One of the definitions of the word art is "the creation of beautiful or significant things". Just like a master artist, the Lord Jesus creates beautiful and significant things in our lives when we give Him the time and space to work. I feel blessed to share what He is creating in my life with you.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
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.52 Weeks Book Challenge
This week I read the book "All She Ever Wanted" by Lynn Austin. This work of Christian fiction spans four generations of women: Fiona, Eleanor, Kathleen, and Joelle. Kathleen is a successful Christian business women, living in an upper class neighborhood with the life she dreamed of all her life, or so she thought. She and her husband have one daughter, Joelle. She receives a call one afternoon that the police have her daughter in custody for shoplifting. Needless to say this strains the mother-daughter relationship even more than it already was. Upon arriving home, Kathleen opens a letter from her sister, whom she has not seen since she left home at the age of 19, for a better life. It is an invitation to a party for their father. She throws the invitation in the trash which is found by Joelle later in the day. During a confrontation, Joelle asks why she has never been told about her mother's family. One thing leads to another and Kathleen is forced to face her past to heal her future. This is an excellent book- read it with a box of tissues!
Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Chapter 10 Sect. III Knowledge of the Universe
(b) Mathematics & (c) Physical developments, Handicrafts
Mathematics reveals truth to inevitable law. The fact that two plus two makes four and can never make five is a truth that cannot be changed. Charlotte says”it is a great thing to be brought into the presence of a law-of a whole system of laws, that exist without our concurrence.”
“Math is something we can perceive state and act upon but cannot alter.” This gives children a “sense of limitation which is wholesome for all of us.”
That being said, Charlotte felt that all subjects should be taught in proportion, one to another. In her day, if a child did not have natural aptitude for math, Higher education was not open to them. Charlotte felt, strongly, that math was necessary but should not have more importance placed on it than any other subject. She felt that math should be taught more from the teacher and less from a textbook. Math should be made a living subject. For ecample: studying Geometry by learning Euclid’s discoveries as he made them.
Charlotte didn’t include examples of teaching math in this section because she said the P.U.S. taught along the same lines and had the same standards as did any school.
(c) Physical development, Handicrafts
In this section Charlotte basically said there is no point in “detailing the teaching of games, dancing, physical exercise, needlework or other handicrafts”. If details were wanted she had a footnote to see the Parents’ Union School programs.
Mathematics reveals truth to inevitable law. The fact that two plus two makes four and can never make five is a truth that cannot be changed. Charlotte says”it is a great thing to be brought into the presence of a law-of a whole system of laws, that exist without our concurrence.”
“Math is something we can perceive state and act upon but cannot alter.” This gives children a “sense of limitation which is wholesome for all of us.”
That being said, Charlotte felt that all subjects should be taught in proportion, one to another. In her day, if a child did not have natural aptitude for math, Higher education was not open to them. Charlotte felt, strongly, that math was necessary but should not have more importance placed on it than any other subject. She felt that math should be taught more from the teacher and less from a textbook. Math should be made a living subject. For ecample: studying Geometry by learning Euclid’s discoveries as he made them.
Charlotte didn’t include examples of teaching math in this section because she said the P.U.S. taught along the same lines and had the same standards as did any school.
(c) Physical development, Handicrafts
In this section Charlotte basically said there is no point in “detailing the teaching of games, dancing, physical exercise, needlework or other handicrafts”. If details were wanted she had a footnote to see the Parents’ Union School programs.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Five For Fun
This week our first read was Nora's Ark by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock. It is a story based on the real-life Vermont Flood of 1927. It was a charming story of a little girl who lives with her grandparents. Grandpa has started building a new farmhouse for Grandma who doesn't feel like she needs a new house. Then one day it starts to rain and Grandma's new house becomes an "ark" for the community.
Our second read was From Dawn Till Dusk also by Kinsey-Warnock. This book describes what life on a farm in the North would be like-7 months of snow, sloppy mud season, hot haying time- her brothers say "Who would miss that!" But all the hard chores lead to fun times like night swimming in the pond and sledding off the roof.
Next we read Old Thunder and Miss Raney. Miss Raney has never won a prize at the Washita County Fair but this year she is determined to win a blue ribbon for her Sooner biscuits. One mishap after another leads to her finally arriving at the fair on her faithful old horse "Thunder". Will she win the blue ribbon this year? You will have to read and see.
"One More Time Mama" by Sue Alexander was a touching story of a little girl asking her Mama to tell how hard it was to wait for her to be born. Mama goes through all the seasons that she waited before her new little baby arrived. This book had really beautiful nature illustrations and captures that special time of waiting for the birth of a baby in a very creative way.
And last but not least was "The Snow Globe Family" by Jane O'Conner. In this story we meet a "large" family that has a Papa, a Mama, a boy, a girl, a baby and a snow globe on the mantle of their home. In the snow globe lives a "small" family who has a Papa, a Mama, a boy, a girl, and a baby. The "small" Papa describes a time when they had huge "snowstorms" that rattled the cupboards and furniture and was great fun...but that hasn't happened lately. Every now and then they get a few flurries when the mantle is "dusted" but will they ever get a snow storm that would make a hill large enough to sled down? You will have to check it out from the library and find out for yourself. I asked Abi which story she liked best this week and hands down it was "The Snow Globe Family". Mama's choice would be a tie between "Nora's Ark" and "One More Time, Mama"
52 Weeks Book Challenge
This week the book I read was "In Search of Deep Throat" by Leonard Garment. Mr. Garment took the place of Counsel to the President when John Dean resigned from the Nixon Administration. Like all associated with "Watergate", Mr. Garment wondered who the mysterious "Deep Throat" could be. Having worked in the Nixon Administration from the beginning, he had first hand knowledge of all the players in this national drama as it played out. I was very young during the "Watergate" era and did not fully understand the details in this period of American history. The book gives you a good re-cap from the early days of Nixon's law career, where Garment worked at a law firm Nixon was a partner in, to the last days before the President resigned. In the second half of the book he presents his "theory" as to who "Deep Throat" by going through all the possible players involved. He comes to a conclusion as to who he believes "Deep Throat" really is. This book was written in 2000, before the real "Deep Throat" came out. I won't spoil it for you, if you want to read the book, and tell you whether Garment was right or not. I knew that in 2005 "Deep Throat" surfaced but couldn't remember who they said it was so I read the book before using google to find out! It was a very interesting book from a first hand account of the events.
The Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Ch. 10 Sect. 3
Science
Charlotte Mason Felt that books dealing with science, just like those of history, should be living books of “literary character”. She recommended for 6 year olds, a book called “Life and Her Children”. From this the children would learn all about “earlier and lower” forms of life. The next school year they did more outdoor work using a book called “The Changing Year”. They would begin keeping Nature Note books and draw the differences of their surroundings through the changing seasons. The next year, or “Form III”, during one term, she would have the children make a sketch of a ditch, hedgerow, or the sea shore and put all the names of plants you would expect to find there and all the details about each plant. They would also make notes and drawings of what they studied through the year i.e.: What do you know about the parts of a flower? How would you find the “pole star”? etc. This takes several good book selections and the children should learn information from these sources and not just depend on their own “unassisted observations”. This continues, more in depth, as each year of school progresses. Science should be brought to the “common thought and experience” and not made a “utilitarian subject”.
Geography
In Charlotte’s day the schools approached Geography in what she called “utilitarian way” by focusing mostly on how the earth’s surface was profitable for the habitation of man.
Map work takes an important part in teaching Geography. Before any reading in any subject was done, the students located on a map the places, bodies of water, or mountain ranges etc. and discuss their location in relationship to other places they know of.
Children in the second year of school begin studying their own country, county by county or state by state, learning the differences between each. The next year the children begin to study the region of the world in which they live. (Example: in England they would study Europe). They would learn the diversities of people and the country’s history as well as land forms, rivers etc in that country. Study continues in each year moving through the different regions of the earth. Teachers should continue using “vivid descriptions, geographical principles, historical associations and industrial details” to bring the region to life. The older students also use current events from the newspaper to learn about those regions and countries reported on.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Five For Fun
This week Abi and I read these five books. Our first book was Christmas With Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This was a delightful picture book that was taken from the original book about the first Christmas with the March family. It was a wonderful way to introduce Little Women to a younger child. Because it was Alcott's original words it read in that same familiar style we all love. The Second was Ernest's Special Christmas by Laura T. Barnes. This was a cute Christmas story of a small donkey named Ernest who helps his friend Chester, an old white horse, get back to the barn after getting lost in the snow. I was able to use this to point out to Abi that helping someone is the right thing to do even when it would be hard or we would be uncomfortable ourselves. The next three books were all about a bear named Henry in a series of books by D. B. Johnson. The bear is actually based on the author Henry David Thoreau. The story lines were simplistic and are based on in events the book 'Walden' by Thoreau. Some of Thoreau's real friends show up as characters in the stories too. Abi liked the pictures but thought they were kind of silly, but I think that was the author's purpose. Lighthearted.
At the end of the book the author includes some brief biographical information on Thoreau and the real example from which the story was inspired. I must say these books have encouraged me to read 'Walden' again. I was supposed to read this in high school and thought it made no sense but when I read the original quotes from Walden in this book they made perfect sense and were very readable. What do you know- another book for mom to add to her own book pile.
52 Weeks Challenge
This week I read Where Angels go by Debbie Macomber. This is a cute story that takes place at Christmas time. Three angels, Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy are assigned to help work out God's plan for three different individuals, a single woman who is leery about falling in love, a young boy who wants a dog for Christmas, and an elderly man who is at the end of his life and wants his wife taken care of after he passes away. It was a little bit predictable but also very touching.
Philosophy of Education Vol. 6 Sect. 2 The knowledge of Man pt. f Art
Charlotte begins this section with a statement that is so true. “There are few subjects regarded with more respect and less confidence in our schools than this of ‘Art’. Of course, we say, children should have their artistic powers cultivated especially those who have such powers, but how is the question.
One way art was taught in Charlotte’s day was to put models of cones and cubes and such before the student so they could copy what they saw. Charlotte states that art should not be approached with such a pre-paved way. Art is an extension of a person’s spirit and should be approached that way.
Children should learn art by “reading” the pictures, not through a book. The teacher chooses about six paintings from one artist to study each term. After a short story of the artists life, she may say a few words about the way he painted his sky’s or trees etc. Let the children not just see the work of art but really look at it. Then, the teacher would turn the picture over and ask the students to tell what they remember or to “narrate” the picture. As they get older, they should do written narrations of the artwork. Charlotte felt that the students should not copy or draw the picture because in attempting to copy a picture the reverence the child has for a great work would lessen. The children would practice drawing or painting in their nature notebooks. CM schools also introduce Architecture to the students by using modeling clay or handicrafts.
Music Appreciation was approached the same way. This did not mean learning an instrument but being exposed to great composers and their music. Appreciating music “has no more to do with playing an instrument than acting has to do with appreciating Shakespeare or painting has to do with the enjoyment of pictures.” Music Appreciation should be taught following the same manner as art appreciation. Choose one composer each term and listen to six pieces of their work over that term.
One way art was taught in Charlotte’s day was to put models of cones and cubes and such before the student so they could copy what they saw. Charlotte states that art should not be approached with such a pre-paved way. Art is an extension of a person’s spirit and should be approached that way.
Children should learn art by “reading” the pictures, not through a book. The teacher chooses about six paintings from one artist to study each term. After a short story of the artists life, she may say a few words about the way he painted his sky’s or trees etc. Let the children not just see the work of art but really look at it. Then, the teacher would turn the picture over and ask the students to tell what they remember or to “narrate” the picture. As they get older, they should do written narrations of the artwork. Charlotte felt that the students should not copy or draw the picture because in attempting to copy a picture the reverence the child has for a great work would lessen. The children would practice drawing or painting in their nature notebooks. CM schools also introduce Architecture to the students by using modeling clay or handicrafts.
Music Appreciation was approached the same way. This did not mean learning an instrument but being exposed to great composers and their music. Appreciating music “has no more to do with playing an instrument than acting has to do with appreciating Shakespeare or painting has to do with the enjoyment of pictures.” Music Appreciation should be taught following the same manner as art appreciation. Choose one composer each term and listen to six pieces of their work over that term.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Five For Fun
I have been wanting to find a fun way to add more great children's literature into our school days. I thought I would select 5 children's books each week that we have never read and read one to Abi each day "just for fun". With that the idea of Five For Fun came about. I will post the 5 books we read on the bookshelf at the bottom of the blog along with a review of each book the following Sunday night. I am looking forward to this quiet time with my girl.
52 Weeks Book Challenge
Well my first book for 2011 was Ford County Stories by John Grisham. This was a collection of fictitious short stories that took place in Clanton Mississippi.It was not typical Grisham at all. I did finish the book but it was not my favorite. It was a pretty quick read though. The stories seemed to center around dishonest characters and each story ended on a down note.
Quilting
Here is a small sample of the quilting projects I have made. I started my very first quilted table runner at the end of July and thanks to my wonderful teacher, Flossie Blankenship, I am now hooked!
As the New Year Begins
It is so good to be back to blogging again! I have been keeping busy learning my new hobby of quilting and made many items to sell this year and lots of Christmas gifts. I have been taking a break from regular schooling with Abigail for too long and am so looking forward to normal school days again. January always brings with it a sense of renewal. I love to take time during the colder months and organize drawers or closets that need a good once over. Most people probably wait until spring to do this but I would rather be spending time outside, enjoying beautiful spring days, than inside cleaning! As always, New Years bring new changes. Our oldest daughter,Britni, will be getting married this year. Time sure does go by quickly. Above all I am so thankful for eveything God has done for us in 2010 and all He will do in 2011.
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