come to visit all week now and we're thrilled...sorry...I digress.  Happy reading!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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NicKatMommy
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
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Thanks so much, I needed that reassurance!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Length of reading time for pre-schoolers
