We love the Holling Clancy Holling books, the Burgess books and the CM Geography book! 😊 I am so glad I am not the only one that likes to pick through Ambleside without doing everything. 😊
As Classical Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers, we also use AO as a book list. And I actually use Simply Charlotte Mason for our history cycle since it’s chronological starting from Creation. It’s a 6-year cycle, but we school year-round, so it ends up being 3-4 years for us. The beauty of homeschooling…making it what you want!
We are one of the families that love AO. I have used it since the beginning of our homeschool journey, but I have always modified it to fit our schedule and needs better. Their book selection is one of the best, I have found.❤
We are not at all CM homeschoolers, we are definitely more classical, but we do use AO. For now we use it all, just to try it out and because it takes a very short amount of time to read the history or science books. We love the Burgess books but we add in a ton of science books since my kid loves science. We occasionally do nature study but for us it’s not nearly enough. For history we are mainly using Story Of The World and it’s been just right for us. Like I said, we do use the AO science books but they take maybe 10 minutes total to read all of the things for the week, so I don’t mind to add it in. We do use the Bible but just for my kid to practice reading it herself. The poetry reading takes one or two minutes a day and is easy to just do so we do it as well. My kids don’t like sitting for a long time for “poetry tea time” so that’s just a no for us. My oldest kid is very very advanced so I use AO to help slow her down. The Shakespeare isn’t actually that hard or changing, at least for my kids, once you try to story version. I always recommend people trying it out and seeing how they like it before saying “no” to AO as written. If you join their Facebook group you can print a “reader” packet with all the public domain books so you can literally try it out for free and just print a few weeks out at once. I printed the first 4 weeks and the weekly schedule and we loved it so I printed the whole thing
The ambleside master book list lives on my computer and I reference it every year to find what readers or read alouds I want to use that line up with the other curriculum we’re using. It’s an incredibly valuable resource!
I’m in the same situation- CM and classical have been drawing me, but I also feel safe with a little traditional sprinkled in. I found My Fathers World and we will be using that for my 9th grader and kindergartener. They do a 4 year history cycle for the elementary years, starting with creation. Have you checked them out? They use Susan Wise Bauer’s history 4 year cycle as their spine😊
Yes, I have heard a lot of good things about my Father's world. It hasn't seemed like quite what I was looking for when I looked at it but it never hurts to looks at it again! :) Thanks.
I've always used Ambleside as a reading list for my kids without actually following everything. Some years I've done years 4-5 with some of my upper elementary ages but I always start my middle schoolers about 3/4 through year 6 and go through year 8. I develop the majority of the kids' lessons myself but, like you said, AO has some great book recommendations! 😊I'm actually planning to start going through the years myself here very soon. I'm coming to the end of my very very very long homeschooling era and now I think it'd be fun to go through it myself!
That's something I'm actually really looking forward to...reading the books with or along side of my kids! There's so many good ones I want to dig into myself.
We love Ambleside Online. The books are incredible and my kids are really enjoying them. We adjust the schedule somewhat, which is really easy to do the way it is laid it.
Unpopular opinion, but I dislike Charlotte Mason. I have read her first book and I don't get what people are so obsessed with. She is definitely a product of her time, but she talks about things that contradict things that people claim about her. Such as, she mentions street urchins with distaste but people claim that she loves all children. Or how she says that moms need to take their children to the country to run around as often as possible, but it just isn't an option for a lot of moms. As far as AO goes, I don't understand it, either. I think it is a little overrated. It really annoys me that there is nothing for kindergarten. Of course a kindergartener doesn't need anything formal, but my current kindergartener (my eldest) would kill me if I didn't have some school for her to do. Like I said, unpopular opinion. I am definitely Classical and that works for our family. Also, I follow Mary Barfield, too!
I appreciate hearing the unpopular opinions. :) I haven't yet read Charlotte Mason's actual books. I'd like to read some of her own works as opposed to just what people talk about of hers. And yes, I think the fact that the earliest years with AO were so light was a big hang up for me too. I'm glad to have gone a little deeper and am looking forward to using some of their resources, but they're not for everyone. But that's one of the good things about homeschooling...we don't all have to like the same things. :)
@@journeyinthehome :) It is definitely worth reading! I like a lot of what she has to say, it just isn't for me. Like with the Montessori method, I like a lot of what she says, but it makes me appreciate the Classical style more. I did follow your suggestion, and pulled the full book list. There are a lot of good books on the list, but they were ones that I was going to read to or have my kids read anyway. It is a great resource, though. :) That is. I do appreciate you making these kinds of videos. I live in a very rural area and don't have a big, or even small, homeschooling community around me so I don't have anyone in person to bounce ideas off of or to discuss homeschooling things with. I love watching your videos, Mary Barfield, Rachel from Seven In All and Jerilyn from Our Homeschool Table's intelligent videos that expand my view point and knowledge base. Thank you!
I'm really glad you've enjoyed my videos without feeling like you have to agree with everything. Thinking through different points of view from other homeschool moms is helpful even when we end up coming away with something different for ourselves. :)
Have you used Ambleside Online? I'd love to know any thoughts you have on it!
We love the Holling Clancy Holling books, the Burgess books and the CM Geography book! 😊 I am so glad I am not the only one that likes to pick through Ambleside without doing everything. 😊
From the responses on this video, I'm getting the idea that picking and choosing from AO is pretty common.
As Classical Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers, we also use AO as a book list. And I actually use Simply Charlotte Mason for our history cycle since it’s chronological starting from Creation. It’s a 6-year cycle, but we school year-round, so it ends up being 3-4 years for us. The beauty of homeschooling…making it what you want!
It sure is!
We are one of the families that love AO. I have used it since the beginning of our homeschool journey, but I have always modified it to fit our schedule and needs better. Their book selection is one of the best, I have found.❤
I'm understanding why people love it as I dig a little deeper. :)
We are not at all CM homeschoolers, we are definitely more classical, but we do use AO. For now we use it all, just to try it out and because it takes a very short amount of time to read the history or science books. We love the Burgess books but we add in a ton of science books since my kid loves science. We occasionally do nature study but for us it’s not nearly enough. For history we are mainly using Story Of The World and it’s been just right for us. Like I said, we do use the AO science books but they take maybe 10 minutes total to read all of the things for the week, so I don’t mind to add it in. We do use the Bible but just for my kid to practice reading it herself. The poetry reading takes one or two minutes a day and is easy to just do so we do it as well. My kids don’t like sitting for a long time for “poetry tea time” so that’s just a no for us. My oldest kid is very very advanced so I use AO to help slow her down. The Shakespeare isn’t actually that hard or changing, at least for my kids, once you try to story version. I always recommend people trying it out and seeing how they like it before saying “no” to AO as written. If you join their Facebook group you can print a “reader” packet with all the public domain books so you can literally try it out for free and just print a few weeks out at once. I printed the first 4 weeks and the weekly schedule and we loved it so I printed the whole thing
Thanks for the input!
The ambleside master book list lives on my computer and I reference it every year to find what readers or read alouds I want to use that line up with the other curriculum we’re using. It’s an incredibly valuable resource!
I'm just late to the party, eh? It's definitely staying on as a resource.
I’m in the same situation- CM and classical have been drawing me, but I also feel safe with a little traditional sprinkled in. I found My Fathers World and we will be using that for my 9th grader and kindergartener. They do a 4 year history cycle for the elementary years, starting with creation. Have you checked them out? They use Susan Wise Bauer’s history 4 year cycle as their spine😊
Yes, I have heard a lot of good things about my Father's world. It hasn't seemed like quite what I was looking for when I looked at it but it never hurts to looks at it again! :) Thanks.
I've always used Ambleside as a reading list for my kids without actually following everything. Some years I've done years 4-5 with some of my upper elementary ages but I always start my middle schoolers about 3/4 through year 6 and go through year 8. I develop the majority of the kids' lessons myself but, like you said, AO has some great book recommendations! 😊I'm actually planning to start going through the years myself here very soon. I'm coming to the end of my very very very long homeschooling era and now I think it'd be fun to go through it myself!
That's something I'm actually really looking forward to...reading the books with or along side of my kids! There's so many good ones I want to dig into myself.
So rewarding! Reading with the kids is my favorite part of homeschooling ❤️
So funny, Mary Barfield got me into AO too😆 and I totally thought it was not for us…until I did
Haha. Glad I'm not the only one!
I can’t work it out but feel it’s a good book list!!! I use booklists at times!!!
I feel you. It's taken me quite a bit of digging to get my brain around it all.
I use them as a booklist primarily. I love it as a resource, but not as a curriculum plan.
I'm seeing a lot of people use them that way.
We love Ambleside Online. The books are incredible and my kids are really enjoying them. We adjust the schedule somewhat, which is really easy to do the way it is laid it.
How long have you been using it for?
Unpopular opinion, but I dislike Charlotte Mason. I have read her first book and I don't get what people are so obsessed with. She is definitely a product of her time, but she talks about things that contradict things that people claim about her. Such as, she mentions street urchins with distaste but people claim that she loves all children. Or how she says that moms need to take their children to the country to run around as often as possible, but it just isn't an option for a lot of moms.
As far as AO goes, I don't understand it, either. I think it is a little overrated. It really annoys me that there is nothing for kindergarten. Of course a kindergartener doesn't need anything formal, but my current kindergartener (my eldest) would kill me if I didn't have some school for her to do. Like I said, unpopular opinion. I am definitely Classical and that works for our family. Also, I follow Mary Barfield, too!
I appreciate hearing the unpopular opinions. :) I haven't yet read Charlotte Mason's actual books. I'd like to read some of her own works as opposed to just what people talk about of hers.
And yes, I think the fact that the earliest years with AO were so light was a big hang up for me too. I'm glad to have gone a little deeper and am looking forward to using some of their resources, but they're not for everyone.
But that's one of the good things about homeschooling...we don't all have to like the same things. :)
@@journeyinthehome :) It is definitely worth reading! I like a lot of what she has to say, it just isn't for me. Like with the Montessori method, I like a lot of what she says, but it makes me appreciate the Classical style more.
I did follow your suggestion, and pulled the full book list. There are a lot of good books on the list, but they were ones that I was going to read to or have my kids read anyway. It is a great resource, though.
:) That is. I do appreciate you making these kinds of videos. I live in a very rural area and don't have a big, or even small, homeschooling community around me so I don't have anyone in person to bounce ideas off of or to discuss homeschooling things with. I love watching your videos, Mary Barfield, Rachel from Seven In All and Jerilyn from Our Homeschool Table's intelligent videos that expand my view point and knowledge base. Thank you!
I'm really glad you've enjoyed my videos without feeling like you have to agree with everything. Thinking through different points of view from other homeschool moms is helpful even when we end up coming away with something different for ourselves. :)