Loosely Classical

Charlotte Mason meets Classical Education

We're using the science series from Apologia Press which is written very much in the Charlotte Mason style.  I like it for its readability, the diagrams and the warmth that flows from the pages.  (I like it mostly for its unashamed 6-day creation focus and the fact that it brings everything back to God, the Creator, actually, but we're discussing CM vs CE right now).

I'm choosing though to follow a Classical method in writing up experiments as I can see the value of encouraging sytematic thinking in experimenting.  There's nothing wrong with the CM method.  I just prefer the Classical one.

The kids' experiments books are set up under the headings:

What we used

What we did:

What we found out:

I'll update on how this works for us as we proceed.

Daily Routine

It took about a year and a half of trial and error to figure out a daily routine that works.  It's not perfect, it could do with some refinement and it wouldn't work for all families.  For what it is worth, this is what our day looks like.

Morning Session - we aim to start by 9am, but I don't stress out if this doesn't happen

• read aloud novel (we're just about to finish The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
• Biblical Studies (we're just about to finish our current book)
• History (The Story of the World Volume 2 - The Middle Ages)
• Writing (we're just about to finish Writing With Ease Level 2)

Break time

Middle Session - we aim to start about 11.30am, but again, I don't stress if this doesn't happen.

• Maths (Mentals, Easy Learn Maths, Test Your Maths)  This is one of the two subjects that the kids don't do together.  Grammar is the other one.
• Grammar (He's just about to finish First Langauge Lessons Level Four; she's just started First Langauge Lessons Level 4)

Lunch time

Afternoon Session

• Science (Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day)
• Social Studies (Succeeding in Social Studies 4

Other:

Monday - Tennis, keyboard (for him), Art

Tuesday - Cooking (doesn't always happen)

Wednesday - Mathletics, Free Writing

Thursday - Skwirk, Free Writing

Friday - Craft (doesn't always happen)

What and why

It's taken just over 2 years to reach a point where I am totally comfortable in what we're doing and why we are doing it.

The deschooling process was long and complicated as I was totally unused to thinking critically about what I was teaching and why.  Teaching your own kids will force you to do that however, as you're faced with the consequences of your choices all the time.

So, what are we using?

Biblical Studies: Taylor's Bible Story Book

History: The Story of the World Vol. 2  (Peace Hill Press)

Writing: Writing with Ease Book 2 (Peace Hill Press)

Grammar: him - Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 4 (Peace Hill Press)

                her - Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 3 (Peace Hill Press)

Maths: Easy Learn Maths 4B/Easy Learn Maths 2B (Coroneos)

Science: Exploring Creation with Botany (Apologia)

Social Studies: Succeeding in Social Studies 3 (Australian Homeschooling Series)

You'll notice that with the exception of Grammar and Maths, both children are doing the same work.  This makes homeschooling much easier than trying to work around 2 separate grades.  Even though they are 27 months apart choronologically, they're much closer together academically.  It makes sense to have them working together.

A long overdue shake up

We've been meandering along in this loosely classical framework that we have going and evenrything has been marvellous, until I woke and realised it was June.

Already.

Only half a year left, and a *pile* of schoolwork to do.

Last Sunday afternoon, I put my teacher shoes back on for a few hours while I programmed away.  They fit surprisingly well and they didn't hurt at all.  It was kind of like meeting an old friend after an absence of many years.

I think it is safe to say that *my* deschooling process is over.  I could use the work programming without palpitations.  I could draw up scope and sequence charts without panic.  I know me better than I did, and I know my pupils better than I ever knew pupils in the old days.

The new timetable came together without any bother.  That was a first.  I began implementing it on Monday and it actually worked.

new timetable may 2011

The school day is longer and much more structured than it has been, but I have found that it really works for the kids.  They are working harder, and more productively, and I am feeling more confident about what they are learning.

There's a massive downside however.  You can always tell when we have had a week focussing really hard on school because the house is a disaster area.  Combine that with a week of rain and I'll leave it up to your imagination, especially where Mt. Washmore is concerned.

Maybe one day I'll get it all sorted.  Probably not Monday...Monday I plan to resume my gym visits, which gets me home with 10 minutes to spare before "school" starts.

Schoolroom resurrected

With the coming of the cold weather we have had to resurrect the schoolroom.  Normally this room is stroage only and we use the dining room for learning at.  The cold weather has meant a need for heat and the schoolroom is better at being heated, so we're back in here again.  We will stay here except for warm days until the spring comes.

Shakespeare

I was able to buy and download "Shakespeare For The Ears" yesterday.  I found it via a homeschooling link site.  Thanks to the dollar being higher than the greenback, it cost less than the advertised price.

It seems an excellent way of introducing Shakespeare to the little people in manageable chunks.  As it is recorded it forces them to listen carefully and build pictures in their heads.  Hopefully it will also mean that when we introduce the works of Shakespeare later they'll have some hooks to hang it on.

 

Just because

 
One of the joys in home educating your kids is the opportunity to be flexible and allow learning experiences to just happen.

We went to Marrickville for a performance.  It ended sooner than we anticipated and having half a day up our sleeves, we decided to hit the city for a wander around Circular Quay.  We had lunch in the park and a lazy meander over the Writers' Walk leading to the Opera House...(just how do you explain Germaine Greer to an 8 year old?) and then a walk up the stairs to the Opera House. 

As you can see it was a magnificent autumn day and the Harbour looked gorgeous.

School was never this good, never.

Crazy Cave Creatures

 
Art idea from "Introducing Visual Arts for Teachers".  We are slowly working our way through this book one art project at a time.

As time permits I'll upload the other art works that we have created using this book.

One big discovery that I have made this year is with regard to acrylic paints.  They are so much better than the horrid poster paint we always used at school.  It marvellously textured when applied thickly to paper and has a gloss that poster paint can never have.  I am thrilled with it and the results we are able to achieve using it.

This particular project was examining lines and angles in creating art works.

Why the classical model?

When we began homeschooling in 2009, we planned to use an eclectic approach with a school-at-home feel.

That didn't last long and for good reason.  Home is no more school than school is home.

Thankfully we met up with another homeschooling family who introduced us to the classical method and we were sold.  It was a lightbulb moment for both of us and answered the oft asked question "Why aren't the kids learning?"

They weren't learning because we hadn't given them anything to learn.

Enter the classical method based on the trivium: grammar, logic, rhetoric.

We use a loosely classical approach, as indicated by this blog title.  Our method is founded in the classical, but we have no issue with deviating a little from time to time as suits, or modifying the approach to suit our kids.

What does "loosely classical" mean?

Read on as this blog grows and discover it with us.