My thoughts and readings these days revolve around homeschooling. I constantly question how I am going to be able to homeschool these beautiful and lively girls. I want it so bad for them, but I question whether I have the patience or stamina. Young children are simply exhausting! I have to think that it will only get easier with time and experience. We've accomplished very little since I began this journey after deciding on a curriculum. But I have learned quite a bit in the process, and I have so much more to learn!
Most everyone I have ever spoken with has never even heard of Charlotte Mason. She's an educator from the 1800's who believed that "education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life." Since I've studied her beliefs on education, I have completely fallen in love with her beliefs. Now as for implementing them, that will be the true test!
Charlotte Mason does not believe in any type of formal education until age 6. Check! I agree whole heartily with this. Now I don't believe this means you don't educate your children, but simply you don't follow a set schedule every single day for school. Instead, education for young children is just living life and habit forming.
She also believes that young children should spend as much time outdoors as possible. And she doesn't believe that even 1 hour in the winter and 2 hours in the summer is sufficient. She believes that children should spend the better part of the their day (4-6 hours) from April through October outside. And she also believes that the parent should be with the children at this time. I actually agree with this, but I have a very difficult time implementing this for by the time we are dressed for the day, it is yet again time to eat a snack. Then before we know it, it is lunchtime and then naptime for the youngest and then somewhere in there I'm supposed to work in another snack and cook dinner.
Today we went on a "nature walk" which Charlotte is actually not a big fan of either, but what do you do in the city when your yard is covered with distractions (playground set, wagon, Little Tykes car)? Now I realize that these purchases were mere distractions. They could learn so much more from nature alone!
On our nature walk, we found a slug. And together, we learned so much! It was so exciting! I used the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You can download the Kindle version for free from the website linked above. And if you don't have a Kindle, just get the Kindle for PC for free off Amazon. And when I asked Annabelle what she enjoyed most about today, it was learning about the slug. We learned that slugs draw their eye stalks in when they are fearful. And as I read this fact to Annabelle, she said, "I know! He pulled them in earlier when I tried to touch them." She had already learned this from just being a kid in the outdoors and exploring! And she got pooped on too. But it didn't bother her. We observed the slug and noticed that he has a hole on the side of his body. We aren't completely sure, but we think this is probably where he released his poop.
She was so excited to show her Daddy! Though he wasn't a big fan. I said, "You obviously didn't do much digging for worms or slugs when you were little." Nope! He agreed. "I poured salt on them," he responded. We, instead, released the little guy before bedtime.
So I'm still in prayer mode on this whole homeschooling idea, but I felt so much more at peace after today. And we do have options that we're exploring in case this doesn't work out. I just attended an open house for a private school within a few miles of our house. It is a private Christian school, and their educational philosophy is also Charlotte Mason! And for the Kindergartners, they read some of the books from Five in a Row to the children during the year. Class size is 8-10 students! And the price is very reasonable compared to other private schools in the area, though we still cannot afford private school long-term if I don't go back to work. And then we'll probably have to stop at 2 kids, though we may be doing that anyway!
I do plan to observe a Kindergarten class at this private school, and I am going to check into observing our public school as well as a Classical Conversations class. I want to make sure I am well educated on every option available.
Until then, I'll leave you with a free Charlotte Mason curriculum online. It is very well-known in the Charlotte Mason community, but if you don't read the "Introduction to Ambleside," this website will appear as strictly a booklist and nothing more. It wasn't until just recently that I truly discovered it for its great worth!
2 years ago
1 comment:
I loved reading about your nature walk and the slug lesson. Those are fun activities. The other day we found a Christmas fern on the side of our home. I told Audrey about it, that the leaves can look either like a stocking or a sled. She asked if we can pick it (like a flower). That question then led to a lesson about ferns having an extensive rhizome/root system, which is why it can't easily be picked. Now she wants to teach Daddy about the Christmas fern, too! I'll need to look into that nature guide.
You have me very intrigued about that private school. If you don't mind, can you e-mail me the name later?
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