This Charlotte Mason podcast is the first in our summer series of immersion lessons. Listen in while Emily teaches a Bible lesson and Liz and Nicole narrate in a simulated lesson, and afterward as they discuss some particulars relevant to Bible lessons for elementary children.
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Notes of Lessons
Subject: New Testament
Form: I Time: 15 minutes
OBJECTS:
I. To increase in the students the love and knowledge of God.
II. To increase the student’s knowledge of The Parable of the Sower.
III. To give them a spiritual thought from the passage.
LESSON:
Step I–Read aloud, slowly and distinctly, Mark chapter 4, verses 1-20, The Parable of the Sower.
Step II–Ask the students to narrate the passage using as many of the words of the Scripture as possible.
Step III–Read aloud pages 134-135 of The Highlands of Galilee by Paterson-Smyth, asking the students to picture the scene as I read.
Step IV–Ask the students their thoughts and encourage a discussion of the passage in light of the commentary.
Step V–Have the students narrate once again the passage, including any observations or applications they may make.
“The method of such lessons is very simple. [1] Read aloud to the children a few verses covering, if possible, an episode. Read reverently, carefully, and with just expression. [2] Then require the children to narrate what they have listened to as nearly as possible in the words of the Bible… [3] Then, talk the narrative over with them in light of research and criticism. Let the teaching, moral and spiritual, reach them without much personal application.” (1/249)
Highlands of Galilee, Paterson-Smyth
Episode 105: Saviour of the World Immersion with Art Middlekauff
Search “Notes of Lessons” in this volume of the Parents’ Review to see examples of HOE Teachers’ Lessons
Thank you so much for the immersion lesson, this greatly helps me to get a sense and flow of what a lesson may look like in any given day! Is this the same type of style you would give for an OT lesson also? And I am also wondering, how would this look along side lessons with with an older form student? Should you schedule the younger form to do independent work while you do a Bible teaching alongside the older students and vice versa? Or is it possible to do both forms at the same time for Bible lessons?
Kayleigh,
I am thankful you find this helpful. Yes, an Old Testament lesson would be similar. I also remind you to read Home Education’s chapter on Bible.
Forms I and II can have lessons together easily. After that, CM had students reading the lesson for themselves. Check out the outlines for the progression on Charlottemasonpoetry.com.
This demonstrates only a part of a lesson. With narration we are able to flesh out the ideas. It is important to not only ‘paint a picture’ and visualize but then to get at the ideas—not just the details. To draw out the ideas you must ask questions of the students…not in a leading or moralizing way, with a specific ‘answer’ in mind, but with the goal of teaching the children to think and reflect and ponder and wonder—to realize the author (or Author) is sharing a treasure with us…that there is a message in the story. John Ruskin said ‘we should dig for it as a miner digs for gold. Some questions you might ask could be, ‘What does this passage tell you about God?’ ‘What does this passage tell you about Man?’ How does this passage relate to us? What do you think this means for you? What strikes you? Do you see yourself as one of these people? Which one? Is one better than the other? Why?, etc.
Shannon,
We would be interested in your sources for your suggestions. As we read Mason, we do not see this approach. She presents the ideas
through words and pictures. Naturally, there is discussion, and an occasional question from the teacher can prompt a child to tell or think more, but the questions must arise from the child. It was evident to us that the “students” in this demonstration were considering the material and both brought up the ideas that they gleaned from the lesson. For our rationale against using many questions, See the article On Questions and Questioning.
Questions should not be leading or tedious questions, hindering the work of the Holy Spirit in the life and mind of the child, rather at the beginning of a lesson to review the last lesson and in the “little talk” following the narration to “bring out the moral points.” (“Home Education,” Part V, IX.): “Method of Lesson.––In every case the reading should be consecutive from a well-chosen book. Before the reading for the day begins, the teacher should talk a little (and get the children to talk) about the last lesson, with a few words about what is to be read, in order that the children may be animated by expectation; but she should beware of explanation and, especially, of forestalling the narrative. Then, she may read two or three pages, enough to include an episode; after that, let her call upon the children to narrate,––in turns, if there be several of them. They not only narrate with spirit and accuracy, but succeed in catching the style of their author. It is not wise to tease them with corrections; they may begin with an endless chain of ‘ands,’ but they soon leave this off, and their narrations become good enough in style and composition to be put in a ‘print book’!
This sort of narration lesson should not occupy more than a quarter of an hour.
The book should always be deeply interesting, and when the narration is over, there should be a little talk in which moral points are brought out, pictures shown to illustrate the lesson, or diagrams drawn on the blackboard. As soon as children are able to read with ease and fluency, they read their own lesson, either aloud or silently, with a view to narration; but where it is necessary to make omissions, as in the Old Testament narratives and Plutarch’s Lives, for example, it is better that the teacher should always read the lesson which is to be narrated.”
Shannon,
We find that the Bible lesson is unique, not just in the uniqueness of that living book of all books, but in many aspects. Nowhere, including in this excerpt from her general chapter on narration, do we find her driving home a point in the teacher’s mind with questions or determining the exact application the child should make. In fact, she cautions against this. The questions are to arouse interest in what is to be heard, not to form the child’s opinion. Another example of the uniqueness of the Bible lesson is that the child did not read that book until he was an accomplished reader, unlike other books that were tackled as soon as the child “could read.” She compared the Bible to all other books as the light of the sun in comparison to candles.
It might be helpful to read the Parents’ Review article “Bible Teaching” posted on CharlotteMasonPoetry.org, which was written by a student from Miss. Mason’s teaching college. She states, “To establish this end the teacher must give the pupils illuminating and helpful ideas and present them in such a way as to make them grasped as something precious and welcomed with eager joy.” Often we attempt to force our students to grasp the idea we want them to obtain from the reading through questioning, but as you read her example of teaching lessons you see how she gently “draws from the children,” and yet she makes the point: “but this short discussion must be absolutely objective, there must be no pointing of morals, for the children will ‘take’ the lesson for themselves.”
It sounds like we’re in agreement! As you say, the questions are to arouse interest and should never be asked in an attempt to “form the child’s opinion” or moralize, which can be a tendency. We should also not ask the kinds of questions “determining the exact application the child should make.” I don’t believe I said or implied that but the opposite. There is none of this in a question such as, “What strikes you?” as long as the teacher does not then press the children or “force the children to grasp the idea she has in mind.” In fact, there are many ideas, and by asking the question, we have the opportunity to hear the ideas of others and have informed discussion and conversation. Blessings!
Ladies, WOW! I really appreciate the time, prep and loving effort you three really put into this. Our homeschool has ds, 16, two dd,12, and ds,9. We listen to an Adrian Rogers sermon during breakfast, they complete their animal chores and then we come together for Bible and I do this very type of lesson you described with them all together. I almost always set-up or a child volunteer is asked to read their previous days narration to set-up. We all have the same Bibles, so they follow along if desired while I read. They all are writing their narrations and then we read them all aloud and discuss. My question is, if some like to listen and others like to follow along, what does CM suggest? All other subjects ,when I read outloud are listened to, but Bible, I give them the choice to listen or follow along. What are your thoughts?
I also, know that the forms are done differently, but we have had such deep discussions as a group, with 3 different forms present, I can’t help but know this whole plan was orchestrated by God. I plan to keep us together as long as possible. Even with ds, 16, taking college courses in the fall.
Thank you so much for doing this episode, and I’m looking forward to the rest of these immersion episodes this summer! I have a question about the commentary – if I could only purchase one, which one would be better to have when studying Mark (or Matthew), the Mark commentary or the Highlands of Galilee?
I believe Patterson-Smyth’s Mark commentary was written for adults. I realize that you the teacher will be using whichever you choose, but I think the way The Highlands of Galilee was written is better suited for lessons with little children. (The latter is part of the Bible for School and Home which is what CM recommended)
For some reason I was under the impression that we weren’t supposed to read from the commentary. Is that just the adult commentary and this is a children’s one? Is that the difference? Is it ok to share things I find interesting about the text and ask my children to do the same? Maybe ask them first before sharing my own thoughts or am I to remain silent and offer no personal thoughts?
Rachel,
The commentary is generally not read, though an idea from it could be introduced at the end of the lesson during discussion. It is an optional addition, as a map or a picture might be used on other days. It is always best for the teacher to refrain from personal comments, questions, or explanations other than to prompt the children to more thought on the lesson. Giving our opinion or interpretation at that time is not recommended. Over-explanation and questioning are to be avoided, but drawing the child’s attention to particulars in the passage is allowable, similar to how in object lessons we cause the child to look more closely or turn back to something to give longer attention to it. Emily was demonstrating an occasional way the commentary might be used, if ever and if you listen again, you will hear us addressing this instance. The commentary lesson shouldn’t be read in its entirety, but as Emily just read a small portion of the lesson after narration of the Bible passage itself, that is permissible.
Liz