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Dawn Rhymer

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Advent 2020

Charlotte Mason Educational RetreatAdvent is here.

The arrival of Advent caught me off guard this year. I am realizing how big of a part the seasons play in our rhythm of life. This past summer our family moved from Colorado to Georgia. Here in Georgia there is no snow. The weather has been quite warm. There are still leaves on many of the trees. How can it be Thanksgiving, Advent, and just a few weeks from Christmas?

Handel’s Messiah

Tonight my family begins to listen to Handel’s Messiah. For several years, we have been using Cindy Rollins’s 25 Days to Handel’s Messiah: An Advent Devotional Guide.

We begin by reading the opening scripture. Then, we listen to the listed pieces. If we miss a day, we simply double up on a different night.

We have chosen to use Youtube for our music, and our favorite version is Stephen Cleobury conducting King’s College, Cambridge Choir.

The Guide

Cindy Rollins gave me permission to share the guide I made for my family to help with reading the scripture and getting to the right spot in the video. Please, let me know if you find any errors.

I hope our family’s simple tradition is a blessing for you as you contemplate this advent season.

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Planning: Choose a Curriculum Spine Part 1

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Leonardo da Vinci

Aside: I use the term spine in this blog, so I have been thinking about it as it is often used in modern Charlotte Mason speak. For example, a history spine would be the main book you would use for history, though there might be other side books you use in conjunction with it. With a simple search of Mason’s Volumes, though, I do not find the word spine used in this way. Perhaps a more thorough search of Parents’ Review articles or other vintage CM publications could reveal something else. Until then I will take the term as modern but also widely accepted in the CM community.

Last week  I wrote about planning for the new school year. This week I share more about choosing a curriculum spine.

A spine. We all have one, and, when functioning optimally, our spines are a blessing to us. When they are damaged and not working properly, though every bit as vital, our spines become a major source of pain. So whether helping or hurting, what should our spine be doing? I like this short list of functions.

Functions of the Spine1

The three main functions of the spine are to:

  1. Protect the spinal cord, nerve roots and several of the body’s internal organs.
  2. Provide structural support and balance to maintain an upright posture.
  3. Enable flexible motion.

This is what I want my choice of a Charlotte Mason curriculum to do: to serve as a healthy spine which will protect, provide support and balance, and enable flexibility. [Read more…] about Planning: Choose a Curriculum Spine Part 1

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Planning for the New School Year

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Path in the Wheat Fields at Pourville, Claude Monet

We are about to begin Week 5 of Term 3 for the 2019-2020 School Year, and I have begun planning for 2020-2021. This is probably the earliest I have ever started this planning, and I am appreciating the extra time. Here are the essential steps I have worked out in my mind.

1. Pray for wisdom

As I have had the opportunity to attend Charlotte Mason events, to read widely both in vintage CM and modern publications, and to receive help from CM mentors and peers, I am reminded again and again of the sacredness of the education we present to our children and the amazing presence of the Holy Spirit at each step of the way. There is nowhere else to begin but in prayer.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5) [Read more…] about Planning for the New School Year

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Clay Modeling III: The Modeling Board

This blog is the 3rd in a series on clay modeling.

What is a Modeling Board?

A modeling board is simply a surface on which to make a clay model. In this figure, taken from Unwin’s A Manual of Clay Modelling for Teachers and Scholars, there is also a vertical piece called an armature. When I use the term modeling board, I am referring to this combination of a board and armature.

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Is a Modeling Board Necessary?

As I was preparing to teach clay modeling in our co-op, I read and reread Unwin’s manual. Having no background in art outside of a few middle school classes, everything was new to me. While her principles and directions were inspiring and clear, the materials I needed were another matter. I have written about finding the clay. Another challenge was the modeling board. [Read more…] about Clay Modeling III: The Modeling Board