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Need help adding to Sonlight or changing from
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Well, I think I’m new to CM. I believe I have loosely been using CM
methods with SL curriculum and just didn’t realize it. I have been
reading CM Companion and perusing the Simply Charlotte Mason web site
and was wondering what I should do. I have a 12 yo/7th grader, 8
yo/3rd grader, and 19 mo old. I have been using SL for the last 2 yrs, and was planning on using Core 6 and books
from Core 1 (World History)and combining my 2 girls. My older is just finishing up American History. But, now, I’m thinking of still using the SL outline for
books from different time periods but tying in what SCM recommends for teaching methods. However, if I do that, I have no idea what time period to start with
for my 7th grader or what to add/drop with SL. She obviously will not be able to do them all.
My older child is currently using Winston Grammar, Wordly Wise (which I plan to drop and ease out of this workbook approach), Spelling Power, Dictation and writing from SL, history guideline from SL, Apologia Science, and Keys to… to transition from Bob Jones math to Singapore. My younger is using Explode the Code, copywork, Singapore math, and reading various science books we have here. She’s about to start Apologia. They both love to draw. I know I need to add music. We naturally do nature walks but need to do more journaling. I may be leaving something out, but that’s all I can think of right now. Oh, we also have bible study and memory verse time, and they have been using the Book of Time and timeline figures that SL offers.
My goal is to find a way to make it easier to combine my kids and to do so using the CM methods. I really haven’t worked in history for my younger and want to do a better job of that. I guess I also like the idea of adding in more of the classics at an earlier age, but in a gentle way. I have so much peace about using CM methods and am anxious to work on fine tuning my program. However, where I could get nervous is with my 7th grader who has only been hs since 4th grade and we are looking at going on through high school. (I keep from getting nervous because I knowing God is in control.) It has taken some time for this former public school math teacher to relax and let go of some of those ps ways. We also “got behind” our first year as we dealt with and cared for several family members passing. I totally struggled with how to balance everything that year. Looking back, I now know we actually gained a lot 🙂
Sorry, I’m rambling now. Thank you in advance for this awesome website and for any advice!
I’m afraid I don’t have any first-hand experience with Sonlight, but I’ll add my $.02 worth on combining the girls and maybe someone else who knows Sonlight’s cores can chime in here.
It sounds like you have a lot of CM subjects going already. That’s great! My suggestion for history would be to start on Ancient History this year and work your way through chronologically to modern day. Since your oldest is in 7th grade this year, that would give you 6 years to get through all of it before she graduates. Now, keep in mind I’m thinking in a 6-year history rotation cycle; Sonlight might have a different rotation. However many years you want to take to go through history, it seems like it would be easiest to count backwards from your oldest’s last year.
As far as combining them, you can easily choose the younger daughter’s books to read aloud to both girls, and then assign the older daughter to independently read additional books on the same time period. You can ask for oral narrations when you read aloud to both, and ask your older one to narrate either orally or in writing for the books she reads independently. As an alternate, it sounds like your younger daughter is old enough to do some independent reading also. So you might choose some of her books to read aloud and assign others on her list for her to read independently. That way you could have two of her books going at the same time. Does that make sense?
Thank you, Sonya! I’m with you! Ok, I’ve actually been thinking of using this curriculum as an outline and then filling in where I want to with other books of that time period. I’m assuming the books are listed in order by time period and that you start with the first one and work your way through. Do you suggest some of the same books as Ambleside Online? For instance, I noticed they recommend Pilgrim’s Pride for one “Year” of their studies. I’m sorry if you’ve already addressed this. My head is swimming from all of the research I’ve been doing.
Again, my main goal is to really move more in the direction of CM philosophy and combine my girls where we are studying 1 time period together and narrating together, taking turns, etc. I’ll be completely moving away from SL LA and using dictation either from your spelling program or from the books, poetry we’re reading, or other great literature. I also no longer plan to use a formal writing program but to use narration instead.
Am I on the right track?
I have to tell you something cute…last night my 19 month old wanted to see our read aloud book while we were reading. So, I gave it to him. He took the book and held it properly in his pudgy, little hands. Rocking back and forth on his feet, he smiled and started to “read” to us. He giggled and was so proud of himself. However, I thought I would never get my book back:)
What a cute story! He’ll be learning a lot listening to you reading aloud while he plays. 🙂
I don’t know whether our curriculum guide suggests some of the same books as AO. Our guide gives the books we used, or in some cases wish we had used, as we worked our way through history (back before we knew about AO). Some of the listed books are appropriate for “spines,” meaning they will probably last you most of the year and cover the whole time period. Then the other books would be inserted as you cover those men/events in the spine book.
Where no spine book is listed, you can just work your way through the list. I haven’t had an opportunity to make sure all six modules’ books are listed in the right order within each grade level. (It’s on my to-do list.) But you can get a pretty good idea of order by looking at their historical setting dates in the CM Bookfinder. And don’t panic if you get a couple of books out of order; if you’re putting people and events in your Book of Centuries, you’ll see where they fit just fine.
It sounds like you’re on a great track!
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