Orion

"During the evenings of January, February, and March the splendid constellation of Orion takes possession of the southern half of the heavens..." Handbook of Nature Study, pg 823

September in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocket Launch

Wendell Berry and A Sabbath Mood

The Angelus, by Jean-Francois Millet

 

 

Whatever is foreseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.

 

The hand must ache, the face must sweat.
And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled

And left to grace. That we may reap,

Great work is done while we’re asleep.
When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.

 

-Wendell Berry, 1979, no. X

I read this poem a few years back on the blog that takes its title from this same poem. I was struck by the beauty and realism in this poem for us homeschooling families. We work hard and yet the growth is up to God. It is to Him we look. Yet we don't leave the fields unplowed. Indeed, "the hand must ache, the face must sweat." But it is God who gives the increase as the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians. We are not in this alone and that should give us great comfort.

*************

A few weeks ago, in the library, I came across a book of poetry by Wendell Berry. I was eager to read it because of my experience with the above poem. So I have been reading my way through it and then this week I came across an article, on The Gospel Coalition, about our need for Wendell Berry's perspective on nurturing as opposed to exploitation. Read it here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/wendell-berry-and-the-revitalized-pastor

Wanderers

 Wanderers

by Walter de la Mare

 

Wide are the meadows of night,

And daisies are shining there,

Tossing their lovely dews,

Lustrous and fair; 

 

And through these sweet fields go,

Wanderers amid the stars --

Venus, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune,

Saturn, Jupiter, Mars.

 'Tired in their silver, they move,

And circling, whisper and say,

Fair are the blossoming meads of delight

Through which we stray.

Summertime

We have such long winters here in the mountains that one almost forgets what summer is like. Yet, it has finally arrived and we are thoroughly enjoying it! Along with baseball games or practices every night here are a few signs that summer has indeed arrived.

Our Prayer-----Build Your Kingdom Here! by Rend Colletive

More Artist Reproductions

Refreshing Read on Parenting

Your Child Is Your Neighbor

I have often heard people joke about babies being a "little bundle of depravity" and it has always bothered me. I understand that it is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and it is a joke intended to drive home the reality that we are all fallen, but I think it overlooks a great truth--namely that we are created in God's image. The personhood of every child coming into this world is something at which we should marvel! That is why I appreciate the following article by Jen Wilkin.  Your Child Is Your Neighbor

Poetry Study-Langston Hughes

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

 

"Never be within doors when you can rightly be without." -Charlotte Mason

 

Visitors

For the past two mornings we have had some lovely visitors at our bird feeders. They arrive just a little after 6 a.m.

Signs of Spring

Signs of spring in the Rocky Mountains are definitely different than what I grew up with on the Great Plains. For one thing there is still plenty of snow when March 20th rolls around. The daffodils have not even sent up their green shoots, nor the tulips. This is our fourth spring to live in the mountains and we are growing more accustomed to this winter wonderland and what early signs of spring look like. For instance today I saw the first bluebird and a red winged blackbird. The ice on the river has begun to break up and the river is flowing nicely amid its snow banks. We are still skiing, but the snow is not so much powder as it is icy, and there is mud everywhere. One thing that we have not yet seen, but are looking forward to as a sure sign of spring are the white pelicans that nest just down the road from us. When they arrive we are told it is surely spring.

Vivaldi- It's Spring Time To Sing Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi- The Four Seasons: Spring

 

Although, it does not yet look like this in the high Rocky Mountains, it won't be long!

Springtime in the Rockies

Written In March -
by William Wordsworth

The cock is crowing,
The stream is flowing,
The small birds twitter,
The lake doth glitter
The green field sleeps in the sun;
The oldest and youngest
Are at work with the strongest;
The cattle are grazing,
Their heads never raising;
There are forty feeding like one!

Like an army defeated
The snow hath retreated,
And now doth fare ill
On the top of the bare hill;
The plowboy is whooping- anon-anon:
There's joy in the mountains;
There's life in the fountains;
Small clouds are sailing,
Blue sky prevailing;
The rain is over and gone!

Georgia O'Keefe Reproductions

This year for Artist Study we studied the works of Georgia O'Keefe. We read two short biographies and attended an art exhibit where we were able to get an up close look at her original work.

Each week after reading from the biography we would do a picture study. In conclusion to our studies we have now started doing our own reproductions.  Here are our first reproductions.

Charlotte Mason Principles #11-13

 

"We, believing that the normal child has powers of mind which fit him to deal with all knowledge proper to him, give him a full and generous curriculum, taking care only that all knowledge offered to him is vital, that is, that facts are not presented without their informing ideas. Out of this conception comes our principle that:

 

'Education is the Science of Relations' ; that is, a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we train him upon physical exercises, nature lore, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books, for we know that our business is not to teach him all about anything, but to help him to make valid as many as may be of -

'Those first-born affinities

That fit our new existence to existing things.'

 

In devising a syllabus for a normal child, of whatever social class, three points must be considered:

1. He requires much knowledge, for the mind needs sufficient food as much as does the body.
2. The knowledge should be various, for sameness in mental diet does not create appetite ( i.e.,      curiosity).
3. The knowledge should be communicated in well-chosen language,  because his attention responds naturally to what is conveyed in literary form."

Favorite Quote of 2015

Morning Will Come Again

"I sometimes think that we stand at sunset," Eugenus said after a pause. "It may be that the night will close over us in the end, but I believe that morning will come again. Morning always grows again out of the darkness, though maybe not for the people who saw the sun go down. We are the Lantern Bearers, my friend, for us to keep something burning, to carry what light we can forward into the darkness and the wind." Aquila was silent a moment, and then he said an odd thing: "I wonder if they will remember us at all, those people on the other side of the darkness."

-The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutclif

2015 Top Five Favorite Books

This years top five go almost exclusively to the Wilson family. In fact, if I had not combined the number one spot with the two books from the 100 cupboards trilogy it would be a sweep by the Wilsons.

1. Dandelion Fire and Chestnut King by ND Wilson

The 100 Cupboards trilogy is a new favorite at our house and one that we intend to read again and again. Everything is right about these books.

2. Death By Living by ND Wilson

3. Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by ND Wilson

4. True Companion by Nancy Wilson

5. Watership Down by Richard Adams

Honorable Mention:

Consider This by Karen Glass

The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin

How the Heather Looks by Joan Bodger

The Dream Keeper by Langston Hughes

The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutclif

Other books read this year:

The Inferno by Dante 

The Grand Weaver by Ravi Zacharias

Created In His Image by Anthony Hoekema

Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates

Haverim by Paul Clayton Gibbs

True Beauty by Carolyn Mahaney

Tales of Troy by Andrew Lang

Housewife Theologian by Aimee Byrd

In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen

Crispin, Cross of Lead by AVI

A Taste of Chaucer by Anne Malcolmson

The Once and Future King by TH White

Doc Susie by Virginia Cornell

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

The Biggest Story by Kevin De Young

Boys of Blur by ND Wilson

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West by Marguerite Henry

Educating Image Bearers

Charlotte Mason's first principle of education is that children are born persons. This is the foundation of her educational philosophy. What does being born a person mean? At the least, it means that the child is a person already, not one in the making. A child from birth, or might we say from conception, is a person made in the image of God. This may seem natural and it is, but it is rarely if ever taken into account when educating a child. In our day, we label children as though they are products. We treat them as empty buckets to be filled or clay to be molded. Many educators believe children are no more than animals. Therefore, Charlotte Mason's foundational principle that children are born persons is really a colossal statement.

Our view of the child is of primary importance, for it will determine how we choose our curriculum, how we go about applying our methods of education, and how we treat our students. As Christians, we affirm that children are born persons. They are not animals or products, but persons made in the image of God. With this is mind, let us begin by asking, what sort of curriculum is fitting for a person?

 Anthony A. Hoekema's book, Created In God's Image, is a very thorough explanation of man being created in God's image. It explores the relevant biblical passages and discusses historical interpretations of the Imago Dei.  He makes many interesting points, but what stands out for us as educators, is his emphasis that, "The image must be seen in man's threefold relationship: toward God, toward others, and toward nature." (p.95) Charlotte Mason recognizes this threefold relationship and shows that the education of a person lay in these three areas. As a person the child ought to know about God, mankind, and the world in which he lives. Jack Beckman expounds on this idea in his essay, “Education is the Science of Relations.” He says,

"As the child enters this world of truth [the reality of the fall of man, the created order, and the redemptive work of Christ]...perspective of the world comes into view- a lens the child uses to evaluate and judge, peruse and wonder upon what she sees, hears, and reads. The worldview is developed as the child comes more and more into relationship with her primary Source found in the Savior and Scripture. And this worldview becomes the foundation for understanding and enjoying many other aspects of knowledge. Built upon this foundation is the knowledge of humankind as expressed through history, literature, citizenship, morals and ethics, composition, languages, art and music, as well as the knowledge of the universe through science, geography, mathematics, physical development, and handcrafts.... In fact, the curriculum of the school must be structured around these three relationships.... the knowledge of God, humankind, and the universe..." (When Children Love to Learn, ed. by Elaine Cooper, p. 120)

What we see is two fields of learning flowing from the first and foremost relationship, that of our relationship with our Creator and Savior. A comprehensive curriculum will be sure to include all three fields of study, for these are fitting for a person.

The threefold relationship determines the proper curriculum for a person, but one must not forget the three aspects of a person. A person is not just a physical mind, but he also has emotions and a will.  In the above mentioned book, Hoekema spent an entire chapter discussing the image as relating to the whole person. In this chapter he emphasizes the fact that we are more than physical. We are both physical and spiritual. He says, "The teacher should never forget that the pupil he or she is teaching is a whole person. The school therefore should not just train the mind, but should also appeal to the emotions and the will, since effective teaching should produce in the pupil both a love for the subject and a desire to learn more about it.” In reading this, one cannot help but think of CS Lewis', The Abolition of Man. Lewis makes the tongue-in-cheek comment that today many so-called educated people may seem as though they have large heads, but in reality it is just that they have no chests. His point is that modern education has abandoned trying to persuade the heart and has focused only on a non-emotional appeal to mind. Hoekema goes on to say, “Schools, further, should evidence a concern for the body as well as for the mind." (p.224) Sitting at a desk all day without giving thought to the needs of the body is a failure in many of our schools that can easily be remedied. Allowing children more time in the outdoors on a daily basis will certainly benefit the education of the whole person. This neglect of the body and emotions is due to a deficient view of who the child is. When we see the child as a person we see his needs and we are able to respond accordingly.

Let us, as Christian educators, not get pulled into a narrow vision of education, one that is only filling the mind with information or developing skills for a career. We are not educating products or animals.  We are seeking to educate persons made in the image of God. Therefore, we must remember this threefold relationship that is their inheritance and let us give them a robust education, an education for the whole person or as Miss Mason would say, let us lay before them a feast.