May 2010

On Narration

Most of us know that narration is the bedrock of learning in a CM education. It is the ‘main thing’, the tool within her method most often associated with a CM education. And so we ask our children to narrate, each in our own way, but how much do we really know about this process? […]

On Narration Read More »

Copywork

I’ve had by boys doing copywork, or transcription, since the age of 6. Basically, I type a quote from their literature (I use the font QMF from the Queensland style found through EFI Fonts using three rules), print it out, and have them copy it into their composition notebook. Copywork is not just handwriting practice,

Copywork Read More »

A First Reading Lesson

So we had a reading lesson a la Charlotte Mason style today. Turner is five and a half and has learned his sounds and letters. We have listened for rhymes and similar sounds in words, played with words by changing the beginning or ending sounds, but this morning we tried a First Reading Lesson according

A First Reading Lesson Read More »

Games Kids Play

When you hear children talking about games, you can usually expect it is something indoor and played on an electronic screen. But some kids will still play simple outdoor games when you give them the opportunity and let them be. Like chase. At Peter’s Canyon in Orange, after admiring a sundog in the sky, enjoying

Games Kids Play Read More »

Botany in the Backyard

Nature study doesn’t have to be far from our own surroundings. While I was making lunch today, the boys went salamander hunting in the backyard. It was a successful search. Mama and baby salamanders under the big rocks scarlet pimpernel growing in the grass Mexican sage Butterfly bush (with pretty bougainvillea in the background) attracting

Botany in the Backyard Read More »

Beautiful California Spring

Isn’t Spring just beautiful in all her ways? Artichoke Thistle (Cynara cardunculus) Prickly Pear (Opuntia) Some type of Cicada Golden Star (Blumeria crocea) California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) Vista Point Santiago Peak, Santa Ana Mountains, Orange County Elevation 5687ft Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja) Vernal Pool Vernal Pool reflecting bright yellow Black Mustard Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) Black

Beautiful California Spring Read More »

Self Education

At our local CM meeting this month we discussed Self Education, which Charlotte Mason wrote about in the first chapter of Vol. 6. For the sake of brevity, really, I will try, I will highlight a few of my favorite quotes and say just a few things: The gist of it, I believe, is that

Self Education Read More »

Lady Tulip

A friend brought me these tulips. Aren’t they lovely? We might expect that the Lady Tulip would be a stately flower, if we should consider her history. She made her way into Europe from the Orient during the sixteenth century, bringing with her the honor of being the chosen flower of Persia, where her colors

Lady Tulip Read More »

The Man in The Gardens

But much may be done with sparrows. A friend writes: — “Have you seen the man in the gardens of Tuileries feeding and talking to dozens of them? They sit on his hat, his hands, and feed from his fingers. When he raises his arms they all flutter up and then settle again on him

The Man in The Gardens Read More »

Scroll to Top