So much to choose from???? :(

Well, I have learned this lesson the hard way (lots of $ out the window).  My best advice is AVOID TEMPTATION!  Don’t look for new things.  I know it sounds so simple.

Blessings,

Heather

Nina – Don’t stress.  CM is ENOUGH!  And if you get started and find that you are finishing school and your kids are still wanting more, you can always ADD and supplement as the year goes on, but my advice is to start with a bare bones schedule and then work up from there.  You don’t say how many children you have or what ages, so this may not be a good objection for you, but for me TOG was just overwhelming.  I have soon to be four kiddos and maybe more someday, so when I evaluate curriculum I always take into consideration the fact that we may have a very large family with lots of different age levels to account for.  I borrowed my friends TOG guide last summer while she wasn’t using it and I just felt completely overwhelmed, especially considering that it didn’t cover as many subjects all together as a family as SCM covers.  With SCM and a CM approach in general you can combine SO many subjects.  I LOVE the look of TOG and having that big fat binder which I would pull out and use every four years, but I love it in theory.  I don’t think that if I actually paid for it that I would use it, but then I wouldn’t want to sell it either in case I might get my act together and use it “someday”.  Now that is just my personality.  My friend that let me borrow her TOG has five kids and loves it and plans to continue using it, but I am quite content with my $20 guide from SCM that covers History, Geography AND Bible – with many books from the library and THEN what I’m planning on doing is supplementing with extra activities from the FREE TOG website – where you can look up ideas for all different subjects based on time period (I can’t believe they give that away for FREE!) 

http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/year1/  check out the supporting links in the right bottom corner.

I’m sure you can find the support you need for TOG if that’s the route you choose to go, but if you need affirmation to stick with your decision of SCM you’ve found the right place!

Rebekah

And to answer your question…yes…CM is WAY enough.  Don’t worry about writing and grammar in the beginning.  Begin with oral narration from much of what you read.  To me, this is the best part of a CM education.  As Doug said in a past post when I commented on how folks seem to think CM is a light education, “We read, we tell, we know.”  It’s so simple and deceptively effective.  When they’re comfortable with narrating, let them begin writing them down.  Read wonderful books with rich language and, at the right time for the child, work through a grammar program. 

Don’t be nervous.  Just enjoy learning with the great outdoors and wonderful books with your children.  Get SCM’s All-Day Seminar and the new Books and Things seminar to learn all you can about a CM education.  It really is very freeing once you let go of the “school box.”

And in case you’re wondering, and not to brag on my boy, but we followed CM throughout his education (he’s now almost 20 and in college.)  We did very little formal grammar and he wrote some…not enough.  He’s a math/science genius type pursuing a PhD in Astrophysics (he didn’t get it from me.)  In his college classes, his professors have been reading his papers in class and asking him who his writing teacher was.  He said, “My mom.”  One asked if I was a college professor in composition.  He said, “No.  She just read to me.”    It really will be OK.

CM is enough.

In his college classes, his professors have been reading his papers in class and asking him who his writing teacher was.  He said, “My mom.”  One asked if I was a college professor in composition.  He said, “No.  She just read to me.” 

Yes Robin, I like reading stories like that.  It is uplifting and encouraging.  Thanks.