Fall Term Reflections

 Sauder Village in Ohio

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall landscape! This time of year always brings out my contemplative side, and with having less extracurricular activities this homeschooling year, I have more time for reflection. I am very pleased with our simpler schedule for lessons, and I've been continuing to think about the theme of recent posts regarding using Charlotte Mason as a springboard, then proceeding to do things in your own way. 

I have been very inspired by my reading of CM's original homeschooling series. There is so much meat there to chew on! But it has always been my nature that, once I have mastered something to my own satisfaction, I need to move on to the next thing. Thanks to Charlotte Mason, I have learned a solid, natural, and delightful method of teaching and learning. It has worked beautifully in conjunction with my Catholic faith. 

But as I have previously written, I saw the wisdom in the classical notion of teaching less subjects and using less books. Loop and block scheduling have been just what I needed to fit in all of the liberal arts feast. Yet that broad and generous curriculum to which serious CM homeschoolers aspire was just too much, if you try to include every possible subject suggested by Miss Mason. I did not feel like I was teaching from rest. And often a subject would only be attended to once every two weeks. I wanted more consistency and to be able to focus more upon each subject. The answer was fewer subjects per term and books that can cover a "family" of subjects. 

For example, the reader from Seton that we are using, A Book of Gratitude, contains poetry, classic literature, and stories of saints. We can use it for narrations, copy work, and dictation. Poems can be memorized and recited. Truth, goodness, beauty, religion, and virtue can all be found in its pages. Historical fiction, such as Island of the Blue Dolphins, which my daughter recently finished reading, sets off several doves from one magic hat. (I thought that was better than the usual "kills two birds with one stone" saying!) If the historical novel is about a saint, you have literature, religion, history, and geography all contained. Some novels will also cover survival skills and natural science. You get the idea.

A particular article in Sarah Mackenzie's blog, "Amongst Lovely Things", kept beckoning me to reread it. She discusses how, in hindsight, she would not have spent so much time reading about and worrying over homeschooling philosophies and methods. At first I disagreed with her, because I felt that it was crucial to have an organized method to work from. I still believe this, but it's also important to observe and follow what works best for your individual children. This is more important than trying to follow the guidelines put down by educational experts and gurus. 

So where does that leave Charlotte Mason? I have to tell you that at times when I was reading her brilliant words, I wished very much that she was Catholic. If only the teaching and traditions of the Church were woven into the fabric of her philosophy, I would be completely happy. 

I went back to an article by Marianna Bartold at the Keeping It Catholic website about using a "living books through eyes of faith" homeschooling approach. She says that this idea is not new to Catholic education, but that Charlotte Mason homeschoolers have popularized it. While I do not believe, as Marianna does, that CM is chock full of heresy, there was one occasion in which I found an anti-Catholic sentiment being expressed. In other places certain influences of evolution theory and Socialism have thrown up little red flags. Some may also question CM's parenting advice. My conclusion has always been that faithful Catholics can take what is good from CM, which is based upon natural law, while keeping to the Church's teaching on education. 

The real problem for many home educators is that they simply don't have time to read CM's books, or even companion books by modern authors. There is too much to assimilate, and it is an overwhelming task to try to incorporate 15 to 20 subjects, especially all in one term. What most seem to need is a basic set of techniques and an understanding of what living books are and how to use them. Catholics also need those resources which will help them to design a curriculum permeated by the Faith. And we desperately need to follow Sarah's Mackenzie's advice in learning to teach from rest. 

So that is where I am right now. I have gleaned what I need from Charlotte Mason. Those key methods used--living books, copy work, narration, dictation, picture study, memory work, observational nature study, a book of centuries, and the like--are common to traditional education (by which I mean as regularly used in the early 20th century, and not only by Catholic schools). We do not need to "Catholicize" Charlotte Mason. Instead, we can design the curriculum using a combination of Catholic resources and living books, apply the traditional methods, simplify the schedule (using looping and/or blocking if they work for you), follow the practice of short lessons, and relax! 

For me at least, it's time to move beyond Charlotte Mason and focus instead on being the best Catholic homeschooler and mother that I can be. And for Catholic parenting advice, We and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland is unsurpassed! 

I have included all the titles in our current Lesson Basket. If you would like details about any of them or how they are used, please ask in the comments! By the way, I took written narration out of the language arts loop, because composition is included in the CHC grammar book. Also, letter writing is contained in Primary Language Lessons, and narrations are written into the nature notebook. 

Gymastics class turned out to be no longer an option, but physical education does not have to be formal. My child plays outdoors daily, year round. She climbs trees, walks her dogs, goes for walks in the neighborhood, uses her trampoline, rides her bike, builds snow men, dances with friends, and all that good stuff!

Daily Core: (open with Pure Faith: A Prayer Book for Teens)

- A Book of Gratitude reader, Seton (poetry, stories & saints)        

- Everything Kids' Learning Spanish Book

- Hamilton’s Arithmetic

- Piano practice

- The Baltimore Catechism (10 Commandments memory work)

- Storyteller (Giff, historical fiction)

Language Arts Loop:

- Emma Serl’s Primary Language Lessons

- Language of God grammar & composition workbook (Catholic  Heritage Curricula, Level C)
- Cursive writing (Seton Handwriting 3)

Extended Loop:

- The Rosary in Art(picture studies, Seton): Rosary prayers & New Testament mysteries (Holy Bible, 1952 Catholic Confraternity Edition)
- Bible History 6 for Young Catholics (Seton)

- Handbook of Nature Study (Anna Comstock, notebook narrations & illustrations)

- A Child’s Geography of the World (Hillyer) & Usborne Essential Atlas of the World

Weekly:

Piano lessons

Religious education class

Dr. Ray Guarendi on Criticism

Dr. Ray

I was recently listening to Catholic psychologist Dr. Ray Guarendi's program on Ave Maria Radio when I had one of those "Ah" moments. You know what I mean. Once in awhile you have a little epiphany, and some piece in the puzzle of life suddenly clicks into place. That day Dr. Ray was talking about discerning criticism. 

He said that most of the criticism that we get from family and friends arises because we are not doing something the way they would do it. Most conflict is simply a matter of differences in the way we do things, rather than truly being a moral issue. This is a game changer for me. This makes perfect sense. Simple as the idea is, I think it presents a fundamental key for living free.

In my experience, criticism of others is largely about control. A person in my life is not doing things the way I think they should, and negative thoughts rise up within me. Thoughts lead to feelings, which lead to actions. People will argue that feelings are just feelings, and we can't control how we feel. This ultimately leads to the belief that other people are responsible for how we feel, so we then have no responsibility for the actions which follow from our feelings. But the truth is, we failed to guard our thoughts. We let them ride a runaway train. We have not cultivated self-discipline. 

If I take the time to practice detachment and to stop and think, then I can ask myself, is this really a moral issue? Is this person doing something to cause serious harm to himself or others? Dr. Ray said that most of the time, conflict occurs not because the other person has done something wrong, but because they haven't done what you would do. They don't think/act/dress/parent/eat/sleep/worship/style their hair, etc., the way you think they ought. So you step in to correct them. Even in a clear case of wrong doing, we often do not approach our family member or friend, or strangers for that matter, with charity and grace. 

Most often criticism of others is unwarranted. And even if it is, we don't have the ability to intervene with lovingkindness. We can't do any good for another if we can't approach her with a loving, nonjudgmental attitude. We only add to the cycle of pain and conflict. And we ruin our relationships. 

We have to stop trying to control other people. It takes too much energy and leads to madness. It also robs us of too much time and energy when we try to defend ourselves from criticism. The first step to freedom, then, is to recognize when the criticism we get from other people is unwarranted and to not internalize it. We are living differently than they would live, and that's all there is to it. They don't understand why you are homeschooling or sending your kids to Montessori school, why you are a vegetarian or why you eat a paleo diet, why you dress like a gypsy or dye your hair blue, or why you don't cover your greys; why you left your high-paying corporate job to work with the poor in India, why you aren't married or why you married a starving artist instead of the rich boy they thought was perfect for you; or why you use cloth diapers instead of disposable. They don't get it, and you don't have to explain it. They don't get to fix you.

I think this is a deeper subject than it may first appear to be. When I pondered Dr. Ray's words, I considered that an ingrained sense of guilt for just being who we are could be at the root of these problems. Maybe it's an "inner child" thing. Most of us have grown up under an authoritarian paradigm. We have been controlled by parents, teachers and other school administrators, the government, peer pressure, and bosses at work. A healthy respect for authority is important, but the root of that authority must come from God. In other words, we obey God because he works for our own good, because he loves us radically. If the authority figure fails to reflect the charity which is at the heart of the Divine nature, if authority is abused, then trust in authority breaks down.

We walk around feeling guilty for being who were are. This is why I think Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy is so brilliant. She saw clearly that we have no right to encroach upon the personality of a child. She saw children as persons, and she put the primacy of education upon nurturing the child's spirit. 

Sometimes we do the wrong thing. We cause ourselves and others real harm. We need to own up to mistakes and make amends. We need to forgive ourselves and others. But we must correct this imbalance of misguided criticism. If we really care about other people, we have to guard our tongues, which can only come from being discerning in our thoughts so that our feelings don't run amok and cause chaos. We have to stop being so petty. There are real problems in the world, incomprehensible evils. Do I really need to get into an uproar because my neighbor wears jeans to church, talks too loudly, or joins the circus? If I criticize something because I don't "believe" in it or just don't like it, I have to ask myself if it's really any of my business.

In about six years my daughter will come of age, and her choices will be her own. I will no longer have authority over her. If I abuse my parental authority during these upcoming crucial teen years, or if I behave as if I still had authority over her life once she is grown, I could lose one of the most important relationships I will ever have. I have to practice letting her be her own person now, even as I have the authority and responsibility to guide her and teach her in the way she should go.

This is a topic that I think deserves a lot more exploration. What are your thoughts?

An Even Simpler Charlotte Mason Schedule with Lesson Basket

The first few weeks of our fall term got off to a bumpy start. With a public swimming pool still open in our area until Sept. 10, the continuation of summery weather, our county fair coming to town, and illness in our family, it felt like we would never settle into a routine. But with autumn's official arrival yesterday and this past week being the first full week of homeschooling we've been able to manage, I think it is all falling into place. Life happens, and homeschooling gives us the flexibility to roll with the tide. 

Believe it or not, I streamlined our Catholic Charlotte Mason schedule even further. I am determined to hit that sweet note between a rich liberal arts feast and classical simplicity! The addition of Emma Serl's Primary Language Lessons will bring together basic language skills with all of those various aspects of the CM way, incorporating copy work, dictation, memory work, poetry, recitation, letter writing, narration, and even picture studies and natural history. 

While the goal of a great education isn't to complete every book in the curriculum for a particular school year, I believe we do want to finish a certain number of those which serve our purposes well. One way to assure that happening is to teach less subjects at once and to use less books to cover those subjects. 

I pared back what we are using for this term even further than before and organized a basket of those books for easy access. The updated loop schedule shows what I have set up to begin next week. Most of the resources listed will be used for the rest of the term, but as we complete a book, another one from the curriculum plan for the year can slide into its place. 

Learning is not about checking off boxes. Real learning is about living joyfully today and building the skills necessary to keep learning for the rest of your life. It's the understanding that mastery of a subject takes practice and self-determination. With diligence and consistency, the wise turtle wins the race.

This is the first year that my daughter has not played soccer since she was five, because our town's parks and recreation program only goes through age 11, and she is 12 now! Beezy will be taking gymnastics this year instead. The regular art teacher at the Catholic school where she has taken a la carte classes is on a medical leave, so we decided that we would opt out of the class until the 2nd semester. But maybe by then we will have found our own artistic groove!

I am grateful to be less busy than usual this fall, to have fewer activities and not so much driving around. We will even be able to walk to gymnastics! With this simplified CM schedule, we will have time to go more thoroughly and consistently into the subjects being studied. We can be at home more, and we will also have more time and freedom to take nature walks and field trips, to visit with friends and family, and to just live life with depth and meaning. There will be more time for exploring personal interests, for contemplation. For a divine silence in which to better hear our Lord's plan for our lives. 

In the next post to come, I'll give you all of the details about what's in the basket... If you have any questions about the loop schedule, please feel free to ask in the comments!

Daily Core: (open with Pure Faith: A Prayer Book for Teens)

- Literature: Island of the Blue Dolphins (O’Dell)           

- Spanish

- Hamilton’s Arithmetic

- Piano practice

- The Baltimore Catechism (No. 1)

Writing Loop

- Emma Serl’s Primary Language Lessons

- grammar workbook (Catholic Heritage Curricula)

- written narration

- cursive writing (Seton Handwriting 3)

Extended Loop:

- The Rosary in Art (Seton): picture studies; Rosary prayers &      
   mysteries (Holy Bible, 1952 Catholic Confraternity Edition);

- Bible History 6 for Young Catholics (Seton)

- Nature Study (Anna Comstock Handbook, mammals)

- A Child’s Geography of the World (Hillyer); Usborne Atlas

Weekly:

Gymnastics class

Piano lessons

Religious education class 

Charlotte Mason Education, Your Way

Families, be who you are!  - St. Pope John Paul II

Yesterday was Sunday, the traditional Christian day of rest. I found myself in a contemplative mood, so I took a walk after the rain to refresh myself. I posed a question to my mind, in hopes of being guided by the Holy Spirit. How would I define Catholic education in the simplest terms possible? How would I boil it all down to its essence? Here is what I came up with:

Catholic education is the encountering of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty through the lens of Catholic Tradition, in which the Faith permeates the entire curriculum and the whole of life.

 I would add that this objective should be accomplished in as natural a way as possible.

I have ventured deeply into the Charlotte Mason philosophy as a key to natural learning. I have found that CM provides a solid foundation of ideas and practical tools for homeschooling. The approach is based primarily upon high quality literature, the use of living books as school books, and direct connection with living ideas and the things of God's creation. A broad and generous liberal arts curriculum opens the world to the child in gentle, natural ways. The result is a guided form of self-education.

I have advocated for an authentic Catholic CM education for some time now, diligently reading Charlotte's own words and applying her ideas in our homeschool, all with great results. Yet the words of Egyptian style belly dancer Bahaia occasionally haunt me: Know what you are doing so you can do whatever you want.

Bahaia was the instructor one year at a dance retreat that I attended annually. She emphasized that before one can be creatively experimental or fuse diverse styles, one needs to be a diligent student of traditional forms of Middle Eastern dance. The dancer has to understand that the music and the dance are "married". She should learn about the culture that the dance comes from, and she must work to achieve a certain level of mastery. Only then can one develop her own, unique style and deviate from the traditional forms. Even then, certain elements must be present in the dancer's personal interpretation in order for it to remain within the parameters of what can rightly be called belly dance. I see a parallel in this that can be applied to home education.

As parents, we are called by the Catholic Church to be the primary educators of our children and to follow the Church's guidelines in these matters. She does require that we utilize an organized method, and that the Faith must permeate the entire curriculum. Getting our children to heaven is our central purpose. As such, I cannot advocate a hodge-podge, eclectic way, or an unschooling avenue which is directed by the child and centered only around his interests. We also have to keep in mind that Charlotte Mason was not Catholic, so there are things we may do differently in accordance with our religion.

However, within the parameters of the Church's guidelines (see the encyclical, "On the Christian Education of Youth"), we have much freedom. And we can "tweak" Charlotte Mason's approach as needed. But what if you don't want to feel like you "have" to do things a certain away, according to someone else's opinion and experience? If you wish to do things your own way and not be bound by any convention, believe me, I understand! I have that type of maverick personality. But learn from my mistakes and know what you are doing before you do whatever you want. Cultivate the habit of humility.

Once you have become a seasoned CM homeschooler, you will find that the method becomes uniquely yours. Even from the beginning, it will take on its own flavor in your particular family. What I recommend is that you start with a modern interpretation of CM such as A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola or A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison. These will cover the basics so you can get the ball rolling. My favorite resource, and one that is specifically Catholic, is Elizabeth Foss' Real Learning, but this book is out of print and may cost more than you want to spend.

As you go along on the journey, I recommend reading CM's own words in her six volume series, beginning with either Volume 1, Home Education, or Volume 6, A Philosophy of Education. Perhaps you will be able to read these two books over the course of two years as you gain actual homeschooling experience. You will find what works well and what doesn't for your family. But you have to give the method due time and trust the process, slowly adding a few ideas and techniques until you have implemented the method in a certain "fullness" of expression.

Homeschooling is always a work in progress. As I wrote about a couple of posts back, I found that I needed to pare down the number of subjects I am covering each week, each term, and even each year. You don't have to follow Charlotte Mason to a "T" or cover every possible subject she addresses in her books, in exactly the manner she prescribes, in order to have an authentic CM education. Just stay the course and don't wander willy-nilly into a field of poppies.

Once you have done your homework, assimilated CM's ideas, and put them to use for at least a couple of years with your children, you will find that you have integrated what is essential to Charlotte Mason into your lifestyle of learning. And when you know what you are doing, you can do whatever you want.