When my children were younger, we would always run out of time to do hands-on projects. By the time we got out all the materials and cleared a space for the activity, we had about ten minutes to work on it before we had to begin cleaning up. How frustrating! It became easier and easier […]
As I type these words, I am having a problem. It’s not that I’m struggling with the content; I have a good handle on what we’re going to discuss in this post. It’s not an issue with the skills required; I know quite well how to type and how to work my computer. No, the […]
I enjoy watching The Great British Baking Show. The challenges, the creativity, and the camaraderie all combine to make it a pleasant diversion. But I have to be careful, because sometimes I get carried away with the success of some of the bakers. I look at their beautiful creations and, without batting an eye, start […]
No matter what curriculum you use, it is never going to fit every child perfectly. That’s when you have a choice to make: you can either choose to teach the curriculum or to teach the child. I often compare that decision to cooking. Let’s say you find a recipe for chili that 734 people love […]
We’ve all seen those looks: the glazed-over eyes, the dulled expressions, the partly-concealed yawns. Let’s face it, sometimes our children just “check out” during the school day. What is a homeschool parent to do? Charlotte Mason gave great advice for those situations. “When a child grows stupid over a lesson, it is time to put […]
Certainly one of the biggest challenges facing a homeschool mom or dad is trying to teach with little ones underfoot. You might have laid out the best plans in the world, but those plans might never become a reality if you fail to consider the preschoolers in your home. They can be quite distracting to […]
DIY—Do It Yourself. For some of you, those initials generate great excitement! Images of potential projects arise in your imagination and you can hardly wait to dive into a new one. Others of you get tired just looking at those initials. To you, DIY stands for a pile of decisions and precious time that you […]
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 […]
Many of you are in the midst of planning for your home schools, so I thought it might be helpful to share a quick explanation of how I plan my weekly schedule. I’ve been using this 1-2-3 method of planning a weekly schedule for about 15 years now, so you know two things: first, it’s […]
Thousands of you have enjoyed our free video resource, SCM Answers Your Questions. We’re glad those short, informal recordings have been encouraging. And we thought it might be helpful to add some more videos to the series, answering more of your questions. (more…)
When I was taking piano lessons, my teacher started with some basic, foundational points: keep your fingers curved; sit tall on the bench with both feet on the floor; listen to your playing. No matter what piece I was working on—from Row, Row, Row Your Boat to Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata—those principles remained constant. (more…)
As mothers we know that children grow best on generous portions. Meagre meals can stunt a child’s physical growth, but a generous diet of food gives that growing body lots of nutrients to draw from. It’s the same emotionally; child need a generous supply of pure love to grow secure and happy and loving, themselves. […]
Last time we started a light-hearted little comparison that describes similarities between Simply Charlotte Mason and a trip to a theme park (complete with a hopefully unnecessary disclaimer). We talked about how our SCM Curriculum Guide is like a map to the park: it gives you the big picture of which resources we feature, how […]
Are any of your friends heading to a theme park this summer? It seems like, at any given time, at least one of my friends will be planning a trip to one, or heading off on her trip, or posting pictures and memories of her trip. Combine that with the fact that we have a […]
There was once a man named Bill, who decided to go for a hike from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail. A distance of about 2,000 miles. Six months of hiking, sleeping on the ground, and cooking meals outside. So he went to a local outfitters and they laid out everything he would need, […]
I hope the two tips we’ve covered so far have encouraged you to prepare for a successful homeschool year: plan for variety and shop with purpose. Today I want to remind you of one more quick tip: flex with life. Flex with Life Get it in your head right from the start: life happens. You […]
Last week we looked at Tip #1 for a successful homeschool year: Plan for Variety. Today let’s continue with our quick reminders and Tip #2. Tip #2: Shop with Purpose Just as it is difficult to create a building project without the proper tools, it is well nigh impossible to have a successful homeschool year […]
Let’s keep this short, because it’s summer and you’re probably trying to juggle summer fun with fall planning. So here’s the scoop: over the next three weeks I want to pass along three quick tips that will help you have a successful year of homeschooling. That is, if you follow them. If you just read […]
As we travel to various homeschool conventions across the nation, there is much to observe, much to learn. This season I have been pondering two lessons that have been played out in the exhibit hall again and again. I’ll share one of those lessons this week and the other next week. First, the lesson of […]
It’s so much fun to see Charlotte Mason’s principles play out right in front of your eyes! Recently I was presenting the workshop “Charlotte Mason & Her Methods” at a homeschool convention. It was late at night after a full day of travel and convention busyness, and some of the parents in the room were […]
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