Another dissection

Thomas arrived home on Thursday and told us about his experiences in his second semester Biology class. He's been doing dissections! He'd done a fetal pig and when I told him that I had a preserved one that Matthew and I were going to dissect, he offered to help Matthew with it. I am not one to turn down such an offer. So, on Friday afternoon, Matthew and Thomas set up on the back porch with dissecting tray, scalpels, scissors, and probes and got to know the insides of the fetal pig, which they named Walter.

Back porch bio-lab

There are a couple of reasons I was delighted about Thomas' offer. One is that it is very gratifying to see your son really get excited about a subject and begin to think seriously about pursuing it in his studies. It is confirmation that somewhere along the way, a love of learning kicked in and a bent toward a particular subject matter began to flourish. This is particularly delightful for me because I was a Biology major in college and love the more macro side of biology ecology, anatomy and physiology, botany and more. Thomas seems to be tending in this direction as he considers an Environmental Studies major. And this, even as he struggles along with a less than stellar professor this semester. He's not crazy about the professor and the way he presents the material, but he's loving the subject matter and gets excited in discussions about the material and labs with classmates.

The second reason I was pleased with his offer is that I got to stand back and watch two of my boys working together - one leading and explaining, the other following instructions. Those of you who know Thomas may see a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving, rambunctious, sometimes loud kind of guy. Not a serious bone in his body, you might think. But I know better. And I was encouraged to see him guiding Matthew through the dissection with confidence.

This was one of those treasured moments for a homeschool mom who, like all homeschool moms, wonders if what she is doing is enough or right or making any kind of lasting impression.

From yesterday's reading, prompting thoughts on nature study....

"Oh, that I had never heard of Niagara till I beheld it! Blessed were the wanderers of old, who heard its deep roar, sounding through the woods, as the summons to an unknown wonder, and approached its awful brink in all the freshness of native feeling.

"Gradually, and after much contemplation, I came to know, by my own feelings, that Niagara is indeed a wonder of the world, and not the less wonderful, because time and thought must be employed in comprehending it. Casting aside all preconceived notions, and preparation to be dire-struck or delighted, the beholder must stand beside it in the simplicity of his heart, suffering the mighty scene to work its own impression."

“There were intervals when I was conscious of nothing but the great river, rolling calmly into the abyss, rather descending than precipitating itself, and acquiring tenfold majesty from its unhurried motion. It came like the march of Destiny. It was not taken by surprise, but seemed to have anticipated in all its course through the broad lakes, that it must pour their collected waters down this height. The perfect foam of the river, after its descent, and the ever-varying shapes of mist, rising up, to become clouds in the sky, would be the very picture of confusion, were it merely transient, like the rage of a tempest. But when the beholder has stood awhile, and perceives no lull in the storm, and considers that the vapor and the foam are as everlasting as the rocks which produce them, all this turmoil assumes a sort of calmness. It soothes, while it awes the mind.”

"My steps were slow, and I paused long at every turn of the descent, as one lingers and pauses, who discerns a brighter and and brightening excellence in what he must soon behold no more. The solitude of the old wilderness now reigned over the whole vicinity of the falls. My enjoyment became the more rapturous, because no poet shared it - nor wretch, devoid of poetry, profaned it; but the spot, so famous through the world, was all my own."

Beautiful nature writing by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Tales and Sketches. We read the whole essay yesterday and I was struck by the beauty and truth in this piece. Can you imagine, as he does, being someone who saw Niagara Falls for the first time without knowing it was even there, without ever having heard of it, seen a picture, or read a description. Imagine!

And a few thoughts, with thanks to Mr. Hawthorne, about nature study. Cast aside preconceived notions and observe in the "simplicity of your heart" allowing the scene before you to work its own impression on you. Become a beholder, contemplate, employ time and thought in the comprehending of the scene. Pause and linger allowing the spot, famous or commonplace, to become your own.

Dissection

I just have to say that I do love dissections. Yesterday, in preparation for Joel's CC class today and for a biology lab for Matthew, we dissected a sheep heart. It was fascinating and fun...yes, fun. Tracing out the major veins and arteries that lead to and from the heart, refreshing my understanding of pulmonary and systemic circulation, finding the four chambers and seeing the thicker muscle wall on the left side of the heart where the blood passes before being pumped all over the body, seeing the "heart strings" as they are called, the tiny white chordae tendinae that connect the papillary muscles that control the opening and closing of heart valves to the thin membranous valves themselves and more. I can't wait to lead a group of four students through their dissections today. It is rich discovery learning. I hope I can ease a couple that I know are squeamish over their discomfort and into fascination this afternoon.

"Wise and purposeful letting alone"

Charlotte Mason said,

"We ought to do so much for our children, and are able to do so much for them, that we begin to think everything rests with us and that we should never intermit for a moment our conscious action on the young minds and hearts about us. Our endeavours become fussy and restless. We are too much with our children, 'late and soon.' We try to dominate them too much, even when we fail to govern, and we are unable to perceive that wise and purposeful letting alone is the best part of education."

fussy - worrying over trivial things, overly concerned about minor details, choosy, easily upset, requiring excessive attention to detail

restless - constantly moving, unable to be still, seeking a change because of discontent, worrying

Definitions help to give form to what CM was saying in the quote above. I am thinking much these days on the concept of masterly inactivity as it relates to homeschooled high schoolers. I want to define what it means in this phase of homeschooling. As our children have matured intellectually and morally we have certainly let them alone in an intentional way. Such letting alone has engendered creativity and initiative on their parts. It has also fostered a sweetness in our relationships that would be lacking if we were the fussy, restless, hovering types.

But I know that my letting alone has not always been wise and purposeful. Certainly I have stepped back at times out of frustration, confusion, ignorance, or weariness. I am working these days to evaluate my level of involvement and consider the question, "When do I step in and when step back?"

Yes, I have already gone through high school with three, almost four, homeschoolers. But the two still at home deserve my continuing thoughtfulness and I am quite sure I have room, as a homeschooling mother, to grow in wisdom.

Today in school

It's a quiet day of working away at our books. Here's a bit of what we are up to so far this morning....

We looked at different types of pollen grains under the microscope.

We graded a French vocabulary exam. Ouch for one person. Going from English to French is harder than French to English.

I wrote a short quiz on photosynthesis which M has to take later. He's studying for the Biology SAT Subject test. Better to take it this year while it's fresh in his mind.

We read aloud from All Quiet on the Western Front, The Yanks are Coming: The United States in the First World War, and The Roots of Endurance. From that last book, we are reading about William Wilberforce. We read early this morning, right after breakfast since we didn't have our normal family reading/devotional time since Andrew had to work.

The gnome worked on math outside again. Might be the last day he can do that this week since rain is predicted later today and tomorrow.

Everyone worked away on their own with math, history reading, science, and J did his geography work, mapping Asia and reviewing capitals. J also writes a narration each day on his history reading. I am so behind in reading his narrations. He types at least a full page a day, remembering and processing what he has read in The Story of the World, Volume 4. I am very pleased with the way his writing seems to be developing so naturally through these written narrations.

J is loving his current book, Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred Taylor. He says it's sad, though. It is the sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

TO DO
I need to work ahead and scope out a reading schedule for the next American Lit. book that I'll do with M and his cousin. We're going to read Red Badge of Courage together. After that, no more war novels for the rest of the spring.

I've also got to do my reading on the heart and prepare to lead a group of students in a dissection of a sheep's heart a week from tomorrow at CC. Should be fun. I have a sheep's heart sitting upstairs on my dresser (sort of gross looking) and we'll dissect it next week so I can get more familiar with it myself and have a sample for the students to look at before they begin to cut!

On a picture study and storms

Originally on Ebenezer Stories, 5/9/2007

One of the things we do in our little Charlotte Mason homeschool co-op is study the work of famous artists. This year we have focused on American artists. We spent the fall getting to know Winslow Homer. This spring we have learned about Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley, and Gilbert Stuart. We recently started learning about the Hudson River School. Our first Hudson River artist was Thomas Cole. Last week we looked at his painting, The Oxbow. While reading a little about Cole later, I came across this quote, which he wrote in his journal the year before he painted The Oxbow,

"I would not live where tempests never come, for they bring beauty in their train."

I thought about this quote for awhile in light of some things that have been going on in my life. I remembered these words, "And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Thy throne," from the hymn "I Sing the Mighty Power of God." I was reminded once again that God can use anything, including a homeschool lesson planned long before my own storm, to remind me of the truth of His indwelling presence and work in my life.

Thank you God for sending the storms. Your voice is in the thunder, your power in the lightning, your cleansing in the downpour. It's true...I would not want to live without the storms you send...storms which reveal ingrained sin, discontent, idolatry, and fear in my life. Thank you for the beauty of Christ and the forgiveness He purchased for me, for restoration and sanctification. Thank you, indeed, that the storms subside, leaving Your beauty in their train.

Reading at the breakfast table

Originally on Ebenezer Stories, 4/12/2007

If you call our house before 9:00 AM, you will probably be sent to voice mail. Sorry about that, but we are reading. We gather around the table and while I finish fixing breakfast or getting out the cereal boxes, Coty starts reading our current chapter book. I sit down and eat and then pull out my knitting. After the chapter book, we read the Bible and pray. We talk a little about prayer concerns and everyone prays. For the last year or so, we've been praying through our church directory. When we get to the end of the list, we start over again...but this post is not mainly about prayer, but about our chapter book reading.

One day last week, we finished A Tale of Two Cities. Over dinner on the deck that evening, we were talking about it and our discussion led to memories of other Dicken's novels we've read and then on to other books. I proposed starting a list. I grabbed paper and pen and began jotting down titles as fast as the boys mentioned them. The conversation lasted all evening. We moved from the deck to the screen porch and made phone calls to our two oldest, who are far away, to probe their memories. One recollection led to a string of others and the list grew. It continues to grow. I've been keeping it on the hutch in the kitchen and adding to it as we remember more titles. A word to the wise here - if you are a reading family, go now and buy a hard bound journal and start recording the books you read together. You will treasure that little record. I sure wish I'd done that long ago!

I am not including homeschool read-alouds in this list. This is simply the breakfast table list. These are the books that Coty reads to us. He is, in fact, the driving and sustaining force, the guardian of breakfast reading in our home. He eats early so he can read to us while we eat. And what a reader he is! We get accents, voices (he almost went hoarse doing Magwich from Great Expectations), and correct pronunciation of difficult words, unless they are French, and then Andrew helps out.



We have read novels, biographies, great literature and children's books. We have been encouraged, inspired, enlightened, and taught. We have learned history, geography, science, and even a little math. We 've had a few flops and a few books that we wondered if they would ever end...whew, glad that's over!

Mostly, we have grown as individuals and woven our lives together as a family with this reading. It was extremely precious the other night to hear the boys talking about the books - ones they loved and ones they didn't - and to hear someone say something like, "Oh, yeah, I remember that. I loved that book!" and to have five voices concur. Yes, this reading weaves our family fabric together tightly. You might not laugh if someone mocks anger and shouts "Guts!!" at you, but we will all chuckle because we know Ramona thinks its a bad word.

I could go on about how much better this has been for us than television, the computer, or even good movie adaptations of great books. I could tell you how much they have learned to think and how their imaginations have been nurtured by reading aloud. What in their mind's eye does Madame Defarge look like as she sits in the wine shop knitting? How do they think John Paton felt up in that tree all night as he listened to angry cannibals hunting for him? Why do some of us always cry when we read Patricia St. John?

Here then, is the list. It is far from complete. It is heavy on books from recent years and heavy on novels. It is light on historical fiction and biographies of famous Americans because we read those aloud in our school time. I have only categorized it broadly and not always listed authors. If you are curious about a particular book, leave me a comment. The list will continue to grow and we will continue to read. I expect that even after our children are all grown and gone, you will find Coty and me at the breakfast table reading, and the phone ringing on....

Novels - what you would call literature:
Great Expectations; David Copperfield (twice); A Tale of Two Cities; A Christmas Carol; The Lord of the Rings trilogy; The Hobbit; The Talisman; Fair Maid of Perth; Ivanhoe; The Heart of Midlothian; Alice in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass; Pilgrim's Progress; Pilgrim's Progress:Christiana; The Holy War (also by Bunyan); Red Badge of Courage; The Old Man and the Sea; the first book of Les Miserables; Tom Sawyer; Huckleberry Finn; Silas Marner

Children's chapter books:
Call it Courage; Strawberry Girl; Roller Skates; Lyddie; Johnny Tremain; Heidi; Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates; all the Haffertee Hamster books; The Jungle Books; The Jungle Doctor books; Treasures of the Snow; I Needed a Neighbor; Three Go Searching; Twice Freed; The Tanglewood Secret; The Secret Garden; The Railway Children; Five Little Peppers and How they Grew; My Side of the Mountain; all the Narnia books; Ramona books by Beverly Cleary; The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome; several books by Madeline L'engle

Missionary biographies and autobiographies:
Bruchko; The Good Seed; And the Word Came with Power; The Autobiography of John Paton; Mountain Rain; The Little Woman; Green Leaf in Drought Time; Mrs. Howard Taylor's biography of the Stams in China; Shadow of the Almighty; William Carey; Adoniram Judson

Other biographies:
Never Give In (Winston Churchill); Carry a Big Stick (Theodore Roosevelt); biographies of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson; The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; selections from the John Marshall biography by Smith; Aim High, Dave Johnson's Story; Ed Viesture's No Shortcuts to the Top

Doctrine, devotion, and the like:
Redemption Accomplished and Applied; Don't Waste Your Life; A Godward Life Book 2; The Moral Compass; The Book of Virtures

Miscellaneous:
Ring of Bright Water; Eats, Shoots, and Leaves; Haroun and the Sea of Stories; The Royal Road to Romance:Travel stories by Richard Haliburton; Longitude; short stories by various authors including Poe, Flannery O' Connor, O'Henry and others

The current breakfast chapter book is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, perhaps the most well known Nigerian novelist. Never heard of him. Now you have! And after that?? Well, suffice it to say that the list will grow on...