Charlotte Mason’s education is not just for children. This podcast is a discussion of three mothers who have found that Mason has influenced them in ways they never could have dreamed when they took up her methods. Listen to discover all the ways the delectable feast can nourish you, the teacher.
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“The mother cannot devote herself too much to [nature] reading, not only that she may read tit-buts to her children about matters they have come across, but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observations. And not only the mother, but any woman who is likely ever to spend an hour or two in the society of children, should make herself mistress of this sort of information; the children will adore her for knowing what they want to know, and who knows but she may give its bent for life to some young mind designed to do great things for the world.” (Vol. 1, pp. 64-65)
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good words and encouragement…thanks again, ladies
We appreciate you listening and taking the time to comment, Parke! It's an encouragement to us.
-Nicole
Thank you for another wonderful podcast!
Ladies, this was SO GOOD! I just want to officially say that I am a super-fan. Nicole and Emily, I'll try not to be weird when I meet you. 🙂
Brittney,
Is it too weird to ask you to post a link to this episode when you start promoting the retreat? We are all looking forward to coming.
Liz
P.S. Emily and Nicole are looking forward to meeting you, too!
You're very welcome!
Liz,
I absolutely will! I've been posting it on FB and to my local groups already.
This was very wise and helpful, gals. 🙂 I have so benefited from the book study I'm involved with and our CM community "co-op"/nature group. It is SUCH a huge blessing. I have been so blessed to go to 2 LER's and 2 day retreats in Rochester, MN about CM and they were all WONDERFUL. I also went to a new one attempting to become annual last year in WI…I was so happy to see something starting here, hopefully, it will be the beginning of a long term retreat. I found your thoughts on so many things to be helpful. Thank you for being bold and firm about just being careful online. Ouch. 🙂 That is SO true and good for me to hear. I pray that as we all grow in our understanding and love of CM's philosophy and it becomes more well-known and used, we will all be a huge support to one another.
I appreciate this podcast so much. I hope your Resurrection Sunday celebrations with your family's will be lovely. Bless you. Amy
Ah, I've finally caught up on the Delectable Education podcasts! I've really enjoyed listening through them all over the last few weeks (and yes, I've been narrating each one to myself – and sometimes my husband too!) and I've found this so enriching. Celeste and I are taking a theme for our retreat we're doing in mid-April (thanks for linking to it, and the other CM West endeavors!) that is similar to this podcast episode and we will be sure to mention this wonderful podcast as an excellent resource for learning and growing as a CM educator.
I've been thinking quite a bit about the role of blogs and forums in my life, because I can see how they can be such an enormous time waster, but also such an incredible gift. My life and my homeschool have been abundantly enriched by many blogs, such as Nicole's blog (especially her scheduling series!), Brandy Vencel's blog Afterthoughts, Celeste's blog Joyous Lessons, Cindy Rollins blog (back when she had one) and a few others.
I also like to write a blog, and I know what I write isn't among the best… which makes me wonder if it is even worth doing. I can see some value in that it has helped me to meet some lovely fellow travelers and is (very slowly) helping me meet a few local CM people too. And it seems like it would be a diminishment in the online world if everyone but just a few abruptly stopped blogging, but yet it is difficult to justify spending much of my time following very many of them.
I sometimes have a vision of the online world being a whole bunch of people standing in their own little squares in a huge field, all shouting, "come over here and talk to me, come over here and talk to me" and all the people not being willing to leave their own little squares to talk to anyone else.
Anyway, I am really enjoying your podcasts, and I'm looking forward to listening to them as they come out now that I'm all caught up!
Amber,
I am glad your knowledge of Mason is being increased because of the podcasts and appreciate your thoughts on what to read and spend time with as far as blogs and forums in our vast online world. I wasn't trying to diminish the importance of acquiring information, encouragement, or inspiration, but rather, the use of our limited time and need to be selective and discerning. I have read many blogs once, a few twice, and a very select number occasionally. I agree with all the positive points you make about their value and liked your word
picture of the field of squares. The issue I was trying to present on the podcast is that we spend our hours very carefully–Mason insisted on this. Our teaching our children should not be compromised by our spending too much time on our phones, computers, etc. We should select what is most helpful and limit even the time we spend with that. The great thing about podcasts is that we can cook or fold laundry or vacuum while we listen! I do think your own blogging is important, not just to find others, but because writing helps us clarify our thinking–so it's not all just for the sake of those who
may or may not read it, but is important for our own expression; it is the very reason narration is critical to learning. I often question whether I should spend time writing my blog for the few dozen readers, but know it has more to do with my own learning and if someone else is helped, that's just a bonus. One of the reasons for blogging also is
that the art of written communication is disappearing, and we need to keep written conversation going. One of Mason's thoughts on this subject that I appreciate is that we would all raise one another to a higher level of living if we would direct our attention to some topic outside ourselves, not to talk or write to one another about "you" or "me," but about something we can both discuss besides ourselves. This has helped us keep the podcasts on track and and a good discipline for conversation as well as writing–really tough to do, I've noticed.
Liz
Hi Liz,
I appreciate your reply, and I've been mulling it over these past few days. I think what I wonder about the most is why write in a public place if what I am doing is to clarify my thinking and and my own expression? Why do I find it so much more satisfying to write on my blog than on a journalling app on my computer? I think it has a lot to do with the ability to connect and communicate with other people. However, this is a difficult and poor motivation because I cannot control whether or not anyone actually reads what I write or engages with it.
And here I go, talking about myself! Your point is well taken, and I know the blogs I keep coming back to are ones where the person shares enough about themselves to make herself feel like a real person, but keeps the focus on topics outside of herself.
Amber
Amber,
It is an odd feeling, isn't it, to write without knowing if anyone is out there reading it? I surely hope you didn't hear me saying not to write when I was merely trying to point out the danger of spending all our valuable time endlessly reading blogs and posts. We would have thought it odd, don't you think, in the old days, if someone literally sat and read the newspaper all day long? Somehow, electronic media seems more socially acceptable to use without discretion. Anyhow, I think that self-expression in words is very important and I'm sure some people out there hope you don't stop writing.
-Liz
And I would add two things, Amber. 1) Writing publicly carries with it some measure of accountability. Even if only one person is listening, they are counting on you to continue. (And I happen to know that there are several people listening, including me!) That accountability will keep you pushing forward when you don't feel like it. (Not by writing, exactly, but by everyday doing what is worthy.) It will keep you from losing sight of the path your are on and the direction your are going. 2) One thing leads to another. Many of us who try to give back, in one way or another, to the CM community, started in a small place. We started with a blog, or a CM book discussion group. We don't have to be famous to find a few people who need encouragement or who need a little extra help understanding this complete paradigm shift. Enter CM West! 😀 Your voice is being heard. Keep on keeping on my friend.
~Nicole
Hi Nicole and Liz,
Thank you so much for your comments! I definitely was not hearing you say not to write. I thought your comment about reading the newspapers all day long and likening that to social media consumption was very apt (and it made me think of those Victorian gentlemen who disappeared to their clubs all day… although they were probably doing things other than just reading the Times!).
And Nicole, you make a very good point about accountability. I think having a blog helps me to write more regularly and it also encourages me to edit and clarify more than I would if I was only writing narrations for myself. Thanks for the encouragement!
Amber
Amber,
So glad to hear we did not discourage, but encourage your writing.
-Liz
Thank you for your wonderful podcast, I am learning so much! At the end of this podcast you all mentioned that CM said mothers should read and become educated about nature as to answer her children's questions. I love being in nature and I am completing year 1 with my oldest, but I am feeling the lack of education I had myself. What would you recommend I start reading to educate myself on nature? Thanks!
Sarah,
Emily often recommends starting with the nature books your children read as an appetizer course for yourself. If your curiosity is piqued by some aspect you read, look for books on that subject at your library. I have been inspired by even literature books like Rascal. Additionally, I recommend you read books written by naturalists like John Burroughs, John Muir, Jean Fabre, Edwin Teale, and Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. As far as preparation for science, we found Robert Hazen's Science Matters to be a great introduction to the immense world of science, written for laymen to gain science literacy.
-Liz