Help transitioning Please!

[dmrranch]

I want to incorporate Charlotte Mason/classical methods into my hs. Well, I think I'm new to CM. I believe I have loosely been using CM methods with Sonlight curriculum and just didn't realize it. I have been reading CM Companion and perusing the Simply Charlotte Mason web site and was wondering what I should do. As far as I can tell, the main difference between WTM and CM is that WTM advocates use of a writing curriculum instead of relying on narration.

I have a 12 yo, 8 yo, and 19 mo old. I have been using SL for the last 2 yrs for everything, and was planning on using Core/LA 6 and books from Core 1 (World History)and combining my 2 girls, younger using LA2. My older is just finishing up American History. But, now, I'm thinking of still using the SL outline for books from different time periods but tweaking it. However, if I do that, I have no idea what time period to start with. I understand that I can do narration and drop the comprehension questions for history, but I also want to change the LA.

My older child is currently using Winston Grammar, Wordly Wise (which I plan to drop and ease out of this workbook approach), Spelling Power (also wanting to rely on dictation here), Dictation and writing from SL, history guideline from SL, Apologia Science, and Keys to... to transition from Bob Jones math to Singapore. My younger is using Explode the Code, copywork, Singapore math, and reading various science books we have here. She's about to start Apologia. They both love to draw. I know I need to add music and picture study. We actually did a picture study yesterday. We do nature walks. I may be leaving something out, but that's all I can think of right now. Oh, we also have bible study and memory verse time, and they have been using the Book of Time and timeline figures that SL offers.

My goal is to find a way to make it easier to combine my kids and to do so using the CM methods. I really haven't worked in history for my younger and want to do a better job of that. I guess I also like the idea of adding in more of the classics at an earlier age, but in a gentle way. I have so much peace about using CM/classic methods and am anxious to work on fine tuning my program. However, where I could get nervous is with my 7th grader who has only been hs since 4th grade and we are looking at going on through high school. (I keep from getting nervous because I knowing God is in control.) It has taken some time for this former public school math teacher to relax and let go of some of those ps ways. We also "got behind" our first year as we dealt with and cared for several family members passing. I totally struggled with how to balance everything that year. Looking back, I now know we actually gained a lot http://simplycharlottemason.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

So, thank you for any advice as to how to better transition!
Deborah :)

[Hen Jen]

I'm a relaxed, rather disorganized homeschool mom, so I can't really give you good planning advice. But, I do want to say that narration is wonderful, and that it will probably seem 'to easy' to you at first.

There is a Sonlight/Cm group over at yahoo groups, I think it is called SL-CM group, they can probably walk you through the transition.

I like following a classical history rotation, so I am kind of a hodge-podge of methods.

above all, relax and enjoy. Good luck!

[dmrranch]

Thank you for the encouragement. I have joined the yahoo group but it's pretty quiet there right now. Maybe I'm not making sense or expressing myself very well.

I'm excited about...
1. Using Narration via same history time period for both 12 yo and 8 yo, and their separate readers. The older will write and the younger will continue doing oral.(currently, the younger isn't really getting any history other than her sister's read aloud which I starting reading out loud a few months ago. She was reading them herself.) Narration totally makes sense to me after reading CM Companion and other info on web.

2. Continuing Dictation and now using it for Spelling. Stop formal spelling for younger. Continue copywork for younger. Might get Spelling Program from Simply Charlotte Mason (can't remember the name right now.) Grammar for older, phonics for younger. Vocabulary from reading not workbooks.

3. Read more poetry, picture study, music study...CM style

4. Continue Apologia Science and Singapore math.

5. Anything else they get excited about on their own.

I guess I am basically leaving the SL Igs, but incorporating some of those books into the time periods we'll study. I've seen a lot of them crop up here and there. I'm looking at AO and Simply Charlotte Mason, and any other ideas others might have to help me. I'm open. I just would like to have the same read alouds for both girls and be studying the same time period. I'm trying to pull away from workbooks I've been using.

I want to make sure I set my older up well for high school and college. (Or, should I not worry so much about that?) She is just finishing up 2 years of American History. I think we're going to do a short bout on Texas History. I had planned on World History next with SL. But, we're open!

Thank you!

[Peela]

I keep my two together for history and literature via Ambleside, which I tweak considerably. It works well.
i am not sure what you are really asking...I suggest you draw up a simple timetable for the week and plug in your books and subjects and see how it looks. I usually add approximate times to my draft timetable to see how many hours a day it looks like it will be, and adjust accordingly. One of the things wih CM is to keep lessons relatively short, but for a 12yo that can still be 45- an hour or so for some things.
We do our maths, English, dictation, Latin etc first thing in the morning. Then I read aloud to both kids (while older does art). Then I expect them to finish their work fairly independently- often it is writing but mainly their independent reading. Thats just what works for us- to break up the day with read alouds- usually two books, the history spine and a literature book. We no longer read aloud in the evenings.
I think you need to "live it" for a while, then you will naturally adjust. We are not doing dictations or spelling at the moment, we dropped music appreciation this term and no Shakespeare either for now...life just does its thing and we focus on different things at different times. If you remain flexible, things work out and balance out.
Although CM advocates narrations, my kids are 13 and 14 and the older is doing a writing course online and the younger will do a writing course soon, and this week did one essay for the whole week- it was a big job for him. we still do oral narrations and will continue written ones on and off. You do what you need to do for your own children- dont be loyal to CM or TWTM or anyone- be loyal to your kids and your own natural flow and what you feel is needed, and use the methods and techniques as tools to help you in that.