52 books in 52 weeks challenge

Well- I did not meet my goal of 52 books in 52 weeks for 2011. I didn't even come close! but...I had a feeling that this was not the year to keep up with that challenge- with planning a wedding for our oldest daughter in August the year just got away from me. I did read a few more books than I posted on the blog but not what I intended. I am going to attempt this again this year because I like the challenge! So...."the game is afoot!"

Five For Fun

The books we read this week were very...um..different. Monday's read was Honey...Honey...LION! by Jan Brett. This was an African folk tale sort of a story about a bird called a honeyguide and a honey badger who are partners and work together to get honey. The honeyguide finds the honeycomb and the honey badger breaks it open and they share the sweet treat. This is the way it has always been until one day, when the honey badger decides not to share and gulps down all the honey! But tomorrow is another day....where will the honeyguide lead the badger to today?!! The art work in this book was wonderful showing all of the exotic animals that live in the Okavango Delta of Botswana.

On Tuesday we read One Monday Morning by Uri Shulevitz. This story is set in the drab grey tenements of the city, where a little boy imagines a royal company comes to visit him. When the King, the Queen, and the little Prince come to visit on Monday Morning....the little boy is not home. The royal family decides to come back on Tuesday....but....the little boy is not home. Which day will they find him there? and how many members of the royal party will be added to the guest list? Maybe we'll find out on.......

In Brown Paper Teddy Bear by Catherine Allison Jessica is awakened at night by a strange light that reveals an old toy cupboard. As she looks through the old toys she finds a Teddy Bear wrapped up in brown paper. The teddy bear asks her if she wants to meet all his old friends and is whisked away to a playroom filled with toys from long ago. She has a wonderful time playing with them but must leave and return to her room by morning. When she wakes up, she tells Grandpa all about the cupboard and the wonderful old toys. I'll leave you guessing whose toys these are. The neatest thing about this book is that all the pages are brown paper.

Slow Down For Manatees by Jim Arnosky shows how these gentle sea cows live in Florida's shallow canals and really don't have any natural enemies. However, the most problematic thing for them are boat motors. The story tells of a manatee that is injured by a boat motor, rescued, and released back into the wild. A small surprise is also found out about. This book is a fictional story, but in the author's notes he shares about a manatee that was hurt and released in this same way. In the end, slow down for manatee signs are put up in the canals which help remind the boaters to look out for these sea creatures.

Finally we read Pancakes For Supper by Anne Isaacs. This is sort of "fable-esk" story where a little girl meets several wild animals as she is lost in the woods, each one desiring to eat her. With each animal she cleverly figures out how to make each one the grandest in the forest. She escapes from danger just in time to see all five animals fighting over who is the grandest and the next thing you know they begin to chase each other around and around a tree so fast they turn into a brown puddle. Just as Ma and Pa come to find her she has a great idea...Pancakes for supper..covered in sweet brown maple syrup from the tree where the animals turned into a puddle. If you ever have read the book Little Babaja you will recognize some similarities with this tall tail.

 Our hands down favorite this week was Honey....Honey...Lion. Great artwork and the moral at the end of the story says it all. We hope everyone has a great week. Ours will start with a trip to the library for our next set of FFF!

Five For Fun

We had another great week of Five For Fun books. Abi is really enjoying our "fun" read alouds. First up was Henry's Amazing Machine by Dayle Ann Dodds. Henry is a unique little guy who starts "putting things together" as a baby. As he grew so did his "machine". He has "whirling things, twirling things, zipping things, zapping things, thunking things, slipping, sliding, dunking things." But what do all these things do? We think that his amazing machine will surprise you as much as it did his parents, neighbors, and well..everyone!

Tuesday's read was Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola. It is a story that is based on his own childhood experiences. Every Sunday he goes over to his grandmother's house and says "hello" to his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, who is always in the kitchen, and then runs up the back stairs to say "hello" to his great-grandmother, Nana Upstairs, who is 94 years old and mostly bedridden. Then one day his mom tells him that Nana Upstairs has died. The story then follows his grief at losing his great-grandmother. As he looks out of his window one starry night he sees a shooting star and says that reminds him of where Nana Upstairs is now. When he is an adult his Nana Downstairs passes away and he remembers that both of his Nana's are now Nana Upstairs. It was an ok story but it didn't specifically mention anything about Jesus or Heaven, so personally I think there are better stories out there for helping children cope with loss.

Wednesday was Swimming with Dolphins by Lambert Davis. This is a great story about a little girl and her mom that live on an island that go out on the beach early in the morning to wait for the dolphins. Then they put on masks and snorkels to swim with these gentle creatures. The illustrations in the book were beautiful and it really did feel like we were swimming right along with them. The author also includes some factual information on the last page which is great for science/nature study.

Thursday brought us to Thanks a Lot Emily Post by Jennifer LaRue Huget. This funny story is written from the thoughts of the children when mom brings home a little blue book written by Emily Post. Everything was just fine until the book showed up. Now it was "Emily Post This" and "Emily Post That". No more slumping in the chairs & no more shouting. Then a plan hatches. Will the children finally triumph over Emily Post? You might be surprised.

We ended the week with The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster by David Conway. Just what would happen if Little Miss Muffet got tired of sitting on her tuffet and decided she wanted to try out another nursery rhyme? Find out what happens as she travels from page to page trying to be what she is not. Will she find a good fit in the shoes of someone else or will chaos reign. Why did she want to leave her rhyme anyway? Oh yeah.......

Well Abi's pick this week was Swimming With Dolphins. "Why? I asked". Her answer: "because I wish I could really do that." Good enough for me. I thought that my pick would have been Thanks a Lot Emily Post until we got to Friday. I guess it spoke to me on a deeper level. Enjoy where you are spiders and all. Ok..I'm not into the spider part but learning to accept what God has planned for my life even with the little annoyances that come is a valuable truth to learn and pass on to our children. (The book didn't include that theme but was dropped into my heart by the Holy Spirit). We hope you find something great to read this week. Please share your finds with us by leaving a comment. Blessings- Jodi-Marie & Abi

Five For Fun

Our first book this week was My Great Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston. Arizona was born in a log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We find out all the things Arizona loves to do: sing, dance, and eat maple sugar candy. But more than anything Arizona wants to be a teacher. You'll have to read the book to find out if her dream comes true and just where did she get a name like Arizona anyway! 

Next up was the Pumpkin Runner by Marsha Diane Arnold. This is a neat story about a old Australian rancher named Joshua Summerhayes. All the other ranchers in the area are getting jeeps to check on their herds but not Joshua-he likes to run...with yellow dog trailing behind. One day Joshua decides to enter a 900 kilometer race and the grand prize is $10,000. Some crazy things happen along the way but will the race end in victory for Joshua? The story has a pretty amazing ending and it is based on a true story to boot!

On Wednesday we read Morning Glory Monday by Arlene Alda. It is a delightful story of an immigrant family from Italy living in a Tenement in the 1930's. Life in the big city of New York could be difficult and Mama was very homesick for her village in Italy and nothing could cheer her up. One day, Papa decided to take our young heroine to Cony Island for some fun where she wins a "booby prize". Will this prize help to cheer Mama up and take away the homesickness she feels? This story was inspired by a real event that took place on 47 Orchard Street on New York's Lower East Side.

Do Viking's get seasick? This silly tale, Hiccup the Seasick Viking by Cressida Cowell, introduces us to a lonely little Viking named Hiccup. He is nothing like the other Viking's who were big and strong and brave. Hiccup was small and polite and frightened by just about everything. But most of all he was afraid of going to sea. His father Stoick the Vast tells him he can't be afraid of going to sea because "Vikings don't get frightened". Will Hiccup go off to sea? Will he come back alive?Read this and you may just find a brave little Viking after all.

Book number five was Quiet in the Garden by Aliki. In this story we follow a little boy and his rabbit into his favorite spot-the garden. If we sit quietly we will see and hear all the wonderful things nature has in store. It is a wonderful place to have a picnic with some hungry friends....a rabbit...a bird...and....

Abi's top pick for the week was....you guessed it..Hiccup. It think the silliness won her over. My favorite was Morning Glory Monday. I think the ending won me over...or was it Italians from New York City? Have a happy week...and read!

Welcome Back

A wild Assateague Pony

I decided to title this post Welcome Back. You may be asking "who are you welcoming back?" I am actually welcoming myself back to my blog today. The last time I posted to my blog was May 18th. In some respects is seems like so long ago and yet it I am shaking my head asking where did the time go? I spent my summer wrapped up in our oldest daughter's wedding plans for August 27th. That included sewing 5 bridesmaids dresses, matching vests for groomsmen and ring bearers, table centerpieces, wedding favors, a wedding cake, and all of the food which ended in split second decision to have the wedding on the rehearsal night. Thank you hurricane Irene! And let's not forget the earthquake in Virginia that happened on the 23rd of August, which we felt! In the midst of all this, tried to do all we could to support our dear family friends as they walked through a battle with cancer that ended with an amazing man going on to his heavenly home in glory. You can read her story of love, heartbreak, courage, and strength beginning with the June Archives on her blog: www.lookslikeabiblelessontome.blogspot.com   God has taught us all so much this summer. So with a fresh new blog background welcoming my favorite season I am glad to be back to sharing our "Art-full" days. Our first day of school was September 12th. We celebrated with a quick trip (Daddy had to be back at work at 2:00) to the beach to collect shells and see the ponies. As we got out of the car, I over heard Abigail (6) say, in a relieved voice, "I was so scared to start school today!" "Of what?" I chuckled to myself: your teacher? missing the bus? forgetting you locker combination? making friends?  The beauties of homeschooling. I am so thankful that my children will not have to experience those all too real fears that shaped my personality as a young person. This school year Abi has asked to still do our "Five For Fun" books so I will again post our finds. Last year I did pretty well with my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge- let's just say I am probably not going to hit 52 reads this year but I will pick this up again and post what I read from here on out. Last but not least- I really enjoyed reading Volume 6 of Charlotte Mason's Philosophy of Education and posting my "narrations". This year I have been led to read through and apply the treasures in "Laying Down the Rails" by Sonya Shafer. I have a feeling that this is going to be an "ouch hallelujah" (a term that our youth group coined for a lesson or principle that the Lord is teaching you that might hurt at first but bring a wonderful reward.) kind of learning for me and hopefully Abi as well.  

Nonna and Abi searching for shells









Five For Fun

It seems like it has been forever that I posted about our Five For Fun readings. We have been pretty busy here with the arrival of spring. We have been attempting to tame the wilds of our backyard and get our garden in. What a job. These five books were actually read about two weeks ago but I have not had time to write up our thoughts to blog them!

First up was Welcome Brown Bird by Mary Lynn Ray. This was a really sweet story following the migration of a Wood Thrush from North to South America. Two young boys await the coming season by watching each day for the arrival of the bird.

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews was next. It was a wonderful story that shows how one life effects another. It is the true story of Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug who had the desire to feed the hungry but he couldn't accomplish this without the help of Vice President Henry Wallace who was influenced by George Washington Carver who was rescued by Moses Carver.

Horse by Malachy Doyle was third on the list. A really charming story of a horse who is has a foal. The rest of the story we watch as the foal grows up into a beautiful horse. The illustrations in this book look like paintings and are just beautiful.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling-Adapted & Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. This book follows the story of a mongoose named Rikki-Tikki-Tavi who "adopts" a family and saves the family from the deadly Cobra Nag and his wife Nagaina. It was a great way to introduce Kipling to my girl.

And last but not least- Sixteen Miles to Spring by Andrew Pelletier. One day Mddy wakes up and feels something different in the air. She and Daddy meet two men on the road that they thought were "broke down". They have an old Jalopy truck filled with junk but the truck is as clean as a whistle and had "Sixteen Miles to Spring" painted on the side. Just what does "Sixteen Miles to Spring" mean? You'll just have to read it to find out what these two strange gents are up to!

Well as you can probably guess Abi's favorite was Horse, naturally from a horse lover, however mine was The Boy Who Changed The World. I love great children's books that are filled with living history and this book was truly inspiring. It was a real "feel good" book.

  

Enjoy!

The Philosophy of Education Vo. 6 Book II Ch. 4 Pt. 3

Knowledge, Reason, and Rebellion

After all the changing, planning, and revamping the educational system in her day did, Charlotte felt that there was still something wrong with the “tree of Knowledge” that existed. To look at “individual fruit” from the tree would take forever but she says “let me take one at a venture: is it not true that a conviction of irresponsibility characterizes our generation?” We like to blame faulty education when someone is destructive of private property or when someone sways public opinion in a negative way but the sober fact is many of these people are educated. They can all think somewhat logically and write and speak and demonstrate some practical ability. In her day, WWI had brought a sense of national success “but” she says “education must secure to us our gains or the last state of the nation may be worse than the first.”

It is detrimental for us to think that Reason can take the place of knowledge or that Reason is infallible or that a reasonable conclusion is a right conclusion. “Reason” is a man’s servant not his master. It should be sort of like a butler but the “Will” is the man. The Will chooses and if it is to choose wisely it must “know”. Charlotte says “without knowledge, Reason, carries a man into the wilderness and Rebellion joins the company.” It is a great thing when we can see the reasoning power of our minds acting on its own to produce arguments in support of any beginning notion and we are then persuaded that our conclusions are not necessarily right.

It is a good idea to examine the kinds of knowledge that shape the ways and futures of man. They are Divinity (knowledge of God) Humanity (knowledge of man) and Science (knowledge of the natural world).

But Charlotte says that “Letters” or words should thought of as the containers in which knowledge is held. The ancient Greeks believed that training in the use of words was the chief part of education. With words came great thoughts that were expressed in wise laws, battles, temples, sculptures, and drama. Great thoughts spur great works and they only come to a people that are familiar with previously written great thoughts.

We should examine the three areas of knowledge to find out which one is the most in error of not educating. Some are content with the knowledge of God that is picked up in a weekly sermon at church but are the words being spoken inspiring us to thoughts of peace and Godly purpose? Even if the words do not “burn within us” our sermons do not leave us underfed. We are also hearing literature, poetry and history from the Bible as it is read.

Science says of literature “I’ll have none of it” and unfortunately science is dominating in educational society. Science tends to strip away the “flesh” of knowledge; history expires in this process, poetry is not birthed, religion faints, then we are left with dry bones and say “this is knowledge”. At one time science was alive and expressed with passionate words of discovery but the way science is taught now is more utilitarian. But the fault is not found in science, just the way it is taught. The methods used tend to leave people with crude thinking and hard narrow judgment.

When we look at our national problems we can see that we are losing our sense of values- except the value of money. Young people are attracted to a career in proportion to how much money they can make. Charlotte says “Nothing can come out of nothing and if we bring up the children of the nation on sordid hopes and low ambitions, need we be surprised that every man plays for his own hand?”

When men unite together for a cause justified by Reason they may gain what they are seeking but will not be able to sustain the gain if the Spiritual things are lost. We must be convinced that knowledge is the basis of a nation’s strength.

Five For Fun

This week was hard to pick a favorite book in our Five For Fun reads. The week started with The Great Doughnut Parade By Rebecca Bond. This clever books begins with "small Billy" walking through the town with a donut on a string tied to his belt. Where is he going and does he know he is being followed by a hen...then a cat....and farther down Main Street he is followed by a .....well you'll just have to read it to find out what comes next and where Billy is going..

Next was Mama's Perfect Present by Diane Goode. This story follows a two children who are searching all over Paris, led by their little Dachshund Zaza in hopes of finding the perfect present for their mother's birthday. They are warned not to let Zaza off here leash and are oblivious to all the havoc Zaza creates in each shop they visit. Will they ever find the perfect present for Mama?

Wednesday's book was Bring Me some Apples and I'll Make you a Pie- A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley. This was an excellent book where we follow Edna Lewis and her family as they live through the seasons in the town of Freetown Virginia, a farming town of freed slaves established by her grandfather.Each season brings a new harvest of fresh food that is made into the most lovely treats to fill the larder. When Edna grew up she moved to New York City where she became a famous female chef at a time when female chefs were few and far between, let alone female African American Chefs. At the end of the story the book includes a biographical page on Edna Lewis along with a few of her recipes. We made her recipe for Apple Crisp and it was delicious.

Next was This Place In The Snow by Rebecca Bond. What wonderful things can you create in the snow after the plow comes through? Find out by reading how the entire town celebrated by working together to create a giant kingdom of their own.

 

Our week closed with the book You Are My Miracle by Maryann Cusimano Love. This is a heartwarming Christmas tale written in rhyme illustrating the bond between a parent and their child. Mama Bear starts by saying to her little one "I am your Parent, you are my child, I am your quiet place, you are my wild." Each page continues with the example of how our children complete us as parents and how they need our strong security. By the end I was in tears cuddling my little "Miracle".

We really did enjoy all of the books this week but the one Abi asked to read over and over was.............

You are My Miracle. I have to agree with her this one was really something special- but I warn you moms- get out your tissues!

The Philosophy of Education Vo. 6 Book II Ch. 4 Pt. 2

Letters, Knowledge and Virtue

Our educational “systems” feel that a literary education takes up too much time. That they can cut out the classic works and turn out students that are capable. However capable they are, they are ignorant. They don’t know the history or literature of their own countries let alone the world. Charlotte says “He has not realized that knowledge is not a store, but rather a stare that a person remains in of or drops out of.”

There was a time in English society where all classes were very learned in the Bible. Their speech, mannerism and character displayed this. Eventually they did away with the “principle knowledge” – The “Knowledge of God” and then we wonder why society behaves the way they do.

The question is how can we educate the students while keeping focused on the classics. The private schools during that time all wanted to turn out “scholars”. The problem is not all students are meant to be “Rhodes Scholars”. Those who are born geniuses will learn on his own, from anything he finds from a flower to great works of poetry. The focus of education should be on the average child. These children are capable of learning Greek and Latin just as well as anyone else. They should know more after 10-12 years of schooling than just basic facts. They should learn about the “humanities”- men, their motives, historical events, etc. You can’t do this by taking shortcuts but only by sowing seeds of great works written by great minds.



Five For Fun

I am a bit behind in posting last weeks readings. I have had a very busy weekend. We didn't get to the library last week so I searched our bookshelves for books we haven't read yet. No one has one of those right? 

 Last week we started with Niccolini's Song by Chuck Wilcoxen. This is a cute story about a man named Niccolini who is a the night guard at the train yard. One night the trains are anxious and can't fall a sleep so Niccolini sings them to sleep with a song about "gentle hills, steady tailwinds, and feathers for freight." One night a mother with a restless baby walks down to the train yard and hears Niccolini singing. Will his song work on the restless child as well? 

Next we read Woof! by Danae Dobson. It is a cute story written by Danae when she was 12 about a brother and a sister who find a stray dog and want to keep it, but Dad says no. When woof makes a heroic rescue Dad just might change his mind.

Wednesday's book was Belinda the Ballerina. Belinda really wants to be a ballerina but her feet are too big. Her dreams are dashed when at the annual ballet recital the judges refuse to let her dance because of her big feet. Dejected Belinda gets a job in a restaurant. One night there is a music group playing at the restaurant and Belinda's toes start tapping. Maybe she will be a dancer after all.

Up Next was The Velveteen Rabbit b Margery Williams. A very cute story about a stuffed rabbit that enters the nursery on one young lad and becomes his favorite toy. One day the boy gets sick with scarlet fever and when he is well all of the bedding, including the precious rabbit must be burned. All the things from the nursery are bundled up and put outside to be burned the next day. The little bunny escapes from the bag and a "nursery fairy" turns him into a real bunny.

 

And last, was The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy. This is a heartwarming story of a little girl, Tanya, who asks her elderly grandmother why she is making a new quilt because she already has one. Grandma explains that quilts tell a story of the whole family. She is adding small pieces she gets from all sorts of places. One day Grandma gets sick and can't work on the quilt so Mama and Tanya start to finish it. Read it to find out if the quilt gets finished. This was my pick of the week because of the strong sense of family ties. Abi's was Niccolini's Song- why? "Trains, Mom."

The Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Book II Ch 4

Pt. 1 Knowledge

There seemed to be no lack of zeal in the teaching profession during Charlotte’s day but she felt that the tendency of the profession was to depreciate true knowledge and in doing so, depreciate the student. She says “knowledge is the material of education as flour is to bread.” She gives an example of a little girl who was given a small amount of money to purchase lunch for her and her sister before school. She purchased candy instead of a bun. She told her teacher that candy, which cost less, would fill her stomach more than a small roll. That is what we have done with knowledge- we have substituted marks, grades, and facts and figures. Our tendency, as in Charlotte’s day, is to educated the child to what he will become in life not expose him to all subjects. The person who, by using knowledge he has gained to entertain himself rather than depend on “forms of entertainment” is to be envied. Knowledge is not: instruction, information, or a well-stored memory. It is passed like a torch from mind to mind. One thought breeds another. As one “vital” thought touches our minds our ideas become vital and out of these ideas come our conduct of life. If we want to know if what we are teaching provides enough “intellectual Sustenance” look at the book list we are using. For example: if the list is short there will not be enough mind-stuff, if they are not various- the student will not be well rounded. If they are compiled 2nd hand and not original works not enough material will be given. If they are too easy and direct and tell him everything he should think- they will read them but not appropriate. Great examples of how to teach are the parables of Jesus. Everything wasn’t all spelled out- you have to think about them. Napoleon is sited as not being a great scholar, however he read diligently from great historical works which attributed to his success as a conqueror. While on the other hand Queen Louisa of Prussia said the down fall of her country “was not due to Napoleon alone, but also to national ignorance and that if Prussia were to rise it must be through the study of history.” As a result, the Prussians turned their education system around to focus on great minds of history and Queen Louisa’s son rose to power establish the German Empire.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week I read Not A Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols. The story begins with an elderly lady, Miss Hattie, who is awakened in the early morning hours to pray for someone but she doesn't know who. In the next chapter we are introduced to Mary Bridget Washburn as she is buying supplies at the local pharmacies in town for her boyfriend and his buddy to make methamphetamine. She is haunted by this lifestyle and one day, steals a duffel bag of money and boards a bus leaving this life behind. Or does she? One thing leads to another and she begins a life in Alexandria Virgina as "Bridie". Bridie gets a job as a check-out girl at the local grocery where she meets three sisters who are caring for their brother, a local pastor, and his family after the death of his wife. Little does she know how their lives will intersect and will her past life bring trouble to them all? This is the first book that I have read by Linda Nichols and I really enjoyed her writing style. Her character development and situations all were very true to life.

Five For Fun

This week we started off with a book called Keeping Up With Grandma by John Winch. Grandma is tired of what she "normally" does everyday- bake and Grandpa is just fine with his everyday activity- painting pictures. Well one thing leads to another and Grandma convinces Grandpa to join her on all sorts of adventures....will they keep up with their new hobbies or will they return to the life they once knew?

Next was Mr. Mosquito Put on His Tuxedo by Barbara Olenyik Morrow. This book is actually a poem describing Mr. Mosquito's activities as he goes to the "ball". All is going well until an unexpected guest threatens to "invade" the insect ball- Mr. Mosquito comes to the rescue but you will just have to read it to find out how.

Wednesday brought Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora. Tomas and his family live in Texas but during the summer they migrate to Iowa to work in the fields as hired labor. Tomas' grandfather is the family storyteller and each night entertains the family with a tail, until one day when he suggests that Tomas visit the local library to learn some new stories. At the library, Tomas meets the "Library Lady" who brings him books to read and even checks out some for him to borrow. This was a sweet story that has a great ending for all book lovers!

A Fire Engine for Ruthie was up next. Ruthie goes to visit Nana but they don't always like to play with the same things. On the way home from their outings each day they pass by Brian's house where Ruthie sees Brian playing with fire trucks and motorcycles and the like. Ruthie wonders why she can't play with toys like Brian has? Read and find out if Ruthie's question is ever answered.

Last but not least was The Secret of the King by Rachel Ann Nunes. This was a beautifully illustrated book taking place during the middle ages and the country is at war. Javan works with a blacksmith and Lia bakes bread but both would rather be knights in the kings army. But when the king reveals a secret Javan and Lia realize that there is more than one way to serve in the King's Army. This was a wonderful way to teach children that everyone's talents and giftings are special and important.

This was my pick of the week but can you guess which one was Abi's?  Yep! A Fire Engine for Ruthie gets her vote- she said it was because of the fire engine but I have a feeling it is that she and Ruthie have more in common than a love for fire engines.

The Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Book II Ch. 3

The Scope of Continuation Schools

This chapter begins with Charlotte’s description of how the current educational systems came to be. In 1900 a man by the name of Dr. Kirschensteiner entered a contest that offered a prize for the best essay written on the best way of training youth. He won the contest and his essay went on to influence all of Western Europe, England, and the United States affecting the changes made to the methods of education that were in place. The essay supported the thought that “a utilitarian education should be universal and compulsory; child and adolescent should be saturated with the spirit of service and provided with the instruments of effective self-direction.” Those educators were not thinking that they were “sacrificing the individual youth to society” but they would “raise” them, give them opportunity and power to “climb the rungs of the ladder.” There was the belief that knowledge was gleaned by what we see with our eyes and from what we have handled. The mind does some work when it is used in a tactile way, which may give the thought that food and work for the mind is the same thing. With regards to the body this may be true, work brings pay and pay buys food but this is not true of the mind.

Education should make our children “rich” towards God, society, and themselves. Charlotte describes the difference between the continuation schools in Germany which were utilitarian in nature and “had no good effect upon morals or manners and no conspicuously good effect upon manufacturers” to the “People’s High Schools of Denmark” which began using works of great literature and studying history of their country as well as the world and produced people who not only enjoyed reading great works on their own, but had a “character and conduct, intelligence and initiative” which came from an “education in which the knowledge of God” was put first. These schools were called “winter schools” where young people between the ages of 18-25 attended and were residential schools. These countries were also largely agricultural countries and these students could spend five winter months for five years there, unlike England, which was a largely manufacturing nation.

Charlotte wanted to focus her efforts on the young adolescent, those from 14-18 years of age. She asks “how shall we spend those 7or 8 hours a day in which “education” is to do her part for the young citizen?” She believed that this time should not be dedicated to learning a technical skill for employment because those skills can be taught in a very short amount of time and they are learned through practice. The time set aside for education should be “dedicated to things of the mind”. Most educators take these 8 hours a day and realize there is too much to learn so a compromise is made. We want to make the students into “good citizens” and “good citizens” should have “sound opinions about law, duty, work, and wages” and so the teachers pour their opinions into the young students. The teachers and administrations decide on what material should be taught and what should be left out and this material is “poured “into the student “like a bucket”. Ground is covered each year and teachers are satisfied but students leave school discontented and their work bores them, as does every other area of their lives, because the schools have “failed to find them.” The solution they have come up with to the huge amount of things to know about is that if you know one thing well you have the power to learn more. Charlotte says this solution hasn’t totally failed but it didn’t fit what was wanting to be accomplished academically in the nation- “Enlightenment of the masses”.

What educators have failed to recognize is the “hunger for knowledge” also called curiosity that exists in everyone along with the great “power of attention” that everyone also has within; that all of us like to learn things in a literary way; what we learn should be wide and various giving the mind lots to reflect on. This type of learning only occurs by the “act of knowing” which grows through and tested by narration and later tested by the recorded exams. Charlotte gives and alphabetical list from an examination paper written by a 13 year old girl. There were 213 names of things, people, and places that used them all “accurately and with interest.” Charlotte concludes that when we give the students “the thoughts of the best minds we can secure on their part the conscious intellectual effort, the act of knowing, which bears fruit in capability, character, and conduct.”

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week I read Finding Anna by Christine Schaub. This historical fiction novel opens during the Great Chicago fire and details the life of  Horatio Gates Spafford who wrote the Hymn It Is Well With My Soul. The story details the ministry to the Chicago community the Spafford's had following the fire. Their paths cross with the legendary D. L. Moody and His work to spread the Gospel message. I would love to say this was an incredible uplifting book, however I found it melancholy and at times, depressing, which does set the stage for the great hymn that was to be birthed out of so much sadness. It was worth reading just be prepared to not be jumping with joy at every turn of the page.

Five For Fun

After a week of vacation we were glad to get back to our Five For Fun books. This week's pics were:

Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds. This story is told from the viewpoint of a young boy who is riding the bus with his mother in Montgomery Alabama- "way in the back- right where they're supposed to be." He is enjoying playing with his marble and watching it roll up and down the aisle when the bus begins to fill up and he watches the historic act of Rosa Parks that changed our nation. It was a wonderful way to introduce this era in our countries history in a very gentle way.

Next on the list was Gregory's Shadow by Don Freeman. This is a story of a shy groundhog who takes comfort in having his shadow close by. One day he and his shadow become seperated which makes Gregory feel all alone and what is even worse it is snowing and tomorrow is groundhog day. Will Gregory find his shadow in time? The story was cute but when I finished Abi said "well, that was silly." You be the judge.

In The Sparrow's Song by Ian Wallace young Katie finds an orphan sparrow while fishing at the creek only to discover her brother had killed the bird's mother. Katie takes the bird home to care for it and even lets her brother help! Then the day comes when they realize that they must let the bird go free. The story takes place near Niagra Falls and the impressionistic illustrations make this an enjoyable book.

How to Bake an American Pie by Karma Wilson is written in a delightful rhyming style. Blending purple mountains majesties with a measure of meekness and might, takes you on a journey through this great melting pot we call America. This was such a cute book- it reminded me of How to Bake an Apple Pie and See the World. This was my favorite book of the five. It would make great copy work or a fun memorization.

And last but not least....The Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid follows the journey of "Nib"- a mouse who lives in a subway station. Every night the mice tell stories about a far away place called "Tunnel's End" where "the air is sweet and the sky is blue, but where danger lurks." Then one day, despite the dangers fortold by the othe mice, Nib decides to set off and find this "Tunnel's End" and finds a new friend along the way. You guessed it- This was Abi's pick for the best of the five.

The Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Book II Ch. 2

A liberal Education in Secondary Schools

“The real drawback to a teacher’s work and education is the monotonous drudgery of teaching continually what no one wants to learn.” Charlotte Mason.



The first and most important thing to teach the child is the knowledge of God and this should come through the Bible. Second is the knowledge of man, in which the child should learn through “History, Literature, Art, Civics, Ethics, Biography, Drama, and Languages.” Lastly, the knowledge of the universe should be taught. This should be learned from the natural world or nature and the sciences and mathematics. Charlotte Mason then asks “What is Knowledge” and defines it this way: “knowledge is that which we know and the learner knows only by a definite act of knowing which he performs for himself.” But unfortunately in Charlotte’s day, as in our own, she says “an appalling carelessness or neglect blocks the way (to knowledge). Boys and Girls do not want to know; therefore they do not know.”

Her schools discovered with the right materials there was “great avidity for knowledge” in all children no matter aged or social class. They all displayed remarkable attention, retention, and intellectual reaction to the material offered. Charlotte discovered that the mind doesn’t really “know” anything unless it comes in literary forms. She says anyone can get information out of the driest of textbooks for an exam but these kinds of facts don’t appear to touch the mind. She likens the mind to having an outer court, where matter can be “taken in and expelled without ever having entered the inner place where personality dwells.” This is what rote learning is.

Literary learning touches the mind and we know this by hearing the student tell all he has heard in a single reading in the form of narration. Charlotte stresses a single reading because she said we “can’t give full attention to something we have already heard.”

Academic success and knowledge are not the same thing. Many “schools” fail to give the students love for knowledge. A good school should impart knowledge or “high ideals” in a slow and “sinking-in” way. Let the material saturate the mind.

Children educated with this method are a delight to be around. They have many interests and can talk about them freely. Education that truly imparts knowledge produces magnanimous citizens. The teacher has a choice to make; whether education will be just a way to get on in life or the way to higher thinking and plain living that will ultimately benefit society.

Charlotte felt the end of term exams were of great importance because they were not just a test of knowledge but records that could be permanently kept.

The knowledge of God is the “principle knowledge” and the Bible is used to further that knowledge. The children read or are read a passage. If there is a geographical or cultural reference, the teacher points this out before the reading. Then a narration follows.

After knowledge of God- history is the “pivot” on which the curriculum turns. History is so rich- it increases the knowledge of man through lives and events and turns the students mind towards patriotism. The study of one’s own country’s history was always present in each grade but it was studied alone only in the earlier grades.

Literature was not studied separately but alongside history bringing out the current thought of the time period. Poetry from the time period was always included. Civics was taught as a separate subject but is closely tied to history and ethics, which we would call every-day morals, that there is not a big separation.

Science is taught in the same manner using good books putting the children in touch with great inventors or discoverers. Art, Music, and Foreign Languages are also part of the curriculum for all students. The children are not taught drawing put often draw scenes from something that have read about or seen. They learn to read and narrate in French, German, Italian, Latin, & Greek.

This last thought from Charlotte shows good reason to not just “teach for the test”. “Education must be in touch with life. We must learn what we desire to know. If we work for public examinations, the questions in which must be of a narrow academic cast, we get a narrow, accurate, somewhat sterile type of mind. We reap as we have sown.”

52 Books Challenge

After reading "In Search of Deep Throat" a few weeks ago I was compelled to read "Born Again" by Charles Colson. Chuck Colson held the position of Special Council to the President during the Nixon administration. This book is his personal testimony of how his life, once full of power and success in the world's view, became full of potential and  true success when he made Jesus Christ the Lord of his life. Colson shares truthful details of the man he once was and heartfelt stories of the man he became through Christ's mercy and grace. The book reminded me to pray, fervently, for those who are serving in our government. Sometimes those who seem the least likely to turn their hearts to Jesus, like Colson, with one touch from the King, becomes our brother or sister in Christ.  This was a wonderful book and I recommend it highly for homeschool students studying "Watergate".

The Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Book II Ch. 1

Theory Applied

A liberal education is the “birth-right” of every child. Charlotte felt all children could and should learn from “intellectual strong meat.” First we need to understand what she calls “the relativity of knowledge and the mind”. She points out: “The mind receives knowledge, not in order that it may know, but in order that it may grow, in breadth and depth, in sound judgment and magnanimity. But in order to grow, it must know.”

The mistake teachers make is to depreciate themselves and the office of teaching. Some are teaching as if it were a tiresome task of spoon-feeding watered down facts. Teachers should see themselves as part guide, philosopher, and friend to the students.

We depreciate the children when we view them as products of education and environment and not as persons. Adults either reverence or despise children. When we regard them as incomplete and undeveloped people, who one day will become complete we reverence them, unlike viewing them as weak and ignorant and that we need to “inform” that ignorance and whose weakness we must support, we actually commit the offence of despising them.

We begin to lose the child’s mind the day he starts school because we embrace the belief that a child only knows what they see and handle rather than what they conceive in their mind and figures in their thoughts.

In England education systems, common thought in the years before WWI was that it didn’t matter what a child learned only how they learned it. “Knowledge” was not taken seriously. Then some, like Charlotte, started to see that ignorance was the stumbling block not only with the difficulties England faced at home but also abroad. Charlotte said that the only cure for ignorance is knowledge. But what is “knowledge”? She said that one thing is certain: nothing becomes knowledge to us until our minds “act upon it, translate it, transform it and absorbed it.” Basically until we ourselves process the information into ourselves it is not knowledge just facts. We may “teach” or “tell” the information to the student but until the act of self-education occurs, our efforts are like “putting veneer on the surface of a child’s nature.”

The results Charlotte was consistently getting in her school:

- Children, not teachers, are responsible for learning

- Teachers may sum up or enlarge the material but actual work is done by the students

- Students read in each term anywhere from 1,000 -3,000 pages, according to age, in a large number of books

- Only a single reading of material is presented

- Readings are tested by narration or by writing on a test passage.

- No revision is attempted for the final exam because too much ground has been covered and students “know” what they have learned.

- What has been read the children know and are able to write it with ease and fluency. They usually spell well too.

- Exams last one week and the children write between 20-60 sheets of paper according to age and class.

- It is rare that children are not able to answer all the questions on exams in history, literature, citizenship, geography and science. Some do better in one subject than another by writing more in one than another but all children know the answers to the set questions.

Teaching begins this way when the children are six years old. Charlotte not only educated the clever child using these methods also but the average children and even, what she called, “backward” children. The time spent learning during the day was the same or less than other schools with more learning accomplished. The students didn’t need to “take notes” or “cram” or do hours of homework because the “knew” the material presented.

The desire for knowledge, also known as, curiosity, is the “chief agent in education.” The natural desire for knowledge is lost when we use other vices such as, prizes, marks, or praise.

When we grasp the concept of children being born persons then the understanding that they are born with the “power of attention, avidity of knowledge, clearness of thought, discrimination in books even before they can read and the power of dealing with many subjects” enables us to confidently educate our children using these methods.

Five For Fun

We began our Five For Fun this week with King Bidgood's in the Bathtub. This is a beautifully illustrated book about a King who won't come out of the bathtub so all his days activities must take place in there. From lunching to fishing the king is having fun despite the efforts of all the court to get him to come out. You have to read it yourself to see if he ever returns to his throne!

Next we rad Winter on the Farm. This charming story is based on an excerpt of Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In it we meet Almanzo and his family and find out how life is on the farm in winter.

Next was Madeline and the Bad Hat. Abigail loves Madeline and we have never read this one. In this book the "Twelve little girls in two straight lines" meet the Spanish Ambassador's son Pepito who has the habit of making mischief where ever he goes. The girls decide he is a Bad Hat! One of his pranks ends painfully for Pepito which teaches him to turn over a new leaf!

My Pony but Susan Jeffers was next on the list. It is about a little girl who wants a horse more than anything else but Mama says Ponies cost too much money and Daddy says we have no place to keep it. But that doesn't stop the little girl from dreaming or drawing. She pretends she has a pony named Silver and they have many adventures together. If you can't have a real pony pretending is the next best thing!  

Last but not least- Clementine in the city. This is a cute story about a poodle who is fed up with small town life and wants to move to the big city and work for the circus. After arriving, she has 3 days to prepare for her big circus debut. Fortunately for her, there are lots of places to go to buy all the things she needs for her act. Things don't work out so well for her though, and the story ends with a new line of work for Clementine.