Freedom

I've been thinking about this poem all day:

Refugee in America
There are words like Freedom
Sweet and wonderful to say.
On my heart-strings freedom sings
All day every day.

There are words like Liberty
That almost make me cry.
If you had known what I knew
You would know why.

--Langston Hughes


Various thoughts flooded my mind as I read this.

Sad thoughts that the Freedom and Liberty he found in America often seem to be in jeopardy.

Indescribable thoughts of how this relates to my life as a follower of Christ. Even though my freedoms seem threatened at times, the freedom and liberty that are mine in Christ can never be taken away. I have a hope and a future.

Finally, as we are about to begin another year of homeschool, I can't help but relate these thoughts of freedom and liberty to the beauty found in Charlotte Mason's Methods (to learn more specifics, click here, here, or here).

I went to public school. For me, this was not such a bad experience as some have; yet, there are still things I will never forget and wish for my children to learn in a different way. Still, even in the home setting, a family could make "school" still too much like "school" with rigid structure and cold atmosphere and mind numbing books. I recently got to see in real life some of those homeschool curriculums of which I've heard stories. It made me feel stressed just looking at these huge stacks of textbooks.  I've also been making a big effort to once again purge our home of "twaddle" (Mason's word to describe books with oversimplified language which has the end result of shutting down the mind's creative thinking process).

Mason's methods and principles have brought so much life into our home. Our minds are nourished and challenged with ideas. My whole family ends up being fed a feast from which each fills his plate with the nourishment needed. It truly is a living education, and more than that, it is a way to live.  Charlotte's method may have seemed "new" in her day and often seem "new" compared to many of today's methods of education, however, the Solomon tells us that there is nothing new under the sun (Eccles. 1:9-10). And the more I think of it, many of her methods of teaching reflect the way that Jesus taught his disciples and interacted with those He met.
            
          He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
          He came that we could enjoy abundant life (John 10:10).
          For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

I'm so thankful that the Lord has led our family to this beautiful method of learning and living. Maybe you are interested in Mason's method; if so, I encourage you to dive in and research it. However, maybe you rejoice in the curriculum your family has found, if so, then I rejoice with you. I think because I've felt burdened by the yoke of slavery under the curriculums and methods that other families hold in high esteem, I understand and am extremely grateful for the fact that the Lord leads each family to what is right for them. I am so thankful for the freedom we have to choose differently! For me and my family, this method brings abundant life and joy and freedom. Why wouldn't I use it? :)  And again, Langston's words ring in my mind, "If you had known what I knew, you would know why."

Nature Study

Well, we just returned home from our first successful Nature Study Group outings! Yeah! It was SO much fun. Charlotte Mason strongly encouraged nature study. She wanted the children to learn to observe nature and really see what was around them. She wanted them to form relationships with nature. It has been said that nature can be a friend to us in such a way that we can never feel alone if we've developed a relationship with the world around this. I believe this is true because you can't truly see the world around you and not be reminded of our great God! He reveals himself to us in so many ways through His creation. There is so much to see and discover about God through nature. I could go on and on about this, but I won't right now because soon I need to go and make lunch for my little clan. I wanted to form a group though because I need help getting myself away from these four walls and out into nature on a regular basis even though I know how much I need the "re-creation" God gives us through being in His creation.

We met on the river walk this morning. The kids immediately began a game of "Pooh Sticks". If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, you've never read or watched Winnie the Pooh. :) anyway the began collecting sticks, throwing them off one side of the bridge and watching them come out the other side, seeing which would come first and watching where it would be carried off to. For the sake of formality, I had a plan to start the group with prayer and a Bible verse, but the kids didn't need to be instructed of what to do in any way. Nature study is natural to them. We had such a delightful time. What a joy it was to watch them run along the river path exploring and playing together. They had so much fun and only interrupted their exuberant play to show us or tell us about some amazing discovery that they made.

I tried to not interrupt them too much, except with an occasional gentle directing towards something neat that I had discovered or with a necessary word of caution. I really wanted them to find something that interested them to draw in their nature journals, but I didn't want to force it, so I held myself back from suggestions. Then right at the end, they suggested that they had better draw something for their journals. Lucy chose an interesting gall. The kids came running to us with it and described it as the world's biggest peanut, I think. A gall is an abnormal outgrowth on a plant caused by a fungus or insect or parasite, etc. After looking at the plant more closely while she drew it, I wondered if it was goldenrod. Sure enough, there is such a thing as Goldenrod Gall cause by the Goldenrod Gall Fly. Needless to say, I am very excited (perhaps more so than the children are) and I can't wait for our next nature study group.

Here is a quick plan that I have for our next Nature Study group to make things easier on me preparation wise since we plan to do this about twice a month. I want to have a designated back-pack that I can just add a few last minute supplies to and go. I plan to pack it with several items that will be designated just to this bag:
-diapers and wipes (for Selah)
-colored pencils
-extra paper
-field guides
-magnifying glass
-ziploc baggies (a friend's suggestion for interesting finds to take home)
-a container (for interesting bugs/creatures to take home)
-first aid kit, just in case
-kid sized blanket or towel
Then at the last minute, I can throw in a water bottle, snacks, a camera, and our nature journals if we wish to bring them that day.

There is also this little portable flower press that would be fun to make with the kids and keep with us.

Now the fun part, here are some pictures for you:

Rune of Riches

Florence Converse

I have a golden ball

A big, bright, shining one,

Pure gold; and it is all

Mine. - It is the sun.

I have a silver ball,

A white and glistening stone

That other people call

The moon; - my very own!

The jewel things that prick

My cushion's soft blue cover

Are mine, - my stars, thick, thick,

Scattered the sky all over.

And everything's that mine

Is yours, and yours, and yours, -

The shimmer and the shine!-

Let's lock our wealth outdoors!

The Blue Bowl

All day I did the little things,
The little things that do not show;
I brought the kindling for the fire
I set the candles in a row,
I filled a bowl with marigolds,
The shallow bowl you love the best--
And made the house a pleasant place
Where weariness might take its rest.

The hours sped on, my eager feet
Could not keep pace with my desire.
So much to do, so little time!
I could not let my body tire;
Yet, when the coming of the night
Blotted the garden from my sight,
And on the narrow, graveled walks
Between the guarding flower stalks
I heard your step: I was not through.

You came into the quiet room
That glowed enchanted with the bloom
Of yellow flame. I saw your face,
Illumined by the firelit space,
Slowly grow still and comforted-
"It's good to be at home," you said.

Blanche Bane Kuder

Doesn't this poem so beautifully describe what it is like to be a wife and mother? I love it! I discovered this poem in a book called Everyday Graces by Karen Santorum. This is a wonderful book for children about manners. Karen has collected poems, short stories and excerpts from books to illustrate different manners to children in a simple and gentle way. 

Here are some other manners books that I've heard are good and would love to add to our collection:

  

Here is the poem that Lucy is currently working on memorizing.

The Cupboard

by Walter de la Mare

I know a little cupboard, 

With a teeny tiny key, 

And there's a jar of Lollypops

For me, me, me.

It has a little shelf, my dear, 

As dark as dark can be, 

And there's a dish of Banbury Cakes

For me, me, me.

I have a small fat grandmamma, 

With a very slippery knee, 

And she's the Keeper of the Cupboard

With the key, key, key. 

And when I'm very good, my dear, 

As good as good can be, 

There's Banbury Cakes, and Lollypops

For me, me, me. 

Isn't that a cute poem? I think I know why she likes it so much...it is almost true. True except for the "fat grandmamma with a slippery knee" and the "key on the cupboard", but she does love going to Grandma who always has treats and candies for her! She once asked me what kind of treats Grandma had in the bowl when I was little and was very surprised to hear that we didn't always have a bowl of treats out when I was little. :)

I LOVE the break in our morning when we casually read a poem! It is so relaxing and refreshing. We all look forward to it. Mayme even has some poem books that she loves to read. (This one and this one.)

We don't analyze or study the poems, we just read them for the pleasure of it. Sometimes though when a particular poem has a really great message, I can't help but commenting on it.

I was delighted this morning when I remembered that I would get to read A.A. Milne's poem books with Jude next year!

This year I am reading through this poem book with Jude (see below), and Lucy is reading through various poems by Walter de la Mare.

What is your favorite part of your school day? Do you have any favorite poems? Perhaps I'll have to share some of our favorite poetry more often.

Singapore Math Kindergarten B 

For some reason...well more than one reason...I have felt a bit shy about posting anything Home School related lately. At the same time, I want to share some resources I love with you and well, some other thoughts too. So here I go putting all my worries and fears aside....

I have been doing Singapore Math with Lucy and am pretty pleased with it overall. Now granted true Charlotte Mason fashion wouldn't use a math workbook at this age but rather spoken "story" problems, math manipulatives (or counters and hands-on objects) and lots of games and real life interaction. I however need a book to follow! I've learned through tears (mine and her's) to allow myself and her for that matter to break away from the book's exact expectations when we need to and go at our own pace. I've also learned that Daddy is really good at making math fun...so I take advantages of any opportunities that I can to get him to help! Then they all love it!

So, I decided to start Jude on a math book too. I bought both of the Kindergarten books (A&B) from Singapore. After looking briefly over the books, I decided he could skip right to book B, and that I would save book A for Mayme. I REALLY like his book!!! If you are looking for something to guide you through math with your kindergartner (or preschooler) I highly recommend this book (maybe I should tell you though that we aren't all the way through it yet).  We don't do every page of it. We keep it light and fun. Sometimes I do the writing for him. The bottom of most of the pages has suggestions for extra activities that you can do with your child. Sometimes we only do those suggested activities rather than the work book page. I wish I had had this book for Lucy! I'm excited to start with Mayme at a very slow pace in the fall. I think it will be just enough for her to feel like she is doing "school" with her older siblings without burning her out. We'll see if that plan works or not. :) 

Looking for more CM method Math encouragement 

(including book suggestions) visit Charlotte Mason Help.

Painting Pottery

Several weeks ago, I had a chance to go with a bunch of friends to Paint It Pottery. We had such a fun time! I can't wait to go back there again. Well, we all painted and painted and admired and encouraged each other, but left without getting to see everyone's finished product. So I offered to post any pictures I received from them of their pottery pieces, so that we could all admire each other's work. So, here they are:

Amy:

Brooke:

Carrie:

Linda:

Courtney:

Heather (me):

Penny:

Sharon:

Jessica:

Thanks for sharing ladies! I love how they turned out. 

It is so neat to see how they reflect the uniqueness of each one of you!

A Good Little Read

All the Places to Love
by Patricia MacLachlan
paintings by Mike Wimmer

Looking for a good book to read to your little ones? This one is great. I could hardly read it without crying the first time. It is definitely Charlotte Mason approved! (That is the homeschooling method we are planning on using which I'm sure you'll hear more about in the future.) This book, which we stumbled upon, at the library (...and by stumbled upon, I mean Mayme pulled off the shelf along with a handful of others) is full of beautiful painting and gentle conversation that pulls your heart into the story of an American family and their love for and ties to the land they live on. Only someone who has spent hours loving and living in the nature around them could describe it so gently and beautifully and in such a way that makes it come alive to you. Anyway, it may have been the post pregnancy hormones, but this book is one that Lucy and I both fell in love with and wanted to share with you. Hope you can find it at your library too!