Help! MOH, TQ, SCM??? I'm confused. « SCM Discussion Forum: Charlotte Mason Method Homeschooling

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Help! MOH, TQ, SCM??? I'm confused.

(13 posts) (4 voices)

Started 1 year ago by my3boys
Latest reply from Rachel

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my3boys
Member

I need help deciding what to do with my boys 11, 7 and the 4 yo who tags along.

This is my story. We've been hsing for almost 4 years. We have done a variety of things and my heart is now settled on the CM method. We have been doing 106 Days, we've read Boy of the Pyramids, Copywork, SW, etc., so my boys are familiar with read alouds, narration, etc. So, that part is not the problem...My problem is History (for right now). We have covered Ca. History for my 11yo and about 11 lessons in the Mystery of History. I had a hard time staying focused on one method of covering history and bounced around a bit. Now I'm ready to plan for a more CM approach. I guess I'm just not sure about giving up the MOH completely and I was trying to CM-friendly it. Well, I just can't seem to do it. I have spent some money and lots of time preparing to use it but I'm afraid it just isn't fitting. Am I just trying to fit a *square peg into a round hole* or whatever that saying is??

I have made a nice time line using a cardboard sewing board, have copied ALL of the blank maps, purchased and used the 3x5 card 2 ring binder, not including the book that was about $40., so I guess you could say that I'm reluctant to give up on all that because of what I put in to it. I'm sure some of you can relate and will have kind words of encouragement:)

I've been reading more and more about TQ and such and just feel like I need to do something else.

I believe Linda had responded to an earlier post of mine re: this same issue and I need to reread it, among others.

If anyone has some feedback for me I would really appreciat it. I will be planning our next year out over Spring break and of course the summer, so I have time, but I'm a planner, so I'm thinking about it now. We're just finishing up this year with what we already have (the boys want to just complete it and then move on). Please help:)

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
mrsjamiesouth
Member

I have had similar issues deciding and I came across some great scripture. A friend (Jen) and I started a little study on Jeremiah 6:16 in regards to homeschooling. I pasted it below.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls." But they said, "We will not walk in it."

1. Stand
1 Samuel 12:16
Now then, Stand still and see this Great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.

As we stand by the ways, God will show us His great things. Instead of running forward we need to wait on Him.

2. Look (seek)
Matthew 6:33
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

As we stand before God we must remember to seek Him first and then these things shall come to us.

3.Ask
James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Once we wait upon God and seek Him, then we must ask Him which way to go. I often forget to seek him for the little things, these are most important though.

4. Walk
1 Peter 2:21
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps

Jeremiah 3:21
Setup for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the High way, the way by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these cities.

Jesus Christ has shown us the way to walk, we must follow his example. "Fix our eyes on Jesus" to guide us and mark the paths.

5. Rest
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you, and Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you shall find rest for your souls.

Psalm 46:10
Be still and Know that I am God

So, we must learn from Jesus before we can find Peace or rest. Jesus took the time everyday to pray and to be still with God. Spend some time with God where you are still and quiet and listening for His Word.

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

All I can say is "Thank you".

I guess you could say that I wasn't expecting scripture for an answer, but it is exactly what I need. I don't want to rush anymore like I have in the past. I have found some great resources here and there, but have found myself not completely satisfied with what we're doing. Even if I felt that I was being patient or that I thought we had just found the best thing out there (for that subject) I still feel/felt that I was all over the map in approach. That's why the CM approach/method makes such good sense to me. It all seems to flow. No matter what the subject.

But I guess rushing in to anything is still rushing. I know my kids are depending on me (and my husband) to seek God's guidance and wait on Him. I will meditate on what you shared, pray and wait. I know when I have the peace of mind I need I won't have any regrets, no matter what I've spent money on:) Thanks again for sharing something so personal with a perfect stranger. Blessings to you and your family:)

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
mrsjamiesouth
Member

I have asked that question about what to use so many times and everyone has a different answer. I get persuaded that this "way" is best and then another person comes along and tells me why "that way" is better. I end up buying way too much curriculum and not using the majority of it when it doesn't work out. So, I think the best advice I could give is for you to ask God. If you have prayed and feel CM is best for you than go with it.

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

I know what you mean. I have been given suggestions or searched out things myself and way overloaded ourselves with oodles of everything.

The difference with this style or this choice is that I somehow stumbled upon this website maybe from a hsing book I read or something like that. It wasn't suggested by a person that I know personally. I was intrigued by the copywork and 106 Days and that was about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago. I hadn't really visited the site but just a few times up until about 2 months ago, or so. I just slowly started ready and digesting the method/style slowly, not even adding anything else that is suggested to our hs. I go through a charter so I wasn't sure how I would handle the samples and such. But, so far with the science it hasn't even been an issue. Anyway, these last couple of weeks I have been slowly implemented the habit of our Bible Time and more read alouds, plus a much better supply of quality books. My kids are really gobbling it up and I'm feeling so much more relaxed about what our future may hold. I felt so random before, and I'm a planner so that doesn't really set well with me.

This site and style have opened my eyes to things I didn't think my boys would be interested in and they have shown such interest and I feel it's because of the much needed focus I have acquired. I really feel alot of what I've read and have considered has been an answered prayer. I won't stop praying, just that I feel like I have some type of foundation. I'm not trying to give praise where it doesn't belong, and I don't want to offend anyone, but I thank God himself for those things he reveals to me. Oh, and I do think that is great advice:)

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
Rachel
Member

I use TQ; if your family is now used to learning primarily from good books, narrations with hands-on things added in at your own leisure and preference (if at all), breaking for field trips, etc; then I'd say TQ is for you. Do you know anyone who owns one that you could look thourhg or dso you have a homeschool store nearby so you could browse through it before purchasing? One really good thing is one TQ GUide covers 2-3 years, so financially it's better and very little "teacher stuff" to do, as you had described above w/MOH. TQ allows for your own pace; which is good if you like that freedom, not good if you need the structure of someting like MOH. I would go nuts having someone else's curriculum telling me what to do every week, adding more pressure. I like that I can use her guidance on the pages and thbe book recommendations, pick my own spine and pick other books instead of the ones she recommends; but still I have a guide. That's all I want. The good books will do the teaching, I just want a guide to keep me moving in a specific direction.

Your post wasn't clear on WHY you are turned off by MOH now versus your motivation to purchase it in the first place. Does that make sense? Are you holding on to the structure or the stuff you've put into it? Knowing why you lean towards something tells you alot about your teaching preference style and lifestyle and will help you make the better decisions regarding purchases. For example, I get a nice feeling when I read how ladies I know get a new Unit Study and what they're are accomplishing through it and I look at their post where they bought it, reading all about it; and for a moment, I consider it...then I remember that I despise unit studies and I click off the page. If you're holding on to the structure, be encouraged that you still have structure w/CM and the TQ guide; to me the difference is you plan the structure and pace of it as opposed to someone else doing it; add a spine and the numerous books, those read aloud and read independantly by your children, will provide what you need. Throw in a good wall map, some atlases, a BOC, a history hands-on kit, like Hearts and HAnds or Time Travelors, maybe some bios/documentaries about people in history (what kind dependant on ages) and you're pretty much set, IMO. I must also give a plug for the historical Your Story Hour Series for world and American stories, Living Principles of America for awesome American History, and Diane Waring's CD's What in the World's Going on Here? All excellenmtly priced at Library Educaitonal Resources. I'm a history freak so I like our family to be immersed in it; they request these resources.

As for what you've already put into it; perhaps you could sell it as a used kit and someone would be happy to buy it from you who won't have to put in that time since you did! You definitely won't need flashcards for TQ, but may want the maps for the BOC.

Hope I have helped and not said too much,

Rachel

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Thank you for your input, and no, it was not too much. I love all the feed back.

My experience with social studies/history is a random assortment of resources covering a variety of time periods. My oldest is 11 and when he is younger we did some social studies from a textbook, different workbooks here and there, field trips and covered Ca. history in 4th grade (our historical museum puts on Valley Days so it was great to implement that as well as field trips) using a lapbook from In the Hands of a Child. Took us, don't ask, way too long. Anyway, the hs group I am a part of had a mom using the Story of the World, but my son was not part of the class. So, I went online researching that and stumbled upon MOH. At the time it was what I thought I really wanted to do. Not because of structure or that it was necessarily done for me, I just thought that weaving the Bible throughout it would be fascinating. Oh, and I was loving the chronological order, since I hadn't really been doing that. I bought it, made the time line, maps, purchased some books it suggests, etc. Fast forward and 11 lessons into it, I just can't say that it is fulfilling the CM side of me that is longing to utililize. I have technically only been hsing for 3 1/2 years and I don't even count the first year of getting my feet wet. The second was better, 3rd better, but 4th I feel like I have REALLY learned what I do not like in my hs. It has taken time to iron things out. I was eager early on, wanting to try everything, adding all sorts of things inside and out to our lives. I was working part-time up until 2 years ago so then I REALLY wanted to do those things I couldn't before. Wow!! What an eye opener!! So I've sown my hsing wild oats and ready to settle down:)

The MOH just isn't providing the living books that I had not even considered as part of my social studies curriculum. I guess that's all I had to say to answer the question, huh? Even the read aloud time in the MOH is not a living book type and I guess I could've gathered some anyway, but it's just not working, do you understand what I'm saying:(

Okay, a question. Do you use the SCM modules for history or just the TQ?? And what has made your heart settled on one and not the other??

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
Scherger5
Member

I use them together. My kids like to read....A LOT....so I enjoy having the bountiful book choices that TQ offers. I always mark all of the SCM books in my TQ guides with a highlighter, so I know I am covering all the necessary topics. Everything else is gravy. I also really like Michelle Miller's commentary; it just pulls it all together for me.

On a side note, I have to say that I enjoy reading the MOH books. I use them as an intro read and then we really dive in.

Heather

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

That should say *sewn my wild hsing oats*

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

I guess that's more of what I'm looking for is to make it a resource, not the spine? or curriculum. I would still keep the book and utilize it at my discretion, without feeling locked in to it. I have some of the suggested books and enjoy the lesson stories, but I think I may have just made it harder than it all has to be.

I have looked over the TQ guide as well and it looks appealing. Thanks for the input. I really do appreciate it:)

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
Rachel
Member

I just use the TQ for history. My reason? Probably due to the fact that I feel strongly about doing American History in the first 3 years, instead of chronological from the beginning, for a couple of reasons. Also, there are more books to choose from in TQ and I can get on my library site and put them on hold at the appropriate time and order the others that I will be using frequently.

Yes, I agree, TQ is a resource that assists me in my process to be organized about this; it's not a curriculum. I use a spine for the time period in additon to TQ, others do not use one.

Lastly, continue praying for guidance and you will receive, and even though this was given earlier, the rest of it is very important in the asking; He says ask for Wisdom specifically in your temptations (in buying certain products in this case): "Now, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask G-d, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him. But let him ask in trust, doubting nothing; for the doubter is like a wave in the sea being tossed and driven by the wind." James 1:5-7 (CJB)

Rachel

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Do you mean first 3 years of hsing (like grades 1-3) or highschool? Also, what spine do you use?

I appreciate the answers as I make decisions for next year:)

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
Rachel
Member

I meant grades 1-3 or even a little more with a gradual introduction of Greece and Rome, via legends/myths teaching virtue, (for example using James Baldwin's "...Famous Series" as a read aloud during this time as a general intro. into W. History),exposure through our general conversation, and what we read in Scripture; as opposed to an in depth study of the culture at these ages while they are in the milk stage of their faith, when they should be immersed in the G-d Of Israel at this point, IMO. Besides, I want them to have a strong foundation in their own country, first. I could speak alot of about that, but I'll spare you!

I also should clarify that we do Biblical History through Hebraic History on Sabbath (another reason I don't use SCM's modules), using Tales and Customs of the Ancient Hebrews, then Introduction to Jewish History and Journey Through Jewish History (last year and this year); haven't decided fully after that, either Guerber's "Story of the Chosen Poeple" or the Miller rewrite and retitled of the same "Story of the Ancient World"

As for spines, I like Edward Eggleston's "Great Americans..." for K-1, Mary Pratt's American History volumes after that then the Guerber Histories and maybe even the Streams of History Series ,too, then theM.B. Synge books for High School; I'm not there yet so I can't say yet for sure. I love Yesterdays's Classics, though and use alot of there books. So I guess I do Narrative spines and General Spines (referrirng to the other wonderful post). The Guerber's stuff is definitely for grades 3 and up.

HTH,

Rachel

Posted 1 year ago # Report Post

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