It sounds like we are on the same journey! I started with CM 4 years ago and dived in feet first. Currently reading a lot of books on classical ed and I really enjoy Memoria Press podcast and Schole Sisters.

Hahaha, love the Kern-Kern confusion shout-out! So many great books!

Yes! My husband and I have this conversation all the time. Our philosophy is so important. It guides every choice we make. Without one we will be carried off by every “new” curriculum.

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

Yes! Absolutely!

I also didn't re-enroll in the CMEC. I really enjoyed your episode so much of what you are doing resonates with me as I am on a very similar path. Looking forward to more episodes!

Love Autumn Kern! And Love your channel!

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

Her resources are a gift to the CM/classical world!

So many good recommendations! I’m going down a similar path right now of establishing an educational philosophy. We’re in our third year of homeschooling and I realized I’ve gotten so far away from what I initially wanted our home education journey to look like. So now, I’m stepping back to dig deeper into what I believe to be true about education and how I want to move forward with my children.

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

That can happen so easily! I found myself heavily tending towards utilitarian thoughts about education this year after leaving the CMEC and repeatedly needing to reorient my philosophy and practices to educate the whole children before me. Is there anything you’re reading or listening to and find particularly enlightening toward your philosophy and goals?

@HumblyRootedHome

2 ай бұрын

@@AHeartForHomeEducation I’ve been rereading For the Children’s Sake. I read it before I started homeschooling, but I feel like so much of it was lost on me because I had never been the one in charge of my children’s “formal” education. Now that we’ve lived and learned some, I understand it much more. Also reading the Charlotte Mason Companion from Karen Andreola. And dabbling some in the writings of Charlotte Mason, but sometimes it’s a bit heavy with a newborn! Those night time wakings really affect my focus! As far as podcasts go..there’s a lot! lol. I will say Autumn Kern at the Common Place has been probably the most helpful in explaining classical education in general for me. I want to pick up some of the reads you mentioned as well!

I want a tour of that space your in! Lol it looks beautiful.

@marcumsmeadow8726

2 ай бұрын

Modern Miss Mason is a good book too.

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

Yes I’ve read that one! Thank you for the compliment - I do have a room tour as one of my previous videos 🥰

I keep feeling like the well trained mind and classical methods (like from Dorothy sayers essay) don’t align with Charlotte Mason in the way they approach the child but I wonder if I am not grasping, what do you think after reading these books? Mainly the parts about the stages, which is not at all part of Charlotte Mason philosophy at least as I understand it. Would love to hear your thoughts!

@BC-fd8bf

2 ай бұрын

I have had some similar feelings about this and also am wondering if it is just me or if any one else felt the same way. At times the WTM seemed to me to emphasize reading as soon as possible in order to begin self-gaining knowledge as soon as possible… let alone the whole trivium idea. Thank you for your comment. Even to hear someone else has had a similar wonderment was helpful. :)

@luccalele9740

2 ай бұрын

@@BC-fd8bf You're definitely not alone. A few other things, CM is very explicit that there can only be education that is Christian as that is the lens all knowledge comes through. WTM doesn't emphasize this. She also talks about facts needing to be delivered with their informing ideas, not just to memorize and use later. Theres a lot that doesn't line up, not to mention the trivium which CM doesn't use at all. The child is seen as a whole person, just in immature state. And the reading, I agree with you there, where CM is so gentle and delicate not to push the child when he is not ready and that is a huge piece of her philosophy. To me WTM feels strict and not considering the child as much as considering the end goal of a classical education. I think you either follow one or the other but the ideas (to me) seem pretty divergent! I saw in one of Autum Kern's videos on Commonplace advice to ask questions about how we view the child, how we view the natural laws of learning, how we view humans and their yearning for the creator...and see if the approach fits. It's a lot to sift through in philosophies but I am glad too I am not the only one!

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

Thank you both for your comments! You are right that WTM is very different in its approach to education. I’m not entirely sure it’s the best resource for classical education, as I’m diving further in I’m finding it may be “neoclassical”, but I’m not strong enough in this knowledge to definitively say that. The main things that unite CM and true classical education is the telos of education; the end goal of education for both is the same: educating a child to see what is good, true, and beautiful in God’s world so that he or she may delight in God all the more, and instilling habits and virtues that lead to a worshipful and wonder-full life. Classical U’s class “Is Classical Education right for you?” was incredible in helping me to see how CM is classical. She just had a particular way of enacting a classical education. Where I see WTM and Sayers diverge from this is that both tend to focus on the knowledge slightly more than the full-souled child. But Mason and classical education would both argue that we ought to love knowledge just for the sake of knowledge, not for any utilitarian purposes. And WTM and Sayers both would agree with that perspective. Where the WTM overlaps with Mason is in a lot of the methods and practices, such as notebooking and narration. I tend to lean more into WTM’s approach to language arts and skills because CM’s method left me with a struggling reader. But they are united in their beliefs to read really good and classic books, narrate them, and notebook them. I absolutely agree that Mason wouldn’t have students practice rote memorization without informing ideas, whereas WTM/Sayers would argue for intense memory work even if the child has no understanding of the informing idea. I plan to marry the two; inform the idea and incorporate some memorization. As for the trivium and quadrivium, I see this as a way to respect the child and their current developmental stage, because they are whole persons, but not yet whole adults. It’s not to box them in and require certain things but rather to protect them from work that they are not yet ready for. For example, we don’t make children in the grammar stage (Form I &2 for Mason) delve into writing full essays because they aren’t ready for that. They are still mastering language and grammar and should be taking in a lot of ideas before they’re required to form their own ideas through papers and formal writing. There is so much I still don’t know, and I’m still learning and growing and reading constantly! This is my first year at attempting to be classical, and I know I’ll probably fumble a lot and some may even say I’m not classical or I’m not CM. It’s helpful to remember that CM, while wonderful and so full of wisdom and knowledge, is just *one voice* in the Great Conversation of classical thought. I highly recommend Classical U’s classes for a more in-depth look on classical education. Those are what really helped me see how Mason is classical!

@luccalele9740

2 ай бұрын

@@AHeartForHomeEducation thank you for all that info! Yes you’re right that CM is just one voice. It totally is a tendency to be “loyal” to whatever philosophy we feel we align with but like you said the best balance maybe lies somewhere in between and combining the best parts of each. I will do some more digging into WTM, my kids are still young so the gentleness of CM aligns better at this time but maybe a more neo-classical approach would be a good tool in the future to keep in mind. You never know! Thanks for the video and discussion, no one in real life is having these debates so it’s helpful!

@BC-fd8bf

Ай бұрын

@@AHeartForHomeEducation Thanks, America! This was very insightful and thought-provoking as I begin my journey in wrestling with what is CM, what is classical, and what it means to be a homeschooling mom period. :) Thanks for having this conversation!

I'm curious if you've looked into A Delectable Education's teacher helps for planning your own course? I'm considering switching to that in the future but haven't heard many people who've gone that route.

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

I considered purchasing their templates and attending their summer conference in MI. They are such a solid resource in the CM community that I'm sure you couldn't go wrong with any of their stuff! I tried to book a consult with them, but they're fully booked until July, and I know I'll need everything. settled before then.

Would you want to do a virtual book club for norms & nobility? I’ve never read it and would be interested in reading it alongside you since you said it’s better to read with someone else!

@AHeartForHomeEducation

2 ай бұрын

I considered this! I will look into it further!

@leratomatlhebegoane2318

2 ай бұрын

The Dwell podcast by Circe is going through Norm & Nobility

@BrealynLandis

2 ай бұрын

@@leratomatlhebegoane2318thank you!