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| RESOURCES |
| Resources Frequently Asked Questions |
What is your publishing schedule for Grades 6-8 curricula? What academic subjects does your curriculum cover? What if I don’t want to buy the complete curriculum package? Do you offer any payment options? Do you guarantee your products? Why don’t you include a mathematics program? Should I require narration of my five-year-old? Can I use your curriculum easily in a secular manner? Can I use Living Books Curriculum for multiple grades? How many hours per day do the different levels take? There seems to What is Living Books Curriculum’s academic schedule like? Is Foundation Year a one-year or two-year curriculum? What age should my child be in order to use the Foundation Year?
What is your publishing schedule for Grades 6-8 curricula? Living Books Curriculum has currently produced Foundation Year (kindergarten), Grades One, Two, Three, Four, and Five curriculum packages. Our publishing schedule for Grades 6 through 8 is as follows:
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What is a living book? The books Living Books Curriculum uses are considered “living” according to Charlotte Mason. That is, the books “warm the imagination,” nurture thinking, and communicate knowledge mind-to-mind. Children require books that are living in order to develop to their fullest capacity. The high quality of thought expressed in great literature breeds like thought in the child. When the books are many, varied, and living, the child is able to adopt the ideas in them just as a plant takes nutrients from the soil. “For this reason we owe it to every child to put him (or her) in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts…and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books.” Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 12. ______________________________________________________________________________
What academic subjects does your curriculum cover? The Living Books Curriculum covers the following eleven areas of study:
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What if I don’t want to buy the complete curriculum package? While we think our books are wonderful and ordering them from us saves you oodles of time, buying just the teaching manual is an option. With the teaching manual, you receive the complete booklist.
Do you offer any payment options? LBC offers an easy payment option of four equal payments billed to your credit card every 4-5 weeks. You will need to contact us and request this option.
Do you guarantee your products? We guarantee you will love our curriculum. We have a 60-day, 100% refund policy on all books and materials, less shipping costs. However, if you should decide our curriculum is not for you, the books must be returned in resalable condition. ______________________________________________________________________________
Why don’t you include a mathematics program? Living Books Curriculum does not provide a math program because we found after interviewing many parents that each had their own preference for a math program. We offer three suggestions for a math curriculum that are consistent with the Living Books Curriculum philosophy—Saxon Math, Miquon Math, Singapore Math. ______________________________________________________________________________
Should I require narration of my five-year-old? Living Books Curriculum encourages teaching parents to focus their initial teaching on an early form of narration—finger plays. When the child is showing consistent skills in remembering and repeating the finger plays, move onto Aesop’s Fables. Make sure you begin with easy-to-learn things, so the child feels successful. A child can easily get weary or frustrated. Living Books Curriculum also recommends teaching parents read the article "Successful Narration." ______________________________________________________________________________
Can I use your curriculum easily in a secular manner? Living Books Curriculum concurs with Charlotte Mason's idea that all knowledge comes from God, whether it is labeled secular or religious. The founders of Living Books Curriculum have a "Christian worldview" that is reflected in the curriculum. They believe God is the original and only creator of the universe. However, they choose books that are "living" and nourish the mind, whether or not they use Christian terminology. ______________________________________________________________________________
What is the ABC Test? ABC stands for Assessment of Basic Concepts. Dr. James Carroll, co-founder of Living Books Curriculum, developed this gentle test specifically for Foundation Year to help parents assess readiness for learning. The test comes with complete instructions and takes about 20 minutes to administer. ______________________________________________________________________________
Can I use Living Books Curriculum for multiple grades? Subjects such as history, art, science, narration, nature study, picture study, and geography can be combined for multiple grade levels. Students may take turns narrating the topics—either both in the same day or alternating days. Older students may write some of their narrations independently while the teaching parent listens to the younger students. Subjects such as math, beginning reading instruction for the first grader, and handwriting (includingcopywork and dictation) may need individual instruction. ______________________________________________________________________________
How many hours per day do the different levels take? There seems to Yes, the amount of direct instruction in Living Books Curriculum is less—on purpose. Charlotte Mason's approach, which works wonderfully, is to use short lessons (20 minutes for lower levels and gradually increasingto no more than 45 minutes). There are many reasons for this, which you can read about in ourmaterials. For a first grader (for example), direct instruction should be no more than 2 ½ hours per day—preferably in the morning when the child is fresh. The afternoons are for creative play, handcrafts, and outdoor activities—all of which contribute to skill building and family culture. ______________________________________________________________________________
What is Living Books Curriculum’s academic schedule like? One of the advantages of Living Books Curriculum is schedule flexibility. Similar to Charlotte Mason’s Parent’s National Education Union (PNEU) schools, Living Books Curriculum allows you to organize an academic schedule that suits your individual needs. Families can begin and end their “school year” as best fits their schedule. The Living Books Curriculum academic schedule features:
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Is Foundation Year a one-year or two-year curriculum? The Foundation Year can be used for one or two years. The first year would be for awareness and the second for mastery of the material. ______________________________________________________________________________
What age should my child be in order to use the Foundation Year? Our curriculum is designed to be flexible and meet the needs of each child. However, as a rule of thumb, it can be used by children from as young as four years old up to seven years old. ______________________________________________________________________________
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