I am intrigued and encouraged by the SCM materials/recommendations and curriculum guide! I am torn between CM and classical education. The traditionally schooled part of me that wants my kids to “know everything” leans toward classical education. The intuitive, loving-learning part of me leans toward CM. I thought that I could combine the two methods somehow, and in some ways that might work. But I can see other ways they contradict.
My oldest is starting 1st grade. We have done half of Story of the World book 1, and I was planning on doing the other half next year. My tendency while doing it was always to slow down, read all supplemental material that I thought was appropriate, make sure she was understanding. But with classical, it seems like just getting the info in is the focus, not comprehension necessarily or deep understanding. So I want to slow down, but I am not sure about her not learning about American history until 5th grade or so. I want her to know about her immediate surroundings too, her country, its history. I understand CM taught about England, and that does have an ancient history unlike the United States of America (native Americans have a more ancient history, but that is not the history of *our country* persay). But wasn’t part of CM’s intent to give them info on their immediate surroundings? (similar to why they learned French, since it was the closest language to them)
If we go back to Module 1, my daughter would have had 2 years of the same info (we did a LOT on Egypt, China, Africa this year). We are starting Greece now, actually (these SOTW books move FAST!). I have liked them for the most part, and was wondering if I can combine somehow. Maybe start with module 2 next year? This still doesn’t solve the America issue though. I also like studying the biblical history at the same time, and we’d miss that if we don’t go back.
I thought about switching to module 5 just for a year, but wondered if Story of the Nations and Story of America/Epistles was too old for 1st grade.
I’m truly confused about everything…next year I had planned on First Language Lessons by Jessie Wise for grammar, and we are doing Ordinary Parents Guide to teaching Reading this year (this has been pretty boring and repetitive, at least for me). I was looking at Writing With Ease for next year, and had already gotten Explode the Code (she likes workbooks and is almost finished with the 1st one). Now I’m looking at Queen’s Language Lessons, the Days go By primers, Right Start math (I have not been very happy with Singapore by itself at least). I’m even examining our co-op and whether we want to do Apologia Astronomy next year, and instead do nature study/living books so it relates more to what she sees around her (have 106 Days, outdoor secrets and hours in the out of doors in my cart). In short, it feels like I am revamping everything, and I thought I was kind of “set” for next year except for a “couple things.”
I was a little sad with the workbook approach, it seemed kind of lonely for her to go off and do by herself (I help with math, at least the first couple pages). With classical, they get everything 3x instead of twice, so I am more afraid of her “missing” something. Also, depending on the timing of the module, an older student might never read the high-school level materials on a certain subject (if covered in 1st and 7th grade, for instance). Does this matter?
I am excited though–there seemed to be something missing, and the ways I was naturally leaning (poetry, arts, nature, copywork, narration–the best parts of our year) are all within the CM method. We did Five-in-a-Row, and we will probably continue with book 2 either way, since it has fit well (we’ll use less of the Five-in-a-Row material since it made the lessons too long and both 6 and 4 year old would sigh when I pulled it out). And DH reads the kids a “classic” book at night, so we’ll continue that (they are over halfway through the Narnia series). We were memorizing poetry and Bible verses, but I need a more focused scripture memory program, and I like the system I read about on the website.
Any feedback on all this? History and grammar especially? I am new, so I know I don’t understand every aspect of her method, and am honestly not sure the broader purpose (love of learning and love of God? excellence? habits?)/how to know I can trust it. I like the relationships focus, but need to learn more about that. I am kicking myself I didn’t hear Sonya at the Cincinnati conference! It was my first one and I was overwhelmed…I did hear Jeannie Fulbright speak about the CM method though.
Thanks!
Bekah
