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combining years
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We have been using Charlotte Mason methods for the past 2 years with my high schooler very successfully after using various methods over the past 9 years of homeschooling. Then we have a gap and another “batch” of kids coming up that we will CM exclusively. As I have read, studied, and learned about the CM method I have occilated back and forth between keeping the kids separate and combining them. We moved to a homestead in the country, live off-grid, have a milk cow, make all our own dairy products, cook almost everything frugally from scratch so we can get out of debt some day. Oh, and I also sew almost all our own clothes (it’s therapy for me – I love to sew!!) Anyway I can not imagine keeping all three younger kids in separate years but I can’t wrap my brain around how to begin and then bring the next two on board in the “middle” of our rotation of history. We have a 5 year old, 4 year old, and a 2 year old.
Can someone explain how you bring in the younger ones and not have them be lost starting in Roman History rather than Egyption history? Will it be mind boggling to them later on when they think that Jesus wasn’t the beginning of history but rather Adam and Eve??
I’d love to hear how some of you have begun from the beginning with a child and then added siblings in along the way. I’ve charted it out and I understand that they will get each module “time period” twice throughout their education but for 2 of them it will be quite out of sequencial order. Any thoughts? Reassurances??
Thanks much, Brenda
There is a current thread which sort of addresses this. http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/chronological-history-w-more-than-1-child
I started my 9-yr-olds in the ancient world when they were 6 and have worked through history with them (now we’re in American). The 6-yr-old has sat in on everything, since birth basically. He has participated as he wants to and has been asking to do narration for the last two years – “When is it my turn to tell what I know?” He is officially in kindergarten (late b-day) so I don’t worry about how much he’s getting, but he does understand a lot.
Because we study the Bible daily, he really hasn’t been confused about Biblical timelines. He’s heard the story of creation and Christ so many times in his young life that he absolutely knows which comes first. At this age they really don’t have much concept of time anyways. It’s more important to me that he have fun and learn a little about the people, rather than worry about dates.
Next year when we study modern history he’ll be asked to sit still a little longer and still give narrations. I honestly haven’t noticed any confusion, but he’s still young. The 3-yr-old also sits in on stuff and in a few years he’ll begin to more actively participate.
Keeping a Book of Centuries will help them figure out the whole thing. I’m still learning too! As I was putting together my book list for American History I asked my husband if he knew that the Star Spangled Banner was written during the War of 1812, not the Revolutionary War like I’d always thought (he didn’t know either). And I didn’t realize the Gold Rush came before the Civil War. I’m 37, have a college degree, and I had never really learned that. So I figure if I do my best to make history fun, use living, engaging books and teach them the Bible they will grow up to be okay.
We’re not through yet so I can’t give you an absolute guarantee it will all work out okay (some of the more experienced moms might be able to do that), but thus far it’s working. On days when I start to panic that I’m ruining their lives and giving them a horrible education I try to remember that everyone has gaps in their learning and that pretty much anything I do is better than they’d be getting at a public school!
Heather
Another thing you can do is have them join you in a few years, like when you hit American History since they are so young and by then there are lots of children’s books in American history. You can even have the older children read to the younger children, etc.. I am in the same situation (except for the cow and off grid!). I have a 14yod, 12yo twin boys who I school all together, and then I have a 6 yr old. She wanders in and out of the history readings. We use the TQ guides and those have suggestions for historical fiction picture books even. Many times I will get these from the library and have them available for her so that she can feel part of the history time. I also catch my older ones skimming through the picture books as well. Just some ideas.
Don’t underestimate what your children can mentally hook together, especially if you use a BOC. They will still be working chronologically if they jump into ancient Rome (or wherever) and cycle through, just plug the people and events into the BOC (ours is a family BOC) and they’ll see how it all fits.
My kids aren’t quite as old, but they are all 3 years apart – 9, 6, almost 3, 4 months. There is NO way that I could have them each in their own cycle without losing my mind completely! I started the oldest in Ancient Egypt for 1st grade and now in 3rd, she’s using the Matthew – Acts & Ancient Rome and my kindergartner listens in and evens offers to narrate sometimes. I love Sonya’s modules and methods for keeping us all on the same page, but having the older ones dig deeper than the younger or enjoying more of the feast, if you will.
There are plenty of books, IMO, for each of the age groups for each of the periods of history. Remember that you are spreading a feast before them and they will take what they are ready for. For the young ones, a small sampling is sufficient.
It’s working for me and I’m an adult whose only history was 1/2 year state history in jr. high, 1 yr. world history in high school, 1/2 year gov’t/econ in high school and 1 semester of world history in college. I’ve personally learned more in 3 years of teaching my daughter than I learned in ALL of high school and college!
HTH,
Christie
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