Terribly Interesting

One of the things I absolutely love about homeschool is that I get to experience everything with my children. I watch in wonder at their daily development and awe of learning. I love going to see new things and discover with them. Then we can discuss it naturally for as long as we want to. I saw a Groupon for the Glass Bottom Boats in San Marcos a few months ago and snatched it up.  Even though I had wanted to take the girls for some time, I thought the fee was a bit high for a 25 minute boat ride around the springs. When Groupon did two for one, I snatched it up. I didn't really know what to expect. I had only read about it and seen the signs. Finally, we were here.  The boat we skimmed the waters in was built in the fifties. There was one that had been built in the twenties. They were really interesting looking. The craftsmanship was beautiful. Our guide told of an old theme park that was there and the time the original television Tarzan dove to the bottom of the ...

This is one of the most excellent books I have read on the art of being a mother. Susan takes the expert advice of educator Charlotte Mason and cultivates it for the home and the home educator. Truthfully, this book could be used as a guide for every mother. There is rich wisdom contained in it. She adresses authority without aggression, how to guide your children into a love of learning, and how to live in a world that is contrary to God's teaching. Susan addresses our Christian preoccupation with dividing the secular and the spiritual. She explains that math isn't anymore holy because we only measure the ark. There is rich creativity to be seen in great works of literature and composers. She helpfully walks the reader through how to plan out the a day that sparks creativity and helps the child engage in the world around them. One thing that I am clinging to is how she teaches to let the Holy Spirit do His work in our children. We often attempt to expound on them so...

I learned about the concept of a Commonplace Book from Charlotte Mason studies. Once I figured out what one was, I realized I had been keeping one for many years. I have somewhat combined the Commonplace book and a prayer journal. I have noticed that as I pray, God continually answers me in everything I read. I can go back and see what I have been talking about with God and then how He answered me through poetry, literature, and the words of others. I love being able to reread the things that have touched me. I have memorized many lines of a poem and verses of scripture by employing this method. I put milestones about my children and a log of things going on in our lives. Looking back, I can glorify God seeing His hand over time. It's beautiful to recall. You are wondering what on earth a common place book is. Sir Francis Bacon, John Milton, Samuel Coleridge, and Mark Twain kept them. These great writers attended no formal courses in how to write. They simply copied beautiful port...

As I have been learning to homeschool (which I love), I came across this site called Simply Charlotte Mason. You can download audio from seminars and buy books and dvds. That's where I first came across the seminar for Laying Down the Rails. By the end of the audio, I had bought the book. It's no small expense at 30 dollars (with shipping), but the wisdom in it has surpassed any I have read in parenting or teaching. This isn't just a good book for homeschool. It's a great book for raising children in general. The brain has neurons that talk to one another. The more they talk to one another they start to wear a path. It becomes like a railroad track. You want your child to repeat the right track as many times as possible. You can lay down rails of cleanliness and character. Then the child goes to the desired mental destination even on into adulthood. Try it out. You will be blessed with smooth and easy days. The book is available at: http://simplycharlottemason.com/boo...