A Bit of Charlotte Mason Home Education

I went to a workshop on Charlotte Mason Home Education this weekend. I was pleased to find that many of the ideas were similar to Thomas Jefferson Education, especially in the first couple of phases.

Here are some of the basic practices and ideas of Charlotte Mason that I think could be incorporated into TJEd...

1. Living Books, not textbooks. This is essentially the same as TJEd's classics. Living Books are books that change your life in some way. They are books that you go back to again and again (sound familiar?)

2. Don't rush academics. Wait for the "optimal learning time". Allow children to take their time to ponder ideas.

3. Narration (beginning around age 6): Retelling after a single reading. This can be spoken, written, drawn, or dramatized.

4. Copywork (beginning around 7 or 8): Practice penmanship by copying down classic quotes, poetry, jokes, etc.

5. Dictation (around 8 or 9): Use great literature. Student reads paragraph several times before dictated to. This helps students learn concentration and strengthens memory.

6. Nature Journaling: Perhaps my favorite idea from Charlotte Mason, nature journaling is much broader than it sounds. Each person has his own journal (including mom and dad) made of heavy, acid-free paper to paint, draw, and write in. You can draw nature observations, copy quotes, write original poetry, draw observations from science experiments or museums, etc. It is open-ended, but it encourages observation, writing, and appreciating beauty.

7. Art Appreciation: Choose an artist/composer/poet. Study six of their works over several weeks or months. Try to imitate the art. Write about it. Read bios about the artist.

8. Keep a list of books you've read with short synopses.

For more about Charlotte Mason, check out Penny Gardner's website. She has some fabulous book lists full of great classics.

So, here's my question...what specific ideas from other homeschool styles have you successfully incorporated into your TJEd homeschool?

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What Life's All About

Our current read aloud is "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls who is also the author of "Where the Red Fern Grows." Both of those books are classics to me. Why? Because of quotes like this:

"(Jay Berry) laughed and said, 'Grandpa, we sure have a lot of fun together, don't we?'

"Grandpa smiled and said, '...You know, an old man like me can teach a young boy like you all the good things in life. But it takes a young boy like you to teach an old man like me to appreciate all the good things in life. I guess that's what life's all about.'" (from Ch. 12 in "Summer of the Monkeys")

When I read that quote this time through the book, I thought about how blessed I am to homeschool because of all the good things I'm able to teach our children that I might not have the time to teach them if we didn't homeschool. And, even more importantly, all the time they have to teach me to appreciate all the good things in life. Jay Berry's Grandpa was right, that is what life's all about--learning the good things in life, and most importantly, learning to appreciate them.

My children's housekeeping skills have improved a lot since we began homeschooling last year, and together we've learned how to weave, knit, and I've taught them some basic sewing skills. What are some of the good things you've taught or plan to teach your children that you might not be able to teach them if they went to school?

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Chivalry...where has it gone?

Cultural Dictionary

chivalry

The methods of training and standards of behavior for knights in the Middle Ages. The code of chivalry emphasized bravery, military skill, generosity in victory, piety, and courtesy to women.

An experience my sister had this past weekend has been on my mind ever since I heard about it. Perhaps it is something that was unique to her area and circumstances...but as I ponder "where has chivalry gone?" I am looking beyond that out into society at large, and how chivalry seems to be a lost core value.

My sister in New Mexico (who is not a home school mom, but just a good mom in general to her three young boys) is currently playing the role of a single parent while her husband is across the country in Tennessee starting a new job. They will be re-united as soon as their home sells. Her church congregation had a camp out this past weekend. She was not planning to attend, except to be there for the evening so her son could accept a Boy Scouts award, and then she planned to return home for the evening. A man from her congregation told her that she should plan to stay the night and enjoy the camp out, and he promised to help her get her tent/camp set up since her husband is out of town.

As she and the boys arrived, the skies started to sprinkle a light rain. Everyone else, including the man who had offered to help her had already arrived, had set up their tents and fires were going. She started setting up her tent---alone---although one teenage boy tried to help her. Soon, the skies let loose and it was pouring down rain. My sister was soaked to the bone, her tent (not yet set up) was drenched in water. Not one man from her church congregation came to assist her! Not one wife urged their husbands to lend her a hand! Everyone just stood around and watched. In the end, she was utterly soaked and cold, her tent needed water swept out, her boys were upset and crying, so she made the decision to just leave and head back home.

When she told me this story, I couldn't help but think "where has all the chivalry gone?" What kind of examples were these men setting for their sons, to stand around and watch a lady be soaked and struggle alone to set up a tent in the rain? Where is the Pioneer spirit? Where is the Golden Rule? Where is neighborly kindness? It broke my heart not only for my sister, but apparently also for one other mom who was up at the camp without a husband and didn't receive any help, either.

Now, how does all this relate to TJEd? Ever since this happened, the teaching of CORE values has been on my mind. You know...the basic good/bad, right/wrong kind of thing...something that should be so simple and understood by even the smallest child. I'm left wondering if "out in the world" these core values are being ignored.....knowing that it is GOOD/RIGHT thing to help a woman in need and its BAD/WRONG to let someone like her feel abandoned? Are these things no longer being taught in the homes of the general public? Knowing that these people (her fellow church members) are from a Christian background and these things are taught at Church...why did no one step up to the plate? Jesus Christ certainly wouldn't have stood by as witness to this situation without lending a hand!

As the mother of all girls (so far!), I want my daughters to date the type of boys who have been schooled in these core values, and eventually have husband who know how to be "knights in shining armor" for them, and for others. I want to teach my son (soon to be born!) how important it is to have the virtue of chivalry, and other ways of being a gentleman. Luckily I have a husband who is good at demonstrating this himself and I'm eager for his example to rub off on our son as he grows up!

It would make an interesting study to watch the general population for a while and see examples (or lack thereof) of things so basic as chivalry, common courtesy, and service. I am grateful to see that these core values have been instilled in my own children (who are all girls) as I witness them never hesitating to lend a hand when the need arises. Just this week at the grocery store, my 10 year old daughter helped an elderly lady picking up groceries that were spilling out of her overloaded arms. It makes me feel good to know that there is a population of parents and homes out there---us TJEd'ers---who are most definitely instilling these values in our young children. I know we aren't the only parents out there teaching these things, of course there are others out there doing it as well, and I would hope overtime all these great children will become great leaders and have positive influence in the world, even if in small ways. Because its those small things that add up to the big that that truly make a difference!

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I Remember Mama

My kids will also remember me nagging them to eat their veggies and other healthy fare.

When I am dead and gone, I am sure that one of the things my children will remember most about me was that I was always making new schedules, chore charts, planner sheets, etc, in a vain attempt to "get organized". This new fall schedule has already seen one revision after only three weeks of being in force. Revisions are frequent as we get into our rhythm (i.e. reality sets in).

I am reminded of something Stephen R. Covey wrote in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families".

He said, "Good families-even great families-are off track 90 percent of the time!...It's like the flight of an airplane. Before the plane takes off, the pilots have a flight plan. They know exactly where they're going and start off in accordance with their plan. But during the course of the flight, wind, rain, turbulence, air traffic, human error, and other factors act upon that plane. They move it slightly in different directions so that most of the time that plane is not even on the prescribed flight path! Throughout the entire trip there are slight deviations from the flight plan. Weather systems or unusually heavy traffic may even cause major deviations. But barring anything too major, the plane will arrive at its destination.

Now how does that happen? During the flight, the pilots receive constant feedback. They recieve information from instruments that read the environment, from control towers, from other airplanes-even sometimes from the stars. and based on that feedback, they make adjustments so that time and again, they keep returning to the flight plan.

The hope lies not in the deviations but in the vision, the plan, and the ability to get back on track.

The flight of that airplane is, I believe, the ideal metaphor for family life. With regard to our families, it doesn't make any difference if we are off target or even if our family is a mess. The hope lies in the vision and in the plan and in the courage to keep coming back."

I like that last phrase-"the courage to keep coming back".

I know that "schedules" etc are just a tool we have to accomplish our bigger goals as a family. I try to not get too hung up on schedules. It is really just a guideline for our day. Because the kids are home all day and because there are so many of us, we truly do have to have a plan of what we are trying to accomplish otherwise we have total chaos.

Not that we don't have chaos. We do. It is just that this way it is more like "organized chaos".

For our family we have to have the "big picture" of what we are supposed to be doing. When everyone catches that vision, things go a lot better. Even when we are "off course" most of the time, at least we know where we are trying to go.

Family Schedule

6am Dad, Mom, and Ellie exercise

All other kids do chores or help with baby

6:30 Start breakfast

Showers

7am BREAKFAST

7:30 Family Scripture Study and Prayer

8am Ellie and Ben leave for seminary

Clean up and finish chores

Watch little kids

Mom showers or does chores

8:30 Devotional with Mom and younger kids

9am Read -a-loud time with Mom

9:30 Ellie and Ben return and study on own until noon

10am Snack

Kidschool with younger kids

12noon Liam's time with Mom

Grace and Hyrum study on own

Ben's time with Ammon*

12:30 Ellie's time with Ammon

1pm LUNCH

2pm Ellie and Ben study on own

Liam practices with Mom

Hyrum's time with Ammon

2:30 Grace's time with Ammon

Hyrum practices

3pm Ellie, Ben, and Grace practice

Liam plays with Ammon and Lizzy

4pm Quick clean-up and Check-in with Mom

Personal Time

5:30 Start making dinner

Boys smile and do evening chores

Grace and Liam help with little people

6:30 DINNER

7:30 Family Time or various evening activities

8:30 Plan for tomorrow/Quick clean-up

9pm Goodnight!

*Our little boy Ammon has Autism. Each of the kids take turns doing play therapy with him

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Inspire Not Require

It's time for a success story with this ingredient. Or maybe I should say it's time for me to see some success in this ingredient....

One of my sons has requested piano lessons and has played for three years. However, our daughter does not want to play. She is very musically talented. It's been painful at times for her not to be interested. People are always surprised to know that she doesn't play the piano. We've just not pushed it at all. So here's "the dance" (quoting Diann Jeppson) I've done to hopefully inspire her.

I play the piano. I feel that it's an important skill that I would like our children to possess. So I practice several times a week (I go in spurts), I play regularly at church for various things, and I never say no to a piano assignment. I also have played a recital piece at everyone one of my son's recitals. The piano teacher as always been thrilled to let me play. I can't say I've been thrilled. : )

So the other day we completed yet another recital. Sigh. I was thinking, "I wonder if this is ever going to work?" I'd rather be doing other things with my time. (Recitals are nerve racking to some degree you know). Just as I'm lamenting things my daughter walks up to my husband and I and declares, "I want to take piano lessons. Can I?" I pick myself up off the floor and march her over to the piano teacher to set up a schedule. Since then she's practiced and is very happy.

Success! Yeah! Yes, I'm still practicing-more now in fact. That's my TJED success story for the present. Please share with us your success stories with Inspire Not Require.

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Does one method fit all students?

I have read a lot of books on homeschooling, learning styles, and on education in general. My question is this...does one method fit all students?

I started out with an online public school, changed to traditional homeschooling with a Classical curriculum, and then moved to Leadership Education (TJED). I've also studied Robinson Curriculum, A-Squared, Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, and Montessori - all of which have a mixture of methodology and curriculum. I know that most people are actually eclectic and VERY FEW people are "purist" of any particular method. I've been tweaking our methodology and trying to find the best fit for each of my kids.

What I've determined is that what works for one child rarely works perfectly for another child. Some things might work and others obviously do not work. I've struggled with finding the best "match" of method and curriculum for my son. My middle daughter does very well on a fairly pure Leadership Education method with very little formal curriculum. My youngest son, however, does not do well with the loose Leadership Education style. He thrives best when led step-by-step through his education, without pressure or course.

I have been a strong advocate for Leadership Education for the past four years, but now I'm finding that not all of the principles are working for my son. I'm not sure if it is personality only, or a combination of personality and my lack of ability in being inspiring to him (although I have obviously succeeded with another child). What if a parent can't inspire a particular child? Wouldn't it be better to at least give that child a basic education than to flounder for years unable to give them a Leadership Education?

I know this is a touchy subject for many "pure" Leadership Education minds. I do not expect anyone to agree with my conclusions, however, I would be open to a constructive conversation about this subject.

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Spending time in Nature

So last Monday we went to Red Butte Gardens here in Utah. The kids really enjoyed looking at all the different plants and reading the names.

We took our nature notebooks and everyone was drawing and learning. Except for me instead of drawing I was taking pictures of the plants and of the kids.

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