Tips for making CM work with a large family …

Ok, I’ll share a few.  I’ve got 9 lovely children from 10th grade to a baby and we’ve always homeschooled, almost always with CM principles as our guide.

Tip 1:  Combine combine combine.  Living books make it possible to combine a wide range of ages into one book. Generally, I find all ages can get something out of the same book for history or literature, and then the older students can read independently to add to the depth of material (esp. at the high school age).  Nature study, poetry, picture study, composer, so many CM subjects can be done as a whole family.  Instead of teaching 5-10 separate poets, artists, or composers you teach just 1 to everybody.

Tip 2:  Trust the process.  Grammar studies can wait.  Spelling can wait.  Give your children several solid years of being able to read while doing copywork and then dictation.  Once they’ve done these for most of elementary they will have self corrected many of their spelling and grammar issues because they will have had so much exposure to correct language.  Then you can work on the short list of things they haven’t self corrected – so much easier and less frustrating for everyone.

Tip 3: Don’t forget to hand over the responsibility a little more each year.  As they are growing up they are able to take over reading more of their own books, they are able to do their math practice and just check in with you instead of having you sit with them the entire time, they are able to do their science study and have you listen to or read their narrations.

Tip 4:  Choose a math curriculum that takes less of Mom, and stick with it – don’t curriculum hop in math if at all possible. What do I mean by one that takes less of Mom?  Some math curricula have mom teaching a new lesson every single day for 180 days.  The kids have some practice of past concepts, but there is something new every day as well.  (Saxon in the younger years comes to mind).  Others are set up to have 1 weekly lesson on a new concept with mom, and then the student spends the rest of the week practicing that concept and reviewing, which can often be done without mom.  So instead of needing to teach 5-10 children 5 math lessons per week (25-50 lessons per week) you only teach 1 lesson per child (5-10 lessons if you have 5-10 children).  Much more manageable for mom.  (Math U See is set up like this, there are probably others.  MUS also offers each weekly lesson on DVD so mom can even have a child watch that instead of teaching it – great for older students.)

We’ve been schooling a year less than Tristan, with only 5 DC.  😉  We started with unit studies (mostly Five in a Row), then switched to Charlotte Mason methods…although FIAR is pretty CM friendly for the early years.

I totally agree with Tristan’s post!  We also use MUS, which is a great choice for large families and CM friendly.  Combining is great for budgeting both time and money spent on curriculum.  I try to find materials that can be used for multiple ages, and over multiple years.  Things like the Handbook of Nature Study or Laying Down the Rails for Children are great examples of this.  Instead of a workbook that will be used for one year and one child only, I’d rather spend our money on great resources.

Next year my oldest starts high school, and I’m still figuring it out.  We will be taking advantage of DVD courses.  Not only is it cheaper than online classes, but I’ll be able to re-use the DVDs with my younger DC.  We’ll be using DVDs for art history, science, Latin, and composition (and of course, math).  I’m hoping this will help stretch my teaching a bit farther.  I was a bit worried about relying on technology, but the DVDs I’ve selected are really a small part of their class time.  Each program still has them doing quite a bit on their own.

One struggle I’ve had with CM is overlooking the importance of 3Rs.  It’s easy to get caught up in all the “fun” subjects like art study, handicrafts, or history read alouds.  The 3Rs really should take priority, since these skills build over the years.  With CM methods, they really don’t take long to cover each day.  Through copywork and dictation, you can cover so many areas of language arts (handwriting, spelling, grammar, etc.).  We’ll be covering grammar through Latin this year, so both our foreign language and grammar will be covered with one lesson!  CM had a very efficient way of covering language arts!

My last tip would be to not follow CM’s methods to a “T”.  She taught a century ago in a different time and place.  If something isn’t working, don’t feel like you have to stick with it because it’s how CM would have taught.  Most every CM family has adopted CM methods to fit their specific needs.  With my own family, we have yet to study Plutarch or read a Shakespeare play.  Our nature studies are few and far between.   I purchased spelling workbooks for some of my DC for the coming year.  The CM police have yet to show up at my door.  😉

I agree with all the great advice so far! I have 9 dear children and have been homeschooling for 13 years.

What I would add is:

Don’t push your children into reading, writing or anything too fast. Look for readiness and things won’t take as much of your time to teach.

Also, remember to take advantage of audio books when your in the van, working together (like canning!), or when mom needs some rest or is taking care of the baby.

I also have a question for Tristan and R7blessings. What do you ladies use to teach grammar? I noticed Tristen teaches it later (I do too.) and R7 blessings does it together as a group. Just curious how you do it or what you use to teach it in those situations. That’s one area I’m not real settled on yet. 🙂

Thanks!

We  have five kids and SCM products have simplified homeschooling for us a ton!  I agree with Tristan and the others about combining as much as possible

We use Latins Not So Tough for Latin ……the kids can do it and grade themselves

Where are you located?  I wish we had a local support group like this.

Family of 9 here. These ladies have the key…  Group as much together as possible, enjoy being a family together, and steer clear of teacher intensive materials.

We are in Alabama.  Unfortunately, I do not think we have any local CM support groups around here.

Hi MommyScott! I am a CM homeschooling mother of nine, and I live near Charlottesville, VA. Where are you?