Isaac Newton did not invent the laws of physics, he observed and delineated what was already there. The great ancient human civilizations did the same thing with education. They realized that children learn in stages, and even as adults, we grow line by line, precept by precept.
There is a three-stage path to training the mind well. The stages are: Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric.
The Grammar stage is when children's brains are like sponges. They can memorize lots of things (nursery rhymes, stories, songs, math facts, dinosaur names, historical timelines), but good luck reasoning with them or expecting much meaningful self-expression. Don't torture them with analytical or abstract lessons. And definitely keep the propaganda out of it. There is a big push in current education to help elementary school children "understand" what they are learning. This is wrong for two reasons: they are not able to conceptualize the relationship between different factors and, even if they were, they have not developed the ability to reason through the validity of what they have been told. They accept whatever you say! (Santa Claus is real, smoking is bad, the polar ice caps are melting and baby seals are dying)
The Dialectic stage is when their logic and reasoning kick in, and they are delighted by being argumentative, and contrary just to get a reaction. It can be aggravating, but if you channel these natural tendencies into exercises using previously memorized facts, they are able to connect ideas, analyze the strengths of arguments, etc. Unless you have a body of facts with which to practice reasoning, you have to work from the ground up, and kids this age HATE nonsensical memorization. That's for babies. We react with shock when they question the existence of God, or the veracity of the Word of Wisdom, but just realize that it's natural, and hope you've been teaching them Logic so they can ask accurate questions and test validity of truths.
The Rhetoric stage occurs around teenagerhood and is most notable for a desire to express the self, discover strengths, and become proficient at whatever interests them. The unknown can be explored because the known is understood.
This is not a revolutionary idea. It's how you learn how to do anything well. Think about driving a car or using the computer. First you learn the terms and rules, then you string the isolated parts together to make a whole, then you become proficient and have the power to go wherever you want.
I would love to find a Christian school that taught in the Classical tradition, but since they are so expensive and usually have a belief statement that involves the Trinity and such things, I am content to educate at home and be involved in co-ops, church, and eventually orchestras and sports teams (oh yeah, you have more time for those things when your schooling only takes 3 hours).
Here are some links to articles and resources I use (I know, I know, this huge rant about education and I can't figure out how to insert a hyperlink):
http://www.veritaspress.com/
http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html
http://www.gbt.org/
http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=11394&x=52&y=10
Book: The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Happy Birthday Aunt Elizabeth!
My husband has a wonderful sister named Elizabeth, and she is a ballerina. This thrills my daughter to no end, and while we were visiting last month Elizabeth taught her how to do part of Swan Lake. Thanks Bit, you are turning into a fine woman (wow, isn't that what Norrington said too? about another Elizabeth? hee hee). Hope this is a great year for you!
Monday, May 3, 2010
The house
I have returned from a month-long trip to visit family in Utah and Arizona, seriously we were in Phoenix about 40 hours ago, so you'll notice my husband is a little on edge in these videos. The week before I left, we decided to buy this house. Our neighbors are great, and my husband has done the hideous job of dealing with the financiers (I'll iron your shirts anytime, honey). We are hoping to close on Wednesday the 5th of May, that is if my husband can slay the last remaining dragons and our Buyer's Remorse doesn't get the better of us. I love the neighborhood (we lived here for the first 5 years of our marriage). The schools are great, and I look at homeschool as a hobby (with potentially disastrous results--eek!). There's very little we want to changein this house, just some paint here and there. Even though these are black squares, they really are video clips. Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
New adventures in domesticity
This weekend: Charlotte took her first step! Video and post coming soon.
I learned how to sneak more fiber and less fat into baked goodies. Pureed beans! No seriously, I cooked a bunch of great northern beans with no seasoning, drained them well, and blitzed them in the blender till smooth. You've heard of using bananas in banana bread and applesauce as a replacement for butter/shortening. WEll this works great. Using a straight 1:1 ratio of puree to butter, I made orange cranberry muffins with the bean puree and molasses crinkle cookies as well. Also, I made the molasses cookies with half whole wheat. Since the molasses and brown sugar make it dark, the kids don't know they are getting whole grains and veggies in their cookies. Sadly, my husband couldn't even eat a bite of them. To him, chocolate chip cookies with two cubes of butter are the only thing worth eating. And I can see the wisdom in that. If you only ate two a week, that's fine. But who eats only two a week?
More adventures: Our little peas are growing out in our front flower bed! First time I've ever had a plant survive infancy. We'll see how it goes. WE've had good weather for peas.
I learned how to sneak more fiber and less fat into baked goodies. Pureed beans! No seriously, I cooked a bunch of great northern beans with no seasoning, drained them well, and blitzed them in the blender till smooth. You've heard of using bananas in banana bread and applesauce as a replacement for butter/shortening. WEll this works great. Using a straight 1:1 ratio of puree to butter, I made orange cranberry muffins with the bean puree and molasses crinkle cookies as well. Also, I made the molasses cookies with half whole wheat. Since the molasses and brown sugar make it dark, the kids don't know they are getting whole grains and veggies in their cookies. Sadly, my husband couldn't even eat a bite of them. To him, chocolate chip cookies with two cubes of butter are the only thing worth eating. And I can see the wisdom in that. If you only ate two a week, that's fine. But who eats only two a week?
More adventures: Our little peas are growing out in our front flower bed! First time I've ever had a plant survive infancy. We'll see how it goes. WE've had good weather for peas.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Rent this Movie!!!
Luther
Sterling and I are like Jack Sprat and his wife when it comes to history. He knows a lot about Mongolians, Aztecs, Egyptians, Russians, Slavs, Vikings. (Basically, all the violent brutes ahaha....) Oh and he likes the Civil War. I know about Europe, Greece, Rome, and more Europe. I like the history of philosophy, disasters, and politics. Sterling tends toward the history of exploration, science, and war. And so between the two of us, we licked the platter clean.
This movie was a gripping thriller for the one of us who is not familiar with the story of Martin Luther. (Sterling: AHHH Adrienne, do they burn him or not? Tell me! I can't take the suspense!) Sadly, most of us are more familiar with Martin Luther King, Jr. This movie is our new favorite Sunday relaxation film. It really makes you realize how brave the early Protestants had to be, and how many things went wrong in the course of the early Reformation.
Joseph Fiennes is amazing. Whether or not he really believes in Jesus and a loving Heavenly Father, he sure acts like it. (He played Christ on stage in a play called Son of Man). Anyway, I love love LOVE this film. Everything was so well done.
Did I mention Joseph Fiennes? AWWWwhhwhwgghghhwhwwwh (sound of me drooling)
He was the youngest of 6 kids. He is a twin and was born in 1970. Don't get your hopes up, his brother, Jacob, is a fraternal twin. But apparently the genetics are super good in his family. His brother Ralph was born in 1962 and is the oldest, in case you've wondered about their connection. He is 8th cousin to HRH the Prince of Wales (but aren't we all?)
Sterling and I are like Jack Sprat and his wife when it comes to history. He knows a lot about Mongolians, Aztecs, Egyptians, Russians, Slavs, Vikings. (Basically, all the violent brutes ahaha....) Oh and he likes the Civil War. I know about Europe, Greece, Rome, and more Europe. I like the history of philosophy, disasters, and politics. Sterling tends toward the history of exploration, science, and war. And so between the two of us, we licked the platter clean.
This movie was a gripping thriller for the one of us who is not familiar with the story of Martin Luther. (Sterling: AHHH Adrienne, do they burn him or not? Tell me! I can't take the suspense!) Sadly, most of us are more familiar with Martin Luther King, Jr. This movie is our new favorite Sunday relaxation film. It really makes you realize how brave the early Protestants had to be, and how many things went wrong in the course of the early Reformation.
Joseph Fiennes is amazing. Whether or not he really believes in Jesus and a loving Heavenly Father, he sure acts like it. (He played Christ on stage in a play called Son of Man). Anyway, I love love LOVE this film. Everything was so well done.
Did I mention Joseph Fiennes? AWWWwhhwhwgghghhwhwwwh (sound of me drooling)
He was the youngest of 6 kids. He is a twin and was born in 1970. Don't get your hopes up, his brother, Jacob, is a fraternal twin. But apparently the genetics are super good in his family. His brother Ralph was born in 1962 and is the oldest, in case you've wondered about their connection. He is 8th cousin to HRH the Prince of Wales (but aren't we all?)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Have you ever wondered why....
There were so many Jews in Poland for the Nazis to murder?
It all goes back to the 14th century, during the waves of Black Death that turned society upside down and inside out. Whole towns were wiped out, never to be rebuilt. Crazy apocolyptic ideas sprouted up, and of course people sought someone to blame. Jews were run out of their ancestral homes or simply burned in massive bonfires. In England, Jews were banned for hundreds of years after these atrocities.
But in one corner of Europe, a king happened to have a beautiful Jewish mistress. This woman convinced the king to spare her people and welcome the displaced refugees. The corner of Europe? Poland. The woman's name? Esther.
It all goes back to the 14th century, during the waves of Black Death that turned society upside down and inside out. Whole towns were wiped out, never to be rebuilt. Crazy apocolyptic ideas sprouted up, and of course people sought someone to blame. Jews were run out of their ancestral homes or simply burned in massive bonfires. In England, Jews were banned for hundreds of years after these atrocities.
But in one corner of Europe, a king happened to have a beautiful Jewish mistress. This woman convinced the king to spare her people and welcome the displaced refugees. The corner of Europe? Poland. The woman's name? Esther.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Reworked plot
A painter gets caught in a mob war and he must choose between an old friend and his masterpiece.
Want more detail? Read on...
It's Belle Epoque Paris and two criminal families are feuding. Sargent intends to paint a portrait of the arrogant Madame Gautreau, but he doesn't know her family is the Parisian mafia (hahahaha French mafia hahahaha!). At a dinner party, Sargent saves them from a bomb he soon discovers was thrown by a childhood Venetian friend. The friend and Sargent plot to ruin the Gautreau family but Sargent falls in love with Amelie while painting the portrait at her country house near the sea. He has to paint it in time to win the next Salon, and he has to save Amelie before his friend suspects him of the double-cross, and at the final climax he has to make the final self-sacrificing move before the tide comes in.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My sleeper cell neighbors
Be prepared to be either really offended, amused, or scared by what I'm about to reveal. We have this house next to ours that is usually empty. There has never been a For Rent sign, never been a moving van in the 18 months we've been here. And yet there have been many different people staying there. Sterling thinks they are Hispanic, I think they look Persian. Every one is in the top 30% of humanity as far as good looks go. Fit, good teeth, well-groomed. We got a piece of mail from some Aviator association addressed to Ishmael Shaarif. A character in my book would have knocked on their door and asked if it was theirs, but I just gave it back to our mail carrier. (chicken)
We can't tell who owns the house. The garage is always spotless except for a bicycle or two. Sometimes there are women and children, usually just a couple of men coming in and out. From time to time a handsome 30-something man parks in their driveway (in a super sporty Audi) and someone from the house comes out and sits in the car, and they talk. Other times I've seen other people meticulously cleaning their cars or unloading things from their trunk wrapped in black garbage bags.
Is it drugs? Terrorism? Saudi royalty? Ross Perot's security team?
We can't tell who owns the house. The garage is always spotless except for a bicycle or two. Sometimes there are women and children, usually just a couple of men coming in and out. From time to time a handsome 30-something man parks in their driveway (in a super sporty Audi) and someone from the house comes out and sits in the car, and they talk. Other times I've seen other people meticulously cleaning their cars or unloading things from their trunk wrapped in black garbage bags.
Is it drugs? Terrorism? Saudi royalty? Ross Perot's security team?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Goals
Ever since someone first asked me in that multi-layered tone meant to convey interest and mask competitivenes: "so, Eleanor's 10 months and not walking yet?" I stifled that "my kids must be the best and the smartest or it means I'm a failure" feeling and tried out the new motto "By the time she's 21, I'm sure she'll know how to walk. And your kid will too." And that's all it means. It's not about me.
Okay so I have my own personal list of goals on my fridge but recently as a mom I've been more aware of conflicting goals in situations with my children. What is more important? Their agency (i.e. pursuit of happiness) or my goal at the time (clean table, low energy bills, my nap, my pride).
For instance, I have a goal for my children to love reading. I model good reading habits, I read out loud to them, I have worked alongside Eleanor to learn the basic phonetic rules of English. Now, I know Eleanor (5) can sound out words, quite complicated words sometimes (shotgun, pioneer, buccaneer). However, she absolutely refuses to read on command. Or to herself.
I've been wrestling with what to do and my mom asked a good question. "What does it MEAN if Eleanor doesn't read?" I was about to splutter "It means I'm not a good homeschooler, I'm not a good mom, she'll Fall Behind, she's dumb....but wait, I know she's not. And darnit, I know I'm not any of those things. Those are all my insecurities talking. So I took a deep breath, and said "It means, uh, it means she just isn't reading right now." So for now, we're just reading lots of good books and cutting back on the TV. Other good ideas from my husband and mom were: She acts out stories as I read them (this worked well with Thumbelina), we do a reader's theater, comic books, let her draw while I read, and read in different places (like a tent or under the bunkbed with a lamp), and write her simple love notes that she can decipher.
Okay so I have my own personal list of goals on my fridge but recently as a mom I've been more aware of conflicting goals in situations with my children. What is more important? Their agency (i.e. pursuit of happiness) or my goal at the time (clean table, low energy bills, my nap, my pride).
For instance, I have a goal for my children to love reading. I model good reading habits, I read out loud to them, I have worked alongside Eleanor to learn the basic phonetic rules of English. Now, I know Eleanor (5) can sound out words, quite complicated words sometimes (shotgun, pioneer, buccaneer). However, she absolutely refuses to read on command. Or to herself.
I've been wrestling with what to do and my mom asked a good question. "What does it MEAN if Eleanor doesn't read?" I was about to splutter "It means I'm not a good homeschooler, I'm not a good mom, she'll Fall Behind, she's dumb....but wait, I know she's not. And darnit, I know I'm not any of those things. Those are all my insecurities talking. So I took a deep breath, and said "It means, uh, it means she just isn't reading right now." So for now, we're just reading lots of good books and cutting back on the TV. Other good ideas from my husband and mom were: She acts out stories as I read them (this worked well with Thumbelina), we do a reader's theater, comic books, let her draw while I read, and read in different places (like a tent or under the bunkbed with a lamp), and write her simple love notes that she can decipher.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Twelfth Night
Our family has been doing a Shakespeare Around the Year project. We celebrated St. Crispin's day (October 25) by watching the best parts of Kenneth Branagh's film Henry V. And we tried to recite part of the speech. And we had mock sword fights. Pretty basic.
Today (or yesterday, depending on what calendar you use) is Twelfth Night. In Tudor England this day was an upside down opposite day. Our kids have loved it so far. We have dressed up in Halloween costumes (transvestite stuff just to honor the play, then spider man and princess stuff as normal) We are going to watch the BBC animated version of Twelfth Night and I'll read some of the play to myself and share any good parts with them.
Tonight, we will be having breakfast for dinner (fried scones, eggs, bacon, and orange juice). We won't be getting drunk, but may have some hot chocolate. And of course, we'll have King Cake complete with beans to designate the king and queen for the evening. They get to dictate what movie to watch, how late to stay up, etc. I'll post pictures later this week
Today (or yesterday, depending on what calendar you use) is Twelfth Night. In Tudor England this day was an upside down opposite day. Our kids have loved it so far. We have dressed up in Halloween costumes (transvestite stuff just to honor the play, then spider man and princess stuff as normal) We are going to watch the BBC animated version of Twelfth Night and I'll read some of the play to myself and share any good parts with them.
Tonight, we will be having breakfast for dinner (fried scones, eggs, bacon, and orange juice). We won't be getting drunk, but may have some hot chocolate. And of course, we'll have King Cake complete with beans to designate the king and queen for the evening. They get to dictate what movie to watch, how late to stay up, etc. I'll post pictures later this week
Melissa
My cousin Melissa is something like five years older than me. I'm really not sure. I was born in 1982, I have no idea when she was born. Anyway, she was always the older prettier smarter cousin at those Landes reunions. I was the snotty little cousin who liked to play ponies, or maybe play in the orchard behind their house. I remember playing piano for her wedding, and I felt honored by the request. It was a lovely wedding. And that was the last I saw of her for about 8 years. Then out of nowhere she flew into Houston for a scrapbooking conference. (She's a genius crafter) I was a little nervous seeing her after all these years of no contact, but we had such a wonderful time talking over McDonald's burgers in downtown. Then we started hanging out at each others blogs. Then they moved across the country and they stopped at our house for a few hours. We loved hanging out and were touched that they would take the time to do that. I am in awe of her husband's service and her strength as a wife and mother. Someday I hope to have some kind of joint Disneyworld experience with them. Until then, Melissa, you are awesome and I hope you know that.
Also, I can't access your blog anymore with my google sign in. So uh, I guess change that email you have for me to: adriennemann@gmail dot com. I know you're busy, and I know you asked me a long time ago for my email for this exact reason, and I totally muffed it.
Also, I can't access your blog anymore with my google sign in. So uh, I guess change that email you have for me to: adriennemann@gmail dot com. I know you're busy, and I know you asked me a long time ago for my email for this exact reason, and I totally muffed it.
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