The Knowledge of Man, Geography & Hiking

Welcome to A TRUE GOOD BEAUTIFUL LIFE podcast! 

On today's episode you are treated in our TRUE and GOOD segments to a sweeping vision of what an ideal PreK-12 Writing program looks like according to my special guest, teacher, and mentor, Linda Cerynik of Roots to Wings Educational Support. We touch on writing methods from Charlotte Mason to Classical, an eclectic mix of our favorite things. Linda takes us from grade to grade highlighting some of the touchstones students can strive for and some activities we can do as parents and teachers to help them develop and succeed as writers. 

Some principles of Narration (not mentioned in the podcast):

• should be done from high-quality literary books
• retell after one reading
• recall past material before each narration
• do not interupt or question the student during narration
• let the student's personality and interests shine
• ask synthetic or Socratic questions to cultivate deep thinking, other connections, and knowledge in students after the narration
• advance to silent narration with older students

The Progymnasmata (an ancient Greek and Roman program that teaches Rhetoric in stages):

1. fable
2. narrative
3. anecdote
4. maxim 
5. refutation
6. confirmation
7. commonplace
8. encomium 
9. invective
10. comparison
11. personification
12. description
13. argument/thesis 

Four Rhetorical Devices high schoolers can use or look for in an essay or speech:

1. Logos - appeal to logic
2. Ethos - appeal to ethics and credibility
3. Pathos - appeal to emotions
4. Kairos - appeal to time

On the BEAUTIFUL segment of the show, I end with sharing my field trip to  The Barnes Foundation  in Philadelphia, PA, and its amazing decorative arts collection from all around the world. You will be in awe at the famous artists represented and the various arts and crafts displayed next to old European oil paintings. It is a sight to behold and a wonderful expression of the divinely-inspired creative nature of humans.

Some favorite resources:

• Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser
• IEW (Institute of Excellence in Writing) Portable Walls Grammar on the Go
• The Lost Tools of Writing by the Circe Institute

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1.  For early Elementary students, be sure to have lots of play time to build strength and dexterity for holding and manipulating a writing instrument. Such toys and activies can include play doh, marbles, pick-up sticks, clay, watercoloring, dry erase markers/regular markers, chalk, collecting things in nature, playing in sand and mud, weaving with Rainbow looms, crafting with scissors and glue, practicing letters on lined paper, Lego/block building, playing with little figures like Squinkie Do Drops, Calico Critters, and Star Wars action figures. Begin oral narrations with 6+ year olds naturally, with retellings of their day, TV show, or family read aloud.
2. For late Elementary and Middle School students, continue oral narrations. Begin written narrations slowly -- one per week and build up to daily narrations -- 150-300 words per day.  Begin practicing more technical aspects of composition, like developing a full 5-paragraph essay, with an introduction and conclusion. Introduce guided poetry writing.
3. For High School students, continue oral narrations and try writing some creative narrations  -- like a newspaper account or screen play of what occured in their literature or history book, learn how to edit their own work, and try to cover all four kinds of essays -- descriptive, narrative, persuasive, and expository. Consider using the four Rhetorical appeals Linda mentioned: Logos, Ethos, Pathos, and Kairos.

ON THIS EPISODE

Hell. What do you think of when you hear the word "Hell?" A place full of gnashing of teeth? A pit deep in the center of the earth? A black hole? A realm filled with shades of Greek heroes and the god of the Underworld, Hades? And what about Heaven? What images and phrases flash in your mind?  These places, Heaven and Hell, are important elements of Christian theolog. On today's episode, I have the honor of talking with Kristen Rudd, a fellow teacher who is an authority on the Classics and teaches various subjects, including Dante's Divine Comedy, which is the topic of our discussion.  Learn the background of Dante's brilliant literary work and the three stages of his travels through the poem, the Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio, and Paradisio (Heaven).  Discover some of the elements of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in this masterpiece that we can apply to our own lives today.

You can learn more about Kristen by contacting her at:

• kristenrudd.com - her website
• classicalcollegecoach.com - her college coaching

Learn more about Classical Education by contacting:

• Templeton Honors College MAT program - Masters in Teaching in Classical Education
• Circe Apprenticeship program 

Favorite Resources:

• Digital Dante
• 100 Days of Dante FaceBook Group
• Ascent to Love  by Peter Leithart
• The Complete Danteworlds by Guy Rafa
• Anthony Esolen's Inferno
• Anthony Esolen's Purgatorio
• Anthony Esolen's Paradiso
• Five Steps to Successful Narration by Sonya Shafer (free eBook)
• Know and Tell by Karen Glass

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

“ ….Truth (minds), goodness (wills), and beauty (senses) are the same one reality, which engages various faculties. When we engage reality through the clear abstraction of the intellect, we talk about reality as true. When reality is the target of our will, we pursue it as good. And when reality enthralls not only our minds and wills, but also our senses and feelings, we call it beautiful.  ( John-Mark L. Miravalle, Beauty: What It Is & Why It Matters (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2019), 38.)

"The most common and the monstrous defect in the education of the day is that children fail to acquire the habit of reading. Knowledge is conveyed to them by lessons and talk, but the studious habit of using books as a means of interest and delight is not acquired. This habit should be begun early so soon as the child can read at all, he should read for himself and to himself history, legends, fairy tales, and other suitable matter. He should be trained from the first to think that one reading of any lesson is enough to enable him to narrate what he has read, and will thus get the habit of slow, careful reading, intelligent even when it is silent, because he reads with an eye to the full meaning of every clause."  - Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1: Home Education, p. 227

"Direct questions on the subject-matter of what a child has read are always a mistake. Let him narrate what he has read, or some part of it. He enjoys this sort of consecutive reproduction, but abominates every question in the nature of a riddle. If there must be riddles, let it be his to ask and the teacher’s to direct him to the answer. Questions that lead to a side issue or to a personal view are allowable because these interest children – ‘What would you have done in his place?’” - Charlotte Mason, Vol: 1: Home Education, p. 228-229

“Narrating is an art, like poetry-making or painting, because it is there, in every child’s mind, waiting to be discovered. . .”  - Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1: Home Education, p. 231

"Narration should “touch the emotions, fire the imagination, create mental pictures with its wording, and convey living ideas, not just dry facts” - Sonya Shafer, Five Steps to Successful Narration, p. 15

"A child’s individuality plays about what he enjoys, and the story comes from his lips, not precisely as the author tells it, but with a certain spirit and colouring which express the narrator. By the way, it is very important that children should be allowed to narrate in their own way, and should not be pulled up or helped with words and expressions from the text. A narration should be original as it comes from a child – that is, his own mind should have acted upon the matter it has received. Narrations which are mere feats of memory are quite valueless." - Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1: Home Education, p. 289

"But, it will be said, reading or hearing various books read, chapter by chapter, and then narrating or writing what has been read or some part of it – all this is mere memory work. The value of this criticism may be readily tested; will the critic read before turning off his light a leading article from a newspaper, say, or a chapter from Boswell or Jane Austen, or one of Lamb’s Essays; then, will he put himself to sleep by narrating silently what he has read. He will not be satisfied with the result but he will find that in the act of narrating every power of his mind comes into play, that points and bearings which he had not observed are brought out; that the whole is visualized and brought into relief in an extraordinary way; in fact, that scene or augment has become a part of his personal experience; he knows, he has assimilated what he has read. This is not memory work. In order to memorize, we repeat over and over a passage or a series of points or names with the aid of such clues as we can invent; we do memorize a string of facts or words, and the new possission serves its purpose for a time, but it is not assimilated; its purpose being served, we know it no more. This is memory work by means of which examinations are passed with credit." - Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6: A Philosophy of Education, p. 16-17

“the labour of thought is what his book must induce in the child. He must generalise, classify, infer, judge, visualise, discriminate, labour in one way or another, with that capable mind of his, until the substance of his book is assimilated or rejected, according as he shall determine; for the determination rests with him and not with his teacher.”  - Charlotte Mason, Vol. 3: School Education, p. 179

“Asking direct questions on the content is the best way to squelch your child’s natural curiosity for knowledge. The focus will quickly shift from learning for the joy of learning to Will this be on the test. Don't let that happen.”  - Sonya Shafer, Five Steps to Successful Narration, p. 24

". . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . ." - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Get yourself a copy of The Comedy and start reading a Canto a day and follow up with Kristen's FaceBook group #100 Days of Dante. Narrate what you have read to a friend or family member.
2. Engage in some fan fiction or fan art and take a scene from the poem and write a side story or draw what you imagine is being described.
3. Study the Cardinal Virtues and Theological Virtues and the Seven Deadly Sins and discuss with your child or students how you can cultivate the former and avoid the latter.

Welcome to A TRUE GOOD BEAUTIFUL LIFE podcast! 

In this week’s episode, we are going to take a deep dive into one of Charlotte Mason’s classic subjects: Nature Study. In one of my earlier episodes, I chatted with my friend Stephanie Newcomb about the benefits of nature study and some of our favorite resources. Today, I am fortunate to talk to one of my sister-in-laws who comes to us from South Carolina! Megan Tolosa is an avid birder and knows so much about these creatures that I am always impressed by her knowledge and skills. So for our TRUE segment of the show, we are going to discuss various aspects of birds, for this month is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count and so I thought it would be perfect to focus on birds and how we can begin to identify them and in our GOOD segment of the show, how to care for them and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Finally, at the end of the show for our BEAUTIFUL segment, I will share with you my daughter’s and my field trip to the John James Audubon Center, here in Pennsylvania. So it’s over an hour all about birds! I hope you will stick with us for it’s going to be great!

ON THIS EPISODE

Together Megan and I will share with you the 8 clues you can use to help you identify what bird it is you are seeing, how and when to use binoculars, different types of bird feeders and food you should offer them, and some activities to help impress upon the minds of your students the wonderful nature of these creatures.

The 8 Characteristics to look for are the following:

1. Group
2. Shape
3. Size
4. Behavior
5. Habitat
6. Season
7. Field Marks
8. Voice

Suggested seed: sunflower and safflower

Suggested bird feeder: the Squirrel Buster

Favorite Resources:

• The Great Backyard Bird Count
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Cornell University Bird Academy
• Project Feeder Watch poster
• John James Audubon Center
• The Boy Who Drew Birds, by Davies and Sweet 
• National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Birds
• National Audubon Society North American Birdfeeder Handbook by Robert Burton
• Peterson Field Guides: Feeder Birds - Eastern North America
• Peterson Field Guides: Birds of Eastern and Central North America
• National Geographic: Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
• Sibley Birds East
• Thunder Birds: Nature's Flying Predators by Jim Arnosky
• Fine Feathered Friends: All About Birds by Tish Rabe
• The Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science and Nature by Stan & Jan Berenstain
• Birds by Kevin Henkes (board book)
• Mrs. Peanuckle's Bird Alphabet (board book)
• My Colors: Early Birds Book by Patricia Mitter
• Baby's First Book of Birds and Colors by Phyllis Tildes
• Stinky Owl by Melanie Burgess
• ABC of Birds by Roger Tory Peterson
• Ducks Don't Get Wet by Augusta Goldin
• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• An Egg is Quiet by Dianne Hutts Aston
• Usborne Discovery: Birds
• About Birds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill
• Stokes Bird Feeder Book by Donald & Lillian Stokes
• Virginia Bird Watching: A Year Round Guide by Bill Thompson
• Identifying and Feeding Birds by Bill Thompson
• Better Birdwatching in Virginia & West Virginia - DVD Field Guide
• Bird Bingo Match a Pair of Birds Memory Game
• Hoot Owl Hoot (board game)
• Sibley Backyard Birding Bingo
• What Bird am I: The Bird Identification Game
• Birds of North America - 100 Piece Memory Card Game
• The Little Book of Backyard Birdsongs
• The Little Book of Woodland Birdsongs
• The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma
• Peterson Field Guides: Bird Songs: Eastern/Central
• Sibley's Backyard Birds poster
• Sibley's Raptors of North America poster
• Sibley's Owls of Eastern (or Western) North America poster  
• On Wings of Song: Poems about birds, Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets
• Birders: The Central Park Effect: A Film About Birds and People (DVD)
• Winged Migration by Jacques Perrin (DVD)
• The Big Year (DVD-movie)
• Hawk Mountain, PA
• Cape May, NJ

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

First and chiefest is the knowledge of God, to be got at most directly through the Bible, then comes the knowledge of Man, to be got through history, literature, art, civics, ethics, biography, the drama, and languages; and lastly, so much knowledge of the universe as shall explain to some extent the phenomenon we are familiar with and give a naming acquaintance at any rate with birds and flowers, stars and stones; nor can this knowledge of the universe be carried far in any direction without the ordering of mathematics. - Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 254

Knowledge is that which we know; and the learner knows only by a definite act of knowing which he performs for himself. (Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 254)

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Sign up and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Consider making your own bird feeder and suet together as a class or family.
2. Craft a mosaic bird bath using a terracota planter saucer and glass pieces.
3. Begin a field guide collecton and practice drawing 3 of your favorite birds using pencil, watercolor, or soft pastels and note facts about them.

Welcome to A TRUE GOOD BEAUTIFUL LIFE podcast! 

ON THIS EPISODE

Today, for our segment on the True, I have the privilege of talking with Erin LaMont of Classical Conversations about her love and the importance of studying Latin. She discusses the joys and difficulties of the subject and encourages us to keep on keeping on. Her Master Thesis sounds intriguing so I hope you get a chance to read through her labor of love. Later in the Good segment of the show, I share about the practice of keeping a Commonplace Book and how you can do the same. And lastly, in our segment on the Beautiful, I describe how I introduce the wonderful art and stories of Beatrix Potter to my 1st and 2nd graders, along with baking and special art pieces. So please, join us! It's going to be fun!

Favorite resources Erin mentioned: 

• ScorpioMartianus YouTube Channel
• "Utilizing the Classical Christian Study of Latin to Promote Intentionality" by Erin LaMont

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application -- not far far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech -- and learn them so well that words become works. - Seneca

It is the duty of the nation to maintain relations of brotherly kindness with other nations; therefore it is the duty of every family, as an integral part of the nation, to be able to hold brotherly speech with the families of other nations as opportunities arise; therefore to acquire the speech of neighboring nations is not only to secure an inlet of knowledge and a means of culture, but is a duty of the higher morality (the morality of the family) which aims at universal brotherhood. . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 2: Parents and Children, p. 7

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1.  Download Duo Lingo and try learning some new vocabulary from a foreign language that you have previously learned or want to learn. Or find a good curriculum and try teaching yourself or your child a new language.  
2. Pick out a special journal where you can start writing down your favorite quotes from the books you are reading, or songs you're listening to or singing, or parts of speeches or sermons that really inspire or convict you.
3. Put the kettle on and brew yourself up a pot of tea and enjoy reliving your childhood by reading some of Beatrix Potter's little tales of bunnies, hedgehogs and puddle ducks. Share these lovely stories and artwork with your children and students and practice a little watercolor yourselves.

Happy New Year! Welcome back! It’s been about six months since I started this podcast and so I thought I’d review what the purpose of this little dream is. Call me crazy but I just love learning about awesome ways to teach and encourage students, teachers, and parents . . . to help them find wonder, Beauty, and joy in the simple things in life as well as ideas to help them flourish as human beings and image-bearers of our Creator God. Because as I hope you all know by now, that education is more than academics, more than what you learn in a classroom or in your living room. To use Charlotte Mason’s words– it is “an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.”

I have found that I have fallen in love with Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education as well as many elements of the Classical model of teaching and learning. Many of the educational things I have learned, I only learned about later in life, and so I want to reveal to our young teachers and parents today these precious truths about how children learn and what education is all about so they can implement these life-giving concepts into their homes and classrooms when their children and students are still young. 

So the first 21 episodes of the podcast have focused on some of the main elements of a Charlotte Mason Classical education (like Nature Study, Living Books, atmosphere, and handicrafts), using the Classical transcendentals - Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.  My goal is to introduce you to these concepts and show you how you can learn and experience them in your everyday lives, and introduce you to people who embody various aspects of these divine ideas, whether it be a serious study using the 5 Common Topics, fun hobbies like caring for houseplants, empathizing with the world through a study in Geography, tackling life skills needed for a home business growing flowers, or learning to deal with trauma across the ocean in a new land.

In this last half of the school year, I plan to discuss more in depth elements of a Charlotte Mason education and hopefully bring to you more book chats covering my favorite authors like Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Beatrix Potter. I hope to also help you create peaceful moments at home, bonding experiences with your kids and students, and intriguing conversations with your classroom. I also hope to bring to your attention people in my life and outside my circle who have inspired me in one way or another and who I think will inspire you as well.

So with that little introduction, let’s dive into today’s episode! It’s all about the TRUE, the GOOD, and the BEAUTIFUL of the theatre with my special guest, Adler Roberts of Innovate Academy!

Favorite Resources:

• On Acting by Sanford Meisner
• Sight & Sound, Lancaster, PA
• Servant Stage, Lancaster County, PA
• Playhouse West, Philadelphia, PA (for older students/adults)
• SALT Performing Arts, Chester Springs, PA
• People's Light, Malvern, PA

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

"To be or not to be, that is the question." - Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene I

“There is a danger in these days of much educational effort that children’s play should be crowded out [or what is the same thing] should be prescribed for and arranged until there is no more freedom of choice about play than about work. We do not say a word against the educational value of games (such as football, basketball, etc.) … but organized games are not play in the sense we have in view. Boys and girls must have time to invent episodes, carry on adventures, live heroic lives, lay sieges and carry forts, even if the fortress be an old armchair; and in these affairs the elders must neither meddle nor make.” -Charlotte Mason, School Education, Volume 3, p. 36-37

"Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances." - Sanford Meisner, On Acting

“To become intimate with Shakespeare in this way is a great enrichment of mind and instruction of conscience. Then, by degrees, as we go on reading this world-teacher, lines of insight and beauty take possession of us, and unconsciously mould our judgments of men and things and of the great issues of life” - Charlotte Mason, Ourselves: Vol. 4, Book 2, p. 72

"beautiful things are difficult" - Socrates, Greater Hippias

"Talent develops in quiet places, character in the full current of human life." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (in other words what Adler explained: "The actor's career develops in public but his art develops in private." 

“. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information.” - Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Vol. 1, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Watch a silent film or a ballet and see how a medium that doesn't use words informs how you look at storytelling.

    

   2. Play a game of charades in your classroom or at home to get kids in the habit of acting things out. And make presentations or recitations a normal part of your classroom routine and home culture so that speaking in front of others becomes second nature to your students.

    

   3. Seek out and attend an interesting musical or play at your local theatre. Look for interesting story arcs and note whether or not it has a redemptive theme and whether or not it is a comedy or tragedy. How can you tell? If you need help, listen to Episode 12, where I interview Dr. Kathryn Smith of the Templeton Honors College about the four types of literary genres.

Welcome to another episode of A True Good Beautiful Life! It is almost Christmas! Are you giddy like me? Are the twinkling lights reawakening the wonder of that first Noel? 

Today I am letting you in on my first "Book Chat" with my dear friend Amanda Smedley, whom I have known for over 28 years, and is a great lover of books. Because this month I’m talking to you about Christmas things, starting last time with my discussion with Esther Anderson of Story of this Life regarding Advent and its history, today we continue by entering into the world of Charles Dickens’ novella, A Christmas Carol. We could have talked for hours on this little book. I enjoyed it so much that I hope we can do it again sometime soon! 

So for our TRUE,  GOOD, and BEAUTY segments, we are going to dig into this classic Christmas text. Do you think it is possible to find TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY in this story? Is there anything we can learn from this "ghost story of Christmas," a phrase used in Dickens' original title? Stick around and you will hear how this famous Christmas fairy tale shows how we are all like Mr. Scrooge and demonstrates the BEAUTY of a transformed life.

Some favorite resources:

• Read with Me Kids Classics: A Christmas Carol by Bushel and Peck Books
• A Christmas Carol: Book and Bible Study Guide
• A Christmas Carol: A Facsimile of the Original 1843 Edition in Full Color

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,” returned the nephew. “Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round – apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that – as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of , in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!” -spoken by Fred, A Christmas Carol, Stave 1

“But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. “Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing his hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business." - spoken by Jacob Marley, A Christmas Carol, Stave 1

 “Ghost of the Future!” he exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?” It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed straight before them. “Lead on!” said Scrooge. “Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!” - spoken by Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Stave 4

“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world." spoken by Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Stave 5

"Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them . . . . His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him. He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon  the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny TIm observed, God bless Us, Every One!" - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, Stave 5

“education is of the spirit and is not to be taken in by the eye or effected by the hand; mind appeals to mind and thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason we owe it to every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts; with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works ; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books.” - Charlotte Mason, Volume 6:  A Philosophy of Education, p. 12

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. This year, my husband, daughter, and I were able to catch a wonderful show of "A Christmas Carol" put on by a lovely local theatre right in the next town of Malvern, People’s Light theatre. I was amazed at the quality of singing and the original music composed that incorporated traditional carols and the sound of bygone days. Ian Merrill Peakes played Scrooge and he made you feel the cold of his heart as well as the miraculous transformation of it as it softened and warmed with the help of the Christmas Spirits.  People’s Light still has performances up through December 31st, so if you are local to Chester County, PA, you still have time to enjoy this wonderful production. If you are not local, try and find your local production and see it for yourself! You will walk away a little transformed yourself!
2. A Christmas Carol is a short book. Take this next week to read through it with your family or students and see what kind of discussions will grow out of it. It may be a ghost story. It may be a fairy tale. But it is chalk full of deep thoughts and poignant life lessons that every person should consider right now.
3. Here's a thought: If you could see your future, how might that impact how you are living right now? Journal what you would change and how you would go about doing it. Consider memorizing the speech Fred declared at the beginning of the novel (quoted above) to help spur in you some Christmas Spirit. How can you help the poor and needy this Christmas and New Year? How does this novel show that having money doesn't ensure happiness? What does?

Merry Christmas!

Advent season is here! Today on the podcast I am so excited to talk with Esther Anderson of the famous parenting channel, Story of This Life! With a nice little mix of the True, Good, and Beautiful, we will be talking about the history of Christmas and Advent, some famous traditions surrounding Advent, and an example of a beautiful product that Esther and her team have created to help celebrate the first coming of Jesus that first Christmas day. The last part of the show I’m going to share with you a fun activity that I love to do as I prepare for the Christmas season – making wreaths with some of my friends. 

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, snag a gingerbread cookie if you have already started baking some (like me!), and cozy up and dream of sugar plums as we delve into a bit of Christmas charm.

Some of my favorite resources:

• The Rescuer Nativity Set by Story of This Life
• Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins
• Hallelujah by Cindy Rollins
• Emmanuel by Ruth Chou Simons
• Slow + Sacred Advent by Jennifer Naraki

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. - The Bible, Luke 2:8-14, KJV

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Celebrate Advent by going through biblical or inspirational readings, or follow a specially created book like Slow + Sacred Advent or Cindy Rollin's Hallelujah , or use a fun calendar, like Esther's from Story of This Life. Dwell on the incarnation of Jesus and why He came that Holy Night.
2. Memorize the passage in Luke that tells of the birth of Jesus - Luke 2:8-14.
3. Plan a wreath-making party with your friends or students. Either provide all the materials or even better, have all the participants provide various supplies that you can all share. Create early in December so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all season long.

ON THIS EPISODE

Have you traveled across the ocean? Have you taught a class in another country? Have you or your students experienced trauma that needed to be cared for? Travel opens up multiple opportunities for learning TRUTH and embodying GOODNESS. Today my special guest is another old teaching colleague of mine from Ad Fontes Academy in Centreville, Virginia. Kirsten and I taught together for several years and life later took us to different parts of the world, me to Pennsylvania and she to a completely new continent! 

Grab a cup of coffee and immerse yourself in a new teaching experience in a new world and new culture through the exciting travels and difficulties of my dear friend. Kirsten has some poignant points about dealing with trauma and helpful tips on being present with her students that I know you will find beneficial.

Later in the show, I will explore another aspect of BEAUTY through the arts of hospitality and homemaking by organizing a Supper Club.

Some of Kirsten's favorite resources:

• Try Softer by Aundi Kolber 
• Mindsight by Dan Seiglel
• Untangling Emotions by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith 
• The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson
• Calm App
• Lectio 365 App
• @aundikolber
• @adamyoungcounseling/ The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast
• @kjramseywrites
• @dralisoncook / The Best of You Podcast

Some of my favorite cookbooks:

• The Forest Feast: Gatherings by Erin Gleeson
• Magnolia Table, Vol. 1 by Joanna Gaines
• Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
• Holiday Open House by Gooseberry Patch (this has that amazing Christmas Eggnog Punch!)

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

Here is the whole secret of a successful holiday: the mind must be actively, unceasingly, and involuntarily engaged with fresh and ever-changing interests . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 5: The Formation of Character, p. 132

But the child . . . needs, like his elders, engrossing interests which shall compel him to think new thoughts.  Fresh air for the lungs, fresh scenes for the eye, and fully healing and helpful only when the mind, too, is taken into account, and the jaded brain is spoon-fed, as it were, with new ideas.  This is why foreign travel is delightful . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 5: The Formation of Character, p. 132

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Create a classroom culture that promotes safety and empathy. Consider applying some of Kirsten's suggestions: self-care and self-attunement, a beautiful space, don't be afraid of awkward moments to address unkindness or confusion, be curious as to WHY your student is behaving that way, give your students the freedom to not be ok, and know that there is great comfort in being in the presence of God.
2. Commemorate the places you've been. Set up a world map that you can mark with pins or flags all the places you've visited.  Or string up postcards from other countries to inspire you and to remind you of all your memories.
3. Call up 5 other friends and invite them to be a part of your Supper Club. You can do this every month or every other month and make it your own with however you want to do the food, include or not include activities, and how you want to work out hosting. Be consistent and you will find your friendships flourishing. 

For our TRUE and GOOD segments, Linda Cerynik from Roots to Wings and I take a deep look into the infamous speech given by the late veteran New York state teacher John Taylor Gatto. His acceptance speech at his award ceremony for being New York state's "Teacher of the Year" in 1992, is often referred to a "The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher" speech (also published in another of his books, called Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling) and in it he presents seven results of his teaching career. He claimed that he taught 1) confusion, 2) class position, 3) indifference, 4) emotional dependency, 5) intellectual dependency, 6) provisional self-esteem, and 7) that you can't hide. Pretty provocative to say the least. Hear about some of our experiences and remedies for some of these issues and consider how you would characterize your teaching at home or in the classroom. 

In our final segment on the BEAUTIFUL, I share with you about a little gem of an art museum tucked away in the Brandywine River valley in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania -- The Brandywine Museum of Art. There you will discover art by the famous Wyeth artists -- N. C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth. Not only do you see the museum's amazing collections and tourable homes and studios, they also host traveling exhibitions, two of which I share about on the podcast. See my website (aTrueGoodBeautifulLife.com) for pictures of our trips.

Some of our favorite resources:

• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
• The Underground History of American Education, Volume 1 by John Taylor Gatto (if you can find the big green complete book, even better)
• School: The Story of American Public Education by Sarah Mondale (with David Tyack, Carl Kaestle, Diane Ravitch, James Anderson, and Larry Cuban) 
• https://youtu.be/UixZ7qWnBwg Brandwine Museum of Art YouTube video on Thiebaud exhibit

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

Education is an atmosphere. - Charlotte Mason

Children are born persons. - Charlotte Mason

The glory of God is man fully alive. - Irenaeus, an early church father 

I am not a teacher but an awakener. - Robert Frost

We give our children two things: one is roots, the other, wings. - Hodding Carter

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. Read through "The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher" yourself and evaluate how you are treating your students and how you can improve one element of your teaching this week.
2. Consider one way you can give your child/student the ability to choose something for themselves, whether it be how they structure their day, book selections, wake up time, music/art/sports options, how they spend their free time.
3. Visit the Brandywine Museum of Art or look up pictures online or check out library books on the Wyeth artists and discover their works. Whose art do you like best?

Welcome back to another episode of a True Good Beautiful Life! Today, my friend Lindsey Habegger of Chaos Thriving and I will be discussing the amazing and breathtaking Grand Canyon for both our TRUE and BEAUTIFUL segments of the show and afterwards for our GOOD portion of the show,  I will share with you the seven principles of the "Leave No Trace" concept, which will help us be better stewards of God’s creation as well as better humans to one another. Charlotte Mason believed that traveling and enjoying nature were wonderful ways to learn and appreciate the wonders and glory of God. What better way to do this than to explore the Grand Canyon!

"The Leave No Trace" website and the "52 Week Hike Challenge" website both have helpful articles on the seven principles of "Leaving No Trace," used when you are hiking or camping.  The principles include the following: 1) Plan Ahead and Prepare, 2) Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, 3) Dispose of Waste Properly, 4) Leave What you Find, 5) Minimize Campfire Impacts, 6) Respect Wildlife, and 7) Be Considerate of Other Visitors. There is a lot that is involved in each of these aspects of caring for the places we visit and so I encourage you to check out either of these websites for further information. 

I do want to highlight a few that I found interesting: 

With regards to Principle #1- Plan ahead and Prepare: Be prepared by bringing the 10 essential hiking items: fire (matches, fire starter), first aid, insulation (extra clothing, layers), sun protection (lip balm, sunscreen/sunglasses), knife (other tools/repair kits), illumination (headlamp/flashlight), navigation (map/compass), nutrition & hydration (extra food and water), and an emergency shelter (bivy, blanket).

With regards to Principle #2- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: you’ll want to look for a spot that is Resilient and Resistant and at least 200 feet away from any water source, like a lake, stream, or river. These include: hard soil, rock, snow, gravel, dry grass, and a built platform.

Other tips with traveling on durable surfaces:

• Walk On the Trail - if you take shortcuts, you can hurt the microsoil and vegetation and damage the ecosystem. 

• Hike Single File - try not to make the path wider than it is

• Camp On Established Camp Areas– search for a place that looks like a tent has already been there, such as noting a flat area that has been cleared of rocks and branches

With regards to Principle #3- Dispose of waste properly: for human waste, dig a cathole at least 80 steps away from your campsite, water source or trail and try and find a sunny spot as the light will help break down the waste faster once you’ve done your business and covered it up. Seal up your used toilet paper and pack it out. There are also particular rules about using soap and disposing of trash and dirty water, so be sure to look those up.

With regards to Principle #5- Minimize Campfire Impacts: It’s easier and safer to use a camp stove instead of a campfire as not all places allow you to have a campfire

With regards to Principle #7- Be considerate of other visitors

• Downhill hikers yield to uphill hikers.

• Hikers yield to equestrians.

• Mountain bikers yield to equestrians and hikers.

• If you're mountain biking, be courteous by announcing your presence.

• Use a soft voice when addressing equestrians as horses can spook easily

Some of our favorite resources:

• 52 Week Hike Challenge
• What are the Leave No Trace Principles? article by Brianna Flores
• Leave No Trace: The 7 Principles 
• Frommer's Arizona & Grand Canyon (Complete Guides) book
• The Ultimate Visitor Guide to the Grand Canyon - Everything You Need to Know by "Scottsdale Travel Chic" YouTube channel
• The BEST of the Grand Canyon - 17 Things To Do by "We're in the Rockies" YouTube channel; they start with their visit to Las Vegas so you may want to skip over to their main section on the Canyon
• More Than A View - Grand Canyon in Depth, Episode 1 by the Grand Canyon National Park; there are several episodes in this series that you can watch

COMMONPLACE QUOTES

. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174

APPLICATION

1. If you can schedule a trip out to the Grand Canyon, go for it! It is something spectacular to see! If you can't, try watching some of the videos listed above to see what it is like.
2. For a fun school project, have your kids draw out a large map of the Grand Canyon with all the various sights and landmarks and interesting facts and stats around the edges that they researched. They can even decorate the border with Native tribal designs, drawings of the local flora and fauna, and photos printed off at home.
3. Put together a hiking backpack that contains all of the 10 Essentials supplies for hiking and keep in the back of your car for spur-of-the-moment adventures!