Name: Thrive! NCHE Convention
Start: 2024-05-23T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2024-05-25T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: AO, curriculum, planning, SCM, switching

This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 2 months ago by Des.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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Posts
February 23, 2009 at 6:42 pm
missceegee
Participant
I’m a certifiable curriculum junkie! I have 3 kids (7 girl, 5 boy, 1.5 girl) and am only really schooling the 7 year old right now. We used sonlight Pre-k and K and liked the books a lot, but I knew I could never do 3 different levels. I bought Tapestry of Grace and sold it b/c I was overwhelmed, though I liked the idea of everyone studying the same cycle of history. Then we used AO Year 1, switched to Higher Up and Further In Year 2 to cover American History instead of British and we were enjoying it, though some books were a GIGANTIC STRETCH! With the baby, we’ve currently given up our CM studies an she’s doing 2nd grade R&S, which is ok, but not living books which we love so much more. The baby is getting easier so I think in a few weeks I’ll be ready to switch back to more CM type studies.
I drive myself loony with all the changes and second guessing myself. I need some help with the planning, organization and HIFI is pretty good, but I love the layout of the SCM guides (very user friendly) and the idea of all kids studying the same cycle of history is wonderful!
I feel like I’m constantly planning the perfect education, but busy changing it and then things don’t get done and I feel so behind!
Any advice welcome!
February 23, 2009 at 8:23 pm
CindyS
Participant
Praise the Lord that you are normal!! You want the best for your children and that can get confusing sometimes because there are so many good choices. You may want to consider Sonya’s Planning Your CM Education. I’ve been homeschooling (and still wondering if I’m homeschooling or home schooling! 😕 ) for 15 years and I found it very helpful for adding focus.
Blessings,
Cindy
February 23, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Jodie Apple
Participant
It’s good to know others do the same as me…but take heart…I had been doing what you described for FOUR frustrating years!!! Our children are 18, 11 and 8 (imagine how ‘behind’ I feel!! ha ha) UNTIL…SCM. I agree with Cindy. Planning your CM Education has been my ‘go to’ when I need focus.
I’m so thrilled to be transitioning over to this because I truly feel like I can declutter my mind of all the others we’ve tried that just didn’t measure up to what we were hoping for. Now that we’ve slowly incorporated these methods, my mind doesn’t even search for or notice curriculums or books that don’t support CM methods. And, more importantly, I don’t second guess what we’re doing anymore. As Charlotte said, “..the effort of decision is the most exhausting effort of life…” (Home Education Vol. 1) I’ve also decluttered our book shelves of items that don’t support CM education and somehow I feel like I can breath!!! ha ha
Be encouraged,
mj
February 24, 2009 at 12:44 pm
csmamma
Participant
Curriculum junkie…hmmmmm…. 😕 …Who does that remind me of?…oh I know, myself! lol
I can relate and was there for 5 years out of our 7 years of homeschooling. Only the last 2 years have I been able to lay all that (or at least most of it) aside and breath- ahhh – thanks to SCM.
You are going to love the curriculum guide here and I agree with Cindy and MJ “Planning your CM Education” is the greatest tool.
Your kids are still really young so you can just enjoy them and take it slow. One more thing I highly recommend is taking the time to listen to Sonyas message titled “Reaching Your Childs Heart”. This really pushed me over the edge so to speak , causing me to check my priorities. I realized that my preoccupation with curriculum was greater then my preoccupation with my childrens hearts.
MJ, I have to say that Charlottes quote you posted has inspired me today! As homeschooling Moms and recovering “curriculum junkies”, we know to well the effort of trying to find just the right thing out there; all of our searching, testing, trying and decision making, causes us to become extremly exhausted and drains life from us. I think I will post Charlottes quote on my fridge today and remind myself of this frequently.
Have a wonderful Tuesday and keep looking up!
Heather
February 24, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Des
Participant
mj I love that CM quote and I think i’m going to follow your lead and declutter all the books from my shelves that don’t support a CM education.