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During my high school years, I spent summers working at a camp. One particular week, all the campers had various special needs, and my job was to help serve the meals to their tables. As I was going about my…
Last week we started a series on the art of reading aloud. Those of us who use the Charlotte Mason Method of homeschooling read aloud regularly. And Charlotte gave us some tips to help us read in a way that…
From the time my children were tiny, reading aloud has been a fixed pleasure in our lives. I remember sitting on the couch with a stack of books that my little ones had gleefully selected, hauled over, and handed to…
Earlier this week a dear friend showed me her 100-year-old house. We tread on the original wood floors, admired the multiple fireplaces, and talked about the people who had lived there before. The house has a rich history, and my…
As I sit at my desk, I can see so many pieces of furniture that my father has crafted from wood for our family: four beautiful bookcases that stretch to the ceiling and hold much of my precious library; a…
First, the calendar. Each year SCM publishes a specially-themed calendar in two versions: a school-year version (July through June) and a calendar-year version (January through December). We’re happy to announce that the 2014 Calendar Journal, A Growing Time, calendar-year version,…
A couple of weeks ago, for no compelling reason, I pulled off the shelf a historical fiction book that I first enjoyed about 25 years ago. I figured its 1400 pages would again give me many happy moments over the…
The art of narrating—telling back what you know in your own words—can be a challenge for most every student. But for those who struggle with auditory processing or speech issues, narration can be even more challenging—for both student and parent.…
Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be. Take writing this blog, for instance. I started the process several times this morning, deliberating, pondering, debating over how best to communicate what I’ve been thinking and feeling. I must…
Last weekend the neighbor’s daughter came over to our house to deliver a message. We could tell she was a bit uneasy at our front door. She kept glancing over to the large spider web featured between two pillars of…
For years we have tried to find a foreign language resource that we could recommend without hesitation. One that was truly Charlotte Mason in style. One that used the same methods Charlotte did. One that worked well in a family…
Maybe it’s never happened to you, but it has to me. I’ve cooked a particular dish for years and think I know the recipe inside and out. But then one day I come across the original recipe, and lo and…
A big part of homeschooling—and especially Charlotte Mason homeschooling—is cultivating our children’s characters through good habits. “The habits of the child produce the character of the man.” As you make plans for the upcoming school year, along with the academics,…
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.…
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…
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…
We’re pleased to announce that the newly revised Second Edition of Matthew through Acts & Ancient Rome is now available, along with another new geography notebook, Visits to Europe! The daily lesson plans in Matthew through Acts & Ancient Rome,…
This past week I had the privilege of talking with a mom in Germany. She has several children and a new baby due very soon, and she and her husband are hoping to move to Canada. You see, homeschooling is…
Did you know that Samson was born just 30 years after the Trojan War? Or that Malachi was prophesying in Israel at the same time Socrates was teaching in Greece? Those are just some of the fascinating mental connections that…
We are delighted to present a brand new Charlotte Mason homeschool conference coming this summer: Preschool through High School the Charlotte Mason Way! This two-day event, hosted by River City Homeschool Adventures, will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday…
We are happy to announce the arrival of two new resources: Genesis through Deuteronomy & Ancient Egypt, Third Edition, and Visits to Africa. Those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the release of our newly revised lesson plans for…
Sometimes the question is asked by a newbie who is just beginning to research the different approaches to homeschooling. Other times a fellow CMer asks the question because she likes to hear more about something she enjoys too. Then again,…
As we’ve been traveling this homeschool convention season, two repeated scenarios have come to the forefront of my mind because they have reinforced basic Charlotte Mason principles. In other words, I’ve made a couple of mental connections that I’d like…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Last week we started a new series, 5 Steps to Successful Narration. Do you remember the five steps? Don’t worry, we’ll review them often as we talk our way through them over the coming weeks. It’s tempting to think that…
My husband has been lifting weights for several months now in an effort to get into shape and improve his health. It’s been good. The program he is using challenges him to regularly increase the number of pounds he lifts,…
I’ve been thinking a lot about balance since I read the book In Search of Balance by Richard Swenson last fall. (His book Margin is an all-time favorite of mine, by the way.) As much as we hear about being…
It has been such a treat to be able to read history with my children over the past seventeen years of homeschooling. The Charlotte Mason method of using living books has made the various time periods come alive for me,…
New arrivals bring excitement! Just this morning the doorbell rang and I found two cardboard boxes with little printed smiles on my front porch. As I waved to the man driving the big brown truck, the questions rang out from…
Next week the children and I will recite together Luke 2:1–20. It’s always a blessing to hear that passage read aloud, but you cannot know the thrill of hearing it recited together as a family until you have experienced it…
Encouragement. We all need it. We all welcome it with open arms when it comes our way. Sometimes it comes as a heartfelt reassurance: Yes, you can do this! Sometimes it appears in the form of a practical tip: This…
Have you ever listened to a debate rage—both sides championing their points in ever-louder voices and ever-longer speeches—and you suddenly realized that they’re both wrong? It’s not a matter of which of the two sides is correct; it’s a matter…
If you’ve been in Charlotte Mason homeschooling very long, you know the emphasis Charlotte put on doing things only once. She explained that we cultivate the habit of attention by reading the passage only once before requiring a narration. We…
Somehow Thanksgiving snuck up on me this year. Usually I make it a point to get out Thanksgiving decorations on November 1, because I like to remind everyone that there is an important holiday before Christmas too. I pull out…
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