Simply Charlotte Mason — Charlotte Mason method homeschool helps.

This spring I am learning to treasure a certain Charlotte Mason phrase more deeply than ever. Charlotte talked about recognizing “the familiar face of a friend.” As we travel to various homeschool conventions across the country, it is a joy to meet new people; but there is something about recognizing the familiar face of a friend that warms the heart and refreshes the spirit like nothing else can. And the best part is that the new friends we meet this year will be familiar faces next year!

Charlotte well knew the advantages of forming those relations, of making friends that can be recognized across the room. In fact, she used that terminology to describe true learning. When describing how young readers should learn new words, she explained that they should recognize that new word anywhere, as the familiar face of a friend peeking out of a crowd. [Continue reading The Familiar Face of a Friend …]

Several months ago, a friend posted a description of how she was using pictures of ancient artifacts with a group of children who were studying the book of Daniel. As I followed the links to those pictures, I became aware of an awakening new connection within myself to Daniel and the setting in which he lived. It was amazing how much the focused artifact study added to my personal relation with the people of that time period!

What a great idea!, I thought. The stuff that the ancient civilizations left behind tells a deep story. Those ancient artifacts and architecture add a rich layer of understanding about what life was like during the eras of history. [Continue reading The Stuff They Left Behind …]

Yesterday we spent a delightful hour meandering around a pretty botanical garden near our home. Clouds of white azaleas lined the walkways, rosebuds of every color peeked around pillars, and fuzzy gray goslings trailed after their parents in the pond.

It was refreshing to see the results of a winter’s growth in some places; but other plants were still awaiting the right time to blossom. What a picture of a growing time! [Continue reading New Calendar Journal: A Growing Time …]

A few weeks ago as we backed the truck out of the driveway, I was delighted to see the first blossom on the Carolina Jessamine vine that grows around our mailbox on the curb. I had noticed several buds a couple of days before that, but somehow that first blossom is always a special treat.

A few hours later, as I was helping our youngest child get ready for bed, I walked into her bedroom and witnessed another “growth surprise”: she has definitely outgrown her pajamas! When did that happen? [Continue reading While You’re Waiting …]

Spring. A time of growth. The budding leaves and blooming phlox around my house are beautiful reminders of the truth that children learn in order to grow.

Charlotte Mason believed that. Children learn in order to grow, not just to know. Growth is the goal of true education—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially. We’ve talked a bit before about our role in helping our children grow: provide an atmosphere that welcomes growth, pull the weeds of bad habits, and feed the plant with nourishing ideas. Today, with the reminders that come with spring, let’s look at another aspect of growing. [Continue reading A Displaced Plant …]

We’ve been talking about instilling good habits. Charlotte Mason likened that process to laying down railroad tracks upon which our children’s lives can run smoothly, without a lot of unnecessary bumping and jolting.

Many people have told us that these habit-training concepts along with the practical tips found in the award-winning book, Laying Down the Rails, have changed their families and homes! What a blessing!

I love to present the workshop based on those concepts at homeschool conventions across the country! And it seems like whenever I talk about laying down the rails of good habits, I usually get two questions: [Continue reading Laying Down the Rails for Children …]

Last week we discussed how important repetition is in forming a new habit. Just as hours of practicing a pirouette makes it easier to perform one, so lots of practice at a new skill—like getting out of bed at a certain time in the morning—makes it easier to do it. Practice makes permanent. Repetition makes habitual.

But there is another key to forming a new habit, and this key is just as important, if not more so: we must have sufficient reason for wanting to form the new habit. Something or someone has to motivate me, to cause me to want to start getting out of bed at that time! [Continue reading The Second Key to Good Habits: Motivation …]

A couple of evenings ago, my daughter and I enjoyed watching two ballet dancers, a husband and wife, perform to one of my favorite Beethoven pieces. Their movements were absolutely beautiful! We knew they were stretching and stressing their muscles to the fullest, and yet they made everything look so graceful and even easy.

Afterward, during an interview, we learned that they practice seven or eight hours per day. In a way it’s not surprising. We all expect that repetition of physical movements will make those actions easier to perform. If we didn’t believe that fact, there would be no soccer moms. [Continue reading The First Key to Good Habits: Repetition …]

Ever since we started publishing the Picture Study Portfolios, we’ve had requests for one on Claude Monet and one on Vincent van Gogh. People wanted those two artists not only because the beautiful quality of our art prints would do their works justice, but also because people knew that our artist biographies would be appropriate for the whole family.

We are happy to announce that the Impressionists have arrived! [Continue reading Monet, Van Gogh, and Titian Are Here! …]

It is always interesting to hear the reasons different parents give for deciding to homeschool their children. We’ve heard many explanations and reasons over the years. But one thing we have never heard a parent say: “I’m homeschooling because I want to ruin my child.”

Is that your goal as a parent? Of course not! Most of us have a desire to see our children surpass ourselves, to have a better education and a better foundation upon which to build their lives. That’s what keeps us going through long division and daily peacemaking! We want to give our children something more. [Continue reading Keeping Your Balance: Masterly Inactivity …]

We are gearing up for traveling to homeschool conventions over the next several weeks. And as I check each convention’s website for a schedule, I am reminded how much that goes on at a convention is not on the schedule. So much of the benefit of attending a convention is hidden between the lines of the schedule.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The schedule gives the times and topics of the main sessions and the workshops; those are a huge and important part of each convention! I love to present workshops and watch the mental lightbulbs go on as homeschool parents grab hold of a new idea or find reassurance for their personal situations. The scheduled sessions and events encourage and equip in a way that not much else can! [Continue reading Between the Lines at a Convention …]

Our friends just made a 12-hour drive across four states with their four children. They listened to audiobooks on the trip.

Another friend spends hours in her van each day, dropping off and picking up her oldest daughter in their faithful pursuit to develop her talents. They listen to a lot of audiobooks along the way.

Another friend has a child who struggles with reading. She regularly looks for books that are available in printed and audio, so he can listen and follow along at the same time. [Continue reading 3 New Audiobooks from SCM …]

The time has come for your child to perform the Act of Knowing. We’ve discussed the first three steps to a successful narration lesson: pick a good living book, look ahead and behind, and read the passage. Those steps are foundational. Your narration lesson will be less than successful if you skimp on any of them.

But now it is time for the heart of the learning process: your child should retell the passage in his or her own words. Charlotte called this process the Act of Knowing, because you don’t really know something until you actively ponder it and form mental connections with it and make it your own possession. In addition, telling someone what you now know cements it in your mind. [Continue reading To Narrate and Discuss …]

We’ve been talking about the 5 steps to a successful narration lesson, and today we want to continue that series. So far we’ve discussed the importance of selecting a good living book. Book selection can make or break your child’s success at narration. We’ve also emphasized looking ahead and behind before you begin reading in order to help your child find his bearings and prepare his mind to absorb what you are about to share.

Unfortunately, in many parents’ minds a narration lesson has only two steps: read and narrate. The end. But to have a successful narration lesson—one in which your child’s mind embraces and enjoys living ideas on which to grow—you need all five steps: [Continue reading Time to Read …]

Okay, folks. This is a first. Simply Charlotte Mason is having a huge one-time-only sale on all of our electronic download resources now through February 14, 2013, Valentine’s Day!

As you know, we try to keep our prices reasonable year-round, so we don’t have special sales except when a new resource is announced. Well, we have some really exciting new projects in the works that we would love to have available for you at this spring’s homeschool conventions. But in order to make that happen so soon (Can you believe the first convention is next month!), we need a little boost to pay for them right now.

So we figured, with the challenge of increased taxes and the struggling economy, a huge sale would be a great way to benefit you now and jump-start some great new resources that will also help you in the future!

Here’s the deal. We have three bundles available. The bigger the bundle, the more you save! [Continue reading Save Up to 60% on SCM Titles (sale ended) …]

Probably the best way to illustrate Step 2 is to talk about the importance of framework. I saw an interesting video clip in which some instructions were read that were difficult to remember or to relate with. But once the person gave the viewer one little phrase . . .

Whoa. Stop right there. Take a moment to analyze what your mind is doing. How are you feeling about this post?

Chances are you’re either puzzled and floundering a bit or disengaged and skimming at this point. Why? Because I didn’t help you find your bearings at the beginning. [Continue reading Find Your Bearings …]