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statistics thread?
- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 10 months ago by
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Dear Ladies,
As I read your posts and comments, it would be so helpful to me to know what the ages are of your children, length of time with CM, what challenges you face, etc. Is there a collection of introduction posts somewhere?
Thanks!
Hi Pam, I have twin 17 year old daughters, we have been doing a CM approach on and off for since 6th grade – we do use textbooks for science and math for the high school years; in earlier years I used Anna Comstocks book among others – but everything else, is more or less CM. The girls were in PS for the first 5 grades or so and were very textbook oriented – so it was a struggle to get them into a CM mode at first. I tended to use an approach where both methods were on the table, and little by little they moved more toward CM. We read The Tempest by Shakespeare, and the girls narrated afterwards – it was a month or two later when they realized that they could remember it all, without any effort – that is when the light bulb went on and they understood that CM methods really worked. After that it became easier. Every so often my daughters would want to use a particular text and I did not have a problem with it, they always read plenty of living books anyway, and texts occasionally acted as a spine to hang their reading on. Example, for history they liked the Bob Jones World History textbook, but they used it as an outline and read living books pertaining to the various time periods – they also read the commentary from the Truthquest guides along with it. From that they learned to discern what was important to them and what they could skim over. They still do plenty of narration and even copywork, and we talk and discuss endlessly. The initial challenge for us was to help them understand that we did not need to use textbooks for things like literature, history, politics, government, etc – it took time, but they understand now. We only use textbooks for math, science and German, everything else is with living books. We also read living books for science, but as both girls wish to attend college, we are using textbooks and tests to prepare them.
I was educated during my primary years in England in a CM school, and I well remember at 5 years old going to the village school and loving it until I was 11 and had to go onto Grammar School which was not CM. At the time I did not even know what a CM school was – but looking back at the things my mother saved from the school and having read the CM books, I now see it was pure CM. I often wish that I had known about homeschooling when my daughters were young, but I only found out when they had already been in school for 5 years or so – ws were in England at a US military base, and I knew nothing of homeschooling, until I went to the base library and a homeschool meeting was going on – that changed everything, and after 6 months of prayer, reading and study, we decided to educate our girls at home. All of you out there with little ones, you are so blessed to be able to start out right away with CM and homeschooling – it is a wonderful way to live.
My daughters are doing an extra year in school, because due to a hurricane and my mother’s death in England back in 05/06 and the trauma that caused, we missed a year of school – so they will graduate later than average – but that does not bother us a bit – another joy of homeschooling – we work to our schedule. Sorry if this is wordy – I say enjoy every minute – I have.
Ds is 5 and dd is almost 2, so I’ve only begun homeschooling. I was probably using CM techniques all through ds’s preschool years and didn’t know it, although the preschool he just finished was very traditional in its techniques. We will start “school at home,” as ds puts it, July 6. Here’s what I intend to do (whether it will work or not is yet to be seen):
In the mornings, Bible and read-aloud time. Then they can play, we can take nature walks, run errands, or I can do housework, whatever. In the afternoons, during dd’s naptime, (at least until I get her trained for schooltime) we’ll do phonics, math, and handwriting. I’ve bought workbooks for these, but will probably only use the math one, and that just as a guide to make sure I stay on track. I have word families flash cards, beans for counters, and will be buying M&Ms and Cheerios as we need them for counting, as well. We’ll buy kindergarten tablets when they go on sale, but I’ll need worksheets with dotted letters for awhile. (That was his problem area in preschool).
As soon as I get dd trained for schooltime, I’ll try to switch to a morning schedule, since I work part-time August through April and I wouldn’t feel as if I’m pressed for time. I suppose I shouldn’t be in a hurry to switch, though, because I can have more one-on-one time with dd if we have the subjects she can’t really participate in while she’s asleep. It got hot early in Mississippi this year, anyway, so if they play outside it has to be before 9 a.m. (I think I’m just wanting more time for myself in the afternoons, for crafts or planning or whatever. Dd is at the stage that she grabs my needles; ds finally outgrew that as long as I let him play with thread I’m not using).
Sorry it’s so long; I started chasing rabbits somewhere along the way.
Karen
It’s great to “meet” some of the newer members of the forum! Here are some more intros from several members who have been around from near the beginning (of the forum!). 😉
I have an 8 yo dd going into 3rd, a 5 yo ds beginning K, a 2 yo dd in the midst of everything and lots of habit training, and a baby due in early December. They have been home from birth. We’ve always read tons of great living books from the time dd #1 was born.
I used Sonlight for Pre-K and K for oldest and then learned about CM and began incorporating more of those ideas in K. I used AO for 1st, switched to a differed CM plan from HIFI for 2nd and will be using SCM as our framework from here on out. I will add in faves from the AO and HIFI lists and classics.
We will use Elem. Apologia Astronomy w/ 8 yo in a co-op this fall and I use OLD math texts – Ray’s and Strayer-Upton, but other than that, no textbooks here.
We generally school during the morning hours and have afternoons free for outdoor time, life skills and hand crafts – or just plain old fashioned play time!
I went to public school and have learned more in the past 3 years than I ever learned in school or college! 🙂
Great idea, it’s nice to get to know each other!
Christie
Great idea to have all the “intro’s” in the same place. I loved reading the previous ones.
My name is Rebecca. I have 7 children: DS’s ages 12, 11, 8, almost 7, 4 and 3 months and a DD age 2. We live in Colorado.
We’ve been homeschooling from the beginning. I’ve always leaned CM but have always used prepared curriculums (Sonlight, WinterPromise). This year I’m planning my own stuff thanks to Sonja’s book.
My biggest challenge is dealing with health issues while homeschooling. My oldest 5 boys all have food allergies. Two have asthma. One has vision problems. And the littlest has brain cancer. All the “extra” appointments and time needed to do meds and cook for the allergies make the juggling a bit harder. This year, God blessed me with my husband being home (He was laid off in January) so he will be doing part of the homeschooling this year (at least until he gets a new job or the business he’s trying to start gets busier) since I have to be at Children’s in Denver regulary for our 3 month olds treatment.
At the same time, I must say that God provides the time and energy needed to juggle everything he puts on our plates.
It’s so nice to “meet” everyone. I’m so glad this forum is here as I’ve already picked up tons of pointers.
-Rebecca
Rebecca, just a note to send prayers for your little one, for your husband and his business and the homeschool adventure we are all involved in. Sonja has put together such wonderful books and curriculum, I wish mine were little again so I could use some of it. This is such a great group of people and they all have such wonderful ideas – good luck and many prayers coming your way. Blessings, Linda
Oh Rebecca, I will be praying for the health and healing of your family too, especially your youngest!
Rachel
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