Simply Charlotte Mason

[Aubieirish]

Has anyone or does anyone currently use the SCM resources? I am trying to decide if I want to go down this path. I am curious if their materials feel solid and would suffice in teaching all the subjects (history, Bible, etc).

Any opinions?

[Singingmom]

All I have so far is Wisdom for Life, the Proverbs study...there's not much to the actual books, although they're nice, but I love the concept.

I got to hear Sonja speak on dvd a few weeks ago, and it was a wonderful seminar. I got totally hooked on SCM and I'm hoping to use her history books after next year. (She does a 6 yr history rotation in order to spend more time on Bible history in the first 2 yrs...I'm finishing up a 6 yr rotation and I have to fit in a 4 yr rotation now, so after this next year I'll be on track to use her things for the next 3.)

I don't have much experience with the materials, but at this point I wouldn't hesitate to get anything from SCM. :)

[Aubieirish]

Thank you for your help! It is much appreciated. I am hoping to hear Sonya speak at a local homeschool convention at the beginning of May so I am sure that will help a lot and solidify things in my mind!

[Singingmom]

I hope you enjoy her as much as I did! She's a wealth of information about CM.

[heartofjoy]

I just bought the Spelling Wisdom level 2 ebook. My oldest wanted a spelling program and this one seemed to be something I could tolerate. I do believe this is a valid and useful way to teach spelling.

[Singingmom]

Oh, I want Spelling Wisdom, too! :giggle

[HappyMama]

We have Spelling Wisdom on it's way. I love the site and we've gotten quite a bit from it.

[teamommy]

I think I am going to go with Spelling Wisdom once we are through this next level of AAS.

It looks like a great way for me to accomplish dictation and spelling at the same time. And I like that the ebook is fairly inexpensive.

[Butterflynjesus]

Is SCM a curriculum company based on CM model for education? I'm just curious. I've been looking at CM stuff here & there since I first started homeschooling 5 yrs ago, but my kids were in 9th & 6th grade then so I figured it was "too late" to go that route. Now I'm re-thinking this & wondering if I could integrate CM with my eclectic approach to HSing.

[Singingmom]

Is SCM a curriculum company based on CM model for education? I'm just curious. I've been looking at CM stuff here & there since I first started homeschooling 5 yrs ago, but my kids were in 9th & 6th grade then so I figured it was "too late" to go that route. Now I'm re-thinking this & wondering if I could integrate CM with my eclectic approach to HSing.

It's definitely based on a CM model. The owners have dug into her original volumes and have a lot to share about her views and how they can work in practical ways. I don't think it started out as a curriculum company, but they are adding more and more in that way.

You could certainly integrate their materials into your approach, but CM is more than materials, it's a way of looking at how children learn. The more you read about it, the more there is to love about it! :)

[IslandMama]

I love SCM! I was considering using it next year, but because of my dd's age, I really wanted a 4 year history cycle (and mandatory state testing). I haven't yet figured out how I could rearrange that. :shrug3

But her other resources are great! I've been using it as a reference, even before she started publishing her own books/schedules. I've learned so much about how to understand and apply CM. It's great to see how SCM is growing... I just need to figure out how to incorporate it into our schooling... :giggle I'm still undecided about next year!

[Singingmom]

I love SCM! I was considering using it next year, but because of my dd's age, I really wanted a 4 year history cycle (and mandatory state testing). I haven't yet figured out how I could rearrange that. :shrug3

But her other resources are great! I've been using it as a reference, even before she started publishing her own books/schedules. I've learned so much about how to understand and apply CM. It's great to see how SCM is growing... I just need to figure out how to incorporate it into our schooling... :giggle I'm still undecided about next year!

In one of the chat areas, someone asked her how she recommended doing a 4 yr rotation and still incorporating her materials. She suggested using Beautiful Feet ancient history for the first year, then her materials for the next three. I need to do a 4 yr rotation too, and that's what I'm planning. :) (I just noticed I pretty much said that already in this thread, but the BF suggestion was new I think...)

[StumblinMama]

I'm looking at the Spelling Wisdom samples...I think I just changed my mind about Spelling curric for the Fall :giggle Thanks for sharing, mamas! This looks perfect.

[IslandMama]

In one of the chat areas, someone asked her how she recommended doing a 4 yr rotation and still incorporating her materials. She suggested using Beautiful Feet ancient history for the first year, then her materials for the next three. I need to do a 4 yr rotation too, and that's what I'm planning. :) (I just noticed I pretty much said that already in this thread, but the BF suggestion was new I think...)

Great idea!!! Hmmm... I'm gonna check that out! I do like the BF feet curriculum too... Thanks! :heart

[TraceMama]

:cup I need to sub to this thread, because so far I'm really enjoying CM :yes

[TraceMama]

In one of the chat areas, someone asked her how she recommended doing a 4 yr rotation and still incorporating her materials. She suggested using Beautiful Feet ancient history for the first year, then her materials for the next three. I need to do a 4 yr rotation too, and that's what I'm planning. :) (I just noticed I pretty much said that already in this thread, but the BF suggestion was new I think...)

Would you mind linking to this? :O

[Singingmom]

Found it!

http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/ideas-where-to-begin#post-28661

[TraceMama]

:hug Thank you, thank you, thank you! :heart I really appreciate all the help you've given me! :hug

[Singingmom]

:hug Thank you, thank you, thank you! :heart I really appreciate all the help you've given me! :hug

Aw, gee. :hug

[joysworld]

Thank you for your help! It is much appreciated. I am hoping to hear Sonya speak at a local homeschool convention at the beginning of May so I am sure that will help a lot and solidify things in my mind!

Did you get to go to her class? Her class was the main one I wanted to go to, but on both days, the room was overflowing. There were people even in the hallway trying to listen. I was so bummed, but I just bought her cd from the class.

[Strumbelina]

Wow, wow, wow!!!!

Thank you so much for this thread!!!! I remember I had looked at the SCM site a couple years ago or so and for whatever reason it didn't grab me... could be that I had just placed a MFW order or something. :shrug3

Anyway, I checked it out again and think this might be the very thing I have been wanting, but thinking was too hard for me to pull off!!!! :D

I have always been drawn to AO, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around how I was going to make it work and I tried reading from one or two of the books a few years ago and the kids and I couldn't get into it. I think it was An Island Story. :blush
Still, I have been wishing I could make it work because I think it's probably richer than MFW. But I liked (and needed) how MFW was all planned out and very, very user friendly.

I'm not sad we did MFW. I think it was what we (and I) needed it to be when we needed it. I don't even have a problem continuing it, but I have been realizing more and more that I would be tweeking it to add this or take away that.
Then I discovered SCM (through this thread), and after spending the better part of the day on the site.... I think it's looking pretty workable. I find the website far easier to navigate than the AO one... and that kind of thing is important for me.... I can get easily frustrated and overwhelmed at the AO site by just the shear volume of material that is there.

I'm excited because I think I can do this SCM and maybe even save $$... which is always a great thing! :)

Question: I notice several of you are concerned with doing a four year history rotation. Is there a reason for this? I always have wanted that as well, because I always thought that once my oldest is in 9th grade they would start a whole new rotation (it seemed to fit neatly). If I do the SCM the way it is layed out, my oldest will not finish the rotation until the end of his 9th grade year, but now that I am thinking about that, I am not sure why that is NOT ok? :scratch
Is there a reason I should be concerned that he will not finish the history rotation until the end of 9th grade? Maybe there is something I am not taking into consideration that I should. :think

[Singingmom]

Kara, I'm glad SCM looks helpful for you!

As far as the 4yr vs. 6yr rotation, you can do it well either way. The advantage of doing the 6yr (according to Sonja) is having time for more in-depth Bible history alongside the ancients. I'm planning a 4yr rotation next just to fit it in before my oldest graduates, but that's not essential. My middle child will have an extra year after that rotation, and I plan to let him choose the period of history he'd like to study that year. If your oldest is left with a 3 yr rotation, you could tailor those years to fit however you like. :)

[Myrtle]

I bought the Genesis through Deuteronomy book for my 1st grader, and we were going to study ancient Egypt this year. I was actually disappointed with the study. It might be better the 2nd time around when dd is older, but the Letters from Egypt book bored me to tears, and dd was totally not into it. I might've enjoyed it if I was just reading it for myself, but trying to drudge through it with a 6 year old was not fun at all. It was a nice guide for going through the Bible, but I really think I could've found a decent guide online for free and just done my own Egypt study by picking one of the Unit Studies online also. I won't be buying the next book for 2nd grade and have already started preparing my own Greek unit study.

I also bought 106 Days of Creation Studies, but I haven't used it yet. I was going to start that in 2nd grade b/c I just found it at a thrift sale. It looks a little better,

I love the curriculum guide and have used it a lot, but I probably won't be buying anymore of her resources for teaching. I wouldn't mind having some of her books for my personal reading, though. I love the website and get her email updates that I've found to be very useful also.

[Singingmom]

Myrtle, I wasn't sure about Letters from Egypt after reading the online sample, so I'm glad to read your review (I didn't end up getting it). I do think Boy of the Pyramids looks good for a younger student though, and I ordered it when I ordered Spelling Wisdom.

[Strumbelina]

OK. I am thinking about combining two years of history modules into one year. Modules 3 and 4.

Part of the reason is because I wanted to have ds through one whole history rotation by the end of 8th grade. Another reason is that if I try the SCM next year and for whatever reason desperately want to return to MFW, then I can just pick up where I would need to with MFW and ds would be on the track that I originally wanted him to be.

So, I know that SCM has talked about combining the beginning modules, but I can't find anything about combining 3 and 4 (Rome and Middle Ages).

Do you all think this would be doable? I am sure I would invest in the CM planner, because it looks like that would be a life-saver when trying to customize our year.

[Singingmom]

I don't see anything about 3 and 4 either, Kara, but I'm sure you could do it. It sounds like a good plan for you guys. Plus you'll have another rotation to touch on things you have to skip the first time through.

[Aubieirish]

Thank you for the additional insights and information everyone has provided. I have not been online here for a quite a bit so I am glad to catch up.

I unfortunately did not get to hear Sonya speak. I was bummed about that, but now I am trying to sift through what we are going to do next year.

I so appreciate the book reviews, and I know now that I am going to skip those! That was very useful.