A bi-monthly event for families using Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy
to be challenged, to share ideas and inspiration, and to get to know one another!
FAQs
What is a blog carnival? How does it work?
When will it take place?
What does one need to know about submitting a post?
How might one submit a post?
Posting schedule
Upcoming topics
So what's with the changes?
ahh... the lovely lady herself :)
What is a blog carnival? How does it work?
A 'blog carnival' is a community blog post where lots of different people have submitted their own posts on a common subject or theme. For example, Mary posts a blog post (in our case, CM related) and submits the post using the form here. Jane, the carnival host puts all the posts together and posts the carnival post to her blog. In her post, Jane writes a short summary with a link back to all the blogs who've submitted posts to that carnival (including Mary's post as well as Elizabeth, and Katherine and any others who have submitted their posts).
When will it take place?
This blog carnival has been on-going for several years and will continue to take place bi-monthly (every other Tuesday)... the calendar will be posted below.
Keep forgetting? Send me an e-mail to be added to the reminder list, just put 'CM blog carnival reminder' in the subject line.
As this is a Charlotte Mason blog carnival, it goes without saying that posts ought to be in line with her educational philosophy. (In doubt? Read the volumes online here.)
First of all, see the schedule of current and upcoming post topics. Read the current reading suggestion when possible. Your post might include your take on the topic being discussed, thoughts about what you're learning from the reading, or how you're applying CM theories in your home, etc., etc.
Have you already written your post, and it has nothing to do with the current theme? Feel free to submit your post as long as it is in line with CM philosophy and it will be listed in the carnival under miscellaneous posts. Do you have an older post that fits perfectly? Please share!! Or, do a re-post from the archives... whatever floats your boat.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to holler!
How might one submit a post?
Click the link below and fill out the online form to submit your post to the upcoming carnival.
So what's with the changes?
The Charlotte Mason blog carnival has been a wonderful resource for the online CM community for several years now! A place where CM bloggers have come to share their knowledge and experience, and we've all learned so much from each other! Occasionally, in the past the carnival featured a themed post, see this post on habits for example, that now serves as a resource to revisit.
One treasured CM blogger wrote this:Lately, we've all just been submitting hodgepodge CM posts (and there's nothing wrong with that!). But, you may have noticed that the carnival is in need of some rejuvenation? Well, we've decided to go ahead and try some experimental changes with the carnival meant to breathe some new life into it! We hope that the changes will serve to maintain the CM blog carnival as an encouragement, but also give us some options and add an element to hopefully challenge us as well.
I was recently looking back through the archives of the CM Carnival because I knew we had a complete carnival dedicated to the topic of habits. I got to digging around and one thing led to another and soon I was enjoying many of our "themed" carnivals. I realized that these were so enriching and deep in content and very enjoyable to read when they were published. They are now a great resource!
So, there will be a theme posted every month (see above list for examples), as well as an accompanying reading selection from CM's volumes (on the same topic). From there, we're all free to submit what we've learned, how we apply it in our homes, or whatever strikes our fancy. Don't worry, want to post on something not at all on topic but still CM related? No problem! Submit it, we'll just list it in the carnival under miscellaneous posts.
As we are all unique, with a different levels of knowledge and experience with Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy, all coming from differing backgrounds and living situations, we all have something really special to contribute!!
And, if we hate the changes, we can always go back to the way things were, no harm done, right?
Please e-mail me if you would like more information or if you are interested
in hosting the carnival on your blog!
Posts
35 comments:
I voted! And put the link to this page on my blog's facebook page, too! :)
Most challenging--fitting it all in, especially when you have some children that things don't seem to come naturally. My eldest still does not narrate well (she's 12) and we've been at this for six-plus years now. It is very frustrating. Some days are better than others, but on the "others" I just wonder if anything is being retained and connecting. The other challenge for me is the having faith that the system works. I want to believe that it does; however, when does the time come for a particular child that you question if you need to use some more traditional methods to help her become successful. I've seen in my own children some wonderful benefits of our own CM education, but I've also increasingly quesitoned some aspects of it (for them) as they have gotten older and been more willing to incorporate some less CM materials in with our AO routine here and there to address specific weaknesses that continue. I would love to hear more from those with older (mid-high and up) children that use CM, both successfully and with struggles and how they overcome the challenges or adapt to meet their specific needs.
In reading this, at first I was resistant to the idea of themed carnivals. (It's the rebel in me.) But then when I read your explanation, it made a lot of sense! Let's try it!
I voted. I'm still learning to integrate CM with what we already do in our homeschooling. What do I find challenging? Balancing the variety of ages/needs in my family. I have 6 children ages 9 years down to 2 months old, 2 girls and 4 boys. I don't enjoy nature study - there, I've said it. I love reading living books, we can do that for hours. I look forward to seeing themed carnivals so I can find many moms' experiences on one area of CM homeschooling in one place!
@Jamie,
Thanks friend! I didn't think of fb... I'll do that too :)
@turtlemama,
me too! I still have much to learn, and do hope to keep learning from fellow CMers! Thanks for participating!
@Jimmie, me too! I was telling Barb, that I'm not good at forced subjects most times (same rebel self, must be ;)! But, I think we can pull it together, if a lot of us work together, to make it good!! :) plus, I'm always up for a good challenge.
Thanks for this. I voted and I´m looking forward to learning more and getting enriched on a timely fashion by some incredible CM savvy moms! :)
I really appreciate the Biblical and Christ-centered aspects of CM's methods (or really, her heart). I love meaty CM-posts and learning alongside other Cm'ers and from other CM'ers and love the opportunity to be in a CM-community when there isn't a physical one close by.
I'm looking forward to being involved with the carnival again.
I love lots about the carnivals already! I especially like the practical hands-on details like how other families juggle scheduling, multiple kids, etc.
I would enjoy seeing and read more about combining CM principles with other types of homeschool education (ie Classical, Montessori, etc.); also other folks representing other forms of spirituality, ie Jewish CM homeschoolers like me!
THANK YOU!
(p.s. I'd love to win the prize, too! :-))
Thank you for explaining what the CM blog carnival is all about - I've often seen it mentioned and wondered. Unfortunately I couldn't seem to open the link on the habits theme that you mentioned below. I like the idea of themes. I look forward to starting to read through the blog carnival entries and maybe, one day, contribute myself!
I really appreciate the community of the carnival and knowing that there are other mothers out there trying to make it happen. Also, with so many homeschooling ideas out there, it is nice to have a place where you are more likely to find "CM-approved" ones.
The themed carnivals are a great idea. When we hosted a couple carnivals on Simply Charlotte Mason we always announced a theme. We found that we tended to get more posts than non-themed carnivals. I think sometimes suggesting a theme helps bloggers get over the what to write block. Plus, we loved how we could present the posts in a creative and organized way around the theme.
I love that you are doing themed carnivals! I have taken a long sabbatical from blogging but am excited about getting back into the swing of things to share in the carnivals:)
Can't wait to see what gold mines we discover along the way.
I think these changes will be fantastic! With very little time to peruse blogs anymore, the carnivals have been a place where I can read and connect with some of my fav CM-families. But, as you said, lately the topics are so fragmented that I've not been led to stay long enough to read more than one or two posts.
Plus, (outside of myself) I believe having a single topic will help us all to better concentrate on a CM-aspect each month and then see how others are applying that principle in their own homes.
Bribe or no bribe, I'm uber-excited!!!
Voted. Thanking you. Sounds needed and helpful.
I voted. My biggest challenge with CM is finding time to do everything in my plan while keeping things "gentle". I would love to see more posts about how others fit it all in! I am so excited to read all of the blogs!
I'm still what you would consider a baby in the field of homeschooling. Me eldest is only 3 but I have been trying to immerse myself with all CM "goodies". Learning from CM moms has been a blessing! Seems like every CM mom I "know" are very interesting and very intelligent. Can't wait to read more and maybe participate in the carnival.
I am still learning about what blog carnivals are and how they work so the FAQ is much appreciated. I also like the list of topics, especially the "education is an atmosphere" as for me and mine that has been the key to applying CM successfully with my 4 young kids ages 1-8.
I look forward to reading the themed carnivals to come!
I voted and the thing I love about CM (besides everything!) is respect for children and CM Christ-centered-ness. I love it's gentleness and common sense along with it's deep insights. I'm new to the blog carnival scenec so look forward to it.
Renelle
I voted. I love the carnival but fitting it all in is my biggest challenge. This also includes finding the time to blog about our endeavors & remembering to link to the carnival. I look forward to the changes ... I think they will help spark post ideas given a "template". :)
@everybody!
isn't sharing in the online CM community great?!
thank you all for participating! I really hope we can be helpful to one another on this journey called homeschooling. charlotte mason was incredible in her scope, and it is very satisfying to be learning more with you all!
I'm thinking that for my part, I should be able to manage a minimum of 2 posts a month for the carnival. hopefully, it'll be stretching, without wearing out the elastic. ;) I think it will help immensely to have topics to be ruminating over, even if we don't get anything posted :)
I voted too! I hope you don't mind I am participating, as I am not actually homeschooling (yet). But I know what I like about about CM! I like the fact that it is complete and christian filosofy of education. It is a method, not a system. Relations, not facts, etc.
And I would love to get that bribe ;-).
Martine
i voted! thank you :)
I've learned so much from the CM blog carnival over the last few years. Thanks to all the great bloggers out there!
After using CM for 13 years I can really see the fruit paying off. Like to encourage everyone that 'CM is a rich education'.
I have loved reading the carnival since I recently found it, and have felt honoured to have joined in a couple of times.
Would it be stretching the topic too far to have a theme of 'where you differ from CM and why' - after all, CM herself believed we should continue to be keeping on top of educational theory, research, etc. Presumably some of her ideas are out of date, or need modifying given current understandings... (like, I believe she thinks babies should be on a schedule, which is generally deprecated nowadays).
Voted! Sounds good, Friend!
I also voted yesterday but just came by again today after I saw your post on the AO year O group:)
I haven't been part of the CM carnival before but I'm going to check it out. I wouldn't say I'm an expert in anyway as I still have so much to learn but if you need someone to contribute a post on nature study from our back yard (make that a tiny backyard) I am thinking of writing one up at the moment and am willing to submit it if it will be good enough:)
regards,
Rosemary in Australia!
I am wanting to revisit CM and really get started with some of its concepts, so this carnival will be very helpful to me.
I voted.
Thanks!
I voted! The most challenging is habit training...for the kids *and* myself! Finding time to learn handicrafts and then teach them to my children. I love the artist/composer studies and nature study, being consistent with them is more difficult. I need to re-read Charlotte this spring and work some more of her ideals into my homeschool!
great blog. fun poll. we're trying to do CM with a 10dd, 5dd, 4dd, and 1ds. hope to have more time later to peruse at leisure. :)
I voted, thanks! I find the CM carnivals to be so encouraging. It never fails just when I'm feeling that I'm the only HS mama dealing with these issues, their will be a post about it. I'm not alone! :-)
Love the idea of themed editions. Makes it easier and faster when looking for particular helps. Thanks!
Amy - thanks for all you do for the carnivals and the CM community. Loved the themed idea. ~Tricia
I voted.
I think a theme is what I need to get me back to the carnival.
I voted. I don't have a blog though so I have never submitted to the carnival, but they are an encouragement every time I read them!
Blessings, Betty
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