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CM's Ourselves Study Questions
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At the end of CM’s Vol. 4 “Ourselves”, there are study questions. I find this interesting. Can anyone point me to where Charlotte talks about the use of these questions in her writings? What I find interesting is that these are specific questions, not just open-ended type questions. Maybe Sonya could shed some light on if these were used with her studensts and how they were used? Thanks so much!
I’m afraid I can’t shed much light on how the questions at the end of the volumes were used.
Volumes 1-4 all have questions at the end for the use of the “Student” or “Reader.”
We know from this passage in Volume 6 that Ourselves (Vol. 4) was used as part of the curriculum in Charlotte’s schools:
Ourselves, our Souls and Bodies (by the Writer, i.e., Charlotte Mason) is much used in the P.U.S., as I know of no other attempt to present such a ground plan of human nature as should enable the young student to know where he is in his efforts to ‘be good’ as the children say. The point of view taken in this volume is, that all beautiful and noble possibilities are present in every one; but that each person is subject to assaults and hindrances in various ways of which he should be aware in order that he may watch and pray. Hortatory teaching is apt to bore both young people and their elders; but an ordered presentation of the possibilities and powers that lie in human nature and of the risks that attend these, can hardly fail to have an enlightening and stimulating effect.
But how/if those questions were used, I’m not sure.
Thanks Sonya. I was just reading that very quote yesterday. I hadn’t noticed the questions in the back of the other volumes you mentioned. How interesting! Maybe you can help me understand this. To me, many of these questions fall more under the lines of comprehension questions. But I thought that CM was not a fan of comprehension questions. I can’t pull up the quotes at this moment but it seems to me that there were places in her writings where it indicated that. So it just puzzles me. I am still working my way through reading CM’s books…so do please bear with me as I’m trying to piece these things together. 🙂
I’m piecing together right along with you, so thanks for thinking these things through with me! Two observations:
- With the questions being address to “students,” I wasn’t sure whether these in Volume 4 were for the children students or for Charlotte’s teachers in training. Then I noticed that in some of the questions (part 1, chapter 4 and chapter 5, for example) the wording is “what ____ would you give the children?” That makes me think the questions in all the volumes were designed for the teachers in training/parents reading. Thoughts?
- I agree that the questions are more pointed than generic; however, most of them are still quite open-ended, asking for a narration of the content. They are still a world apart from fill in the blank or multiple choice, for instance.
Hmmm…great observations! I’m going to pull out part 1 and look at the chapters you mentioned. Also, it would be interesting to look at the other volumes that have questions and see how some of them are worded as well. You may have found the answer – the questions being addressed to the teachers vs. the students. When you think about it, I could see why questions addressed to the teachers would be more pointed and specific to make sure that the teachers know the material thoroughly since they will be working with the students. Wouldn’t you say?
And I agree that the questions, while being more specific, are definitely still much, much different than fill in the blanks, multiple choice, and true and false questions. 🙂 Don’t you think that sometimes, though, there can be a fine line between that open-ended type question and a well written comprehension question? I see a well written comprehension question being sort of open-ended, yet asking them to tell you about information covered in the chapter in a specific way. CM definitely asked questions like that from what I can tell. OR are comprehension questions considered to be the multiple choice, fill in the blanks, and true/false questions? If so, then I totally see the difference. 🙂
I’ll come back later and comment more after I get a chance to look at the questions in the chapters you mentioned. And maybe I can browse through the questions in the other volumes as well.
I see a well written comprehension question being sort of open-ended, yet asking them to tell you about information covered in the chapter in a specific way. CM definitely asked questions like that from what I can tell.
Absolutely. Yes!
Okay, I’ve looked over the study questions for Ourselves. I also glanced at questions in another volume. I think your observation may be right on. As I looked through the questions for Ourselves, I found other ones such as “What practise in reasoning would you advise for children?” It seems logical to assume these questions were meant for the teachers not the students. I think it throws us off because she titles the section “Questions for the Use of Students.” However, both Volumes 1 and 2 give the questions the same title and Volume 3 titles them “Questions for the Use of Readers.” Only Volume 4 was written for students.
RE: the comprehension questions. It’s really interesting to look at the exam questions on the PNEU term exams. She definitely asked specific questions and expected them to know specific things. They weren’t all simply “Tell me all you know about….” type questions. I find all of this very interesting. When you study CM’s philosophy and methods for education and you look at the PNEU term schedules and term exams, you see that a CM education really is a quite rigorous education. Yet it begins gently.
I might be able to shed some light on this. In Essex Cholmondley’s The Story of Charlotte Mason, p. 45, she states,
“The Mothers’ Educatoin Course consisted of Syllabus I and II with examination papers for each. The questions for these papers still appear at the end of each volume of the Home Education Series as a help to study and to indicate points which the author considers significant. The M.E.C. continued usefully for twenty-three years. It came to an end with the war difficulties of 1915, when mothers had no leisure for study.”
So, yes, they were examination questions for mothers who were students in her Mothers’ Education Course! (The M.E.C. is a fascinating study in itself!)
Comfort and joy,
Nancy
Thank you so much Nancy! I’d like to read The Story of Charlotte Mason. I’ll have to add that to my list of books to read. 🙂
You mentioned that the M.E.C. is a fascinating study. Can you share about it more?
In the past when I have looked it up, I was impressed with the level of reading and study – defintely college + level! In The Story of CM, it is talked about on page 45. If you visit the digital archives and search the database for “Mothers Education Course”, you can read more about it. It all fits together so nicely as everything related to everything in her grand scheme of education for all.
She saw a need, so she filled it. She said, “That education demands more than mere reading. You read an article and forget it; you study a subject, and either reject, or make your own, a life possession, the thought of the author with its practical bearing. Many mothers feel that they are the better in body and mind for the mental activity that nothing but definite study affords. We are making arrangements for a course of study on education – a three years’ course – with monthly questions”
HTH,
Nancy
Thanks so much Nancy! I’ll have to check out the digital archives.
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