I just wanted to say thank you for speaking quickly, concisely, and very clearly. Everything you said was so crisp and was really easy to understand. So thank you!
I"ve never heard of this. We use Ambleside and I love it. IT'S Free, we are poor :D but I am glad there are more options! I have one student in year two, a four year old and a baby on the way
I ended up signing up with the CMEC after I had already purchased A Gentle Feast. Now I’m just wasting all my time trying to decide which one to go with! You’re so right though, the resources the CMEC have available is amazing!
It really is shocking to me that they provide so many resources to members! I haven’t found anything else quite like the CMEC. Wishing you the best as you make that decision!
Yay for this video! We are also doing CMEC for the first time this year! I’ll have 1B, 1A, 2A, 3B, and 4 🤣🤣🤣 watching all the videos & trying to find all of their suggestions for what to combine. SO pumped!!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool a little bit of everything lol. (Blossom & Root, Bookshark, Memoria Press (oldest will still do some of their stuff, there is a lot of overlap), Build Your Library. A few months ago I started thinking AO was really it for us & bought a bunch of the books, whoops! Thankfully, some of the titles are CMEC books too, phew!
@@NatashaShchukina I really like CMEC for the older kids, because it tells you exactly what to do. Whereas with AO, I found their high school list (salad bar approach) to be completely overwhelming!
I’m so glad I found your page! I just signed up for the CMEC but it’s been slightly overwhelming with all of the information that I backed off and almost went the Ambleside route. There’s so few videos and information on CMEC but I have felt the pull to using it and After watching your video I’m excited to try and dive back in again.
It is A LOT. I recommend starting only with the form guide(s) for your student(s) and getting familiar with it before diving into everything else they offer/all that’s in the archives. I know it’ll take more than the school year for me to tackle all the posts and videos I want to work through!
This is our 2nd year doing A Gentle Feast and I’ve really enjoyed it but I think I might switch to CMEC next year when I have 3 children being formally educated.
From what I can tell, moms love the CMEC for multiple children. We all follow the same history stream and it’s easy to change out books for certain subjects so you can reduce the overall number and group your children together for lessons!
This is the best video ive come across explaining what CMEC is ! Im extremely new to all of this and have been researching like crazy to try to figure out what to do.( I signed up for a CO-OP, that is doing Charlotte mason so I kinda got thrown in without really knowing what is was) I know formal lessons don't start until 6 but in Canada I've signed up to work with a teacher to get school supplies covered. So I do need to have some sort of plan and lessons. (My son is 5 and will be 6 in may, and will be going into kindergarten.) Would this be worth it are there suggestions or a plan for younger kids ? I tried to go with simple Charlotte mason but they dont ship to canada. any advice is appreciated thanks!
Thank you! There is the Kinderleben guide in the CMEC. It’s not a laid out program but offers a wealth of knowledge about the Mason early years, handicrafts, read alouds, and habit training. You could easily create something from it but you won’t be able to take it and go!
I plan to register for next year with my 4 kids age 2-8 come February. But before then, I'm crash coursing CM's volumes! Eeee! So many Rabbit trails already in her works.
Great video, thank you! We are just starting out in our full out homeschool adventure (we had done a hybrid option previously) and I have been incredibly drawn to AO for the richness of their booklists and overall feast. I found a way to combine the children for history (ages 8-14, plus a sweet 4-year-old tag along), and we are all loving 'Our Island Story' and looking forward to 'This Country of Ours'. What are your thoughts on using AO for the spine and CMEC for the support and training?
Well, I've not used AO but always hear great things. I can confirm the CMEC is amazing and their emphasis on equipping mother-teachers to be better teachers and educational philosophers would certainly be a support and continued education!!
Was the TH-camr Larissa from Living In Color? I found out about the CMEC from her as well and have been intrigued ever since. My oldest only just turned five and I’ve been thinking about signing up so we can have access to the kinderleben guides but I’m still trying to decide if it’s worth the $300 membership fee when we’re still a year or so away from formal lessons!
Yes it was! I’m so thankful for her videos about it! I would encourage you to sign up for the Kinderleben guide (amazing), but also so you can start working through the backlog of resources on the site! There are teaching videos about everything: narration, summer prep, handicrafts, etc. I wish I would’ve signed up last year just to have the extra time to work through those before starting formally!
Would you be willing to look into The Heart of Dakota and possibly talk about it/do a review on it? I don’t have kids yet but I’ve done a lot of research and I’m really interested in Heart of Dakota because it is so gospel centered, but I would love to hear your thoughts on it. I love your channel. Thanks for being here ❤
Hey there! I wouldn't review a curriculum I don't use (I can't pretend to know it!) but I hope you find some helpful mom insights about it online! So happy to have you here!
You mention in the video how the CMEC was very intentional to structure everything how CM would have structured it, based on the Parents Review articles & other resources. I thought this was what AO did? How does this feature that you talk about the CMEC having distinguish it from AO, or do both do that, & the biggest difference with the CMEC is in the mother teacher resources that try to explain all this?
I think both try to stick as closely as they can, but sometimes that plays out differently. For example, both curricula follow Mason's Form 1B for history *but*: AO uses An Island Story (Mason's pick). CMEC uses an American history book for American students. (They are international, so this changes.) So, AO used exactly what Mason picked but Mason picked An Island Story for her British students because it was their country's history and she believed it important that children begin with their home country. Using that principle, the CMEC has students begin with their own country's history. Does that make sense? I like that the CMEC uses Mason's principles (in cases like that) rather than a copy-and-paste (which I'm unfamiliar with AO beyond Year 1, so I don't want to say that's how it always is!). The CMEC mother-teacher resources are incredible. In all of it, they are equipping women as mother-teachers (not giving scripted lessons or doing the work for the mom). The resources run the gamut from subject-specific guidance to habits to reading Mason and discussing!
I'm new to your channel and have been binge watching your videos for a couple days now. 😁 We're long-time users of AO because it allows us to make tweaks to suit our family, and the CMEC is new to me. Do they offer options for families in the UK?
The CMEC is used internationally, yes! They offer specific suggestions for certain countries (I know one is Canada and I think the other is the UK), but you'll also find member suggestions from women in various countries!
Ahhhh! This is so amazing! I had been looking at AGF but this sounds like such a great option! I did look at their informational packet, but I can't seem to find any mention on how they lean theologically? Are the book selections more conservative or more liberal??? They seem to use out of print books so it seems to be clear but would love to know your thoughts.
Hey there! The CMEC is very true to Mason so many of the theological books are old Anglican but I've only seen one year (We're in our first year!). My guess is they'll lean conservative all of the time. As for members, there's a wider range of traditions/denominations.
Hello I need help so badly. So I am deciding between Alveary and cmec do u think cmec is too overwhelming for a new charlotte mason mom? I’m struggling choosing. If u could give your insight on alveary would be such a blessing. Also ur my favorite TH-cam gal. ❤️
Hey there! I can't speak to the Alveary (as I've never used it) but I do not think the CMEC is too overwhelming for a new CM mom. Not at all. Any program you choose will have a learning curve but that's true no matter how long you've been homeschooling. It took me weeks (months?) to plan for our first year of school because I was getting used to the program, resources, online organisation, etc. It took me a week for the second year because I knew how it all worked. Every thing takes longer the first time through, but that's not because you're doing anything wrong. You're just doing something new! Enjoy it!
Would you say that the books purchase for year one to year three of Ambleside online are also utilized within the CMEC program? I would love to jump in, but only recently started I would hate for all of the money that I’ve spent on books to go to waste!! You are selling me!
Well if you bought great books, it's never a waste.... Ha! But I totally understand. I've not looked beyond AO Year 1, but I do know there's a good bit of overlap in that section.
Hi Autumn! I've recently been listening to your podcasts and they have been really helpful and inspiring! So in being curious about what you use I landed here :) i have an almost 3 year old who im doing some nature study stuff with and who is soaking up so much. Would you advise me to sign up now just even to begin educating myself? Do you know anyone who has used their Kinderleban curriculum at all? Thanks!
Hello! So happy to hear it's a help. I definitely think the CMEC mother-teacher resources would be a great way to learn in these early years before formal schooling begins. I don't know anyone (personally, plenty of strangers though!) who used the kinderleben as a curriculum.
@@thecommonplacehomeschoolthank you! yes I'm so enjoying it, you present things in a way that gets right to the heart of things but in such a relatable way that doesn't overwhelm you. And we like the same people: Andrew Kern, Heidi White, Vigen Guroian, Lewis, St. John Chrysostom....so many friends in this commonplace :) Am I right in guessing you might be part of the Orthodox church?
Hi Autumn ! Thanks for sharing this. I have so many questions haha, but for now, I am really wanting to know if the CMEC would also be a good choice for us if we are in Australia? I really want to go with them, I’ve already looked into them and I think their price for the year is super fair! I just wonder if I will be able to actually get my hands on most of the resources and if the topics covered are predominantly American history etc. ? Like you said, until you actually pay and register its a bit hard to see/know further details.
There are CMEC moms in Australia! (I have some of them in my Patreon, and, fun fact, the CMEC is used in 18 countries!) You'd definitely be able to ask about Australian swaps (I know people do for Canada and UK too.). As for resources, I was able to find most things through US Amazon, but I'm not sure if you'd have access to the same things? But I say that to say that I didn't have to hunt for resources, which can be a problem in the Mason homeschool world! They're incredibly helpful over at the CMEC. If you sent them an email to ask about these things before joining, I'm sure they'll be able to give you more details!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool ok thank you so much for helping out! I will definitely send them an email and ask the CMEC to find out more answers regarding Australian. But that is so incredibly cool, I have definitely had it on my heart to join your Patreon too, I have just canceled Netflix as it is just a time suck and a waste and I was thinking “I’d rather swap out Netflix for Autumn’s content any day anyway!” 😊 just have to discuss with hubby but I’m keen to hopefully meet others (like you said, other Australian parents too) through your community too 😃 !
I am so honored to be up against Netflix! Ha! We'd always be happy to have you. Every time I see another Australian mom sign up, I think we need to make a CP Australia meet up happen. What a dream!
Yes! We wanted to give our children a classical education (I believe Mason is part of the larger tradition!) which is firmly rooted in the past. The Alveary’s emphasis on a “modern” approach/focus on our time and place/current voices is a different goal than the classical tradition. I didn’t research more about them after reading that mentioned numerous times on their site, so I can’t speak to the actual curriculum!
I've been eyeing cmec for a few years. We are using ao with a 10, 9, 8 yo and also 4 and 1 yo. I love ao but I really need more support especially with things like drawing, handicrafts, geography etc that I want to do but don't know where to start. I get overwhelmed and then shut down. Would it be too late for me to register now and get organized to start late August? Cmec just sounds like so much prep work.
I don’t think it’s too late at all! From what I’ve heard from AO moms who switched, it’s an amazing help compared to working with AO. There is prep (and admittedly more for you with 3 formal students) but your form leader would be able to help you jumpstart combining forms where you can and getting going! I think once you start, you’ll find the support lightens the load!
Are most of the CNEC books the same as AO as I’ve been collecting AO books for some time. (All of the Yesterday’s Classics and Living Books Press, etc)
Hi! I have just started CM with my Year 1 daughter this year. I have been doing a mix of SCM and AO as there are elements to both I like. But, as a new CM mom, it has been quite overwhelming. How do the book lists of CMEC compare to AO? Is it the same rich quality? And how are Bible lessons set up?
Hi Karen! There is overlap between the book lists of the CMEC and AO, and yes, every book chosen by the CMEC is rich narrative reading. The Bible lessons are structured like all Mason lessons (but not laid out for you and not scripted which I think is what SCM is?) with the child reading straight from the Bible. We do OT and NT every week.
I don't know if you'll see this as it's a bit older, but I'm struggling at merging my kiddos within the same historical era while using AO. How is CMEC surrounding this? Are the litterature, artist and composer studies centered around the era to allow a more in depth understanding of the times studied, or is it more like AOs artist and composer rotation?
Hey Katia! I'm not sure how AO does the history streams, but the CMEC has all kids (except Year 1/Form 1B) on the same stream(s) so it's easier to teach multiple grade levels in a family. However, our lit/artist/composer doesn't center around the same era.
Do you think a membership with CMEC would be valuable to a mother who already is familiar with CM, and also does not intend to use the CMEC Forms and schedules as their main curriculum but wants ideas for her children's education?
I don’t but they’re definitely on Instagram! If you follow the CMEC and check out the stories they re-share, you’ll be able to get a peek at larger families! Oh, you can also Google Celeste Cruz. She’s one of the wise women in charge and she is currently pregnant with her 11th! I believe her blog name is Joyous Lessons!
I will begin homeschooling with my five year old daughter in January. Thoughts on starting mid year with CMEC? Worthwhile, or should I just use something else in the meantime and wait for a new cycle to begin next summer?
Hey Emily! If you didn’t join during the open enrollment period earlier this year, you won’t be able to access the Kinderleben guide until they open enrollment again (which should be February-ish)!
I'd say that AO is the OG and I've learned so much from the individual women on the Advisory Board; you won't be going wrong by choosing AO. However, if you're interested in being taught and equipped as a mother-teacher, pushed to become a better educational philosopher, then the additional training and resources in the CMEC are what you need. You won't find what they offer anywhere else!
I think so. While they provide the guides and example timetables, you’re the mother-teacher and can adjust, swap, or change anything in your form. (Parents frequently combine and skip things to homeschool multiple ages at once.) They’re very helpful, so consider emailing them to ask about specifics: info@thecmec.org
100% you can! I would start with a term (or I've even heard the recommendation of a whole year) of reorienting your philosophy of education/home education experience. Focus on habits, brining in living ideas, and building home rhythms of "right relating" to God, others, and things. Those are your three instruments of education (atmosphere, discipline, and life) and getting those in place will help the "studies" continue well. The CMEC gives excellent resources and guides for families and you wouldn't feel alone/can always reach out to your Form leader with any questions!
Hi! My kids are 5 (6 in March), he has not learned to read yet..and 3. Do you think its worth the investment for the Kinder program? We've been loosely doubt Y0 with AO. Also what's your fav program to teach reading? Im considering LOE.
Hey Haley! I think the kinderleben guide is great, but it's not a program. Mason wouldn't have encouraged reading lessons pre-formal school (Form 1B). Now, she did believe it teaching a child as they wanted and were picking things up. (My oldest learn to read before we started formally because she wanted to and had a blast doing it.) All that to say, if you're expecting a kinder curriculum, you'll be disappointed! But if you're looking to get your pedagogy in place, learn the rhythms of a "Mason household" in the early years, you'll love what the CMEC offers for your age kids. For reading, I recommend Discover Reading! by Amy Tuttle!
@@haleyfink6325 Yes and no. It also talks about appropriate chores and habits, how to train them, how you use the three instruments in the early years, etc. So it’s way more than a book list but there is a book list, handicraft list, seasonal nature list, and more.
@@haleyfink6325 you’d also have access to the mother’s education course which is gold! They close registration soon (in fact, it may have happened last week??) so don’t wait to look into it!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool Do you think it would be more beneficial to wait until my 5 year old is 6 and after we start our reading course so next fall? I don't want to start half way and then be in the middle of a year do you know what I mean?
I just wanted to say thank you for speaking quickly, concisely, and very clearly. Everything you said was so crisp and was really easy to understand. So thank you!
Ah, lovely! Glad to hear it!
Thanku for ur time so very much and your knowledge what a blessing u r to this girl. Bless ya.
I"ve never heard of this. We use Ambleside and I love it. IT'S Free, we are poor :D but I am glad there are more options! I have one student in year two, a four year old and a baby on the way
Congratulations on your baby! AO is the OG and has done such good for the CM world!
The good and the beautiful also lets you print schoolbooks for free.
@@SomeHippieDietitian TGATB is a completely different style of curriculum than Ambleside/cmec and other CM methods
I resonate. Glad to know there are free options.
I ended up signing up with the CMEC after I had already purchased A Gentle Feast. Now I’m just wasting all my time trying to decide which one to go with! You’re so right though, the resources the CMEC have available is amazing!
It really is shocking to me that they provide so many resources to members! I haven’t found anything else quite like the CMEC. Wishing you the best as you make that decision!
I did the exact same thing Brooke! I feel ya!
🤦🏻♀️ Did you decide which one you’re going to use?
@@brookelewis8958 Decided on CMEC. I resold AGF and while CMEC is not as open and go, there really are a lot of wonderful resources and guidance!
Are you glad you went with CMEC instead of A gentle feast
Yay for this video! We are also doing CMEC for the first time this year! I’ll have 1B, 1A, 2A, 3B, and 4 🤣🤣🤣 watching all the videos & trying to find all of their suggestions for what to combine. SO pumped!!
Godspeed to you! What were you using before?
@@thecommonplacehomeschool a little bit of everything lol. (Blossom & Root, Bookshark, Memoria Press (oldest will still do some of their stuff, there is a lot of overlap), Build Your Library. A few months ago I started thinking AO was really it for us & bought a bunch of the books, whoops! Thankfully, some of the titles are CMEC books too, phew!
@@ddchomeschool you can never have too many living books, you know. 😉
I am trying to decide on AO or CMEC and I have 8,12,and 15 years old students...
@@NatashaShchukina I really like CMEC for the older kids, because it tells you exactly what to do. Whereas with AO, I found their high school list (salad bar approach) to be completely overwhelming!
I’m so glad I found your page! I just signed up for the CMEC but it’s been slightly overwhelming with all of the information that I backed off and almost went the Ambleside route. There’s so few videos and information on CMEC but I have felt the pull to using it and After watching your video I’m excited to try and dive back in again.
It is A LOT. I recommend starting only with the form guide(s) for your student(s) and getting familiar with it before diving into everything else they offer/all that’s in the archives. I know it’ll take more than the school year for me to tackle all the posts and videos I want to work through!
how have you liked it?
All of those acronyms really helped me understand CM! THX!
Wonderful! Love to translate Charlotte Mason speak when I can!
This will be out 2nd year with The CMEC 😁. So glad I found your channel!!! Looking forward to your videos 🥰
Thank you, Christine! And congrats on the first year!!
how have you liked it and what grades?
This is our 2nd year doing A Gentle Feast and I’ve really enjoyed it but I think I might switch to CMEC next year when I have 3 children being formally educated.
From what I can tell, moms love the CMEC for multiple children. We all follow the same history stream and it’s easy to change out books for certain subjects so you can reduce the overall number and group your children together for lessons!
did you switch? have you liked the switch?
This is my first year using the CMEC as well! I’m really looking forward to it. I just subscribed and excited to follow along with you 😀
I think we’re going to have a great year!
how have you liked it?
This is the best video ive come across explaining what CMEC is ! Im extremely new to all of this and have been researching like crazy to try to figure out what to do.( I signed up for a CO-OP, that is doing Charlotte mason so I kinda got thrown in without really knowing what is was) I know formal lessons don't start until 6 but in Canada I've signed up to work with a teacher to get school supplies covered. So I do need to have some sort of plan and lessons. (My son is 5 and will be 6 in may, and will be going into kindergarten.) Would this be worth it are there suggestions or a plan for younger kids ? I tried to go with simple Charlotte mason but they dont ship to canada. any advice is appreciated thanks!
Thank you! There is the Kinderleben guide in the CMEC. It’s not a laid out program but offers a wealth of knowledge about the Mason early years, handicrafts, read alouds, and habit training. You could easily create something from it but you won’t be able to take it and go!
I plan to register for next year with my 4 kids age 2-8 come February. But before then, I'm crash coursing CM's volumes! Eeee! So many Rabbit trails already in her works.
Hahah, yes. I think we can probably all plan to read her on a loop for the next 20 years or so.
Great video, thank you! We are just starting out in our full out homeschool adventure (we had done a hybrid option previously) and I have been incredibly drawn to AO for the richness of their booklists and overall feast. I found a way to combine the children for history (ages 8-14, plus a sweet 4-year-old tag along), and we are all loving 'Our Island Story' and looking forward to 'This Country of Ours'. What are your thoughts on using AO for the spine and CMEC for the support and training?
Well, I've not used AO but always hear great things. I can confirm the CMEC is amazing and their emphasis on equipping mother-teachers to be better teachers and educational philosophers would certainly be a support and continued education!!
Wonderful, thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience! This was really helpful. Also, I believe it’s “ped-uh-gah-gee”.
Could be! This is a problem of self-learning with books!
This will be our first year using CMEC and I’m so pumped!!!
Me too! Me too!
how have you liked it?
Was the TH-camr Larissa from Living In Color? I found out about the CMEC from her as well and have been intrigued ever since.
My oldest only just turned five and I’ve been thinking about signing up so we can have access to the kinderleben guides but I’m still trying to decide if it’s worth the $300 membership fee when we’re still a year or so away from formal lessons!
Yes it was! I’m so thankful for her videos about it!
I would encourage you to sign up for the Kinderleben guide (amazing), but also so you can start working through the backlog of resources on the site! There are teaching videos about everything: narration, summer prep, handicrafts, etc. I wish I would’ve signed up last year just to have the extra time to work through those before starting formally!
Would you be willing to look into The Heart of Dakota and possibly talk about it/do a review on it? I don’t have kids yet but I’ve done a lot of research and I’m really interested in Heart of Dakota because it is so gospel centered, but I would love to hear your thoughts on it. I love your channel. Thanks for being here ❤
Hey there! I wouldn't review a curriculum I don't use (I can't pretend to know it!) but I hope you find some helpful mom insights about it online! So happy to have you here!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool thank you!!
You mention in the video how the CMEC was very intentional to structure everything how CM would have structured it, based on the Parents Review articles & other resources. I thought this was what AO did? How does this feature that you talk about the CMEC having distinguish it from AO, or do both do that, & the biggest difference with the CMEC is in the mother teacher resources that try to explain all this?
I think both try to stick as closely as they can, but sometimes that plays out differently. For example, both curricula follow Mason's Form 1B for history *but*:
AO uses An Island Story (Mason's pick).
CMEC uses an American history book for American students. (They are international, so this changes.)
So, AO used exactly what Mason picked but Mason picked An Island Story for her British students because it was their country's history and she believed it important that children begin with their home country. Using that principle, the CMEC has students begin with their own country's history.
Does that make sense? I like that the CMEC uses Mason's principles (in cases like that) rather than a copy-and-paste (which I'm unfamiliar with AO beyond Year 1, so I don't want to say that's how it always is!).
The CMEC mother-teacher resources are incredible. In all of it, they are equipping women as mother-teachers (not giving scripted lessons or doing the work for the mom). The resources run the gamut from subject-specific guidance to habits to reading Mason and discussing!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool This makes perfect sense. Thank you so much for explaining!!
I'm new to your channel and have been binge watching your videos for a couple days now. 😁 We're long-time users of AO because it allows us to make tweaks to suit our family, and the CMEC is new to me. Do they offer options for families in the UK?
The CMEC is used internationally, yes! They offer specific suggestions for certain countries (I know one is Canada and I think the other is the UK), but you'll also find member suggestions from women in various countries!
Ahhhh! This is so amazing! I had been looking at AGF but this sounds like such a great option!
I did look at their informational packet, but I can't seem to find any mention on how they lean theologically? Are the book selections more conservative or more liberal??? They seem to use out of print books so it seems to be clear but would love to know your thoughts.
Hey there! The CMEC is very true to Mason so many of the theological books are old Anglican but I've only seen one year (We're in our first year!). My guess is they'll lean conservative all of the time. As for members, there's a wider range of traditions/denominations.
@@thecommonplacehomeschool That is great. Thank you so much!
Hello I need help so badly. So I am deciding between Alveary and cmec do u think cmec is too overwhelming for a new charlotte mason mom? I’m struggling choosing. If u could give your insight on alveary would be such a blessing. Also ur my favorite TH-cam gal. ❤️
Hey there! I can't speak to the Alveary (as I've never used it) but I do not think the CMEC is too overwhelming for a new CM mom. Not at all. Any program you choose will have a learning curve but that's true no matter how long you've been homeschooling. It took me weeks (months?) to plan for our first year of school because I was getting used to the program, resources, online organisation, etc. It took me a week for the second year because I knew how it all worked. Every thing takes longer the first time through, but that's not because you're doing anything wrong. You're just doing something new! Enjoy it!
Would you say that the books purchase for year one to year three of Ambleside online are also utilized within the CMEC program? I would love to jump in, but only recently started I would hate for all of the money that I’ve spent on books to go to waste!! You are selling me!
Well if you bought great books, it's never a waste.... Ha! But I totally understand. I've not looked beyond AO Year 1, but I do know there's a good bit of overlap in that section.
PTL for this video. Thank you! One more question. If I joined today, would I have time to get the books and my timetable done no later that Aug. 1st?
Oh yes, for sure! Timetable video coming on Monday and whole summer planning series going on in Common House right now!
Hi Autumn! I've recently been listening to your podcasts and they have been really helpful and inspiring! So in being curious about what you use I landed here :) i have an almost 3 year old who im doing some nature study stuff with and who is soaking up so much. Would you advise me to sign up now just even to begin educating myself? Do you know anyone who has used their Kinderleban curriculum at all? Thanks!
Hello! So happy to hear it's a help. I definitely think the CMEC mother-teacher resources would be a great way to learn in these early years before formal schooling begins. I don't know anyone (personally, plenty of strangers though!) who used the kinderleben as a curriculum.
@@thecommonplacehomeschoolthank you! yes I'm so enjoying it, you present things in a way that gets right to the heart of things but in such a relatable way that doesn't overwhelm you. And we like the same people: Andrew Kern, Heidi White, Vigen Guroian, Lewis, St. John Chrysostom....so many friends in this commonplace :)
Am I right in guessing you might be part of the Orthodox church?
@@tinahakim6649 Good guess. We're catechumen!
Hi Autumn !
Thanks for sharing this. I have so many questions haha, but for now, I am really wanting to know if the CMEC would also be a good choice for us if we are in Australia? I really want to go with them, I’ve already looked into them and I think their price for the year is super fair! I just wonder if I will be able to actually get my hands on most of the resources and if the topics covered are predominantly American history etc. ? Like you said, until you actually pay and register its a bit hard to see/know further details.
There are CMEC moms in Australia! (I have some of them in my Patreon, and, fun fact, the CMEC is used in 18 countries!) You'd definitely be able to ask about Australian swaps (I know people do for Canada and UK too.). As for resources, I was able to find most things through US Amazon, but I'm not sure if you'd have access to the same things? But I say that to say that I didn't have to hunt for resources, which can be a problem in the Mason homeschool world!
They're incredibly helpful over at the CMEC. If you sent them an email to ask about these things before joining, I'm sure they'll be able to give you more details!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool ok thank you so much for helping out! I will definitely send them an email and ask the CMEC to find out more answers regarding Australian. But that is so incredibly cool, I have definitely had it on my heart to join your Patreon too, I have just canceled Netflix as it is just a time suck and a waste and I was thinking “I’d rather swap out Netflix for Autumn’s content any day anyway!” 😊 just have to discuss with hubby but I’m keen to hopefully meet others (like you said, other Australian parents too) through your community too 😃 !
I am so honored to be up against Netflix! Ha! We'd always be happy to have you. Every time I see another Australian mom sign up, I think we need to make a CP Australia meet up happen. What a dream!
Is there a reason you chose CMEC over the Alveary?
Yes! We wanted to give our children a classical education (I believe Mason is part of the larger tradition!) which is firmly rooted in the past. The Alveary’s emphasis on a “modern” approach/focus on our time and place/current voices is a different goal than the classical tradition. I didn’t research more about them after reading that mentioned numerous times on their site, so I can’t speak to the actual curriculum!
I've been eyeing cmec for a few years. We are using ao with a 10, 9, 8 yo and also 4 and 1 yo. I love ao but I really need more support especially with things like drawing, handicrafts, geography etc that I want to do but don't know where to start. I get overwhelmed and then shut down. Would it be too late for me to register now and get organized to start late August? Cmec just sounds like so much prep work.
I don’t think it’s too late at all! From what I’ve heard from AO moms who switched, it’s an amazing help compared to working with AO. There is prep (and admittedly more for you with 3 formal students) but your form leader would be able to help you jumpstart combining forms where you can and getting going! I think once you start, you’ll find the support lightens the load!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool thank you! I've heard of a few AO families switching recently and they love cmec.
Are most of the CNEC books the same as AO as I’ve been collecting AO books for some time. (All of the Yesterday’s Classics and Living Books Press, etc)
*CMEC
I wouldn’t say most (particularly in upper forms) but there’s decent overlap in the early years.
Can you do a video on the mother log?
Yes, it’s on my list!
Hi! I have just started CM with my Year 1 daughter this year. I have been doing a mix of SCM and AO as there are elements to both I like. But, as a new CM mom, it has been quite overwhelming. How do the book lists of CMEC compare to AO? Is it the same rich quality? And how are Bible lessons set up?
Hi Karen! There is overlap between the book lists of the CMEC and AO, and yes, every book chosen by the CMEC is rich narrative reading. The Bible lessons are structured like all Mason lessons (but not laid out for you and not scripted which I think is what SCM is?) with the child reading straight from the Bible. We do OT and NT every week.
I don't know if you'll see this as it's a bit older, but I'm struggling at merging my kiddos within the same historical era while using AO. How is CMEC surrounding this? Are the litterature, artist and composer studies centered around the era to allow a more in depth understanding of the times studied, or is it more like AOs artist and composer rotation?
Hey Katia! I'm not sure how AO does the history streams, but the CMEC has all kids (except Year 1/Form 1B) on the same stream(s) so it's easier to teach multiple grade levels in a family. However, our lit/artist/composer doesn't center around the same era.
@@thecommonplacehomeschool thank you so much for the information!
Do you think a membership with CMEC would be valuable to a mother who already is familiar with CM, and also does not intend to use the CMEC Forms and schedules as their main curriculum but wants ideas for her children's education?
Absolutely. Yes.
Thank you for your review! Do you know of any TH-cam video of a mom that has a large family doing CMEC?
I don’t but they’re definitely on Instagram! If you follow the CMEC and check out the stories they re-share, you’ll be able to get a peek at larger families!
Oh, you can also Google Celeste Cruz. She’s one of the wise women in charge and she is currently pregnant with her 11th! I believe her blog name is Joyous Lessons!
Is there a reason you chose CMEC over AGF? We went with AGF this year and now I am nervous.
Don’t be nervous! I really wanted the extra mother-teacher resources which the CMEC offered!
My friend is doing AGF and loves it!!
I will begin homeschooling with my five year old daughter in January. Thoughts on starting mid year with CMEC? Worthwhile, or should I just use something else in the meantime and wait for a new cycle to begin next summer?
Hey Emily! If you didn’t join during the open enrollment period earlier this year, you won’t be able to access the Kinderleben guide until they open enrollment again (which should be February-ish)!
Thank you! That clarifies.
My husband will be the one instructing. Will he feel out of place with all the “mother” focus?
It probably depends a bit on your husband’s personality but there were dads at the summer retreat! As a teacher, the resources will be helpful!
I am a full time working mom. My husband and I homeschool our 6.5 year old son. Is it possible to do CMEC and work full time?
Amazing! Yes! I think you can. Because I know of a family that does this. Both parents work and they tag-team schooling with the CMEC!
What would you say to someone considering the CMEC over Ambleside Online?
I'd say that AO is the OG and I've learned so much from the individual women on the Advisory Board; you won't be going wrong by choosing AO. However, if you're interested in being taught and equipped as a mother-teacher, pushed to become a better educational philosopher, then the additional training and resources in the CMEC are what you need. You won't find what they offer anywhere else!
Do you think CMEC would be work for children with developmental delays?
I think so. While they provide the guides and example timetables, you’re the mother-teacher and can adjust, swap, or change anything in your form. (Parents frequently combine and skip things to homeschool multiple ages at once.) They’re very helpful, so consider emailing them to ask about specifics: info@thecmec.org
Can I succeed if I'm new with a 7th and 8th grader? Where would I start?
100% you can! I would start with a term (or I've even heard the recommendation of a whole year) of reorienting your philosophy of education/home education experience. Focus on habits, brining in living ideas, and building home rhythms of "right relating" to God, others, and things. Those are your three instruments of education (atmosphere, discipline, and life) and getting those in place will help the "studies" continue well. The CMEC gives excellent resources and guides for families and you wouldn't feel alone/can always reach out to your Form leader with any questions!
Hi! My kids are 5 (6 in March), he has not learned to read yet..and 3. Do you think its worth the investment for the Kinder program? We've been loosely doubt Y0 with AO. Also what's your fav program to teach reading? Im considering LOE.
Hey Haley! I think the kinderleben guide is great, but it's not a program. Mason wouldn't have encouraged reading lessons pre-formal school (Form 1B). Now, she did believe it teaching a child as they wanted and were picking things up. (My oldest learn to read before we started formally because she wanted to and had a blast doing it.) All that to say, if you're expecting a kinder curriculum, you'll be disappointed! But if you're looking to get your pedagogy in place, learn the rhythms of a "Mason household" in the early years, you'll love what the CMEC offers for your age kids.
For reading, I recommend Discover Reading! by Amy Tuttle!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool oh I see! So it's mostly book lists and resources to go along with them??
@@haleyfink6325 Yes and no. It also talks about appropriate chores and habits, how to train them, how you use the three instruments in the early years, etc. So it’s way more than a book list but there is a book list, handicraft list, seasonal nature list, and more.
@@haleyfink6325 you’d also have access to the mother’s education course which is gold! They close registration soon (in fact, it may have happened last week??) so don’t wait to look into it!
@@thecommonplacehomeschool Do you think it would be more beneficial to wait until my 5 year old is 6 and after we start our reading course so next fall? I don't want to start half way and then be in the middle of a year do you know what I mean?
Does CMEC cover high school too?
Yes! Full curriculum from 1st-12th!