Utopia finale Part 1- “No Unnecessary Labor”

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Kay Pelham

However, there are many things in the commonwealth of Utopia that I rather wish, than hope, to see followed in our governments.

This is the final sentence of Utopia. It mirrors my sentiments as well. I found several things that were quite admirable, however improbable they seem to be to me, and other things that turned my stomach in their no personal sovereignty and no free will kind of way.

Previously I shared my thoughts on the Introduction and section titled “Discourses of Raphael Hythloday.” What follows this in the book are specific descriptions given by Raphael of different aspects of Utopian life. For Part 1 I’m going to list a few things from the first 3 of 8 sections. The titles I use are the titles that Sir Thomas More gave in the book.

Of their Towns, Particularly of Amaurot

“He that know one of their towns knows them all — they are so like one another…” The idea of this is a real turn-off to me. I do appreciate originality and the freedom to have individual tastes. Raphael chooses to speak in particular of the town of Amaurot which is their chief city being the seat of their supreme council. Some of the negatives to me of the uniformity of their housing is that whole sides of streets are described as looking like one house. He also says that Continue reading →

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Teach them to obey

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Kay Pelham

One of the very best life lessons I’ve ever learned occurred when James was just becoming a toddler. We were at my mother’s farm when James took off running across the yard.  Being concerned for his safety, I instinctively ran after him as I had seen a hundred other mothers do, calling out, “Stop!”  To my surprise, however, Jack said to me, “Don’t chase after him. Make him come to you.”

These are probably the most challenging words Jack has ever spoken to me. I was stumped. How could I possibly make this new toddler come to me? I have since learned, however, that not only can I do it, but that I must.

Little did I understand it then, but Continue reading →

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Learning geography

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Kay Pelham

Learned a lot about the rivers and cities of the US midwest and southwest last fall as James filled in this map a little bit each week to go along with our reading of Tree in the Trail. Got pretty good at remembering the state capitals. I never knew the Arkansas and Missouri Rivers journeyed the way that they do.

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James gives the scoop on a couple of Caravaggio works

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Kay Pelham

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Oh the places he will go!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Kay Pelham

James has lately taken to reading in bed before he shuts his eyes and calls it a day. One morning I found a book beside my computer with a note on top that read “Done.” This morning I was greeted by this book and note on the bench next to my desk. It just warms my little ol’ heart to see him reading on his own and loving a well-told story. I miss being involved in all the stories that he knows, but oh the places he will go in his life with all the good books out there to be read.

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The tuning fork tree

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Kay Pelham

We spent some time in a local park yesterday enjoying a fairly warmer day. I took several pictures of trees and tree parts. This one in particular I found interesting. Anyone care to play “Name the species?”

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Handwriting skills not a dying art

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Kay Pelham

Last fall the Wall Street Journal published an article titled “How Handwriting Boosts the Brain.”  The author addresses the fact that in spite of our ever advancing technological world, the ancient skill of handwriting still has real value. For the children, “the practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.” But even for us oldies it offers an exercise in keeping our minds sharp. The article gives several accounts of experiments that have shown the advantage of handwriting.

In our homeschool we practice Copywork along with using the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting series to practice beautiful letter and word formation. The question has come up from time to time in various discussion groups of why we continue to focus on penmanship in this computer and texting keyboard age. The WSJ article was very encouraging to me as to why. I considered the difference between manually forming an S on paper and pushing down the left ring finger on the keyboard. I’m sure there is good brain activity and programming  that goes into memorizing the position of the keys on the keyboard, but there is something missing if you don’t also continue the art of manually forming letters on paper.

I think of the other manual activities that Charlotte Mason advocates for the student — some in which we could do far better. The drawing, particularly in our nature journals,  and handcrafting. I see such value in nature drawing — the real connection you can make with that object by spending time forming the details on paper. Nature drawing is similar to narration in that it forces you to pay attention to detail. And then the drawing etches those details in your memory.

So as I sit here and type these thoughts, I wonder the advantage there might be in recording my thoughts by hand and then transferring them here.  Just as I am training James in narration and realizing my own need to develop that skill, I think I’d better practice what I preach when it comes to handwork.

Thoughts?

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A poem of true things

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Kay Pelham

What are heavy? sea-sand and sorrow:

What are brief? to-day and to-morrow:

What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth:

What are deep? the ocean and truth.

~untitled poem by Christina Rossetti

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Lost in Promotion or For the sake of the Institution

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Kay Pelham

While watching the local PBS station’s showcasing of high school choirs from across the state, I observed that the performances these kids were giving were ultimately being used to promote the schools.  Whatever may have been the motives of the individual kids, their efforts were being co-opted for mere promotion.  Never mind the music itself, or the kids’ ability to learn it, understand it, and perform it at a certain level of excellence; these kids were on parade for another purpose.

I’ve seen this same behavior in many institutions.  All efforts seem to be about drawing attention back to the institution. The Christmas pageant isn’t really about sharing the story of Jesus’ amazing arrival on this planet; it’s about Continue reading →

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Things I learned this week from 2nd grade

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Kay Pelham

Here’s a brief list of things I learned, or at least was reminded of, as I prepared and then taught our lessons this week.

  • Arithmetic is spelled with an E in the 3rd syllable and not an A. Even the Dad questioned it when James challenged him to a little game of Hangman.
  • Robin Hood became an outlaw after mistakenly killing one of the king’s deer and then killing the man who shot at him because he was mad that young Robin was able to do it. I always assumed Robin simply began his life of living outside the law because “the Law” was unfair to the poor and favored the rich.
  • Found Lapland on the map above Finland. Thought I would find it at the top of Norway.
  • Einstein said, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, Continue reading →
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