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Explaining Picture Study, and Composer Study to my middle school boys
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OK, over the last year we have dabbled with these “studies”. Nature study was dabbled with in our Trail Guides curriculum (but I need to get better at it), and I tried to start working on picture and composer study at the end of the year on my own. However, I never really introduced to the boys the whys and hows of these studies, so I thought that I should give my boys a better start with it this year. At this point, they don’t understand why we are doing these, the ideas of how it all works, how we *should* be doing them, and what I am expecting to see.
I thought that having them read some short articles with explanations on using these tools and study methods would get more cooperation from them, better understanding on their part, and better results. Something that would explain what they accomplish, why I would want them to listen to different composers, why I want them to spend time drawing/sketching things they see in nature – or even seeing things they want to take photos of and put in a nature study album – and why I want them to narrate on artists’ masterpieces.
Does anyone have any ideas on what I should have them read (not entire books – just articles of some kind) that I could get them to read to explain the rationale behind all 3 of these? I know that I could dig through online and stuff I have read all over the place, but I thought someone else would know right where to go for this.
Thank you!
Cindy,
Here is a terrific Squidoo lens on artist study:
http://www.squidoo.com/cmartiststudy (it’s definitely worth it to follow the links to the excerpts of Charlotte Mason’s writing)
A blogpost on composer study:
http://charlottemasonhomeschool.wordpress.com/category/composer-study/
And a terrific article here at SCM on nature study:
http://simplycharlottemason.com/2007/07/25/8-reasons-to-do-nature-study/
I highly recommend SCM’s Hours in the Out of Doors also.
A nature study Squidoo:
http://www.squidoo.com/cmnaturestudy
HTH!
Thank you for the links. I also have an eBook from Katie’s Homeschool Cottage that would be good for explaining the Nature Study aspects as well. I will consolidate these resources and get the boys to read them.
OK, after reading through all of these links and places that jumped from those links, the only area I feel lacking in now is the WHYs of Music/Composer study. There seems to be plenty of the HOWs. Anymore information the WHYs?
Thank you!
Hmm. You mean just glaring at them and telling them they need to learn to value beauty won’t work? Maybe that’s what I’ve been doing wrong . . . (just kidding–although artist and composer study are not typically my boys’ favorite things)
How about this quote from Goethe?
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”
I love this quote! I need to find a place to post it!
I want to post this one, too, somewhere in the house. I stumbled across it a couple of months ago and thought it was very appropriate for my boys, too. It is from Aristotle:
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
This is such an interesting thread and I really enjoy the thought provoked by these questions and quotes.
I was not raised listening to the great composers but I do vividly remember the day (over twenty years ago) when I was in a kitchen where classical music was playing. Suddenly, I caught hold of the mood of the composer and a clear connection was established where there had never before been.
In A Philosophy of Education, a Mrs. Glover tells how music appreciation started at their school when Charlotte Mason thought listening to music “might give great joy and interest to the life of all.”
I enjoy that in a CM education we (mother/teacher) are not expected to be the “sage on the stage” but rather the guide by our children’s side. Sonya used this quote by Charlotte Mason at the seminar in Florida when talking about spreading that grand feast before our children in the form of the best literature, music, etc.:
I know you may bring a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. What I complain of is that we do not bring our horse to the water.
I love that and will write it down, tape it to a wall, mirror, fridge, somewhere…
That seems to incapsulate the whole CM philosophy, don’t you think?? I love the idea of being able to expose my kids to interesting places, people, music, art, poetry, literature, etc. in a way that my husband and I were not able to experience. Then just let them absorb what they will at that time, but still knowing that in the future they will know that we really wanted to give them the best we had. *Hopefully they get that:)
I’m too tired to really say anything useful, except *thank you* for posting that quote Richele. I am in the middle of watching the All Day Seminar and I believe I heard Sonya say that, but didn’t think of writing it down until now.
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