The Dish: A Mother's Review #10

The Dish: 

A Mother's Review #10

Knowledge of God

The first Delightfully Feasting Retreat of the 2019 Retreat season was entirely dedicated to The Knowledge of God. We discussed Bible Lessons, Christian Studies, The Moral Imagination, Hymns, Devotions, and more. It was a day full of grand conversations,and many ideas regarding the principle knowledge were feasted upon. Here are some of the ideas that led to great discussion. If you weren't in attendance, you can ponder, pray upon, read about, and think about these ideas regarding The Knowledge of God. 

Knowledge of the Universe

Ocean Study Roundup

Here is a roundup of some of our favorite books for a study of the ocean/coral reefs. One of our science streams for Term 1 of the 2019 school year was Oceanography and our Special Studies topic for the term was Seashells. It has been a great study, with coral reefs being the favorite aspect of the ocean to explore. This is due, of course, to the power of great living books to captivate my children with ideas, and to give them plenty to think about. Here are some of our favorites:

One Small Square: Coral Reef 
(The entire One Small Square series is worth having and reading. We read these slowly, over an entire term, as a "spine" of sorts for our special studies, science, or natural history topics.)  

Coral Reefs by Jason Chin

Let's Read and Find out Books:
Who Eats What: Food Chains and Food Webs
An Octopus is Amazing 
Life in a Coral Reef 
(The Let's Read and Find Out Science books are simply without comparison. We love and read them all.) 

Octopuses One to Ten by Ellen Jackson

Little Gray's Great Migration (and other Arbordale books) by Marta Lindsey

Seymour Simon Books (Dolphins, Whales, Coral Reefs, Oceans, etc)
(These are detailed, thorough books best for older children. The illustrations are lovely, however, and the books can be used simply to look out and explore, rather than being read in their entirety.) 

Seahorses by Jennifer Keats Curtis

The Journey of a Turtle by Carolyn Scrace

Field Guides:

 A Pocket Guide to Seashells and the Seashore (Parragon)
(We LOVE this Field Guide. The images are wonderful, and the information is concise and proportionate to the way in which we use a field guide for Special Studies and on nature adventures.) 

More Fun with Nature: Seashells, Crabs, and Sea Stars 
(We love the entire Fun With Nature series and we have the two large volumes that compile all of the guides. The Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars section of the More Fun With Nature volume is a fabulous "backbone" of a study on shells.)

Knowledge of Man

Biography Roundup

I get many inquiries regarding quality biographies. Biography is an important aspect of a living approach to history, culture, and much more. A quality biography is filled with inspiring ideas and introduces a person to another person, rather than imparting to them a list of facts and dates. A quality biography invites you into the world, home, life, mind, and heart of another person who has lived before or alongside you.
Here are several series of quality biographies:

The Childhood of Famous Americans
Heroes of the Faith 

Christian Heroes Then and Now

Trailblazer Books 

Landmark Books

Jean Fritz Books

Food for the Mother's Soul

Have you read Honey for a Woman's Heart? Many people know Gladys Hunt for her Honey For a Child's Heart, which is a must-have for living educators. However, Woman's Heart is just as worth reading, and owning, and reading time and time again. The book lists are helpful and inspiring, but the wisdom shared by a fellow reader and book lover is where the real heart of the book lies. You will find this book immensely helpful and inspiring, and you'll keep in on your shelf forever.
 

Around the Table  

What is Happening in the Charlotte Mason World?

Did you hear that Cindy Rollins and Angelina Stanford are creating a new podcast, discussing books?

I couldn't possibly be more excited, and I am anxiously awaiting the end of April when the first few episodes will be dropped. Cindy is Charlotte Mason royalty, and her status and wisdom as a veteran is beyond valuable to the Charlotte Mason community, and to mothers in general. The podcast is called The Literary Life, and you can watch for more details and updates in Cindy's newly formed facebook group Mere Motherhood. There is also a Literary Life Discussion Group on facebook where you will be able to discuss the podcast, the books discussed on the podcasts, and all books with Cindy, Angelina and others.

 Another member of Charlotte Mason royalty, Nancy Kelley, has started a podcast as well! It is an exciting time for living educators! You can read about the Sage Parnassus Podcast here.

Something to Chew On

"We, as persons, are not enlightened by means of multiple choice tests or grades, but rather by other people in our lives that we come to know, admire, and love. We are educated by our friendships and by our intimacies...Whether it be gardening, keeping house, or governing a state; love of work- like love of people-teaches things that no school, no system, can." ~Karen Andreola




A mother pursuing a living education can never be too oft reminded to remember, and remain true to, the purpose of education. School and education are not the same things, and we are not about the business of providing schooling to our children. Schooling is utilitarian in purpose and structure and result, but we have chosen to provide and facilitate an education instead of schooling. We have chosen to educate whole persons, rather than to fill minds with facts that will be useful for certain careers and accomplishments. Though we know this, and have chosen it ourselves, we are so very prone and susceptible to a slow fade towards grades and evaluations and tests and checklists. Those things are tangible. Those things are measurable. Those things feel within our control, and that is really the heart of our struggle. We don't like to feel out of control, and we don't like to trust the Lord without also attempting to "help Him along". We know that this is a preposterous notion, but yet we sometimes set about doing it. Remind yourself, dear mother, of what education consists of and of what its very purpose is. Remind yourself, daily, of what it is that you are doing and what it is that you are praying for. Most of all, remind yourself that God is worthy of your trust, and that He loves your children infinitely more than you do. He has given them to your stewardship, and you have made choices regarding their care, their education, their life. You have chosen well, my friends. You have chosen well. So, be faithful....and trust the Lord.   

May All Your Days Be Spent.....Delightfully Feasting
Crystin <3