A Christmas Carol Chapter 3 - The Ghost of Christmas Present

This post contains an affiliate link.

Welcome back to our discussion of A Christmas Carol!

If you don't have the book yet, you can get it for free on Kindle, or even download the text of it on Project Gutenberg!  I've been known to print out way too many pages from Project Gutenberg before =)

Just so you know, I am not planning on outlining the plot of each chapter, or going through the book page by page in these posts.  I am going to pull out interesting quotes and ideas that I want to work through, and discuss them with you!  Please feel free to add to the discussion by leaving comments below or linking up a post that you have written about the book.

Waiting for the Third Spirit

I still don't understand the time frame of all of this!  I know it's fiction, and it's probably just all a dream, but I like to understand things =)  There is no daytime between the spirit visits, but the spirits are supposed to come for three consecutive nights, right?  But it all starts on Christmas Eve and he eventually emerges again on Christmas morning.  Someone please explain this to me, or else remind me that this is just a story and I need to stop trying to figure it out!

I thought it was interesting that this time he is expecting the spirit to come, and even tries to look for it.  He was almost disappointed when the clock struck 1 and he didn't see anyone!

"Being prepared for almost anything, he was not by any means prepared for nothing."  (pg. 62)

He finally sees a light coming from the other room and finds the 2nd ghost there.  The room has been changed and is described in great detail.  In fact, most of the settings in this chapter are described in great detail.  It is interesting because the locations really aren't that important, but so much time is taken describing them.  Does anyone know why this might be? The best I can think is that it is showing an appreciation for all of the goodness around him, to contrast with the way Scrooge lives, dark and cold, appreciating nothing.

Ready to Learn a Lesson

Once he meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, he is ready to be on his way!  I am impressed that the lessons of the previous ghost were taken to heart and that he is willing to learn more.

"I went forth last night on compulsion, and I learned a lesson which is working now.  To-night, if you have ought to teach me, let me profit by it." (pg. 65)

If the first ghost represented Scrooge's memory, I think this ghost was his conscience.  In this chapter, Scrooge is taken to different scenes, and is shown what life is actually like for others. He sees that people who do not have extra money can actually enjoy one another and be thankful for what they have.  There is no remembering this time around, only an opportunity for his heart to be stirred.

The ghost even turns some of Scrooge's previous words back on him.  When Scrooge asks him if Tiny Tim will live (because he clearly cares for him as a person now), the ghost replies "What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the population." (pg.78)  And Scrooge "hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief."

Then again at the end with the very strange vision of the two children, Ignorance and Want. Scrooge is disturbed by them, but also shows compassion.  He asks if there is no refuge for them and  the Spirit turned Scrooge's word on him again saying, "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

A Visit to his Nephew

At one point he visits the Christmas party where his nephew is celebrating.  I love that Scrooge seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself, partaking in the games and merriment, even though they cannot see or hear him.  Here is a quote that I thought was really telling:

"When this strain of music sounded, all the things that Ghost had shown him came upon his mind; he softened more and more and thought that if he could have listened to it often, years ago, he might have cultivated the kindness of life for his own happiness with his own hands, without resorting to the sexton's spade that buried Jacob Marley."  (pg. 88-89)

Scrooge was all "head" and no "heart."  I am like that naturally, but have been working hard these past few years to appreciate beauty.  It is important to remember that we are not only thinking beings, but also possessors of hearts and souls that need cultivating as well.  It is easy to sway too much to one side or the other due to our natural tendencies, but this story cautions us again that.

Scrooge had never (or maybe rarely) been shown what happiness was like, so he didn't really know what he was missing.  He calloused his heart completely, and didn't want to chance joining in because he didn't want to be hurt ever again.

There is so much more that we could dive into, but as we finish up today, can I encourage you to notice the beauty around you?  Notice the people around you. Show compassion.  Not as a means of salvation, but as an outworking of the Holy Spirit's work in your heart.  

Walk worthy of your calling this week, and join me back here next week as we finish the book, discussing chapters 4-5.

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If you need to pick up a copy of the book, head over to amazon (the kindle version is free!) or since it is a public domain title, you can also get it for free on Project Gutenberg.

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Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about A Christmas Carol on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

A Christmas Carol Chapter 2 - The Ghost of Christmas Past

This post contains an affiliate link.

Welcome back to our discussion of A Christmas Carol!

If you don't have the book yet, you can get it for free on Kindle, or even download the text of it on Project Gutenberg!  I've been known to print out way too many pages from Project Gutenberg before =)

Just so you know, I am not planning on outlining the plot of each chapter, or going through the book page by page in these posts.  I am going to pull out interesting quotes and ideas that I want to work through, and discuss them with you!  Please feel free to add to the discussion by leaving comments below or linking up a post that you have written about the book.

You can also join our live discussion on facebook!  We will be discussing live at 1pm EST for the next few Fridays, or you can always still go back and add your thoughts to the discussion afterwards.  I will be popping in throughout the week to keep the conversation going.  (Here is the schedule for the life chats on the rest of the book.)  Psst.  I've got some bonus goodies for those who join in on facebook!

Repressed Memories

For a one-line synopsis of this chapter, the Ghost of Christmas Past comes to visit Scrooge and shows him glimpses of Christmas memories from years past.

The description of the ghost was sure detailed and very interesting!  I thought about trying to draw it based on the description, but didn't think I could do it justice ;)

It seems like Scrooge has been shutting out memories and the Ghost is here to remind him.  I think this quote (page 39 in my book, when Scrooge wants the ghost to put his cap on to shut out the light) give us a lot to think about:

"Would you so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give?  Is it not enough that you are of those whose passions made this cap and force me through the whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow?"

This makes me wonderful who exactly this Ghost is.  Does anybody know?  Obviously I know this is a work of fiction, but who is he supposed to be?  Is he just Scrooge's memory, personified?  Is Scrooge basically telling himself to stop remembering and his memory is telling him to stop repressing the memories?

So then, they begin their journey back in time. (Or is it that the Ghost just brings things to the forefront of Scrooge's memory? Does anyone know exactly how this is all working?  Are they moving about, or are things moving about in front of them?  Or is this actually all just in Scrooge's head?)

It is interesting how you can not think about something for dozens of years, but a smell or a vision can bring it all back so vividly, and suddenly it becomes very meaningful again.

"He was conscious of a thousand odors floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand hopes and joys and cares long, long forgotten." (pg 41)

"Why was he rejoiced beyond all bounds to see them?" (pg 42)

The Reason for Scrooge's Hardheartedness 

The first chapter describes Scrooge so well, but leaves you with the question, "Why is this old man so mean-spirited?"  The second chapter answers that question.

He seems to be jumping between very positive memories and very painful ones.  Scrooge must have had a very emotional boyhood, which you can contrast with the stoic-ness of his adulthood.  No wonder he hates Christmas!

Scrooge's life epitomized neglect and loneliness.  Do you think that offers any justification for his current choices and attitude?  I don't think it is a justification, but it definitely gives an explanation as to why he is how he is!

Amongst all of the heart wrenching memories, there are two highlights of his younger life: his sister, and his old boss.  Through them, he sees that (pg 52):

He has the power to render us happy or unhappy, to make our service light or burdensome, a pleasure or a toil...The happiness he gives is quote as great as if it cost a fortune."

Some people in Scrooge's life made him miserable, while others brought him great joy.  This made me think of my own actions and how I have the potential to make people miserable or joyous.  Do I make my children's days light or burdensome?  Do I case my husband pleasure or toil?

Unfortunately, Scrooge took the happenings of his life and let the negative side win.  He became bound and determined to never be poor again and sacrificed relationships to do so.  Before showing him with his wife (is that who that is?) the book says:

"There was an eager, greedy, restless motion in the eye, which showed that passion had taken root, and where the shadow of the growing tree would fall."

This is a great illustration of how the love of money is the root of all evil.

"I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master passion, Gain engrosses you." (pg 54)

As Scrooge sees himself in all of these situations, he comes to regret some of how he has been acting.

1. Scrooge wishes he would have been kinder to the caroler at his door the night before.
2. He would "like to be able to say a word or two" to his clerk.

As we finish up today, can I encourage you to choose your actions carefully, to bring others joy, to be generous, and to value people?  

This was definitely a conviction for me as I read this chapter!  Like we talked about last week, I definitely do not think that these are the things that lead to salvation, but they should definitely be the fruit of a regenerate life.  Walk worthy of your calling this week, and join me back here next week to discuss chapter 3!

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If you need to pick up a copy of the book, head over to amazon (the kindle version is free!) or since it is a public domain title, you can also get it for free on Project Gutenberg.

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Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about A Christmas Carol on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

A Christmas Carol Chapter 1 - Marley's Ghost

This post contains an affiliate link.

I am excited to begin thinking through A Christmas Carol with you.  Welcome!  Before we dive into the chapter, I wanted to share a couple of things with you.

If you don't have the book yet, you can get it for free on Kindle, or even download the text of it on Project Gutenberg!  I've been known to print out way too many pages from Project Gutenberg before =)

Just so you know, I am not planning on outlining the plot of each chapter, or going through the book page by page in these posts.  I am going to pull out interesting quotes and ideas that I want to work through, and discuss them with you!  Please feel free to add to the discussion by leaving comments below or linking up a post that you have written about the book.

You can also join our live discussion on facebook!  We will be discussing live at 1pm EST for the next few Fridays, or you can always still go back and add your thoughts to the discussion afterwards.  I will be popping in throughout the week to keep the conversation going.  (Here is the schedule for the life chats on the rest of the book.)  Psst.  I've got some bonus goodies for those who join in on facebook!

The Faith of Charles Dickens

The content of this chapter made me wonder about Charles Dickens' religious beliefs.  I found this article on Christianity Today on Dickens' faith.  It talks about how he disliked aristocracy and formality, and was a champion for the poor and needy.  He didn't think that the church did enough social action for those in need.  His writings, including A Christmas Carol, reflect his views on this.

Here is a quote from the article that will be good to keep in the back of our minds as we think about this book:

The “salvation” of Scrooge comes not from an encounter with Christ, but an encounter with self. He displays the Dickensian view that salvation is achieved by loving your neighbor, giving a cup of water to those in need. The New Testament teaches that such acts are the result of spiritual conversion; for Dickens, they were the means.

Chapter 1 - Marley's Ghost

Ok, on to the book!  My first though (having never read this book before) is that I am impressed at how faithful the movies/plays have been to the text of the book, even down to the "Bah Humbug!"

Movies are great for creating a visual experience, but I already feel like I have a more clear understanding of the message of the story from reading just the first few pages.

This is the quote that stuck out to me the most from the first chapter.  I'm going to keep my eye out the rest of the book, because I have a feeling that this might even be a thesis type statement for the book.

"The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power forever."  A Christmas Carol pg 34

Marley's Ghost has come back to visit Scrooge to try to keep him from this fate.  The picture of Marley seeing a young mother and baby, but being unable to help them, was very powerful to me.

How many times do you see someone that you want to help, but  don't?  I frequently have the desire to help someone, but psych myself out by thinking "Maybe they don't actually need help," or "I probably wouldn't do it right," or "Someone else closer to them is probably already helping them."  Then I end up just doing nothing.  Shame on me!  While I don't agree with Dickens' social gospel belief, this message is still very convicting for me!

Can I take a minute to encourage you to have a notebook out while you are reading?  Just jot ideas down as they come to you.  Ask questions.  Copy quotes.

I actually took lots of notes because I knew that I wanted to blog about it, but afterward I took the few quotes that I had written down and copied them into a notebook.

If you are not familiar with this already, it is sometimes referred to as keeping a Commonplace Book.  Let's talk about that more in another post and get back on track here =)

Here is another quote that I wrote down.  This one is from page 31 in my book and is Marley speaking:

Business!...Mankind was my business.  The common welfare was my business: charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business.  The dealings of trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!"

This paints a great picture and is a wonderful perspective!  Our 9-5 job, or the job we might get paid for, is not where we derive our worth or serve our greatest purpose.  In the grand scheme of things, how we treat other people is so much more important than our job title or how much money we make.

I know that I get caught up in the minute by minute duties of the day, and often forget that my real purpose on this earth is to show Christ to others.  Am I being kind to my child?  Am I showing mercy to my husband?  Am I giving charity to that person in the parking lot?  Ooo!  This is convicting me as I write!  Now only if I can remember this the next time I am feeling overwhelmed.

I think this is a good note to leave on today.  Can I encourage you to try to keep these lessons from Dickens in your mind and heart this week?  Keep pondering this chapter and meet me back here next week!

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If you need to pick up a copy of the book, head over to amazon (the kindle version is free!) or since it is a public domain title, you can also get it for free on Project Gutenberg.

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Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about A Christmas Carol on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

Classical Mamas Read - A Christmas Carol

This post contains an affiliate link.

Welcome to another addition of Classical Mamas Read!  This time we will be reading through and discussing A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

I don't know about you, but when I read a book, I always want to talk about it!  I thought we would try something a little different this time around.  I will be posting a blog for the next four Fridays, but I will also be available to live-chat about it on facebook at 1pm EST each Friday.

Here is what the schedule will look like:

December 2nd - Chapter 1 Marley's Ghost

December 9th - Chapter 2 - The First of the Three Spirits

December 16th - Chapter 3 - The Second of the Three Spirits

December 23rd - Chapters 4 & 5 - The Last of the Three Spirits & The End of It

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If you need to pick up a copy of the book, head over to amazon (the kindle version is free!) or since it is a public domain title, you can also get it for free on Project Gutenberg.

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Liberal Arts: The Trivium

This post contains an affiliate link to the book we are discussing.

Oh, how I am excited to be discussing The Liberal Arts Tradition with you!  Why am I so excited?  It is because in the past six months I feel like my eyes are being opened to a greater understanding of classical education, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.  This book is going to help me (and you, hopefully!) gain some of that knowledge.

I hope all my American readers had a nice Thanksgiving!  I took a couple of week off from doing much blogging, but I am ready to get back into discussing this next chapter with you!

Hopefully we will get to a couple chapters before taking another small break for Christmas.  So let's get started talking about the seven liberal arts!

The Trivium

If you asked any classical homeschooler to define classical education, you would undoubtedly get an answer that revolves around the trivium.  Up until about a year ago, that is all I thought it was too!  While it is not the entirety of classical education, it is certainly one very important component.  In case you are not already familiar with the trivium, let me share with you the definition found on page 35 of The Liberal Arts Tradition:

"Latin for the three ways, the Trivium is the threefold curriculum of the language arts: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric.  In their most basic sense, grammar has to do with understanding language, dialectic with dialogic reasoning, and rhetoric with the artful composition of texts, written and spoken."

Grammar

Typically we think of grammar as being a time where young elementary students soak up all the basic information they can about a wide variety of subjects.  This is because of the essay, The Lost Tools of Learning, that Dorothy Sayers wrote in the 1940s.  She likened the idea of grammar to the natural way that students learn when they are young, and gave birth to the idea of the grammar stage.

Did you know that a grammar stage is not something that was a part of the original classical tradition?

"Historically, then, the "grammar" of grammar was not merely an abstract concept meaning "to learn the rudiments of all the subjects."  Rather, it meant learning Latin...This fact has been overlooked by many in the Christian classical renewal, but it is very important to keep in mind."

 Interesting!  So, I think it is good to keep in mind that while memory work is good and necessary, being able to read original works is really what we are after.

Dialectic

This subject of the trivium is often called Logic because it has to do with the art of reasoning.  The book points out, though, that it is more than logic.  From the root of the word dialectic, we can tell that the subject also involved dialogue.

Our children need to learn to ask good questions, sort and reason through information, and process it all into good answers.  On page 41 the book states that dialectic skill is necessary for further studies, but must be 'perfected' first:

The art of dialectic, therefore, will ultimately be an invaluable resource for study of the sciences and philosophies, but it must first be perfected by rhetoric.

Rhetoric

This chapter spends a good amount of space discussing rhetoric.  Rhetoric is always interesting to me because I'm just not there yet!  It is like some illusive end goal that seems so far away.

Essentially Rhetoric is the art of eloquence.  We want our students to learn to be well spoken and persuasive.  Of course in the Christian tradition we want them to do this for the glory of God and not for the sake of their own ego.

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How are you doing at implementing the three liberal arts of the trivium in your homeschool?  

Does your chosen curriculum reflect the goals of these arts?  

Are you a part of a classical school, co-op, or other formal gathering?  How do their goals line up with this facet of classical education?  

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Thanks for reading along this week!  What did you think of this chapter?  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Home Education on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next time we will look at the trivium in The Liberal Arts Tradition.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you grab a copy so you can join in on our discussions soon!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about The Liberal Arts Tradition on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

The Liberal Arts - The Nexus Between Imitation and Knowledge

This post contains an affiliate link to the book we are discussing.

Oh, how I am excited to be discussing The Liberal Arts Tradition with you!  Why am I so excited?  It is because in the past six months I feel like my eyes are being opened to a greater understanding of classical education, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.  This book is going to help me (and you, hopefully!) gain some of that knowledge.

The Arts vs The Sciences

When most people think of classical education, they think of the trivium.  A few weeks ago, we discovered how the trivium is just a small part of classical education.  Remember?  The trivium, along with the quadrivium make up the seven liberal arts, and the liberal arts is only one of six aspects of classical education (discussed in this book, anyways).

The next two chapters will go into detail about the trivium and quadrivium, but first the book explains what makes something an art.

"{Thomas Aquinas} stands at the beginning of the medieval tradition which taught the liberal arts as preparatory for the studies of philosophy and theology.  Aquinas described them as the tools by which knowledge is fashioned."  pg 30-31

I think that is a wonderful way of looking at the liberal arts.  So, essentially, as we teach our students we are giving them tools.  That is a freeing thought =)  If we don't get our children to remember every detail that we put in front of them, it is ok!   We are preparing them for further study.

So what exactly is an art?  This chapter distinguishes art from science by explaining that an art produces something, while a science is strictly the knowledge of something.  These definitions are obviously different than our modern categories of art and science.  It takes a little time to let your brain settle on these wider definitions.

Before we can produce something, though, we must imitate the greats.

"One of the ancient maxims in education was 'imitation precedes art.'  An art could only be attained from an extensive foundation in action and imitation forming cultivated habits."  pg. 31

I think our current model of classical education does a great job emphasizing this.  We do copywork to learn to imitate great writing, we study great artists and imitate their styles of painting, we read great literature and copy their styles in order to produce great works of our own.

Once we have imitated extensively, we can combine that practice with the knowledge we have obtained through science and produce art.  Art is imitation joined with reason.

Why the Liberal Arts?

So what is the point?  Why are the liberal arts so important?  The liberal arts are the vehicles by which we produce reason.  We could have great amounts of knowledge stored up in our heads, but if we cannot get that out for others to benefit from, it is of no use.  We learn to express our selves through poetry and persuasion, and to justify knowledge through experimentation and logic.

Going back to what we said earlier, that an art is something that produces something, you might ask what exactly the liberal arts are producing.  On page 32 it says,

"It is the liberal arts alone whose good produced in knowledge...the liberal arts would have been the seven ways in which knowledge was justified."

This book continues to give us lots of food for thought!  I have certainly never thought about classical education in this way before.  It is making me rethink some of the ways that I am teaching, though I don't have any great answers yet =)

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Have you made any changes in the structure of your homeschool because of The Liberal Arts Tradition?

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Thanks for reading along this week!  What did you think of this chapter?  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Home Education on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next time we will look at the trivium in The Liberal Arts Tradition.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you grab a copy so you can join in on our discussions soon!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about The Liberal Arts Tradition on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

Gymnastic & Music - The Basis of All Education

This post contains an affiliate link to the book we are discussing.

Oh, how I am excited to be discussing The Liberal Arts Tradition with you!  Why am I so excited?  It is because in the past six months I feel like my eyes are being opened to a greater understanding of classical education, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.  This book is going to help me (and you, hopefully!) gain some of that knowledge.

Gymnastic & Music

My big takeaway from this chapter is that the early years of a classical education should probably look different than we are accustomed to seeing.  We owe much thanks to Dorothy Sayers for her book The Lost Tools of Learning, but did you know that true classical education was not broken down into grammar, logic, and rhetoric as stages based on age?  I'm not trying to say that we should throw out that idea (because there is much merit to it) but it is interesting to learn more and try to put all the pieces together.

Classical education seeks rather to build upon a robust poetic and moral education before it moves to analysis critique.

That quote was from page 19.  It seems to echo the idea that we are accustomed to about not forcing analysis in the early years, saving it for the dialectic and rhetoric stages.  It does seems to have a different thought about the grammar stage years, though.  Or maybe it is just a matter of making sure that we are handling and prioritizing what we do in the early years the right way.

The Grammar Stage & Delight

I think the average classical education homeschooler thinks of the grammar stage as a time for memorization, fact learning, and copying.  That, in itself, is not wrong, but I think that many people are probably going about it in a wrong way.   Maybe it is because of how we have been told classical education should look in the grammar stage.  Perhaps we have been misguided?  Or maybe, not!  I'd love to hear how you have approached the grammar stage or what your ideas of how it looks are.

What I took from this chapter is that maybe the things we are doing are right, but we need to make sure that we are doing them in a way that produces wonder & delight.

In classical antiquity a major portion of the education of children consisted of physical training, singing, memorizing poetry, acting/imitating, drawing, sculpting, learning of the deeds of the great men of the past, reading great literary works, and experiencing and observing the natural world.  (page 20)

This sounds a lot like Charlotte Mason to me =)  I know that Charlotte Mason is thought of as a classical educator, but some of her methods have often seemed contrary to what I thought of as classical education.  I am seeing now that I have had a misguided view of what early classical education should look like.

Here is Dr. Perrin talking about Wonder and Curiosity.  I love his lectures!




Yes, memorize all the wonderful things that we have been learning about.  Yes, read aloud to our children.  Yes, study history and science.  But, do all those things in a way that produces wonder & delight.

"Before studying scientific astronomy one must admire and delight in the splendor or the heavens."   - Dennis Quinn 

When I first heard Dr. Perrin talk about scholé, my mind opened up to a new understanding that sometimes I need to do things that nourish my soul, not just things with tangible benefit.  I am hearing the same type of message in this chapter.  We (and our children) are not just 'mind,' but we are 'body' and 'soul' as well.  If we train our children's minds only, and neglect the cultivating of their bodies and souls, we are not providing them with a full curriculum.

This chapter contains so much more great information, but these were the things that caused me to pause and really think.  So my encouragement to you is to make sure that the training of your children's souls and bodies is not an after thought in your homeschool.  And also, let us encourage one another with ways to teach our youngsters that produces a wonder for the subjects they are studying.  Please share your ideas in the comments!

I am going to leave you with one last quote from page 29.  I won't leave any commentary on it, but would love to flesh it out in the comments if you'd like to!

"Although musical education considers some of the same 'subjects' as the liberal arts, it does so from the perspective of forming the heart, the sense of wonder, and the affections.  It contains in seed form the liberal arts and the philosophies,  What is sown by music and gymnastic training will be cultivated later in the liberal arts portion of the curriculum devoted especially to the Trivium and Quadrivium.'

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Thanks for reading along this week!  What did you think of this chapter?  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Home Education on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next week we will look at the Liberal Arts in The Liberal Arts Tradition.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you grab a copy so you can join in on our discussions soon!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about The Liberal Arts Tradition on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

Piety - An Education in Love

This post contains an affiliate link to the book we are discussing.

Oh, how I am excited to be discussing The Liberal Arts Tradition with you!  Why am I so excited?  It is because in the past six months I feel like my eyes are being opened to a greater understanding of classical education, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.  This book is going to help me (and you, hopefully!) gain some of that knowledge.

Piety

Piety.  Have you heard that word recently?  I surely haven't!  That is probably because our culture does not value it any longer.   From page 10 -

Piety signifies the duty, love, and respect owed to God, parents, and communal authorities past and present.

Our culture thrives on the modern, the individual, and a rebellion from all things traditional.  No wonder we don't hear the word piety any more, let alone raise it as a virtue to be attained.

This chapter set the wheels in my brain turning.  I have recently been thinking about how children act (mine included) outside their homes, how they interact with others, and (from those I assume) how they act with their families inside their homes.  In general, behavior seems to be poor these days.  There is a lack of respect, lack of love, and great air of selfishness.

It all started making sense to me as I was reading this chapter.  We (in general) no longer teach piety first and foremost to our children.  If we are not actively teaching piety, we are passively teaching individualism, which results in rebellion, disrespect, and the like.

It all comes down to properly ordering our loves (ordo amoris).  Our love for God and his Word should come foremost, then love for family, church, country, etc.  Piety identifies who we are .  If we are Christians, then we should be easily identified by the things that we respect, our actions, and the traditions that we hold to.

As I'm typing this, I'm realizing that I knew all of this, but I don't think I had really thought of it in this way before.  I hold dearly to the Bible, but I admit to being prideful by not heeding the advice of those who have come before me.  I tend to think my own way is best (I'm not talking about forming my own opinion on things the Bible is clear about, but rather the idea of not following the "well-worn paths" of those who have come before me).

I see issues related to this in my own children and I take complete responsibility.  Now is when that changes.  From page 17 -

Without the students internalizing a fundamental respect for God, their teachers, parents, and elders, the entire process of education likewise fails...Before learning can begin there must be an education in love.

Wow.  I would like to say that I knew this already, and I probably did "on paper," but I am seeing this issue in a whole new light lately and now I have the right word for it...piety.  Reading this chapter was very timely for me.

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Do you prioritize teaching piety?

How do you practically lead your children toward virtue?

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Thanks for reading along this week!  What did you think of this chapter?  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Home Education on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next week we will look at the subjects of Gymnastic and Music in The Liberal Arts Tradition.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you grab a copy so you can join in on our discussions soon!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about The Liberal Arts Tradition on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).