"I have never, as far as I can remember, given one moment's thought as to whether any drawing that I was doing was for adults or children. I have never changed one conception or line or detail to suit the supposed age of the reader. And I have never, in what writing I have done, changed one word or phrase of text because I felt it might be over the heads of children. I have never, I hope, insulted the intelligence of any child. And with God and my publishers willing, I promise them that I never will."
Robert Lawson
Author of Rabbit Hill
Showing posts with label Charlotte Mason. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlotte Mason. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Zeezok Composer Series
We are all enjoying our composer study right now! We are reading Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming of Tower Bells by Opal Wheeler, published by Zeezok Publishing. The story is very well written! We are enjoying the story of the childhood of Beethoven right now. We also have the Companion CD (Highly recommend!!). It is wonderful! It has each song in the book as well as coloring pages that go along with the story! The music score is even in the story book so you can learn to play too!
There are many other composers in this series! I can't wait to read them all!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
A Sense of Place
I have spoken often of Amber's talk from the 2007 Childlight Conference. She spoke on A Sense of Place. Her words have come back to me many times....in essence, be where you are...fully be there!!! If God has placed us there, and of course he has, then we should be involved and "know" that place. Well, Tammy Glaser can explain anything, so since it has been awhile for me, I'll share a link to her blog where she narrates Amber's talk....enjoy....
http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2007/06/sense-of-place.html
http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2007/06/sense-of-place.html
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Charlotte Mason Inspired Reading Lessons...one more thing
I have also had the thought that after a older child has the hang of it and the reading begins to get easier, you could cut the punctuation out separate and incorporate that too!!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Charlotte Mason Inspired Reading Lessons
A couple of weeks ago I began a new type of reading lesson with my eight yr old who has struggled to learn to read. I read about how Charlotte Mason, who was an educator in the 18 and early 1900's, suggested that parents work with their children to teach them how to read. This can be found in The Original Homeschooling Series - Vol. 1
So, what I will explain is how we have done it, not her words, though it was completely inspired by her words. I must also explain that I do still believe in teaching children to read with phonics, not whole language, however this child has proved to be the exception. He knows his phonics pretty well, we have been working on it for 3 years, however, this has NOT helped HIM become a fluent reader. We also believe he has Asperger's Syndrome, and that me be a contributing factor to his struggle to read.
Ok, so the first thing I did was to pick a poem. He loves poetry and he can be pretty silly, so I chose Where the Sidewalk Ends to pull from, because I thought this would make it more fun for him! He likes a good punch line. The first poem we used was Homemade Boat.
I made five copies of the poem in large type. I separated the title and the first couple of lines and the next sets of lines and put each set into a separate sandwich bag. I labeled them #1, #2....
I then cut each word apart (except for the Title, I leave that all one strip) and put them back in the bag and mixed them. I also prepared a half sheet of construction paper on which to mount a copy at the end of the reading lesson. One more thing I prepared was a spiral book of index cards.
On the BIG DAY, I sat him at the table and spread all the words from bag #1 out on a large plastic lid. I wrote the title of the poem, Homemade Boat, on the dry erase board and while he looked at it, and I told him what it said. Then, he searched for his five copies of the title in his pile. He spread them out on the table as the start of five copies of the poem.
Then, I continued to write one word at a time on the board, telling him the word, him repeating the word and giving him time to find them and place them in the proper order in each of the sets of the poem (we left all of the lines on the white board until we completed the poem and I did every other line in alternating colors to help his concentration).
When he finished the title and first two lines, I took up four of the copies and put them back in the baggie and then we pasted the remaining one onto the half piece of construction paper.
He read what he had completed out loud. Any words that he stumbled on we added to the spiral index cards. Some days, we added other words to the card that were in the same word family. For example, we had the word by, so we added try and my. One day we had cling, so we added bring, sting ect.
The next time, he read over the sight words in our spiral index cards, read the part of the poem that he had finished on the construction paper, then added the next two lines as he had done the previous day. We did this each day until the poem was complete.
We have done three poems now and the impact has been awesome. He can easily read all three of the poems without missing a word. This weekend he pulled out the real book and proudly read all three of the poems to our friend!!!!!!!!!! That is huge for him!
So, what I will explain is how we have done it, not her words, though it was completely inspired by her words. I must also explain that I do still believe in teaching children to read with phonics, not whole language, however this child has proved to be the exception. He knows his phonics pretty well, we have been working on it for 3 years, however, this has NOT helped HIM become a fluent reader. We also believe he has Asperger's Syndrome, and that me be a contributing factor to his struggle to read.
Ok, so the first thing I did was to pick a poem. He loves poetry and he can be pretty silly, so I chose Where the Sidewalk Ends to pull from, because I thought this would make it more fun for him! He likes a good punch line. The first poem we used was Homemade Boat.
I made five copies of the poem in large type. I separated the title and the first couple of lines and the next sets of lines and put each set into a separate sandwich bag. I labeled them #1, #2....
I then cut each word apart (except for the Title, I leave that all one strip) and put them back in the bag and mixed them. I also prepared a half sheet of construction paper on which to mount a copy at the end of the reading lesson. One more thing I prepared was a spiral book of index cards.
On the BIG DAY, I sat him at the table and spread all the words from bag #1 out on a large plastic lid. I wrote the title of the poem, Homemade Boat, on the dry erase board and while he looked at it, and I told him what it said. Then, he searched for his five copies of the title in his pile. He spread them out on the table as the start of five copies of the poem.
Then, I continued to write one word at a time on the board, telling him the word, him repeating the word and giving him time to find them and place them in the proper order in each of the sets of the poem (we left all of the lines on the white board until we completed the poem and I did every other line in alternating colors to help his concentration).
When he finished the title and first two lines, I took up four of the copies and put them back in the baggie and then we pasted the remaining one onto the half piece of construction paper.
He read what he had completed out loud. Any words that he stumbled on we added to the spiral index cards. Some days, we added other words to the card that were in the same word family. For example, we had the word by, so we added try and my. One day we had cling, so we added bring, sting ect.
The next time, he read over the sight words in our spiral index cards, read the part of the poem that he had finished on the construction paper, then added the next two lines as he had done the previous day. We did this each day until the poem was complete.
We have done three poems now and the impact has been awesome. He can easily read all three of the poems without missing a word. This weekend he pulled out the real book and proudly read all three of the poems to our friend!!!!!!!!!! That is huge for him!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Childlight Conference 2008- Jason Fletcher: The Relational Paradigm of Christianity
I really must get this out before it is lost to me. At the recent Childlight Conference, I really enjoyed a plenary in which Jason Fletcher spoke on The Relational Paradigm of Christianity.
His talk really spoke to the need for us to realize that Relationships are at the center of everything of God: the trinity, his creation and so on. The following are from my notes of his talk.
The rise of social isolation has many roots issues. Some of these issues are: Poor condition of relationships, two income families, longer commutes and television.
We need a relational paradigm!
In the UK he says, they are worried more about people consuming the right things than doing the right things. People are more worried about relative wealth than total wealth (how wealthy they look, not how wealthy they are).
We need to redefine our goals for relationships. Christianity alone is capable. It's world view is relational through and through. God is relational (1 John-WITH GOD-plurality of relations). God never existed in isolation, you can only understand one member of the triune God in relation to the other two. Relating to others means no isolation. It is through others we become persons. If there is no sharing, there is no reality. All persons have relational needs: To be heard, to be wanted. True person hood is realized when we are others centered. In the Godhead we see perfect giving and receiving. The suffering in the absence of this unity is heard in Jesus' separation from God the Father during the Crucifixion "Why have you forsaken me?".
We find fulfillment in God.
It was "not good for Adam to be alone". But when Adam and Eve fell, dependence gave way to independence. Sin is a failure of relationship: To love God and love others. This is the subject of C S Lewis' The Great Divorce. But, still, one day we will see Him FACE TO FACE.
(me: I heard a pastor say recently, "Sin is what we do when are not fully satisfied in God".)
Christian Ethics: The Practical Application
It is about learning to give and receive.
Isaiah 6:6 God says, "I desire mercy more than sacrifice".
Matthew 23:23 Jesus says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Matthew 22:36-40 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
How should we think about relationships? Their are two key aspects: Relational values and relational conditions.
Relational values (are all aspects of love)
Loyalty (mercy, steadfast love) mentioned in the Word 242 times. Loyalty spurs on His relationship with Israel.
Righteousness, which is all about fulfilling demands of relationships with others. A righteous leader will provide justice. Each relationship is unique.
Justice is fixing wrongs.
Faithfulness, which again can be seen in His relationship with Israel.
Truthfulness, in our relationships
Mercy/Compassion: Zechariah speaks of "the tender mercy of our God"
Forgiveness: Jesus said we will be forgive as we forgive others. He used the illustration of the unforgiving servant.
Generosity- He is not just loyal, He is generous. Israel was to be generous as well.
Relational Conditions
Directness: (face to face) leads to greatest outcome a relationship. This is not to be confused with non-verbal email/text messaging, which is task oriented, not relational. How do we deal with interruptions? Jesus, when sought to help Jarius' daughter, dropped everything and went. We undervalue children and others by failing to give our full attention. With out face to face relationships, our success is limited.
Continuity: (Time) With out time, the depth to our relationships is limited. Our method of juggling time and lack of quantity of time with our children is at the expense of our relationship with them.
Multiplexity: The breadth of our knowledge about the other person. AVOID ONE DIMENSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS!
Parroting: Relationships must be two-way. There must be mutual respect. We must listen to the opinion of others before offering our decisions.
Commonality: A shared vision! A mom who took up gold just to be with dad.
Charlotte Mason on relationships
She believed children were born persons. Large classes would underplay relationship.
His talk really spoke to the need for us to realize that Relationships are at the center of everything of God: the trinity, his creation and so on. The following are from my notes of his talk.
The rise of social isolation has many roots issues. Some of these issues are: Poor condition of relationships, two income families, longer commutes and television.
We need a relational paradigm!
In the UK he says, they are worried more about people consuming the right things than doing the right things. People are more worried about relative wealth than total wealth (how wealthy they look, not how wealthy they are).
We need to redefine our goals for relationships. Christianity alone is capable. It's world view is relational through and through. God is relational (1 John-WITH GOD-plurality of relations). God never existed in isolation, you can only understand one member of the triune God in relation to the other two. Relating to others means no isolation. It is through others we become persons. If there is no sharing, there is no reality. All persons have relational needs: To be heard, to be wanted. True person hood is realized when we are others centered. In the Godhead we see perfect giving and receiving. The suffering in the absence of this unity is heard in Jesus' separation from God the Father during the Crucifixion "Why have you forsaken me?".
We find fulfillment in God.
It was "not good for Adam to be alone". But when Adam and Eve fell, dependence gave way to independence. Sin is a failure of relationship: To love God and love others. This is the subject of C S Lewis' The Great Divorce. But, still, one day we will see Him FACE TO FACE.
(me: I heard a pastor say recently, "Sin is what we do when are not fully satisfied in God".)
Christian Ethics: The Practical Application
It is about learning to give and receive.
Isaiah 6:6 God says, "I desire mercy more than sacrifice".
Matthew 23:23 Jesus says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Matthew 22:36-40 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
God wants us to cultivate STRONG relationships.How should we think about relationships? Their are two key aspects: Relational values and relational conditions.
Relational values (are all aspects of love)
Loyalty (mercy, steadfast love) mentioned in the Word 242 times. Loyalty spurs on His relationship with Israel.
Righteousness, which is all about fulfilling demands of relationships with others. A righteous leader will provide justice. Each relationship is unique.
Justice is fixing wrongs.
Faithfulness, which again can be seen in His relationship with Israel.
Truthfulness, in our relationships
Mercy/Compassion: Zechariah speaks of "the tender mercy of our God"
Forgiveness: Jesus said we will be forgive as we forgive others. He used the illustration of the unforgiving servant.
Generosity- He is not just loyal, He is generous. Israel was to be generous as well.
Relational Conditions
Directness: (face to face) leads to greatest outcome a relationship. This is not to be confused with non-verbal email/text messaging, which is task oriented, not relational. How do we deal with interruptions? Jesus, when sought to help Jarius' daughter, dropped everything and went. We undervalue children and others by failing to give our full attention. With out face to face relationships, our success is limited.
Continuity: (Time) With out time, the depth to our relationships is limited. Our method of juggling time and lack of quantity of time with our children is at the expense of our relationship with them.
Multiplexity: The breadth of our knowledge about the other person. AVOID ONE DIMENSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS!
Parroting: Relationships must be two-way. There must be mutual respect. We must listen to the opinion of others before offering our decisions.
Commonality: A shared vision! A mom who took up gold just to be with dad.
Charlotte Mason on relationships
She believed children were born persons. Large classes would underplay relationship.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Charlotte Mason Vol. 1
Ha! Don't you love it when someone has already said what you have being feeling all along (maybe even says it better)? Reading CM Vol 1 Home Education (Part V) last night, I came across the following:
It seems to me that we live in an age of pedagogy; that we of the teaching profession are inclined to take too much upon ourselves, and that parents are ready to yield the responsibility of direction, as well as of actual instruction, more than is wholesome for the children.
One of the things that I feel has gone wrong with education Miss Mason was feeling in her time as well. I enjoy encouraging people who use all forms of education. But one of the most important things, I feel, is that we realize that regardless of the "form" we use, ultimately our children's education is our responsibility. For me and thousands of other parents, this means home schooling. For other responsible parents, this means private school or public school. But, regardless of the means, the ultimate responsibility lies squarely on our shoulders, not a system, it's administration, a school or it's teachers.
I met a mom who's daughter attends public school this week. Her daughter took Pre-Algebra last school year. The mom was able to look at a "at a glance" summary of Pre-Algebra and tell that her daughter had done all of those operations last year. This may seem trivial to some, but to me, this is a mom who takes her responsibility to educate her children seriously. She knows what her child is learning and how well she is doing and was buying things to help her along this coming school year. She had a great teacher at school, with who her mom was well acquainted. I suspect the teachers know her as well and are thankful for her involvement.
I know this balance is not easy for American educators. Believe me, when I was growing up in public school, I saw my share of unbalanced and overbearing parents who loved to reek havoc depending on their mood. Unfortunately, their is no way to separate a student from their God given authority (except in cases of abuse) and the child get the education they need.
I do not wish to over simplify this issue, only to say, as parents, we must realize our responsibility here and be involved. I know that the other many responsibilities we carry make this difficult, but we must do the best we can. Some involvement is better than no involvement! (As a side note, I will say that if your children are in a classroom setting, you must do your best to support the teacher who is aiding you in this responsibility and perhaps even carrying most of the weight.) Ok! If you are reading this, tell me what YOU think!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Learning to Fledge: Masterly Inactivity In the High School Years by: Beth Pinckney
These are my notes from Beth's Masterly Inactivity talk at the 2008 Childlight conference....
What does it mean to fledge? When a baby Carolina Wren leaves the nest but isn't quite ready to leave on their own the parents will stay nearby calling (enticing) them out of the nest.
When the Blue Winged Warbler's babies leave the nest the parents hear their calls and come and care for them in the under brush because they are not yet capable of flying.
Once when a Ruby Throated Hummingbird got it's beak stuck in the trim of Beth's garage, her son gently cupped his hands around it, pulled it free, walked over to the garage doors and opened his hands. The bird sat stunned for a minute and then suddenly flew away.
What is masterly inactivity? It is not: Laissez aller (what's the use?) attitude or indolence. "It is the 'wise passiveness' which 'indicates the power to act, the desire to act, and the insight and self-restraint which forbid action'." (Vol 3, pg.29) It's elements include:
1. Authority: The MASTER in masterly inactivity notes that you are the authority. This authority should be neither harsh not indulgent. We should be "easily entreated in things immaterial but immovable in matters of real importance- these are a fixed principle". We should be willing to admit when we are wrong graciously. God is the backbone of our positition. I should ask myself daily "Who gave me this authority?"
2. Good nature or good humor: A frank, cordial, natural good humor, but not the same as permissive. Take time to consider your answer. Don't be hopeless, "do what ever you want, you're going to do it anyway", instead, "Let me think about it".
Ps 139:1-5
Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue ,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid your hand upon me....
What does it mean to fledge? When a baby Carolina Wren leaves the nest but isn't quite ready to leave on their own the parents will stay nearby calling (enticing) them out of the nest.
When the Blue Winged Warbler's babies leave the nest the parents hear their calls and come and care for them in the under brush because they are not yet capable of flying.
Once when a Ruby Throated Hummingbird got it's beak stuck in the trim of Beth's garage, her son gently cupped his hands around it, pulled it free, walked over to the garage doors and opened his hands. The bird sat stunned for a minute and then suddenly flew away.
What is masterly inactivity? It is not: Laissez aller (what's the use?) attitude or indolence. "It is the 'wise passiveness' which 'indicates the power to act, the desire to act, and the insight and self-restraint which forbid action'." (Vol 3, pg.29) It's elements include:
1. Authority: The MASTER in masterly inactivity notes that you are the authority. This authority should be neither harsh not indulgent. We should be "easily entreated in things immaterial but immovable in matters of real importance- these are a fixed principle". We should be willing to admit when we are wrong graciously. God is the backbone of our positition. I should ask myself daily "Who gave me this authority?"
2. Good nature or good humor: A frank, cordial, natural good humor, but not the same as permissive. Take time to consider your answer. Don't be hopeless, "do what ever you want, you're going to do it anyway", instead, "Let me think about it".
3. Self-confidence: Parents should trust themselves. Fussy, commanding, constraining over much muddies the relationship (like over painting in watercolors). My confidence doesn't come from myself, it comes from God's Love. He is my guide, my hope, my only confidence.
Ps 139:1-5
Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue ,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid your hand upon me....
4. Confidence in the children: How should I respond when they do wrong? Belittle? Put them "in their place"? I should try to understand them!!!!! Teach them "They can, they ought, they should".
5. Leisure: SLOW DOWN and GET A LIFE! Beth's family has what they call "porch time". They gather regularly on the back porch to chat, do handicrafts, play games...just hang out.
6. Serenity: Get a life! Charlotte Mason said, "Mother's are often too much with their children." Vol. 1) Mother's should have hobbies, have interests! They should also attempt to educate themselves about their children's interests that are outside of their experience.
7. Faith: Let GOD do HIS work. Beth told a beautiful story about one of her children who struggled with a huge change in their lives and how she had explained the decision, but then had to sit back and let God work in her child's life to bring understanding and acceptance. (I was weeping by this point, having gone through something similar with one of mine recently. We did try to explain, but understanding did not come, only anger and arguement. The next step, I realized should have been to trust God to work in the child's life. As it was I fretted for sometime! Once again, as the Lord has tried to tell me time and time again---Phil 4:4-6!!! Give it all to him and he will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus!! Will I ever get it??) She finished by telling how the Lord had used the hardship to draw her child closer to Himself!!
Beth continued into Areas of Application!
1. Play: Even in the high school years we need to encourage lots of play. Family game times and even having families over with younger children are ways we can encourage this.
2. Work: Encourage them in areas of interest to them. I thought of a project mine wanted to do on Composers. (I went straight and bought the book she had asked for ;-)
3. Standing or falling: They must learn to stand or fall by their own efforts. They must learn self-will. (This is a theme of Charlotte Mason's that is screaming loud and clear to me right now!)
4. Friendships: Beth believes they should be allowed to choose their own friends.
5. Money: They should have their own accounts and learn to handle their own money.
6. Opinions: They should be allowed to have their own opinions and we should understand they won't always share ours. We shouldn't force our opinions of other people on them.
In conclusion, Beth asked if we wanted to be a mainspring or a lever in the lives of our children...A mainspring is the coil that winds a watch. When wound, it lets go slowly as it turns. A lever digs up the rock and hurls it in one swift motion.
I want to be a mainspring!!!!!
I told Beth thanks for doing this. It was exactly the balanced, grace filled message I needed right now in my relationship with my older children! God's timing is always perfect.
5. Leisure: SLOW DOWN and GET A LIFE! Beth's family has what they call "porch time". They gather regularly on the back porch to chat, do handicrafts, play games...just hang out.
6. Serenity: Get a life! Charlotte Mason said, "Mother's are often too much with their children." Vol. 1) Mother's should have hobbies, have interests! They should also attempt to educate themselves about their children's interests that are outside of their experience.
7. Faith: Let GOD do HIS work. Beth told a beautiful story about one of her children who struggled with a huge change in their lives and how she had explained the decision, but then had to sit back and let God work in her child's life to bring understanding and acceptance. (I was weeping by this point, having gone through something similar with one of mine recently. We did try to explain, but understanding did not come, only anger and arguement. The next step, I realized should have been to trust God to work in the child's life. As it was I fretted for sometime! Once again, as the Lord has tried to tell me time and time again---Phil 4:4-6!!! Give it all to him and he will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus!! Will I ever get it??) She finished by telling how the Lord had used the hardship to draw her child closer to Himself!!
Beth continued into Areas of Application!
1. Play: Even in the high school years we need to encourage lots of play. Family game times and even having families over with younger children are ways we can encourage this.
2. Work: Encourage them in areas of interest to them. I thought of a project mine wanted to do on Composers. (I went straight and bought the book she had asked for ;-)
3. Standing or falling: They must learn to stand or fall by their own efforts. They must learn self-will. (This is a theme of Charlotte Mason's that is screaming loud and clear to me right now!)
4. Friendships: Beth believes they should be allowed to choose their own friends.
5. Money: They should have their own accounts and learn to handle their own money.
6. Opinions: They should be allowed to have their own opinions and we should understand they won't always share ours. We shouldn't force our opinions of other people on them.
In conclusion, Beth asked if we wanted to be a mainspring or a lever in the lives of our children...A mainspring is the coil that winds a watch. When wound, it lets go slowly as it turns. A lever digs up the rock and hurls it in one swift motion.
I want to be a mainspring!!!!!
I told Beth thanks for doing this. It was exactly the balanced, grace filled message I needed right now in my relationship with my older children! God's timing is always perfect.
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Original Home Schooling Series: Vol. 1 Home Education Preface
It amazes me always how the Lord teaches me so gently and slowly. I come to today with a slow and gentle introduction to Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education over the course of two to three years. As I read the preface this morning, having just come home from the annual Childlight Conference, it is amazing how much sense it all finally makes to me (remember it has come slowly).
Please don't stop at the interpretation from me or others, but read her words for yourself! Do not be intimidated, even if you must read slowly like me! Even if you must only read a paragraph or page at a time, you will find the efforts worth it.
So, this is what I gleaned from the preface:
Charlotte Mason had studied the ideas of education of her time, but felt in her heart that there were "laws" designed by THE Designer that already existed for education, and that the work done before her ("the benign and elusive vision of Education") still fell short of understanding and implementing these laws . I do not sense an "intellectual" need for an understanding of this law. Rather, I sense a longing to know these laws for their purity, and to be able to educate children according to God's original design and share them with anyone who also hungered to understand and implement them.
Mason felt that "there is no part of a child's home-life or school-work which the law does not penetrate" and also "it is not only a light, but a measure providing a standard whereby all things, small and great, belonging to educational work must be tested". She believed that great thinkers before her were right that it is "necessary to believe in God; that, therefore, the knowledge of God is the principal knowledge, and the chief end of education".
She believed that the proper theory of education must be: 1) "in harmony with the thought movements of the age"(hum...modern technology too?); 2) "must regard education, not as a shut-off compartment, but as being as much a part of life as birth or growth, marriage or work"; and 3) "it must leave the pupil attached to the world at may points of contact".
She believed the foundation of this theory would be that children are persons and Education is the Science of Relations. These two principles would solve the question of curriculum "as showing that the object of education is to put a child in living touch with as many as may be of the life of Nature and of thought". "Add to this one or two keys to self-knowledge, and the educated youth goes forth with some idea of self-management, with some pursuits, and many vital interests".
My friend and I were talking on the phone last night about how "non-persons" we were until after we were older or even grown. I did not know how to think about things, must less how to express what I was thinking. I have a son with Aspergers Syndrome who did Ambleside Online Yr 1 this year and have been astounded with how much more articulate he in his life as a whole after a year of rich reading and narration (And I barely even knew what I was doing!!).
Mason quotes: "The consequence of truth is great; therefore the judgment of it must not be negligent." WHICHCOTE
She ends the Preface with the list of 18 (later to become I am told the 20) copied here from Ambleside Online:
1. Children are born persons.
2. They are not born either good or bad, but with possibilities for either good or evil.
3. The principles of authority on the one hand and obedience on the other, are natural, necessary and fundamental; but
4. These principles are limited by the respect due to the personality of children, which must not be encroached upon, whether by fear or love, suggestion or influence, or undue play upon any one natural desire.
5. Therefore we are limited to three educational instruments––the atmosphere of environment, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas.
6. By the saying, Education is an atmosphere, it is not meant that a child should be isolated in what may be called a 'child environment,' especially adapted and prepared; but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere, both as regards persons and things, and should let him live freely among his proper conditions. It stultifies a child to bring down his world to a 'child's' level.
7. By Education is a discipline, is meant the discipline of habits formed definitely and thoughtfully, whether habits of mind or body. Physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structure to habitual lines of thought––i.e. to our habits.
8. In the saying that Education is a life, the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied. The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.
9. But the mind is not a receptacle into which ideas must be dropped, each idea adding to an 'apperception mass' of its like, the theory upon which the Herbartian doctrine of interest rests.
10. On the contrary, a child's mind is no mere sac to hold ideas; but is rather, if the figure may be allowed, a spiritual organism, with an appetite for all knowledge. This is its proper diet, with which it is prepared to deal, and which it can digest and assimilate as the body does foodstuffs.
11. This difference is not a verbal quibble. The Herbartian doctrine lays the stress of education––the preparation of knowledge in enticing morsels, presented in due order––upon the teacher. Children taught upon this principle are in danger of receiving much teaching with little knowledge; and the teacher's axiom is, 'What a child learns matters less than how he learns it.'
12. But, believing that the normal child has powers of mind that fit him to deal with all knowledge proper to him, we must give him a full and generous curriculum; taking care, only, that the knowledge offered to him is vital––that is, the facts are not presented without their informing ideas. Out of this conception comes the principle that,
13. Education is the Science of Relations; that is, that a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we must train him upon physical exercises, nature, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books; for we know that our business is, not to teach him all about anything, but to help him make valid, as many as may be of
'Those first born affinities,
'That fit our new existence to existing things.'
14. There are also two secrets of moral and intellectual self management which should be offered to children; these we may call the Way of the Will and the Way of the Reason.
15. The Way of the Will.––Children should be taught
(a) To distinguish between 'I want' and 'I will.'
(b) That the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts from that which we desire but do not will. (c) That the best way to turn our thoughts is to think of or do some quite different thing, entertaining or interesting.
(d) That, after a little rest in this way, the will returns to its work with new vigour.
(This adjunct of the will is familiar to us as diversion, whose office is to ease us for a time from will effort, that we may 'will' again with added power. The use of suggestion––even self suggestion––as an aid to the will, is to be deprecated, as tending to stultify and stereotype character. It would seem that spontaneity is a condition of development, and that human nature needs the discipline of failure as well as of success.)
16. The Way of the Reason.––We should teach children, too, not to 'lean' (too confidently) 'unto their own understanding,' because of the function of reason is, to give logical demonstration (a) of mathematical truth; and (b) of an initial idea, accepted by the will. In the former case reason is, perhaps, an infallible guide, but in the second it is not always a safe one, for whether that initial idea be right or wrong, reason will confirm it by irrefragable proofs.
17. Therefore children should be taught, as they become mature enough to understand such teaching that the chief responsibility which rests on them as persons is the acceptance or rejection of initial ideas. To help them in this choice we should give them principles of conduct and a wide range of the knowledge fitted for them. These three principles (15, 16 and 17) should save children from some of the loose thinking and heedless action which cause most of us to live at a lower level than we need.
18. We should allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and 'spiritual' life of children; but should teach them that the divine Spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their continual helper in all the interests, duties and joys of life.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Must have coffee first!
We have left behind the feudal notion that intellect is a class prerogative, that intelligence is a matter of inheritance and environment; inheritance, no doubt, means much but everyone has a very mixed inheritance; environment makes for satisfaction or uneasiness, but education is of the spirit and is not to be taken in by the eye or effected by the hand; mind appeals to mind that thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason we owe it to every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts, with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books.
Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason
I'm gonna have to chew on this one awhile!
It is no easy matter to give its proper sustenance to the mind; hard things are said of children, that they have 'no brains,' 'a low order of intellect,' and so on; but many of us are able to vouch for the fine intelligence shewn by children who are fed with the proper mind-stuff; but teachers do not usually take the trouble to find out what this is. We come dangerously near to what Plato condemns as "that lie of the soul," that corruption of the highest truth, of which Protagoras is guilty in the saying that, "knowledge is sensation." What else are we saying when we run after educational methods which are purely sensory? Knowledge is not sensation, nor is it to be derived through sensation; we feed upon the thoughts of other minds; and thought applied to thought generates thought and we become more thoughtful. No one need invite us to reason, compare, imagine; the mind like the body, digests its proper food, and it must have the labour of digestion or it ceases to function. Charlotte Mason (1923, 1954)
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