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New to SCM re: older students
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Hello everyone! We are new to SCM this year and will be using the SCM lesson plans. I have all our books ordered to correlate with the lesson plans and we will move forward shortly.
I know since my kids have not been doing written dictation and narrations as a normal part of their school day that I should have them narrate to me orally for a couple months at the beginning. My question is: After these oral narrations, should I write them down and have them copy as one would a younger child? I know typically older students move out of the copywork stage and just write their narrations. However, I thought this may be a scenario to embrace copywork at an older age. I am speaking of ages 10 to 13.
Also, how do you decide how many narrations to write and copy? One per day? Surely not every narration for every book read during the day? That would seem a bit overkill. So, what would be a good goal for written narrations for beginning students? How do you choose which subject to do a written narration or copywork for?
As I mentally grasp the picture (I like to see the end result), it seems that the written narration would just be on the independent or individualized reading for their age for history or science? Only oral narrations are expected for the family literature, family history, family science, etc.?
Hi Amanda! Welcome. 🙂
Yes-I would start all your kids on oral narration and give them some time to get a feel for it. Then I would start with 1 narration a week and stick to that for a while. My daughter is 13 and she writes two narrations a week. They are more essayish and she averages about a page (typed) each. The rest of her narrations are done orally. She prefers to do her written narrations on books that tell a complete story or present a big picture, in each chapter so she uses our history spines for the most part. Famous Men of the Middle Ages is an example of the type of book she uses for her written narrations.
Copy work is usually taken from good literature or famous speeches. Reading and copying from well written models helps our children by exposing them to good writing, punctuation, spelling, etc.
I highly recommend that you read through the SCM blog and learn as much as you can. The SCM dvds are WONDERFUL if you can afford them. Charlotte Mason’s original volumes are meaty, but amazing and you can read them for free on Ambleside online.
I require oral narrations for all my daughter’s school subjects except for literature. We discuss these in a more casual way but I don’t require formal narrations of them.
I agree, if you can swing it, the Learning and Living DVD set
it will give you your own personal CM conference. I have watched it twice through now. It helps me focus on our learning style goals and gets me organized in the “how-to” for CM method.
I also use the Plan Your CM Education book &dvd set every year. It helps me figure out what subjects/topics, what to use to learn with, and how to schedule it in very doable pieces. Invaluable to our year.
My sister says we live next to Santa, therefore too far to come visit. I have not been able to get to a homeschool conference or event Sonya has spoken at. For a fraction of the cost of that trip, I get to soak up some living knowledge in my pjs, avec chocolate and tea.
Best “professional development” investment I’ve made.
My favourite economy version for CM 101 is Karen Andreola’s book, A Charlotte Mason Companion.
Reading on the SCM blog and the forum here is a great way to find encouragement and support. I hope your new school year is very enjoyable and your are able to unschool your mind sets into a very refreshing new learning atmosphere.
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