This is not working!!

I had to chuckle a bit at your day because I think we have all had those times where something just isn’t working.  Sometimes it is what we are using, other times it is how much we are using, or how we are using something.  I’ll try to break down my response by going section by section through your post so I don’t miss things.

1. Love that you read aloud!  It’s the best thing in our day.

2. Classical conversations isn’t CM.  If the kids like it and you like it great, but it isn’t following CM principles really.  Charlotte introduces the children to living ideas, often through living books or real life experiences (nature study), and allows them to draw out the facts based on their observation.  CC presents the children with a set of facts that someone arbitrarily decided all children at a particular age should memorize (the facts) and then assumes that later on they will flesh out those bare facts with living books or real life experiences.

3. Sounds like your 7th grader isn’t one you are worried about.  Not familiar with Allinonehomeschool, so I can’t comment on if it is CM friendly.  Are they reading living books, narrating to you, doing written narrations?  Those are the first clues I would look at.

4. Math sounds like it’s working for your 1st, 3rd, 4th.  Yay!

5.  Too much technical language arts!  Spelling wisdom, Using Language Well, Cursive practice, AND copywork?  Yep, I would hate it too and by the end of it there would be no way I would want to write a narration at all.  More on that in a minute.   So, I always look to combine.  If you want to use Spelling Wisdom then one day use the passage for their copywork (it can even be in cursive). Notice, one five minute activity covers 3 areas!  Then if spelling is an area they need more practice in to get it you can use just one passage for a week.  Day 2 have them find the words in the passage they struggle to spell and copywork just those.  Day 3 copywork the passage again, paying attention to punctuation.  Day 4 or 5 they can do the prepared dictation part – you say it and they write without seeing a guide.  This is where the practice of spelling the words all week hopefully shows progress.

6. More on written narration.  Don’t begin this until a child is at least 4th grade (and narrating orally comfortably).  Then they only do 1 written narration per WEEK.  Spelling?  Who cares?  The goal in the beginning is just to get their ideas down on paper.  Spelling will come in the future.  You don’t edit their written narrations either, unless you have some ONE thing you are holding them accountable for.  For example holding them accountable for putting a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence.

7. Last thing – you feel like you don’t have much to do.  I didn’t hear you mention doing any of the following CM subjects (not all on the same day and not all every day):  science/nature study, picture study, composer study, poetry study, history.  I’m guessing you are doing some of these and just forgot to mention?

I hope those help, I am out of time on the computer.  You can do this!  Just think of small tweaks.  Maybe consider rereading some of the information here on Simply Charlotte Mason about getting started with CM?  I love going back to reread those and ground myself in the foundations.

I agree with both above commenters. Add in the subjects that Tristan has recommended. Composer study, nature study, picture/artist study, individual silent reading too. Those will help to bulk up your day a little, and help each student to be more exposed to the CM topics you love.

I would also like to add that it sounds like you are more of an eclectic homeschooler that a CM homeschooler. So, if eclectic (a little bit of this, a little bit of that methodology) is what you like, stick with it. I tend to agree with Tristan on the memorization of facts, but if your children are enjoying it, keep it. Adding CM qualities to your day and adjusting things can make a big difference. For instance, the language arts study sounds like you have a lot going on. Can you combine some of this the way Tristan suggested?

I would also try to bulk up history/science studies as well. What about nature study once or twice a week? Each child can have their own sketchbook, or notebook. Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges could be a great resource for that.

A mom on facebook talked about what she did to help her husband understand what they were accomplishing in homeschool, and it sounds like maybe this would work for you. She created a “secret” group on facebook, added only her husband, and then a couple of times a week, she loads pictures of their studies. You could load documents of written narrations or essays, pictures of them working at the computer, pictures of read-aloud time, and videos of oral narrations. It doesn’t have to be on facebook, obviously. You could do it on a blog as well. You can even keep the blog private with a password that only you and he have. This way, he can see all that you are truly doing.

Can you keep records of what they are accomplishing each week? For instance in a notebook, keep a record of the number of math pages completed. Or how many narrations were written or given orally. Then at the end of the week, you can give your husband a written account of everything that was done. You could keep a binder for each child and just 3-hole punch all of their drawings, math sheets, narrations, etc. You get the idea.

As for the spelling issue, I know this isn’t very CM, but have you looked into All About Spelling? It would certainly help with spelling issues, and since it sounds you like may be more eclectic than strictly CM, it may suit your needs for this season you are in. I would start your younger all on level 1, and then they may progress individually. Or, take from their narrations one or two words that are mis-spelled, and focus on those words for the week. Keep a record of the words they are learning and see how many spelling words they can finish in a school year.

For your 7th grader, is he doing Essentials at CC? Or Challenge A or B? That would definitely bulk up his work quite a bit. If not, I would take another look at all-in-one-homeschool and see if it really is challenging enough for him. I personally decided not to use it because I saw very little output for the student. It was basically a lot of “read this article, watch this video”. (I might be wrong here, if so, please correct me) But I didn’t see projects, experiments, quizzes and tests or essay assignments. Double check and make sure he’s doing all the work for it, and see if you can print out any reports of what he’s done so far. The best measure of what he’s learning is to see how he progresses through the year.

You will get beyond this season, and in time, things will get better.

I’d mix things up a bit. You do all the inspiring work in the morning and the discipline subjects after that. I’d mix them up.

So far example:

1. Artist Study (insp)
2. Math (disc)
3. Poetry (insp)
4. Copywork (disc)
5. History (insp)
6. Dictation (disc)
7. Literature (insp)
8. Memory Work (disc.)

etc.

This is also why I’m not as big fan of the ‘new’ morning basket thing. It lumps the fun in one part of the day, and the work in another.

Keep all subjects short, and jump from one thing to the other before the children get bored. It’s a feast, lots of everything. Stop reading a book even if you’re really into it and the children beg for more. The more they look forward to it the next time. Keep all lessons short and keep moving on. I’d also not do the read alouds in the morning, because it’s clearly something you all enjoy. It’s a good incentive after a harder subject.

If your children are struggling with spelling I’d focus on copywork, and not yet on dictation. Copywork is really the foundation for spelling and they don’t need more yet.

Hope any of my rambling is helpful at all…