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Challenges or Struggles with the CM Method
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Hi Everyone,
I am wondering if you might be able to help me. I am a long-time hsing mom of 8 who has used the CM method since the beginning (my eldest is almost 19yo). I am speaking again at our local hs conference this year on CM and have decided I would like to address the topic of the common struggles or challenges modern hsing parents face when applying the CM method. I would be very grateful if you would share with me some things that you find challenging or a particular struggle unique to CM so that I can have a variety of things to work through with the conference attendees. (For example, you may have reluctant narrators.)
Thank-you so much in advance!
Great question!
I would say the temptation to think one is not doing enough or the kids are not learning because we don’t have a pile of worksheets filled out.
Worries about narration. Are they doing enough? When will they really catch on? It is easy to panic waiting for the next stage to click even though I know that it always has before.
Trying to fit all the little bits in –like composer study and nature walks.
Nebby
Lack of work to show at the end of the year. i.e. – no filled out tests and worksheets. A list of all the books we read is great but you can wonder – what did they learn from those books? Part of that is finding simple ways to document narrations for those living science books we’re reading, or keep an album with 4×6 prints of all the picture studies we’ve done this year. Part of it is letting go of the typical way of doing things. I’m figuring out how that all works now, but in the beginning it’s more confusing.
Being overwhelmed or intimidated by teaching a method that you didn’t learn with, therefore aren’t familiar with.
Trying to make sure the feast we’re spreading is truly rich and full.
Inconsistency in asking for narrations. Fitting in all the little things, especially if I have no enthusiasm for those things myself. Wondering if I’m doing enough, since ds seems to have a lot of playtime. Inconsistency in habits/character training. Wondering if CM would work with a language delayed child who may not be able to narrate. Figuring out how to implement CM into teaching math. Figuring out what twaddle really is.
Comparing what you are able to cover at home to CMs list of what was covered in PNEU schools. Wow!
Multiple languages vs. fluency in first language and familiarity in another. 🙂
A different sort of paper trail compared to boxed curriculum.
Blessings on your conference,
Becca<><
Worrying if they are learning enough and how it will affect their future. (I think this is every mom’s worry as well though.) 🙂 Good luck at the conference!
BLessings!
Will this work for my autistic child? How to do family subjects with different grade levels togeather. If they are not learning spelling and grammer in the early years worry about state required testing.
Probably the idea of so many subjects that are not commonly taught in ps and wondering if they are still valuable in today’s world.
The amount of reading and the time it takes to get through a book (or at times needing to slow down to “live” w/ a book longer). Being patient about the process of learning valuable lessons/vocabulary through literature is not something I think most of us (us, or our children, especially if you are new to CM) are geared up for: waiting.
Attention
Penmanship and the importance of neatness (I think that’s pretty CM)
Trusting the method, it can seem a bit old-fashioned and highly misunderstood. A common challenge I find for some is not trusting the method so they incorporate busywork back into their days to feel better about the paper trail. I think that is a challenge for new CMers who think that they aren’t going to be “doing” anything but read so they are afraid to “go all the way.”
Waiting on formal grammar and spelling when so many ps kids are beginning at a much earlier grade/age. Then, trusting that CM was probably right and in most cases it would be better to wait until 4th/5th grade.
I could probably think of more as I speak to lots of women about the method, and like hsing in general, CM is sadly misunderstood.
ETA: I had a very active/energetic mom tell me that she had looked into CM one time but she thought it was all just reading and she just couldn’t stay home for all that. Her boys are very active and I think she thought it was just too “calm” of a method for her boys.
Thank you all for your replies! This is really helpful. Keep them coming if you are someone who has something else to add or just to agree with what someone has already said.
Do you see any drawbacks with the CM method? Something that would be not simply a personal struggle, but a broader disadvantage?
Oh wow, glad I’m seeing this. Yes, worrying that I’m not doing enough or not having everything layed out for me in a boxed curriculum. I just started another thread about thnking I’m failing. That is due to my son noticing at church that he is not as good of a speller as his peers and even some younger. I hadn’t planned on formal spelling until next year in 4th grade. So yes, just worrying about not doing enough, early enough.
I also want to be sure it is fine to wait for older years to introduce formal spelling and grammar.
I know CM thought in depth Shakespeare and Plutarch studies were important, but I feel while exposure to and familiarity with these writings are valuable, they may not be necessary for in depth study today to the degree CM recommended. I don’t plan to do Shakespeare until high school age, and then only the main ones like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Caesar, etc….. I feel like this would make me anti-CM, because Shakespeare is so highly respected in CM education, but I just don’t think his writings are godly. Also, while I love implementing CM methods, I feel many resource suggestions are limited to European or Victorian era art, music, and literature. I would like and plan to implement more variety in art and music study than just classical musicians and European artists. Don’t get me wrong, I think CM music and art studies are rich, it’s just there’s richness in other areas of art and music from all over the world (not just that of European or US influence).
I was raised in the city, had little exposure to creative arts or nature, went to ps, growing up my enrichment activities were sit-coms and video games, lol. I’m nowhere near the starting point CM was for teaching to her expectations. My 6.5yo hasn’t met the list of attainments because I can’t identify different wild flowers, trees, birds, and such. I wasn’t taught handiwork nor am I good at fine motor skills, so I have a hard time incorporating handiwork into our days. It would be nice to have a new list of attainments that is doable for a 1st generation CM education mother. I have found Sonya’s YouTube videos about narration, picture study, and others helpful for getting started though.
Despite my insecurities with using CM fully, I LOVE that this method of education exists, and there are numerous resources for implementing the methods well. CM style education is one of several reasons I am homeschooling. I’m more so confident that the method is best for my teaching style and my children will have the best education I can offer using CM ways. I only posted more in depth about my challenges with the method because that is what the op asked. I could write several more paragraphs on the benefits and rewards of CM education if asked.
I am definitely one of those mom’s that thinks it’s a lot of reading. I’m lightly doing our first year and to me it seems that the majority of things to do is…reading! I love reading but my dd6 does not…hence doing our first year lightly. If it’s not mostly reading then what am I doing wrong?
I think of CM methods as an organic process of learning, rather than mechanical…and like most organic things it is difficult to measure success.
So, CM kids and moms don’t tend to mesh with the rest of the homeschooling community sometimes. Homeschoolers can be competitive, and CM kids don’t really ‘do’ competition in their learning. They aren’t learning for achievement, but because it is a natural part of thier life and growth. Sometimes I think that comes off to outsiders like we aren’t doing ‘enough’ or don’t care enough about standards and acheivements.
Maybe that is a ramble, but I guess I am trying to say that we get frustrated that we don’t always fit in – even with other homeschoolers ;0).
I agree with mrsmccardell, it seems to me like a lot of reading. Of course there are hymns, map study, nature study, and things like that but what takes the majority of the time is all the reading. My kids love for me to read books to them but they don’t want that to be a few hours out of their day. What am I missing?
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