Language Arts and all that Jazz

I will need to break this section in to many posts-due to each level needing a lot of attention for details. The best thing to keep in mind when choosing your curriculum for this area: KNOW YOUR KID! Honestly. If your child is a total workbook freak and learns best through this way, be sure to have it in their program. Do not avoid or drop other things that can, and will cause them to stretch their skills though. The key is to slip it in there and before they know what they are doing, so that they already have that skill.

If you have one who loathes writing things down, but can easily rattle off everything, perhaps lightening up on the writing (again, this is not forever, eventually they need this skill), and having more oral recitation will do the trick.

Remember that each child is different. One may be reading whilst still in the womb, the other may not read until they have facial hair. Ok, that is being a tad dramatic, but you get the point. One may not visually, or mentally be ready to be reading at 4 or 5. Others are reading novels by 3rd grade. Take each child as they are: individuals. Patience will be the key factor here too.

So, when the posts start popping up, keep these helpful hints in mind. Be sure to research as many books as you can on this subject. I prefer the CM way and phonics for a good language arts program. Of course, for those of us who are eclectic in nature-different components of several programs may come into play. Use what you think will work best.

Over and out.

Charlotte Mason sites

I came across a couple new sites today and wanted to post some others I know of that utilize Charlotte Mason's philosophies.

I have not yet purchased from these folks, but from what I see, they have some great materials that play in nicely to Charlotte's way of thinking and teaching. Check them out.

livingbookscurriculum.com (fellow Michiganders and Christians to boot-awesome)

backyardnature.net (nature study helps via online )

simplycharlottemason.com (info on CM and free ebook)

homeschoolhelperonline.com/notebooking.htm (notebooking ideas and more)

queenhomeschool.com (many products geared toward CM style-good info)

amblesideonline.org (mother of all CM sites, has complete book lists and ideas for all grades)


Another great little ditty I found-uses scrapbooking and notebooking and copywork to create nice scrap-notebooks. Follows the same idea of lapbooks.

scrapandlearn.com

Have fun checking these out!