Simply Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
450 episodes - English - Latest episode: 19 days ago - ★★★★★ - 423 ratingsThe weekly Simply Charlotte Mason homeschooling audio podcast with Sonya Shafer
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Episodes
Two Ways to Save at SCM
December 01, 2016 05:03 - 2 minutes - 2.45 MB“Something old and something new.” Isn’t that how the rhyme goes? I know it is usually used in a wedding context, but those phrases keep coming to mind because we have two exciting announcements to make. Both of which will save you money. First, something old. We’re bringing back an old friend for the month […] Two Ways to Save at SCM originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Together But Isolated: Taming Holiday Screen Time
November 21, 2016 23:44 - 6 minutes - 5.78 MBToday I am happy to introduce a guest post from Doug Smith. Doug and his wife Karen are no strangers to many of you. They are co-creators of Simply Charlotte Mason, and you may have met them working the SCM booth at a convention near you. Around here Doug holds the working title of “webmaster […] Together But Isolated: Taming Holiday Screen Time originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
New Shakespeare in Three Steps: Twelfth Night and Macbeth
November 17, 2016 03:45 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBThe other day I heard someone describe Shakespeare’s plays as the “sitcoms of the 16th and 17th centuries.” At first I thought that was a trivial comparison; but the more I ponder it, the more sense it makes. Shakespeare’s plays were the entertainment of the day. They were the TV and movies back then, if […] New Shakespeare in Three Steps: Twelfth Night and Macbeth originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Happy Results: Bek M’s Nature Study Story
November 09, 2016 02:11 - 3 minutes - 3.7 MBNature study is such a wonderful opportunity for learning no matter where you live. The main thing is to keep your ears and eyes open to the natural world around you and be willing to explore where it takes you. Bek M. recently did just that. Here is her story. We were in our school […] Happy Results: Bek M’s Nature Study Story originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Happy Results: Bek M.’s Nature Study Story
November 09, 2016 02:11 - 3 minutes - 3.7 MBNature study is such a wonderful opportunity for learning no matter where you live. The main thing is to keep your ears and eyes open to the natural world around you and be willing to explore where it takes you. Bek M. recently did just that. Here is her story. We were in our school […] Happy Results: Bek M.’s Nature Study Story originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Uniquely Human: A Book Review
November 03, 2016 22:24 - 5 minutes - 4.81 MBI have a new favorite book about loving and educating a child with autism: Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M. Prizant. I want to get copies for everyone in my extended family. I want to make it required reading for anyone who comes in contact with my child. This gentleman […] Uniquely Human: A Book Review originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
More Poems to Enjoy: Holmes and Whittier
October 26, 2016 15:00 - 3 minutes - 3.4 MBI love Charlotte Mason’s “permission” to simply enjoy poetry. The weekly happy opportunities to read a poem with my children have enriched my own spirit. There is something refreshing about having the freedom to make my own relations with the poems, to notice for myself certain lines and turns of phrases that speak to my […] More Poems to Enjoy: Holmes and Whittier originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Happy Results: Katherine R’s Book of Centuries Story
October 20, 2016 02:20 - 2 minutes - 2.84 MBCharlotte Mason’s idea of keeping a timeline in a book is brilliant. Each time you read about a person or an event in history, you turn to the appropriate century in the book and make an entry. But the real genius of the method is revealed when you go to enter another person and you […] Happy Results: Katherine R’s Book of Centuries Story originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Happy Results: Katherine R.’s Book of Centuries Story
October 20, 2016 02:20 - 2 minutes - 2.84 MBCharlotte Mason’s idea of keeping a timeline in a book is brilliant. Each time you read about a person or an event in history, you turn to the appropriate century in the book and make an entry. But the real genius of the method is revealed when you go to enter another person and you […] Happy Results: Katherine R.’s Book of Centuries Story originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
It’s OK to Say I Don’t Know
October 11, 2016 18:49 - 4 minutes - 4.65 MB“Why do the leaves fall?” My mind raced as her little face turned toward me with that so-familiar quizzical expression. OK. Science. Think! You learned this, didn’t you? Elementary school. Come on, come on, she’s waiting. Say something. Say anything, but sound wise! “Because that’s how the trees get ready for winter, dear,” I replied […] It’s OK to Say I Don’t Know originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
2017 Calendar Journal Now Available
October 05, 2016 00:18 - 3 minutes - 2.86 MBOne of my favorite literary quotes is from Anne of Green Gables. (Some of you already know what it is, for you have hugged that quote to your own hearts too. Feel free to recite it along with me.) “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it […] 2017 Calendar Journal Now Available originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Happy Results: Sarah M.’s Nature Study Story
September 28, 2016 02:20 - 4 minutes - 4.11 MBIt’s always encouraging to hear stories of how Charlotte Mason’s methods work in real home schools. There’s something about listening to others’ successful experiences that bolsters your confidence and fuels your enthusiasm to keep spreading the feast for your own children. Charlotte knew that people like to be told whether her approach works. And she […] Happy Results: Sarah M.’s Nature Study Story originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Pilgrim Parent and the Three Shrines
September 21, 2016 02:40 - 7 minutes - 7.19 MBConfession time: Today I didn’t want to be the parent. I didn’t want to do schoolwork. My daughter was willing and eager, but when she sat down in her favorite school-time chair my heart sank. Why do I have to do this again? Another child sought my counsel on an issue she is facing. Now, […] Pilgrim Parent and the Three Shrines originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Three New Picture Study Portfolios
September 14, 2016 02:19 - 2 minutes - 2.31 MBPicture study is such a simple way to give our children beauty in the midst of life and to cultivate their tastes for what is worthy and good. It adds so much to our week to take just five or ten minutes on Monday or Tuesday (or Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, for that matter) and […] Three New Picture Study Portfolios originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Scripture Memory: How
September 06, 2016 21:43 - 3 minutes - 3.61 MBAs we discussed last time, storing God’s Word in our hearts makes sure that His ideas are always right at hand, no matter what situations we encounter. When you have memorized Scripture, the Holy Spirit can readily reach into that supply and pull out exactly the guidance, comfort, and encouragement that you need. So how […] Scripture Memory: How originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Scripture Memory: Why
August 31, 2016 02:05 - 3 minutes - 3.61 MBThis morning as we did schoolwork, we started memorizing a new Bible verse. It’s not the first verse we’ve learned. Not by a long shot. We have been including Scripture memorization in our daily routine for about 15 years now and have committed hundreds of passages to memory. How about you? Are you faithfully memorizing […] Scripture Memory: Why originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Keep Learning
August 24, 2016 01:53 - 3 minutes - 2.87 MBOne of the things I love about the Charlotte Mason Method is that I get to keep learning—as an adult! Just this past year I’ve been challenged by Joseph Haydn’s daily creativity, encouraged by Oliver Wendell Holmes’s contentment at home, and stirred by Jan Vermeer’s attention to quality and detail. But in addition to partaking […] Keep Learning originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Becoming a Gandy Dancer: Habit-Training, part 9
August 17, 2016 02:34 - 6 minutes - 5.9 MBDo you remember what a “gandy dancer” is? Way back in the first post of this series we mentioned that “gandy dancer” was the nickname that was given to early railroad workers who laid and maintained the tracks. Parents are gandy dancers. It is the parent’s business to lay down and maintain the rails of […] Becoming a Gandy Dancer: Habit-Training, part 9 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Ease the Transition: Habit-Training, part 8
August 10, 2016 21:27 - 3 minutes - 3.36 MBOne of the best gifts you can give your child is to help him become a person of excellent character. That is what habit-training can do: mold a child’s character. “ ‘Sow a habit, reap a character’; that is, the formation of habits is one of the chief means whereby we modify the original hereditary […] Parents Ease the Transition: Habit-Training, part 8 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
New Enrichment Studies and Individual Studies
August 04, 2016 00:01 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBOne of the great things about a Charlotte Mason education is the wide variety of subjects the students get to enjoy: history, geography, Bible, science, math, and language arts; plus music study, art, nature study, picture study, handicrafts, singing, poetry, foreign language, and those wonderful family read-alouds. The challenge with presenting all of those great […] New Enrichment Studies and Individual Studies originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Three New Music Study with the Masters
July 27, 2016 02:44 - 2 minutes - 2.61 MBThree composers. One had to think up brand new music every single day for years. One wrote one of his best pieces ever when he was a teenager. One could put anything in writing to music . . . or so his friends thought. Three men. One had to endure a nagging, scolding wife in […] Three New Music Study with the Masters originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
New Delightful Reading Kits
July 20, 2016 04:38 - 5 minutes - 5.36 MBOver the years since Delightful Reading first came out, we have seen many faces light up as parents discover Charlotte Mason’s brilliant method of teaching children to read. Her techniques work with both new readers and reluctant readers and have helped many a student enter the wonderful world of reading with confidence! As many of […] New Delightful Reading Kits originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Give an Endowment: Habit-Training, part 7
July 13, 2016 15:27 - 2 minutes - 2.56 MBThe good habits you instill in your child’s life are an endowment. There is a subtle difference between an endowment and an investment. Habit-training yourself is an investment with a large return. An investment is something you usually do for yourself; you put in the capital. An endowment is like an inheritance; someone else supplies […] Parents Give an Endowment: Habit-Training, part 7 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Support the Will: Habit-Training, part 6
July 06, 2016 01:12 - 3 minutes - 3.07 MBAll of the things we have discussed over the past few weeks on habit-training—taking on the effort of decision, spotlighting the trigger, and adjusting the consequences—are ways to help support your child’s Will. Habit-training yourself depends on a strong Will that can make the right choices even when it’s hard. You have to decide which […] Parents Support the Will: Habit-Training, part 6 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Adjust the Consequences: Habit-Training, part 5
June 29, 2016 11:13 - 3 minutes - 3.47 MBHabits have consequences. It is a fact of life that we witness every day. If you have a habit of doing the laundry regularly, you will have clean clothes to wear. If you have a habit of saving money from every paycheck, you will acquire a buffer for unexpected or future purchases. On the flip […] Parents Adjust the Consequences: Habit-Training, part 5 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Don’t Become the Trigger: Habit-Training, part 4
June 22, 2016 02:39 - 4 minutes - 3.87 MBWe talked last time about the importance of having a trigger that will prompt you to do the desired habit every time. Adults usually have to come up with triggers for themselves, but parents can help their children by spotlighting triggers for them. The trick is to not become your child’s trigger. This is where […] Don’t Become the Trigger: Habit-Training, part 4 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Spotlight the Trigger: Habit-Training, part 3
June 16, 2016 04:25 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBWhether you are instilling a new habit in your own life or in your child’s life, you need to make the initial decisions about which habit you want to work on, what it will look like, whether you need to break it down into smaller more manageable stops along the way, when you are going […] Parents Spotlight the Trigger: Habit-Training, part 3 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Parents Take On the Effort of Decision: Habit-Training, part 2
June 08, 2016 12:34 - 3 minutes - 3.09 MBAs we discussed last week, in many ways your job of cultivating good habits in your child is just like cultivating them in your own life. Most of the principles and practical steps are similar. But there are also some differences between laying down the rails in your child’s life and laying them down for […] Parents Take On the Effort of Decision: Habit-Training, part 2 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
A Parent’s Business: Habit-Training, part 1
June 01, 2016 11:35 - 4 minutes - 4.01 MBHave you ever heard of a gandy dancer? I just discovered that term and am enjoying the whimsy and rhythm of it. It’s the nickname that was given to early railroad workers who laid and maintained railroad tracks in the years before the work was done by machines. My husband recalled that it referred to […] A Parent’s Business: Habit-Training, part 1 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
How to Handle Poor Exam Answers
May 25, 2016 01:41 - 3 minutes - 3 MBRecently someone asked me a question about end-of-term exams. In a Charlotte Mason school, end-of-term exams are given by asking the student narration questions over the books that he was reading during the term (12 weeks). It’s a great way to assess long-term retention. I wonder if perhaps other Charlotte Mason homeschoolers might have the […] How to Handle Poor Exam Answers originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Next Steps: Subject by Subject, Part 18
May 19, 2016 01:27 - 2 minutes - 2.68 MBWe hope the Subject-by-Subject series has been helpful to you. Once you know Charlotte Mason’s methods, the next step is to get a plan and gather the resources to put the methods into practice. If you would prefer to draft your own plan, our free SCM Curriculum Guide will walk you through the process and […] Next Steps: Subject by Subject, Part 18 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Math: Subject by Subject, Part 17
May 11, 2016 02:02 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MB(I am so pleased to welcome a guest writer who excels at presenting an insightful summary of math the Charlotte Mason way. Richele Baburina has extensively researched Charlotte Mason’s approach to math and compiled her findings in her excellent book, Mathematics: An Instrument for Living Teaching, and helpful DVD series, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math: A […] Teaching Math: Subject by Subject, Part 17 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Grammar: Subject by Subject, Part 16
May 04, 2016 03:15 - 3 minutes - 3.52 MBMost of you were probably taught English grammar the same way I was. In first grade we were told, “A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. Circle the nouns in these five sentences.” Then in second grade we were told, “A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, […] Teaching Grammar: Subject by Subject, Part 16 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Writing: Subject by Subject, Part 15
April 27, 2016 20:10 - 6 minutes - 5.67 MBWhen we talk about writing, we usually have one or both of these aspects in mind: handwriting and composition. Let’s look at each one and outline how Charlotte Mason approached them. Handwriting Charlotte taught handwriting through the method of copywork. Copywork is pretty much what the name implies: the student copies something. In a […] Teaching Writing: Subject by Subject, Part 15 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
2016–17 Calendar Journal: Laying Down the Rails for Yourself
April 20, 2016 01:46 - 2 minutes - 2.63 MBSometimes I read a book that grips my heart and challenges me to change. As I’m reading I think, Oh, this makes so much sense; I’ll always remember what it says. And for a little while I recall poignant passages and mull over meaningful phrases from the book in my mind. But then I read […] 2016–17 Calendar Journal: Laying Down the Rails for Yourself originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Spelling: Subject by Subject, Part 14
April 12, 2016 23:24 - 7 minutes - 6.64 MBI’m a list person. As I sit at my desk and type these words, I’ve lost count of how many items I’ve added to my to-do list already today. Lists can be effective tools for many things. But when it comes to spelling, Charlotte Mason showed us that lists are not the most effective way […] Teaching Spelling: Subject by Subject, Part 14 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Beginning Reading: Subject by Subject, Part 13
April 05, 2016 23:15 - 7 minutes - 7.39 MBWhen my oldest child was a little one, the thought of teaching her how to read hovered in my mind as a huge challenge. I don’t remember waking up at night, wondering if I would be able to teach her to tie her shoes or to drive a car; but I do remember staring at […] Teaching Beginning Reading: Subject by Subject, Part 13 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Science: Subject by Subject, Part 12
March 30, 2016 01:15 - 4 minutes - 4.63 MBCharlotte Mason used a two-faceted approach to teaching science that was very effective: systematic studies and spontaneous discovery. The systematic studies were accomplished through reading and narrating living science books. The spontaneous facet was added through doing nature study. Living Science Books & Narration Just as with teaching history, living books and narration provide many […] Teaching Science: Subject by Subject, Part 12 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
New Book: Laying Down the Rails for Yourself
March 23, 2016 02:07 - 2 minutes - 2.8 MBThousands of families have benefited from Charlotte Mason’s wonderful counsel on habit-training children. The timeless strategies she outlined continue to change homes around the world. Yet, as I travel and speak on habit-training, parents often approach me with this concern: “I want to cultivate good habits in my children, but how can I do that […] New Book: Laying Down the Rails for Yourself originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Poetry: Subject by Subject, Part 11
March 16, 2016 01:30 - 4 minutes - 4.38 MBMost homeschool parents I talk to get a funny look on their faces when I mention poetry. That’s because their own schooling experience with poetry consisted of dissecting a poem to bits at the teacher’s insistence. Such over-analysis and examination steals all the joy from the beautiful words. Charlotte Mason’s approach is vastly different. Good […] Teaching Poetry: Subject by Subject, Part 11 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Music: Subject by Subject, Part 10
March 09, 2016 01:35 - 5 minutes - 4.81 MBCharlotte recognized that not every student would become a virtuoso, but she understood that beauty and enjoyment can be added to life by appreciating good music, singing, and learning the basics of playing music. Here’s how to approach music in a Charlotte Mason way. Music Appreciation Simply choose one composer and play his or her […] Teaching Music: Subject by Subject, Part 10 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Literature: Subject by Subject, Part 9
March 02, 2016 02:18 - 5 minutes - 5.1 MBI’ve been cleaning off my bookshelves these past couple of weeks, trying to cull out duplicates. Now, usually duplicate copies of a title are not a problem in a household of readers, but when the shelves are full and you need more space . . . sacrifices must be made. Most of the duplicates in […] Teaching Literature: Subject by Subject, Part 9 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Foreign Language: Subject by Subject, Part 8
February 24, 2016 00:50 - 5 minutes - 4.79 MBIf you had graduated from one of Charlotte Mason’s schools, you would have studied several different foreign languages: French, German, Italian, and Latin. And not just studied, but used and understood those languages quite well. In fact, her students were so fluent in French that they could read or listen to a reading in that […] Teaching Foreign Language: Subject by Subject, Part 8 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Handicrafts: Subject by Subject, Part 7
February 17, 2016 03:28 - 3 minutes - 3.49 MBThe more time you spend around the Charlotte Mason Method, the more you come to realize what a nicely balanced approach it is. CM is not all books and narration; Charlotte also recognized the importance of working with your hands. There is much to be learned in working with one’s hands to create something of […] Teaching Handicrafts: Subject by Subject, Part 7 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Art: Subject by Subject, Part 6
February 10, 2016 02:22 - 5 minutes - 4.86 MBIt seems that many schools either sprinkle a little art into the curriculum here and there as an afterthought or ignore it all together because of time constraints. Neither approach reflects the goal of a generous curriculum. Charlotte Mason approached art in a balanced way, regularly scheduling time for her students to both appreciate others’ […] Teaching Art: Subject by Subject, Part 6 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Bible: Subject by Subject, Part 5
February 03, 2016 01:30 - 5 minutes - 5.13 MBOf all the subjects we include in our children’s education, the most important should be their Bible lessons. When Charlotte Mason talked about the knowledge that is important to give our children, she cited, “First and chiefest is the knowledge of God, to be got at most directly through the Bible” (Vol. 6, p. 254). […] Teaching Bible: Subject by Subject, Part 5 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching Geography: Subject by Subject, Part 4
January 27, 2016 02:43 - 6 minutes - 5.92 MBIf you had mentioned geography to me twenty years ago, when I started homeschooling, my mind would have immediately visualized dusty maps with puzzling colored shapes and lists of imports, exports, and natural resources. Oh, and currency types. And sometimes a line-up of flags around the border. But today my concept of geography has changed […] Teaching Geography: Subject by Subject, Part 4 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Teaching History: Subject by Subject, Part 3
January 20, 2016 02:03 - 7 minutes - 6.79 MBWhen I graduated from “the school of the yellow bus,” I knew next to nothing about history. Yes, I had made good grades, but very little about history had stuck. There was no reason to retain that mental list of events and dates past the test day, because I had no personal relation with those […] Teaching History: Subject by Subject, Part 3 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
Three Basic CM Principles: Subject by Subject, Part 2
January 12, 2016 14:15 - 6 minutes - 6.04 MBWhen I was taking piano lessons, my teacher started with some basic, foundational points: keep your fingers curved; sit tall on the bench with both feet on the floor; listen to your playing. No matter what piece I was working on—from Row, Row, Row Your Boat to Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata—those principles remained constant. If I […] Three Basic CM Principles: Subject by Subject, Part 2 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.
A Generous Curriculum: Subject By Subject, Part 1
January 05, 2016 17:00 - 4 minutes - 4 MBAs mothers we know that children grow best on generous portions. Meagre meals can stunt a child’s physical growth, but a generous diet of food gives that growing body lots of nutrients to draw from. It’s the same emotionally; child need a generous supply of pure love to grow secure and happy and loving, themselves. […] A Generous Curriculum: Subject By Subject, Part 1 originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.