Although copywork, dictation, and narration are not difficult concepts, I struggled with how to implement them effectively during our first years of homeschooling. I offer here what I have learned about these valuable tools of learning—not as an expert, but as a beginner who is still learning how to...
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What do you believe about children and learning? In any learning environment we consider—public, private, or home school—some children seem to enjoy learning while others seem to be bored or frustrated by it. Parents and teachers will go to great lengths to make learning fun, enticing children to enjoy learning. They...
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Revisiting Some Archived Articles that Have Not Been Lost, but May Have Been Forgotten and Are Worth a Fresh Read Among the five paths to great writing is the “literary path,” which shows that to become a great writer one must read great writings. However, one may be wrong...
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In an earlier article, I discussed the dangers of perfectionism as exhibited in protectionism and power (see The Pitfalls of Perfectionism, Part I). In these follow-up thoughts, I want to explore two additional ways in which perfectionism might affect our personalities and the manner in which we interact with others....
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It is National Latin Exam time again! This test was given in 2013 in the United States as well as in the following countries: Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, and, for the first time, in Indonesia, Netherlands, Philippines, and Turkey (NLEReport2013...
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Last week, a parent in my Classical Conversations group told me she enjoys Foundations, and looks forward to Challenge A and Challenge B, but she just does not know if she will go further with homeschooling after that. I told her I thought that would be like getting all...
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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela When I first came across this quote it begged me to ask, “Why?” I believe that a good education is necessary. Now as a student in the Rivendell Sanctuary Honors Program in Bloomington,...
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A man once asked his teacher whether virtue could be taught. In the course of the conversation, not only did the man and his wise mentor discuss the topic of virtue, but a young slave boy, through the simple process of answering questions, stumbled upon the Pythagorean Theorem. Well,...
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Many modern educators and parents assume that classical education is as dry as dust. How could anyone possibly find it interesting to read stories about dead white guys, chant Latin noun and verb endings, or recite the multiplication tables? There is no creativity in that! Furthermore, anyone who comes...
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Classical, Christian education upholds a vision of excellence: in character (best described in terms of ethics), in knowledge and understanding (perhaps viewed as academics), and in biblical worldview (quite likely, wisdom: the fear of the Lord). It is important to remember, however, that there is a tension between striving...
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Rhetoric: the art of using words effectively in speaking or writing (Webster’s New World Dictionary) When we first started homeschooling, we read Debra Bell’s Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling and felt compelled to write down our vision for homeschooling our children. Among other things, our family vision stated that at the end of fifteen...
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Formal writing may be a dying art. Today, written communication is so easily produced that many forms of it are disposable. In previous generations, one might jot down a list for shopping and discard it when completed. However, today’s texts, tweets, emails, and posts cause the inboxes of contemporary...
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