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Advice about making the switch…I'm scared!
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Hi Everyone!
I’ve been homeschooling for a few years now. I now have a 4th grader, 1st grader, and 4 year old. I have been struggling trying to get away from my “checking everything off the list” or doing “school in a box” syndrome! I’m terrified that I’m not doing enough, and not qaulified enough to teach my children. Because of my fears, I tend to want something that appears to be “acceptable” among our extended family members. (Most of our family wonders why in the world we choose to homeschool, and we have several public school educators in the family that question our reasons and wonder if our children will end up ok!) I have been using boxed curriculum from Alpha and Omega. Last year, my oldest daughter did the Switched On Schoolhouse on the computer. I didn’t like the way it seemed to separate us all. She can’t concentrate if I’m teaching her sister something else, and that forced us to be in different rooms and me running back and forth between the 2. It was a rough year. I feel more “secure” using these types of curriculums that grade and have set schedules already made up for you because I am so afraid that I won’t be doing it right if I rely on myself. I read about the CM method of schooling just the other night and was blown away! I had never heard of this concept before. I’m almost positive this would be so much better for my older daughter and bring us more together as a family during our schooling. I have already purchased all of our homeschool supplies for this year though. ($600 + from Alpha and Omega) I’m not sure if I should attmept to send it all back and try jumping in with both feet with the CM method…or if I should keep the Alpha and Omega stuff and slowly try to bring in a few CM methods this year and be ready to make the full switch next year. Have any of you started doing the CM methods after using boxed curriculum? I’m so unsure about what to do. I’m not even really sure what I’m asking in this post! Ha! I guess I just need help understanding that it IS possible for me to do school with my children without using something in a box that requires tests and grades to prove a point. My school experience was in a public school. I graduated with honors, but still feel like I didn’t learn anything! I studied and crammed for tests, made good grades, and then forgot all the information shortly after. I feel like I have learned more by teaching my children than I ever did in school. Does anyone else struggle with family members thinking you are crazy or hurting your children by keeping them out of public school? Thanks for reading this ramble. Sorry it is so long. I’ve been talking my husband’s ear off trying to decide what to do. I am so thankful that he is supportive in all of this, but ultimately I am the one doing most of the teaching. I know I need to decide something soon, I’m just not sure if I can do this! Thank you in advance to anyone who is willing to respond with some advice. 🙂
Lol, Mindy! If only you KNEW how many of us have gone through this exact same scenario!
Absolutely, most of us have family who question and wonder if we are going to ruin our children. Most of us who started HS using boxed curriculum. Lots of us here like to check the boxes to make sure we have covered our bases…the amazing thing is that we have learned how to create our own boxes to check – and so can you. Most of us consult our dh, but ultimately make the choices since indeed we are the teachers.
AMAZING. FULFILLING. ENABLING. ENRICHING. STRETCHING. GROWING. DELIGHTFUL. All words that I use to describe the whole CM philosophy and method. There is such a rich variety of things and subjects that you can do with this way of life.
- Be sure to read the free ebooks here at SCM. There are so many wonderful things taught in those books that allow you to feel pretty confident as you start.
- Look at the requirements in your state to make sure you know what you are required to teach.
- Start looking at the free CM Curriculum Guide here – Using that study and research curriculum options
- Ask questions here (trying searching first as there is so much wisdom already written on the forum) and
- Praying about it will get you started on a fabulous family adventure of learning, togetherness, and love sooner than you thought you could.
Welcome to the forum!
Thank you so much for your response and helpful tips! I just found this forum and immediately had to get all of that off my chest! 🙂 I’m going to research all the materials you mentioned and look into the other posts that are already up. I appreciate your encouragement! I definitely needed that at this very moment! 🙂 I am so thankful for the community of homeschoolers that always seem to be there with a “been there, understand how you feel” message!
Hi Mindy! I completely agree with Sheraz- many of us are on on this same journey. Put on your seat belt- it can be a wild ride but oh so worth it!
In my case, I decided to work a little CM in with the other textbook type things I was doing. It certainly was better than just the textbooky stuff alone, but it wasn’t the rich experience it could have been. That was many years ago and my sons are grown now and some of the best memories we have of home education involve the CM principals and methods. I am starting over now home educating preschoolers and so excited that I can go all CM from the beginning this time!
Knowing what I know now I would encourage you to go for it- return the Alpha Omega and dive into CM. Don’t worry about getting your stuff to “start school on time”- take your time and find the best materials for your girls. Go to the library and use what you find there to get started and fill it in as you can. The resources on this site will go a long way toward getting you started. You won’t be behind because *you* are setting the agenda. Most of the time, those skeptical relatives come around when they see the results of happy flourishing children.
Hello Mindy! We are new to the CM method; actually this has been our first week to use it (after 5 years of private school which used Abekka, and, one year at home with a “curriculum in a can” (complete kits) for grades 4 and 6. The very idea of homeschool terrified us at first, and we felt that the security of the kit approach would help the anxiety of it all (and satisfy the skeptics around us- yes, there were many!) Needlesss to say, the kit approach did have “all the bases covered” so it seemed, but, it was so dry! To make matters worse, I found myself stressing over the legalism of the schedules, the assignments, and would worry…(what if we don’t watch all then DVD’s, what if we don’t finish the worktexts etc. etc.) I drove myself batty and my husband too. When I found out about CM and this forum, I felt so excited at the notion of getting away from the dry text and workbooks. I asked many questions on this forum; and, by studying and reading the comments and opinions about all the main subjects, we created our own curriculum. We did not use all the SCM choices, but we did for most (History, Spelling, Math, and Writing- with a homemade “Book of Mottos” using the Bible. We chose a different Science (Answers in Genesis) and English (Easy Grammar); however we can still apply the principles of CM (ie read science together, narrate, create a nature journal etc) All I can say, is after only one week, we feel very liberated from the legalism of the “kit in a can”. I’m sure there will be worries to come, like “Where are the test books for history? Am I challenging them enough with oral narrations only (for now)? Will they remember everything they need to pass the SAT/ACT” etc. etc.? To be honest, I will probably always have that nagging worry, because that is just how I am made. I worry too much about what everyone else thinks; “Are we measuring up to the world’s standards? Will my parents be satisfied? What about the preacher’s kids – they are way ahead of us! Mine aren’t learning Algebra and Spanish yet, they don’t play the violin or know Latin… oh my! WHO CARES! I have to remind myself (daily) that the most important thing is to teach them about God first, and all the rest will fall into place. I hope you will find the reassurance you need; through God first, and the ladies on this forum. They sure helped me!
I agree… Jump! The water’s fine!
Here are a bunch of blog series with great info! http://simplycharlottemason.com/series/
Make the transition: http://simplycharlottemason.com/series/making-the-transition-to-cm/
getting started: http://simplycharlottemason.com/series/getting-started/
While you get your bearings…. get a good book to read to the kids. Play some games for math while you figure out what math program to use. Find some good quotes to practice writing (a bit at a time)… and then figure out your homeschool
Wow! I am feeling SO much better after reading these replies! Bless you all for taking a moment to write me!! Marie, I am definitely very much like you in my worry and in my obsessing over the legalism of boxed curriculum sets. I concentrated so much last year on making sure that my daughter finished all the quizing and testing and lessons, that I’m not even sure if she actually learned anything! It is awful when I think of how I pushed her to finish everything according to the “schedule” we were given, without really knowing if she was getting it. She made “straight A’s” all year. (The computer graded her lessons, tests, etc) I felt really good being able to print out report cards and tell my family that she was making all A’s in school. For what?! Just so I could have some sort of validation from them that I was doing something right. Unfortunately, I think she did what I always did in school. I would cram the info in, spit it out on a test, and then forget it. I didn’t enjoy school. I made good grades, but I didn’t enjoy it. I feel like I’ve taken the joy out of homeschooling and made it all about pleasing everyone else and their expectations. You are so right that we are to teach them about God first…and that is truly all that matters in the end. Thank you all for the encouragement and links of wonderful info. I wish I had more time to sit and read it all now! 🙂 I am so thankful the Lord led me to this forum. I can tell already it is going to be so very helpful in our journey.
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