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dolorsofmary
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 7:46pm | IP Logged
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I've been deadset on doing Charlotte Mason (reading classics/great/and good books) to my son in the subjects of science, math, history, art, music, literature. And it has been a joy and fun. We go to the library like all the time since he was 3 months old! and I read and read to him. Now it is much more subject and book list driven though. I am reading the philosophy of montessori and dear son who is 4.5 yrs old just now getting interested in spelling words. I did do letter of the week with him around 2.5 yrs of age and so on but then I stopped when it got more intense and I didn't think he was ready for that much work yet.
SO what's the problem? Well I'm very very happy to say that I have from Our Father's House a mass kit complete with priest out fit and the Moira Farrell Home Catechesis for ages 3-5 curriculum. We've been going throuhg it and we all have been learning.
So you're saying what's the problem right?
OK I also bought Catholic Heritage Curriculum's Daily lesson Plans Preschool-Kindergarten Curriculum. It was only $25.00 or so and I thought it was a deal but I opened it to find that it was only the copied sheets with hole punches and I would have to buy the 3 ring note book to put it in! AND I had no idea that I have to also spring for A year with God $58.95 and A catholic HOw to Draw $16.95 and Devotional Stories for little folks $16.95 and (thankfully I already own this) Making Music Praying Twice (I bought it at a conference whole set for like $80.00)
Now CHC only covers religion. If I want to cover phonics, math, etc. that is extra.
Well I"ve wanted to read to him math literature and appreciate art and music and history through books that I read to him and embellished with food and music and youtube movies and google images, etc., and day trips.
But there is another curriculum out there called Little Saints that is just $49.95 and I assume that that is it I hope!? but it covers much more than just religion. I've read that little saints has a very heavy work load on the mother but I have just one kid and I am in my 40s so maybe I can handle it???
See I have 2 worries since my son is in tot soccer and pre-ballet/tap and then swimming in the summer I cannnot afford much more.
He will be 5 in August. Whatever I buy has to serve for next year (that is aug 2010 to july 2011 (when he is 5) too.
I feel uncertain now that I am doing things right now. I want read to him about the subjects via the library, do some montessori for reading writing life skills math some fun science experiments (all on the cheap too!!) and extra help with religion. I want him to embrace his faith. Of course I cannot force him but I want to present it beautifully.
LIttle Saints and CHC curriculum causes me concern that my son is not getting everything.
I guess my concern is 2 fold:
1) What do I do with the CHC things I can spend an additional $90.00 approx. to complete the religious curriculum or I can do little saints and skip the phonics etc. unless they demand more???
2) My son is expressing interest in spelling but toys are still king. We have upper and lower case letters on the fridge and he will spell things from time to time. But when I did a volcano project where he had to copy what I wrote and also match what I spelled he said he couldn't, so he's kinda whiny. Well I guess I'll learn as I go. Montessori is great. Its so weird. IT seems that everyone has worksheets except for montessori (kinestics manipulative) and Charlotte Mason (read books)
ANy advice or words of encouragement or direction please? I don't want to burn out either. Thanks!
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LeeAnn
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 8:15pm | IP Logged
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"Little Saints" is a traditional preschool program in one book. If you want to re-create the preschool experience at home, that is for you. Personally, I don't think it is worth the effort for less than three or four children. The games are not very fun with just one child either. I would skip this purchase.
I would also hold off on the expensive CHC materials (A Year with God & A Catholic How to Draw) until he is a bit older. If you are ready to start teaching reading, the only one that I think is really important is "Little Stories for Little Folks." ("Devotional Stories for Little Folks" is for their 1st grade/2nd grade program I believe.)
If you are doing Moira Farrell's Mass Kit lessons, that is probably enough religious instruction for this age, along with any good book of Bible stories or Catholic Treasure Box books.
The only other thing I would add would be a basic math workbook IF your child is ready to begin writing numbers and work sums. But you could also wait until later in the year for this if he isn't quite ready. Four and a half is still pretty young after all.
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my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 8:55pm | IP Logged
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My encouragement...trust your instincts and enjoy this time! You're going to do just fine, and your 4.5 yo is not going to miss out on anything critical.
You could have stopped right here...
dolorsofmary wrote:
| We go to the library like all the time since he was 3 months old! and I read and read to him. |
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...and I would have said, "great job, mom!" 
I wouldn't buy much else!! I WOULDN'T buy Little Saints - you've already got CHC's plans. You're going to be overwhelmed with stuff to do. I wouldn't make any other purchases from CHC until you have time to really sit down and look at them to see if they're a good fit for your family. You can use the search button and find all kinds of reviews here on many of the books/programs you mention. The opinions offered can be a help in deciding how to spend your money.
Get a notebook for your CHC plans and sit down with them and read through them and get to know them. There are some treasures in there (love the memory gems, and they offer a lovely list of picture books for reading). You might not use everything - you don't have to! Think simple. Keep reading about Montessori and move slowly a little at a time with ideas from there. Focus on ideas and philosophy rather than materials. Pick up Ruth Beechick's The 3 R's from the library, or grab an inexpensive copy for your home. This book is a classic and worth having on your shelf. It can direct your son's younger years with ease and thoroughness. The ideas presented are sound and simple and don't break the bank.
Give yourself time to relax into your own home educating shoes a bit. Your son is 4.5. He doesn't need a great deal of structure right now. What he needs most is lots of playtime, time outdoors, time spent exploring with you. Read to him each day and follow his cues. If he's eager to learn to read, start some simple phonics. Keep reading to him. Play some math games. Enjoy working with the programs you already own.
When I'm feeling overwhelmed with decisions like this it always helps me to get everything I already own out and look at it. I spread it all out on the table and start getting to know things if I'm still unsure how they'll work. Get out a big piece of paper and some post-it notes. Make a grid on there for subjects and activities you're going to cover - don't go overboard! There needs to be room to breathe and time to explore!! Margins!! Add a little post-it note for all the books you have that fit in your subjects. This might help you see where you're lacking something, where you've planned too much (  ), and keep you from over-purchasing in areas.
HTH! You're going to do great! Just keep reading together!
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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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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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dolorsofmary wrote:
2) My son is expressing interest in spelling but toys are still king. We have upper and lower case letters on the fridge and he will spell things from time to time. But when I did a volcano project where he had to copy what I wrote and also match what I spelled he said he couldn't, so he's kinda whiny. |
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I don't think he's whiny. He's probably just 4.5 and not ready for copywork yet.  Instead of writing out a word, why not grab an extra set of magnet letters for the fridge. You can spell out CAT or BAT and then give him the letters to spell out below you. This way you're working with his interests and helping him learn, rather than forcing him to write when he may not be ready (fine-motor-skill wise).
An alternative to magnetic letters that is very affordable and I have used quite a bit in my home are moveable alphabets. I have a wooden one, but Lori at Montessori for Everyone offers a great one that you print and cut apart that is super affordable (consider laminating this for durability). If you're interested, you can see how we use the moveable alphabet in this post. There's no need for either of these though! You've already got a set of magnetic letters. Grab one of your cookie sheets and he can build words on a cookie sheet with you anywhere in the house!
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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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montessori_lori
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 9:36pm | IP Logged
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I totally agree with Jennifer - don't buy anything else. Use what you have - you have plenty of stuff right in front of you.
I like the "rule of three" for my kids' extracurricular activities - each child does only three things at any one time. And I include Wednesday night Bible club as one of those things, so that leaves two other things (piano, ballet, gymnastics, tennis) for each child. It works really well - that way we have plenty of time for playing and learning at home, and keep within budget as well.
The most important thing is to relax and have fun! Homeschooling is fun!
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ekbell
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| Posted: Feb 08 2010 at 10:42pm | IP Logged
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I assume that you are looking at the preschool section of the plans.
I consider the meat of the preschool plans to be the suggested activities at the bottom of the record pages- many are cheap, fun and involve all the senses.
The monthly suggestions are just that-suggestions, most useful for families such as mine with a number of older children. It's nice to have something to give an older child to do with a younger sibling and most of the materials are ones used in later grades.
The kindergarten section has more formal academics, and I know a number of people who started the kindergarten section early and did it over two years. When I used the kindergarten lesson plans I substituted less expensive material for the printing and math practice but used the Religious materials and the Little stories.
On a broader note.
I've done a number of different things at this age, the amount of reading aloud has stayed fairly constant but otherwise
-with my oldest I bought a how-to-read program for pre and K, and little else (lots of time but little money and she was behind in hand-eye coordination)
- with my second daughter I did a letter of the week program using online resources when she was not yet five (mostly using material from
DLTK and http://www.first-school.ws/INDEX.HTM -we had lots of fun) but ended up doing nothing for the year she was five because we moved across the continent at the wrong time
-and with my third daughter I did nothing formal until she was almost five and then bought and for the most part followed the CHC kindergarten lessons.
My oldest daughter learned to read the fastest (she was most motivated and I had the most free time) but otherwise I can't say that there was any clear difference in how things have worked out for my daughters. [the daughters who read later have had noticably higher levels of interactive imaginative play as five year olds]
With my son I'm currently planning to do a letter of the week 'pre-school' program with more alphabet book read-alouds (merging ideas from the first section of the CHC kindergarten plans with a few fun crafts from the DLTK site and some book ideas inspired by the Alphabet path) next year as I think he would like to 'do school' but I'm not worrying about it. We'll continue the parts he likes and stop doing anything he doesn't like.
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: Feb 09 2010 at 8:03am | IP Logged
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I have been using CHC for a couple years now, I have used the pre-k through second grade plans.
A Year With God is just a resource book for the liturgical year. It's good, we use it a lot, but if you don't want to purchase it you could easily compile your own liturgical activities from www.catholicculture.org or other resources (like the Celebrating Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter in the Domestic Church series).
I have personally barely used A Catholic How to Draw- and I accidentally purchased TWO copies thinking it was more of a workbook than a resource book. It just goes along with the liturgical year activities. The drawings are very pretty, but I find it unrealistic to expect a young child to follow.
As for Devotional Stories for Little Folks, we have both of those, too. We like the stories, but they are just meant for character building stories in preschool anyway. You read one a month or so. If you have other character building books with good, Catholic morals you could easily subsititute them in.
ekbell was right, the meat of the preschool program are the activities at the bottom of the pages.
If your son is ready to learn to read, though, the Little Stories for Little Folks is excellent. I am currently using it for my just turned four year old who is desperate to read like his big brother, and he is not struggling with it at all.
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dolorsofmary
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| Posted: Feb 09 2010 at 8:21am | IP Logged
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Thank you all for your encouraging words and advice!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: concerned, need an encouraging word
