A Charlotte Mason Education -

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The Charlotte Mason Monthly
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Vol. 3, No. 5 -- April 2002
Circulation:  6,400+
http://sites.silaspartners.com/cmason/
Mail to: DSimple@aol.com
Copyright 2002 Deborah Taylor-Hough
ISSN: 1527-1277  All Rights Reserved
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To subscribe, mail to: join-cm-monthly@ds.xc.org
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IN THIS ISSUE:
-- "Dear Readers"
-- Charlotte Mason Quote-able
-- Charlotte Mason Techniques in the Home and Classroom
-- Nature Study: Collect a Spider's Web!
-- Habit Formation: Get Things Done - Take 21!
-- Featured Book:  "Sink Reflections"
-- Letters to the Editor / Reader Tips  
-- Assorted Information (archives, retrieving back issues, etc.)
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Dear Readers,

One of my favorite Charlotte Mason ideas is the formation of habit.  When good habits are in place, I find that everything in life seems to go more smoothly ... whether it's because I'm implementing the FlyLady's "routines" for easy housekeeping (see the Featured Book in this issue), or Charlotte Mason's ideas for habitual right thinking, or just getting in the habit of doing schoolwork at the same time everyday.  

I think you'll enjoy the article on developing habits in this issue.  Hope you're all having a wonderful April!

Simply Yours,

Debi
(Deborah Taylor-Hough)
Editor, Charlotte Mason Monthly Email Newsletter
Author, "Frozen Assets" and "A Simple Choice"
A Charlotte Mason Education
A Frugal, Simple Life
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CHARLOTTE MASON QUOTE-ABLE

"The fact that habits have a tendency to become local, that in one house a child will be neat, prompt, diligent; in another untidy, dawdling, and idle, points to the necessity for self-discipline on the part of even a young child."

--Charlotte Mason, "School Education," (Vol. 3)
From the Original Homeschooling Series (six volume set)
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CHARLOTTE MASON TECHNIQUES IN THE HOME AND CLASSROOM
Copyright 1997/2002 Catherine Levison
Reprinted with permission.  All rights reserved.


In the Fall of 1997, Catherine Levison conducted an interview with Bobby Scott, headmaster of a Charlotte Mason-style school in Atlanta, GA.  This is an excerpt from that interview (originally published in Levison's publication, The Charlotte Mason Communique' (no longer in print).


CATHERINE LEVISON:  Do you have any advice, or maybe a helpful technique or two, you have used in the classroom you think would be beneficial for the home school parent?


BOBBY SCOTT:  That's an excellent question, although, I think that perhaps it should be reversed. What I mean is it seems many of the ideas we use are more easily adapted to home schooling than to the classroom. In other words, we're the ones who have to make the adaptation.

I'll give you an example. When we first started doing picture study, we made contact and became close friends with a lady by the name of Miss Eve Anderson. Miss Anderson used to be the headmistress of Eton End PNEU school in the Eton Windsor area of England for over twenty years. She is Charlotte Mason College-trained and very much an expert on Charlotte Mason's method of education.

As I said we've become friends with her over the years. She's been to our schools here in Atlanta several times to do seminars with our teachers and to teach them the various techniques of Charlotte Mason education within a school context.

One of the things that she trained us in was picture study.  We learned that we were doing it wrong. We would have one large work of great art, from Rembrandt or Gainsborough or Turner or someone, that the teacher would show to the students and have them study it together. Miss Anderson pointed out that was obviously not the way that it was done in the PNEU schools. Every child would have their own copy of the masterpiece as large as possible on their desks so they could study it themselves and look at it closely.

Now, that's quite a bit easier to do in a home schooling situation where you may have one or two or three children doing the picture study. In a school situation, even when you have small classes, it's quite expensive to come up with sixteen nice color reproductions of great art, especially if you're going to study, like we do, four to eight pictures of that artist during a school term. So we had to spend quite a bit of money to get all the pictures that we needed for our picture study on all of the grade levels that we do at the school. Whereas in a home school situation that would be easier to have come about -- and less costly.

So the advice thing may be reversed. Even in narration we began to learn that there was not as much mystique involved as we first began to think. It was really quite easy, the telling back -- reading the materials one time, as Charlotte Mason prescribed, and having children telling back in their own words.  That can be done in any subject area. It doesn't have to be done just with literature; it can be done in math processes. We have children narrate what happened to them on field trips. We have narrations in many subject areas, which I'm sure many of your home schoolers are doing as well.


SUBMITTED BY:  Catherine Levison
--Catherine is the author of A Charlotte Mason Education, More Charlotte Mason Education, and her newest book, A Literary Education: An Annotated Book List.  All of these books, and Levison's audio workshops, can be found at her publisher's website (click on the "Homeschooling" link):  Champion Press, Ltd.
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    < <  O U R   S P O N S O R  > >

Host a Tupperware(R) e-Party with your friends online ...
     ... you could earn *FREE* Host gifts!

my.tupperware.com/debihough/
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NATURE STUDY: Collect a Spider's Web!
Copyright 2002 Toni Albert
Used with permission.  All rights reserved.
http://www.TrickleCreekBooks.com


To collect a beautiful spider web, find a web that you can reach from both sides. If the spider is in its web, frighten it away with a small stick. (It will build another web.)

Then spray the web with black spray paint. Spray a piece of white paper with spray adhesive (a kind of glue that comes in a spray can).

Then carefully bring the sticky paper up behind the web and gently push it against the web, being careful not to change the web's shape. Cut the foundation threads of the web to release it. You can preserve the web you collect by covering it with clear contact paper.

Different species of spiders make different kinds of webs. Look around! You can make a fascinating collection of spider webs.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Toni Albert is the author of A Kid's Fall EcoJournal: With Nature Activities for Exploring the Seasons. Published by Trickle Creek Books, committed to "teaching kids to care for the Earth." - http://www.TrickleCreekBooks.com
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     < <  O U R   S P O N S O R  > >  

Champion Press, Ltd. ...
    ... believing that books can change the world!

Home Education, Charlotte Mason, Parenting, Cooking,
Health, Fiction, Poetry.  You'll find what you're looking for!
Browse books, read excerpts, view contents, meet authors:

Click here to visit Champion Press, Ltd.!
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HABIT FORMATION:  GET THINGS DONE -- TAKE 21!
Copyright 2002 Maria Gracia
Used with permission.  All rights reserved.
http://www.getorganizednow.com


Ever begin doing something that you do for a few days, and then simply stop doing it?

For example, let's say you promised yourself that you were going to file papers immediately before they got out of hand, but then something else came up, and the next thing you knew, you had another pile of papers that needed to be filed.

Or perhaps, on January 1st, you made a vow to yourself to exercise for 20 minutes every day. You exercised for a few days. But then, by January 5th, you gave up.

This happens to everyone on one occasion or another. But, you really can start getting things done!

Next time you really want to do something, and you want to actually start and continue doing it, realize that doing it for one, two, or even three days in a row is usually not enough.

It takes at least 21 days to form a habit. This means that you have to do something at least 21 times before it begins to become part of your everyday routine.

So ...

1) Decide exactly what you want to do. Write it down and post it where you can see it every day, like your bathroom mirror. Be as specific as possible.

2) Schedule time to do what you want to do. Again, it takes 21 days to form a habit, so schedule at least 21 days on your calendar and don't let anything get in the way of your schedule. If you miss one of your scheduled days, it's best to start over and schedule another 21 days. You must be consistent and dedicated to doing what you want to do.

3) Once you reach your 21 days, congratulations! Don't stop now though, schedule another 21 days, and then another and so on, until you do what you want to do, without even thinking about it ... like brushing your teeth.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
-- Maria Gracia is the editor of the popular "Get Organized Now!" website. For a FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office and your life, visit Maria online at: http://www.getorganizednow.com
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FEATURED BOOK:
(chosen by Debi, Editor, of the Charlotte Mason Monthly)

Sink Reflections: FlyLady's Baby Step Guide to Overcoming CHAOS
Author:  Marla Cilley  (aka: The FlyLady)

If you find yourself embarrassed by unannounced guests because of the general CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) of your home, you'll love the FlyLady's simple steps and encouraging advice for building homemaking habits into your life.  

Charlotte Mason would be pleased!  Home schooling will be so much easier when the dirty dishes aren't calling to you from the kitchen, and the toys in the family room haven't taken over every available inch of floor space.

To browse the book and see reader reviews, click on the book's title above.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / READERS' TIPS
(Please feel free to share your tips, ideas, or personal thoughts with other CM-Monthly readers. We'd love to hear from you!)
Mail to: DSimple@aol.com

Re:  Math posters
I was just at a teacher store yesterday looking for a number chart with the written words and the numbers to go with them. Well, needless to say I had to make my own in the long run because the ones they had where too "dumbed down" for my 10 and 9 year old. While I was there, I noticed some charts that I could cut apart and use for flashcard games, but I didn't buy them. But an article I read by Catherine Levison that talked about cutting apart posters that have mulitples of the same sort of picture of similar sizes (all the Presidents, for example), and then using the pieces for "match game"
activities, got me to thinking. Now I am going to make my own number words to match the numerals. I might even add in the Roman Numerals for my 10 year old. He likes these all of the sudden. My kids love to play memory games. Thanks again for inspiring me to get going and share the love of learning with my kids.
--Rebecca

Re: Great webpage
Great page ... I have it listed in my favorites and found it invaluable in the beginning of our school year. Thank you for the thought and work that went in to it. God bless you and help you keep up the great work.
--Dalyn W.

Re:  Busy lady
My goodness! You really are a busy lady. :-) I've read your Frozen Assets book and worn out the library copy. I subscribed to your email list (until my email server got messed up). I have read many of your newsletters, also. Now I see we also use the same homeschooling method. Your Charlotte Mason page is the best! It is exactly the information I needed. Thank you very much.
--Leesa M.

Re: Forwarding information to a newbie
My daughter has just started to home school her children, kindergarten and first grade. I found your site and have been giving a copy to her. I really like everything I have seen so far and believe much knowledge can be gained from it. Thank you for sharing it.
--Trudy B.
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FAMILY "TWADDLE-FREE" READING LIST
Recommended books for children and families
Go to: http://hometown.aol.com/BeeME1/bookstore.html
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Feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends.  :-)
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THE EDITOR'S RESOURCES

A Frugal, Simple Life
http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/

Bright-Kids Email Newsletter -- fun and easy educational ideas for families
subscribe-bright-kids@ds.xc.org

A Simple Choice: a practical guide for saving your time, money and sanity

Frozen Assets: how to cook for a day and eat for a month

Frozen Assets Discussion Group and Archives
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CM-MONTHLY ARCHIVES
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