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Suggestions for our schedule
- This topic has 7 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 9 months ago by
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Hi gang ! I have only posted a few times here and am still learning tons about CM . I will be starting my 3rd year HS , but this year will be the 1st with teaching 2 kids at a time. I have some holes / gaps that I am trying to fill , and trying to scratch together a daily “flow” chart I guess. We have been using the Scripture Memory system , right start math , following the outdoor hour challenge blog for nature study/science , Explode the code online / interactive phonics , Come look with me series for picture study and All about spelling .
We are a part of a campus day/ co-op one day each week. The kids will be taking A general Evan moore science about animals and sign language.
What will be new this year for us is Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl , Music / Composer study , My Father’s world History/Geography along with their read-a-loud list that goes along with the history for our oral narration. Also i want to attempt to introduce handicrafts.
Speaking of handicrafts this is what I kinda thought as possibilities: origami , soap making ( right before the holidays to give as presents possibly ) , watercolor , kiting / building our own kites. I have a 7 & 5 yr old. I am hesitant about the origami since that requires finger dexterity. Is this a craft more appropriate for an older child? I don’t know much about it. What are your thoughts about soap making ?
My attempt to “spread the feast” throughout the week -Mondays – Handicrafts, Tuesdays – Picture study, Wednesdays _ ?? Maybe a 2nd day of Handicrafts ??, Thursdays – Music/ Composer study , Fridays – Nature Walk. Any suggestions? Would I be crazy to add in something else new like Hymn study? I just don’t want to do too much “new” stuff all at once. The oral narration is going to be our biggest challenge I think, training them to be attentive and pay attention long enough to narrate parts of what I read. I am thinking of doing this in the morning when they are fresh , the afternoons seems to be a bit of a challenge.
I feel like I rambled on a bit and not quite sure I got to the point. I am excited about CM and implementing her ideas . Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice !
Jamie
I think you have a great schedule in place…plenty for those ages! If it were me, I wouldn’t start w/any more than this….and I’d implement slowly. Maybe just 3 R’s or 3 R’s plus MFW at first, then the handicrafts, music, etc. after you’re in a comfortable routine. Hymn study would be a good fill in…but I wouldn’t stress too much if you don’t get in all the extras at this age. Sounds like you have a lot planned! Just my .02! Blessings, Gina
When I started adding in CM extras like composer, picture study, hymns, etc., I had to add one at a time until I was comfortable with it. So I added a new subject about once a month. This SCM article was helpful to me at that time:
http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/started/transition/
I am going to try this method again this year as some things never became a regular part of our routine and got skipped a lot last year (nature study & notebook, poetry, and handicrafts). I don’t know much about your handicrafts. We are working at handsewing. We all LOVE picture study and composer study and we have used some of the Come Look With Me books successfully in the past. However I do prefer to focus on the work of one artist for a period of time and frame their work for a week or two to enjoy. Do you have any specific questions?
As far as flow to routine, there was a related post on here last week:
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/time-boxes-or-time-tables
That is a tough thing to work out and you’ll probably have to learn what works best for your family, by trial and error. It is an exciting journey!
Hymn study can be so simple that it could be a fill in anywhere. At the dinner table, after dinner, in the car on the way to other things. Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon. Whatever. It doesn’t have to be a time consumer.
Thanks soooo much for your input!!!
Wings2fly – thanks for the links, they were very helpful. The daily flow had me concerned , but feel relieved now. The times boxes vs. the times tables brought some clarity!
And I don’t feel so bad if it takes a couple of months to begin adding things. I am thinking it might be wise to just really focus on the oral narration & getting familiar with how the MFW history/ geo is setup. If all is going well maybe add music/ composer study in October and handicrafts after Christmas break. I tend to get over zealous ….like a kid in a candy store!!
I would eventually like to transition our picture study into a specific artist. I bought those come look with me books & feel the need to use them …not be wasteful I guess??? But ” hoping” by Christmas break we will switch to a specific artist. I was thinking of Mary Cassatt followed by Audubon. Unless any of you have better suggestions??
And I was struggling where to fit the literature read a loud for oral narration. I stumbled across another post on here that mentioned doing it during the morning snack time so all would be listening. I think I will try that.
Thanks again for everyone’s input 🙂
Jamie
That sounds like a good plan. Take it slow and develop good habits. I am glad we used Come Look with Me books first so I could learn what questions to ask the children and how to study art. Another one we loved (still love; kids still look at it) is A Child’s Book of Art by Lucy Micklethwait.
Good for you for scheduling all that in!
I just thought we would do picture study and composers as we went along but we ended up doing very little the last 2 years. (this will be our 3rd year as well).
This year I chose all the artist and composers I want to cover, I think there is a much better chance we will actually study them this way and I also put in on the schedule.
I never scheduled in handicrafts. DS10 picks up things on his own, paper airplane, origami, he will be knitting at the co-op this year. DS12 doesn’t show any interest.
What I do schedule in is arts and crafts though. especially the little guys like that a lot (6 and 3). The older one I have do arts related to the artist we study.
I like this website a lot for that:
For a while, I did our artist study and composer study (reading the books about them) only on Saturdays. We had to skip a couple, because of traveling or whatever, but that was a good way for me to get them in the schedule and it didn’t take any of our “normal school” time. We listened to the music and looked at the pictures every day. But Saturday was the day we read the books or the story. It was something I attached to our “Together Time” Bible memory / hymn singing time / get the little one to sleep time that we do everyday (unless we’re way busy and life gets in the way!).
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