From the first day we seriously considered opening a library, we have been aware that we were insufficient for such an undertaking. We were right, for it has only been the generosity and kindness of others that has made the opening and operation of the library possible. As we carry on in its tenth year, we can clearly see… Read More In Gratitude
We are so excited to announce that our new podcast is now available! A Delectable Education: Spreading the Feast of the Charlotte Mason Method can be found at www.adelectableeducation.com or in iTunes. We are releasing new episodes every Friday, so be sure to subscribe to the podcast at either of those locations. These first episodes… Read More The Podcast is Live!
Emily and I love talking about great ideas, and inevitably, those ideas become new adventures. Saying that one thing leads to another is a huge understatement, but here we go again with the next one. When we opened the library, we desired to share great books with other homeschoolers and doing that led to realizing that we needed… Read More An Invitation to Join the Conversation
Children ask questions constantly. What’s that machine doing, Mommy? Where are we going, Daddy? Why this? Why that? Why? Why? Why? Asking questions for children is as normal as breathing. The reason is simple: they want to know. Knowing is a child’s main focus in life. Charlotte Mason says the mind only seeks to answer the questions it asks… Read More Mysteries
I recently found my eleven year old son on his bed after his exhausting day of painting and yard work. “What are you up to?” I asked. “Reading.” Surprised, because reading is not usually his choice for relaxing, I curiously asked, “What book?” “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers.” Just in time I restrained myself from commenting.… Read More On the Rereading of Books
For most of us, Labor Day, a holiday for workers, marks a shift from summer’s leisurely pace back to the routine of the school year. Though we love the fun and freedom of summer, somewhere deep inside, we also relish getting back to work. Work is a gift. After all, if we were always at play, the world… Read More Work and Play
(The closing remarks from the CMI International Conference, June 20, 2015) Is this her reason for warning us against getting between the child and the book? We can hinder. Our task is to sow and to keep weeds from preventing growth, removing rocks and roots to give implanted ideas a fighting chance. Here is our God-given duty. Moral… Read More Vision for Children, Final Installment
(The next portion of the plenary lecture given at the CMI international conference, June 20, 2015) We must employ living books for all school subjects, not just for fiction reading- imagination stimulating, curiosity provoking books. Information is received, she said, if accompanied with enough narrative padding. Which tastes better, a vitamin C tablet or a fruit salad? Are their history… Read More Vision for Children, Ninth Installment
(This is a further portion of the plenary speech shared at the Charlotte Mason Institute international conference, June 20, 2015) My books have shown me what was good, and what was not. The best fiction books are not those without any negative or ugly incidents, but show characters who wrestle with difficult moral choices and reveal the subsequent… Read More Vision for Children, Eighth Installment
(A portion of the plenary speech at the Charlotte Mason Institute’s Annual Conference, June 20, 2015) Of course, as a child I had no idea faith and wisdom for life were growing in me, only now, by looking over my shoulder, can I see the trail of books that showed me the way. I’m pretty sure my mother… Read More Vision for Children, Seventh Installment