How I’m Pre-Reading For Ambleside Online

Today I wanted to share with you all about how I’m pre-reading for our upcoming homeschool year. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out my recent blog article about my yearly homeschool planning because other than pre-reading the books, there’s more that I do to prepare for a new homeschool year that might answer some of your questions or help you decide how you’ll prepare for your own year. 

We will be using Ambleside Online for our 3rd year and while there will be plenty of tips and ideas for anyone, this article is how I am pre-reading for that particular AO year using the scheduled books from their booklist (which is free on their website, if you didn’t know!).

P.S. A full blog article about our Year 3 plans and another one for kindergarten (take 2) including all resources and curriculum linked are coming soon!

Why Pre-Read:

There are two main reasons I’ve chosen to start pre-reading and it really comes down to 

1) I want to be prepared for the year, taking note of what might need additional time in, good places to stop and ask for a narration, and also prepare ahead of time thought-provoking, open-ended questions to encourage stronger narrations from my year 3 student if she needs a little boost. Even if not during every reading, I might like to pull out an additional resource like a picture of the place we’re discussing or look up word and name pronunciations and definitions ahead of time (I’m looking at you greek mythology). 

2) It becomes my own education. There’s really not much more that needs to be said here other than how much I appreciate getting a chance at my own living education along side my children. Even without fully committing to pre-reading until this year, I am in awe at how enriching our Charlotte Mason home education has been for me. Often times, I notice that my own attitude and enthusiasm towards our books is contagious and the love of learning together is truly lived out. I also get to feel a relatable sort of sympathy towards my children when a book comes on the schedule we just really don’t like, but persevere together nonetheless because it is worth the pursuit and commitment!   

What I’m Pre-Reading:

As I’ve mentioned, the booklists I am using come from Ambleside Online Year 3. I decided, at least for this year that I wouldn’t commit to reading every book on the schedule. Rather, I am only pre-reading the books in history, Bible, geography, natural history and some from the literature section. 

History: I am actually not going to pre-read Our Island Story only because we’ve been reading it for Year 1-2 already and we love it! The chapters are short, and we really don’t need the extra help of pre-reading for this one. I am however, pre-reading the other two scheduled history books. 

Geography: This one is a must for me. I want to give my year 3 student mapwork practice related to our readings, but it is harder for me to bring about after only just reading the selected chapters in the same day. This year I’ve decided to come up with my own map questions related to our readings ahead of time. I watched a helpful demonstration of mapwork during the latest ADE (A Delectable Education) conference and it just makes sense for me to try it that way this year. 

Natural History: We love finding youtube videos of the animals and natural life to go along with our readings, even if it isn’t always up close and personal (we aren’t located near oceanic life which happens to be a focus for a term). Pre-reading is going to help me compile my list of what it is we’ll further investigate through video, a trip to a zoo or aquarium, or more living books in the afternoons of our week.    

Literature: I won’t be pre-reading most of our literature books this year. I’m pre-reading our greek mythology readings, Children of the New Forest and Shakespeare. I am very unfamiliar with all of these so I think it would be wise to add them to my pre-read pile.

Bible: As we continue to work through some of the Old and New Testament, I’ve found it best to pre-read ahead of time and include some commentary reading along side my own pre-reading for a better understanding in context and theme. I also hope to have a couple open-ended questions for stronger narrations and reflection for both myself and my student to discuss together.  

How I’m Pre-Reading:

I printed out AOY3’s PDF schedule all for myself and all I’m doing is highlighting the readings I complete as I go. I also add a note or two for myself if I find a better way for our schedule to split the readings if needed. I have separate note pages I simply note which week, book title and chapter that I’m taking notes for and then bullet point any captain ideas, questions, or if to add additional resources like a picture, a map or youtube video. I also have a star next to that chapter if I happen to find a quote I want to add to my own commonplace, but not for every chapter. That’s really the “how” of my pre-reading. Super casual. Super short. Nothing fancy. Totally doable for me.

I decided I would start by pre-reading a term at a time, meaning I’m currently only pre-reading for term 1. During term 1 (probably during our first break after 6 weeks) I will begin term 2 pre-reading.

I don’t foresee this happening, but if, for whatever reason, I want to substitute a scheduled book for something else, pre-reading a term ahead would give me enough time to find a book replacement. However, I’m willing to pre-read up to 6-12 weeks worth of readings from a book before I firmly decide to substitute. Again, I don’t see this happening but all the more for preparation!

There are a couple of books I’m switching, but not because I don’t find them worthy to include in our homeschool, just that I have similar books already on my shelf that I am choosing to use instead and save some money. 

When I’m Pre-Reading:

I find that pre-reading is better in the evening after the kids go to bed when I’m able to give my full focus. The readings don’t take long at all and I have already been able to complete several on my list. I currently pre-read only 2x a week but I might amp that up to 3-4x a week since I know now what I can manage.

A Living Education FOR ALL vs. Another Item On The To-Do List

As I’m pre-reading, I’m laying the same feast for myself as I plan to for my children. I’m learning to like certain books I didn’t like at first, and I’m savoring other books that I can’t get enough of. I try not to look at this as just another task on my yearly homeschool preparations list, but truly as a gift of my own education which I get to engage with and then share in the feast along side my children. 

This is my first year pre-reading so I’m taking it only a term at a time. Things could easily change by the second term and I am happy to share if so! I’m learning a lot and do encourage anyone to pre-read the books if they’re jumping in with any CM education. Pre-reading has given me a richer understanding of how I can see our lessons going, seeing where we could potentially linger in something a little while or make connections to other readings we have that same week, and honestly just help nurture a deeper dialogue for our lessons at hand. 

“Method of Lesson. — In every case the reading should be consecutive from a well-chosen book. Before the reading for the day begins, the teacher should talk a little (and get the children to talk) about the last lesson, with a few words about what is to be read, in order that the children may be animated by expectation; but she should beware of explanation and, especially, of forestalling the narrative. Then, she may read two or three pages, enough to include an episode; after that, let her call upon the children to narrate, — in turns, if there be several of them. They not only narrate with spirit and accuracy, but succeed in catching the style of their author. It is not wise to tease them with corrections; they may begin with an endless chain of ‘ands,’ but they soon leave this off, and their narrations become good enough in style and composition to be put in a ‘print book’!

This sort of narration lesson should not occupy more than a quarter of an hour.

The book should always be deeply interesting, and when the narration is over, there should be a little talk in which moral points are brought out, pictures shown to illustrate the lesson, or diagrams drawn on the blackboard. As soon as children are able to read with ease and fluency, they read their own lesson, either aloud or silently, with a view to narration; but where it is necessary to make omissions, as in the Old Testament narratives and Plutarch’s Lives, for example, it is better that the teacher should always read the lesson which is to be narrated.”

Home Education (Vol 1) by Charlotte Mason pgs. 232-233 

I hope this was helpful for you, but as always, please reach out with any questions in the comments!