What cycle do I start with?
What form should my child be in?
What subjects are included in a Gentle Feast?

This varies by form, but here is a list of subjects that are scheduled. You will need to access the living books scheduled, but many are obtainable from the library or in the public domain.

Bible Time

Beauty Loop (Poet Study, Picture Study, Composer Study, Hymn Study, Recitation, Fables/Hero Tales)

Literature 

Geography (map work and a scheduled reader)

Natural History

Copywork, Dictation, and Creative Writing

Science (forms II and up)

*For Form IV, I have scheduled lessons from Sabbath Mood Homeschool’s Science guides. These guides will need to be purchased separately.

Grammar (forms II and up)

History

Shakespeare and Plutarch (forms II and up)

Read Alouds (forms I and II)

Singing (forms I and II)

Nature Study

French, Spanish, and Latin plans

You will need to provide your own math. I do give a list of my suggestions in the curriculum.

What about a kindergartener?

I really want to say true Miss Mason’ recommendations to not start formal lessons until age 6. That doesn’t mean your kindergartener or preschooler sits around all day. They are welcome to listen to the read alouds and participate in morning time, though neither of these should be mandatory. These years are vital for the laying the foundation for learning. I HIGHLY recommend reading Charlotte Mason’s first volume, Home Education during this time. Stay tuned for more information!

Do you have a Canadian history option?

Yes!!! It is currently being beta tested. I expect the final product to release 8/2019. Find out more HERE.

I have a large family, how do I combine forms?

As a mom of 5 children, I totally get this. One year I had students in every form. I wrote A Gentle Feast with this in mind. The morning time brings everyone together with each different levels reciting their own poems and reading their own fables. All your children will be studying the same time period, so they can listen to each other’s narrations or you may want to chose one spine to read aloud to several children. The nature study topics can also be done as a family. If you need help with combining further, a consultation may be beneficial.

What about my advanced or struggling learner?

I love that Charlotte Mason’s first principle is “children are born persons.” We are so blessed to have such unique blessings. As there is no “cookie cutter” child, there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. I have had children on both sides of this perspective and I have taught hundreds of other children in various educational settings. All that to say, a consultation might be best to address your specific concerns.

What if my child has already read one of the books scheduled?

Isn’t it wonderful that there are so many excellent living books to chose from? I had a hard time narrowing down my selections. If your child has already read one of the scheduled books, simply substitute with a similar title. If you need suggestions, the Facebook group is a wealth of knowledge. Your child will still benefit from the copywork selections even if they are reading another book as I selected passages with great vocabulary and literary quality.

How long does a day in a Gentle Feast last?

In the parent packet, I have included a sample schedule and tips for scheduling your day according to Charlotte Mason’s principles. Depending on when you start, morning lessons should be finished by lunch time. Activities for afternoon tea are included.

What happens when we finish the four year cycle?

The History cycles keep repeating all the way through high school. The next time your child is in Cycle 1, they will be promoted to a higher form, thus with new material. You will follow the alternative Morning Time options your second time through the cycle.

I am completely new to Charlotte Mason, what should I do?

Welcome! In the parent packet, I include some foundational principles to a Charlotte Mason education. I also HIGHLY recommend reading For the Children’s Sake by Susan Shaeffer Macaulay. You can also sign up for my free beginner’s course HERE.

Is there a scope and sequence?

Yes. You can find that HERE

Why do you start with American History?

Volume 1, pg. 281 “The early history of a nation is better fitted than its later records for the study of children, because the story moves on a few broad, simple lines; while statesmanship, so far as it exists, is no more than the efforts of a resourceful mind to cope with circumstances… In the early years, while there are no examinations ahead, and the children may yet go leisurely, let them get the spirit of history into them by reading, at least one old Chronicle written by a man who saw and knew something of what he wrote about and did not get it secondhand. These old books are easier and pleasanter reading than most modern works on history; because writers know little of the ‘dignity of history’; they purl along pleasantly as a forest brook, tell you ‘all about it’, stir your heart with the story of a great event, amuse you with pageants and shows, make you intimate with the great people, and friendly with the lowly. They are just the right thing for the children whose eager souls want to get at the living people behind the words of the history book, caring nothing at all about progress, or statutes, or about anything but the persons, for whose action history is, to the child’s mind, no more than a convenient state. A child who has been carried through a single old chronicler in this way has a better foundation than if he knew all the dates and names and facts that ever were crammed for examination.”

Is this curriculum written from a Christian worldview?
Since we follow the philosophy of Charlotte Mason, we have built our curriculum on her principles which need to be understood in order to use the curriculum in the most effective way. Miss Mason states in principle 20: “We allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and ‘spiritual’ life of children, but teach them that the Divine Spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their Continual Helper in all the interests, duties and joys of life.”
 
Another helpful quote by Miss Mason is: 

“This idea of all education springing from and resting upon our relation to Almighty God-we do not merely give a religious education because that would seem to imply the possibility of some other education, a secular education, for example. But we hold that all education is divine, that every good gift of knowledge and insight comes from above, that the Lord the Holy Spirit is the supreme educator of mankind, and that the culmination of all education (which may at the same time be reached by a little child) is that personal knowledge of and intimacy with God in which our being finds its fullest perfection.” 

I would also encourage you to think through what a Christian worldview truly means. Charlotte Mason’s view was not to give children cleaned up moralizing books with only one viewpoint. She believed that all true ideas were divinely inspired and that these ideas were best conveyed through living books, nature, and beauty. See here for more information on a sacred education: http://www.asacrededucation.com/a-sacred-education 

You can read more about this in this wonderful article  by Becky Anoi here: https://charlottemasonpoetry.org/charlotte-mason-and-worldview-formation/

You can read Charlotte’s words here: 

https://charlottemasonpoetry.org/moral-instruction/

https://www.amblesideonline.org/PR/PR07p052GreatRecognition.shtml

This article sums up the philosophy for science books:

https://sabbathmoodhomeschool.com/2017/07/must-we-read-only-christian-authors/

Do you offer a military or missionary discount?

A Gentle Feast is pleased to offer a discount to all active military and missionaries who rely solely on support. If you would like more information, please email [email protected]

What is your return policy?

Shipping Policy

We usually ship orders within 48 hours. EXPEDITED SHIPPING does not accelerate WHEN your product will ship. You’re simply upgrading your shipping method to Priority (2-3 days) rather than Media Mail (7-14 days). We ship as orders are received and do not prioritize based on shipping method selected. If you want insurance, please select Priority shipping.

ALL MISSING ORDERS AND/OR DAMAGED ITEMS MUST BE REPORTED AS MISSING OR DAMAGED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE ORDER DATE. WE CANNOT ASSIST WITH MISSING OR DAMAGED PRODUCTS IF NOT REPORTED WITHIN THAT 30 DAY TIME FRAME.  *We will not offer a refund until your item has been in the carrier’s hands for at least 30 days for USPS. 

Order Mistakes

If you purchased a printed item by mistake, you must let us know immediately to see if you can get your purchase canceled. After 24 hours, no changes may be made and you will have to follow our refund policy below. 

Refund Policy 

Digital products are NON-REFUNDABLE. This includes the online base curriculum for each cycle. Please preview samples and make an informed decision before purchasing.

All digital pdf product downloads expire in 30 days. This is clearly marked on the receipt you receive with your purchase and on the product links. We will not be responsible for any downloads that are not saved. We recommend downloading onto Google Drive or Dropbox so if your computer breaks down, you still can access your product. We can’t reissue downloads for any reason.

For physical/print products, change of heart returns are discouraged, however completely unused material may be returned with a 3.00 re-stocking fee within 30 days of shipping. The customer will be required to package the item thoroughly and pay return shipping, including insurance. Once the item is inspected and deemed in “like-new condition”, you will receive a refund. If a return is received that is NOT like-new, no refund will given. Email [email protected] for refund approval and our return address. 

Exchanges:

We are unable to do exchanges at this time. If you need to exchange a product, we recommend that you purchase the product you would like and return the original product. 

Other Notes

The online base curriculum and all digital pdfs are for your individual use only. These may not be resold or shared with others. Please respect our copyright and the hard work we have put in to creating these products.

 

The online base curriculum gives you lifetime of A Gentle Feast access.

 

What's included in the online resources?

See a preview HERE.

Can I use A Gentle Feast in our Coop?

Absolutely!

Here is all the information: https://agentlefeast.com/schools-and-co-ops/

 

Do you offer consultations?

YES!!! You can find out more here: https://agentlefeast.com/product/consulting/