Without a Net

This year I'm trying something very new. Well, sort of new and sort of old, but very different. Well, not as different as it might be, but . . .

I've been using Charlotte Mason's principles and methods of education in our home school since before My Girl began officially schooling, and this fall she's entering grade 9. This year, because our lives won't already be interesting enough (ahem), I was inspired to go textbook-less with our Science curriculum and go entirely with living books.

Several years ago I was convinced of the idea of Nature Study being the natural precursor to science in the early years of school, and have done only Nature Study and living science with the boys. But when My Girl entered grade 8 I felt a sudden panic to make sure that she was getting all the foundational science in and turned to a well-known science program. And we didn't like it. It was memorization and dry reading (even when the author was being conversational). And it took at least 45 minutes every single day to complete it! I wasn't sure that I wanted to continue in that framework for the next four years.

One of my friends had participated with her daughter in a pilot project for a CM-style living books science course and loved it. And then in June I went to the ChildLight USA Charlotte Mason Conference in Boiling Springs, North Carolina and heard a wonderful-fantastic presentation about stepping away from the safety net of a textbook based curriculum and using living books and keeping notebooks. There was a lot more to it that the workshop presenter spoke about, and it inspired me to step onto the high-wire of a truly Charlotte Mason science course.

I've spent much time these past weeks selecting and ordering my books (not just for science, and for much more than just the next year, but that's for another post), and now that I'm through that, I'm ready to take that first scary step off the platform and begin travelling along that wire: pre-reading selected books, scheduling readings, planning out the note-booking process. I am so eager to have this work, and I can't wait to begin!

I am incredibly thankful to Jennifer G. for her presentation at CLUSA's CM conference, and hope to be able to share here at PeaceLedge some of the experiences of walking the high-wire of science without a net.

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Okay, the photos don't have anything at all to do with the post, but I couldn't stand having yet another post without pictures! These three are from our recent trip to Vernon, BC, where we spent a full 24 hours with my sister and her family. Much too short a visit, and much too long since the last one. But, again, that's for another post.

Changing Schedule

My Dear Man has just begun his change to an 80% work week, so he's going to be taking one full day (or 2 half days, I suppose) away from the office and spending it here at home. And while it would be fun to just enjoy his presence, we are going to have to learn to keep on with our things while he works.

His day at home is to consist of phone calls, emails, reading, errands, research, and whatever else is necessary to work on preparing for our departure for Maldonado. This is his new work. It's not a day off, not by any stretch of the imagination. There are so many things to look into before we'll be ready to leave, not the least of which is bringing our financial support up to the required level. His days here are going to be busy.

But we sure enjoyed this week's work at home day, when we got to share lunch with him, My Girl got to go along on an errand or two, and he was available to rehang the light I'd just repaired.

Lots of change ahead. And having my Dear Man around more is one of the good changes!

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(Dear Man's last day at the office will be August 5. Then things are REALLY going to look different!)

Wanted: Routines

Getting back to routine after six weeks of out-of-the-ordinary is hard, especially when the school year ended during the out-of-the-ordinary time and no summer routine had been established.

So, what with a three hour time change, no routines for 6 weeks, and no school to act as our skeleton for daily scheduling, we've been floundering.

Today I decided that we couldn't go on this way and have been working at putting together a summer schedule. I know it's going to change. I know it isn't going to work every day. But it WILL keep me and The Ones I Love from wanting to fling each other out of windows (mostly).

I'm going to use our food times as anchors: breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks. And then, following each food time we will have a task to do that involves everyone, since everyone is already gathered. It might be a school job (history read aloud or literature). It might be a house chore. We'll see. But after the everyone task is done, then reading time or play time (indoor or out, as the case suits) will be offered until the next together time.

Oh. One more thing. NOBODY will leave the kitchen after food times until all the kitchen clean-up is done. NOBODY!

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So, do you think it'll work? Time will tell. But at least I have a plan, and that's half the battle as far as I'm concerned.

Trying Something New

I did some fiddling with the appearance of PeaceLedge and, while I'm not completely satisfied with it, I can't go back to the old version. So, bear with me over the next while as there might be several attempts before I find a design and layout that I really like.

Hoping to post more when I have a chance.