The term “nature study” can be a bit of a kaleidoscope. It means different things to different people. Many believe that it applies only to formal lessons on nature-related topics, such as a structured lesson on the life cycle of a beetle.
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Charlotte Mason
Blossom and Root Early Years, Blossom and Root First Grade
What a Homeschool Day Looks Like For a Work-From-Home Mama
The picture you see above is not my desk. My desk is currently buried under a week’s worth of clean clothes waiting to be folded and put away. That steamy cup of coffee is also not mine. My coffee is almost always slugged back ice-cold, and I’m sure many of you fellow mamas can relate. Cold coffee and a pile of laundry are far from pin-able, but they are my reality.
In my last two posts, I shared with you my favorite elements from the Charlotte Mason approach (click here to read) and the Waldorf approach (click here to read.) Many people find that these two approaches compliment each other very well, especially when given flexibility and an open mind concerning educational philosophies. Here’s how that looks for us:
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Like many homeschoolers, we embrace an eclectic approach that combines multiple philosophies or approaches. I often describe our homeschool as a kind of ever-morphing stew that starts with a base of Charlotte Mason and Waldorf, throws in a heaping spoonful of unit studies, stirs in some classical education, and occasionally gets ignored in favor of periodic unschooling. And it’s always changing–sometimes with the seasons, sometimes with our interests, and sometimes because life happens and we are okay with adapting as needed.
Blossom and Root Kindergarten, Nature Study
Inspiring Wonder: Nature Study in Blossom and Root Kindergarten
The first time I heard of Charlotte Mason, I was in my early twenties. I’d never heard of her or her methods prior to studying early childhood education. Yet somehow, despite my (relatively unromantic) public school education, I discovered that I had managed to have a Charlotte Mason childhood.
Between my parents and my grandparents, I’d grown up in a world richly infused with nature, literature, and the arts. I spent every moment I could outdoors, rambling over fields on my bike,
The seasons in Colorado, especially spring, aren’t exactly clearly-defined. Just the other day, I took the dogs on a morning walk through icy sleet, only to enjoy a hot, sunny afternoon at the park with the girls mere hours later. We dance between snow, rain, hail, and sunny 80 degree days from mid-March until, sometimes, the beginning of June. Even so, spring is magical. And it’s one of my favorite times to play hooky from table work in pursuit of muddy puddles and new, green sprouts.
Art and Music, Blossom and Root Kindergarten
Inspired by Diego Rivera: An Art Activity from Blossom and Root Kindergarten
This activity is from Blossom and Root Kindergarten. Click here to download your free sample of this delight-filled, gentle, hands-on curriculum for ages 6 to 7. Our kindergarten program features picture studies and inspired art projects from Monet, Picasso, Diego Rivera, and Edward Hopper.
Part One: Picture Study
Blossom and Root Early Years, Brave Writer Lifestyle, Parenting
The Gift of Listening: Why Big, Juicy Conversations are an Essential Part of Our Homeschool
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Any Charlotte Mason fan worth their salt is familiar with the concept of narration–the oral or written demonstration of knowledge and understanding as an alternative to the “memorize, regurgitate, repeat” model of testing used by the majority of public school systems. Narration is a uniquely profound way to discover what your child has absorbed, retained, and taken a deeper interest in during your work together. However, it can sometimes feel awkward or stilted, especially early in the game when your children are young, or the concept of narration is new to them.