The FOUR Notebooks I Consider Essential For Homeschool and How I Use Them

Charlotte Mason recommended a lot of notebooks for students, and for good reason! A blank page forces the child to use their own imagination and be active in their education. A blank page draws out your child’s knowledge and helps them retain that knowledge better than worksheets.
But the amount of notebooks Mason recommends can be a bit overwhelming when you have multiple students and limited space. Over the years I’ve simplified and consolidated the notebooks into FOUR that I consider essential for real, genuine learning.
#homeschooling #charlottemason #homeeducation #learning #teaching #notebooks #homeschool #
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Пікірлер: 35

  • @Celestialaide
    @Celestialaide2 күн бұрын

    I love this idea. For when my lil ones are older. We are currently nature journaling. And I love it❤ thanks for sharing

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    Күн бұрын

    Thanks for watching!

  • @karolinaska6836
    @karolinaska683618 күн бұрын

    Oh my goodness I love the idea of the calendar! Why didn't I think of that? I wanted to incorporate things like Moon phases etc but assumed they had to be in their nature journal 😣 Thank you 🙏🏽

  • @HavalahTurner
    @HavalahTurner8 ай бұрын

    Consilidating our notebooks this year has made a huge difference for us as well! The kids like it so much better too!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    When you have more than a couple kids it helps so much to simplify!

  • @homesanctuaryliving
    @homesanctuaryliving8 ай бұрын

    Just found your channel. I’m a teacher by trade and now homeschool. I love the calendar. I used to do the same thing in my classroom 20 years ago. It was a different time in education back then. I just placed an Amazon order and we will be incorporating it into our morning homeschool routine.

  • @brectoa
    @brectoa8 ай бұрын

    I was JUST brainstorming how to use Sarah’s notebook trick & I LOVE the way you implement it! Thank you!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    Great!! Its worked so well for us. I’m so grateful she shared her method with everyone 🙏

  • @mallorycrain6965
    @mallorycrain69658 ай бұрын

    The RAR podcast episode about the spiral notebooks also revolutionized our homeschool! It's been so helpful! Just found your channel yesterday and truly enjoying the content. We've been a CM homeschooling family for 7 years!

  • @sierrabookishlife

    @sierrabookishlife

    8 ай бұрын

    What podcast is RAR

  • @mallorycrain6965

    @mallorycrain6965

    8 ай бұрын

    @@sierrabookishlife read a loud revival 😊

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    Same here! It’s been so helpful for my kids to have an idea of what to do. They’re much more independent. I’m glad you’re enjoying the content, thanks for being here! ❤️

  • @daniipfeifer
    @daniipfeifer8 ай бұрын

    I just watched all of your videos and I just can’t get enough!! Your videos are amazing and so helpful to so many moms! Please keep doing this! You are absolutely phenomenal at it. Thank you!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    🥹 thank you SO MUCH for those kind words. I’m so glad they’ve been helpful and I have so many videos planned for the future! Thanks for following along ❤️

  • @ashleymurphy4813
    @ashleymurphy48134 ай бұрын

    Love that calendar, thank you!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    4 ай бұрын

    Me too! It’s so versatile 🤩

  • @Dreblueskies
    @DreblueskiesАй бұрын

    I love these notebooks too although my little dude cannot handle a Monday start lol! Why do you do one check box in front and at the end of each task? Thank you!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    23 күн бұрын

    One is for the child to check off when he finishes it, and then I check off the other one when he narrates to me.

  • @deen8842
    @deen884225 күн бұрын

    This is so helpful thank you

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    23 күн бұрын

    You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 😊

  • @shellemybelle1574
    @shellemybelle15746 ай бұрын

    God bless! ❤

  • @BirthingBravelyandBeyond
    @BirthingBravelyandBeyond8 ай бұрын

    Hi!! CM Homeschooling mama to 4 boys as well

  • @emmamareebatts
    @emmamareebatts5 ай бұрын

    Thank you for this helpful video! I bought some calendars to use as a notebook in the way you mentioned but I’d love more info on how to use it well? At what time of day do you do it and what do you discuss with the kids?

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    5 ай бұрын

    We use it first thing in the morning, usually after breakfast and scripture study. The first thing I have them do in first grade is to draw a picture of the weather, I draw some icons to show them what that looks like: ☀️🌤️🌦️🌨️ We have a home weather station and my older boys add the high/low temperature for the day. When my oldest son did a weather science unit he looked at the type of clouds and marked that on his calendar. We don’t discuss much, but you could direct their attention to the temperature and clouds the day before and ask if they see any patterns.

  • @cadykelly247
    @cadykelly2478 ай бұрын

    Love your channel! I watched your video about the daily task notebook and implemented it the next day with my almost 7 year old. He is so invested in doing his lessons with setting his timer and lots more motivated to complete each lesson. Thank you for sharing! It’s great because my husband is also able to see what we’ve done. I am purchasing the monthly planner for all 3 kids. For the history notebook with your oldest. How old is he? And what resource do you like for history? We haven’t formally begun that yet but have touched on geography and have read/ listened to Farmer Boy 4 times now. 😅 I’m wondering if my oldest would use a history notebook or if the primary notebook would be better to start.

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    That is so wonderful to hear! My oldest is 10 - he started the book of centuries this year. Charlotte Mason recommended starting between 10-12 years old. I tried earlier but he didnt take to it. So I guess she was right! I make my own history curriculum. Pretty much I have a cycle of historical time periods we study and then read good, living books and then narrate/write about what we’ve learned. You can find book recommendations on my site and curriculum guides.

  • @IndiBex86
    @IndiBex86Ай бұрын

    Hi Jessica, I very much enjoyed this video! Would you share where you got your book of centuries from? I love the layout of that notebook.

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    Ай бұрын

    Absolutely! It’s from SchoolNest. You can buy from her website or Amazon

  • @IndiBex86

    @IndiBex86

    Ай бұрын

    @@simplewondersacademy Thanks so much!

  • @belindadoyle7716
    @belindadoyle77165 ай бұрын

    Would you also put math assignments in the main notebook or in a separate one?

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    5 ай бұрын

    You could do either. If your child is younger, it helps to use a gridded math notebook. But older kids can just use the daily notebook.

  • @elizabethlelchuk1798
    @elizabethlelchuk1798Ай бұрын

    Thank you so much! May I ask how old your eldest son is? Would this method work for a middle schooler? My eldest is eleven. Thank you!

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    Ай бұрын

    My oldest will be 11 next month. I think it works well for all ages! Especially older kids who are mature enough to be responsible for their days

  • @plansandprojects
    @plansandprojects8 ай бұрын

    Hi. I do love your videos. I find them inspiring and full of good ideas. This is unsolicited advice so take it or leave it as you will and hear it as if we were in a conversation in a safe space. :) I wanted to caution against an idea you said at the beginning about how worksheets can't help/won't help a child learn. I understand what you were saying. But you use pre-made materials in several ways. Saying that someone 'can't learn' in anyway is harmful to so many new homeschool moms just trying to make it their first few years. If I had heard that when I first started it, I would've unsubscribed, and not looked back. :(. You have so many valuable resources. I want you to be successful and for everyone to be inspired by you. :) That is all. Back to your regularly scheduled wonderful-ness.

  • @simplewondersacademy

    @simplewondersacademy

    8 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your genuine and kind honesty! I regularly forget what it was like when I first started homeschooling and how overwhelming it all is. Although Traditional methods aren’t always the most effective way to learn (based on research), it’s definitely what most of us are comfortable with and what we use when we begin homeschooling. My goal is to help moms see a better way, but definitely not to overwhelm or shame them! I appreciate your reminder ❤️

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