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Would you send your children to a Charlotte Mason school?
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Hi ladies,
This is my first post here, although I’ve been regularly reading this forum for a very long time. I’ve learned so much from you all already…thank you!
I’ll give you a brief introduction and a little background to my question. I have four children- dd7.5, dd5.5, ds4, dd1.5 We started off homeschooling my oldest with Sonlight in preschool and then discovered CM and began implementing her principles when dd was in Kindergarten. In First Grade I had planned to use SCM as our framework and it would be our first “real” year of homeschooling the CM way. Due to a severe health crisis in our immediate family we made the difficult decision to enroll her in school right after Thanksgiving that same year. So we had only been homeschooling for a few months. God provided in amazing ways during this time and she actually has had the opportunity to attend River Tree School, a school that is part of Ambleside Schools International. It is a phenomenol school and she has really flourished there. I’m not sure how to post a link here, but it is a school dedicated to Charlotte Mason education. Due to ongoing health issues, we made the decision to enroll her there for another year, so she is presently in 2nd grade, and her younger sister is in K at the school.
We are doing much better now as a family, health-wise, and are in the process of deciding on school for next year. I know that this is ultimately our decision, together with the Lord, but I would love to hear your thoughts (as moms dedicated to homeschooling and to CM methods) on the benefits and merits of homeschool or a CM school like this one. My biggest concern is the amount of time that they would be away from us. Even though it is a wonderful environment, that is so many hours in the day that I would not be the primary influence in their lives. Yet I don’t feel confident that I can offer my children the same quality of education they are receiving there, but maybe this is just my own insecurity speaking. What do you see as benefits of homeschooling that no school can replicate? Do you see any benefits of a true CM school that can’t be replicated at home?
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your thoughts!
Katie
Hi Katie,
I did find your school online and looked at their site briefly – it looks like a lovely school!
One of the things I love about homeschooling is being home with my son, enjoying the relaxed days, knowing the long public school days (7hrs starting in K) take too much time from our family. I understand your concern of having your children away from you for such long days, much of the week.
I see that the school has shorter days/weeks for the K-2nd grades. That is great that the increase the school time gradually. Next year you would be dealing with your oldest going 5 full days though, and the 2nd increasing their time also. Not sure if your 3rd starts in Sept. this year or not.
As far as quality of education that you are able to provide, I think most parents who are led to homeschool can provide a great education. There may be gaps that you are not able to do as well as the school does, but you can provide the family/relationships, character building and more individualized attention that no other school can provide. Your children will have an opportunity to grow in their relationships with each other, which is priceless.
When I look at what our family life would be like if we used the public school option (school from 8-3) it seems that we would have just 4.5 hours each evening to spend together, which would end up with little quality time (homework, dinner prep, play, extracurricular…). Homeschooling allows us to have the days filled with family time, we know what our son is learning and exposed to, and we live a more relaxed lifestyle than we would otherwise.
I am glad to hear that your health issues have improved, and pray that God will continue to heal and keep you all in good health, and give you direction for this year, providing you with encouragement and resources to continue on the path He has set for you!!
Vanessa
Hi Katie,
Over the last several years, I’ve honestly kept my eyes on Ambleside in Fredericksburg. Now, another Ambleside school opened even closer to me in Boerne. DH and I often talk of moving to Fredericksburg someday. The last time we were there, we even drove by the school for me to take a peek (just from the outside, not an actual visit.)
It is, for me, the ideal setting for our children IF I weren’t able to homeschool them for whatever reason. However, realistically, the only way they’d be able to attend under our present circumstances would mean moving to an expensive area. It would also require me to go back to work (ideally teaching at the school.)
We only have two of our five children left to homeschool (14yos and 7yod.) I actually feel like I’m finally in a place where I am following so much of CM’s methods that it would be hard for me to pay tuition for them to learn away from home, especially if it meant I’d be away from home all day, too. That would remove so much of our time together. It would end our afternoons for the pursuit of life.
It would likely bring much more mandatory structure to our days. We have a framework, but it can be sidetracked from time to time. I’m not sure this is either good, or bad for our family. It’s how things work for us…..mostly.
There are some things that I offer the children earlier and those that I offer much later in terms of literature and ideas as compared to the Ambleside curriculum. I’m not sure I’d be willing to change this for our children. In fact, that’s probably the number one thing that would cause me to keep them home. This one aspect would be higher on the “cons” list than tuition. I know, I know, that may sound ridiculous to many, but that’s the kicker for this control freak. Heh.
That said, we only have a little over 4 years until we only have one left in our one room schoolhouse. I cannot say that I’d rule it out at that point. She’ll be 12 years old by the end of that “school year” and these issues would no longer be as much of a concern in comparison to learning at home alone. I have never been in that place before as a homeschooler. I’m not sure what that will look like for her. And, if we’ve moved to Fredericksburg by then, it might be the path we’d take at that point. But, all that glorious freedom might be too much to leave behind (for us both.)
That’s a mixed answer, I know. We’re not in the same place. Your school looks lovely and I applaud them for the graduated schedule in the early years. Once you hit several on different routines, I’m not sure how that will look at home. You might look at that time as golden and use it to homeschool those who are there to get a good idea of what it might look like to have them all home. With the tuition money and time back in your account, you’d be able to offer them much more than the school, but, yes, it would be up to you. There may be CM homeschoolers in your area that are unable to afford the school. Forming a CM co-op would give you an avenue to interact with other likeminded families. It could meet once a week, or less depending on the group’s needs.
Lots of thoughts to consider. As far as a school is concerned, I don’t think I’d choose anything over an Ambleside school.
What a rambler. I must be off to start our day. Praying for God’s blessing of healing and discernment as you determine where He is leading you for this next year.
Becca<><
Hi, Katherine,
I live in the area! We went to RiverTree last year for the Shakespeare plays and are excited to go again this year. The school is beautiful. Hardwood floors, antique furniture in the rooms, nature nooks, baby grand piano….everything looks so homey. I have a friend teaching at the school – probably your girls (Mrs. S)
Would I send my girls there (ages 7, 11 and 14)? I’ve thought about this a lot this year mainly because of RiverTree. And I’ve determined that even if money was not object or I was somehow granted free tuition, I would not do it. And not because it isn’t a lovely school. It is!
But I believe in the ideal of homeschooling more than the philosophy of education I follow. I want to be the one who disciples them in the Lord and kindles their passion for learning. I want to give them time to enjoy life and pursue interests. I want to be their primary influence. Those are the benefits. Those are things a school can’t replicate.
Yes, you can provide a quality education! The best homeschooling moms are the ones that recognize their weak areas. Are you weak in certain areas? Work on them now, a little at a time. Before I started homeschooling by grammar was abysmal. Now I can actually diagram a sentence. And if you really can’t teach something, there are also a lot of opportunities (especially in our area) for classes at the high school level.
Benefits of the CM school: opportunity to be in plays and do things in groups, a wider social network (could be bad or good), science labs in high school (can be done at home but equipment is expensive).
Please feel free to PM me. Sorry to cut off abrubtly. I need to run and help my girls with school!
Jenny
I would do it for my oldest one in a second if there was one near me and if I could afford it! How fortunate you are! 🙂
Katherine,
Your post intrigued me, so I looked up River Tree School. Wow. I wish I had the opportunity to send my children to school there!
Of course, as you mentioned that you miss time with your children and want to be their main influence, you may prefer to homeschool. Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, each reason being valid for that family. I think either way, continuing at the CM school or homeschooling, could provide an excellent education for your children. Continue to pray for God’s guidance and be sure you and your husband are in agreement whatever your decision.
Different children and different families have different needs, priorities and values. Life has seasons and things always change. What fits now may not fit at all in a few years. There was a time in my life I would have said NO, NEVER to sending my kids to school. Just last night I was discussing with my husband that it may be necessary for find a school situation for our youngest son because of his unique challenges. I wish we were close to the River Tree School!
If you are feeling a conviction to bring your kids home and your health permits, then I would encourage you to do it. No decision is permanent- you could always re-enroll the following year if you discover it wasn’t the right choice. There are very few decisons in life that are unalterable once you have made them, education is not generally one of those few. 🙂
I met a lovely young lady this past summer whose parents had started an Ambleside school. She was homeschooled, and then attended at some point. She loved the outdoors, painted in her free time, and really valued her education.
Personally, it would be tempting to me because I struggle to get the arts in as well as I’d like. However, I know that’s more me and not sure I’d want to give up our freedom, shorter days, and pay that much money for elementary school. I think I might more seriously consider it for high school when even homeschool days are longer and the desire for relationships seems to be even stronger. Don’t know if that helps any:)
I think it looks lovely. A much more fitting alternative than general public school. I would be interested in it if there was one in our area and we could afford it. However, I think I would bemoan the length of the day. I would miss our tea time literature and poetry talks, our lenghty lunches with amazing read alouds. I would miss nature walks, etc.. Yes, we could try to do those anyway, but the reality is with extras, errands, appts., and life, we wouldn’t have time for those if they were gone all day.
However, it would relieve me of some of the work of homeschooling. I think if I had a need to have them schooled another way, I would do it. Otherwise, I would keep them home. Tough choice. Maybe I should be glad that no wonderful little Ambleside school exists near me or I, too, would be having to make a weighty decision. In the end trust God and your husband and go where the Lord leads. You can’t go wrong that way!
While those schools are lovely and I’m sure they provide a rich education, I would not personally send my children to one. I believe that the responsibility for my children’s educations falls on my shoulders, not someone else’s. I also desire to be home with my children, not have them away from me all day and under the influence of someone else most of the time. Homeschooling for us is about togetherness, and that cannot be accomplished no matter how good the school is.
The longer I have homeschooled, the more confident I have become in myself. I feel confident choosing my own books, and I don’t feel the need to buy tons of things that end up being a waste of money. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself all day if my children were gone. I could only clean the house so much before I would be bored out of my mind. 😉
They are beautiful schools, but I think my home is a beautiful school too. 😉
Ditto to Jenny and Lindsey. If your situation dictates school,then by all means choose one that can closely resemble the CM education you desire your children to have! But no school can give you the tightly bonded sense of family and security that homeschooling can give your children.
And there is a Biblical mandate that I think most successful homeschoolers feel that cannot be satisfied by sending our kids to school. The mandate to:
“Teach them (the laws and principles of God) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 11:19
It is something that we, as a family, feel very strongly. We wouldn’t give it up no matter how superior the school was, if we could help it. I believe that God has created us to disciple our children, passing on who we are from generation to generation. That kind of education cannot be duplicated.
If I had to send my kids to school, I would choose one like yours. But as long as we are financially and physically able to educate at home, we will.
I think my own insecurities about academics would make me lean toward the school, but everything else would pull towards home. As long as you choose prayerfully, you will make the right choice for your family this year.
Thank you so much everyone for all your thoughtful responses! This is just the kind of feedback I was looking for and I really appreciate it. I have so much more to say- will be back to post in the morning. Thank you!
If I could afford it and was comfortable with the school, ABSOLUTELY! I’m a second generation homeschooler and as much as I love homeschooling, I realize that the Biblical model of education makes room for putting your children under other teachers (Galatians 4). During the times of the OT, boys would have been under another teacher from a pretty young age. So, I would have nothing against it from a Biblical perspective, as long as my husband and I was approved of the teachers and curriculum.
And, as a second generation homeschooler, I recognize the places where homeschooling can lack. I honestly can’t teach my kids everything. I don’t know everything. I can teach them how to learn and provide materials. But there are skills and subjects that do best with teacher who knows the skill or subject. I would LOVE to put my kids in an awesome, SMALL school where I had say. 🙂 But, that’s not an option for us, so, we have fun with homeschooling.
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