Don't blame me, it's all her fault. :)And yes, we do have a little spring fever around here.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Raising Independent Learners
Couldn't find a pen, so I'll have to jot down my quick notes here before I go to bed and lose them in sleep...
An important goal of homeschooling is to help our children develop into independent, motivated learners. Certainly the more they can operate in this mode in high school the better - particularly essential in college.
This theme of self-activity, independent learning, active cooperation, etc. runs through a broad range of writings and teachings on education and homeschooling. (And I think I've heard a little chatter in this direction from Every Waking Hour)
Here are some sources...
Homeschool graduate essays in A Catholic Homeschool Companion
------------------------------------------------------------------
The parent's prime concern is to impart not only intellectual content but an intellectual method, so that by mastering progressively difficult subject-matter the student is gradually trained in intellectual self-reliance and self-development. (pg. 9)
The aim of stimulating the self-activity of the student is basic to the Ignatian concept of teaching...
Though the Ignatian educational aim is primarily the formation of the student, this formation is not something which can be imposed or mechanically acquired, but must be the result of the cooperative effort of student and teacher...
Ignatian teaching should be conceived primarily as an art, secondarily as a science. It is the art, namely, of generating interest in the students and inspiring them to exercise and develop their personal power...
This insistence on self-activity should be directed toward forming int he student the habit of independent study and reading, and an interest in scholarly pursuits. (pg. 10)
I think this is also related, particular the part about "with the consent of all their faculties"...
We are called to train those committed to our charge to be Catholic with the consent of all their faculties, and to express their Catholicity constantly and consistently in thought, judgment and action.
from Implementation of Ignatian Education in the Home by Fran Crotty
----------------------------------------------------------------------
especially relevant here seems the phrase.. "the necessity of a gradually more active cooperation on the part of the pupil in his own education"...
Hence every form of pedagogic naturalism which in any way excludes or weakens supernatural Christian formation in the teaching of youth, is false. Every method of education founded, wholly or in part, on the denial or forgetfulness of original sin and of grace, and relying on the sole powers of human nature, is unsound. Such, generally speaking, are those modern systems bearing various names which appeal to a pretended self-government and unrestrained freedom on the part of the child, and which diminish or even suppress the teacher's authority and action, attributing to the child an exclusive primacy of initiative, and an activity independent of any higher law, natural or divine, in the work of his education.
If any of these terms are used, less properly, to denote the necessity of a gradually more active cooperation on the part of the pupil in his own education; if the intention is to banish from education despotism and violence, which, by the way, just punishment is not, this would be correct, but in no way new. It would mean only what has been taught and reduced to practice by the Church in traditional Christian education, in imitation of the method employed by God Himself towards His creatures, of whom He demands active cooperation according to the nature of each; for His Wisdom "reacheth from end to end mightily and ordereth all things sweetly."
Pope Pius XI, On Christian Education
------------------------------------------------------------------
Homeschooling with Gentleness: a Catholic Discovers Unschooling
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest Stanford numbers show a rise in homeschooler applications. In 1999, the first year of tracking, 15 applied. Four were admitted, and all four enrolled. In 2000, there were 35 applications, more than double the previous year's. Nine were accepted, and five, including Butler, started classes on the Farm this fall.
That's a tiny subgroup, just 0.2 percent of the applicant pool. So why is the University interested? Admission officers sum it up in two words: intellectual vitality.
It's hard to define, but they swear they know it when they see it. It's the spark, the passion, that sets the truly exceptional student--the one driven to pursue independent research and explore difficult concepts from a very early age--apart from your typical bright kid. Stanford wants students who have it.
Looking very closely at homeschoolers is one way to get more of those special minds, the admission office has discovered. As Reider explains it: "Homeschooled students may have a potential advantage over others in this, since they have consciously chosen and pursued an independent course of study."
Indeed, when he and his colleagues read applications last year, they gave the University's highest internal ranking for intellectual vitality to two of the nine homeschoolers admitted. And an astounding four homeschoolers earned the highest rating for math--something reserved for the top 1 to 2 percent of the applicant pool.
"The distinguishing factor is intellectual vitality," says Reider. "These kids have it, and everything they do is responding to it."
from a Stanford article on homeschoolers
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montessori ideas of child-led learning and freedom within limits
This is a concept I'm hoping to investigate and explore further - not sure at the present how they are all related. Would love to hear of resources, quotes, ideas, etc. that others may happen upon.
An important goal of homeschooling is to help our children develop into independent, motivated learners. Certainly the more they can operate in this mode in high school the better - particularly essential in college.
This theme of self-activity, independent learning, active cooperation, etc. runs through a broad range of writings and teachings on education and homeschooling. (And I think I've heard a little chatter in this direction from Every Waking Hour)
Here are some sources...
Homeschool graduate essays in A Catholic Homeschool Companion
------------------------------------------------------------------
The parent's prime concern is to impart not only intellectual content but an intellectual method, so that by mastering progressively difficult subject-matter the student is gradually trained in intellectual self-reliance and self-development. (pg. 9)
The aim of stimulating the self-activity of the student is basic to the Ignatian concept of teaching...
Though the Ignatian educational aim is primarily the formation of the student, this formation is not something which can be imposed or mechanically acquired, but must be the result of the cooperative effort of student and teacher...
Ignatian teaching should be conceived primarily as an art, secondarily as a science. It is the art, namely, of generating interest in the students and inspiring them to exercise and develop their personal power...
This insistence on self-activity should be directed toward forming int he student the habit of independent study and reading, and an interest in scholarly pursuits. (pg. 10)
I think this is also related, particular the part about "with the consent of all their faculties"...
We are called to train those committed to our charge to be Catholic with the consent of all their faculties, and to express their Catholicity constantly and consistently in thought, judgment and action.
from Implementation of Ignatian Education in the Home by Fran Crotty
----------------------------------------------------------------------
especially relevant here seems the phrase.. "the necessity of a gradually more active cooperation on the part of the pupil in his own education"...
Hence every form of pedagogic naturalism which in any way excludes or weakens supernatural Christian formation in the teaching of youth, is false. Every method of education founded, wholly or in part, on the denial or forgetfulness of original sin and of grace, and relying on the sole powers of human nature, is unsound. Such, generally speaking, are those modern systems bearing various names which appeal to a pretended self-government and unrestrained freedom on the part of the child, and which diminish or even suppress the teacher's authority and action, attributing to the child an exclusive primacy of initiative, and an activity independent of any higher law, natural or divine, in the work of his education.
If any of these terms are used, less properly, to denote the necessity of a gradually more active cooperation on the part of the pupil in his own education; if the intention is to banish from education despotism and violence, which, by the way, just punishment is not, this would be correct, but in no way new. It would mean only what has been taught and reduced to practice by the Church in traditional Christian education, in imitation of the method employed by God Himself towards His creatures, of whom He demands active cooperation according to the nature of each; for His Wisdom "reacheth from end to end mightily and ordereth all things sweetly."
Pope Pius XI, On Christian Education
------------------------------------------------------------------
Homeschooling with Gentleness: a Catholic Discovers Unschooling
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest Stanford numbers show a rise in homeschooler applications. In 1999, the first year of tracking, 15 applied. Four were admitted, and all four enrolled. In 2000, there were 35 applications, more than double the previous year's. Nine were accepted, and five, including Butler, started classes on the Farm this fall.
That's a tiny subgroup, just 0.2 percent of the applicant pool. So why is the University interested? Admission officers sum it up in two words: intellectual vitality.
It's hard to define, but they swear they know it when they see it. It's the spark, the passion, that sets the truly exceptional student--the one driven to pursue independent research and explore difficult concepts from a very early age--apart from your typical bright kid. Stanford wants students who have it.
Looking very closely at homeschoolers is one way to get more of those special minds, the admission office has discovered. As Reider explains it: "Homeschooled students may have a potential advantage over others in this, since they have consciously chosen and pursued an independent course of study."
Indeed, when he and his colleagues read applications last year, they gave the University's highest internal ranking for intellectual vitality to two of the nine homeschoolers admitted. And an astounding four homeschoolers earned the highest rating for math--something reserved for the top 1 to 2 percent of the applicant pool.
"The distinguishing factor is intellectual vitality," says Reider. "These kids have it, and everything they do is responding to it."
from a Stanford article on homeschoolers
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montessori ideas of child-led learning and freedom within limits
This is a concept I'm hoping to investigate and explore further - not sure at the present how they are all related. Would love to hear of resources, quotes, ideas, etc. that others may happen upon.
Memed again
Nutmeg got me again...
The 7x7 Meme
Seven Things to do Before I Die...
Watch my children make their way into the world in their own ways and make it a better place.
Read all the books I own
Spend a lot of time in Europe
Go on a long old-fashioned train ride with sleeping compartments and dining cars
Travel to other places too
Attempt to write a children's book
Meet my godfather once before he dies
Seven Things I Cannot Do...
Keep a perfect house
Keep my desk clean
Juggle
Cartwheels
Keep a strict schedule
Avoid chocolate
Enjoy flying
Seven Things That Attract me to my Better Half...
loyalty
kindness
understanding
sincerity
sense of humor
tolerance of my quirks
spontaneity
Seven Things I Say...
Holy cow!
Well, actually...
I LOVE that book!
Dear! I need some help!
You've got to get your essentials done.
If you want to make that noise, go in another room.
Daddy's home!
Seven Books I Love...
Anything by Chesterton
Anything by Hilda Van Stockum
Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The New Testament
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Seven Movies I Love...
Pride and Prejudice (A&E)
The Quiet Man
The More the Merrier
The Philadelphia Story
Spanglish
Groundhog Day
Ben Hur
The book and movie lists are really hard and might turn out differently any given day of the week. The movie list, in particular, might strike some as odd. These are ones that touched me personally and that I tend to get more out of every time I go back to them.
If you like doing this sort of thing, consider yourself memed by me.
The 7x7 Meme
Seven Things to do Before I Die...
Watch my children make their way into the world in their own ways and make it a better place.
Read all the books I own
Spend a lot of time in Europe
Go on a long old-fashioned train ride with sleeping compartments and dining cars
Travel to other places too
Attempt to write a children's book
Meet my godfather once before he dies
Seven Things I Cannot Do...
Keep a perfect house
Keep my desk clean
Juggle
Cartwheels
Keep a strict schedule
Avoid chocolate
Enjoy flying
Seven Things That Attract me to my Better Half...
loyalty
kindness
understanding
sincerity
sense of humor
tolerance of my quirks
spontaneity
Seven Things I Say...
Holy cow!
Well, actually...
I LOVE that book!
Dear! I need some help!
You've got to get your essentials done.
If you want to make that noise, go in another room.
Daddy's home!
Seven Books I Love...
Anything by Chesterton
Anything by Hilda Van Stockum
Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The New Testament
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Seven Movies I Love...
Pride and Prejudice (A&E)
The Quiet Man
The More the Merrier
The Philadelphia Story
Spanglish
Groundhog Day
Ben Hur
The book and movie lists are really hard and might turn out differently any given day of the week. The movie list, in particular, might strike some as odd. These are ones that touched me personally and that I tend to get more out of every time I go back to them.
If you like doing this sort of thing, consider yourself memed by me.
The Catholic Homeschool Companion
I'm having others review this book for love2learn and Heart and Mind, but I just finished the book and wanted to share some highlights.The book is filled and overflowing with essays relevant to Catholic home educators. Here are a few titles to give you an idea - Grammar Phobia, Learning to Love Science, History as God's Plan, Art Appreciation: Recognizing Symbolism, Why Latin?, Learning Geography Through the Missions, Education In and Out of Doors, School is Where the Army Sends Us, Twenty-One Things Fathers Can Do for Their Homeschool, A Place of Function and Beauty: Getting Our Homes in Order, Toasted on One Side and Crusty on the Other? Five Fireproofing Secrets for Preventing Burnout and A Love of Learning.
I think my favorite section was "Homeschool Students and Graduates."
Mike Aquilina III, who, at age 13 had already published a book on St. Jude and run a computer consulting business, writes on "Unschooling at its Best," explaining how much the freedom of unschooling during the grade school years benefited him, even as he prepared to move into a more structured high school plan to prepare for college. Here's an interesting part of his story...
My first year as an unschooler was a success, at least to my parents and me ... However, others disagreed. In my home state of Pennsylvania, the laws about homeschooling are very strict. Among other rules and regulations, you must hand in a portfolio of work samples to be checked by your local school district every year. I handed in my book and radio license, among many other things, as samples in my portfolio, but the school district returned them, saying that I hadn't received an "appropriate education." The middle-school principal seemed quite shocked that there were no worksheets in the portfolio. My parents firmly disagreed, and eventually the principal backed down.
Colin Fry, a teen with spina bifida, shares his appreciation for homeschooling's flexibility because it helps them work around his medical appointments and his travels with his basketball team (in wheelchairs!). He shares...
Homeschooling has increased my love for my religion, my family, and my education. We're not just sitting around in our pajamas all day. We are working and growing as a family. Instead of being shut up in a classroom, we're able to get out into the real world for field trips, classes, and travel. I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity.
In "Homeschooled K Through 12", Clare Ruth Glomski, a college student and recent homeschool grad, reflects on her experiences and the transition to college.
I knew inside myself that I was capable of succeeding academically. Homeschooling is really a lot closer to university life than a public high school. There's a similar amount of self-direction and independent work. You decide if you're going to make it.
Brendan Hodge, a homeschool and college graduate, reflects on the goals of homeschoolers. Here is a particularly succinct piece...
What this comes around to is finding the objective of homeschooling. Obviously the immediate objective is to provide a solid academic and spiritual formation, superior to that which a traditional school could have provided. But beyond that, after the SATs, after the college applications, and even after the college graduations are over, what is it that parents and children seek to achieve together through homeschooling? In my book, the best end product is an independent, well-formed adult.
He even warns of the difficulties of "letting go"...
You can hold on. I've seen enough homeschoolers still in the nest during my time in college. Some of them are obedient in every detail, censoring their viewing, calling every night, asking whom they can date, and returning home for every vacation and sometimes permanently after graduation. Others go in the opposite direction and manage to dig up what drugs and alcohol are available.
Daniel Davis wasn't homeschooled, but was convinced of its efficacy while living with his homeschooled cousins during college. He has some particularly interesting things to say about homeschooling as a remedy for materialism:
...part of knowing where you come from is having a family there to teach you that you're above all a child of God. Homeschooling facilitates family bonding, growing out of constant togetherness. This translates into the source of happiness; knowing what is important, what is meaningful, and knowing the difference between need and greed.
Finally, in "A Love of Learning", Rosamund Hodge shares what her parents taught her...
My parents taught me that there is truth, real and objective and independent of our minds. They taught me that it's not only knowable, but worth knowing; that learning is honorable and valuable - and fun! They taught me that the past has wisdom and relevance for us today, and they taught me not to be afraid of those who mock learning.
Those lessons, more than any facts about empires or atoms, are the greatest legacy of my homeschooling. Every formal education comes to an end sooner or later; but the love of learning and the way of life my parents taught me will remain with me forever. And that's enough to make all the tribulations worthwhile.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
British Isles Reading List (in progress)
I'm working on a British Isles (mostly British) history/literature list for Ria (7th grade) to take her through the rest of the year. This is a very rough cut. Suggestions are welcome. She's very enthusiastic about this general topic, so I'd like to get through whatever good stuff is also age appropriate (she will be earning some sort of reward at the end).
The Magna Carta (document)
A Man for All Seasons (movie)
Beowulf (audio)
Middle English Reader selections
Vision Book on Edmund Campion
If All the Swords in England
Augustine Came to Kent
Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal
Selections from Padraic Colum's book of Irish stories
Selections from the Saints of Ireland by Mary D'Arcy
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre
Caedmon
Geoffrey Chaucer
1 or 2 Canterbury tales
G.K. Chesterton
2 novels of her choice
listen to St. Francis or St Thomas Aquinas
continue learning Ballad of the White Horse
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Kubla Kahn
Daniel Defoe
Robinson Crusoe (audio)
Charles Dickens
Pickwick Papers
Tale of Two Cities (audio)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes
Allen French
The Lost Baron
The Red Keep
Elizabeth Janet Gray
Adam of the Road
Roger Lancelyn Green
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Cynthia Harnett
Sign of the Green Falcon
Merchant's Mark
Stars of Fortune
Elizabeth Ince
Thomas More of London
Eleanore Jewett
Big John's Secret
Hidden Treasure of Glaston
John Keats
Ode on a Grecian Urn
E.L. Konigsburg
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver
John Milton
Frank Morriss
Alfred of Wessex: The King Who Saved His Country
Madeleine Polland
Fingal's Quest
Howard Pyle
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Sir Walter Scott
Ivanhoe
William Shakespeare
Sonnets (audio)
learn a sonnet of her choice
Taming of the Shrew (group read-aloud)
Edmund Spencer
Faerie Queen (selections)
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sister M. Imelda Wallace
Outlaws of Ravenhurst
P.G. Wodehouse
Leave it to Psmith
The Magna Carta (document)
A Man for All Seasons (movie)
Beowulf (audio)
Middle English Reader selections
Vision Book on Edmund Campion
If All the Swords in England
Augustine Came to Kent
Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal
Selections from Padraic Colum's book of Irish stories
Selections from the Saints of Ireland by Mary D'Arcy
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre
Caedmon
Geoffrey Chaucer
1 or 2 Canterbury tales
G.K. Chesterton
2 novels of her choice
listen to St. Francis or St Thomas Aquinas
continue learning Ballad of the White Horse
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Kubla Kahn
Daniel Defoe
Robinson Crusoe (audio)
Charles Dickens
Pickwick Papers
Tale of Two Cities (audio)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes
Allen French
The Lost Baron
The Red Keep
Elizabeth Janet Gray
Adam of the Road
Roger Lancelyn Green
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Cynthia Harnett
Sign of the Green Falcon
Merchant's Mark
Stars of Fortune
Elizabeth Ince
Thomas More of London
Eleanore Jewett
Big John's Secret
Hidden Treasure of Glaston
John Keats
Ode on a Grecian Urn
E.L. Konigsburg
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver
John Milton
Frank Morriss
Alfred of Wessex: The King Who Saved His Country
Madeleine Polland
Fingal's Quest
Howard Pyle
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Sir Walter Scott
Ivanhoe
William Shakespeare
Sonnets (audio)
learn a sonnet of her choice
Taming of the Shrew (group read-aloud)
Edmund Spencer
Faerie Queen (selections)
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sister M. Imelda Wallace
Outlaws of Ravenhurst
P.G. Wodehouse
Leave it to Psmith
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Thoughts on Lent and Sacrifice
From the love2learn.net Lent page.
Many people think of "sacrifice" as an old-fashioned word - perhaps pre-Vatican II - that really doesn't have a place in modern life. They may be willing to make New Year's Resolutions or go on a diet, but have no interest in the spiritual idea of sacrifice. Once I heard a homily for the beginning of Lent in which the priest said that you shouldn't worry about giving up your favorite candy bar or soap opera, because it was internal change that mattered.
Internal vs. External: It's a strange thing in a world so caught-up in superficiality for Catholic ideas on sacrifice to be thought of as shallow. It's kind of like saying that you shouldn't exercise because what you eat is really more critical for bodily health.
What this priest didn't realize, of course, is that internal changes don't happen instantly, they usually need help from something external. If you have trouble loving someone, the first step is to act loving to them externally, even if you don't feel it internally. If you work on this enough and ask for God's assistance, your internal struggles will resolve themselves as well.
Even so, it takes an internal effort of your will to make an external thing happen. (This same priest also thought that external gestures of respect in church were meaningless and unimportant to God. But external things are helpful in lifting our minds and hearts to God. Beautiful paintings, statues and crucifixes assist our wandering thoughts in focusing on God and the great things he has done for us.)
In a nutshell: because we are both body and spirit, internal and external factors work together in our spiritual lives. The greatest example of this concept is that God really came to earth as a small baby and lived life among us in all its gritty reality.
Exercising the will: I know a man who runs a Karate school which emphasizes discipline of the mind and body. He encourages his students to occasionally give up a candy bar or sweet that they would otherwise eat. He explains that if they can't say no once in awhile to something little that looks good, how will they ever be able to say no to something more important later on? It's all about training the will (as in "willpower").
Even this simple concept is useful to us as Catholics. If we exercise our will by saying no to little things, we will be better prepared to resist temptation later on. There are other earthly benefits as well, since we often give up things that aren't good for us anyway (I never could understand why the above-mentioned priest didn't realize that giving up soap operas has direct spiritual benefits as well).
Natural AND Supernatural Benefits of Sacrifice: One exciting thing to me about understanding the faith is that natural and supernatural benefits go hand in hand. Yes, giving up sweets for Lent might help us lose weight or live a healthier lifestyle and giving up television gives us more time for reading or to spend with our family. These are certainly good things. But as Catholics, we realize that there's another whole level to look at too. When we offer our small sacrifices up to God with love He turns them into something much better and allows us to participate in His plan of good for the world.
For more about this concept, you can read up on St. Therese of Lisieux and her "Little Way." I think Mother Teresa of Calcutta is another excellent example of God taking the simple, humble work of one person and turning it into something much greater and bigger.
As a simple way of illustrating this for our children, we have them place a simple dry pinto bean in a jar for each sacrifice or good deed they perform during Lent. They enjoy watching this grow and are certainly proud of their little accomplishments. But when they wake up on Easter morning, the dry beans have been replaced with colorful Jelly Beans.
This simple tradition allows them to better understand the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Our little sacrifices are made much more meaningful by his big sacrifice. He allows even the smallest child to participate in "the good" by sharing in his sacrifice.
As a wife and mother I have really come to love and even look forward to Lent because it has become a time in which we clean-up our spiritual house as a family and re-focus our energies on God. In the craziness and busy-ness of family life, we can often get carried away with too many sweets and movie-watching and other things which make life a little more comfortable and which are not evil in-and-of-themselves. But we begin to see that these things can also, just by their power of distraction, start turning our family farther from God and the way we want to be.
One place we really see God's understanding in our need for external things to help with the internal changes is the happiness he allows us to feel when we do something good. It is this Christian joy that even small children can begin to appreciate by celebrating Lent with their family. In addition, Easter becomes so much more meaningful and joyful when we have prepared for it well during Lent.
Many people think of "sacrifice" as an old-fashioned word - perhaps pre-Vatican II - that really doesn't have a place in modern life. They may be willing to make New Year's Resolutions or go on a diet, but have no interest in the spiritual idea of sacrifice. Once I heard a homily for the beginning of Lent in which the priest said that you shouldn't worry about giving up your favorite candy bar or soap opera, because it was internal change that mattered.
Internal vs. External: It's a strange thing in a world so caught-up in superficiality for Catholic ideas on sacrifice to be thought of as shallow. It's kind of like saying that you shouldn't exercise because what you eat is really more critical for bodily health.
What this priest didn't realize, of course, is that internal changes don't happen instantly, they usually need help from something external. If you have trouble loving someone, the first step is to act loving to them externally, even if you don't feel it internally. If you work on this enough and ask for God's assistance, your internal struggles will resolve themselves as well.
Even so, it takes an internal effort of your will to make an external thing happen. (This same priest also thought that external gestures of respect in church were meaningless and unimportant to God. But external things are helpful in lifting our minds and hearts to God. Beautiful paintings, statues and crucifixes assist our wandering thoughts in focusing on God and the great things he has done for us.)
In a nutshell: because we are both body and spirit, internal and external factors work together in our spiritual lives. The greatest example of this concept is that God really came to earth as a small baby and lived life among us in all its gritty reality.
Exercising the will: I know a man who runs a Karate school which emphasizes discipline of the mind and body. He encourages his students to occasionally give up a candy bar or sweet that they would otherwise eat. He explains that if they can't say no once in awhile to something little that looks good, how will they ever be able to say no to something more important later on? It's all about training the will (as in "willpower").
Even this simple concept is useful to us as Catholics. If we exercise our will by saying no to little things, we will be better prepared to resist temptation later on. There are other earthly benefits as well, since we often give up things that aren't good for us anyway (I never could understand why the above-mentioned priest didn't realize that giving up soap operas has direct spiritual benefits as well).
Natural AND Supernatural Benefits of Sacrifice: One exciting thing to me about understanding the faith is that natural and supernatural benefits go hand in hand. Yes, giving up sweets for Lent might help us lose weight or live a healthier lifestyle and giving up television gives us more time for reading or to spend with our family. These are certainly good things. But as Catholics, we realize that there's another whole level to look at too. When we offer our small sacrifices up to God with love He turns them into something much better and allows us to participate in His plan of good for the world.
For more about this concept, you can read up on St. Therese of Lisieux and her "Little Way." I think Mother Teresa of Calcutta is another excellent example of God taking the simple, humble work of one person and turning it into something much greater and bigger.
As a simple way of illustrating this for our children, we have them place a simple dry pinto bean in a jar for each sacrifice or good deed they perform during Lent. They enjoy watching this grow and are certainly proud of their little accomplishments. But when they wake up on Easter morning, the dry beans have been replaced with colorful Jelly Beans.
This simple tradition allows them to better understand the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Our little sacrifices are made much more meaningful by his big sacrifice. He allows even the smallest child to participate in "the good" by sharing in his sacrifice.
As a wife and mother I have really come to love and even look forward to Lent because it has become a time in which we clean-up our spiritual house as a family and re-focus our energies on God. In the craziness and busy-ness of family life, we can often get carried away with too many sweets and movie-watching and other things which make life a little more comfortable and which are not evil in-and-of-themselves. But we begin to see that these things can also, just by their power of distraction, start turning our family farther from God and the way we want to be.
One place we really see God's understanding in our need for external things to help with the internal changes is the happiness he allows us to feel when we do something good. It is this Christian joy that even small children can begin to appreciate by celebrating Lent with their family. In addition, Easter becomes so much more meaningful and joyful when we have prepared for it well during Lent.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Playing School and the Joy of Discovery
It's such a beautiful thing when children get excited about a truth (even a simple one) - particularly when they've discovered it for themselves. These are some of the most wonderful moments in our homeschool.
This morning Terri and Bernie and Kate were playing school (Frank was even joining in on occasion). This went on for some time before Terri (the teacher) came running in to see me with a HUGE smile on her face and some numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. Mommy! This works both ways!!! And then explained... 5 x 3 = 15 but it's the same if you turn it around 3 x 5 = 15.
Perhaps this is a little glimpse into what Jesus meant by being like little children. It takes a very childlike enthusiasm to glow with excitement over simple truths like these.
This morning Terri and Bernie and Kate were playing school (Frank was even joining in on occasion). This went on for some time before Terri (the teacher) came running in to see me with a HUGE smile on her face and some numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. Mommy! This works both ways!!! And then explained... 5 x 3 = 15 but it's the same if you turn it around 3 x 5 = 15.
Perhaps this is a little glimpse into what Jesus meant by being like little children. It takes a very childlike enthusiasm to glow with excitement over simple truths like these.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Had to Share a Little Laugh
I was having a stressful afternoon and, very wisely (if not productively) , decided to stop trying to accomplish anything at all and pulled out a Chesterton book from the shelf - As I Was Saying (published in 1936 by Dodd, Mead & Co). This appears to be a collection of essays on subjects ranging from education to blondes. (gotta love that!)
Anyway, here it is...
"There was printed recently a very reasonable and well-poised criticism on the subject of Modern Poetry. Perhaps it took some examples of Modern Poetry a little more seriously than I can manage to do; for the Moderns, who talk about irresistible temptations to love, do not always realize that they themselves torture us with irresistible temptations to laughter."
Anyway, here it is...
"There was printed recently a very reasonable and well-poised criticism on the subject of Modern Poetry. Perhaps it took some examples of Modern Poetry a little more seriously than I can manage to do; for the Moderns, who talk about irresistible temptations to love, do not always realize that they themselves torture us with irresistible temptations to laughter."
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The silly side of the Olympics
Our family got a kick out of this article on the ugliest figure skating costumes in the Olympics. It's nice when someone else "gets" it. :)
The still photos of figure skaters don't tend to do them much justice in any case.
The still photos of figure skaters don't tend to do them much justice in any case.
San Francisco
My family has long, deep ties with the city of San Francisco. At the time of the 1906 earthquake, one of my grandmothers was three years old and living in the city, the other was born two months later just south of the city.
I grew up near SF and have a deep fondness for what is good and beautiful about it. That is where I fell in love with beautiful architecture and developed an appreciation for cloistered religious. I was introduced to lots of neat things from Middle Eastern Food to roller skating in Golden Gate Park. When I was in high school, my brother and I were allowed to take public transportation all the way into the city to visit my sister, who lived in the flat above Ignatius Press. Homeschooling allowed for long visits and a broad range of experiences within the very Catholic community that exists within the city of San Francisco.
I want to share a little of all this with my children, and the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake, on April 18, seems like a perfect occasion. Here are some links I'm collecting (haven't read or even skimmed through all of them yet) for the occasion:
Links relating to the quake:
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/info/1906/
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/info/1906/othereqs.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/06.html
http://www.eas.slu.edu/Earthquake_Center/1906EQ/
http://1906centennial.org/
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/sfeq.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake
http://www.outsidelands.org/shacks.php
http://london.sonoma.edu/Writings/Journalism/sfearthquake.html
http://www.learncalifornia.org/doc.asp?id=1481
General San Francisco History:
http://www.sanfranciscomemories.com/
Links to some favorite S.F. places and things:
http://www.jnelson.com/Church%20Installs/carmelite_monastery.htm
http://www.ignatius.com/
http://www.thinker.org/deyoung/index.asp
http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide/sf/neighborhoods/ggpark.shtml
http://www.exploratorium.edu/
http://www.sfstation.com/business.php?blId=1720
http://www.boudinbakery.com/
http://www.fishermanswharf.org/
http://www.ghirardelli.com/
http://goldengatebridge.org/
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/
http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/
http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/3compk.htm http://www.calacademy.org/aquarium/
I couldn't find a link to this one - Its-its Cookie Sandwiches (unique to the Bay Area, I believe)
A neat book published - just last year - (Images of America: San Francisco Bayview/Hunter's Point by Tricia O'Brien) gave us an extra jump-start on this family history/geography project. My aunt was involved in putting together this book and there are many photos of my grandmother and her family.
These two are highly recommended:
I Remember Mama (Irene Dunne)
Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
More mature:
Yours, Mine and Ours (Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball)
The Maltese Falcon (Humphrey Bogart)
Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock)
Dark Passage (Humphrey Bogart)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier)
Monday, February 20, 2006
"You've Got Your Hands Full" or Thinking of Children as Assets
Everyone likes to be needed. Children are no different. Here's a silly little thing that happened to me that tends to remind me of this idea...
About five years ago, when I had four children ages seven and under, I was going to the Post Office with all of them to drop off some Christmas packages. They were rather small packages - books and videos and things like that - but I was dreading handling all the children and the packages at the Post Office. What a lot to juggle (like everyone says so frequently - "You've Got Your Hands Full"). The kids could be fairly rambunctious in the Post Office and I'd have to juggle the one year old with all the packages just to get in the doors. Argh.
Something struck me on the way there - it was really so simple that it's strange now that it WASN'T obvious immediately. I took the children out of the car, handed them each a package (of course the 1 year old wanted to participate) and they very happily stood in line, eager to hand their packages to the lady. Things don't always work out this way of course, but it illustrates for me the interest young children often have in being helpful, and how well they can respond to this kind of situation.
About five years ago, when I had four children ages seven and under, I was going to the Post Office with all of them to drop off some Christmas packages. They were rather small packages - books and videos and things like that - but I was dreading handling all the children and the packages at the Post Office. What a lot to juggle (like everyone says so frequently - "You've Got Your Hands Full"). The kids could be fairly rambunctious in the Post Office and I'd have to juggle the one year old with all the packages just to get in the doors. Argh.
Something struck me on the way there - it was really so simple that it's strange now that it WASN'T obvious immediately. I took the children out of the car, handed them each a package (of course the 1 year old wanted to participate) and they very happily stood in line, eager to hand their packages to the lady. Things don't always work out this way of course, but it illustrates for me the interest young children often have in being helpful, and how well they can respond to this kind of situation.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Just finished Canadian Summer again
We've been going through the Mitchell's series by Hilda Van Stockum (from Bethlehem Books) at bedtime and just finished the second book tonight. We haven't made it through this far in the series for quite a few years, so we all enjoyed it - all the way down to Kate.Here's a piece I want to remember...
"What would you like me to be, Mother?" asked Peter.
"Yes, Mother, what would you like us to be?" cried Patsy and Joan.
Mother thought for a moment, looking at the fire.
"I don't care," she said slowly, "as long as you are happy and at home in your work."
"Don't you have any special wish for us?" asked Joan.
"Yes, I do," said Mother. "I want you to become men and women who are easily moved by God's inspiration. I think there is nothing more beautiful in the world than a soul who is sensitive to the language of God, whether He speaks in nature, or in art, or through people, or whispers directly into our hearts. I think we are happy and alive just so much as our ears are open to His voice and our eyes to His handiwork. That is what I wish for you and that alone. Then I know you will choose the right way of life for yourselves." (pgs. 166-167)
Identifying Planets
(cross posted from Unity of Truth) It's only recently - in the last year or two - through casual observation of the sky (and involvement with my kids) that I realized that you can identify planets at night partly because they are (generally? - besides the moon, not sure if there are other exceptions) the first objects you can see after the sun goes down.
I don't usually do a lot of observation in the pre-dawn sky, but I happened to be up early this morning and had to take a peek. A really bright object was in the southeastern sky - it seemed almost too bright to be a planet. So I had to "google" it. Turns out it was Venus. Wow!
Here is a sky calendar to help you identify what is currently visible.
I don't usually do a lot of observation in the pre-dawn sky, but I happened to be up early this morning and had to take a peek. A really bright object was in the southeastern sky - it seemed almost too bright to be a planet. So I had to "google" it. Turns out it was Venus. Wow!
Here is a sky calendar to help you identify what is currently visible.
Friday, February 17, 2006
More from Homeschooling with Gentleness by Suzie Andres
Here is a part that particularly struck me from my own experience contrasting a traditional Catholic school environment for grade school and a relaxed homeschool experience for high school:
"But the Catholic parent may still worry that unschooling does not take into account the results of the fall. He may frame his objection thus: Due to the fall, we all suffer from laziness. If we are not made to do things, we take the path of least resistance and do nothing. Children, especially, must be made to learn and do assigned schoolwork, otherwise they will do nothing, or at least nothing they find difficult, and will fail to learn what they need to know." (pg. 41)
I have always found this argument interesting and a little confusing, because for myself, the contract between traditional elementary school and relaxed homeschooling for high school proved to be the opposite.
"Second, to the extent that laziness is an imperfection, venial sin, or weakness resulting from the fall, its remedy will be grace, not hard work." (pg. 42)
Honestly, I don't think I agree with this statement, since habit plays a big factor in forming the will and grace and nature work together. Ora et labora.
"From this I conclude that while our nature has been damaged by the fall, we are not so devastated that we cease striving to learn." (pg. 44)
I do agree with this and I think we can easily take the concept of Fallen Nature to one extreme (it has completely damaged our ability or desire to learn) or the other (basically ignore it and assume children need no guidance). I don't think the author is really taking either extreme, but I'd love to see a clear exposition on some of these ideas with particulars about will, intellect, conscience, etc.
"It is love, not tricks and techniques of thought, that lies at the heart of all true learning." (pg 46 - quoting Holt)
"Fr. Pichon, a holy Jesuit and spiritual director of St. Therese's family, said that there is more variation between souls than between faces. Therefore it should not surprise us that the Church allows and encourages her children to follow a variety of paths up the mountain that is Christ. We see this beautifully incarnated in the variety of religious orders and their charisms." (pg. 57)
I would add that we see this also in the diversity of the Saints.
"Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be." (pg. 59 quoting St. Therese)
Questions and concerns every homeschool parent faces:
"I remember a funny conversation I had when we were beginning to homeschool Joseph. Although we were only doing first grade, I immediately started to panic about whether he would get into college! Since my husband is a college philosophy professor [Christendom College], I had easy access to a college admissions director, who also happens to be a homeschooling father. Running into Paul after Mass one morning, I asked him, "What do I need to teach Joseph so he will be ready for college when the time comes?" Paul smiled and explained, "You don't have to worry about the particulars. Just try to instill in him a love for learning, and he'll be all set." I walked away disappointed. "Of course we want him to love learning," I thought. "But what about the particulars? What exactly does he need to know?" (pg. 69)
"We imagine that learning=education=schooling, and that we have twelve years (not counting kindergarten and preschool) in which to pour all necessary information into the little brains under our care." (pg. 69)
"Yet as Paul implied years ago, there is not a list of subjects or facts that comprises a perfect education. I periodically remind myself that I have retained very little of what I learned in grade school and high school. Furthremore I continue to delve into new areas of study that awaken wonder and enrich my life." (pg. 70)
"Instead of fearing that our children will have more to learn when they leave home, let us rejoice that none of us will ever be finished learning. We do indeed have so much to look forward to." (pg. 71)
"But the Catholic parent may still worry that unschooling does not take into account the results of the fall. He may frame his objection thus: Due to the fall, we all suffer from laziness. If we are not made to do things, we take the path of least resistance and do nothing. Children, especially, must be made to learn and do assigned schoolwork, otherwise they will do nothing, or at least nothing they find difficult, and will fail to learn what they need to know." (pg. 41)
I have always found this argument interesting and a little confusing, because for myself, the contract between traditional elementary school and relaxed homeschooling for high school proved to be the opposite.
"Second, to the extent that laziness is an imperfection, venial sin, or weakness resulting from the fall, its remedy will be grace, not hard work." (pg. 42)
Honestly, I don't think I agree with this statement, since habit plays a big factor in forming the will and grace and nature work together. Ora et labora.
"From this I conclude that while our nature has been damaged by the fall, we are not so devastated that we cease striving to learn." (pg. 44)
I do agree with this and I think we can easily take the concept of Fallen Nature to one extreme (it has completely damaged our ability or desire to learn) or the other (basically ignore it and assume children need no guidance). I don't think the author is really taking either extreme, but I'd love to see a clear exposition on some of these ideas with particulars about will, intellect, conscience, etc.
"It is love, not tricks and techniques of thought, that lies at the heart of all true learning." (pg 46 - quoting Holt)
"Fr. Pichon, a holy Jesuit and spiritual director of St. Therese's family, said that there is more variation between souls than between faces. Therefore it should not surprise us that the Church allows and encourages her children to follow a variety of paths up the mountain that is Christ. We see this beautifully incarnated in the variety of religious orders and their charisms." (pg. 57)
I would add that we see this also in the diversity of the Saints.
"Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be." (pg. 59 quoting St. Therese)
Questions and concerns every homeschool parent faces:
"I remember a funny conversation I had when we were beginning to homeschool Joseph. Although we were only doing first grade, I immediately started to panic about whether he would get into college! Since my husband is a college philosophy professor [Christendom College], I had easy access to a college admissions director, who also happens to be a homeschooling father. Running into Paul after Mass one morning, I asked him, "What do I need to teach Joseph so he will be ready for college when the time comes?" Paul smiled and explained, "You don't have to worry about the particulars. Just try to instill in him a love for learning, and he'll be all set." I walked away disappointed. "Of course we want him to love learning," I thought. "But what about the particulars? What exactly does he need to know?" (pg. 69)
"We imagine that learning=education=schooling, and that we have twelve years (not counting kindergarten and preschool) in which to pour all necessary information into the little brains under our care." (pg. 69)
"Yet as Paul implied years ago, there is not a list of subjects or facts that comprises a perfect education. I periodically remind myself that I have retained very little of what I learned in grade school and high school. Furthremore I continue to delve into new areas of study that awaken wonder and enrich my life." (pg. 70)
"Instead of fearing that our children will have more to learn when they leave home, let us rejoice that none of us will ever be finished learning. We do indeed have so much to look forward to." (pg. 71)
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Some Random Thoughts on Sparks and Poetry
It seems to me that one of the "jobs" of homeschool parents (and parents in general) is helping spark their children's interest in good and worthwhile things. I've noticed with my own children (and from working with others) that effective sparks are accomplished in different ways for different children. Often it is providing access to yourself and/or sharing your enthusiasm that spark the interest of children.
[note: you have to read down a bit on both of the above links to find the intended material]
On a related thought - learning is more enjoyable when we don't force mastery the first time we encounter something new. Progress and accomplishment is good, but sometimes I think we're in too much of a hurry to have children master something and wish to skip the in-between steps. It often helps me to break things up into smaller steps - like introducing children to a new thing. Then (even at a different time) let them get acquainted, explore that or enjoy it for awhile, etc. This is something that Montessori, in particular, helped me understand.
Anyway, one thing I'm thinking of is poetry. First a little background - although we played around with Haiku a little when I was in 7th grade (which didn't really develop any interest on my part - partly because the project was writing poetry - cold - they didn't share any with us first to help us enjoy or appreciate it), I was basically a poetry dunce all my life. I remember specifically having an entrance exam for Kolbe Academy when I transferred there from Our Lady of the Rosary School before my Sophomore year of high school. I aced the Algebra section, but was completely, utterly clueless about the poetry portion (even though I had fallen in love with Shakespeare my Freshman year).
In any case, it wasn't until recently, when sharing poetry with my children that I started to develop an appreciation - something which is giving my children an edge I never had. But the thing that struck me was that conventional wisdom seems to think that poetry is hard to understand and should be saved until we are mature enough to understand it. Also, it should always be studied carefully in order to be appreciated. Works like The Ballad of the White Horse, Lepanto and Evangeline, which I've read aloud to my children just this year, (I would even say that the poems "begged" to be read aloud - this wasn't something I carefully planned ahead of time) have helped me see that mastery isn't a prerequisite of appreciation. My children don't fully appreciate or understand these works, but they are fascinated by them, they enjoy them and (in some cases) even are learning to love them. It's okay to start with them simply enjoying the sound of the words such as:
"When God put man in a garden
He girt him with a sword,
And sent him forth a free knight
That might betray his lord;
"He brake Him and betrayed Him,
And fast and far he fell,
Till you and I may stretch our necks
And burn our beards in hell."(Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton)
"Stiff flags straining in the night-blasts cold
In the gloom black-purple, in the glint old-gold,
Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle-drums,
Then the tuckets, then the trumpets, then the cannon, and he comes."
(Lepanto by G.K. Chesterton)
Of course now I also see that one of the neat things about poetry is that it's the sort of thing you get more and more out of every time you go back to it. A lot of important things in life are kind of like that. It is good to help our children learn to love them. And sometimes that "spark" is all they need to start burning with enthusiasm for something good and true and beautiful.
Isn't their relationship with God a little bit like that too?
[note: you have to read down a bit on both of the above links to find the intended material]
On a related thought - learning is more enjoyable when we don't force mastery the first time we encounter something new. Progress and accomplishment is good, but sometimes I think we're in too much of a hurry to have children master something and wish to skip the in-between steps. It often helps me to break things up into smaller steps - like introducing children to a new thing. Then (even at a different time) let them get acquainted, explore that or enjoy it for awhile, etc. This is something that Montessori, in particular, helped me understand.
Anyway, one thing I'm thinking of is poetry. First a little background - although we played around with Haiku a little when I was in 7th grade (which didn't really develop any interest on my part - partly because the project was writing poetry - cold - they didn't share any with us first to help us enjoy or appreciate it), I was basically a poetry dunce all my life. I remember specifically having an entrance exam for Kolbe Academy when I transferred there from Our Lady of the Rosary School before my Sophomore year of high school. I aced the Algebra section, but was completely, utterly clueless about the poetry portion (even though I had fallen in love with Shakespeare my Freshman year).
In any case, it wasn't until recently, when sharing poetry with my children that I started to develop an appreciation - something which is giving my children an edge I never had. But the thing that struck me was that conventional wisdom seems to think that poetry is hard to understand and should be saved until we are mature enough to understand it. Also, it should always be studied carefully in order to be appreciated. Works like The Ballad of the White Horse, Lepanto and Evangeline, which I've read aloud to my children just this year, (I would even say that the poems "begged" to be read aloud - this wasn't something I carefully planned ahead of time) have helped me see that mastery isn't a prerequisite of appreciation. My children don't fully appreciate or understand these works, but they are fascinated by them, they enjoy them and (in some cases) even are learning to love them. It's okay to start with them simply enjoying the sound of the words such as:
"When God put man in a garden
He girt him with a sword,
And sent him forth a free knight
That might betray his lord;
"He brake Him and betrayed Him,
And fast and far he fell,
Till you and I may stretch our necks
And burn our beards in hell."(Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton)
"Stiff flags straining in the night-blasts cold
In the gloom black-purple, in the glint old-gold,
Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle-drums,
Then the tuckets, then the trumpets, then the cannon, and he comes."
(Lepanto by G.K. Chesterton)
Of course now I also see that one of the neat things about poetry is that it's the sort of thing you get more and more out of every time you go back to it. A lot of important things in life are kind of like that. It is good to help our children learn to love them. And sometimes that "spark" is all they need to start burning with enthusiasm for something good and true and beautiful.
Isn't their relationship with God a little bit like that too?
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Math Silliness and Smarts
Terri (2nd grade) was supposed to do 2 pages of Math the other day before - I forget what else - watching a movie or something. She brought me her Math book when she was through (simple addition problems of three or four one-digit numbers) and I saw a page filled with numbers that looked way too big. It almost looked like she had just scribbled some numbers down to make it look like it was done. My mind was all too ready to jump to this conclusion when I happened to notice an interesting pattern Here are a few examples. See if you see what I saw (G)...
2
3
+7
--
30
2
7
+3
--
30
7
3
+7
--
80
8
2
+8
--
90
5
1
2
+6
--
518
Once I figured out what she had done, I recognized that her addition was almost flawless (she got one of the big numbers - which she was obviously doing in her head - off by one), she simply didn't understand how the problems were set-up.
So for:
2
3
+7
--
she was adding 23 + 7
and for
5
1
2
+6
--
she was adding 512 + 6
I never cease to be amazed (and often inspired) by the way children think.
And she did get to watch the movie. :)
Mom learned an important lesson and is thinking of handling Math a little differently in the future.
2
3
+7
--
30
2
7
+3
--
30
7
3
+7
--
80
8
2
+8
--
90
5
1
2
+6
--
518
Once I figured out what she had done, I recognized that her addition was almost flawless (she got one of the big numbers - which she was obviously doing in her head - off by one), she simply didn't understand how the problems were set-up.
So for:
2
3
+7
--
she was adding 23 + 7
and for
5
1
2
+6
--
she was adding 512 + 6
I never cease to be amazed (and often inspired) by the way children think.
And she did get to watch the movie. :)
Mom learned an important lesson and is thinking of handling Math a little differently in the future.
Homeschooling with Gentleness: A Catholic Discovers Unschooling
by Suzie Andres, preface by Ralph McInerny (impressive!)
2004, Christendom College Press, 133 pages, Catholic
ISBN: 0931888794
I'm about halfway through this book (it's a quick and interesting read). I picked this up in order to better understand the concept of unschooling in order to fairly represent it on the website and in talks and such. I don't agree with everything (when do I ever?!), but I was surprised how much of myself I saw in the book. A number of the thoughts and ideas are things I've thought and followed and experienced. I think perhaps all (or most) homeschoolers are unschoolers to some degree. Here are some thoughts I wanted to save, or at least think about more:
"Homeschooling is far superior to compulsory schooling because the former can keep the child's welfare at the forefront, while the latter generally sacrifices the good of the individual child for some other nebulous good." (pg. 3)
I, personally, wouldn't have made this statement quite so strong, at least in not quite this way. I would lean toward "Homeschooling, conceptually, is superior to compulsory schooling..."; nevertheless an important concept is highlighted here - the idea of handling the needs of the individual child. Homeschooling clearly has some advantages in this department.
What is unschooling?
"unschooling now generally refers to a specific style of homeschooling, in which learning is not separated from living, and children learn mainly by following their own interests." (pg. 11)
"Unschooling is a form of education in which the child is trusted to be the primary agent in learning what he needs to know to lead him to happiness." (pg. 12)
"The parents assume the role of secondary agents, meaning that they do not forsake their duties in their child's education, but rather they recognize and honor his natural ability to learn. They do not ignore the child, or refuse to guide him. Instead they allow him a leading role in his education, placing more emphasis on his learning than on their teaching." (pg. 12)
"This essential aspect of unschooling is similar to the principle of 'masterly inactivity'...This means not stepping in, taking initiative away from the child. Let the child reap the natural consequences of his actions..." (pg. 13)
"I can sum up in five to seven words what I eventually learned as a teacher. The seven-word version is: Learning is not the product of teaching. The five-word version is: Teaching does not make learning. As I mentioned before, organized education operates on the assumption that children learn only when and only what and only because we teach them." (pg. 17 - quoting from Holt)
"Hence they can become primary agents in their education, and within a nurturing friendly environment they will learn. (pg. 18)
"We can sum up very quickly what people need to teach their own children. First of all, they have to like them, enjoy their company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and passion. They have to enjoy all their talk and questions, and enjoy equally trying to answer those questions...They have to feel in their own hearts some of their children's wonder, curiosity, and excitement about the world. And they have to have enough confidence in themselves, skepticism about experts, and willingness to be different from most people, to take on themselves the responsibility for their children's learning... [children] need access. They need a chance, sometimes, for honest, serious, unhurried talk; or sometimes, for joking, play, and foolishness; or sometimes, for tenderness, sympathy and comfort." (pg. 28 - quoting from Holt)
I really like this last quote. Certainly good parenting advice. Reminds me of my own parents!
Observation and Gentle Guidance (some of this reminds me of Montessori and Charlotte Mason)...
"...In this way children can be slowly drawn, at higher and higher levels of energy, commitment, and skill, in to more and more serious and worthwhile adult activities." (pg. 30 - quoting from Holt)
"Like a naturalist, an observant parent will be alert both to small clues and to large patterns of behavior." (pg. 30 - quoting from Holt)
Note: while quoting frequently from Holt and finding value in many of his writings, the author does have some general caveats and doesn't recommend everything he writes.
2004, Christendom College Press, 133 pages, Catholic
ISBN: 0931888794
I'm about halfway through this book (it's a quick and interesting read). I picked this up in order to better understand the concept of unschooling in order to fairly represent it on the website and in talks and such. I don't agree with everything (when do I ever?!), but I was surprised how much of myself I saw in the book. A number of the thoughts and ideas are things I've thought and followed and experienced. I think perhaps all (or most) homeschoolers are unschoolers to some degree. Here are some thoughts I wanted to save, or at least think about more:
"Homeschooling is far superior to compulsory schooling because the former can keep the child's welfare at the forefront, while the latter generally sacrifices the good of the individual child for some other nebulous good." (pg. 3)
I, personally, wouldn't have made this statement quite so strong, at least in not quite this way. I would lean toward "Homeschooling, conceptually, is superior to compulsory schooling..."; nevertheless an important concept is highlighted here - the idea of handling the needs of the individual child. Homeschooling clearly has some advantages in this department.
What is unschooling?
"unschooling now generally refers to a specific style of homeschooling, in which learning is not separated from living, and children learn mainly by following their own interests." (pg. 11)
"Unschooling is a form of education in which the child is trusted to be the primary agent in learning what he needs to know to lead him to happiness." (pg. 12)
"The parents assume the role of secondary agents, meaning that they do not forsake their duties in their child's education, but rather they recognize and honor his natural ability to learn. They do not ignore the child, or refuse to guide him. Instead they allow him a leading role in his education, placing more emphasis on his learning than on their teaching." (pg. 12)
"This essential aspect of unschooling is similar to the principle of 'masterly inactivity'...This means not stepping in, taking initiative away from the child. Let the child reap the natural consequences of his actions..." (pg. 13)
"I can sum up in five to seven words what I eventually learned as a teacher. The seven-word version is: Learning is not the product of teaching. The five-word version is: Teaching does not make learning. As I mentioned before, organized education operates on the assumption that children learn only when and only what and only because we teach them." (pg. 17 - quoting from Holt)
"Hence they can become primary agents in their education, and within a nurturing friendly environment they will learn. (pg. 18)
"We can sum up very quickly what people need to teach their own children. First of all, they have to like them, enjoy their company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and passion. They have to enjoy all their talk and questions, and enjoy equally trying to answer those questions...They have to feel in their own hearts some of their children's wonder, curiosity, and excitement about the world. And they have to have enough confidence in themselves, skepticism about experts, and willingness to be different from most people, to take on themselves the responsibility for their children's learning... [children] need access. They need a chance, sometimes, for honest, serious, unhurried talk; or sometimes, for joking, play, and foolishness; or sometimes, for tenderness, sympathy and comfort." (pg. 28 - quoting from Holt)
I really like this last quote. Certainly good parenting advice. Reminds me of my own parents!
Observation and Gentle Guidance (some of this reminds me of Montessori and Charlotte Mason)...
"...In this way children can be slowly drawn, at higher and higher levels of energy, commitment, and skill, in to more and more serious and worthwhile adult activities." (pg. 30 - quoting from Holt)
"Like a naturalist, an observant parent will be alert both to small clues and to large patterns of behavior." (pg. 30 - quoting from Holt)
Note: while quoting frequently from Holt and finding value in many of his writings, the author does have some general caveats and doesn't recommend everything he writes.
Monday, February 13, 2006
What are you doing May 19th?
From the blog of Janet Batchler:
May 19th is the date the Da Vinci Code movie opens. A movie based on a book that wears its heresy and blasphemy as a badge of honor.
What can we as Christians do in response to the release of this movie? I'm going to offer you the usual choices -- and a new one.
Here are the usual suspects:
A) We can ignore the movie. ........The problem with this option: The box office is a ballot box. The only people whose votes are counted are those who buy tickets. If you stay home, you have lost your chance to make your vote heard. You do nothing to shape the decision-making process regarding what movies will make it to the big screen.
B) We can protest. ........The problem with this option: It doesn't work. Any publicity is good publicity, after all. Protests not only fuel the box office, they make all Christians look like idiots. And again, protests and boycotts do nothing to help shape the decisions being made right now about what movies Hollywood should make (or shape the decisions away from what we might prefer).
C) We can discuss the movie. We can be rational and be ready with study guides and workshops and point-by-point refutations of the lies promulgated by the movie. ........The problem with this option: No one's listening. They think they know what we're going to say already. And once again, nothing changes if this is the response we opt for.
But there's a fourth choice.
On May 19th, you should go to the movies.
Just go to another movie.
Save the date now. May 19th, or May 20th. No later than Sunday, May 21st -- that's the day the ballot box closes. You'll get a vote, the only vote Hollywood recognizes: The power of cold hard cash laid down on a box office window on opening weekend.
Use your vote. Don't throw it away. Vote for a movie other than DVC. If enough people do it, the powers that be will notice. They won't have a choice.
Right now there's only one other studio movie scheduled for release, the DreamWorks animated feature Over the Hedge. Based on the early trailers, my kids already want to see it. Let's all go see it. (Or another just-opened movie of your choice, pending the final release schedules.)
Let's rock the box office in a way no one expects -- without protests, without boycotts, without arguments, without rancor. Let's show up at the box office ballot box and cast our votes. And buy some popcorn, too.
May 19th. Spread the word. Post this on your own blog, send it to friends on your e-mail lists. And let's all go to the movies.
****
I thought this was great advice! Pass it on! - Regina Doman
May 19th is the date the Da Vinci Code movie opens. A movie based on a book that wears its heresy and blasphemy as a badge of honor.
What can we as Christians do in response to the release of this movie? I'm going to offer you the usual choices -- and a new one.
Here are the usual suspects:
A) We can ignore the movie. ........The problem with this option: The box office is a ballot box. The only people whose votes are counted are those who buy tickets. If you stay home, you have lost your chance to make your vote heard. You do nothing to shape the decision-making process regarding what movies will make it to the big screen.
B) We can protest. ........The problem with this option: It doesn't work. Any publicity is good publicity, after all. Protests not only fuel the box office, they make all Christians look like idiots. And again, protests and boycotts do nothing to help shape the decisions being made right now about what movies Hollywood should make (or shape the decisions away from what we might prefer).
C) We can discuss the movie. We can be rational and be ready with study guides and workshops and point-by-point refutations of the lies promulgated by the movie. ........The problem with this option: No one's listening. They think they know what we're going to say already. And once again, nothing changes if this is the response we opt for.
But there's a fourth choice.
On May 19th, you should go to the movies.
Just go to another movie.
Save the date now. May 19th, or May 20th. No later than Sunday, May 21st -- that's the day the ballot box closes. You'll get a vote, the only vote Hollywood recognizes: The power of cold hard cash laid down on a box office window on opening weekend.
Use your vote. Don't throw it away. Vote for a movie other than DVC. If enough people do it, the powers that be will notice. They won't have a choice.
Right now there's only one other studio movie scheduled for release, the DreamWorks animated feature Over the Hedge. Based on the early trailers, my kids already want to see it. Let's all go see it. (Or another just-opened movie of your choice, pending the final release schedules.)
Let's rock the box office in a way no one expects -- without protests, without boycotts, without arguments, without rancor. Let's show up at the box office ballot box and cast our votes. And buy some popcorn, too.
May 19th. Spread the word. Post this on your own blog, send it to friends on your e-mail lists. And let's all go to the movies.
****
I thought this was great advice! Pass it on! - Regina Doman
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Children's Book Author/Bio Websites
We have a new fad going in our family - inspired by John's paternal grandmother. Rather than have Mom and Dad pick out birthday presents ahead of time, the children are choosing to have a special outing with Mom and Dad to Barnes and Noble (with a budget) to do some fun shopping. Naturally we had to visit the dessert cafe afterwards! Well today was our first such excursion with Terri (who turned 8 today). The three of us had a wonderful, unhurried visit through the children's section.
Anyway, I discovered a few new books that I'm hoping to read some time (I wasn't the one with the book budget today!) and that got me sidetracked on something else. I was investigating the authors of the two books of interest (one on the story of Margret and H.A. Rey's flight from Paris during World War II - by Louise Borden - and the other, a very beautiful collection of Saint stories with REAL art - gorgeous!) and enjoyed browsing through some related websites. Since I've searched through some other author sites before (and started collecting them in my bookmarks), I thought I'd start pulling it together and share a rather substantial list. I hope to pull together my children's literature section on love2learn someday, and I think this might help.
(Naturally, just because I like some of their books, doesn't mean that I recommend all.)
In the meantime, enjoy...
By the way, these are all different "kinds" of links - official author sites, biographies written by fans, interviews, obituaries, etc.
Mitsumasa Anno
Michael Aquilina, III
Ann Ball
Ludwig Bemelmans
Jeanne Bendick
Jennie Bishop
Louise Borden
Jan Brett
Carol Ryrie Brink
Lewis Carroll
Barbara Cooney
Jean de Brunhoff
Tomie dePaola
Regina Doman
Marjorie Flack
Rumer Godden
Ruth Heller
Norton Juster
Kathryn Lasky
C.S. Lewis
Astrid Lindgren
Arnold Lobel
Milton Lomask
Maud Hart Lovelace
Robert McCloskey
A.A. Milne
Else Holmelund Minarik
L.M. Montgomery
Josephine Nobisso
Sterling North
Mary Pope Osborne
Theoni Pappas
Leo Politi
Margret and H.A. Rey
Kate Seredy
Ian Serraillier
Dr. Seuss
Seymour Simon
Caroline Dale Snedeker
Donald J. Sobol
Diane Stanley
Showell Styles
Hilda Van Stockum
Amy Welborn
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Melissa Wiley
Mary Fabyan Windeatt
And while I'm on the topic of Terri's birthday, I just loved her narration on The Cats in Krasinski Square from last week. :)
Anyway, I discovered a few new books that I'm hoping to read some time (I wasn't the one with the book budget today!) and that got me sidetracked on something else. I was investigating the authors of the two books of interest (one on the story of Margret and H.A. Rey's flight from Paris during World War II - by Louise Borden - and the other, a very beautiful collection of Saint stories with REAL art - gorgeous!) and enjoyed browsing through some related websites. Since I've searched through some other author sites before (and started collecting them in my bookmarks), I thought I'd start pulling it together and share a rather substantial list. I hope to pull together my children's literature section on love2learn someday, and I think this might help.
(Naturally, just because I like some of their books, doesn't mean that I recommend all.)
In the meantime, enjoy...
By the way, these are all different "kinds" of links - official author sites, biographies written by fans, interviews, obituaries, etc.
Mitsumasa Anno
Michael Aquilina, III
Ann Ball
Ludwig Bemelmans
Jeanne Bendick
Jennie Bishop
Louise Borden
Jan Brett
Carol Ryrie Brink
Lewis Carroll
Barbara Cooney
Jean de Brunhoff
Tomie dePaola
Regina Doman
Marjorie Flack
Rumer Godden
Ruth Heller
Norton Juster
Kathryn Lasky
C.S. Lewis
Astrid Lindgren
Arnold Lobel
Milton Lomask
Maud Hart Lovelace
Robert McCloskey
A.A. Milne
Else Holmelund Minarik
L.M. Montgomery
Josephine Nobisso
Sterling North
Mary Pope Osborne
Theoni Pappas
Leo Politi
Margret and H.A. Rey
Kate Seredy
Ian Serraillier
Dr. Seuss
Seymour Simon
Caroline Dale Snedeker
Donald J. Sobol
Diane Stanley
Showell Styles
Hilda Van Stockum
Amy Welborn
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Melissa Wiley
Mary Fabyan Windeatt
And while I'm on the topic of Terri's birthday, I just loved her narration on The Cats in Krasinski Square from last week. :)
Saturday, February 11, 2006
College Link
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Family Photo
I love pictures of children and old family photos; no surprise, then, that this is one of my favorites (it's from my husband's side of the family). We're working on decorating our living room (really our library) with old photos (photo printers sure are handy for this)...
The younger of the two girls is my husband's maternal grandmother, (pictured with some of her siblings). Circa 1915 (I'll have to check on the date)
Monday, February 06, 2006
You've Got to "Dig" Your Kids
A friend of mine - Mary Daly - once mentioned that one secret of successful parenting is that you've got to "dig" your kids. Even while understanding their need for you as a parent, you have to appreciate who they are and enjoy them for who they are and all that (she obviously said it much better!).
Anyway, I came across this delightful example of a dad who clearly "digs" his kids and just had to share.
Anyway, I came across this delightful example of a dad who clearly "digs" his kids and just had to share.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Such a Mean Mommy
I required "Terri" to spend 20 minutes reading a science book this afternoon before she could watch a movie. She was mournful and frowning about this infringement on her interests and desires...for about 2 minutes. The required book (which she chose from our "Kingfisher Young Knowledge" set) called Animal Disguises by Belinda Weber, had her "ooing and awing", showing me amazing pictures and reading off statistics in no time.
It doesn't always work out quite this nicely, but it sure is nice when it does (and beautiful, engaging books can be a huge help!).
Charlotte, the dog, really likes the book as well, as evidenced from the missing lower left corner.
Some Surprising Stats on Gifted Students
"between 10 percent and 20 percent of high school dropouts are intellectually gifted, and 40 percent of those who graduate in the top 5 percent of their high school class do not complete college."
The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome by Patricia Romanowski Bashe and Barbara L. Kirby
(see links in sidebar for more info on Asperger's)
At the very least, I think this indicates that a. it's not only students with low IQ or who struggle in school that need encouragement and emotional support and b. many schools are failing the above average students as well as those who don't fit in because of academic weaknesses. It is hypothesized in this book that learning disabilities such as Asperger's and ADHD might help account for these surprising statistics, particularly since these conditions are less likely to be diagnosed in gifted students.
(by the way, gifted is considered an IQ of 130 or above)
The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome by Patricia Romanowski Bashe and Barbara L. Kirby
(see links in sidebar for more info on Asperger's)
At the very least, I think this indicates that a. it's not only students with low IQ or who struggle in school that need encouragement and emotional support and b. many schools are failing the above average students as well as those who don't fit in because of academic weaknesses. It is hypothesized in this book that learning disabilities such as Asperger's and ADHD might help account for these surprising statistics, particularly since these conditions are less likely to be diagnosed in gifted students.
(by the way, gifted is considered an IQ of 130 or above)
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