The Resources that Inspired the Hodge-Podge Curriculum
If anyone would categorize my style of homeschooling, my guess is that for now it would fall under “eclectic”. Personally, I think eclectic probably means you don’t really have a clue what education style you are attracted to, what curriculum you want to teach from, and frankly don’t have a clue what you’re doing, so you just start grabbing at whatever looks good. Yup, that sort of sounds like how I’m getting started!
I know I’m not alone. I think it’s naïve to start out expecting to know all those things right away. I expect to mess things up and change my plans now and then. My prayer is that I am alert enough to recognize when those times are, I’m willing to admit my failures along the way and learn from my mistakes, and I’m smart enough to “lean not on my own understanding” when changing the course (Prov. 3:5).
I’ve always been drawn to a Charlotte Mason education, although I still haven’t read The Well-trained Mind which could change that a little (it’s still on my to-read list). Classical seemed a good fit for a while, too, but I always felt it to be a bit haughty for us simple folk. So if I had to guess what our homeschooling future is going to look like through the years, it will probably be somewhere between the two or a combination, if possible.
One excellent resource I found many months ago is Ambleside Online Curriculum. If you are leaning toward a Charlotte Mason style of education but don’t really know where to begin, this is the place to look. There is a wealth of information about what this kind of education entails, lists of books that would fit such an education, and even a 36-week schedule for each grade—free. Although I won’t be following the year one schedule very closely, I have it printed off and put it in my folder because the book lists are so invaluable.
Another great site is Simply Charlotte Mason. This is the site where I first heard of RightStart Math and found our scripture memory system that I’m so fond of. These women not only put great information on their site, but they sell a lot of books and guides that they have put together themselves that may be helpful. I haven’t purchased any myself yet, but if I do I’ll let y’all know.
Other ideas for some of the books we’ll be using came from Covenant Home, Sonlight, and Cathy Duffy’s website and 100 Top Picks book. There are many other great websites out there that I stumbled upon that gave me ideas. But with me, sometimes the more I read and learn, the more confused and distracted I become. But that’s not always a bad thing because it will usually remind me to always pray first!
I know I’m not alone. I think it’s naïve to start out expecting to know all those things right away. I expect to mess things up and change my plans now and then. My prayer is that I am alert enough to recognize when those times are, I’m willing to admit my failures along the way and learn from my mistakes, and I’m smart enough to “lean not on my own understanding” when changing the course (Prov. 3:5).
I’ve always been drawn to a Charlotte Mason education, although I still haven’t read The Well-trained Mind which could change that a little (it’s still on my to-read list). Classical seemed a good fit for a while, too, but I always felt it to be a bit haughty for us simple folk. So if I had to guess what our homeschooling future is going to look like through the years, it will probably be somewhere between the two or a combination, if possible.
One excellent resource I found many months ago is Ambleside Online Curriculum. If you are leaning toward a Charlotte Mason style of education but don’t really know where to begin, this is the place to look. There is a wealth of information about what this kind of education entails, lists of books that would fit such an education, and even a 36-week schedule for each grade—free. Although I won’t be following the year one schedule very closely, I have it printed off and put it in my folder because the book lists are so invaluable.
Another great site is Simply Charlotte Mason. This is the site where I first heard of RightStart Math and found our scripture memory system that I’m so fond of. These women not only put great information on their site, but they sell a lot of books and guides that they have put together themselves that may be helpful. I haven’t purchased any myself yet, but if I do I’ll let y’all know.
Other ideas for some of the books we’ll be using came from Covenant Home, Sonlight, and Cathy Duffy’s website and 100 Top Picks book. There are many other great websites out there that I stumbled upon that gave me ideas. But with me, sometimes the more I read and learn, the more confused and distracted I become. But that’s not always a bad thing because it will usually remind me to always pray first!
posted by Anonymous | 10:24 PM
5 Comments:
You make an excellent point in your last statement "...it will usually remind me to always pray first." All of our curricululm choices need to be prayed over and submitted unto God.
Hmm...have I ever done that? I can't say that I've ever prayed to God to ask to help me make specific curriculum choices, but I have prayed for general discernment and wisdom in choosing. But, I'm in the middle of a faith question/crisis...do I really need to ask Him about specific choices (Do I pick Right start math or Singapore?) or do I just ask Him to use me in the choices I make on my own (I pick Singapore, does that work for You? if so, then feel free to bless me with excellent teaching ability)? It seems most times you can't really see His answer until it's hindsight.
Anyway, big questions, little brain...I think I'll take a nap.
Great comment! You sound just like me with the big "faith question/crisis" bit. I certainly don't think it hurts to be specific when praying. For myself, I guess I always thought that I shouldn't bother God with the details, so to speak, and just stick with the "gimme discernment" part. But, why not bother God with the details, as trivial as they may seem? I mean, he wants us to be completely dependent on him, right? I can see where this might not be such a great idea for all circumstances, obviously. I mean, when we go out to eat, I often have a hard time deciding what to pick off the menu. Should I stop looking at it, bow my head and ask God to lead me to the best selection?
If there's something that you are really struggling with, though, why not "give it to God" (isn't it amazing how often we hear that these days)? Wouldn't it please him to know that our faith is such that we need him in every aspect of our lives, down to the littlest detail?
I pick Singapore, does that work for You? if so, then feel free to bless me with excellent teaching ability. This is hilarious! And yeah, I understand the "hindsight" part.
These are really hard questions...Where's a preacher from the backside of nowhere when you need one?!
No, no, no! You are much too negative. Eclectic means that no one has yet mastered the art of being you. So you must draw on a variety of resources, because any one company can only successfully produce one product which lives up to your stringent standards. To expect more of them would exhaust their personnel.
It means you do not just accept whatever the neat, full-color product guide says you should do, but that you look at every neat, full-color product guide and choose the very best from each.
OK, so that might not fit with the confused and distracted bit, but that is only because you are losing sight amidst all the pretty brochures. : ) I do that a lot.
Thanks Dana...I guess I should give myself a little more credit. And here I thought I just fell into the "eclectic" category because I'm too stubborn to do what the brochures tell me!
I'm pretty confident in the choices I made for this year, but with all the curriculum out there it's hard to not second guess every single decision we make. I think it's easy to get wrapped up in wanting the very best for our kids...I mean, we're homeschoolers, afterall. Our standards must be pretty high if even private school isn't good enough!
When we start fretting over whether or not we made the right decision on this or that kind of curriculum because there might be something bigger and better out there, though, I fear it's more because we're concerned of how other homeschoolers will look at us. Or at least that's what I fear I'm guilty of often times.
Eclectic means that no one has yet mastered the art of being you. That's good...I'll have to remember this!
I guess I should note that my remark about a "preacher from the backside of nowhere" was in reference to Bro Tony from Rambling Prophet, for those of you who aren't familiar with his blog. I was kinda hoping he would've joined in and given one of his good pastorly answers to Jen's questions!
Post a Comment
<< Home