Orthodox Christian Morning Time Tips and Information for Homeschoolers

This is a page for homeschool families that are using the Orthodox Christian Morning Time Curriculum. I hope to post useful tips and information here to help with better use of the homeschool curriculum. To start with, I am going to start posting links to the sheet music to accompany the hymns in the curriculum.

Secondly, I wanted to share an example schedule for how our mornings are going with the homeschool curriculum. (Although some days I have done things in a slightly different order.)

Thirdly, I wanted to include a warning/guidance that when reading any book of Lives of the Saints, whether The Prologue or the Lives of the Saints by Chryostomos Press, you will have to edit certain parts at your discretion considering the age and maturity of your child/children. For example, we just read the Life of St. Spyridon in Week 3, and there was a page that I skipped. Sometimes I also change words, or summarize a paragraph to make it more appropriate for young children here or there. Parents/teachers will have to do this at their discretion.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

While parents should choose how to best incorporate the curriculum in their homeschool, St. Irene Press recommends using this curriculum after the family has completed morning prayers and is ready to begin school.

First, read the scheduled portion of the lives of the saints
Sing the hymns of the week which are the troparion and kontakion for the saint (Links to sheet music are made available below, mostly from the OCA website; links to the audio files will be posted in a few weeks when that is completed.)
Begin the memory sentences for the saint. The parent can then quiz the children on pertinent information related to the saint (not from the longer life, just the memory sentences).
After this portion is completed, the parent should have the memory verse, poetry stanza and catechism sentences written on a whiteboard, and use typical strategies for encouraging memory of the selection, while adding in any relevant context that the parent wishes to share.
Students should complete the copywork page.
The family can start the enrichment activity scheduled for the day: art study, art project, foreign language, or journaling assignment (journaling assignments are provided by the curriculum).

LINKS TO SHEET MUSIC FOR HYMNS

(Note: For several weeks listed below, I could not find printed sheet music. I will ask my choir director to see if he can help with singing those and update the audio files when that is available.)

1) Week 1 - St. Basil (Jan. 1)

2) Week 2 - St. Maximus the Confessor (Jan. 21)

3) Week 3 - St. Spyridon (Dec. 12)

4) Week 4 - St. Benedict of Nursia (Mar. 14)

5 )Week 5 - St. Catherine the Great (Nov. 24)

6) Week 6- St. Sylvester, Bishop of Rome (Jan 2.) (I can't find sheet music at this time. I will need to get ask the choir director about this one.)

7) Week 7- St. Nina, Enlightener of Georgia (Jan 14) (Only troparion available)

8) Week 8 - St. Athanasius the Great (May 2.)

9) Week 9 - St. Gregory the Theologian (Jan 25.)

10) Week 10 - St. Cosmas and Damian (Nov. 1)

11) Week 11 - Venerable Paisios of the Holy Mountain (July 12) - (I can't find sheet music at this time. I will need to get ask the choir director about this one.)

12) Week 12 - St. Donatus the Bishop - (I can't find sheet music at this time. I will need to get ask the choir director about this one.)