Charlotte Mason-style Bible StudiesCharlotte Mason thought that the Bible lesson should be the most important lesson of the day. We think so too. But as my children grew older, I found it harder to apply Charlotte’s wonderful principles of direct contact with Scripture…Sonya ShaferBible, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method253 Comments
Free Homeschool Book: Getting Started, part 6We promised a little surprise this week and here it is: We are pleased to offer you this free book, Getting Started in Homeschooling. All the information from this Getting Started article series, plus more helpful material, is collected into…Sonya ShaferHomeschool Planning, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
Homeschooling One Step at a Time: Getting Started, part 5When I got married, I knew how to cook exactly two dishes: canned soup over rice and macaroni and cheese from a box. (And once I forgot to drain the macaroni.) Needless to say, those first few meals required a…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning1 Comment
Hands-On Methods the CM Way: Getting Started, part 4When I first heard about the Charlotte Mason Method, I envisioned my children and me sitting on the couch, reading wonderful books together and smiling. Well, we have done a lot of reading—and a lot of smiling—with the wonderful books.…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning
Basic Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Skills: Getting Started, part 3Don’t you love it when you can take just a couple of basic ideas, combine them with a couple of skills, and use them to accomplish a lot? Take sewing, for example. The basic ideas to keep in mind for…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning
Where Do You Get Your Homeschool Advice? Getting Started, part 2Our family has been cooking and serving some meals for large groups lately. That’s a new adventure for us—not the cooking part, the “for large groups” part. So we’ve been scouring the Internet for helpful tips, ideas, and recipes. Along…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning
Take Your Pick: Getting Started, part 1“So they just send you the books, and you do them at home?” I still remember the puzzled lady at the grocery store trying to wrap her mind around “homeschooling.” I’m afraid she would have been even more puzzled had…Sonya ShaferEducation Is, Homeschool Planning, Charlotte Mason Method2 Comments
How to Use the SCM History ModulesPlanning season is upon us, and many people are using our free SCM Curriculum Guide to help make those decisions easier. We’ve been getting some questions on how our History, Bible, and Geography modules work, so let’s take a moment…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, History7 Comments
Attention, Please – Way of the Will, part 5In this final installment of our Way of the Will series, let’s look at how the habit of attention affects your child’s success in strengthening his will to do what is right even when he doesn’t feel like it. The…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Parenting5 Comments
Change Your Thoughts – Way of the Will, part 4As we begin to wrap up this “Way of the Will” 5-part series, let’s look at what Charlotte called “the secret of a happy life.” If you had been a student in one of Charlotte Mason’s schools, you would have…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Parenting4 Comments
The Way of the Will Calendar JournalWe hope you’re enjoying the articles in the “Way of the Will” series. Charlotte had so many very practical insights and tips for parents! We’re happy to announce that our new calendar journal, The Way of the Will, is now…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
Floating Downstream – Way of the Will, part 3So far in this series on “The Way of the Will,” we have talked about a child who wants to have his own way and lets you know about it in no uncertain terms. But what about those children who…Sonya ShaferParenting, Charlotte Mason Method
Out of Control – Way of the Will, part 2Last week we discovered that, according to Charlotte Mason, what we often call a strong-willed child is really a child with a weak will. Today let’s talk a little about how to help our children develop strong wills that can…Sonya ShaferParenting, Charlotte Mason Method7 Comments
The Way of the Will, part 1We are beginning a new series today on “The Way of the Will.” Over the next few weeks we will take a look at some of Charlotte Mason’s thoughts on how our children’s wills shape their characters for life. If…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Parenting3 Comments
Free Books and Resources at SCMAt the Texas Book Fair last weekend, we were able to help many homeschoolers who were trying to stay within their budgets. And when we would tell them about all the free resources on our Web site, it was fun…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method1 Comment
New Books & Things Seminar on DVDAs we mentioned last week, we are very excited about a newly-completed project. Our Books & Things Seminar is now available on DVD! Charlotte noted how an education based on books and things can simplify our home schools. Using good…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Books & Resources
Habit-Training: Homeschooling through High School the CM Way, part 5We’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…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Habits, High School5 Comments
Individualizing Your High School: Homeschooling through High School the CM Way, part 4Joe 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…Sonya ShaferHigh School, Charlotte Mason Method3 Comments
New Middle Ages Handbook and Two Bible StudiesWe hope you’ve been enjoying the series on homeschooling through high school the CM way. We are interrupting this series because we know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of three new products, and we thought you…Sonya ShaferHistory, Books & Resources, Bible
Grades and Transcripts: Homeschooling through High School the CM Way, part 3When 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…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, High School3 Comments
Details by Subject: Homeschooling through High School the CM Way, part 2Last 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…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Books & Resources, High School
Basic Mainstays: Homeschooling through High School the CM Way, part 1High 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…Sonya ShaferHigh School, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method7 Comments
Homeschool Spelling the Charlotte Mason WayCharlotte Mason had a knack for keeping school interesting. Not only did she include a variety of subjects, but she taught those subjects with enjoyable (and effective) methods. Take the subject of spelling, for example. Most of us were taught…Sonya ShaferSpelling, Language Arts, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
Ideas, Encouragement, and HelpWe have enjoyed some wonderful discussions on the SCM Forum lately. Here are some highlights that are sure to furnish you with ideas, encourage you along your homeschooling path, or give you some helpful tips. They Are Asking for Grades—What…Sonya ShaferNarration, Music, Books & Resources, Parenting, Charlotte Mason Method
2nd Edition Genesis through Deuteronomy & Ancient Egypt Now Available!Don’t you just love it when you discover a way to make an old favorite even better? Like when my daughter comes up with a change to an old family recipe that makes us all ask for seconds or even…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
CM Myth #4: Charlotte Mason Was Out of Touch with RealityWe’re finishing up our series on CM Myths today. So far we have talked about these myths: CM Myth #1: Charlotte Mason was a homeschooling mom. CM Myth #2: Charlotte Mason never made a mistake selecting living books. CM Myth…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Education Is2 Comments
CM Myth #3: Charlotte Mason Did Not Use Any TextbooksAs we continue our fun series on CM Myths, I hope these posts are serving to encourage and, hopefully, educate you a little too. This week we will take a look at the idea that Charlotte Mason never used any…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Living Books5 Comments
CM Myth #2: Charlotte Mason Never Made a Mistake Selecting Living BooksWe’ve all been there. We hear about a great book, we do the research, we gather raving reviews from others, and we spend the money. Full of eager anticipation, we dig into the first chapter with our kids gathered around.…Sonya ShaferLiving Books, Charlotte Mason Method1 Comment
CM Myth #1: Charlotte Mason Was a Homeschooling MomWe’re starting a fun new series of posts this week: CM Myths. Over the next few weeks we will be investigating some of the statements we’ve heard people make about Charlotte Mason. We hope this series will help you learn…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Education Is3 Comments
New Free E-book on HabitsIt’s our pleasure to announce a new free e-book on habits, Smooth and Easy Days with Charlotte Mason. A new year lies before us. Perhaps you have some new goals and commitments with the turning of the calendar page. No…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Habits1 Comment
Renewing Old AcquaintancesWe’re in the process of cataloging our home library with some new software. It’s turning out to be a great time of renewing old acquaintances. Books that I knew I had read somewhere turn up in the back row of…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Books & Resources2 Comments
Combining Homeschool Grade Levels, Part 3Many 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…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning, High School
Combining Homeschool Grade Levels, Part 2You 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…Sonya ShaferHigh School, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning2 Comments
Combining Homeschool Grade Levels, Part 1Ever 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…Sonya ShaferHigh School, Charlotte Mason Method, Homeschool Planning9 Comments
We Give Thanks to God Always for You AllWhen we started Simply Charlotte Mason several years ago, we asked the Lord to make our efforts a blessing to the families He would bring our way. But we never realized how much the families He brought our way would…Sonya ShaferSeasonal Inspiration, Charlotte Mason Method
Tips for Teaching at Home with Preschoolers in the Mix–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 7We’re wrapping up this series on The Early Years with a few ideas specifically for you moms who have both preschoolers and school-age children. Getting your older children’s school work done with preschoolers in the mix can be challenging. So…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Preschool
Cultivating Your Preschooler’s Spiritual Life–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 6If you remember back to our first post in this Early Years series, we talked about a parent’s chief duties. Do you recall what those two duties are? 1. “To form in his child right habits of thinking and behaving,”…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Charlotte Mason Method
Books & Stories in the Early Years–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 5My children have always loved a good book. I remember when my first two were preschoolers, we had two reading times set aside each day. They would come running to the couch with their arms full of their book choices—often…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method1 Comment
New Early Years Homeschool BookA new arrival always brings excitement, and we’re excited about the new arrival at SCM—The Early Years: A Charlotte Mason Preschool Handbook! This book is filled with Charlotte Mason’s ideas for the preschool years, presented in bite-size chunks with modern-day…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method2 Comments
Outdoor Life for Preschoolers–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 4“In this time of extraordinary pressure, educational and social, perhaps a mother’s first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time, a full six years of passive receptive life, the waking part of it spent…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
Learning through the Five Senses–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 3In my daughter’s baby book are two great “early years” photos. One is a picture of her after she tried to eat a chocolate ice cream cone. The front of her shirt is covered, her hands are dripping,—and how she…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Preschool
Habit Training in the Early Years–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 2A few weeks ago I was in the mountains of Colorado and noticed an unusual lamppost. This lamppost was made from a tree. But that wasn’t the unusual part. The unusual part was the complete curly-que that the tree trunk…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Books & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method, Habits
A Parent’s Chief Duty–Early Years Homeschooling, Part 1Pam balanced nine-month-old Timmy on her hip as we chatted. Three-year-old Tommy peered at me from behind the stroller. This particular homeschool convention had offered many opportunities to encourage young parents. Looking at me earnestly, Pam voiced the same question…Sonya ShaferPreschool, Parenting, Charlotte Mason Method3 Comments
Looking Past Your Homeschool Fears“This homeschooling full-time looks so intimidating!” “I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep up with everything that is expected of me.” “What if one of my children has special needs, or what if I get sick, or what if…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Encouragement1 Comment
Twaddle (Part 2)Thanks to everyone who submitted their definitions of “twaddle” on last week’s post! If you haven’t read the definitions yet, we encourage you to do so soon. One of the reasons we wanted to discuss twaddle was to help us…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Living Books1 Comment
A Well-Kept SecretWe have a secret. Well, it’s not really meant to be a secret. It’s meant to be a big help to you. So we’re letting everybody know about the secret . . . that’s not supposed to be a secret.…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources1 Comment
SCM Summer UpdateWhat a great time we’ve had traveling to North Carolina, Iowa, and Ohio the past few weeks and meeting many of you at the homeschool book fairs and conventions! We’re looking forward to one more Expo the end of this…Sonya ShaferBooks & Resources, Charlotte Mason Method
Choosing a Homeschool Math CurriculumOne question Karen and I get asked quite often is, “What do you think about (insert name here) math curriculum?” It’s an interesting question for two reasons: first, Charlotte Mason didn’t specify exactly how she taught all the levels of…Sonya ShaferMath, Charlotte Mason Method7 Comments
Charlotte Mason Method vs. UnschoolingWe’re finishing up a series today on how the Charlotte Mason Method differs from other homeschool approaches you may have heard of. We’ve already discussed how Charlotte Mason is different from a traditional approach, unit studies, and the classical approach.…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Education Is2 Comments
Charlotte Mason Method vs. Classical ApproachSo far in our series, we’ve looked at the three key questions that will help us discern the differences between homeschooling methods, and we’ve talked about how the Charlotte Mason method is different from a traditional curriculum and from unit…Sonya ShaferCharlotte Mason Method, Education Is1 Comment
