Top 5 Charlotte Mason Curriculums EXPLAINED!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ค. 2024
- Are you curious about some of the top names in Charlotte Mason circles? Do you want to discover which curriculum will be a good fit for your family? This video is for you! I've been around the block in CM circles a few times now and in this video I discuss some of the ins and outs of each of the five biggest names in CM curriculums.
To learn more about, or purchase A Gentle Feast, the curriculum we do use:
agentlefeast.com/?ref=jonsay2010
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Lovely video! I’ve used Alveary and CMEC and think you did a great job describing them. I would just add that the CMEC does provide exam questions and while they do provide additional book recommendations, they do have a primary spine chosen for each subject. Also, they start with US history for Americans. 👌🏼
Thanks for clarifying about the exam questions! I personally love coming up with my own, but I’ve spoken to many mamas that really like having it done for them.
I have six children 14 and under and have used the Alveary 2 years, CMEC 1 year, AO 1 year, and a Gentle Feast 2 years. Last year I tried doing my own thing last year. I will be back using A Gentle Feast and plan to use it through graduation. I find it to be the simplest to use with a large family.
Wow! It’s so neat that you’ve tried so many and been able to see how each works. It’s quite possible we will circle back to AGF as well at some point, but I’m excited to try The Alveary.
I shared this to my fb so I can come back and watch this again! Thank you for putting this information together!
Well thanks for that share. I really wish I’d had all this information when I was getting started. There is always that feeling like you don’t know what to choose and you just have to jump in. It’s nice to get details about different options so you can figure out what actually may work for your family.
OMGoodness this is EXACTLY what I needed. Thank you for putting this video together!
That’s the most awesome thing to hear! I’m so often shooting in the dark with what topics to cover. I’m really glad this was needed.
I think this was super helpful for those who don’t know much about a CM education. You did a wonderful job putting this together. We use AGF as our base and I sub out books from AO if we’ve done something or just don’t care for something. Again great job with this video. ❤
That’s such a kind remark. Thanks for letting me know it had good information. I’m sure I missed something important somewhere. AGF really suits us best. I’m with you, I like that it’s very easy to switch things out when we want to.
This was very well done and helpful. Last year I used a little bit of Simply Charlotte Mason material to try it out. We did really like what we used so I'm planning on using some more next year. One advantage of Simply Charlotte Mason seems to be that it is easy pick and choose which materials to use but not use everything from the same company if that is your choice. I was really between Simply Charlotte Mason and A Gentle Feast. Still keeping the latter in mind in case I would like to try it in the future.
Thanks for highlighting the benefits of using SCM. That’s definitely a plus for some families!
Wow this was so helpful thank you!
So happy to hear it! Thanks for telling me.
This was suuuuuper helpful!!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
I’m so happy to hear that. That was my goal in making it. 💕
Thank you for this! Some curriculums I'm using or looking into are A Mind in the Light, Without Doors and Under the Home. I really respect your opinion and if you have thoughts about them, i would love to hear. Also, unrelated, I remember you mentioning that you've gone through really difficult times and hardships and, obviously I only see you in small snippets, but you always seem so full of joy and vibrancy, so my question is how do you mother and be the woman you want to be full of peace and joy and still work through your trauma and move past your trauma?
Hello! Thanks for the kind remark about joy! All glory to God for that.
I have to be honest, I’ve only heard of Without Doors, and I don’t know much about it. Certainly not enough to give you an opinion. I’d encourage you to learn the underlying philosophy and see if it resonates with you. Maybe join Facebook groups for each curriculum and watch for a bit to get a feel for what folks enjoy or don’t enjoy about each one. Lastly, if they have samples, download them and try them out with your kids.
Regarding the trauma and motherhood, that’s a big question and the answer is too long for here. At the most basic level, it’s the kindness of God and me being willing to forgive like He tells us to. 💕
This is so helpful!! Thank you! We don’t follow a specific teaching method. We are eclectic. I would say we follow a mixture of Charlotte mason/interest-led/cheapest curriculum available. lol 😂
I feel like it’s sooo tough to know what is actually inside these curriculums without buying them. I’m hopeful this will be helpful to others.
I just found your channel! Thank you for doing this, it was so very helpful! I’m learning more about Charlotte Mason as I stumbled on her last year. It’s a little crazy that I’ve been an early childhood educator for the last 10 years but only stumbled on her last year while expecting the birth of my first baby. 😅 I’ve always known that I wanted to homeschool my own kids though. I’ve been learning everything I can about her method and philosophy and making my way through her books.
You’re in a magical season, Lydia! What a joy to get time to research and study and learn while you raise your little people! Enjoy the journey.
@@kindletogetherness thank you! I do find that I’m quite blessed to have time to research and prepare to do things differently.
I feel the same way. I taught Kindergarten for 6 years and elementary for 10 and had never heard of Miss Mason until I began researching to homeschool my own child. ❤❤
@@jerilyn-ourhomeschooltable it’s a shame, isn’t it? I’m glad I learned it in time for my own child, otherwise I would’ve fallen back on what I know as a teacher. But had I known this before, it would’ve made me a better teacher.
@@lydiacerdhe4060 I completely agree. My students could have benefited a lot by Charlotte’s methods. Especially the part about short lessons and waiting on formal learning until age 6.
Hi SarahRuth! 👋 I'm considering joining the Alveary this year, as I'm new to CM and want to allow myself time to read her volumes and assimilate all that deepness. When you got a peek inside of the Alveary, did you feel like the curriculum was something that one could tailor to one's own needs within their homeschool? I'm still on the fence as I want guidance into the CM approach, but I have always been very eclectic and quick to diverge off the set path of my previous curriculums (none of which were CM though).
By the way, I watched you speak as a guest for the AGF homeschool online meetups this past week. I just wanted to tell you that what you spoke about with regard to moving through the hard times and that it isn't idealic all the time gave me so much hope and renewed faith in myself that I can homeschool my children well, and that it doesn't (and won't) look perfect. Thank you for that. I'm loving your videos!
We have several personal friends who use Alveary and tailor it to their needs as homesteaders, but they also have to be ok with just not doing certain portions- if that makes sense.
@wholeheartedhomemaking Thanks for this tidbit of info! I am completely OK with not doing all the things. I definitely wouldn't be able to follow a curriculum to a T, and if the Alveary has space for that, I'm getting confident that it will be a fit for my family.
Wow! All glory to God that you found something helpful tucked in there. 💕 Our job as a mom and teacher is so nuanced and gives us a lot of opportunities to lean on Him. 😳 Ask me how I know. 😜
As to the Alveary, I don’t feel it’s super adaptable easily. This is because they literally have entire plans and scripts set up for you. So once you buy all that and establish it, you’d be tossing out a lot if you decide to shift or pivot. That’s not to say you couldn’t, but I don’t feel like it would be “easy”.
@kindletogetherness OK very good to know this. Thank you for sharing that with me.
We used SCM for 2.5 years, but ultimately we just spent too much time in ancient history. Also, I felt like I spent a lot of time supplementing the books because they weren't quite challenging enough for us. We still use their math and a few other materials though. We actually found SCM on par with AO for cost, but both didn't fit our family. So we just curate our own thing now, thought the mother teacher helps from CMEC are very tempting. 😉
I agree that the helpfulness of the CMEC mother resources is amazing! I’m so glad you’ve found your stride! It’s a good feeling.
Yes to printed materials! We use the AO poetry anthologies and many other books and suggestions, but we don’t follow the schedule. 😊
Makes sense!
Please advise. We are like minded family, and im coming out of piecing my curriculum together, the core being through Homeschool Torah. However, as much as i want to like it... I just cannot do it again. Some of it is good, but there are cons too. My first two years of HS were with My Father's World which my son (8) loved. Now ive been introduced to CM and im a)blown away b) overwhelemed c) undecided! My son loves reading, and i have (unintentionally i guess) pushed him these early years, so he is well ahead in some areas but it came with a cost and struggle at times. I wish i knew what i do now. Lol. I just want homeschooling to be an enjoyable experience and not a task... Seems like im consumed with it and i feae not having time to do anything besides that. Ugh. I am praying that YAH will lead me to which is right for the future. Thank you for your videos
Hi Alyssa! Welcome! CM can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. I suggest landing on a curriculum and just trying it.
Maybe give AGF or The Playful Pioneers a go.
Thank you so much for this. I’m with you and liking it all the paper and real books not digital.
I’m really looking for the right thing for next year for my children left in school. CM is kinda new to us we have done some gather round in the past and we liked it but this new season of a 9 year old ( would be fourth grade next year) is a lower grade/age for reading but is great in math and narration back to me verbally. Then I have a 6 year old who will be doing (K if you follow grade levels) and a three year old who follows well just wants to be involved with anything. I’m just not sure where to start with having to work on one to read better and being confident in reading teaching one to read and all the other things well and not be doing school all day. Any thoughts I would love to hear
Hello! What a fun mix of ages. My rising 4th grader isn’t at the level to read his form 2 books independently like his elder brother was. And that’s okay!
I plan to mix it up for him and have them do some things together and I’ll keep him in form 1 with his little brother for some things. It’s very adaptable in a CM inspired homeschool if you allow yourself that freedom.
With your situation, I would recommend AGF since they have you do all the beauty subjects and morning time together, plus you can see all levels on one one week spread. It makes adjustments easier imo.
Maybe peek at my AGF videos and see what you think?
Can you do a break down of what it costs you each year to do AGF? I’m very curious what it ends up being for your family since there are so many extras you could/maybe don’t forgo
This is a neat thought. I’ll write it on my ideas list.
I agree with this idea. I'd be very interested in a video like that.
How do you make room for the busyness of your boys with such literature-heavy curriculum? My girls love reading and these types of curriculum work well for them, however my son is always moving and I am looking for ways to help work with these tendencies instead of against them. Thanks!
Hi Summer! This is a great question.
1. I keep lessons brief (no more than 15 minutes until 3rd grade). Even readings are short so they can recall and narrate easily.
2. I allow movement! So long as they can narrate to me or complete whatever is assigned, they can move and wiggle and even use small toys while we learn.
3. Lots of heavy work and outside time. First thing in the morning, I have my boys doing things on their bikes, carrying laundry down two flights of stairs, etc. This is really helpful for getting some much needed energy out prior to lesson time.
In regards to Alvearys history...if you are starting with a 6 year old in Form 1B are they wanting you to jump in wherever they are? Isn't that not consistent with what CM did with teaching history of their own country first ( I agree that this makes a lot of sense)
To my knowledge, The Alveary includes US history for their form 1 students. It would just be in the time period/history cycle they currently are in.
Every time I watch your videos I start thinking about AGF again 😂
This was totally not meant to do that! 🤣
@@kindletogetherness and you didn’t! You were actually quite unbiased. But it just looks so tempting every time I see it.
@@jcav7 Oh good to know. I really wanted to present each one in a way that people could have the most possible information without my opinion inserted.