Feb. 11, 2009 - Charlotte Mason Kindergarten
Category • Preschool and Kindergarten
If you are planning to do a kindergarten year with a five-year-old, I hope you'll study up first on CM's recommendations so you can plan a wonderful K year that meets your goals in a CM-friendly way. I don't say this because I think there's some rule that says we all must follow CM's recommendations but because I have always found her recommendations to be wise and useful, and I am sure that these (related to the years before formal school begins at age 6 or later) are also wise and useful and so are worth keeping in mind.
If you want to study up, I'd recommend starting with these two links:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lklivingston/593286/
This is my attempt to catalogue what CM says in Volume 1 about children under six. The first part focuses on the List of Attainments, but read all the way through. One important part:
"Charlotte Mason did not intend for children under the age of six to be free to play all day with no parental direction or instruction. She gives us definite guidelines for the type of gentle instruction we should weave into our children's days."
http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/1_5a.html
Start with the second section at this link, which covers the kindergarten, and also read the third section (which also covers the kindergarten). Read carefully and see what she praises about the kindergarten and what she mentions as concerns. Notice also where she says that certain aspects of the kindergarten (as a formal institution) are good but can be handled better differently at home--those are aspects you'll want to keep in mind as you make your own plan.
Think and pray about your goals for a K year. What is its purpose? What do you hope to accomplish? What does your specific child need during this time (which may last for more than one year)?
It is absolutely possible to have a kindergarten year that follows Charlotte Mason's advice. May you find just the right arrangement for your child!
Comments
Feb. 12, 2009 - CM Kindergarten
Posted by Anonymous
Thank you, Kathy, for such a helpful post, especially the encouragement to stay before the Lord in this matter.
Richele
www.BarefootVoyage.blogspot.com
Feb. 12, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by lklivingston
CM encourages to take our child training and educating to the Lord always, and I think that's such wise advice. She says if we decide to take it upon ourselves, the Holy Spirit will step back and let our efforts stand or fall on their own strength, but if we will take our struggles in these areas to Him (not neglecting our own efforts but not relying on them either) then He will take up the task for us. I wish I followed that advice more myself!