It is natural I suppose, that as our family’s present concern is ministering to my mother in our home during her last weeks or days of life, I should find myself musing upon the role of books and reading in the sick room. When reading is woven into the fabric of ordinary days, its role is equally important in… Read More Some Thoughts on Reading in the Sick Room

There are two absolute certainties about death: it is coming to us all, and, no one is ever “ready” for it. Between birth and death there is also surely a “valley of the shadow.” As our family walks through what could possibly be my mother’s last illness, I know the truth of these statements. Though we’ve heard the prognosis,… Read More When that Day Comes

One of the things that keeps homeschooling from ever becoming dull or stale is that I continually make discoveries myself as I prowl about for good literature to breathe life into some subject or other for my children’s sake. I review a fair amount of books before I judge them worth my child’s time and attention. Sometimes I become… Read More My Trip Across the Pacific

I acknowledged in my last post what a vast field is the one collectively identified as “language arts, ” with its consequent instructional challenges which commonly baffle or bewilder the appointed teacher. Blithely I promised some practical instructional advice in my subsequent post, not because I have any new, unique, or simple way of approaching reading and writing proficiency, but… Read More “Can You Help Me with Language Arts?” – Part 2

I acknowledge that homeschooling mothers may be among the most insecure adults in the country. I do not mock them, surely not! as I myself have suffered from every one of the common doubts I hear expressed over and over and over again. Teaching is a bit of a mystery, teaching your own children is more than a bit… Read More Can You Help Me With Language Arts?

Do you remember the unique feelings associated with preparing for the first day of school? New notebooks, new pencils, and maybe a new outfit all laid out; trying to get to sleep and the alarm sounding before you knew it; the familiar sight and smell of the old school mixed with the slightly nervous sensation of a new desk… Read More The First Day of School

Every summer I spend many hours planning for the school year ahead. This is equally delightful and agonizing work. I consider the past year’s successes and failures, set new goals and make adjustments, choose the subjects, fit them to a reasonably realistic schedule, then begin choosing the books. The last stage presumably should be my… Read More Finding the Right History Book

Our library year begins on August 1 every year. We opened for the first time in August of 2006, choosing this month of the year because in our community, most families head back to school during this month. Originally we had intended just to collect wonderful books for our children and future grandchildren, books that… Read More The Gift of a Family Library

When I was growing up in school, science was a necessary evil. I had to get through the classes, get good grades, but left scientific pursuits to other “scientifically inclined,” people. I remember the faintest flicker of an interest in certain aspects of science occurring on occasion, but the test or the move to the next unit would quickly snuff… Read More Literature and Science: Dead or Alive?

Unsurprisingly, I recently wrote about the value of reading old books, I say “unsurprisingly” since that is the topic of most of my writing. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays last January, I was in need of a fun and undemanding book to read. I had had Mother Carey’s Chickens by Kate Wiggin on my list… Read More One Thing Leads to Another