This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
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Curriculum Reviews, Homeschool, Homeschool Organization, Motherhood, Preschool at Home • August 19, 2019

Homeschool Research Resources

Someday I’ll write about how we came to the decision to homeschool, but for now, all you need to know is this: I love having my children home with me. I am in love with the days we spend together, and I rarely look forward to a “break” (I know I am the minority, it’s okay!). I believe that I can provide them with a rich, individualized, and (most importantly) fun education at home. Lastly, after much thought and discussion, my husband and I truly believe it’s the right decision for our family.

Now, this decision didn’t come easily. It took several months of research and groundwork. I’m still learning new things about home education every day! I wanted to compile all of the resources I’ve come across in my research for you all too. Just in case you’re wrestling with whether to homeschool or not! Keep reading to see a few homeschool research resources I’ve found.

Homeschool Research Resources

 

NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list. There are thousands of books, podcasts, curriculums, and groups  with homeschool resources out there! I’m simply sharing the ones that interest me and that I considered during my research period. (And ones I’m still considering!) So please make sure you do other reading in addition to this post if you’re serious about homeschool!

(Additional note, any of the resources below with an asterisk next to them (*) have a Christian element and may not appeal to those who desire a secular home education 🙂 However, do not be discouraged! There are many ways to carry out a home education without the influence of religion or faith, if that’s your wish!)

Homeschool Methods

I’ve looked into several methods of homeschooling. There are methods that provide tons of structure. Co-ops for example, meet once a week, then you’re at home with your kids the other days. . Another method is Charlotte Mason based schooling, which is very nature-based. Lastly, there is the “unschooling” method, which provides little to no structure, and instead focuses solely on your child’s interests. Honestly, I believe I’ll be doing a bit of all of these! Again, there are many other types of homeschooling out there. These are just the ones I’ve researched for our family.

Nature-Based Schooling

I definitely love the idea of Nature-based schooling. Spending time on trails, hiking with my girls, and learning about the world around us is one of the goals I have for our home education. If you’re interested in learning more about a nature-based education, check out Wild + Free. I also recommend a couple of books in the “book” section below on nature, children, and learning!

Unschooling

Unschooling is a homeschool method provides little to no structure, and instead focuses solely on your child’s interests. This isn’t something I plan to do with my girls because I know I for sure want to use a curriculum. But unschooling has been successful for many families. Watch this TED Talk if unschooling interests you further!

Classical Education*

Classical Conversations is a Classical Education group I’ve considered checking out. I love reading about Susan Wise Bauer and her family. I recommended a couple of her books below. This classical way of learning is largely based on structure. They utilize memory work, traditional learning methods, and a child’s natural inclination for curiosity as they develop. Essentially, this is the opposite of Unschooling, but I also know several families who have had greats success with the program. If you’re interested in learning more, check out their site.

Charlotte Mason*

Charlotte Mason was a British educator who lived during the mid-1800s. Her philosophy of education is still widely practiced both in schools and in homes! Many homeschoolers I know use the Charlotte Mason (CM) philosophy. In a nutshell, CM believed that living books were a crucial part of any learning experience. Meaning, books that bring a certain time-period of history alive through narrative. She also advocated for children’s need for nature. She’s most well-known for her phrase “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” In other words, the CM method focuses on educating the whole child, not just the mind! It’s a philosophy I’ve seriously considered for my girls. I’m doing more research on it, but there are a few books below by Susan Schaeffer MacAulay about Charlotte Mason and her philosophy! Check them out!

Unit-Studies

Unit studies are giant themed units (that tie in all or most subjects) for a more holistic learning experience. Meaning, whatever project you and your children are studying (frogs for example) will tie into math, reading, science, and whatever project you’re doing for that term. It’s a wonderful way to learn, especially if you create units for your children based on their interests!

 

Homeschool Books

Get ready for along list of book recommendations! Honestly, reading about home education has been the one thing that’s helped me not panic about our decision. I love learning about other families, curriculums, methods, etc. Reading books has been a great way to do research!

Here is a giant list of books you must read if you’re considering homeschool:

(CM = Charlotte Mason Books)

On Learning

The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart

The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie

Better Together by Pam Barnhill

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

How Children Learn by John Holt

How to Raise A Wild Child by Scott Sampson

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child’s Education by Susan Wise Bauer (I recommend reading this if your children are already in traditional school and you’re having second thoughts.

The Unhurried Homeschooler by Durenda Wilson

 

Homeschool Methodology

For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer MacAulay (CM)

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell

The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer

When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper (CM)

A Charlotte Mason Education: A Home Schooling How-To Manual by Catherine Levison (CM)

A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andereola (CM)

Habits: The Mother’s Secret to Success by Charlotte Mason (CM)

The Outdoor Life of Children: The Importance of Nature Study and Outside Activities by Charlotte Mason (CM)

Ideas and Books: The Method of Charlotte Mason by Charlotte Mason (CM)

 

Encouragement for Mom

Homeschool Bravely by Jamie Erickson*

Teaching From Rest by Sarah Mackenzie*

The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming by Sally Clarkson*

Mere Motherhood

 

 

 

Videos

TED Talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity? by Sir Ken Robins

5 Flavors of Homeschool by Susan Schaeffer MacAulay

 

Homeschool Podcasts

I love listening to podcasts. I usually have one playing during any chores I need to get done, before bed while I nurse Norah, or even when I cook dinner. There are surprisingly a giant number of homeschool podcasts available. They’ve helped me in my decision so much because I can listen to the experiences of other families. Learn about new methods, and really get down to the “why” of why we want to homeschool! I listen to them through my Podcast app on my phone or through Spotify. Here is a comprehensive list of my favorites so far:

Wild + Free Podcast – I love listening to this mama and her podcast guests. Ainsley is insanely inspiring!

Read-Aloud Revival – After reading The Read-Aloud Family, I knew I had to download this podcast. I absolutely adore it. I also recommend it to everyone, not just homeschool families!

Honey I’m Homeschooling the Kids – A great podcast that gives a look into homeschooling families lives!

The Homeschool Snapshots Podcast – Love this one because it’s just interviews with various families around the world who homeschool!

The Mason Jar (CM) – This one talks all about Charlotte Mason philosophy!

Simply Charlotte Mason (CM) – An extremely informational podcast all about Charlotte Mason’s homeschool methods.

Your Morning Basket – Love this one by Pam Barnhill. The morning basket is a time designated for connection for the family, first thing in the morning. Check it out if that sounds like something you’d be into!

 

Homeschool Curriculums I’ve Considered

If you’re looking for a curriculum, here are the ones I’ve looked at so far:

(I’m still researching these extensively. I’ve only decided on a preschool curriculum for now, so as I learn about more, I’ll add them to the list.)

Morning Time/General Preschool: Gentle + Classical Preschool* (I think this is what I’m going to use for preschool for G(4) this year.)

Preschool/Phonics: The Peaceful Preschool (ages 2-5) (we are using this for G(4) as well!)

General/Project Based: The Playful Pioneers (ages 5-12)

Preschool Math: Preschool Math at Home by Kate Snow (we are using this this year!)

Preschool: Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum

General: The Good and The Beautiful*

Reading/Phonics: Dash Into Reading

History: Story of the World 

Literature: Beautiful Feet Books

Grade School Math: Right Start Math

Grade School Math: Saxon Math

Writing: Handwriting Without Tears

Nature: Exploring Nature With Children

Nature: Wild + Free has amazing curriculum bundles. (I’m eyeing the nature journals!)

Additional Resources

The Read-Aloud Revival website is amazing. It’s also not a homeschool only program. Sarah Mackenzie’s book, podcast, and all of her work is something I’d recommend all families check out! See her site here.

The Morning basket method (if that’s what you want to call it) is a wonderful resource created by Pam Barnhill. I included her book in my book recommendation sections, and also her podcast Your Morning Basket in the Podcasts section. Make sure to check out her website too, as she is a wonderful resource!

 

Homeschool Documentaries

Watching the documentary Class Dismissed: A Film About Learning Outside of the Classroom. The film ultimately led me to dive deep into research mode for our schooling. (I was able to rent it on Prime Video.) I loved seeing other families’ experience with pulling kids out of school, and also another family’s experience of having their children at home from the start. It was helpful to my husband too. I think until you’re aware of how ineffective public school can be for some children, you don’t really know. As a former teacher I just assumed I would send my kids to school. I was looking forward to it, but things change, and I’m so glad I got to watch this film. I’ve also loved chatting with other homeschool moms. Anyway, check out the documentary if you want to get your family or spouse on board!

I hope this list of homeschool research and resources has helped you! It’s important to delve deep and really make sure it’s the right decision for your family. Reading and researching allowed me to feel ten times more confident in our decision. I hope this post helps you do the same. Thank you so much for reading!

 

Are you new to homeschool? I run a membership for new homeschool families! It’s called Thriving at Home. You can learn more here.

JOIN THRIVING AT HOME

Filed Under: Curriculum Reviews, Homeschool, Homeschool Organization, Motherhood, Preschool at Home

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Comments

  1. Ashley | Meaningful Menus says

    September 4, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    It’s so incredible how many amazing resources have flooded the homeschool market in the past few years. Such a wonderful time to be home educating!

    Reply

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I'm Larissa. A mama to daughters and wife to my college sweetheart. I am passionate about sustainable fashion, whole foods recipes, and Charlotte Mason home education. I also love being outdoors with my family. You can usually find me sporting a wide-brimmed hat, with a baby on my back.

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This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
I promised I would share how I teach foreign langu I promised I would share how I teach foreign language the Mason way✨

When my oldest (now 6) was younger we loved and used @theculturedkid but since beginning formal lessons we’ve switched to this wonderful book by @cherrydalepress. 

Mason recommends that students learn 5-6 new French words a day and that they use them frequently. She writes in Home Education, “…children should learn French orally, by listening to and repeating French words and phrases; that they should begin so early that the difference of the accent does not strike them, but they repeat the French word all the same as if it were English, and use it freely…” (p. 80) she then writes about how important it is to employ the use of French vocabulary words during time out-of-doors. My kids and I have taken this to heart, because it isn’t uncommon for us all to be walking along the hiking trail, singing our French folk songs together. It’s something I’ll remember that we do together for many years. 

The Cherrydale Press program allows the child to learn common phrases, orally, a bit at a time. Along the way, they learn common verbs and vocabulary. 

Each “series” lasts about 2 weeks.
So here is the process we go through in that time:

01. We practice and memorize the English phrases. 
Here’s an example: 
I take the book.
I open the book.
I close the book.
So we say the phrases as we ACT THEM OUT, which is crucial to this method of learning French and retaining it! It’s helped me tremendously as a non-native speaker.

02. We then learn the French verbs from those phrases in French: je prends, j’ouvre, and je ferme. We memorize how to say them and act them out!

03. We learn the whole thing in French as we act it out. 
Je prends le livre.
j’ouvre le livre.
je ferme le livre.

After my daughter can say/act them without error, on her own, we move on to the next series!

Thanks to The Living Page, I keep a French notebook where I record the phrases or words we learn! (That’s what I shared in my stories the other day!)

In addition to this program, we have two French folk songs, one French vocabulary song per term (we sing daily) and a story we listen to in French, thanks to @the.cmec and their support!

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