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| from Around the Year by Tasha Tudor |
It’s hard to believe that our Charlotte Mason Community, Truth, Beauty, Goodness, is in its ninth year! What a blessing it has been to all the families involved and what a boon to each of our homeschools, helping us to more effectively implement a full, living curriculum. We always have a planning meeting before each semester of meetings. So our organizational year looks like this:
1. Planning Meeting
2. 6 TBG Classes
3. Family Night (We used to do this after each semester but now we do it once at the end of the school year.)
Repeat!
I have never written about our planning meetings but I have come to realize that they are part of the key to our success. I think that is because it is at these meetings that we graciously evaluate each person’s subject and methods. Here are the self-assessment questions that I send out to each mom before the meeting so that when we come together, they can be prepared to talk through their evaluation. It’s our version of Charlotte Mason’s “Crits.” (Criticism Lessons) which I will share more about soon.
philosophy?
Mason says about your content area?
Other things that we do at the planning meetings are choose the dates and locations for the classes, as well as let the other moms know what we are planning to do for our subject. Oftentimes someone might have information about that poet, composer, play, etc. that will help or guide that teacher. For example, maybe I was going to teach Hamlet for Shakespeare but then someone else tells me that there is a production of Macbeth coming to town, so I might rethink my choice. Things like that.
Most importantly, each meeting is prayed about and each meeting begins with prayer.
I hope you find something helpful here about how we go about our meetings that you can apply to your own community or maybe just within your homeschool.
Warmly,
Nancy
Getting to answer those questions tonight and may have to ponder too. Thank you for posting and challenging me to think about how and what and why I teach this way. Good,good, good… I have learned so much from you. Very thankful.
Yes Nancy, this was very helpful…thank you!
On the side, our group is finishing up our study of Vol. 6, A Philosophy of Education. I'm contemplating which volume to study next, going between Vol. 1 and Vol. 3. Our kiddos are 12, nearly 11, and 3 1/2. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks Again,
Melissa
Hi Nancy, very helpful questions that I'm going to ponder within the next week. Thank you. 🙂
Hi, Sarah! You are very welcome!
Warmly,
Nancy
information, sorry, not import
Question! Where would I find the most import in her volumes about my two subject areas? Shakespeare and Poetry…I was digging around this morning, but? 🙂
Dear Amy,
Good question! Miss Mason sprinkles things here and there and sometimes it takes some digging. For poetry, the AO Topical page is helpful: https://www.amblesideonline.org/CMM/topicalpoetry.html
For Shakespeare, there is so much scattered everywhere! I would go to volume 6 at AO and search Shakespeare or look at the index of each volume. I have lots of sections in my posts on the TBG page/Shakespeare.
Some helpful places: Vol. 4 p. 71 "We probably read Shakespeare…
Vol. 6 p. 182 – Form I & II
Does that help?
Warmly,
Nancy
Yes, VERY! I will be digging in these soon! Thanks for doing the leg work for me! <3
Great questions, Nancy — and very adaptable for personal reflection within our own families. Thank you for sharing!
VERY helpful, Nancy! 🙂