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Posts and articles about Charlotte Mason’s approach to teaching language arts.
I’ve been cleaning off my bookshelves these past couple of weeks, trying to cull out duplicates. Now, usually duplicate copies of a title are not a problem in a household of readers, but when the shelves are full and you…
Last week we talked about how Charlotte Mason used guided discovery with her students to help them grow in language arts—the art of using language well. With guided discovery, you guide your student’s attention to a particular aspect of a…
The other day my older daughters were invited to an outdoor wedding at a barn. They spent considerable time discussing what they should wear. No one was quite sure. They wanted to wear something appropriate for the occasion, but they…
I remember in elementary school we had weekly spelling lists. Ten words we were expected to learn before Friday’s spelling test. I would look over the list and identify any words I didn’t already know and study those. When it…
Natural progressions. We see them all around us. A plant sprouts, then grows taller and wider, then develops buds, then blossoms with flowers. A baby pulls himself up, then stands, then cruises with the help of the sofa or mom’s…
My first exposure to Shakespeare was in a high school language arts class. We had a substitute teacher that day. He didn’t know what to do with the class, so he wheeled in one of those TV-on-a-cart jobs and popped…
(Editor’s Note: I sometimes get asked, “What about creative writing?” Here is a lovely post about how to approach creative writing by guest writer, Karen Andreola.) “If we would believe it, composition is a natural as jumping and running to…
Sometimes a phrase jumps off the page and sticks with me. I’m sure you have experienced similar moments. The choice of words resonates with my heart or touches something deep inside my mind, and I notice them replaying in my…
The ladies over at Analytical Grammar recently sent out an excellent post in support of delaying formal grammar instruction until the student is at least 10 years old—just as Charlotte Mason advocated. Read Erin and Robin’s timely advice and be…
The time has come for your child to perform the Act of Knowing. We’ve discussed the first three steps to a successful narration lesson: pick a good living book, look ahead and behind, and read the passage. Those steps are…
We’ve been talking about the 5 steps to a successful narration lesson, and today we want to continue that series. So far we’ve discussed the importance of selecting a good living book. Book selection can make or break your child’s…
Probably the best way to illustrate Step 2 is to talk about the importance of framework. I saw an interesting video clip in which some instructions were read that were difficult to remember or to relate with. But once the…
Last week we started a new series, 5 Steps to Successful Narration. Do you remember the five steps? Don’t worry, we’ll review them often as we talk our way through them over the coming weeks. It’s tempting to think that…
My husband has been lifting weights for several months now in an effort to get into shape and improve his health. It’s been good. The program he is using challenges him to regularly increase the number of pounds he lifts,…
A few weeks ago we were on the road in Texas, between conventions, when our battery light came on. My husband is mechanically minded (for which I am often thankful), so he knew what to do. We found the nearest…
