Create Your Own Curriculum | a-mind-in-the-light

Create You Own Curriculum

Step 1: Learn more about A Mind in the Light.

A Mind in the Light is an emerging Charlotte Mason curriculum. Be sure to read through the notes and links to articles here on the website to learn more about this educational philosophy.

Here are some links to get you started:

Step 2: Consider your students.

Consider each student individually -what best meets the needs of this particular student? It's important to remember that there is overlap in book choices by year. Some books can be enjoyed across many years, depending on whether they are read aloud or whether the student will be reading it independently. Be sure to choose based on your student's needs and not based on what's listed under one specific year. The books and their accompanying guides listed under each year are based on general ideas and are not always specific to your particular child.

Consider these questions:

1. What level is my student? [Not what age or grade, but what level]

2. Is this level applicable to all subjects? [Will some guides need adjustment -either up or down, depending on skill levels?]

3. Is my student a strong, independent reader; a reader gaining fluency, but who still needs support or a beginning reader? [This determines which books and how many books will need to be read aloud, read together or read independently.]

Consider each student as part of a group -if you are combining some students together. Most of the teaching guides are flexible enough to include a range of ages, allowing teachers to combine students and teach as one group.

Consider these questions:

1. Which students should be combined as a group?

2. Which subjects work best treated as a group for my particular family?

3. Which teaching guides will work best for all students within the group? [The greater the age difference between the youngest and the oldest student the greater the care should be taken in this regard.]

4. Have I considered a long-term track for each student? [Combining students can bring bigger problems in the future, if the overall sequence for each individual student is not considered in advance.]

Step 3: Create a general outline plan.

Use the attached, printable outline guide for creating a general plan [PDF]. ETA: I'll reactivate this link after I've updated the file.

Step 4: Select and purchase teaching guides.

Select the Year(s) you wish to view from the drop-down menu under this tab. From each Year(s), select guide(s) from each subject you need. Be sure to take advantage of the CYOC 1/2 Price Package Discount -Choose $160+ worth of teaching guides and save $80. Use this code: CYOCPACKAGE.

Selections for each Year:

Year 1 -Children in Year 1 will have a complete guide. They are in their own special year and will not be part of the history rotation, which begins with Year Two. Purchase the complete guide and add World History [OPT] if you wish as well as any artists for picture study you will need. Music Appreciation for the year is already included with "Introduction to Music".

Year 2-3 -Students in these 2 years can work at the same general level [with adjustments in specific level]. Choose Geography [1]; Natural History & Science [1-3] and a time period guide of your choice [1]. The 4 time periods offered are as follows: Pre-17th Century; 16th-18th Century; 19th Century and 20th-21st Century. The latter guide will include American History, Literature, Poetry & Recitation. Add World History [OPT] if you wish as well as the Arts [3 Art & 3 Music; "Introduction to Music may also be used but will count for 3 as it's for a full year].

Year 4 -Choose Geography [1-2]; Natural History & Science [1-3]; a time period guide of your choice [1]. The 4 time periods offered are as follows: Pre-17th Century; 16th-18th Century; 19th Century and 20th-21st Century. The latter guide will include American History, Literature, Poetry & Recitation. Add British History [1] as well as the Arts [3 Art & 3 Music].

Year 5-6 -Students in these 2 years can work at the same general level [with adjustments in specific level]. Choose Geography [1-2]; Natural History & Science [1-3]; a time period of your choice [1]. The 4 time periods offered are as follows: Pre-17th Century; 16th-18th Century; 19th Century and 20th-21st Century. The latter guide will include American History, Literature, Poetry & Recitation. Add British History [1], Citizenship [1], Ancient History [1] as well as the Arts [3 Art & 3 Music].

Step 5: Select songs, handcrafts, art & music

For suggestions of songs, handcrafts, picture study and music appreciation, use this file with lists included [PDF].

Step 6: Add skill subjects & Charlotte Mason principles.

Skills subjects such as, math, reading, foreign language, etc. are added as best fits each individual student. General expectations for Charlotte Mason principles such as dictation, transcription, grammar, etc. as well as narration development for each year are arranged in the following attached chart [PDF]. Use the printable chart as a reference in how this looks for each year using A Mind in the Light curriculum. To learn more about Charlotte Mason principles and characteristics, read through the articles, files and notes at the website [HERE].

Step 7: Begin your educational plan!

Begin and enjoy your new educational plan! If you'd like to know how the weekly and daily schedules work with A Mind in the Light, then be sure to read this article: "Renovating the Routine".