Secular Charlotte Mason
For The Modern Homeschool Family Living the Educational Life
Blog
What Was Your Path to CM?
| Posted on March 31, 2011 at 1:40 PM |
I've been doing some personal research on the similarities and differences between he secular and Christian CM worlds. I'm starting to think that there are even more differences than I initially thought but need much more info to determine if I'm onto something or just seeing something that isn't really there.
***Answering the following questions would help me grately as there is precious little information on how and why people choose a secular CM education.***
1. What was your path to CM? Was it a friend, a particular book, website, etc.?
2. What, specifically, do you love about a CM education?
3. Do you consider your homeschooling purely CM or eclectically CM? If eclectic, what do you combine it with?
4. Do you consider your family purely secular, religious/spiritual but use only secular materials, secular but use a mix of secular and religious resources, religious/spiritual and use a mix of secular and religious resources? If none of these fit you, feel free to just state your personal preference.
Categories: Observations About a Charlotte Mason Education
Post a Comment
Oops!
The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.
10 Comments
1. I found Ambleside Online when I was doing my initial research. We tried unit studies, WTM, and Oak Meadow before settling this year on a more CM path.
2. I like all of the reading, all of the books. I also like the shorter lessons and the wide variety of subjects offered.
3. Our homeschooling is eclectically CM. We are loosely following an adaptation of Ambleside (www.charlottemasonhelp.com), with generous helpings of WTM and Waldorf methodologies.
4. I'm not sure how to classify us. LOL We do believe in God, however do not currently attend a church. I use mainly secular resources, but I'm not opposed to using religious ones as long as no one is trying to convert me. We believe in evolution and will not use anything that teaches creationism. Basically if it's a quality resource that doesn't try to convert or preach or deal with creationism, then we're good with it.
5. My oldest is only in 1st grade right now, so high school is a long way off. Frankly I don't know what we will be using in high school or even if we will homeschool through high school. I would tend to lean to CM for high school as well, but it really depends on how the rest of this year and next year go.
2. I like all of the reading, all of the books. I also like the shorter lessons and the wide variety of subjects offered.
3. Our homeschooling is eclectically CM. We are loosely following an adaptation of Ambleside (www.charlottemasonhelp.com), with generous helpings of WTM and Waldorf methodologies.
4. I'm not sure how to classify us. LOL We do believe in God, however do not currently attend a church. I use mainly secular resources, but I'm not opposed to using religious ones as long as no one is trying to convert me. We believe in evolution and will not use anything that teaches creationism. Basically if it's a quality resource that doesn't try to convert or preach or deal with creationism, then we're good with it.
5. My oldest is only in 1st grade right now, so high school is a long way off. Frankly I don't know what we will be using in high school or even if we will homeschool through high school. I would tend to lean to CM for high school as well, but it really depends on how the rest of this year and next year go.
1a follow hs mom
2. using books that are on a subject not a textbook, seems more like real life
3 eclectric. i use catholic herrtiage curriculum that is very open to using oteher curriculum and cm works very well especially with history and science. i dont neccessarily use cm's living books
4. altthough i am using a cathliic curriculum religions reasons was not my reason for homeschooling, i just choice theirs cause there are so few non religious hs programs and i did not want something anti catholic
2. using books that are on a subject not a textbook, seems more like real life
3 eclectric. i use catholic herrtiage curriculum that is very open to using oteher curriculum and cm works very well especially with history and science. i dont neccessarily use cm's living books
4. altthough i am using a cathliic curriculum religions reasons was not my reason for homeschooling, i just choice theirs cause there are so few non religious hs programs and i did not want something anti catholic
1. I'm not sure why I finally decided to read about CM in more detail - I think maybe a friend on Basically Beechick who told me about her kids doing reading/narrating for many subjects, and your website. And Harmony Arts Mom. I loved that it ...sounded so simple - read, narrate, copywork, dictation! Oh, and because I saw when using Trail Guide to Learning and doing regular narrations 2-3 times/week, and then I saw how well it worked! That's when I joined SecularCM.com and the Yahoo Group.
2. We mostly love the use of living books over the use of textbooks. We also enjoy studying nature, but not really in the nature journal, daily way that CM teaches.
3. Unfortunately, my boys aren't satisfied with just doing reading/narration for the majority of their subjects. So I have to mix things up a lot, but they have been much happier with the living books and don't like textbooks - so we're half-way there!
We also do some narration,but aren't as consistent as we once were. They also don't much like picture study, music study, and one doesn't like poetry. We do some poetry anyway, but not much of the other 2, especially with a dh who doesn't see why anyone would want to do them, either! Ugh!
4. We are a mixture of agnostic/athiestic in this family. I prefer 100% secular materials, but will occasionally use a resource that is Christian as long as it isn't too overtly so, and as long as it doesn't teach creationism. At least with old world creationism materials, we can still talk about the earth being 4 billion years old and humans having been around on the earth longer than 6,000 years and skip the actual creation myths. But we definitely prefer pure secular materials. I would like to have them read different creation myths from the different world cultures, old and new, at some point, but we haven't been able to fit that in yet. Still focusing on mastering the 3 R's and doing some basic learning in the other areas.
At this point, we do plan to homeschool all the way through high school. And I hope to continue reading good living books, having more and more discussions, and try to follow many of their interests without being boxed into the same subjects and courses as every other PS high school student. Something one of my boys said to me last night - one thing he doesn't like about going back to PS is all of the writing by hand he would have to do (in middle school!) He hates doing that when typing is so much faster and easier. He says if he ever has to do that, he will buy a laptop to use for all of this classes! His other reasons are - takes too long each day with hardly any play time after homework is done, too much waste of time, and he's too impatient to sit in class and go at their speed! LOL!
2. We mostly love the use of living books over the use of textbooks. We also enjoy studying nature, but not really in the nature journal, daily way that CM teaches.
3. Unfortunately, my boys aren't satisfied with just doing reading/narration for the majority of their subjects. So I have to mix things up a lot, but they have been much happier with the living books and don't like textbooks - so we're half-way there!
We also do some narration,but aren't as consistent as we once were. They also don't much like picture study, music study, and one doesn't like poetry. We do some poetry anyway, but not much of the other 2, especially with a dh who doesn't see why anyone would want to do them, either! Ugh!
4. We are a mixture of agnostic/athiestic in this family. I prefer 100% secular materials, but will occasionally use a resource that is Christian as long as it isn't too overtly so, and as long as it doesn't teach creationism. At least with old world creationism materials, we can still talk about the earth being 4 billion years old and humans having been around on the earth longer than 6,000 years and skip the actual creation myths. But we definitely prefer pure secular materials. I would like to have them read different creation myths from the different world cultures, old and new, at some point, but we haven't been able to fit that in yet. Still focusing on mastering the 3 R's and doing some basic learning in the other areas.
At this point, we do plan to homeschool all the way through high school. And I hope to continue reading good living books, having more and more discussions, and try to follow many of their interests without being boxed into the same subjects and courses as every other PS high school student. Something one of my boys said to me last night - one thing he doesn't like about going back to PS is all of the writing by hand he would have to do (in middle school!) He hates doing that when typing is so much faster and easier. He says if he ever has to do that, he will buy a laptop to use for all of this classes! His other reasons are - takes too long each day with hardly any play time after homework is done, too much waste of time, and he's too impatient to sit in class and go at their speed! LOL!
1. You told me to read a Charolotte Mason Home Companion (I think) and so I did.
2. I love the living books, the theory of narrations, and the idea of a science/nature journal.
3. I am so eclectic, it's sad. lol! I love the trivium in WTM, so we use that. I've been having serious procrastination/over scheduling issues lately, so we've been 'unschooling' a bit. I also have been overly involved in 'extra curricular' activities lately, ie: girl scouts, geo bee, an extra science class, piano festival for my daughter. (These have been the cause of my procrastinating and over scheduling problems and my intense desire to crawl into a hole and not come out for several months.)
4. We're a religious (Mormon) family. I was drawn to secular groups/education when I met with some 'christian' groups and didn't have the best of experiences. I also had the unfortunate experience of reading some 'christian' materials that so turned me off of anything purporting to be a 'christian' resource, that I still haven't recovered 8-ish years later. I try and only use secular resources, but I don't mind if a company is Christian, so long as they don't teach 'young earth' science or say someone's culture is wrong because they don't believe in Christ. A smattering of bible verses or their own Christian philosophy (so they can get the pass for the "we only buy from Christian's crowd" in the front of a resource doesn't bother me (Noeo Science).
2. I love the living books, the theory of narrations, and the idea of a science/nature journal.
3. I am so eclectic, it's sad. lol! I love the trivium in WTM, so we use that. I've been having serious procrastination/over scheduling issues lately, so we've been 'unschooling' a bit. I also have been overly involved in 'extra curricular' activities lately, ie: girl scouts, geo bee, an extra science class, piano festival for my daughter. (These have been the cause of my procrastinating and over scheduling problems and my intense desire to crawl into a hole and not come out for several months.)
4. We're a religious (Mormon) family. I was drawn to secular groups/education when I met with some 'christian' groups and didn't have the best of experiences. I also had the unfortunate experience of reading some 'christian' materials that so turned me off of anything purporting to be a 'christian' resource, that I still haven't recovered 8-ish years later. I try and only use secular resources, but I don't mind if a company is Christian, so long as they don't teach 'young earth' science or say someone's culture is wrong because they don't believe in Christ. A smattering of bible verses or their own Christian philosophy (so they can get the pass for the "we only buy from Christian's crowd" in the front of a resource doesn't bother me (Noeo Science).
1. My first introduction to CM was Karen Andreola's book. Although I had a difficult time getting past all of the Christian references, I really liked CM's approach to education. I'd LOVE to say that I jumped in with both feet at that point, but I didn't. We started out with nature walks and slowly added from there.
2. Specifically, I like the emphasis on nature (as my son loves to be outdoors) and living books. Oh, and I also like that it includes handicrafts and lift skills, as I think these are things that most people will use throughout their life (unlike the need to know the square root of anything. I STILL haven't used that "in the real world." LOL)
3. We are definitely eclectic!
4. Hmm, I would consider us spiritual but not religious, but we do only use secular materials. We've tried using some religious materials, but we tend to either find it offensive or innacurate.
We started out with nature walks and slowly added from there.
2. Specifically, I like the emphasis on nature (as my son loves to be outdoors) and living books. Oh, and I also like that it includes handicrafts and lift skills, as I think these are things that most people will use throughout their life (unlike the need to know the square root of anything. I STILL haven't used that "in the real world." LOL)
3. We are definitely eclectic!
4. Hmm, I would consider us spiritual but not religious, but we do only use secular materials. We've tried using some religious materials, but we tend to either find it offensive or innacurate.
1. I took the quiz in Cathy Duffy's book to determine our homeschooling style.
2. I really like the reading. I also like the focus on nature.
3. We are eclectic. We also consider the WTM philosophies, and we can be a bit unstructured with science.
4. We are not religious, and would not use religious curriculum for our spines. I do use some living books that may have religious references. I think these are fine sources for cultural literacy, and I have no problems explaining that to my son.
High School - My son is almost eight, so HS is a ways away. I'm not really ready to think about that. I'm hoping that we can do a dual enrollment (part time HS, part time classes at the local community college).
2. I really like the reading. I also like the focus on nature.
3. We are eclectic. We also consider the WTM philosophies, and we can be a bit unstructured with science.
4. We are not religious, and would not use religious curriculum for our spines. I do use some living books that may have religious references. I think these are fine sources for cultural literacy, and I have no problems explaining that to my son.
High School - My son is almost eight, so HS is a ways away. I'm not really ready to think about that.
I'm hoping that we can do a dual enrollment (part time HS, part time classes at the local community college).
1. A friend turned me on to Charlotte Mason method and Ambleside Online, which I initially used as a loose guide.
2. What I most resonate with is the literature appreciation, emphasis on discussion and writing, short lessons, and avoidance of textbooks, which allows me to collect various interesting books around which to design studies of interest.
3. I consider myself true to the spirit of Charlotte Mason, yet free to adapt as needed for my children and to meet my family's needs. I allow CM's philosophy to guide me but not restrict me.
4. We practice a polytheist tradition which is not heavy on theology, but obviously, no 'religious curriculum' would be available that would cater to us; not that I'd likely be interested in such. I use more literature than curricula, which I consider to be textbooks, but am beginning to explore that realm a little more at my eldest's request. I would never consider using a heavily Christian oriented curriculum for any of our studies.
I don't see it asked here, but I seem to recall one of your questions was in reference to high school years. My oldest will be in 8th grade next fall, and he is currently interested in exploring online educational options, so we will try a little of that and see how it works out. While I'd like to continue schooling from a CM philosophy, it will ultimately be, at that point, a joint decision between myself and each of my boys as they reach that stage. I would very much like to know if others are doing this, what materials they like, and how it works for them. I am always looking for more ideas!
2. What I most resonate with is the literature appreciation, emphasis on discussion and writing, short lessons, and avoidance of textbooks, which allows me to collect various interesting books around which to design studies of interest.
3. I consider myself true to the spirit of Charlotte Mason, yet free to adapt as needed for my children and to meet my family's needs. I allow CM's philosophy to guide me but not restrict me.
4. We practice a polytheist tradition which is not heavy on theology, but obviously, no 'religious curriculum' would be available that would cater to us; not that I'd likely be interested in such. I use more literature than curricula, which I consider to be textbooks, but am beginning to explore that realm a little more at my eldest's request. I would never consider using a heavily Christian oriented curriculum for any of our studies.
I don't see it asked here, but I seem to recall one of your questions was in reference to high school years. My oldest will be in 8th grade next fall, and he is currently interested in exploring online educational options, so we will try a little of that and see how it works out. While I'd like to continue schooling from a CM philosophy, it will ultimately be, at that point, a joint decision between myself and each of my boys as they reach that stage. I would very much like to know if others are doing this, what materials they like, and how it works for them. I am always looking for more ideas!
1. What was your path to CM? Was it a friend, a particular book, website, etc.?
The lactation consultant who helped me make my way into the world of working attachment mamma was also a homeschooling parent. She is very religious and uses a very religious currriculum, but she invited us over to show us her homeschool as we discussed the things one needs to know and consider in deciding to homeschool, she said that while she didn't use it, she suggested that we look into CM, since it seemed very likely to be our style one the religion was removed. We did, and she was absolutely correct.
2. What, specifically, do you love about a CM education?
Literature! Also, the focus on nature study.
3. Do you consider your homeschooling purely CM or eclectically CM? If eclectic, what do you combine it with?
At this point, we combine CM with classical and (believe it or not) unschooling. Rod is very convinced by the "better late than early" research, and so we read the CM materials and discuss math, science, and everything else, mainly when Jack wants to for the moment. Later we plan to integrate CM with Thomas Jefferson Education ideas.
4. Do you consider your family purely secular, religious/spiritual but use only secular materials, secular but use a mix of secular and religious resources, religious/spiritual and use a mix of secular and religious resources?
We're very religious, but ours is not a mainstream religion. We combine secular materials with our own religious point of view and include religious thought in all of our subjects. But "religious materials" tend to be just about exclusively Christian in orientation for the moment, so they're not suitable for us.
The lactation consultant who helped me make my way into the world of working attachment mamma was also a homeschooling parent. She is very religious and uses a very religious currriculum, but she invited us over to show us her homeschool as we discussed the things one needs to know and consider in deciding to homeschool, she said that while she didn't use it, she suggested that we look into CM, since it seemed very likely to be our style one the religion was removed. We did, and she was absolutely correct.
2. What, specifically, do you love about a CM education?
Literature! Also, the focus on nature study.
3. Do you consider your homeschooling purely CM or eclectically CM? If eclectic, what do you combine it with?
At this point, we combine CM with classical and (believe it or not) unschooling. Rod is very convinced by the "better late than early" research, and so we read the CM materials and discuss math, science, and everything else, mainly when Jack wants to for the moment. Later we plan to integrate CM with Thomas Jefferson Education ideas.
4. Do you consider your family purely secular, religious/spiritual but use only secular materials, secular but use a mix of secular and religious resources, religious/spiritual and use a mix of secular and religious resources?
We're very religious, but ours is not a mainstream religion. We combine secular materials with our own religious point of view and include religious thought in all of our subjects. But "religious materials" tend to be just about exclusively Christian in orientation for the moment, so they're not suitable for us.
Thanks for all the feedback guys! I am starting to see that us secular folks get totally different things out of CM than the Christian CM folks I know. Very interesting. Do think it is fair to say that we secular folks tend to focus on the general philosophy and spirit of CM but choose to use her actual methods in our own way?
This has been very helpful to me and I hope that more will comment on what about CM is important to them and how they even got to CM.
This has been very helpful to me and I hope that more will comment on what about CM is important to them and how they even got to CM.
1. What was your path to CM? Was it a friend, a particular book, website, etc.?
I read the WTM early on but I was dismayed by its rigor (even while admiring it), especially in the early years. Other homeschooling friends had discovered CM earlier than I and shared the similarities between the two, and I did further research to find that CM involves much of what I like about classical homeschooling without an extreme emphasis on traditional academics.
2. What, specifically, do you love about a CM education?
Partly what I said above, but also the emphasis on nature study, living books, habit training, and composer & artist study.
3. Do you consider your homeschooling purely CM or eclectically CM? If eclectic, what do you combine it with?
We are pretty relaxed homeschoolers (except when I experience a freak out, which happens a few times a year), so I guess we combine CM with unschooling from time to time. I?m trying to get better about getting ?masterly inactivity? to happen. We need to put ourselves on a media diet in order for that to happen, however, which is difficult in a family that is almost obsessed with peace and quiet vs. chaos and noise.
4. Do you consider your family purely secular, religious/spiritual but use only secular materials, secular but use a mix of secular and religious resources, religious/spiritual and use a mix of secular and religious resources?
I am definitely one hundred percent secular, and hypersensitive probably to a fault to anything that smacks of fundamentalist Christianity. Though, I take it back--we have used Story of the World, but I made sure to emphasize that even the Bible stories are just that, stories, like the Greek or Roman myths. I refuse to use science curricula from a Christian publisher, no matter how secular it claims to be.
5. Will you continue to use CM (in part or in full) through high school?
Eldest is on a wait list for a charter school, and if he gets in, the other two would, as well, when the time comes. We have another year before 9th grade. If we do end up homeschooling at any point for high school, I have a feeling we will be continuing with CM.
I read the WTM early on but I was dismayed by its rigor (even while admiring it), especially in the early years. Other homeschooling friends had discovered CM earlier than I and shared the similarities between the two, and I did further research to find that CM involves much of what I like about classical homeschooling without an extreme emphasis on traditional academics.
2. What, specifically, do you love about a CM education?
Partly what I said above, but also the emphasis on nature study, living books, habit training, and composer & artist study.
3. Do you consider your homeschooling purely CM or eclectically CM? If eclectic, what do you combine it with?
We are pretty relaxed homeschoolers (except when I experience a freak out, which happens a few times a year), so I guess we combine CM with unschooling from time to time. I?m trying to get better about getting ?masterly inactivity? to happen. We need to put ourselves on a media diet in order for that to happen, however, which is difficult in a family that is almost obsessed with peace and quiet vs. chaos and noise.
4. Do you consider your family purely secular, religious/spiritual but use only secular materials, secular but use a mix of secular and religious resources, religious/spiritual and use a mix of secular and religious resources?
I am definitely one hundred percent secular, and hypersensitive probably to a fault to anything that smacks of fundamentalist Christianity. Though, I take it back--we have used Story of the World, but I made sure to emphasize that even the Bible stories are just that, stories, like the Greek or Roman myths. I refuse to use science curricula from a Christian publisher, no matter how secular it claims to be.
5. Will you continue to use CM (in part or in full) through high school?
Eldest is on a wait list for a charter school, and if he gets in, the other two would, as well, when the time comes. We have another year before 9th grade. If we do end up homeschooling at any point for high school, I have a feeling we will be continuing with CM.
Oops!
Oops, you forgot something.