The goldenrod has begun to bloom here on the prairie, signaling that summer is quietly slipping away and another school year is drawing near. Just this morning, I sat with my cup of tea, the windows cracked to welcome in that first hint of autumn. A monarch flitted by. It’s time to turn our hearts and minds toward the fresh beginnings that September brings.
In this season of preparation, I often hear from mothers who feel overwhelmed—perhaps by the abundance of choices, or the pressure to “get it right.” If that’s you, let me offer a deep breath and a gentle reminder: planning does not need to be perfect; it only needs to be prayerful and purposeful.
I want to share with you some of my best back-to-school planning advice on homeschooling with the Charlotte Mason philosophy of living and learning.
Parent/Teacher Must Reads
My advice is two-fold as far as what I would read before each school year. First, it’s important to remember Mason’s words of guidance from her chapter “The Great Recognition Required of Parents” from Volume 2 in order to set our minds in the right direction. And for further encouragement, “The Mother’s Key” will illuminate a simple but astounding truth for you. Second, Parents Are Peacemakers, the parenting pamphlet full of wisdom that the PNEU used to introduce people to Mason’s methods.
The Child In Front of You
Before opening your planner or purchasing new books, take time to sit with each child—quietly observe, reflect, and pray. What delights them? What challenges them? What habits need attention? We are not crafting an ideal curriculum for an ideal child. We are preparing a feast for this child, in this season.
Let your planning begin with a real person in mind. A few posts that answer questions around this are “Should You Have Your Child Reread Books” and “The Well-Read Child or How Much is Too Much?”
Scheduling the School Year
A classic post with lots of interesting discussion revolves around doing 3 terms or 2 semesters. Which fits your family better? “Terms or Semesters?”
Keeping the Peace
These posts are my heart. They hit at the core, the basis, the foundation of this Charlotte Mason journey we are all on. Always remember to “Keep Cutting Back Until There Is Peace In the Home.” “Peace Like a River” will introduce you to some advice from Charlotte’s teachers that will bring you peace. And please don’t forfeit your peace as described in “Planning With Peace.”
The Thing is the Thing
For some reason, we need to be reminded of this every year. I would have my teachers in our TBG Co-op read this as they planned their classes, too. Always remember that “The Thing is the Thing.”
Teaching Tips From Charlotte’s Notes
This is another one of those posts I love to revisit and share with my teachers because they are from Charlotte’s own notebook! Some of her advice might surprise you in “Teaching Tips from Charlotte Mason.” It’s also important to avoid grooves and this article is based on more advice from Charlotte on the homeschool.
This coming season, may your home be filled with living ideas, gentle rhythms, and much wonder. Planning is important, yes—but more important is the atmosphere we create, the relationships we nurture, and the truths we live out day by day.
You are not behind. You are not alone. You are doing sacred work.
Teaching from Peace,
Nancy
Your thoughts?