Am I doing enough?
This complete guide answers it every time.
Charlotte Mason, taught from the beginning. Thirteen years of side-by-side charts. And over 800 checkpoints you can date and file.
You will ask that question every year for thirteen years.
Instant download · Prints in black ink · Free guide updates via email
You know the feeling.
It's February. A relative asks what grade level your daughter reads at.
Or a test score arrives.
Or your son turns nine, and you realize you have never checked what a nine-year-old should be able to do.
The worry is not really about curriculum. It's simpler than that.
am I doing enough? Will i fail them?
Those questions deserve real answers. Not a pep talk.
Download today · Instant access · Free guide updates when available
A Living Education is a 70+ page guide to teaching Charlotte Mason from Pre-K through Grade 12. Each chart shows what schools commonly teach at that grade, and how living books reach the same place. It's not a curriculum, it's the map.
Most guides do one thing or the other.
They teach you a method, then leave you wondering if it covers enough. Or they hand you a checklist that ignores how you actually teach and the uniqueness of your child.
This guide handles these issues on the same page.
You're not being asked to teach two separate things. You're being shown that the literature you already love covers the other.
The method on one side. The standards on the other.
- Thirteen side-by-side charts — Pre-K to 12
- over 800 checkpoints as a printable Year-End Record
- the Charlotte Mason method taught from the very beginning
- Every practice explained — narration, copywork, dictation, picture study, composer study, nature study, the Book of Centuries
- Mason's real daily schedule with sample mornings
- How to teach several children with only one of you — block and loop scheduling that actually fits a household
- Classical education compared to Mason — five things they agree on, six where they genuinely part ways
- Habit training and how a habit is formed
- A full materials list, including what not to buy
- How to build a legacy library your grandchildren will read
- How to use your public library — free museum passes, borrowed microscopes, any book in the state
- A three-visit library lesson that teaches a child to find any book on their own using the dewey decimal system
- how to teach a child with ADHD or autism at home
- The eight questions to answer about your own state's law
- What to keep, what to throw away, and how to build a high school transcript without panic
- 70+ pages, black ink only, every section on its own page so you print just what you need
What's included
One download · No membership · Free updates when available
Date the box.
Check it once a month.
What is still blank in May is not a failure. It is next year's plan already written. Everything extra you do every year are the cherries on top of an already thorough education!
Clear checkpoints. One sheet a year.
"WHAT????"
That's right. Not one. There's no federal body that decides what your child must know in third grade.
The Common Core benchmarks were a voluntary project of state governors and state school officers. Four states never adopted them. Four repealed them. At least twenty more rewrote them under their own names. The science standards are voluntary too. Professional organizations publish frameworks that carry no legal weight anywhere.
This guide explains exactly what the left-hand column of every chart actually is: a fair summary of what is commonly taught, offered as a mirror rather than a master. In the right-hand column, you will find freedom in how much of what you already have or do is teaching your child richly and deeply.
This is your peace of mind.
There are no national standards.
Charlotte Mason built her method long before ADHD or autism had names*. She still landed on nearly every support recommended for both today.
Short lessons.
Movement built into the middle of the morning.
Different subjects instead of long blocks.
A predictable order to the day.
Stopping before the child is worn out.
*This is teaching advice, not medical advice. If you suspect a need for assistance, get a real evaluation. Homeschooling never replaces professional care and should never delay it.
But what about ADHD and Austism?
No more wasted boxed curriculum · Build a Legacy Library at the same time
- You love Charlotte Mason but wonder if it's enough
- You have children at more than one stage
- You want to know what a child should be able to do, in plain words
- You're teaching a child with ADHD or Autism
- You're tired of buying supplies you never use
- You want one book that still works when your youngest is in twelfth grade, and beyond — no more clutter.
This is for you if...
- You want daily lesson plans to read verbatum
- You want a boxed curriculum shipped to your door with a hands-off approach to parental involvement
- You want worksheets and print-ready tests
- You want legal instructions for your exact state (Remember to explore your state department's online resources and requirements before you begin.)
this is not for you if...
email me at sarah@sonderlynd.com within 30 days and we'll work together to come up with a solution that fits your family's needs.
regardless, keep the file! Return to it in years to come as needed.
In the end, if this guide is not what you needed...
A simple purchase that could save you hundreds $$$ per year of school
Fellow mom and educator — I'm Sarah.
I loved teaching in a school. Today my calling is different.
I've sat through the chaos and doubt of curriculum debates in both public and private schools. None of it comes from teachers not caring. I've only ever seen deep love and concern for students. But it's clear that agreeing on what's right — and finding it — is genuinely hard.
That's because we hold a lot of power and a lot of responsibility.
And we know it.
Somewhere along the way, as I brought my children home from the system of school, I started to realize something freeing and heavy: when homeschooling, I get to decide how, when, where, how much, and what my children learn.
That's so scary. And so exciting.
What grounds me is this — being my children's teacher is my God-given vocation. I don't have to be afraid, and neither do you.
So listen, friend...
Your fears are real, and you're not alone. I made this guide for myself first. But my heart is for you and your family, too.
Let's do this together.
Written by someone who needed it, too.
Will my child be ready for college? Colleges actively welcome homeschoolers. Part Three carries every subject through Grade 12, and Part Six shows you how to build the transcript, credits, and reading log that admissions offices ask for. The guide keeps you pointed at that finish line from the early years on.
How do I make sure everything will transfer? Keep records as you go — that is the whole answer, and Part Six walks you through it. A dated transcript, course descriptions, and a reading log transfer to colleges and, if you ever re-enroll, to schools. Requirements vary by state and school, so confirm with your district and state.
Is this a curriculum? This is the map, not the vehicle. You will want to pick your own advanced math, sciences and language studies. This guide tells you what to aim for and how the method works. You will find freedom in learning that rich and living literature covers a broad range of subjects that inspires life-long learning.
What grades does it cover? This guide covers Pre-K through Grade 12 at the same depth. Every year gets the same eight subjects, its own chart, and its own printable record. There is always room for adjustments and additions, which is the beauty of your authority and calling. In fact, a Charlotte Mason education does not limit subjects to those taught in a traditional classroom. You get to choose! Whatever you value for your family's education, you have the freedom to add it and enjoy the study as much as they do.
I do not live where you live, in Minnesota. This guide was written to work anywhere. It teaches you the eight questions to ask about your own state's law and it's important to review your district's policies. Make adjustments as needed, and rest in the fact that you have the authority to decide how your children learn the content and what to carry with them into adulthood.
Is this Common Core? There are no national standards. Most states do not require homeschools to teach state standards at all: just a simple list of general subjects. The comparison is there for your peace of mind and as an additional reference point.
I am new to Charlotte Mason. Will I be lost? We teach the method from the beginning. Every Mason practice is explained in plain words before the charts use it. Narration, copywork, dictation, picture study, the Book of Centuries — all defined. If you are still concerned, we highly recommend learning about Charlotte Mason the person first. You will then learn how to see education, curriculum choices, and living books through her eyes.
How is this different from boxed curriculum? This method adds the classical comparison, Mason's schedules, the materials and library sections, and the ADHD and autism section alongside the supported national expectations. It does not choose curriculum for you. It places the authority and selection process back in your hands where it belongs while giving you peace of mind: your children are learning the basics (reading, writing, arithmetic).
What if I already use curriculum and love it? Keep it. This is not a curriculum and will not replace one. It adds three things curricula often leave to you: coverage with the standards on the same page, printable records that need no app or subscription, and how to build a library worth leaving behind.
My child has ADHD or Autism. Is this useful? Part Five is written for that. It gives separate guidance for each, because the two often need different things — plus how to adjust the records for any neurodivergent learner, including you! It is teaching advice, not medical advice. Remember to consult your doctor with concerns and additional support.
Is it print-friendly? It's print-friendly on purpose, because who needs to have that added expense on top of everything else? The document is black ink only. No color, no filled boxes. Every section starts on its own page so you print only what you need. Each year's record fits one sheet, front and back. Want to save even more? Remember to print two-sided!
Do I need to buy anything else? Part Two is largely about what not to buy. It helps you tell the necessary from the nice-to-have, and points your spending toward books worth keeping. Less money, less clutter, less waste.
What happens if I purchase this and you update the guide? You will receive any updates and notifications via email, free. Once in, always in. We want you to feel equipped at every stage, no matter your date of purchase.
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