Our children, who are “fresh from God,” can teach us so much if we will only listen with open hearts. At our house, we don’t use a curriculum for Bible study. 

Our method is very simple and our supplies are few:

a Bible, a candle, some nice art supplies, and unhurried time for reflection.

To begin, I introduce the story or passage without editorializing. I try to limit myself to helping the children define any unfamiliar words and to place the story in context if necessary.  Then, we light a candle to remind us that the Bible is sacred– the Word of God– a book like no other. The candle also naturally quiets and focuses the children, and helps them listen more deeply to the words. 

Next, one person reads the Bible passage slowly and reverently. Afterward, we leave space for a brief silence.  The silence is a very important time– the time when we all consider these words that we’ve just heard. We are all listening, me especially.  The real teacher is The Holy Spirit, and we are all listening for that “small voice.”

After the silence, we might talk about the passage with open-ended wondering questions: “What do you think Jesus meant when he said…?” or “How is the kingdom of Heaven like the precious pearl?” etc. It’s important to let their impressions flow freely.  If we (adults) can resist the urge to tell the children what to think, they will continue to ponder these questions internally and meditate on the passage in days ahead. The importance of this cannot be overstated.

Finally, we like to make pages to add to our Bible notebooks. This gives the children an extended opportunity for reflection, as they work with art materials. There is no “right way” and everyone’s notebook will look different. Each child works in a personal way– the way that suits them best.

Here is an example from my daughter’s Bible notebook.

This page began with copywork taken from our reading– just a verse or two. Haleigh, 11, likes to work slowly and carefully. She paints with watercolor on plain, white cardstock, and it’s not unusual for her to spend an hour or more on one small picture. Sometimes, she draws a decorative border around her painting, as well. When the cardstock is dry, she cuts out the painting and glues it to her copywork paper. 

I never rush the artistic process.  The work of painting is her meditation on the reading and the process is a joy to her. For this reason, I usually wait until the later part of a morning to begin such a project.  No need to hurry on to other things.  This activity can easily spill over into the afternoon hours.

Another example:

Instead of copywork, Haleigh’s written (typed) narration accompanies her artwork.

My son, Kevin [6 yrs. old at the time this was originally written] is just starting to practice copywork, and carefully copies a short verse to accompany his paintings. His paintings are large, dramatic, and quickly done.  He likes the pictures to tell a story, and often divides the page into several panels as shown below.

  Kevin’s work is also his unique way of meditating on the reading. Here, he is making a connection to a painting that we studied last spring in the course of our picture study (“The Creation” by Michelangelo). Kevin had been fascinated by the power of new life coming from God’s finger extended toward Adam in that famous painting.  And here, the lower left panel shows the hand of God creating heaven.

On another day, his enthusiasm was apparent as he added an exclamation point to his copywork. Just a simple example of the enthusiastic faith of a child– the sort of faith that Christ admired so.

       

The Word is full of vital force,

capable of applying itself. 

A seed, light as thistledown,

wafted into the child’s soul

will take root downwards and bear fruit upwards. 

What is required of us is, that we should implant

a love of the Word…” 

~Charlotte Mason

from Home Education p. 349

If education is truly the science of relations, we strive to facilitate ways for the child to “connect” with the subject of study.  Applying this method is easy and natural.  One way to study science is to create a field guide to your own backyard– a Nature Notebook.  In doing so, you and your children learn about what can be known and experienced, rather than focusing on abstract scientific concepts.  This creates  a personal connection to the subject.  And it’s wonderfully gratifying to form intimate relationships with the flora and fauna that surround us, because we are constantly using and expanding this understanding each time we step outside.

A backyard field guide can be made in so many different ways; it can be as simple or detailed as you like. We enjoy studying one living thing at a time– really focusing on it– then recording our observations in  simple 3-ring notebooks. Sometimes we begin by reading from an interesting book about a particular animal or plant, then head outside to directly observe and discover more.  But more often then not, we simply take a hike and see what strikes our fancies.  When we get back home, we like to paint or sketch what we’ve observed.  The entire process may take more than one day, of course, and we don’t rush. We know Charlotte Mason wanted children to learn to observe, wonder, and develop a reverence and awe for nature.  This is our focus, too. 

My older child has designed a guide with a page for each animal and plant.  On each page, she draws a sketch of a specimen, embellishing it with colored pencils or watercolors.  Next, she labels this drawing with its common and scientific names.  And finally, she writes a brief description of the specimen, any facts that she especially wants to remember, and thoughts from her own field experiences. Each page is a treasure.

In making just one page for her field guide, several subjects are studied:  nature study and observation, creative writing, drawing/ painting, and penmanship. Narration, dictation, and copywork exercises are also easily incorporated into this project, especially through poetry. 

Here is a page from her Nature Notebook showing a variety of leaves that she has collected and preserved, as well as a drybrush watercolor painting of a dogwood branch.

Kevin (6)  is making this field guide in his own colorful, enthusiastic style, and he’s very happy with the process.  Here, he captures a bright red autumn leaf with colored pencil.

Nature Notebooks are not just for the children– create one yourself!  I am slowly adding entries to mine.  I find that I enjoy the meditative quality of painting and I usually try to jot down a note about what we’ve been doing on that day as well.  It’s sort of a combination nature notebook-journal. 

What would it be?

A Game Boy? 

No.

An iPod?

No.

How about an Xbox 360 (a.k.a. “The Death Of Literacy”)?

Good Heavens, no!

The ultimate gift is Time. I’m not referring to the pop culture myth of “quality time” that happens when parents occasionally decide to pay an extra 15 minutes of attention to their children. No, I mean Real Time– entire afternoons in the fresh air– not just once in a blue moon, but every day.

When we make the commitment to home education, in addition to a rich and wonderful feast of ideas, we can give our children 720* Extra Days of Childhood!

720 Extra Days…….

to play

to create

to wonder

to talk

to pray

to invent

to think

to dream

to dance

to sing

to love

to be the unique and wonderful people that they are!

My husband and I thank God for our beautiful children. Their lives are a miracle and a joy. They teach us so much more than we teach them. 

*Do the math:

Public school = 35 hours per week

Homeschool (for us) = 15 hours per week

20 extra hours per week x 36 weeks per school year = 720 extra hours per year

720 hours divided by 12 hour days = 60 extra days of childhood per year

60 days x 12 years of school = 720 extra days of childhood

Over the years, I’ve noticed how one simple thing helps us to stay motivated, focused, and more satisfied with our homeschooling efforts– mornings spent at home. These hours are essential. They set the tone for the rest of the day. And peaceful, focused mornings support the Charlotte Mason approach to learning especially well. 

Adequate sleep has powerful benefits for our bodies (vigor and wellness), minds (clear thinking), and most of all– our hearts (positive attitudes). I wake up feeling hopeful and grateful for the blessings of a new day. Our school days at home feel like the Saturdays of my childhood. New. Ripe with possibility. Satisfying.  Refreshed, I’m able to rise above the weekday “grind” and see unlimited possibilities for the day ahead.

 A gentle, predictable morning rhythm helps the rest of the day flow smoothly.

When the children get up, we all accomplish a few essential tasks. Putting “first things first” is our habit. These chores only take a few minutes, but they make a huge difference in the rest day.

My First Things:

• Put on some music (usually classical or Celtic).  
• Plan a supper menu
• Tidy the master bedroom/ bath
• Start a load of laundry
• Check today’s calendar
• Make breakfast

The Children’s First Things:

• Get dressed (in anything comfy except pajamas).
• Make beds
• Bring the laundry hamper to the laundry room.
• Empty the dishwasher.

Learning Time

The rest of our morning hours are spent in learning time.

I plan most of the children’s lessons using the excellent suggestions from Ambleside Online, but they ultimately have the freedom to decide how to spend the afternoon hours. Their interests and projects are varied, and so much more creative after we’ve had our morning “feast of ideas”.    

We’re all very satisfied with the Charlotte Mason approach, one that fosters a balance between structure and freedom.

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Instead of an institutional school building…imagine a simple house, small but well-ordered and uncluttered. This is where my children live and learn.

The space is comfortable and filled with warmth and light. There are shelves of classic books, baskets of wonderful library books, and cozy spots to read. An ample table surrounded by chairs invites students to spread-out and write, draw, or paint. Nearby shelves display a generous supply of tempting art supplies.

Fine quality art supplies are a necessary luxury and an important tool to nurture creativity and artistic expression– they can be purchased frugally by clipping coupons and shopping during sales. The children are free to choose: watercolors, good brushes and thick paper, chalk and oil pastels, colorful pencils, blank journals, modeling clay, interesting beads for stringing, fabrics, needles and thread, knitting needles and baskets of soft, wooly yarn in many hues.

The walls display the children’s artwork alongside reproductions of great masters. These masterworks are familiar friends to the children. They hang, not just on the wall for a time, but forever in each child’s own Gallery of the Mind (more on picture study later).

There is a peaceful feeling here. Classical music plays softly in the background and the children recognize the works of great composers. This music, rich in variety and stimulating to young imaginations, forms the soundtrack of many ordinary days. A piano invites anyone who wishes to play.

Often, on rainy days or chilly evenings, a fire crackles, or candles are lit in the living room; the tea kettle waits, always ready, on the kitchen stove. And every day at some point, perhaps first thing in the morning and again during tea time, the children gather to hear a good story read aloud. In a CM-inspired home, there is always time for a good story and a nice cup of tea.

The nearby forest and community parks invite us for nature study, leisurely walks, or a wild scamper on the monkey bars. Time spent outside is as important as any other lesson time because, as Charlotte wrote, “Nature teaches so gently, so gradually, so persistently that [the child] is never overdone, but goes on gathering little stores of knowledge about whatever comes before him.” We record our observations, painting or sketching in our Nature Notebooks.

Feeders, filled with seed and suet, attract a large variety of birds. And there are flower beds and a small vegetable garden to tend, though the deer and rabbits are frequent visitors to this “salad bar” always reaping our best efforts at gardening. No matter. We love to watch them graze, silent and graceful. Forest creatures, insects and butterflies are observed daily, not so much because they announce their presence, but because we take the time to stop and really see them.

Our atmosphere is simple, and it is all we need.

The effect is complex and positive with these simple elements:

a home filled with Love and Light
wonderful books
plentiful art supplies
afternoons spent outdoors
the gift of Time to dream…create… think… and grow.

As a mother-teacher I recognize my children as unique individuals with minds and souls hungry to feed upon living ideas. And so, I invite the children to a fine feast.

Parents should trust themselves more. Everything is not done by restless endeavour. The mere blessed fact of the parental relationship and of that authority which belongs to it, by right and by nature, acts upon the children as do sunshine and shower on a seed in good soil. But the fussy parent, the anxious parent, the parent who explains overmuch, who commands overmuch, who excuses overmuch, who restrains overmuch, who interferes overmuch, even the parent who is with the children overmuch, does away with dignity and simplicity of that relationship which, like all the best and most delicate things in life, suffer by being asserted or defended.

~Charlotte Mason (Vol. 3, p. 29)

As I understand it, masterly inactivity is the art of getting out of my children’s way.  And there’s no better place to practice this subtle art than outdoors.  Outdoor play is especially refreshing after a focused morning of lessons at home. I look forward to the soul-nourishment offered  in the sunshine and fresh air as much as my children do.

Knowing when to step aside  is important for a homeschooling parent.  The children and I must not lose ourselves in each other. Through the practice of masterly inactivity, I am renewed and the children are strengthened. 

So what does this look like?

Here are some ways that I practice mastery inactivity when we are enjoying an afternoon outdoors:

• Watch the children play.  Breathe deeply. Connect with  feelings of love and gratitude.
• Meditate/ Pray/ Just be (and stop doing)
• Make plans/ menus/ grocery lists
• Daydream
• Keep a journal, write a novel, make notes for a blog 
• Study nature and keep a Nature Notebook
• Sketch or paint
• Knit, crochet, sew, embroider
• Make a simple toy
• Chat with a friend
• Eat or sip something delicious, savoring every bit
• Read
• Take photographs

In The Car:

• Blanket
• A change of clothes for each child
• Balls, bats/ racquets, jump rope
• First aid kit
• Insect repellent and sting soothing ointment
• Cell phone and emergency numbers
• Jackets
• Garbage bags and Zip-Lok bags for wet or muddy things and nature “treasures”
• Insect catching net and a ventilated jar

In My Field Bag:

• Spiral-bound, heavy drawing paper
• Pencils/ erasers
• Paints, brushes, water cups for rinsing brushes
• Field Guides to birds, wild flowers, trees, etc. 
• A picnic or snack
• Plenty of fresh water for drinking
• Wipes or a wet washcloth or two in a plastic bag
• Mom’s project (see “Masterly Inactivity”)

In Warm Weather Add:

• Swim suits, towels, sunscreen, water shoes
• Clean, empty spray bottles that can be filled with water (for squirting each other!)

In Cool Weather Add:

• Extra sweaters
• Mittens, hats, and boots
• Warm drinks (like cocoa or tea)