Wednesday, June 24, 2015

{From My Commonplace}

My study of Charlotte Mason's 20 Principles has come right when I'm in the midst of lesson planning for next school year, and I'm so glad.  Pondering the principles has been just the boost I needed to be sure my plans accurately reflect the underlying tone I want to foster in our homeschool.

I've been thinking specifically about personal initiative, virtue and good habits, authority, and atmosphere...  There is so much to think on and I'm soaking it in and hoping it will make me a better parent and teacher!

In that vein, I thought I'd share some favorite quotes from Charlotte Mason that I've added to my commonplace book over the past few weeks.  These words remind me to live out this educational philosophy more intentionally and to ensure that my plans reflect my ideals.

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It is our business to know of what parts and passions a child is made up, to discern the dangers that present themselves, and still more the possibilities of free-going in delightful paths. However disappointing, even forbidding, the failings of a child, we may be quite sure that in every case the opposite tendency is there and we must bring the wit to give it play.  (Volume 6, page 47)


And the presence of the slight, sweet, undefined feeling of dignity in the household is the very first condition for the bringing-up of loyal, honourable men and women, capable of reverence and apt to win respect. (Volume 2, page 14)


...it is worth while for the mother to lay herself out to secure that her child never does a lesson into which he does not put his heart. And that is no difficult undertaking; the thing is, to be on the watch from the beginning against the formation of the contrary habit of inattention ...  it is not the things we do, but the things we fail to do, which fatigue us ...  And this is almost the only cause of failure in the work in the case of the healthy schoolboy or schoolgirl: wandering wits hinder a lesson from being fully taken in at the right moment; that lesson becomes a bugbear, continually wanted henceforth and never there; and the sense of loss tries the young scholar more than would the attentive reception of a dozen such lessons.  (Volume 1, pages 146-7)


To excite this "appetency towards something"--towards things lovely, honest, and of good report, is the earliest and most important ministry of the educator. How shall these indefinite ideas which manifest themselves in appetency be imparted? They are not to be given of set purpose, nor taken at set times. They are held in that thought-environment which surrounds the child as an atmosphere, which he breathes as his breath of life; and this atmosphere in which the child inspires his unconscious ideas of right living emanates from his parents. Every look of gentleness and tone of reverence, every word of kindness and act of help, passes into the thought-environment, the very atmosphere which the child breathes; he does not think of these things, may never think of them, but all his life long they excite that "vague appetency towards something" out of which most of his actions spring. Oh, wonderful and dreadful presence of the little child in the midst!

That he should take direction and inspiration from all the casual life about him, should make our poor words and ways the starting-point from which, and in the direction of which, he develops--this is a thought to make the best of us hold our breath. There is no way of escape for parents; they must needs be as "inspirers" to their children, because about them hangs, as its atmosphere about a planet the thought-environment of the child, from which he derives those enduring ideas which express themselves as a life-long 'appetency' towards things sordid or things lovely, things earthly or divine."  (from "Parents as Inspirers," The Parents Review)

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And as a bonus, a peek into my Charlotte Mason study notebook:


This is a separate notebook from my commonplace where I keep notes as I read, write bits of quotes I want to consider, and pose questions to myself.  When I'm finished reading, I try to answer these questions in writing as a kind of narration exercise.

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Do you keep notes when you study also?  If so, are they separate from your commonplace book, or do you combine the two?

What quotes are inspiring you as you consider next year's course of study?

10 comments:

  1. Of course I love seeing into your notebooks! And I love the idea of asking yourself questions that you then narrate. Brilliant! I know your homeschool is going to be all the more rich because you are cultivating yourself--digging deep and giving yourself good food for thought.

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    1. Thank you, Kortney! Love that Schole, right? :)

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  2. I did have a separate parenting/training type notebook for awhile, maybe I should revisit that concept! Makes it easier to review! Right now I put everything in one common place! These are GREAT quotes. So much to ponder. :) Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Let's just say I find myself reviewing this notebook often. ;)

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  3. "should make our poor words and ways the starting-point from which, and in the direction of which, he develops--this is a thought to make the best of us hold our breath." Ouch...I have been pondering the atmosphere of our home lately, and am feeling frustrated at what I sense to be mostly aggravation and irritation, on my part, at everything. And I am seeing this reflected in the behavior of the kids. This hit me right where I am struggling! As does the above quote. I feel mostly like a taskmaster, and not a nurturing inspirer-er of lovely things, with gentle reverence and kindness for my child's person. These passages certainly aide in guiding a direction for prayer. It feels so impossible to overturn such a dismal atmosphere in such a thorough manner. Makes me "hold my breath..."

    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I'm holding my breath right along with you, Sarah! I'm constantly noticing how my demeanor really does affect the overall atmosphere of the household--and when I'm frustrated that's even more plain to see. And yes, taskmaster, I just might know a little something about that. ;)

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  4. I found that section in "Parents as Inspirers" to be so moving, in both exhilarating and frightening ways. We have so much influence, and how much of that influence do I really use intentionally and well?
    I take notes for our 20 Principles study in a separate notebook, and as I do my reading, I do written narrations of key points. When I go back through as we're all talking, I'm able to quickly recall what I read and what my initial thoughts were. But you know? I tend not to write down questions. Hum…maybe I will!

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    1. One thing I noticed in reading The Living Page is the very strong role the teacher had to play in education--just not the kind of role that we are used to in modern educational methods. Yes, the teacher doesn't get between the child and his books, but she's meant to play this very important yet very subtle behind-the-scenes role, guiding, setting the tone, removing roadblocks, scaffolding, etc. I think it's harder in some ways than regular teaching because it takes a light hand and a lot of wisdom, neither of which I consider myself to actually have. LOL But that influence really is very important. It doesn't make or break a student, and it's not more important that self-education and the work of the Holy Ghost, but I'm still both humbled and challenged at the thought of it!

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  5. Loved seeing your notebooks, Celeste! You make me feel validated when I see all your CM notebooks, and CM notebooks with specific purposes (your study notebook)!!

    I'm DEFINITELY a huge question girl!! I write questions to myself all over the margins of books, and I actually keep a separate notebook just for my questions! I think asking myself questions is a form of self-dialogue...almost like a silent narration with the flavor of a Socratic discussion. It makes me OWN ideas, and really helps me uncover some interesting motivations and understandings that I may not have considered without a question pointing me in a different way of thinking about something. KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS OF YOURSELF! I'm not sure any other habit has helped me grow more...especially when brainstorming a tremendous challenge with one of my kids/years.

    Love your entire series! So much inspiration for me here!

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    1. I so agree with you about questions being one of the most significant conduits to growth in understanding. I have never learned more than when I'm writing my own discussion questions! And I have always *loved* your brainstorming sessions from back over on 4Real and find myself modeling that style all the time in brainstorming on my own or alongside others looking for solutions. Thank you for the encouragement!

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