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Back-to-school!
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Today was our first day of this school year. We pretty much school year round, but take 3-4 weeks during the summer off, our longest break.
Am I the only one that just really loves homeschooling? I told some friends here how GOOD it felt to be back in school and they could not understand how I could say that. My world just feels right when we’re huddled in the classroom around our books or playing math games or working on our notebooks. Everything was so peaceful today. Not that it’s always easy or strife free by any means, but there’s something extremely fulfilling about teaching your children. Nothing like it. And even on the worst days, it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done! We all woke up this morning with purpose and they had eaten, were groomed and in the classroom before I even knew where they disappeared to.
Am I alone in this? Maybe it’s just the CM life that makes it so fun and easy. Whatever it is, I’m so thankful to have the privilege of homeschooling!
What an encouragement you are! We’ve taken 6 weeks off now – except for some math and beginning reading. I miss it so and can’t wait to get back to school. Since we’ve implemented more of CM into our home – it does make it SO much more enjoyable!
I have a question – you mentioned your “classroom”. Do you have ONE designated room where you do your schooling then? What about anyone else reading this? I’m just curious as I have been mulling over this idea. We all seem scattered – sometimes on the couch, sometimes at the table, sometimes at desks in bedrooms, sometimes outside, etc. I wonder if it would keep things more organized if we did it all in one room of the house. We’re kind of limited with space and don’t just have an extra room laying around LOL -maybe we could designate a section of the family room or something. Hmmmm… What do you all do?
Thank you for sharing gr8tfulCMmom. You inspired me today! 🙂 Blessings to you and your family for your new school year.
Heather
We only school in the rooms where we keep our shelves of books… I guess that would be just about the entire house! 🙂
I can just imagine giving a tour. “Welcome to the family room. This is where we keep the books. Here’s the kitchen. This is where we keep the books. And here’s the master bedroom. This is where we keep the books.”
Doug,
First of all! That is so FUNNY! That sounds like our house as well! I was sharing your post with my husband, and we both started laughing! It’s good to know that we aren’t the only BOOK lovers! But, you can’t do CM without LOVING BOOKS! And having lots of them lying around and on shelves throughout the home!
ANYWAY~~~~~~~~~HEATHER~ We don’t really have a designated “classroom” so to speak, but, I was recently inspired while I was reading “Educating the wholehearted child” by the Clarksons….to create a “learning room” so to speak. It’s funny, because like you, we have limited space, and NO extra rooms! But, what I did, and it was NOT an easy task by any means, but I moved our “living room” into the old “dining room” and turned the old living area into the “school room” as we call it! I moved our piano in there, along with lots of comfy chairs to read in, blocks, puzzles, shelves and drawers with our books in them, our computer is now in here, and just about anything that we can play with, or learn with is in there. It is the biggest room in our home, but I want learning to be the center of our home. NOW! Let me say, that I have been homeschooling for four years, and I JUST NOW DID THIS< we have always, and will continue to read on the couch, go outside to learn (nature study, and just anytime learning, especially on those NICE Autumn days!), learn in the kitchen with cooking, etc.. I will not limit our learning to just this ONE room! But, It does help with organization a bit! AND that is primarily why I chose do it! FOR MY OWN SAKE! To keep it all together! BUT~ LIKE DOUG< we have books in EVERY ROOM OF THE HOUSE! So…. I say, DO WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
AND YES! gr8tfulCMmom~ I know exactly what you mean, since we have taken some time off, from actual “table work” I have been so at a loss! I simply love homeschooling! And I am, I hate to admit it, not a summer person! And I just love it when the cooler weather comes around and the leaves start turning, and when we get back into the groove of school! WE simply take a few weeks of the summer off so the kids can visit with my mother some, and swim a bit! We also have two birthdays in August, and two in September and we try to do something special for all of those; we are always learning! LIFE IS LEARNING AND EDUCATION IS AN ATMOSPHERE! right??!! Blessings to all~ have a great day!
CHRISTIE
Ah, it’s good to hear others saying school is their life. Makes me feel more normal.
As for our classroom, yes, we have a designated room where most of our schooling takes place. But we also bounce around the house a lot. Often on my bed, or in the living room and in the spring/fall, we’ll be in the fort outside or on a blanket under the tree. We had a separate dining room in the house which we never used, so I turned it into the classroom. I wish I could put a couch in it, though, but it’s too small. So this year I’m getting bean bags for us to read in. It mostly helps us keep the hands on, crafty type things contained. My DD’s love to do all types of arts and crafts and I’ve got a big closet to hold all the yarns, papers, etc. I let them have complete creative freedom in there so the rest of the house is spared!
Our books, however, are EVERYWHERE! I’m picking up larger baskets at yard sales to place around to try to contain them better. I’m hoping for shelving some day, but in the meantime, I am expanding my creativity trying to attractively display mountains of books. But you know, having them out is definitely a reading stimulant. They can’t hardly walk by a pile without grabbing one to read themselves or bring to me to read to them. If they weren’t everywhere, I wonder if they’d think to read them…
Thank you CM for a wonderful life!
Tonni
Okay, I’m really glad that I am not the only one either! I have books everywhere!!! I read an idea somewhere about using cerel boxes as “files” for paperback books. I started collecting them and sorting my paperbacks, and I was so proud of myself! The only problem–I ran out of shelves. So they are sitting in a neat, organized row on the floor in my upstairs hallway. My kids now treat it as their “magazine rack” when getting ready to use the bathroom! LOL!
We do have a school room–we had a shortage of rooms, but since I only have 2 kids, I put them in the same room and made a 10×10 schoolroom. I love having a base. I love being able to put everything in there when we’re done and sort through it later. We can start a project and leave it as is without it being in the way during meal time.
My kids know when I ring the bell (their insistence, not mine :)) and they enter the room, it’s school time. I found that when I attempt to school in other areas of the house, it’s too distracting. The phone is ringing, the computer is beeping, the laundry is buzzing…etc. In our little room, we are in the zone!
I’m not saying this is the best way…it’s just what works for us.
BTW, I, too, cannot wait to get back to a normal schedule. I feel like summer is a free-for-all, and I love the stability of the “school year.” Unfortunately, we are former public schoolers and cannot get “summer break” out of our vocab. I hope to change that by next year!
Faith 🙂
Faith,
Same here, our son was in Christian school for awhile, and the summer break thing always seems to take place, even if I don’t actually plan it that way at the beginning of our “school year” so to speak! But, I have often thought of trying the school year round idea, and taking several breaks throughout! Especially since summer isn’t my favorite season!
I went to a bunch of Todd Wilson (from familyman ministries) seminars at my homeschooling convention and he was great! I loved most of what he said, but he kept saying things like “Admit it, moms, who really loves homeschooling?” He made it sound a little bit like we’d be a discouragement to those who really struggle, so when he’d ask that question, I’d not raise my hand—but I love, love, love this! I’m sad I may have only ten more years. I’m getting excited for our own “first day” on Aug 4. I love just lining up all our upcoming books. I walk by that shelf admiringly often . . . LOL
As for books. Well, we look like a library exploded. We bought a house with a big formal dining room–and immediately turned it into a “bookroom” (that is actually what the kids call it) So we eat in the kitchen. However, over time, we had to put four bookshelves in the living room, several in our office, then we began squeezing them into the master bedroom. We can’t use the basement or bathrooms here because of humidity. But I’ve started wondering if we couldn’t put a row of shelves high up in our narrow hallway . . . except I have a son who is 6’5″ so we’d have to put them pretty high up . . . LOL Dh loves to tell people who come over to eat that we eat in the kitchen because there’s no room in the dining room for anything but books . . .
Michelle D
This is Great! So it IS Okay to have books everywhere! 🙂 We are going on our 6th year of homeschooling now and every year I try to keep all in one designated place – but the books seems to move around on their own. 🙂 I am encouraged by your replys however and now know that we book lovers are “normal” around here! Its a bit embarrasing when quests come over. Although I’ve heard many of our family skeptics say “You must really enjoy books”. 😉 Also, as we are heading into our 6th year – I’m filled with joy because homeschooling keeps getting better every year- especially since finding SCM! Thank you all.
Hugs,
Heather
Sometimes I feel out of place saying that I love homeschooling as well! That is funny you mention Todd Wilson, I just finished reading his book, Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe. In that book he mentioned moms not really enjoying homeschooling…and I struggled with him making that generalization…because I truly do LOVE schooling my children! 🙂 I’m glad to hear there are others like me!
Doug – Our home tour would be the same….we are buying a new house and my biggest concern has been….”Where will I be able to put all our books?!” LOL My dh is always building new bookshelves….good thing he is handy that way!
Christie and Faith….I am sooo not a summer person…especially living in Southeast Texas/southwest Louisiana. My favorite seasons are late fall (and here that means about December!), winter, and early spring….all cool weather. I like that weather you can walk around outside in jeans and a light long sleeve shirt and not suffocate!
HS has been something we have tried to like….but I think that will change with the implentation of CM methods. I think we have tried to force too much….and in bad timing since our last year has been so hectic. So, I am looking forward to LOVING hs. Anyone else felt this way PRIOR to beginning CM?
Little plug…veteran CM users, please check out my post in “Getting Started”….I need help! LOL
Have a great day! 🙂
PhotoMom2-
I do know what you mean! Before we started doing CM we didn’t enjoy school too much at all! It didn’t take me LONG at all to realize that what I was doing for school was not the way the Lord wanted me to though fortunately! I read the book “A Charlotte Mason Companion” by Karen Andreola, and I was well on my way to a new way of school! THE FREEDOM OF A CM education! Whoo-hoo! And now, we all love homeschooling! It seemed to simple and good to be true! But alas! Real learning, and fun too! Also, two other great books that are short and simple to read for us busy mom’s just getting started that are encouraging and they give you insite into how to implement CM in your school quickly, are “A Charlotte Mason Education” AND “More Charlotte Mason Education” both by Catherine Levison! Hope that helps some! Never fear, it will get better!
Blessings to all,
Christie
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