struggling w/ how it "looks"

Good question. I know exactly what I’m going to do, but I don’t know how.

Well, it looks different for every family, of course:) I highly recommend the book sold here, “Planning Your CM Education.” There are ideas on implementation of all subjects and lots of sample schedules figuring in kids of different ages. I would say a ‘general’ schedule might be something like:

Start off w/family time. Are you doing the SCM modules? If so, this would include the family reading selections outlined for history/geography/Bible. This could also include Scripture Memory time (SCM Scripture Memory System is great for this) and maybe a family read aloud. You could also add on one ‘arts/extra subject’ daily. For example, read about a composer and play their music Monday, SCM art portfolio on Tues., listen to a hymn on Wed., read about a poet/read poetry on Thur., maybe read Fallacy Detective w/older kids on Friday(just suggestions I would do). Those add on ‘extras’ only take maybe 10-15 min. ea., generally.

All your kids are old enough to do some or most work independently. After family time, you could work w/your youngest any subjects like new math concepts and dictation that require your help. Then he/she could work independently. This time would include any indendependent reading from the SCM module or literature.

While helping 4th grader, olders can work on their independent work. When done helping 4th grader, you could work w/6th grader on anything he/she needs you for (similar to 4th grader).

During all this time, your 9th grader should have plenty of independent work to keep him/her busy. After working w/youngers, you could work w/this child on new math concepts and any other things they need help with. 

I type out a schedule at the beginning of the year for each child so that they know exactly what to do each day. They just keep doing the next things. I put their schedule in a plastic page protector in a binder and they use a dry erase marker every day to check off their list. This includes morning routine stuff like make bed/eat breakfast/dog care, etc. 

You’ll want to ask for oral/written narrations after readings. So, after family readings you could ask one child for a narration (my kids don’t know who I’ll ask..so they stay on their toes:) Once kids are comfortable w/oral narrations, they  could start out writing one written narration a week, then two…increasing as they age. 

I hope something was helpful. If you have more specific questions, please ask…ladies here are always helpful:) But I would really buy the above book…it will help you lay things out and be a great reference:) Blessings, Gina

You can also take advantage of car time, dinner time, while you’re folding laundry or doing dishes, etc. to hear narrations.

Let’s see….I have a 7-year-old, 10, and two 13-year-olds.  We start by doing our family devotional (scriptures, religious book, scripture memory, hymn, etc).  I might make comments as we read the scriptures or ask questions about what we just read.  For example, we read about the Tower of Babel yesterday.  So I asked, “Why do you think God changed all their languages?”  Everyone came up with different ideas and we talked about it for a few minutes.  This takes about 30 minutes total then we do a 10 minute exercise break.

For history I read a family spine outloud and then I use one of the narration prompts such as “Tell me one thing you learned from the story we just read.”  I usually start with the youngest and let each of them tell me one thing.  Occasionally I’ll have one boy tell me everything, and not take turns, but that’s super hard for my youngest to NOT get to tell me something.  We just read in Famous Men of the Middle Ages about Warwick the Kingmaker today.  One of the questions I asked was, “How was Queen Margaret different than Richard of York?”  We discussed that for a few minutes and then moved on.  My older 3 boys have additional books to read for history and they do that during independent work time.

After family history we take another exercise break, then the older 2 go off to do independent work and I do ‘together’ subjects for the younger two (science, history book, literature/fun book, alternating nature study/Life of Fred/Lightning Lit).  When we’re done they go do their independent work.  After lunch I meet up with the youngest to do math and practice reading.  The rest do math solo.  Monday is our day for co-op but also our ‘other subjects’ day.  That’s when we do composer study, artist, poetry, etc.  All together.

My 2 oldest are making the transition from oral to written.  Right now they are required to do one written narration a day (their choice which subject) and the rest are oral…they just follow me around while I’m making lunch or doing dishes and tell me about what they read.  I have an hour or so in the afternoon where I am ‘available’, no scheduled work, just me sitting their reading and if they need me I put my book down.  They can come to me with questions about lessons, give narrations if they haven’t already found me, etc.  Their written narrations are usually only 4 to 6 sentences long for 4 to 6 pages of reading.  I do not correct anything right now.  I just read it to make sure the comprehension is there.  It’s been a month or so of steady daily written narrations so next week we’ll start correcting them by finding one or two things to talk about, fix that, and move on.  I made the mistake when I tried to switch from oral to written a while ago to correct every single thing that was wrong and make them re-write it.  So the very first thing they ever wrote for a narration was ripped to shreds.  After a week or so of this, and many tears, and a severe plummet in their self-confidence I backed off and after a few months we started doing one written narration a week.  No corrections.  After many weeks of that we moved to one a day, their choice of books/subjects to narrate, even their fun reading.  They’ve gained a lot more confidence now and feel like they can write.  We’ll just correct one or two things though because I don’t want to go back to hating any type of writing assignment.  Each kid is different though as to when they are ready to make the transition.  Some love to write and some feel it’s the bane of their existance.  Both have opted not to type theirs right now.  We’ll make that transition soon.  One of mine likes to draw pictures on his narrations which is why I suspect he doesn’t want to type it.  There are always fun pictures of Robin Hood robbing someone or castles or some nobleman getting stabbed or what have you.