help! dealing with fear!

It really does work… And yes, you really can relax.  I’m not a teacher, but I can relate.  When I started 17 years ago, I actually went to the school and borrowed the books they were using so I could be assured that we were “keeping up”! We used the math book, and the rest sat on a shelf and never got used.  We haven’t “even” always done CM!  In retrospect, and without intending to, we’ve probably done just about as much unschooling.  But we’ve done a lot of living!  We’ve always used a literature approach to history, never used textbooks except for math and occasionally science, never got my plans finished or half of what was planned accomplished… You can only do better than that starting out and continuing CM!  And in spite of all that, my first two kids have grown into wonderful young adults at 20 and 22.  One had very high ACT scores and did some accelerated distance learning to get started on a college degree before becoming certain of her calling to give her life to ministry.  She is settled in that now and doing very well.  The other (son) is very different and has taken as very different path.  He accepted an opportunity to manage a dairy farm on his own in another state for a season before graduating from high school, and has had several other growing and stretching experiences along the road.  Now he has just started a new job at a ranch for troubled boys, working toward an opportunity to take a mentor position there later this summer.  He is absolutely loving it and we are thrilled to feel that he is now discovering what he is made to do.

I have not arrived yet.  I am still growing as a mother and teacher, and still working on getting some of the CM methods going.  The best way is to just start with a few basics and get them going till they go smoothly, then add one more at a time.  Hope this helps to give you confidence.  Blessings to you!

I was going to suggest some good CM reading materials also.  I have found inspiration & encouragement from this site & forum especially, but also a few blogs.  I was a public school teacher before having my own children.  There is so much of the school-ish mindset that I rejected when I embraced the CM philosophy & methods.  And it really does work!  We have all probably felt fearful and/or intimidated at some time or another.  As my oldest daughter approached school age I totally panicked at the thought of teacher her to read!  I was sure that I could not do it.  So I read and read and re-read CM’s original writings about teaching reading.  I typed up some poems and cut copies apart so we could manipulate the words.  We began word building and reading lessons, as I understood them at the time.  I would have bought Delightful Reading if it had been available then.  We did also do some phonics with traditional readers, but I went at my daughter’s pace and when she no longer seemed to need that type of instruction we dropped it.

Focus on developing good habits as you start this CM journey.  Good habits benefit any approach to education, but one of the things I love about CM’s view of education is the balance of Atomosphere, Discipline (habits), and Life.  SCM has a great free e-book and many wonderful blog entries about habits.  The Laying Down the Rails books/dvd as well as The Early Years book/dvd have been some of my favorite purchases from SCM.

Welcome to the forum!

Dear new to CM homeschooling, it’s like a revolution. Very exciting for me to see your post. Something you may benefit by having a CM mentor, bare in mind, our homes are likely very dynamically different with different callings, but I feel encouragement from other moms that have been in your position is very helpful. Being virtuous is very important down this road. Like, contentment, patient, with yourself especially, honest about the newness and difference in teaching strategies.
Also, don’t measure your kids achievements by other similar aged public schooled kids. Because, CM measures many other important factors than what info can be regurgitated.
It takes a leap of faith that this is a superior way of schooling, and I believe it is. For right now with such a busy household, I’d prioritize reading outloud and virtues building in your children.

In a support homeschoolers group, I help families. Firstly, we write their homeschooling mission statements, which ours hangs in our kitchen, to remind us. Our reads:
“Our school mission is to first love our Lord with all of our hearts and souls, second, strengthen our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ by serving,loving and helping others and finally, to cultivate the love of learning. ” I felt this was so important because your outlook of life will dictate your priorities and help with setting goals.

I’ve been homeschooling for 6.5 years with 2 years ScM, and I feel to be most content with schooling, I have to disguard most of the advice and treat it a bit like an experiment and build on the things that work and don’t sweat the small stuff that doesn’t.
This year our family decided to add part-time babysitting into our homeschool, firstly because of the great need in our area and secondly to have a cm “PRE-K” environment. the 3 families that are involved love it. My prayer is to promote Homeschooling and it show families the wonderful benefits.

My children are 20 yo son (graduated), 14 yo son, 10 yo daughter and 7 yo son. Your fabulously courageous to have landed in the world of SCM!
Prayers for strength and excitement! Martha

Having the SCM lesson plans (one for Bible/History/Geography and one for Enrichments) helps me tremendously to have a sense of structure and when to do what, which chapters to have the kids read, etc. I just open them up and see what’s next. for math, science and L.A. it too a little while to get the hang of what to expect of the kids but it’s become pretty routine now that we’re halfway through our first CM year.