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Copyright Catherine Levison. Used with permission. All rights reserved. http://charlottemasoneducation.com
We all want to raise polite and loving children who aren’t causing our lives or home schools to be in a constant state of friction. Both adults and children tend to be creatures of habit and there is no end to the problems (or, better yet, lack of them) that arise from habit.
It’s a good thing that much of our daily activities are habitual, for example, people operate cars through the power of habit. What would it be like to have to think about the turn signal, foot brake, steering wheel and two mirrors every time we made a turn? What does this have to do with raising children and education? Everything. Much of what we do, and how we do it, is controlled by habit.
I observed the power of habit first hand when we moved the dining room clock in our house and replaced it with a picture. Because the clock had hung there for nine years everyone found themselves disoriented by the change. I don t know how many times I stood in front of the picture mystified, trying to figure out the time.
I also came face to face with the power of habit when we moved into a house that had a sink with reversed hot and cold water faucets. I thought I would grow accustomed to the reversal rather quickly — I was wrong. I would have been able to replace one habit with another if there had only been one sink in the house, however, it wasn t the only one and I admit I found myself in constant confusion when I was in front of this particular sink. I had to think instead of relying on habit.
Charlotte Mason was one educator who recognized and wrote about the power of habit and claimed that even virtues such as patience, meekness, courage, generosity and truthfulness are a matter of habit and can be trained as such. I agreed with her to a point but I did not really know this to be a fact until one time when I paid for my groceries with a hundred dollar bill. The clerk made change, then wrapped it up inside the receipt and inadvertently included my hundred dollars. No one saw this, in fact, I almost didn t look at the wad myself. At the last moment I did look in my hand and saw what had happened. My reaction came so fast even I was surprised. One of my habits is honesty and it was out of habit that I returned the money. Later, I thought about habitual morality and realized its significance.
If you find yourself always telling or asking your children the same things over and over again then this teaching on habit will benefit you. If I had the proverbial nickel for every time I told my kids to put the milk away, I’d be rich. Mason noted that when you find yourself always telling children to do the same thing, you have not trained them in the habits you wish they would perform.
The key is to identify one bad habit at a time in your child (or yourself) and then purposefully replace it with a good habit. We often make the mistake of tackling too many bad behaviors at one time. Success comes when we focus on one problem at a time. It s best to approach the child, clearly state what the bad habit is and then explain how it will affect their future.
For example, if your teenage child prefers to sleep in rather than getting up at a decent time explain to him how this can affect his employment, college grades and ability to catch the bus on time. The goal is to get him to see why he would want to make a change. Make that your first and final lecture. With a view that the child has to exert himself toward the new habit, do not interfere when it isn t necessary. Help as inconspicuously as possible.
Habits ordinarily take six to eight weeks to take shape and become permanent. Then they are habitual and will not need additional work. After the bad habit has been replaced by a good habit you can target a new habit.
For Charlotte Mason’s own words on the subject of habit formation, be sure to check out the new book, Habits: The Mother’s Secret to Success, edited by my dear friend, Deborah Taylor-Hough.
About the Author:
Catherine Levison is a long term home schooling parent with over a decade of experience. She is the mother of five children and resides in Seattle. A popular speaker to home schooling audiences throughout the USA and Canada, Levison is the author of the popular book, A Charlotte Mason Education: A How-To Manual, the sequel More Charlotte Mason Education and A Literary Education: An Annotated Book List (SourceBooks). Visit Catherine online at: http://charlottemasoneducation.com
Copyright Catherine Levison. Used with permission. All rights reserved. http://charlottemasoneducation.com
We all want to raise polite and loving children who aren’t causing our lives or home schools to be in a constant state of friction. Both adults and children tend to be creatures of habit and there is no end to the problems (or, better yet, lack of them) that arise from habit.
It’s a good thing that much of our daily activities are habitual, for example, people operate cars through the power of habit. What would it be like to have to think about the turn signal, foot brake, steering wheel and two mirrors every time we made a turn? What does this have to do with raising children and education? Everything. Much of what we do, and how we do it, is controlled by habit.
I observed the power of habit first hand when we moved the dining room clock in our house and replaced it with a picture. Because the clock had hung there for nine years everyone found themselves disoriented by the change. I don t know how many times I stood in front of the picture mystified, trying to figure out the time.
I also came face to face with the power of habit when we moved into a house that had a sink with reversed hot and cold water faucets. I thought I would grow accustomed to the reversal rather quickly — I was wrong. I would have been able to replace one habit with another if there had only been one sink in the house, however, it wasn t the only one and I admit I found myself in constant confusion when I was in front of this particular sink. I had to think instead of relying on habit.
Charlotte Mason was one educator who recognized and wrote about the power of habit and claimed that even virtues such as patience, meekness, courage, generosity and truthfulness are a matter of habit and can be trained as such. I agreed with her to a point but I did not really know this to be a fact until one time when I paid for my groceries with a hundred dollar bill. The clerk made change, then wrapped it up inside the receipt and inadvertently included my hundred dollars. No one saw this, in fact, I almost didn t look at the wad myself. At the last moment I did look in my hand and saw what had happened. My reaction came so fast even I was surprised. One of my habits is honesty and it was out of habit that I returned the money. Later, I thought about habitual morality and realized its significance.
If you find yourself always telling or asking your children the same things over and over again then this teaching on habit will benefit you. If I had the proverbial nickel for every time I told my kids to put the milk away, I’d be rich. Mason noted that when you find yourself always telling children to do the same thing, you have not trained them in the habits you wish they would perform.
The key is to identify one bad habit at a time in your child (or yourself) and then purposefully replace it with a good habit. We often make the mistake of tackling too many bad behaviors at one time. Success comes when we focus on one problem at a time. It s best to approach the child, clearly state what the bad habit is and then explain how it will affect their future.
For example, if your teenage child prefers to sleep in rather than getting up at a decent time explain to him how this can affect his employment, college grades and ability to catch the bus on time. The goal is to get him to see why he would want to make a change. Make that your first and final lecture. With a view that the child has to exert himself toward the new habit, do not interfere when it isn t necessary. Help as inconspicuously as possible.
Habits ordinarily take six to eight weeks to take shape and become permanent. Then they are habitual and will not need additional work. After the bad habit has been replaced by a good habit you can target a new habit.
About the Author:
Catherine Levison is a long term home schooling parent with over a decade of experience. She is the mother of five children and resides in Seattle. A popular speaker to home schooling audiences throughout the USA and Canada, Levison is the author of the popular book, A Charlotte Mason Education: A How-To Manual, the sequel More Charlotte Mason Education and A Literary Education: An Annotated Book List (SourceBooks). Visit Catherine online at: http://charlottemasoneducation.com
You can purchase Levison’s books online:
A Charlotte Mason Education
More Charlotte Mason Education
I stumbled upon the following article online just now. Thought some of you might find it a good idea, as well: Have Fun With Your Children – Take Them To The Art Gallery!
Excerpt:
“Talk about the art you’re looking at. You don’t have to be an expert. Tell your child what you like or don’t like about a couple of pieces. Perhaps mention the subject, colours, how the artist has created the work, even the framing is fair game. Show your children that sometimes you have to stand right back to see the pictures properly.
“At the end, comment on which you liked best and ask them for their favourites as well. Don’t forget to ask why they like what they do and always remember that their opinions are just as valid as yours.”
Keeping personal journals of daily events is one way to ensure your children have simple practice in handwriting, spelling and composition everyday. Setting aside a few minutes each evening after dinner to add a few paragraphs to your journals can be a fun family activity. The example set by parents who also keep a personal journal is invaluable.
By recording each entry’s date, time and outdoor temperature your children will quickly become adept at using a calendar, a clock and a thermometer. Notations about the weather can also include barometric readings. It’s often fun to try and predict local weather patterns, seeing if you can “out predict” your favorite television weather reporter.
Get creative … and have fun!
Catherine Levison, author and speaker, shares some of her favorite tips for coping with the daily challenges of home education.
One Possible Cure for “Super-Mom Syndrome”When motherhood or home schooling is getting you down, stop and simplify. So often when we have a problem, we try to attack it with a monumental overhaul of the entire situation. Charlotte Mason taught quite a bit on the formation of good habits, and her emphasis was on implementing only one new habit or idea at a time.
To apply this to our homes and schools, we shouldn’t write a big list of things we want changed all at once and then post it prominently on the living room wall. Success in changing habits depends on setting one small goal at a time and achieving it.
For further ideas on simplifying your life, subscribe to the free twice-a-month email newsletter, Simple Times. The purpose of Simple Times is to provide inspiration, encouragement, motivation and practical help for those who (for whatever reasons) are choosing to simplify their lives. Topics covered include saving money for regular family expenses (food, clothing, utilities, etc.); saving time and energy through easier housekeeping and cooking techniques; defining simplicity and it’s meaning in the lives of people pursuing a simpler lifestyle; and more.
To subscribe, send ANY message to: join-simple-times@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
Reading for Refreshment
Enjoy some quiet time reading books that restore you and at the same time inspire you with constructive ideas. One suggestion for this is, “Victorian Family Celebrations,” also known as “Mrs. Sharp’s Tradition” (currently out of print but can often be found through used book dealers). In the pages of this book, you’ll find encouragement, inspiration, and some concrete ideas on how to raise a family and enjoy spending time together. Because home school families spend a lot of time together, I think we can all benefit from fresh ideas.
There are many books that moms find refreshing. For many, it’s the Bible, poetry, fiction or even a magazine. We home schooling parents read so much research type of writing and have to spend time in the education catalogs that sometimes we have to make ourselves stop and read something for the simple pleasure of reading. I have found the answer for me is poetry. The reason it’s refreshing is you put in as much effort as you want. When all your reading has been for studying, it feels good to read words that simply have beauty and rhythm. You can work you brain if you want when reading poetry, or you can just relax and enjoy it.
Menu Planning
Menu planning can save valuable time. And what, my friend, is more valuable to the home schooling mother than time?
I sit down with my children when we are all very, very hungry and we brainstorm about breakfast, lunch and dinner. We make a huge list of meals we like — the more, the better. The list can be kept in a computer file, added to from time to time, and referred to whenever you’re sitting down to plan menus or needing a batch of fresh ideas.
Years ago, I made a master grocery list, and the funny thing is, people always wanted a copy. The best way to make one is to think of how your grocery store is laid out and group your regular purchases accordingly. Most trips I make to the store start with me hitting “print” for the list and using a yellow highlighter to mark what I need.
Many families benefit from freezer cooking and it has become very well known. For further information on cooking ahead for the freezer, I recommend reading the book Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month (Champion Press).
Also, be sure to visit the following web-page: Frozen Assets Home Page
Homeschooling with Preschoolers
1) Even preschoolers are subject to habits. They can be trained over time to play quietly while everyone else studies.
2) Try having a school box exactly like the other children with your preschooler’s name on it. Stock it with safety scissors, crayons, color books, lacing cards, quiet toys, etc.
3) Preschoolers often want to work in the same book as the older sister or brother. That problem is easily solved by giving young children used up workbooks. None of my little kids have cared that they were already written in, it’s the appearance of looking important enough to “do” school like the big kids that matters.
4) Waiting until your preshooler’s nap time is one solution that worked for me. We couldn’t get the whole school day accomplished in that short time but we could save the most important subjects for then.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Catherine Levison is the author of three Charlotte Mason-related homeschooling books: A Charlotte Mason Education: A How-to Manual, the sequel More Charlotte Mason Education, and her newest book A Literary Education: An Annotated Book List. Visit Catherine online at: http://charlottemasoneducation.com/
Field trips are the mainstay of education. I remember how excited my class would become before a field trip. The break in routine, the excitement of going to a new place and don’t forget, sitting next to that special boy. But the reality rarely lived up to my expectations. The bus was uncomfortable, the boy sat next to his friends and blew spit wads at me, or worse yet, sat next to some other girl, and I was hustled past what really interested me to listen to the sing song voice of a guide talk about something that bored me to distraction.
As a home school Mom, field trips are not boring, because if they are … we leave. My car is comfortable, I have air conditioning and a radio. There are no boys blowing spit wads. Okay, my nine-year-old son has been know to blow a spit wad or two. But most importantly there is no one to hustle us past what interests us. Not that all field trips go smoothly — we’ve had some that just fell apart — but with every bad experience we’ve learned something.
I questioned a group of homeschooling moms about their field trip experiences and from their wisdom and my own experience, I have gleaned a list of field trip dos and don’ts.
1) Don’t forget to check your gas gage!
I know this one sounds elementary but I had a friend that ran out of gas on her way to meet us for a wilderness hike. Luckily, she was still in town before she ran out and was able to get some in a fairly short amount of time.
2) Do remember to check the weather.
In Oregon we always check for rain, but remember to check how hot it is going to be, as well.
3) Don’t forget to take extra cash and put it someplace besides your purse.
The kids and I drove 40 miles to go to a special park only to find that I had left my wallet at home and didn’t even have the three dollars to pay for parking.
4) Do take snacks, kids are always hungry.
5) Don’t forget to consider a car safety kit (for organized people only).
Include in the kit: blanket, flashlight, map, cell phone, phone numbers of contact people, first aid kit and basic tools (my own personal kit includes: two Mcdonald’s toys, an old hairbrush, some candy wrappers, a flashlight with no batteries and chocolate … you never know).
6) Do ask for directions (self explanatory).
If you’re taking a group field trip it becomes much more complicated as they usually involve a guide of some sort. Group field trips are usually more formal so it might be wise to speak to your children ahead of time about what kind of behavior is expected.
Here are some guidelines that will help to make the field trip educational and enjoyable for all participants.
Call the destination ahead of time to get the following information:
* Arrange dates and times
* Prices by age
* Stroller and wheelchair access
* Picnic, drinking fountain and eating facilities
* Bathroom facilities (of major importance)
* Self-guided tour or guided tour
* Length of tour
Here are some guidelines for during the field trip:
* Organizers arrive first and introduce yourself to the person in charge
* Get the guides’ name for introductions and such
* Ask about restrooms (I thought I would mention this twice … like I said, very important!)
* Pay for tour, if necessary
* Review things to expect such as when the tour leader will answer questions and the “things to look for” list.
* Organizer and helpers stay with the guide to help and give directions
* Have someone at the rear of the group to deal with the stragglers
* Thank the guide
After the field trip, it is recommended — by those aforementioned organized people — to send a thank you note to the guide or the organization. This would be very nice for those that take the time out of their day to give a tour. Usually by the time I think of it six months have gone by and they wouldn’t remember who I was anyway.
Many people suggest studying the destination or a related topic before hand to enhance the field trip experience. I prefer to call it exploration. We have done this for several of our trips and it is often a lot of fun. Don’t feel that it is strictly necessary though, many memorable field trips can be spur of the moment, with no academic preparation what-so-ever.
The preceding guidelines are just that, guidelines. They are meant to make your field trip more enjoyable and hassle free. But take heart, even the most disastrous field trip you take with your children has to be better then the hard seats of that big yellow school bus.
About the Author:
–Teri Brown has been a columnist for the Link Homeschooling newspaper (aka “The Field Trip Lady”) and writes for other home education magazines. She’s also the author of Christian Unschooling and Daytripping: Your Guide to Educational Family Adventures.
Readers of the Charlotte Mason Monthly email newsletter frequently send in suggestions and tips for the benefit of other readers. Here are some of their fun, helpful and creative tips.
Homemade Math Counters
“For math counters, we use homemade beansticks — wooden craft sticks with 10 beans glued on them. The sticks are 10’s and the individual beans are ones. They’re nice for place value and regrouping, borrowing, carrying type problems or explanations. I like to use black beans because they show up so nicely against the light colored popsicle sticks, but any dry beans will work. So, for example, 54 is 5 beansticks and 4 beans, also 50 plus 4 is 5 beansticks and 4 beans. etc. For 7 plus 9 when you get to 10 you replace 10 beans with one beanstick so you see the answer is 16 (one beanstick and 6 beans). Works for subtraction too. For larger numbers, you can put beans in big cups like a foam coffee cup (for 100’s), little cups like a tiny dixie cup with 10 each in them (for 10’s), and individual beans (for ones).”
–Katherine C.
“Mashed” Flowers: Nature Journal Idea
I adore the idea of a nature journal, especially this time of year with all the beautiful colors about (we are in the midwest.) I thought my daughters would also love the idea, they needed some inspiration…. so, I got out some plastic wrap and a rubber mallot and some paper and we chose some flowers from our yard (we have been into several neighbors yards now too!) and we hammered some flowers on the paper using the plastic wrap as a buffer to protect the hammer. Some of our flowers turned out beautifully, some were a mess and some became other things besides flowers…. all in all we had a great time and a good beginning for our nature journals. It was amazing to see what color the flower started out and what color it was after it was mashed. We mashed many things (we often travel with our rubber mallot now!). Our next project was to pick as many different leaves from the neighborhood and mimic the colors with acrylic paint, we then “stamped” them in our notebooks…. we are all having a grand time and looking forward to many other nature journal projects.
–Teri L.
Rainy Day Activity: A Use for Old Appliances
Here’s a rainy day activity that my seven year old son loves. I buy old appliances from the thrift store for $1 (like an old mixer, toaster, etc.) and then clip the cords off with a pair of wire cutters. I give my son a box full of tools and let him go for it. Last disassembling was a pair of hair clippers I had that no longer worked. When he had gotten them apart (I removed the blade before any of this!), I told him to put it back together again — and he did! He loves doing this and it’s easy on me — both cashwise and timewise.
–Leanne Ely, menumailer.net
Short Lessons
This is one of the last Charlotte Mason ideas that I stubbornly left to “try later … some day …” and we started the new school year with it. It’s been great. I choose out of their math lessons what is really important to learn, then if there’s enough time, we review other concepts. Otherwise, it’s onto Latin/Greek for 10 minutes, then French for 15 to 20 minutes. Science has been our longer lesson (30 mins.) as we’ve been doing fun experiments about the human body, but with lots of dictation for the learning side of it. I’m a physical therapist and really want the children to learn the why’s of good posture, fitness, etc. so that it’s REAL to them. We’re using “Blood and Guts” as a base book and it’s a hoot! Reciting poetry is another favorite here (esp. A.A. Milne’s fun lyrical rhymes … and Shakespeare). Could go on forever as home learning as a family is soooooooo special, but it’s bedtime.
–Joanne G.
Give Choices Whenever Possible
One year, I home schooled a foster son. I will call him John for this message. John mastered the art of manipulation, and avoidance of responsibility and SCHOOL WORK. Depending on the time of the year and John’s unpredictable whims, Math was either his favorite or least favorite subject and correspondingly, best or worst. I had three or four strands of Math planned for John so I could give him a choice of which Math to do. Also, I wrote a list of all the items he needed to do that morning on the white board. He would choose what he wanted to do and erase as we went along. At one point we even had to limit Math to a “Vita-Math.” I took a problem out of the book that had grown unbearable for John and wrote it on a card. I put all of these “Vita-Maths” in a container. I only required him to take one “Vita-Math” a day, but it was so fun he did several. Soon he was able to swallow a longer assignment. These simple techniques greatly reduced his reluctance and avoidance.
–Maggie Dail
Educational Consultant, Tacoma WA
mailto:melclady@aol.com
Nature Notebook Tip
We bought lined journals that are about 7×9″ and they are hard cover (cardboard, but feel very permanent and “bookish”). This way, we can write on the nice ruled lines (to keep things neat) and then we do our art work, drawings, watercolors separately and glue them in (gluestick). This way there are no spills or “uh oh’s” IN the book. We have also glued in color book pages which were neatly colored and even photos of our robins nesting and Monarch butterflies hatched out. I also like watercolor and you just can’t use anything but watercolor paper for that. Check out my nature web-pages if you wish. http://members.truepath.com/Jody/nature.htm
–Jody C.
Notebook-keeping Idea
We have tried various methods of notebook-keeping, from using a sketchbook for nature walks; using a sketchbook for daily artwork/sentence writing; and writing on notebook paper and inserting the paper into a stiff 3-ring binder. I found that by making a cover on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, then copying the pages for the book we want to keep (field trips, books we have read), that we can get this spiral bound with a clear cover for about $3.50 at our local Kinko’s. It’s easier for the children to carry with them and they’re more likely to fill out a notebook that asks them questions about what they have seen or read.”
–Lynn S.
Shakespeare
I have never studied Shakespeare. I was feeling intimidated about attempting to introduce my children to his writings and plays, but now I do not feel as overwhelmed with the thought. My children are young (not in their teens yet), but we will read and study A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the manner you suggested in an earlier issue of your newsletter. One of the local theater companies in our area will be producing the play later this summer. We will be able to complete our study by attending an actual stage production. Thank you for the inspiration. I am looking forward to this new adventure in our family’s educational journey.
–Mary Ellen D.
High School and More
Thanks for recommending More Charlotte Mason Education. For some bizarre and unknown reason, I was under the mistaken impression CM was just for little kids. Finding an entire chapter about older students and CM for high school is just so exciting! Also, the Question and Answer section of the book was really helpful. I also appreciated the description of how to do a Century Book and the section on Coping Stategies. It’s so nice to read about a home schooling author who admits that sometimes it’s just plain difficult to get everything done, especially when you’ve got little tiny ones running around the house during the older kids’ school time. Such a refreshing, realistic approach to home and school. Thanks! 
–Beth H., Sacramento CA
Nature Study
I recently discovered your web site and have found them most interesting and very well done! I just finished reading your Nature Study page, and find that we enjoy similar things. Although I am smack dab in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains and we don’t get to Puget Sound very often (well, actually, never been there), we do similar activities by participating with W.V. Annual Bird Count and going to the Kanawha State Forest spring wildflower and fall nature walks. We camp at state parks, and enjoy many of the programs provided by our Division of Natural Resources.
–Teresa
Service Project Ideas
We started a monthly community service project in our area and we volunteer our time to a new place each month. Our favorite place is the Pot Bellied Pig Sanctuary. They have 450 pigs!! In November, we served Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless at the local Soup Kitchen. We also help a local llama owner to train his llama’s and we will be showing them in the State Fair this February. We are very busy but loving every minute of it.
–Melonie in Florida
Postcards
We are fond of postcards and use this approach to collecting them. When we go on vacation, we purchase several cards and the kids (as young as three-years-old) each write four words to describe our visit. Then we mail them to ourselves at home. They love receiving their mail and remembering the highlights of our trips. I have them in a photo album with see through sleeves so both sides can be looked at. They are family treasures for sure!
–Sue in NJ
Due to frequent requests from my regular web-page visitors, I’m going to write out a description of my daily home school schedule as best I can.
I have our weekly schedule printed out as a chart for each child which I hang on the refrigerator at the beginning of each week. We mark off the subjects as we finish them and add notations of any specifics we need to remember (page numbers read, art viewed, etc.) on little lines next to the space on the chart. I wish I could visually show you the charts — it’s a bit difficult to explain. Maybe I’ll try scanning and uploading a copy so you can see what it looks like.
When reading through this day-by-day schedule, some people might think this is a lot to accomplish in any given day, but we’re using Charlotte Mason’s idea about short lessons (only fifteen to twenty minutes for each topic) so our academic part of the day comes out to around 3 1/2 hours per day.
I’ve found my children enjoy having a set task to accomplish in a set period of time. Since I’m not a particularly rigid person (I tend to “go with the flow” of life), I first thought this type of schedule would crimp my “style” — but I’ve actually found it to be incredibly freeing. What a surprise!
With many school subjects, I find I can teach both of my older children at the same time by reading aloud to them together. My son isn’t reading fluently enough to gather much information from reading independently (he’s still working on fluency and isn’t to the reading for knowledge stage).
My 12-year-old daughter does a great deal of independent work, so she does additional reading on the various topics we’ve covered together. Her independent reading time is followed by oral narrations for each subject (and occassionally written narrations).
THE GENERAL SCHEDULE
I was inspired to put together my own daily schedule after reading the books, A Charlotte Mason Education and More Charlotte Mason Education. The author, Catherine Levison, printed out samples of her own weekly schedules and also included actual schedules used in the Charlotte Mason schools in the early 1900’s (the schedules appeared in a December 1908 article in the Parent’s Review).
While my schedule was inspired by Levison and Charlotte Mason, it by no means is representative of their actual schedules. This is simply how we’ve adapted the idea to our own family situation.
–MONDAY–
Bible
Memory Verse
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Math
Literature
Science
Poetry
P.E.
Geography
Recorder
Crafts
Drawing
–TUESDAY–
Bible
Memory Verse
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Math
Literature
Science
Poetry
P.E.
History
Music Appreciation
Art Appreciation
Home Economics
Occupational Education
–WEDNESDAY–
Bible
Memory Verse
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Math
Literature
Science
Poetry
P.E.
Geography
Recorder
Crafts
Drawing
–THURSDAY–
Bible
Memory Verse
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Math
Literature
Science
Poetry
P.E.
History
Music Appreciation
Art Appreciation
Home Economics
Occupational Education
–FRIDAY–
This is our less academic day:
Moms Group/Homeschool Group at church
Volunteer opportunities
Field trips
Social activities
And time to fill in any subjects that were skipped for whatever reason during the rest of the week
And then every night at bedtime, I read to my children from their “just for fun” books — no official narration with these books except for a question when we first sit down such as, “So, what was happening in Old Yeller last night?”
I hope this brief overview of how we schedule our home schooling day proves helpful to someone. Happy home schooling!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Deborah Taylor-Hough (free-lance writer, wife and homeschooling mother of three) is the editor of the free email newsletter, The Charlotte Mason Monthly ( subscribe-cm-monthly@hub.thedollarstretcher.com ). She’s also the author of the bestselling books, Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month and A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity. Visit Debi online at: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com
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