A Day in the Life of a Charlotte Mason Inspired Home School.
(Family time – an important part of our lives together)
I have been using or should I say inspired by the Charlotte Mason (CM) method since I started home schooling. But lately I haven’t been following it as much as I had planned. My goal this coming school year is to fully get back to the CM method. I found it when I first starting researching home school and I knew it was the right way to go for our family. Over the last two years, I unfortunately got lazy and started leaving out the beautiful extras that the CM method has. Or I started falling into a more traditional method for the core subjects. So my plan for this year is to go back and follow the CM method just as much as I possibly can.
So as I came up with the plan for this upcoming school year, I kept this goal in mind! Right now I have to say that this post is more of a “hope to be” a day in the life of a Charlotte Mason inspired home school. This is the goal but it has never in all my years of home schooling been daily reality! This is a new year and a new season of life and I am hoping (in the LORD) for this to be reality for most of our days! I know one thing I have to do to make this a reality, I must work on Habit Training for my kids and especially for myself. I always say I am a work in progress and I acknowledge the LORD has a lot more work to do in me and through me. So I know for this to become reality (at least most days), even with habit training, and hard work in all areas of our life, it will still only be by HIS grace!!
*Here is the daily SCHEDULE I created to help me have days like I describe below.*
* See my All about Charlotte Mason post HERE*
(Creation *Nature* Study and Nature Journals are a BIG part of the Charlotte Mason Method)
- Wake-Up (Me: 6am (Bible, Computer Time , and hopefully a little exercise). The boys: 7:30am)
- God & Me Time (This is where the boys have their own time with GOD)
- Breakfast *8:00am (Read from one-two of our table books * Poetry, Church History, AIG resources, VOM magazine, etc* )
- Morning Duties (morning chores, taking vitamin, get dressed, etc…)
- Practice Piano
- Bible* 9/9:30am (This is our time to get in the word together), keeping with the idea of short lessons, and using narration as a key component to the lessons as CM suggested.
- Exercise or once a week a Creation walk
(Walk outside, observing and enjoying GOD’s amazing Creation)
- A few “Individual” Subjects (Math, Reading, Grammar, etc), keeping to the short lessons suggested by CM.
- A few “Together” Subjects (History, Science, Geography, Natural History with Living Books, biographies and hands-On projects, etc.), keeping with short lessons and using narration as a key component to the lessons as CM suggested.
- Break *30mins* (Outside time if the weather is good)
- Individual Subjects (whatever is left for the day), keeping to the short lessons suggested by CM.
- Together Subjects (whatever is left for the day), keeping with short lessons and using narration as a key component to the lessons as CM suggested.
- Lunch *1-1:45pm (Read from one-two of our table books * Poetry, Church History, AiG resources, VOM magazine, etc* )
(Hands-On-Art)
- The Extra’s*1:45 Outside Time, Artist/Picture Study, Music/Composer Study, Hymn Study, Folksongs, Hands-On-Art, Handicraft/Life Skills, Piano Lesson, P.E. games, Park-day, Creation Study & Creation Walk, Driving Range, Golf game, board/card games, blogging, e-mailing friends/family, Educational websites, t.v., dvd’s, games, etc.
- Free Play*3:30pm
- Dinner *6/6:30pm (Read from one-two of our table books * Poetry, Church History, AIG resources, VOM magazine, etc* )
- Evening Time: Outside play, a walk, game night, movie time, literature read-a-loud, and free time
(Golf with daddy)
What is your inspired method of homeschooling or parenting?
~ written by Angie @ The One Thing
What a wonderfully rich homeschool! I especially love your idea of the books in the center of the kitchen table. Great schedule (love the photos too).
Thanks Tricia!! I pray it is “rich”, and that I do stay consistent!!
I know it is going to be an awesome year.
Thank YOU Beth!!
So when do you have the kids do chores? Do they help with meal prep and/or cleanup? I don’t have kids that old yet (oldest is 5), but I can’t see where things like laundry and house cleaning can fit into that schedule, unless you do it during their free time. (I don’t k is much about the Charlotte Mason method, but it seems that the teacher has to be fairly involved, right?)
I hope I don’t sound critical. I don’t mean to be. I have struggled with managing my home and my time, and now that I just had my third child and have to sit around and nurse several hours a day, making sure I schedule time for chores is kind of high on my priority list. Granted, I haven’t started school officially; my oldest will be 6 in 3 months, and I agree with Mrs. Mason about not starting too early. But I sometimes wonder how I will find time for doing housework and cooking while homeschooling…
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for Commenting! I have never been one to have a set schedule for cleaning =O) My guys are 8 and 10 now so they are a much bigger help than they used to be and it doesn’t take us as long. I believe one of the reason is because do not have a big house, and I am not a perfectionist! They have morning duties and afternoon and evening chores; example: unloading dishwasher, cleaning rooms, sweeping, cleaning up after meals, empting small trashcans into the big one, folding towels, etc. Then once a week they have to help with chores like; vacuuming, dusting, mirrors, etc. I do laundry during any time of the day, it only takes a few minutes to throw things from one machine to the next, and fold clothes as I go along (again my boys fold towels, during free time while they watch a cartoon). It is only one day a week that deeper cleaning gets done and sometimes every other week. With bigger boys and no babies or toddlers, it really doesn’t take to long. My house is usually neat, but I am not as a stickler for the deep cleaning as I used to be. Life is more than keeping a house spotless, so I have learned to relax a wee bit when it comes to my cleaning routine. It may take a little bit, but you will figure out what works best for you and your family!!
I’m in the same boat! Well, mostly. My oldest will be 6 in November and will be attending a public kindergarten (totally ready to pull him out should I feel the need!). I had my 3rd in January (preemie, so I’m pumping 5+ times a day). I know it’s TOUGH, but as we homeschooled this last year and over the summer, I was forced to find a time to get laundry (etc) done. I schedule it for first thing in the morning…right after the morning feed and pumping session. If it doesn’t get done between the baby’s “wake up” and the time the boys get up, it doesn’t happen. And then I tell myself it’s okay to let it go. I hope that helps! Just wanted to let you know you’re not alone!
Thanks so much for sharing Sara!!!
Angie,
Wonderful glimpse into your CM homeschool with your boys. I really like the way you include some many wonderfully enriching things in your day. I am adding this to the CM carnival….thanks for the entry.
PS Your boys are really growing up!
Hi Barb, Thanks. I really am trying to have this kind of day at least most of the time =o) Thanks for including it in the carnival!
How do you read at the table?? Do you eat before the chidlren or after them? We all LOVE to read / look at books while we eat – but then that ends up being a solitary sort of activity. I’d really like to read aloud while we’re eating – but that is so disruptive to my eating! 🙂
Naptime Seanstress, I am sorry I am so late in getting back with you!! We eat at the same time. My youngest is usually done before I am, and I don’t make him sit, he can get up and I will call him back when I am ready to read. It would be torture for all of us if I made him sit and wait. =O)
Thank you for sharing this! I am currently homeschooling my 5 year old using the Montessori method. I am looking at the Charlotte Mason method and stumbled upon your blog. This is great! My son will attend a public kindergarten starting this week…but I am unconvinced it’s a good thing. Trying my best to patient with our circumstances…and preparing myself for possible homeschooling! (I was homeschooled 4th-7th grade and LOVED it.)
Hi Sara!! Cool you were homeschooled and plan to do that with your children!! Thanks so much for sharing. Being patient is so tough for me, and pray GOD’s best and HIS perfect time over your circumstances!!
This looks like a rich banquet of ideas – a joyful day if I ever saw one! I trust things will go well for you and your brood this school year. I look forward to reading about your progress.
From joy to joy,
Nancy
Thank You so much !! You and many other speakers (and the CM graduates, including your son) at the Childlight Conf. were a big inspiration to me!!
Your post describes a beautiful life! I love how Charlottes ideas leave the beauty and togetherness in life. Thank you for sharing!
Thank You Patti and I agree!!
I veered unintentionally away from CM a bit myself and have steered back that way this year, but in an even more relaxed manner. I always love your posts. 🙂
Thank You Jamie. I also enjoy your post and FB updates =O)