Cindy Rushton

Category: Charlotte Mason

  • Easy Record-Keeping for the Reluctant Homeschool Mom! by Cindy Rushton

    Record-keeping!  Does your hair stand up when you think of record-keeping? Do you begin to grind your teeth?  Did you feel like skipping this article just because it seems impossible for “EASY” and “Record-keeping” to ever go together??

    Relax.  I know that there is not a “one size fits all.” I know that in spite of how hard we may search, there is not a perfect system for every mom!  That is OK! My prayer is that if you are in need of some ideas to make a couple areas a little easier or if you have no idea of where to begin, that you will find a few ideas as you come home with us to see how simple record-keeping CAN be.  Ready for some quick tips??? Here we go… (more…)

  • Quick Ideas for Making History Fun! by Cindy Rushton

    Want to make the new school year better than ever? Want studies that are interesting for the whole family? I think I can help you! How about some quick tips for making your history studies fun? I think you will find these to make lessons fun and easy. Let’s dig in…

    * Get Out to See History as Much as Possible…    Hunt up any Living History Days scheduled in your area.  Get out to all historical sites and museums…even hands-on children’s museums.  Don’t miss any historical reenactments and plays within driving distance! These all give wonderful opportunities to get your children in touch with those that love History and know it best. (more…)

  • Setting Up Your Home to Learn by Cindy Rushton

    Homeschooling? Thinking about Homeschooling? BUT…do you have to turn your home into a school? No, my dear friend, you do not need to turn your home into a school. Your home can still be a HOME. A home ready to learn! Ready?

    Ready? This is EASY as ABC…

    –>  Find a good nook! It does not have to be huge. Certainly does not need to be expensive.  All that is needed is a place that invites your children (and YOU!) to think, work through the studies (writing, reading, studying, proofreading, projects, experiments…). Ask yourself, “Where do they gravitate toward to read…to research…to write…to print?” (more…)

  • Psst! A Secret to Scheduling Success! by Cindy Rushton

    Want to know one of my biggest secrets to homeschooling the easy way? Want to know one of my biggest secrets to scheduling success? This one secret can make your daily schedule finally fit. It can end your scheduling frustrations forever.

    I am not a “schedule by the minute” type of person. (GRIN) I fail with schedules like that. They don’t meet my needs. My life includes too many areas that have different needs daily. Timed schedules just do not work for me.

    So, what has worked for me? Setting up a framework to my day. This is one incredibly powerful tip. It can make a HUGE difference in your day as well. It just might be the secret that has alluded you through the years.

    Wondering what I mean by a “framework” for your day? By framework, I mean a general flow to each day that includes all of the areas of my life that I juggle. But, how do I do that? Here are some quick tips:
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  • Let’s Try Notebooking

    Notebooking … ahhh, just the thought makes me hyper! If I could ask every homeschooling family to do just one thing, it would be to just give notebooking a try. This is the one technique that pulls everything together—studies, research, real life, personal interests—everything! It reaches even the most reluctant writer! It makes homeschooling fun and easy! Who wouldn’t want to try that?

    Not just that! Everything that normally clutters up the busy homeschool home can be tucked away into a notebook! All of those precious narrations can be safely protected in notebooks. All of those daily copywork lessons can find their home in notebooks on each of the topics that your children love so much. Even those awesome handouts that you have piled up from field trips can find the perfect home in your notebooks! Homeschooling is recorded. An heirloom is built! (more…)

  • Ready to Try Narration? by Cindy Rushton

    Homeschooling? Heard about narration, but wonder what it is and how to do it? Been intrigued, but what you have heard just sounds a bit too tough—like another thing to do in your busy day? Well, my dear friend, narration is as easy as A, B, C! It is as easy as talking! When you see how easy and natural narration can be, I think you will be hooked! Want to give it a chance? Here is how…

    Read a book to your children.

    Yes, why not grab a neat book today and cuddle up with your children for a nice time of reading aloud. There is something about reading aloud to anyone of any age that just nurtures and makes sweet memories. Learning becomes easy. If there is one thing that can bring life and closer relationships into the home, it is reading. (more…)

  • Ready to Try Narration? by Cindy Rushton

    Homeschooling? Heard about narration, but wonder what it is and how to do it? Been intrigued, but what you have heard just sounds a bit too tough—like another thing to do in your busy day? Well, my dear friend, narration is as easy as A, B, C! It is as easy as talking! When you see how easy and natural narration can be, I think you will be hooked! Want to give it a chance? Here is how…

    Read a book to your children.

    Yes, why not grab a neat book today and cuddle up with your children for a nice time of reading aloud. There is something about reading aloud to anyone of any age that just nurtures and makes sweet memories. Learning becomes easy. If there is one thing that can bring life and closer relationships into the home, it is reading. (more…)

  • How to Serve Up Whole Books…

    Charlotte Mason wrote the following…

    “…for the best thought the world possesses is stored in books. …our concern is abundant provision and orderly serving!”

    Yes, the best thought, the greatest ideas, and a world of information are all captured in books. They are the very best textbook. They are the very best lesson book. We have at our fingertips a bounty to serve to our children. So, in your choices, give abundant provision! Consistently serve them the very best books.

    But, where do we begin? How do we serve up whole books?? Let me give you some very easy tips that will get you started… (more…)

  • Things I LOVE About the Charlotte Mason Approach by Cindy Rushton

    I remember the day that one of my dearest friends introduced me to the Charlotte Mason Approach. It was a day that defined our homeschool.

    It was the end of our very first year of homeschooling. I was having an afternoon of sewing and smocking with my friend (I taught classes on sewing and smocking as a part of my home sewing business). We had stopped our work to have tea. While we were having tea, I shared with her about the ups and downs of my first year of homeschooling. She was a homeschooling veteran. I really respected her ideas and opinions. She was rock-solid. I was SO impressed by her children and all that they had accomplished homeschooling. I shared with her that there were a few things that just worked GREAT for us….others that were, ugh, a nightmare! She was sooo calm as she declared a truth that would set me free to find the philosophy of education that was just for me and my children. She told me that I sounded like the perfect Charlotte Mason/Unit Study mom. As I listened to her ideas for getting to know more about those approaches, I thought back to the very first book that I had bought— Books Children Love, which was written with suggestions for great books to be sure to read to your children while they were growing up. And…another book, For the Children’s Sake, which just grabbed me! (more…)