a time to reflect

I have spent the last 14 years teaching my children in the Charlotte Mason style. I have read and read and read: to myself, to them, for us and for others. I have guided, taught, learned alongside them and been deeply moved through it all. I see the results in them and in myself in subtle, deep ways that have become the fabric of our lives rather than a noticeable wardrobe. Still, as I learn from the lives of those parents around me I can be overwhelmed with a sense that I have come away with nothing. This is not true of course. But it is important for me to examine the question.

I have not always delved as thoroughly as I have wished into the subjects I have taught and Mason's exact words are not always on the tip of my tongue. I have floated these past few years deeply in debt to my community who have taught my children while I have struggled to keep from slipping under the waters of health problems. As we approach the end of our home years I would now give back to the CM community, to homeschooling parents who are starting out and are trying to make sense of the words of wisdom that Mason has left us. I cannot offer enthusiasm, programs, and energy. But I can listen, advise, nudge and guide. I can pray. I can be a voice of objective reassurance when it all becomes overwhelming and you, dear parent, think you are failing.

I have a daughter who weaves. As she has learned the process and I have watched her grow in this skill, I have been impressed with the amount of work that goes into preparing to weave. At least half of the work takes place before any actual weaving happens. It is careful, delicate work and some of it is tedious. The weaver has full control over what kind of fabric will be created and it takes much time.

In this I see a Beauty that can apply to our lives. Perhaps the fabric that others weave will become something flamboyant that they throw over their shoulder and wear as a flowing robe or cloak. Perhaps it will be an undergarment that shapes everything they wear on top but is itself unobtrusive.

If I have a gift to give it is that I can point out this truth to encourage: Each person weaving will create a unique and personal design, each student will come to understand the style of clothing that fits best, and it will be beautiful.

Epic Homeschoolers

Last weekend I attended the Living Education Retreat in Frontenac, Minnesota and learned that phenology is

1. the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.

This is a good description of what we do in our regular nature study activity. I love that it has a scientific name.

My youngest calls it "epic homeschooling."

I think he's got the best definition.

An example: writing clarifies thought

Fro the first time in our home school career, we have fallen off the rails enough that we are having a hard time getting back on. You understand this is not the first time we've derailed! It's the getting back up that is the problem.

I know that ideas sustain, that true learning is hard and is done by the students as they interact with the ideas found in the great books, tell those ideas back in some way, think deeply. This is what we do. I know that to get outside is science that will not lead one astray even if the science pursued later becomes more specific and detailed. We have learned to see nature so that it is just a part of our life. We are in no way complete in this work. I just mean that we have done well.

And now, we are in the later of "do this later, when they are older". My children are all in high school and one is nearly finished.*  The habits we have laid down have depended on the starting point in our day. And this starting point seems elusive now. I'm floundering to understand what has happened....no, not true. I'm floundering because the habit has been blown apart and my feet are seeking the solid ground of a new habit. A new starting point.

Ah, this is what I need. Thank you, dear Words, for helping me see and understand. To know now the point that has me struggling will give me the momentum to start afresh. Please continue to listen and work this out with me.**



*Except we both know that she isn't really finished--she has much more she wants to learn before leaving home. She is just finding her feet in a sense. And the thought that she has ideas gives me encouragement that we have done the right thing through the years.

**perhaps you wanted to know how I think? Peek into this little window....

A couple years ago or more, my friend Nancy tagged me in a homeschool meme. At the time I was not able to get to it and have, if you're still paying attention, not written much at all. I don't blame you in the least for not paying attention to the blank screen here. But, today I will answer these questions.

1. One homeschooling book you have enjoyed -
      Charlotte Mason's 6 volume set but I got started on these way back when through For The Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.

2. One resource you wouldn't be without -
      Again, Mason's 6 volumes. Also, my Mason community; so much inspiration comes from them.

3. One resource you wish you had never bought -
      Mapping the World by Heart. We just never used it and it was more expensive than it is now. It took me a while to sell since I kept thinking we'd try it 'next year'.

4. One resource you enjoyed last year -
      While I didn't make it last year, I try my hardest to attend the Charlotte Mason Institute conference, the Living Education Retreat, and (I did make this one) the L'HaRMaS retreat.

5. One resource you will be using next year -
      Definitely the Truth Quest History guides. Alongside our history readings we use Laurie Bestvater's Book of Centuries.

6. One resource you would like to buy -
      Just more living books. Just a couple more....

7. One resource you wish existed -
      A teleportation device. We do a lot of driving. My youngest keeps promising to make it so we better up the science work.

8. One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading -
      I don't read these really.

9. One homeschool website you use regularly -
      I really spend too much time as it is online...

10. Tag six other homeschoolers -
      So. It's taken me 4 years to answer this meme. If you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!

It works

The 7th Annual Charlotte Mason Educational Conference was of course wonderful. It always is a time to be inspired (and often overwhelmed) by such a large group of people who do their best to put into practice the wisdom of Charlotte Mason in their homes and schools.

This year the sessions started out with a day of "immersion" in a school setting. I chose the multi-age homeschool session with Nancy and was thrilled with it. One of the best parts was the realization that we already do very much what Nancy showed us.

Now that's encouraging!

After all these years of reading, studying, trying to let go of my learned ways of education to fit in with what I sensed to be a whole view of education I have confirmation that this way works. And this "confirmation" is not in truth unexpected. I have been thrilled during these years lately to see my children blossom and thrive. They exhibit few of the "I hate school" symptoms that some of my friends describe. They are interested in life and in the simple thrills of the world around them. They relate well to those in their spheres of influence. They are thinking, relational, growing creatures and--this is the best part--they love to share it with Pieman and me. They take us along for the ride. They open our eyes to wonder and together we laugh in delight.

Watercolour painting by my mother-in-law of a photograph taken by Pieman of English seaside beach huts. She too is learning a new joy in her life. It never needs to stop.

Charlotte Mason was a real person

I'm looking forward to a wonderful education conference in just a few weeks on Charlotte Mason and her way of seeing life. I love how the atmosphere of the conference makes it a vibrant learning time for anyone involved in education, whether homeschoolers, teachers, or parents. The more I read in Charlotte's 'pink books'* of her thoughts and ways, the more I see that she lived in real life and understood how things work and yet was able to also see the ideal way to bring out the best in life. There may be a 100-year gap from her time to mine but the truths are timeless.

As the Childlight USA conference planners at Gardner Webb University gear up for the 7th annual Charlotte Mason Education Conference in North Carolina the blog has been rich with thoughts on Charlotte Mason and the way she has impacted the authors' educational philosophies and their lives. I just thought you might be interested in reading some of the blog entries.

*Pink covers on the reprinted 6-volume set of Charlotte Mason's writings. The original look so much nicer but they are of course more difficult to find. I've only seen one copy on someone else's bookshelf (I tried not to drool on it.) Most people read the pink ones or the free online version and I believe there may be some newer-covered versions and there's even a Kindle version.

Charlotte Mason Meets the Digital World

Really, when someone describes the purpose of a conference as clearly as this I'm happy to just point the way to the author.

Please also follow the link to the Charlotte Mason Digital Collection!

This was a conference I so enjoyed to be a part of. In addition, as if the exciting happenings in the world of education weren't enough, a big part of the enjoyment came from the times outside the classroom. Time to visit with friends late into the night, a lovely hike, drives to and from the conference place, my hostess's beautiful home and family and friendship. She also drove us around so I could concentrate on visiting with her and not trying to follow those infernal directions that keep getting me. Will someone please put a GPS in my head? I admire the people involved in this conference so that I felt thrilled to be a part of the fun. Thank you, Deani!

And one more link for you. My son heard from my Dad that a new concerto written by Vivaldi has just been discovered and is scheduled to be played in full concert in Perth, Scotland in January, 2011.

Life has been busy these past few weeks.

The last time I wrote I was looking forward to a few things: attending the annual Charlotte Mason education conference in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, wrapping up school before this conference, eating peas from the garden, visiting with my fabulous friends on the drive to and from the conference, sharing time with my parents in their lovely home.

The only thing left on this list is a visit with my parents.

While I've only had one or two peas from the garden so far, my friends are still fabulous even after many hours in a car together. And though the conference is over we have plans to get together again and since Charlotte Mason is always a topic of conversation as is school and education and children we have basically a conversation that never ends. ... Such is friendship. (Of course we don't talk only of education and children and C.Mason but I'll let you imagine the rest of the beauty.)

The conference was inspiring as usual. (Just one of the things I appreciate about Charlotte Mason and her educational philosophy.) To be in a place surrounded by hundreds of people who get education the same way I understand it can't help but be inspiring. To be close enough to these experts to learn so much from them and then to turn around and realize that I am able to help someone else. Wow. New ideas, new plans, hopes for this next year. I'm glad I took the time to think some of those out clearly while I was still away. It seems altogether too easy to fall back into the same patterns when I'm home. Many of the patterns I love and that can make it hard to see the ones I'd rather be rid of. When the disposable patterns are mingled with those I love it can also be hard to separate the two. But that is part of my growing.

K2 and CTM filled a clear bottle with water from the rain barrel yesterday in order to watch the mosquito larvae. It's fascinating. Thankfully the lid is on and although we don't know how much oxygen they need to survive we awoke this morning to find dozens of new little wrigglers and two more pupae. Ick. K2 thinks it not gross at all. Hmm. The animation in his face and voice is wonderful to watch and I love to hear his observations about this life form. Contrast it with the two minutes it took for a mother I was watching last week to teach her child to be afraid of flies. I tried to influence the little girl to wonder and watch but it was a lost battle before it started. She will likely never choose to observe mosquitoes grow from their egg mat into tiny transparent wrigglers then bigger dark wrigglers. Nor to figure out on her own that the straight wrigglers turn into round pupae and then into mosquitoes that were birthed in water yet are airborne, flying creatures.

This also is part of my growing as well as my childrens'.

I have a good life and am thankful.

.