I recently watched a rehearsal for a folk dancing group. There were only five ladies on the floor, but the dances were quite involved. Each lady held half of a hula hoop in an arch over her head as they all stepped in time to a lulling waltz, forming intricate designs that gently changed into […]
Of all of the questions we received on homeschooling through high school with the Charlotte Mason Method, the area that raised the most concerns, by far, was composition. I find that fact interesting . . . and a bit ironic. Think about it. Most of us were given the traditional and typical separate classes focused […]
(We asked Karen Andreola to share some of her thoughts and experiences with Charlotte Mason graduates and how they get on in college and in life. I feel certain you’ll enjoy what she has to say.) A couple summers ago my daughter and son-in-law were between churches. They moved an hour from where they used […]
Last week a friend recommended a book. After she told me about it, I looked it up online and read the summary and the publisher’s description. They looked good. From everything so far, it seemed to be a great book. But I wanted to do one more thing before buying in: read some reviews from […]
When my husband John has a big job to do around the house, he doesn’t just pull out a hammer and start banging away, expecting it to do everything. He has a whole five-gallon bucket full of carefully selected and arranged tools that he keeps near at hand (and more in his tool cart in […]
My mother makes the best potato salad. Every time we have a family cookout, she politely asks what she can bring, knowing full well what the answer will be. “You bring the potato salad, please, Mom.” But if you ask her for the recipe, she will hesitate. It’s not that she doesn’t want to share […]
As homeschoolers, educating a child through the high school years is going to look different from a typical high school classroom situation. Most high schools are concerned with one thing: getting the course work done. But a Charlotte Mason-style home school looks at the whole person and has a broader goal. We looked last time […]
Ask any parent of a high school student how much they spend on groceries and you will be reminded of a young adult’s healthy appetite. Teens require food and lots of it. Their bodies are growing at a phenomenal rate, and they need plenty of nutritious food to fuel that growth. High school students also […]
Once upon a time, a traveler was passing through a town. He was tired and thirsty, so he thought he would stop and rest a bit by the fountain in the town square. He was just enjoying the last drops of a drink of cool water, when he caught sight of three stone masons across […]
It’s exciting to talk to more and more homeschoolers who are educating their children through high school. Those high school years can be very rewarding and challenging at the same time, and Charlotte Mason’s methods give a great balance between discipline and enjoyment in high school. But those same parents with older students often confide […]
Last week we talked a little about how a Charlotte Mason education works well with boys, sharing points from Doug and Karen Smith, who have graduated three boys from their CM home school. We thought some of you might also be interested in hearing about “the next step” for one of their boys. CM parents […]
We’ve spent much of this series on high school talking about academics. And it’s easy to focus on the books, the grades, and the transcript, especially in the high school years. But our goal is not just to graduate our children. Our goal is to equip them to be godly young men and women who […]
Joe has always been gifted at playing the piano. He is currently practicing several hours a day in preparation for a national competition. Katie loves digital photography. Several of her photos have been featured in wildlife magazines, and she’s hoping to go on an expedition this fall. Gabe contracted a long-term illness a couple of […]
When facing the high school years, one foundational tenet, especially, of the Charlotte Mason Method seems to befuddle parents: no grades. How can our child graduate without a grade point average? we wonder. Don’t colleges look at grades when considering a student for acceptance? Can we issue a diploma without grades or a transcript? While […]
Last week we talked about the methods that remain consistent through high school when approached the Charlotte Mason way: a wide variety of subjects, living books, and narration. This week let’s take a closer look at specific subjects. It appears from our research that Charlotte outlined the following subjects for the high school years: math, […]
High School. Maybe it’s the name. Maybe it’s the emphasis our culture seems to place on its importance. Maybe it’s the expectations that we carry from our own past experiences. Whatever the cause, it seems like many factors can contribute to a sense of intimidation when we think of teaching “high school.” Then, along with […]
Many school subjects are easy to do all together as a family regardless of the ages of the children. Last week we talked about how to combine the grade levels for subjects that involve books. This week let’s look at subjects that are more hands-on. Picture Study When you do picture study the Charlotte Mason […]
You may be thinking, “Combining all my students for certain subjects sounds like a great idea, but what does it look like?” Glad you asked. Let’s talk first about Family subjects that are taught primarily with living books. In our house those subjects are history, geography, Bible, poetry, science (in the younger grades), and Shakespeare. […]
Ever since we began homeschooling, I’ve combined all the school-age children for as many subjects as possible. That decision has saved countless hours, both in planning and in teaching. I love to recommend that strategy everywhere we go. At some recent seminars, several moms have had questions about how to combine the grade levels. So […]
Last week we highlighted the four schooling methods that Charlotte Mason said to avoid. One of those methods is the practice of giving grades. We’ve received several inquiries from our readers with great questions about how avoiding grades would look practically. So let’s take a few minutes to discuss the how-to’s. (more…)
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