We long to provide a way for moms and children to engage education in a way that is fun, inspires wonder, and cultivates play. (Psst: You can read more about that here, and grab two full FREE units while you’re at it!) Gentle + Classical Preschool is a full-year preschool program. It is a blend of Charlotte Mason and classical studies. The BEST part? The Teacher’s guide is absolutely FREE.
We could talk about SO many of our whys with what we included in the curriculum but today we want to talk about our ABCs. As many preschool curriculums do, each unit has a letter of focus. However, we don’t begin with “A” but instead with “L” - why is that?
We are very "sorry, not sorry" for adding a new option to your pile for next year ;). If you're still exploring options, we wanted to make sure you have a FULL wealth of knowledge about how our Nature programs work, by getting your hands on it... legit.
That's why we compiled the first TWO units of Nature Volume 2 into a sample, just for you!
The preschool years seem to be filled with such “gray area”. Do our 2, 3, and 4-year-olds just need to play, or do they do school work too? What should they know before kindergarten? Do they need to know anything?
We love nature-focused unit studies around here. After much searching and pre-reading, we found a few very favorite reptile books that have been a hit with our kiddos.
Before we share the book list, we want to share a completely free resource you might enjoy….
Morning Virtues offers FLEXIBILITY, but, we don’t want you to just take our word for how much we love Morning Virtues, we want you to try a month on us! So, we are offering Morning Virtues: Courage free.
We often hear the question “what do I do with my toddler while we homeschool?” or even just a general “What do I do with my toddler?” Trust us, we get it - and it is an absolutely valid question. Of course, every family and situation is different, so all of the ideas we discuss today may not work for your family, but we long to help get the brainstorming wheels turning.
Check out a few ideas we have compiled below using our FREE list of Skills and Activities Checklist. We are hopeful this is helpful in creating a plan for your curious two-year-olds.
What a joy it is to explore the animal world and stand in awe of the creatures God has created! There are so many unique animals with different abilities, habitats, and features we don’t even know about! We have created this FREE Polar Animals fun pack to give you and your children then chance to explore the world of polar animals. Learn about the Orca whale, penguins, narwhal, and more! The recommended ages are preschool through 4th grade - but let’s be honest— no one is too old to enjoy the world of polar animals!
Are you in the season of reading instruction? It’s one of the most daunting aspects of home education and can feel overwhelming. But rest assured, when all is said and done, most of our children will learn how to read without too much of an issue.
There are so many aspects to learning to read, and if there is one kink in the chain, your child can struggle. Let’s take a look at a few areas students can struggle with when it comes to reading.
Have you assumed that Gentle + Classical curriculum is only for families with preschoolers or Kindergarteners?
After loving Primer, have you thought, “What’s next for my first grader since Gentle + Classical doesn’t have a first grade program?”
If you have thought or assumed any of those things, you are not alone! That second question is one of our TOP questions, and we are here to answer that and so much more!
We want you to thoroughly understand EXACTLY what we offer for all students- preschool through 6th grade - so that you can make an informed plan for your children! And if you already love G+C, we don’t want you to feel like you must go find something else once you’re done with Primer!
There is nothing like cozying up on a cold winter day with a cup of coffee, light music in the background, and something to keep your mind busy and off the long cold winter days. We designed this free Winter Fun Pack to add a little “spice” to your days, and to especially help your little ones in getting the wiggles out in a way that might be a little more productive and wholesome than just climbing the walls!
Seasoned homeschool mom or brand-newbie, it’s extremely easy for any of us to get stuck in the “about to start” mode. Does any of this resonate with you?
You have everything you need to get started… but it’s all sitting in a box unpacked.
You have things pretty organized, but things aren’t just right yet.
You took a break during the holidays, and the idea of starting back feels you with dread.
There are a few different emotions that can hold us back from beginning, and two are most prevalent:
Fear.
Burnout. (Which is actually also rooted in fear.)
Honestly, I’m so thankful I started homeschooling over a decade ago…
In a curriculum from the 1890’s, Charlotte Mason outlined a list of “attainments” that she believed were a challenging set of skills and knowledge that a well-educated child of 6 would do well to have. This list of skills is not for a child to hav e mastered BY the age of 6, but r ather to be challenged with AT the age of 6. This means that the following list of attainments are not a “kindergarten readiness” list but instead would be considered Miss Mason’s “kindergarten” program.
My little guys love ocean animals! As a child I had a deep desire to become a marine biologist. I mean, who doesn't want to swim with dolphins and closely observe whales?
Over time, the Lord had different plans for me, but that doesn't mean I don't still love ocean animals. As a matter of fact, Volume 2 of Nature (release: Spring 2022) is allllll about oceans and shorelines.
This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.
I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. - Nicolaus von Zinzendorf
I don’t know about you, friend, but when spring hits at our home, we are out the door like a flash! School is a little harder to do when warmth, sunshine, and fresh air await us outside. (We will momentarily pretend like muddy ground, wasps, and pollen-apocalypses don’t accompany it!)
This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.
I often wish I was “perfect.” As I dream of what this must look like, I imagine the mom I want to be -- the mom who wakes up before the kids, reads her bible, has breakfast ready, dishes put away and a load of laundry going all before the day truly begins. But just as quickly as that dream begins, I roll over in bed, groan, and press the snooze button… over and over again.
You may have noticed my post about how to assemble a memory statement board but still remained all-together confused or overwhelmed by what a memory statement even IS. Memory statements fill the pages of all Gentle + Classical programs, so I want to make sure you understand WHAT they are and how to implement them in your homeschool!
Memory statements are an idea that seems to have sprung from the more modern ideas of classical education and have been made popular by a popular community-based curriculum program. However, if we dig more deeply, we find that the notion of a “memory statement” is rooted in Charlotte Mason and true (historical) classical education.
Valentine’s is usually a “love/hate” kind of holiday for most. Some people are tired of commercialism while others adore the special focus on love and romance this time of year.
I’ll say that I squarely fall into the middle. I’m not one for “mush” but I absolutely love to take time to make sure that my family knows just how important they are to me. We have very simple, candy-centered traditions around our house.
Even if you don’t love V-day, I find that late Jan-February is typically one of the hardest seasons in homeschooling. And when you layer a year-long pandemic on top? Sheesh. So anything that can bring some light and joy into our lives as we suffer through the long stretch of gloom and cold of this generally abysmal month- well, I’m all for it!
There are truly a plethora of ABC flashcards available on the market these days- I even have four sets in my own shop. Once upon a time, this set was in my own shop as well.
But can we really have too many beautiful options? In the early years of education, flashcards become a staple in our homeschool and in our schooling space…
𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿.
My youthful ambitions were to be famous and make money. (Deep, I know.)
I never wanted kids. I definitely would never be "that mom" who doesn't work, doesn't climb the ladder, doesn't have "huge" accomplishments to show the world.
I was the least homeschooler-type person in all the world.
Then the Lord knocked. He placed a baby on my heart then one in my tummy. Then another.
And during that first set of babies, he placed a book in my hand: 𝘈 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. I rocked a massive belly and read ideas about motherhood and education that might as well have been from Mars.
This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.
It was Tuesday evening, and I was exhausted and ready to curl up in my own bed with a good book. Naturally, I didn’t want to let our 3-year-old’s bedtime routine linger. I read her a couple books, not giving into her requests for “just one more,” and started to move on to our prayer. For some reason, despite my longing to keep it quick, I decided to ask her one of our catechism questions from our preschool curriculum.
I looked at her sweet little face and asked, “Who made you?” I wasn’t fully expecting an answer. I was simply going to answer it for her- as we have done during our school time during the day. “God made me!” she said with absolute delight. Tears started filling my eyes as I said “Yes, he sure did. God made you.”
My child is learning this memory work really quickly... Should I move faster, add to it, or go to a different level? This question lands in my lap quite often, so I want to explore things a little bit further with you. Always remember, this is my personal perspective, so trust your gut and your prayers, Mama!
My child is learning this memory work really quickly... Should I move faster, add to it, or go to a different level? This question lands in my lap quite often, so I want to explore things a little bit further with you. Always remember, this is my personal perspective, so trust your gut and your prayers, Mama!
St. Patrick left an amazing legacy on the isle of Ireland that hasn’t been quickly forgotten by the Irish in over one thousand years! Each year, we celebrate his gift of Christian mercy, love, and compassion on March 17th.
After researching and learning about Ireland over the past 2 months for this issue of On Mission, I can see why St. Patrick loved it so. Even after escaping from captivity as a slave there, his heart could not be separated from the land or the people. God called him back- to HIS CAPTIVES- to preach the Good News.
During my years as a homeschool mom, I’ve found that I’m not alone in always looking for a more efficient way to walk through our days, plan ahead, and keep moving without getting bogged down and distracted. One of the most effective ways I’ve found to stay on track with younger students is the addition of a memory work (or memory statement) board or display in our home.
Over the past year, I’ve received email after email from users of The Gentle + Classical Preschool or Gentle + Classical Nature all reflecting the same sentiments: they felt lost and unfocused in their school days UNTIL they created a memory work board!
We all have basic subjects that we know are foundational for a full feast for our children: math, science, history, Bible, foreign language, and even the riches like art and music study. But, I think that it's not necessarily unique to me that we can often overlook subjects that DO deserve a presence in our homeschooling portfolio.
Traditionally, history is the "core" for a classical education- one of the four "cycles" as we have come to know them. I want to reference a post I wrote a while back in developing The Gentle + Classical Preschool Level 2:
“Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.” -Charlotte Mason
I have no idea how many books I’ve read in my life, but I can promise you that they have shaped who I am and the way I live- drastically. The way I speak to my husband, the way I teach or discipline my children, the way I pray and seek the Lord- have all been shaped by books.
Books are powerful because words and ideas are powerful. Allowing someone else’s ideas into the most intimate places in our heart is a precious thing- a thing we must always approach with discernment.
Charlotte Mason tells us that ideas build upon ideas. And so the ideas that we develop are often rooted in the ideas that we have received from others. We receive ideas through conversation, articles, books, music, movies, television shows, and even our social media feeds.
This is a guest post from my friend Jana! I love to read her practical encouragement and actionable wisdom. I hope it will bless you too!
The monotony of life at home can lull us into simply existing. We’ve all been there. But it doesn’t have to be so. Mama, you can thrive at home! Here are three strategies: make it beautiful, provide gracious order, and be a consistent presence.
MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL
Do you feel an internal tug for beauty? Perhaps you love an orange sunset or pink peonies. God created this world beautiful as a reflection of Himself, so I believe an innate pull to beauty is why we desire to create beautiful spaces in our homes. Beautiful spaces bring a deep sense of thriving.
This is a guest post from Kelly Hellmuth! I’m absolutely delighted to have a “peak behind the curtain” into Kelly’s home. Find more from Kelly at the bottom of this post.
“Maybe it’s the influence of the Little House on the Prairie, but I find the history of the one-room schoolhouse a little romantic.” - Denise M. Colby
Don’t we all? Most of us here are pursuing an educational path either with Charlotte Mason or Classical influences (or both!), and we know the value of educating our children together. There is an ease and even a necessity to discuss subjects such as history and science and fine arts as a family.
This is a guest post from Leah Hudson! It has amazing encouragement and wisdom. Find out how to hear more from Leah at the bottom of the post.
When I started homeschooling my oldest, I compared the anticipation to jumping off a cliff into a vast ocean. From my pre-homeschool vantage point, I could see countless other women bobbing up and down in the waves - obviously keeping afloat. Some had even fashioned together trim little boats for their crews. Their success gave me encouragement to take the plunge.
I dived in.
Who knew kindergarten could be so overwhelming? Who knew adjusting to new routines would prove so difficult? I needed to get my sea legs FAST!
This is a guest post from DJ! I love her perspective of making things work well for her family. Find her details at the bottom of the post.
Hey y’all! I’m DJ from thebookishden.com and I’m so excited to have the opportunity to share with you what a typical homeschool day looks like for our family. I’m sort of fan-girling over here, as Erin’s blog is one I’ve followed for ages!
We’re a family hanging out in a small town right outside of Charlotte, NC. We have 5 kiddos ages, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. I wish I could say that those stair step ages were our plan, but that was all Jesus!
Our family started this wonderful world of homeschooling about 5 years ago and man…there’s been a serious learning curve! We’ve been experimenting with how we do school since the beginning, and with each child coming to school age-each year looks a little different.
The alarm labeled “Its Co-op Day!” goes off at 6:00 am. Thankfully, the coffee pot also automatically starts at 6:00am. I’m not a morning person, so, in all honesty, the next step in my morning routine is hitting the snooze button. Lunches have been packed the night before and the kids are old enough to get themselves breakfast, so as I grab that first cup of coffee I take a moment to sit in the dark, pray over the day ahead, get snuggles from my dog and let my brain wake up a bit.
Then we hit the day running. Everyone out the door by 7:35am to be on time.
If previously you had told me this would be my norm this year, I would have scoffed. I love sleeping in and cozy mornings reading on the couch with my kids. It’s why I homeschool. The packing of lunches, the hustle to get out the door, the stress over “did you remember this or that” is something I have avoided like the plague.
This is a guest post written by Kim! I hope you enjoy all of her encouragement and insight as she details a typical homeschool day with her two little ones. Find out more about Kim below.
With two boys, three and five, our days are usually full of a lot of energy, a lot of noise, and a whole lot of crazy. When it comes to our daily homeschooling, I have been slowly introducing a gentle learning environment for both boys since they are both still young.
When I first began to plan our official homeschool “Kindergarten” year, I was already (almost unconsciously) trying to recreate a public school environment. I was already beginning to forget the freedom homeschooling allows in learning. While planning, I was trying to check all the boxes and tick all the subjects. I was trying to figure out how to cram all of this material into one day… for a five year old!
This article is a guest post by Tia McArthur. You can learn more about Tia and find her online via the information at the end of this post. I hope you’ll find Tia’s words a comfort and encouragement!
As a single mom with a small business that is a full-time ministry, homeschooling looks a lot different in our home than many others. Finding balance to implement the feast that is a Charlotte Mason (CM) education while also providing our sole source of income is the most rewarding challenge of my life. Like family dinners, this feast is often messy and loud and one of us often wants to take our favorite dish/book off to a corner somewhere. But this time spent together is weaving a fabric of memories for us both to treasure for a lifetime, just like those family dinners from my childhood.
I would have loved to have met Charlotte Mason. From her writings, she seems so wise yet approachable. However, I cannot now sit down with her to chat over a cup of coffee, so, instead, I sit down by myself or with like-minded mamas with a cup of coffee and her six volumes. This nineteenth century educator has completely revolutionized the way I envisioned homeschooling my son, and thusly, both of our lives in the process.
Just over 3 years ago, I was 4-5 months pregnant with my very welcomed but highly surprising 4th child. At that time, my 3rd was still shy of his FIRST birthday, and I had a daughter going into junior high and one struggling greatly due to dyslexia and dyscalculia.
As a new school year loomed large, I was overwhelmed. As a matter of fact, I was CERTAIN that I could NOT do it. I could NOT successfully homeschool my two girls with any sort of excellence while wrangling a newborn and tiny toddler. I went to the Lord with my great overwhelm. Shockingly, to us and everyone around us, my husband and I felt completely led to put our two girls in the local public school.
I’ve been exceedingly shocked by the enthusiasm and reactions from the very-popular Preschool Morning Binder. And of course, as my own little kiddos get older, I knew we would need a slightly more advanced version of this great tool. Beyond that, since Level 2 of The Gentle + Classical Preschool is for ages 4-6 years and is a full Kindergarten program, I knew that most of us would want a morning activity binder perfect for our kiddos who are 5-7 years old.
So what is a Kindergarten Morning Binder?
We have used Bob Books for years. For me, they were a great, level-appropriate compliment to All About Reading that allowed us to have additional fluency practice. I always enjoyed how simple the reading was, but let's say that my kiddos were never enthusiastic to read about Bob and all his weird, pointless shenanigans.
What are some milestones that I need to look for in my child’s behavior or abilities?
How do I know he’s ready for school?
How long should she be able to pay attention?
How much time should we spend on “school”?
My child doesn’t do ________, is that ok?
What are some ways that I can engage my child in a meaningful way during our busy days?
These are all questions I’ve asked over the years and questions I hear daily from busy, concerned homeschooling moms who want to make sure they’re doing best for their child.
My Instagram feed is filled with gorgeous nature tables, muddy rainboots, and wild and free children. This speaks to my heart in an unimaginable way. While I may often get too busy to truly spend the hours out of doors that I would like... and sometimes the complaints about the heat just wear me down (we live near Satan's armpit), I know deep in my soul that being surrounded and immersed in God's creation is as close as we can get to touching him on this earth.
When I first began reading Charlotte Mason's own personal work (and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT, start here), I was slightly put off. I almost felt as if she worshipped nature. But I knew I had to be missing something important, so I pressed further in. Through prayer, I realized that Charlotte was passionate about nature because she was passionate about the Creator of nature. She knew that being immersed in Creation was a sneak peak into eternity and into the heart of our Father in Heaven. Our task as mothers is to simply help our children become thoroughly acquainted with Creation, capable of truly SEEING it with clear observation.
Gentle + Classical Nature finally arrived just a few months ago. It has been a labor of love, and one I’m very excited to get into your hands after completely “revamping” the original release of Nature. Gentle + Classical Nature Volume 1: Inland Waterways and Forests explores all of the organisms and life cycles that take place in our freshwater, inland waterways as well as temperate forests. I won’t go into a huge amount of detail because you can download the FULL Teacher’s Guide 100% for FREE!
St. Patrick left an amazing legacy on the isle of Ireland that hasn’t been quickly forgotten by the Irish in over one thousand years! Each year, we celebrate his gift of Christian mercy, love, and compassion on March 17th.
After researching and learning about Ireland over the past 2 months for this issue of On Mission, I can see why St. Patrick loved it so. Even after escaping from captivity as a slave there, his heart could not be separated from the land or the people. God called him back- to HIS CAPTIVES- to preach the Good News.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. -1 Corinthians 3:10-14
We get to choose. We have this free gift of a solid, unshakeable, eternal, faithful foundation that can never be moved, and then we get to choose.
Whether it's who we marry, how we educate, how we parent and discipline, how we speak and serve and love, how we spend and earn our incomes--we have agency. And this freedom can be both liberating and simultaneously terrifying.
This fabulous guest post was written by my friend Lydia who does a fabulous job of sharing her adventures with her three littles utilizing The Gentle + Classical Preschool. Find more info about Lydia at the bottom of the post.
To the homeschool mamas reading this who are simultaneously changing a diaper, wrangling a toddler away from near disaster, and mitigating the uproarious queries of a preschooler bouncing on the couch — you are my people.
With three very little littles (ages 4, 2.5, and 1), I would be lying if I told you we regularly had beautifully structured homeschool days. Far from it! But homeschooling has brought its own rhythm to our home, adding an invaluable richness to our lives and family culture. I want to share with you a example of what I consider a very good day.
I do really love to chat homeschool scheduling! I believe our schedules are and should be just as unique as our families and our homeschools are. But also, we are always looking for ways to improve- maybe to streamline, reduce overwhelm, or just enjoy our day better. So, I’m happy to share our general flow, both as it kind of went this year, and also as I plan for it to continue into the fall.
We do school year round. We take June off, and July is very casual with a long reading list and math only. So, this schedule applies to our more typical school year, August-May.
I did what I think no other homeschool blogger has ever done- I failed to write a “curriculum pick” post for last year. Eeek. Honestly, in hindsight, I’m thankful. I was full excited about a few programs over last summer, but when it came down to it, they weren’t a good fit and we swapped to new programs after a few weeks.
I’m thankful for the experience, as it was an incredible learning opportunity to me. It also shows that no matter how amazing a program seems, once you get into it, it just might not be a good fit! Suffice it to say, that after an initial “fail” of one program in the fall, we found our way to a program that I now am certain we will use for many years (as certain as an easily distracted homeschool mama can be!).
So, what are our choices for this year? Many of them are simply a continuation of last year…
In this 2-part series, I'll discuss my process for decision making on digital products as well as share my favorite resources for making printing affordable! You can read the digital discussion HERE and the printing help below.
Edit 8/4/19- I have found another (new) homeschool printing company that I love! FamilyNestPrinting.com has exceptional prices AND they offer a 20% discount to Life, Abundantly readers. Use code Erin20 at checkout to save!
How can I afford to print this all? I get that question ALL the time! Whether it's the stuff from my Gentle + Classical Nature Bundle or my Preschool Bundle, the BYB Annual Sale, you may LOVE what you see, know that you would definitely use it and get great value from it... but you can't figure out how to make the printing feasible. I hope what I share today will help.
In this 2-part series, I'll discuss my process for decision making on digital products as well as share my favorite resources for making printing affordable! You can read the digital discussion here and the printing help HERE.
It's not an uncommon message for me to receive-
How many pages is this document?
Will I need to print ALL of it? I'm trying to figure out how much it's going to cost all together?
Where do you get your stuff printed?
How can you afford to have so much printed?
How are digital products a saving when printing is SO expensive?
I 100% get it, my friend! Every single one of us is on a fixed homeschool budget, and even if the budget is generous, we want to stretch every penny because- books, right? So I wanted to develop a "guide" for choosing and printing digital products because opportunities abound for these in the homeschool world, and it can get overwhelming!
I’ve been on an educational and spiritual adventure that God is gently (forcibly) leading me through as I quake in overwhelm at the idea of penning GC Preschool 2. I’ve never felt such incredible weight and responsibility, but I’ve also never felt God so tangibly pulling me in a particular direction. I recently updated the overview page of The Gentel + Classical Preschool 2 (HERE) and removed the study of history from the framework. I give a brief overview of why on that page and mention words like “moral imagination” and “poetic knowledge.” If you are anything like I was just a few short months ago, you have no idea what those words mean. (I feel you.)
I won’t pretend to be an expert…
We are annual zoo members and have been for years. Our kids have always treasured days at the zoo, and when the weather isn’t sweltering, I always have too. I feel like it’s an excellent opportunity to get out of the house and do a little roamschooling.
I wanted to create a tool for us (and for you!) that would serve our whole family. I have babies from 2 up to high school freshman, so it’s not often we do anything or learn anythign that EVERYONE can enjoy and benefit from. However, the zoo is definitely an excpetion to that. Furthermore, with this zoo explorers pack, that’s even more true than ever.
You may have noticed, if you've browsed this blog much, that I'm an enthusiastic supporter of All About Reading. So, it may come as a surprise that I'm sharing a review for a different phonics curriculum.
When the author of Foundational Phonics, Ariel Gunther, reached out to me with her gentle phonics program, I was more than intrigued. As we worked for years to get my dyslexic daughter reading on grade level, we tried more than a handful of programs. That process, along with the success my friend Hayley has also had with AAR, left me looking through Foundational Phonics with a discerning eye. So it's only natural that as I share all I love, or might not, about Foundational Phonics, I'll be making a few references to All About Reading as well.
What is Foundational Phonics?
I received a text from a sweet friend last night, one who is in the thick of her first year or two of homeschooling. As she'd spent many sleepless nights cradling and nursing her newborn infant recently, thoughts and concerns flooded her mind over the progress of her 6-year old daughter's reading.
Anyone who has been in the thick of homeschooling for one year or 10 remembers those days well. Not one of us is impervious to fears, second-guessing, unmet expectations, and the torture of comparison. What follows is a version of my response to her concerns, that she and I agreed, should be shared with you as well.
I was so excited when Erin told me that All About Learning Press was releasing a NEW COLOR EDITION of their All About Reading program! I have used AAR with three of my children, and it has been such a blessing to our family. This program has helped me gain confidence and skills in teaching my children to read. I’ve written before about how we use AAR in our home. Today I want to share a little more about the new color editions, and why I have changed my mind about Level 4.
If you saw that title and clicked to read, it’s likely that one of two things brought you here: You thought, “What in the world? This girl thinks she’s got it all figured out. I have to see who this chick thinks she is.” OR, you thought, “Sheeesh, I’m struggling. I need a dose of whatever she’s got going on.”
Those are extremes, obviously, but for most homeschool mamas, we tend to vacillate between these throughout days and seasons. We either think we have "it" finally figured out (only to have “it” blow up in our face the next day) OR we think we are never going to get “it” figured out, and our kids would probably be better off spending their days in school.
Since long days, learning challenges, chaotic toddlers, willful attitudes, and mismatched learning and teaching styles can leave any of us questioning our sanity (and looking for a better way), I thought I’d share how I have “it” together (FINALLY!) and how you can too! It turns out you CAN have an amazing homeschool experience and choose the perfect curriculum.
As my blog has grown, I’ve had the opportunity to do a few reviews. I’ve learned that it’s important to me that I really LOVE anything that I review. I don’t want to hand out a negative review, but I’m also going to be 100% honest. I’m thankful my caution has paid off, and I’ve received a product for my honest review that I can say I HONESTLY love.
Beautiful Feet Books is known for it’s simple, easy-to-implement, open-and-go curriculum guides combined with exceptional literature. When the books are this perfect, you don’t have to add much to it, especially in the grammar stage.
I chose to use Beautiful Feet Books Geography Through Literature program with both my 6th and 9th grader girls. My oldest daughter already has much geography included in her Tapestry of Grace core curriculum, but I thought it would be wonderful to have an additional “fun” thing to do with her as well. So, aside from our “Lunch Basket” (what we call morning basket), this is the only thing we do all together.
When I first began homeschooling, the responsibility that intimidated me more than any other was teaching my own children to read. I have always been an avid reader, and I desperately wanted to instill a love of reading in my kids. I realized very quickly, however, that my love of reading did not automatically qualify me to teach someone else HOW to read. Because I had no background in teaching reading, I knew I needed to find a program that could walk ME through the process as well as my child. We tried several different programs in the beginning, but they either bored my child to tears or proceeding so quickly that she felt overwhelmed, and I felt lost without a map.
Homeschooling high school was always something that I looked ahead to with both excitement and fear. When my children were in elementary grades, I felt confident teaching according to a classical model, but as they grew into the middle and high school years, I felt intimidated by the challenging literature and history and by my own lack of knowledge in these areas.
I was excited to learn alongside my kids, but also afraid that I would not be qualified to teach upper level courses. I knew I would need a curriculum that could guide me as I redeemed my own education.
A dear friend had been telling me for a few years how much her family loved Tapestry of Grace, and I could see the results in her son. He was able to carry on deep discussions about topics in history, literature, philosophy, and government with such thoughtfulness and a depth of understanding that I wanted for my children and myself. I had looked at so many other classical courses for high school, but I kept feeling called back to Tapestry of Grace.
If you're reading this, you are probably in the midst of teaching one of your little ones to read OR you have that endeavor looming ahead of you in the near future... amiright? The singular biggest fear of every single homeschool mom I've ever spoken to is failing to teach her child to read well... and especially failing to teach them "on time".
In most of our minds, we envision that our homeschooled child would be reading well in advance of their public school counterparts (or at least at the same time). Simultaneously, in our little hearts, one reason we homeschool is to give our children the time and space to grow and develop on their own timeline. Sometimes these desires and expectations clash and can create monster homeschool mom anxiety. I know many mamas who have quit homeschooling (or never even began) because they were overwhelmed at the idea of failing in this important task.
I want to share some actual evidence with you today that helped put me at ease when my own homeschool student just wasn't progressing like I felt she "should."
In part 5, we wind up this series ask the big question that brought you here:
SHOULD I quit homeschooling?
I'm going to be brave. I'm going to say the thing that is "forbidden" in the homeschool community. There's one option we've yet to address in this series, so I want to say it here:
You can stop homeschooling.
Here we are! We are almost finished! This has been a long series, but rightfully so. The idea of drastically altering how you approach education for your children is no small matter. We are now on the final "question" of this series, question 3. There are worksheets (FREE) in the Practical Joy Resource library to add significant depth to this exploration. You definitely, definitely want those. Grab the workbook from the Resource Library here.
Question 3: Should I just take a break from homeschooling? Will that fix whatever the problem is?
I want to explore a few different aspects of this question, but I want to assert up front that there is not a right or wrong answer. As has been the case in every portion of this series, what's right for YOU and your family, your season, your child, will not be the right answer for everyone else. This is a journey of finding YOUR place in homeschooling and being certain that it truly is best for everyone involved.
I’m so excited to share this review with you! This is the ONE curriculum that I have never once been tempted to stop using! I tend to get my head turned by shiny, new homeschool curriculum. It’s so much fun to try new things, and there are always new products coming out that I can’t wait to check out. But not when it comes to math.
When I first started homeschooling, one of my mentors gave me some great advice. I was sharing with her how I worried that I wouldn’t be able to give my kids a strong math education because I had struggled so much with math in school. Her advice was to find a program that had a good reputation, that suited my teaching style, and that my kids didn’t hate, and then stick with it all the way through. Her reasoning was that the best way to avoid gaps in math knowledge is to use one program from beginning to end...
There's nothing as delightful (and challenging!) as educating our little ones at home. Some of us homeschool preschool and intend to be "long haul" homeschoolers. Others may plan to send their child to school later, but want to make the most of their days with their sweet babes. As a Mama of 4 with 2 toddlers underfoot, I've had some experience in preschool and "toddler school". I've made many mistakes, but I've also learned some valuable lessons that help me approach educating my two little ones with a "no regrets" mentality.
Here are 5 tips to approach those early years that you won't regret!
There's little that strikes more fear into a homeschool mom's heart than the idea of teaching their child to read. It seems that every aspect of their child's future success is hinged upon this necessary, often ominous, skill. I know some homeschool parents that send their children to school for kindergarten and first grade, just to skip the stress of it! So, for a new homeschool mom to be greeted with a child whom she is doing everything "by the book" for and nothing seems to be sticking... well, it honestly feels like their deepest fears of inadequacy are coming to fruition.
You can feel like you must be the biggest homeschool failure in the world when you've been working diligently to teach your child phonics for over a year, and they still know less than a handful of sounds. You can be certain you've ruined your child's future when they are 7, and despite working to identify letter NAMES since they were 4, they still visibly struggle to name each letter. You can feel like pulling your hair out when you child sounds out CCCCC-AAAAAA-TTTTTT on one page, then sees it again 8 more times in the SAME book (seconds apart) and STILL has to sound it out like she's never seen the word in her life every single time...
In part 1 and part 2 of this series (definitely go back and read those first if you haven't) we tackled the big question of evaluating our REASON for homeschooling in the first place and then used some worksheets to curate a homeschool vision.
Our big question # 2 is this: Are you being REALISTIC with your expectations for homeschooling based on your personality, the abilities of your child, the availability of your husband, and the number of hours in the day? In other words, are your expectations appropriate or even reasonable?
Hear me first on this, mama: When you homeschool, you are NOT a "stay at home mom". You are a work from home mom. You are a TEACHER who works at home- degree or not. You are wholly responsible for your child's education (which is BOTH terrifying and a huge honor.)
{This is part 2 of a 5 post series, so if you're just finding this, hop back over here to read the introduction to this challenging topic.}
If you're reading this (and I hope you read part 1 first), it's probably because you're a homeschooling mom who is COMPLETELY burned out. You can no longer see the purpose in why you are doing this. You can no longer see the value in working SO hard, when other people don't- and they're kids turn out ok... right? I mean, YOU probably weren't homeschooled, and you turned out just awesome! So WHY do something that's just so stinking hard that leaves you questioning your sanity and constantly fretting over your child's future and your relationship with your child?
So, let's gain some perspective first before you call it quits completely and have the kids waiting on the bus on Monday!
Ok, so that may be a reach, but I'm definitely homeschooling these day with WAY more confidence than I ever have before. We are entering our 6th year of homeschool this January, and I can say with conviction that homeschooling is the BEST, HARDEST thing I've ever done.
Over 6 years of homeschooling, I've lost my mind on my children countless times. I've screamed. A Lot. I've miscalculated, over-expected, under-planned, over-planned, overwhelmed, underestimated, overspent...
Anyone who has ever homeschooled for more than a day knows it, and anyone who has only a few semesters under her belt can testify: quitting can be a nagging desire in certain seasons. We can feel doubtful, overwhelmed, incompetent, and stretched to a breaking point. We can worry that we are ruining our children's futures or damaging our relationships.
This 5 part series is for those who are having more difficult days than they'd like and are considering throwing in the towel. Why 5 parts? Because it's that big of a deal.
How do I know? I've been there. I've quit.
Welcome to a brief overview of our curriculum picks for 1st and 4th grade! Plus a little look into our overall day and planned schedule for 2013-2014.
After the minor setback of having Kali wake up with a fever this morning, we were off to a decent start. I didn't take any "first day of school" pictures this morning with her feeling so poorly, but I took a few snapshots of our day...
I was browsing Pinterest the other day, looking for some printable activities to use alongside explore birds with my preschooler. I wanted a fun, bird-themed opportunity to review basic math and counting skills that fit the season. Our yard is freshly filled with birds in the early spring, and there’s really no better time of year to pull our feathered friends into our homeschool time.
Wow! Have you looked lately for books for your little ones and been completely overwhelmed? There are SO many- and how can we know they are good books that are of high literary quality and don't counter with our beliefs and family culture until we've bought them? My sweet friend Hayley and I wanted to combine forces and share a powerful list of 107 books that we feel like every child should have read to them (or read) before age 7.
Many lists like this include a majority of chapter books or books for children with longer attention span. We have many of those, but rest assured that this collection also includes shorter picture books with gorgeous, engaging illustrations and fewer words per page.
It's January... which means we are all on a downhill slide. The busyness and craziness and fun of Christmas has all been quieted, and we are left to our own devices (often trapped inside from the frigid temps). If you're like me, this anticlimactic time following the depths of winter as we roll past the New Year can usher in boredom, exhaustion, and cabin fever. We oftentimes enter what's now commonly referred to as a "slump" in our homeschool year.
But why? Is it fully triggered by gloomy weather and post-holiday blues? I suspect there's something else lurking beneath this battle almost every homeschool Mama faces each year...
There's little that strikes more fear into a homeschool mom's heart than the idea of teaching their child to read. It seems that every aspect of their child's future success is hinged upon this necessary, often ominous, skill. I know some homeschool parents that send their children to school for kindergarten and first grade, just to skip the stress of it! So, for a new homeschool mom to be greeted with a child whom she is doing everything "by the book" for and nothing seems to be sticking... well, it honestly feels like their deepest fears of inadequacy are coming to fruition.
You can feel like you must be the biggest homeschool failure in the world when you've been working diligently to teach your child phonics for over a year, and they still know less than a handful of sounds. You can be certain you've ruined your child's future when they are 7, and despite working to identify letter NAMES since they were 4, they still visibly struggle to name each letter. You can feel like pulling your hair out when you child sounds out CCCCC-AAAAAA-TTTTTT on one page, then sees it again 8 more times in the SAME book (seconds apart) and STILL has to sound it out like she's never seen the word in her life every single time...
Not everyone is called to homeschool their children, but those who are know it's challenging on every level. And it's a challenge so often strewn with criticism and an incredible amount of self-doubt. Homeschool moms are notoriously some of the most insecure people in the world. We seem confident because we're willing to be so counter-cultural, but when it comes down to it, we're frequently overrun with doubts and fear, and so we compare and second-guess at every turn.
Jesus faced many of the multitudinous challenges we also face on a day-to-day basis (and obviously a few more). The disciples did not "get it" every time he told a story. He frequently had to stop and explain what he meant to them (the parable of The Good Shepherd in John 10 is good example of this). And even when they understood at the time, he would still have to go back over and over again explaining the same concepts, telling new stories, giving new examples. He consistently had to refresh and remind them of truth he had previously taught them.
Even when he went to the cross, they still did not have a good grasp of what he was teaching them. Only once the crucifixion and resurrection took place, and they had the resurrected Christ actively in their lives, did they truly gain access to the knowledge and understanding that he had been working tirelessly to pour into them.
So here's the big secret, and it's a big claim (so bear with me)...
Over the past few years, Montessori 3-part cards have gained a lot of attention and popularity across the educational world. In fact, we even include them in many of our programs at The Gentle + Classical Press! While they may seem similar to flashcards, they actually are so much more. Montessori 3-part cards are a simple tool at first glance, but they provide a wide variety of practical applications - which are all fully adaptable to how each child learns, thinks, and plays! However, many of us simply might not know how best to utilize this beautiful educational tool in our homeschool. I know when I first saw them online, I was really unclear on what you actually do with them.