Thank you Sonya and SCM team! This video couldn't have come at a better time for me. Your calm and thorough explanations are exactly what my frazzled mom brain needs. :)
What a great recap of a series you did a few years ago. I replayed and took notes from those original episodes with much attention. We took our time on each stage as needed and now have several stages mastered. I can't honestly say that our homeschool runs smoothly now but we have something that works for us in this season of our large family life.
So glad that you enjoyed this update and to hear that these ideas have served you well over the years to find a rhythm that works well for your unique family.
Thank you for reaching out with your question! This excerpt is taken from chapter 11 of "Stories of the Nations, Volume 2." Here is a link where you can download a free sample of this living book. simplycharlottemason.com/store/stories-nations-volume-2/
Thank you for reaching out, this is a great question! Here are a couple of things to consider: 1. Is scoring well on the exam a requirement for graduation or is it just an assessment? If the test score doesn't affect graduation or your right to homeschool, then you probably do not need to feel like you must teach to the test-just take the test to fulfill the legal requirement and don't share the grade with the student. 2. HSLDA is the best resource for learning what is required and what your options are or fulfilling those requirements. 3. If the test results do matter, we do not have a specific article to share for test prep the CM way (but this is a great idea for a potential future blogpost). Here are a few things to consider: • While CM doesn’t do traditional tests, the habits of full attention and best effort prepare a student to take any test. • The skills of self-learning that a CM approach gives to students enable them to read study guides or recommended textbooks and assimilate information. • The student will be likely to do well on tests as they know how to read for information and education. • It may be helpful to select a study guide that will familiarize your student with a foreign process for example: multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc. • Incorporate short study sessions with any prep materials you select into your week so that your student feels prepared and to calm any nerves. • If there are specific topics/areas that will be assessed with the evaluations it may be helpful to ensure that your curriculum is going to cover those areas so that your student is prepared from a content standpoint, however you could teach the material in a CM way still in order to prepare them.
Thank you for this awesome, comprehensive response. I feel like I know how to proceed. My kids are young and their assessment does not effect our ability to homeschool, but I know they can get frustrated when things are surprising and new.
Great question! It is never too early to start reading living books with your children. Narration will not be required of students until they are at least six years old, however you may find that your children start to narrate naturally in daily life about something they have seen, heard, learned about, but the important thing is that they are not required to do so. Here are SCM's recommendations for the years before formal school lessons. simplycharlottemason.com/planning/preschool-guide/ Here is a helpful series on homeschooling in the early years. While formal lessons are not required, there are many things that you can do with your children to engage them in learning in an age-appropriate way. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/parents-chief-duty-early-years-homeschooling/
Thank you very much, Sonya! What is your advice about the kindergarten age? What is the beginning point for this age? I guess Bible? Nature? Habits? I just don’t know where to start 😊 Greetings from Bulgaria!
Thanks for joining us! Your are right on track with your ideas for this age. Here is a helpful link with some ideas for how to target these areas with a student in the preschool/kindergarten years. simplycharlottemason.com/planning/preschool-guide/
When we implement living books and narration does this replace another subject? For example, with my second grader, I have been doing this but it often feels like too much on top of language arts. Could this replace language arts or a portion of it?
Great questions! Yes, you are on the right track here, narration is a part of "Language Arts." Here is a link to a helpful chart that will show you SCM's recommendations by grade level for the individual grade level subjects (math, science, and language arts). simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/individual-graded-subjects/ This is the first post in a series on language arts that will help you identify all that you are doing that falls under this subject. This may help you to identify any areas of duplication or areas that you could simplify so that your student is not completing any busywork but is given the time to work on skills at their level in order to continue to progress. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/what-exactly-is-language-arts-language-arts-part-1/ This is a helpful post on narration. Every book does not need to be narrated, SCM recommends literature books be read aloud simply to enjoy together. Other curriculum options may recommend you narrate them, it is up to you to decide what you wish to do! This post may be helpful in understanding the "why" behind narration and in deciding which books you may wish to have your student narrate. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/magic-numbers-narration-q-part-10/
Thank you Sonya and SCM team! This video couldn't have come at a better time for me. Your calm and thorough explanations are exactly what my frazzled mom brain needs. :)
Thank you for taking the time to share you feedback, so glad you found this episode helpful!
What a great recap of a series you did a few years ago. I replayed and took notes from those original episodes with much attention. We took our time on each stage as needed and now have several stages mastered. I can't honestly say that our homeschool runs smoothly now but we have something that works for us in this season of our large family life.
So glad that you enjoyed this update and to hear that these ideas have served you well over the years to find a rhythm that works well for your unique family.
Perfect.
Could you share which book about Einstein was used to give the example of a living book? Thanks 🙏
Thank you for reaching out with your question! This excerpt is taken from chapter 11 of "Stories of the Nations, Volume 2." Here is a link where you can download a free sample of this living book. simplycharlottemason.com/store/stories-nations-volume-2/
Yay! Just my speed!!!
So glad you enjoyed this episode!
Thank you, Sonya.
What do you think about standardized tests? When the county requires them, how should a CM method educator prepare her children?
Thank you for reaching out, this is a great question! Here are a couple of things to consider:
1. Is scoring well on the exam a requirement for graduation or is it just an assessment? If the test score doesn't affect graduation or your right to homeschool, then you probably do not need to feel like you must teach to the test-just take the test to fulfill the legal requirement and don't share the grade with the student.
2. HSLDA is the best resource for learning what is required and what your options are or fulfilling those requirements.
3. If the test results do matter, we do not have a specific article to share for test prep the CM way (but this is a great idea for a potential future blogpost). Here are a few things to consider:
• While CM doesn’t do traditional tests, the habits of full attention and best effort prepare a student to take any test.
• The skills of self-learning that a CM approach gives to students enable them to read study guides or recommended textbooks and assimilate information.
• The student will be likely to do well on tests as they know how to read for information and education.
• It may be helpful to select a study guide that will familiarize your student with a foreign process for example: multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc.
• Incorporate short study sessions with any prep materials you select into your week so that your student feels prepared and to calm any nerves.
• If there are specific topics/areas that will be assessed with the evaluations it may be helpful to ensure that your curriculum is going to cover those areas so that your student is prepared from a content standpoint, however you could teach the material in a CM way still in order to prepare them.
Thank you for this awesome, comprehensive response. I feel like I know how to proceed. My kids are young and their assessment does not effect our ability to homeschool, but I know they can get frustrated when things are surprising and new.
When should you start with this? I have a toddler and a newborn at home. I suspect its much to soon currently but dont want to wait to long either.
Great question! It is never too early to start reading living books with your children. Narration will not be required of students until they are at least six years old, however you may find that your children start to narrate naturally in daily life about something they have seen, heard, learned about, but the important thing is that they are not required to do so.
Here are SCM's recommendations for the years before formal school lessons.
simplycharlottemason.com/planning/preschool-guide/
Here is a helpful series on homeschooling in the early years. While formal lessons are not required, there are many things that you can do with your children to engage them in learning in an age-appropriate way.
simplycharlottemason.com/blog/parents-chief-duty-early-years-homeschooling/
Thank you very much, Sonya!
What is your advice about the kindergarten age? What is the beginning point for this age? I guess Bible? Nature? Habits? I just don’t know where to start 😊 Greetings from Bulgaria!
Thanks for joining us! Your are right on track with your ideas for this age. Here is a helpful link with some ideas for how to target these areas with a student in the preschool/kindergarten years. simplycharlottemason.com/planning/preschool-guide/
When we implement living books and narration does this replace another subject? For example, with my second grader, I have been doing this but it often feels like too much on top of language arts. Could this replace language arts or a portion of it?
Great questions! Yes, you are on the right track here, narration is a part of "Language Arts." Here is a link to a helpful chart that will show you SCM's recommendations by grade level for the individual grade level subjects (math, science, and language arts).
simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/individual-graded-subjects/
This is the first post in a series on language arts that will help you identify all that you are doing that falls under this subject. This may help you to identify any areas of duplication or areas that you could simplify so that your student is not completing any busywork but is given the time to work on skills at their level in order to continue to progress. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/what-exactly-is-language-arts-language-arts-part-1/
This is a helpful post on narration. Every book does not need to be narrated, SCM recommends literature books be read aloud simply to enjoy together. Other curriculum options may recommend you narrate them, it is up to you to decide what you wish to do! This post may be helpful in understanding the "why" behind narration and in deciding which books you may wish to have your student narrate. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/magic-numbers-narration-q-part-10/