Name: Teach Them Diligently (Branson)
Start: 2025-05-15T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-17T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Branson, MO

Tagged: CM Method, husband

This topic has 19 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 8 months ago by Linabean.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)

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August 8, 2015 at 1:41 pm
lnosborn
Participant
Hi,
For those who use the CM method in their homeschool, whether by itself or combined with other methods, I was curious to know how your husbands are involved in it. Does he know who CM was or maybe just the philosophy behind how you homeschool? I’d like to hear from those who are starting with CM and those who have been doing it for years. I am just interested. We have been doing CM method for a few years now, but if I think about it, I’m not sure if my husband would know how to answer if asked, “How do you homeschool?”, “In what ways or how do you approach teaching your children?”, etc. I’m sure the answers will depend on how involved or even interested the husband is in the homeschool, but I’d like to hear from you all!
August 8, 2015 at 2:34 pm
Karen
Participant
I think my husband’s answer would be, “Oh, my wife handles that.” (*L*)
Really, my husband is a farmer, so he walks into the house throughout the day and catches me homeschooling – sometimes reading aloud on the couch, sometimes helping with math, sometimes while I’m tutoring my daughter in the Barton Reading and Spelling Program, sometimes listening to music, sometimes drawing in our nature journals, etc.
I think my husband knows what the components of a CM education is (because he sees us doing it) but he probably doesn’t know what to label what he sees. I’ve talked to him about how I’m running the homeschool and he helps me think through decisions I have to make, so I end up explaining the why’s and wherefore’s to him. But I’m not sure he would be able to say to someone, “We follow the Charlotte Mason philosophy in our homeschool.”
What an interesting question! I wonder if my husband feels like he’s in the dark. I don’t think he should – by times I talk on and on and on about homeschooling and our homeschool and the books I want and whatnot. But maybe he does.
August 8, 2015 at 2:39 pm
missceegee
Participant
My husband would answer the same as Karen’s. He’s a businessman, not a farmer, but he’s busy with his own work and has simply entrusted me with homeschooling. He would know that we use the CM philosophy, but couldn’t expound on that. He sees what we do often, but couldn’t do it himself without a good bit of learning on his own. I still remind him not to question the kids, but to ask them what they know. Were I to die, I’ve told him to hire a CM governess. Haha.
August 8, 2015 at 2:44 pm
Tristan
Participant
I just asked my husband what he knows of the CM method. (For perspective, we’ve been homeschooling over 10 years, started with unit studies, and have been more CM for several years now.) He described it, in essence, as learning with great literature instead of just force feeding kids facts, and having a wide variety of subjects including the arts. So he could verbalize more than I expected.
Now, my husband is pretty involved in the actual day to day homeschooling for a few reasons. First, he’s home on Mondays, so he simply joins right in with whatever we’ve got planned that day and leads whatever I ask him to or another child asks him too (ex: kids love doing science with dad, one loves reading with dad). Second, we’ve got a lot of medical things to deal with which means appointments galore that I tend to be the one handling, so he has stepped up to take over homeschooling when those appointments happen. To be able to do that he has to be familiar with the plan, the routine, and the kids have learned that they are just as responsible for their learning as either parent.
August 8, 2015 at 2:51 pm
LindseyS
Participant
Ha-ha! I love that question! In short, I’m pretty sure the answer is “no”, but my husband I do occasionally discuss educational philosophy so he knows I educate with literary books, copy work, narration, and nature study. If you mentioned the name ” Charlotte Mason” he might remember that there are stacks of books in this house with that name on them– but then again he might not.;-)
Lindsey
August 8, 2015 at 3:05 pm
Kayla
Participant
I had my husband read through SCMs description of the 5 approaches to homeschooling when we were thinking about doing it. He choose the CM approach as the one that made the most sense, which I had already chosen myself. He knows of CM and does not like classical (in the modern sense) I think he would tell somebody we do CM but wouldn’t be able to fully describe it.
August 8, 2015 at 4:31 pm
sarah2106
Participant
If you asked my DH he would likely say “a lot of books”
He is involved in the idea he supports HSing, but he is hands off and leaves all the decisions up to me. But will listen to me ramble on and on, LOL.
I grew up being HS’ed and it was similar. My dad was very supporative of my mom, but the day-to-day whatwe did, he had no idea.
August 8, 2015 at 4:48 pm
cedargirl
Participant
My dear attentive listening husband. Yes, he knows what CM method is, and is whom I narrate to, a lot. He has listened to all my narrations after each book I read, workshop of Sonya’s I have watched, and seen the results of the gentle art of learning. He has jested with me, “is that a living book?” He is supportive and even has pointed me back on track with CM method when I panick or am wooed by new curriculum. He’s a good man.
August 8, 2015 at 7:44 pm
crazy4boys
Participant
He knows it fairly well. When we first started homeschooling over 10 years ago we discussed the different styles together and chose CM. Through the years I’ve talked his ear off, sharing things I’d learned and ideas to implement. He helps me problem solve or choose resources. He’s even sat down and watched the SCM DVDs!
August 8, 2015 at 8:32 pm
HollyS
Participant
I’ve used at least some CM methods from the beginning (8+ years ago) and several years ago we switched to mostly CM. It seems each year I’m including more and more CM methods. This is the first year I’ve really discussed her methods with him, so he could probably say the basics about it at this point. Before this year he just knew we used “real books” instead of textbooks. lol
He started teaching art last spring and has recently gotten involved with some handicrafts. I’ve been trying to include more boyish handicrafts, so he’s been a great help with that (and been having lots of fun with the kids). Before our recent move he was too busy (and tired) to be very involved with school. He has helped me pick out curriculum in the past, but generally he’s been more of a sounding board than anything.
August 8, 2015 at 8:51 pm
lnosborn
Participant
I love hearing all your responses! My husband works a lot, so he’s never really around when we’re actually doing “school”, but I think I have explained about how we can lead children to self-discovery and making ideas their own. I haven’t had a chance to actually ask him yet since I’ve thought about it. He’s definitely supportive of homeschooling but pretty much entrusts everything to do with homeschool to me. We live out in the country, so nature study is pretty easy for us, and he does get excited to show our kids a cool bug or something, and he wanted our kids to know what/why when we were planting our garden. A CM governess, that’s funny!
August 8, 2015 at 9:19 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
We are like Karen and sarah2106. He supports homeschooling, but would reply that “My wife handles that.” He may add in a comment about all the books everywhere too! I am pretty sure I am the only one in our household who knows who Charlotte Mason was, but they see a lot of Simply Charlotte Mason on many of our resources.
August 8, 2015 at 10:06 pm
Karen
Participant
I’ve really enjoyed reading all the responses, too!
And regardless of how much our men actually know about CM and her methods, it’s plain to see that those who responded to the question are blessed with good husbands! I’m so thankful for the reminder that there are good men out there, doing their best for their families.
August 8, 2015 at 10:09 pm
my3boys
Participant
I just asked my husband and he said,”Ya, I think I know who it is you like and the way she thought the children should be taught.” And, “Well, not in detail, but I kind of know what you guys do.”
He definitely supports me in our home school and hears Charlotte Mason’s name on a daily basis. And he supports my book addiction and when I need him to act as Superintendent, he steps up.

August 9, 2015 at 7:02 am
Raines
Participant
Inosborn,
Thank you for asking your question.
We have used CM for the past 3 years, since the very beginning of our homeschool journey. The first year, I barely knew what CM was, and then I found SCM and this coming year we will begin module 3 for history. We love it and my husband knows I am very happy. When I asked my husband what method I use for homeschool and could he explain it…well, he knew it was CM and he had an idea about what we do, but he could not quote from any of her books or describe the different flavors of homeschooling. What he did say was so encouraging. He said that part of the reason he married me was because he did not have to worry that I would “burn the house down.” He meant that literally, but he also meant that he can trust me (with our children’s education). This means a great deal to me because he has a master’s degree in history education and is a former public school teacher.
As for his involvement, my husband is the encourager in this endeavor. He keeps us on track as far as schedule. He did read Little Britches aloud to the children this past winter. He values books that teach godly character and encourages me to purchase them for our family. He graciously attended the Teach Them Diligently Nashville conference with me even though that is not his thing at all. He held all the books I picked out and patiently followed me as I browsed the Simply Charlotte Mason booth. I could tell you all the ways he helps me, but now that I have started thinking about it, it would be a very long post!