Anyone use this program/system? It's a CM approach - and I am strongly looking at it because Story of the World for History isn't working once again for us - I've tried and even I can't get into it. So I was thinking the idea of living books might be better and will in addition - make them read more What I have right now I am happy with... R&S Math, Grammar, & Spelling For copywork I am having them write out the "Keys for Kids" bible verse of the day. Bible will be religious education starting in the fall. But I'm falling short on History and Science - though we do a lot with living science - I would like my 6th grader to start in on some actual science reasoning (genetics are important on a farm and so I figure he's old enough to learn about some of them) SO after rambling - anyone use the Ambleside site for guidence?
I used it to form my curriculum for next year as a guide. It was very helpful for someone taking a CM approach. I know MonkeyMama uses it. She is the one who turned me onto it. It offers great guidlines and full year outlines also. You can even get some of the books free online that you will need for the year. The program does recommend Story of the World, but there are plenty of ideas to use in place of SOTW if you perfer. Onces you get strated looking for some good living books in the timeframe you are looking into you will find plenty.
I use it as a guide for some things, but don't totally follow it. I use the booklists and the artist and composer info on there.
I have been using it for two year going on year three and we love it! It is totally challeging and literature rich. We are doing Year 7 this year and if you look on their site there is a section for Year 7 lite load. That is what we are doing and this year we are following it very closely. Last year we deviated from year 6 and we hated it and went right back. Oh yeah this year I have a kindy student too! We are focusing heavily on nature study. My girls planted an herb garden together this weekend and Grace will raise butterflies and ladybugs and frogs over the next year. For science I would recommend the Exploring Creation With... series. ANy of them would be great. Another good site is www.simplycharlottemason.com and they have a forum too but it isn't that busy. You may get good info though. If you have any questions please ask. I love to talk CM!
I was looking at Old Fashioned Education as well - and (don't laugh) I liked the fact she had it very nicely set up and easy to print. Did I miss that at AO? I just found it hard to read.
Well AO is going to be a bit different. The CM style of education is more of a method or lifestyle and not a set curriculum. Read up on the CM FAQ on AO. Even now I go back to read those from time to time. Basically there is no set of books you must use to "do" CM. The ones listed on AO are recommendations only. There are worlds of books out there you could use. Several other sites have other suggestions. I like AO because it is a bit advanced, has lots of great literature, heavy on fine arts and it is all set out in yearly rotations. Simply Charlotte Mason is another one you may want to look at.
OFE is the same thing actually - many of the books cross with each other. I just like the "schedule" design she has - it is easy for me to look at. You know going through all these books and just looking at the list - I have decided I personally want to be back in 6th grade I remember reading so many of these books!
I just printed out the schedule for 3rd and 6th grade and am going through and I think I will edit it some to make it work more for me and my kids. I like the fact they do it by weeks vs days and a lot of the books are available online so I can just print out the chapters they need as they need them. Call me the lazy planner - but I do like how this this made into a pretty schedule. I know it's the pretty shiny stuff again
Okay, I can tell that I did nto miss anything, looking at the web site I found it seems very confusing to me, lots to do and learn though... the simply link helped me see it more clearly! Thanks!
What (if anything) do you use for dictation? I'm thinking my 6th grader would be ready to jump into that but my 3rd grader would not. She needs more copywork type stuff. Think just the copywork/handwriting sentences would be go enough for now?
ok, maybe I am brain dead this week but what is dictation when you tell them what to write and they write? Like "Mrs Smith take a dictation..."Mr Jones ordered as his administrative assistant entered the room with her toshiba note book.
I read it and they write it. Same type of thing like you are saying. They are supposed to improve of course as time goes on.
We are using Spelling Wisdom. We got the free sample from simply charlotte mason and we like it a lot. Here is the link where you can try it for free. They have five different levels. We got the ebook. http://simplycharlottemason.com/books/spellingwisdom/
ok, We do that but I just choose whatever to have them write. I think I will do it more this is good for teaching note taking isnt it! I am one of those people who sit in church and could write out the whole sermon as the pastor preaches it if I don't stop myself, I think it is a good thing. I will add that to working with the kids, when we read thier text books for history or science I am going to have them write out what they are hearing as a test to thier listening skills...
I was looking at Spelling Wisdom...... off to print the book. I am such a "needs it in my hands" type of person. Some reason I don't always "get it" when I read it online.
Well you download it and then print it. I need a larger binder comb I will print the book out and then bind it together to make a book so I can have it with me when we need it.
We'll be using AO this year. The kids are 11 and 7 and we're doing yrs 6 and 1. I just got my last shipment of books the other day and we're ready to go. The schedule we're following is from the AO/HEO Schedule email group. I like the way the subjects are covered. We have Teaching Textbooks for math for dd11 and various fun workbooks for ds7. They also have various grade-level workbooks for language arts/grammar/phonics. It's our first time using AO, but we've been unschooly CM'ers for several years. The kids are excited to have a schedule to follow this year, lol.
