The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins

Next in order to religious knowledge, history is the pivot on which our curriculum turns. Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 273 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Donna-Jean Breckenridge, veteran homeschool mom, grandmother and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory Before getting to main the subject matter, Donna-Jean gives homeschooling moms a little encouragement and exhortation How This Country of Ours was chosen as a history spine for AmblesideOnline Why Donna-Jean decided to expand and update the book How Donna-Jean annotated, expanded and updated This Country of Ours What she hopes this new version accomplishes It is never too late to mend but we may not delay to offer such a liberal and generous diet of History to every child in the country as shall give weight to his decisions, consideration to his actions and stability to his conduct; that stability, the lack of which has plunged us into many a stormy sea of unrest. Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 179 Books and Links Mentioned: Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason This Country of Ours, Vol.1 by H.E. Marshall: Annotated, Expanded and Updated by Donna-Jean Breckenridge A Reasoned Patriotism Webinar with Dawn Duran Find Cindy and Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Donna-Jean’s Facebook Donna-Jean’s Instagram Donna-Jean on MeWe

This week Dawn Duran joins Cindy to discuss the value and practice of Swedish Drill How Dawn first learned about Charlotte Mason What exactly is Swedish Drill? What is the connection between Swedish Drill and Charlotte Mason? What are the benefits of Swedish Drill in the school day? How did you develop your Swedish Drill Revisited materials? What ages can do Swedish Drill? Can this be done in groups or at home with just one or two children? I will only add, that to give the child pleasure in light and easy motion–the sort of delight in the management of his own body that a good rider finds in managing his horse–dancing, drill, calisthenics, some sort of judicious physical exercise, should make part of every day’s routine. Swedish drill is especially valuable, and many of the exercises are quite suitable for the nursery. Certain moral qualities come into play in alert movements, eye-to-eye attention, prompt and intelligent replies; but it often happens that good children fail in these points for want of physical training. Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason Dawn’s Citizenship Webinar: A Reasoned Patriotism   Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net

Our aim in education is to give a full life…. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests…. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking – the strain would be too great – but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest. Charlotte Mason, School Education, pg. 170 Show Summary: Today’s episode is dedicated to remembering Wendi Capehart with special memorial messages from a few of her friends Dawn’s memories of Wendi How Cindy got to know Wendi Wendi’s other friends featured in this episode: Anne White Bethany Yoder Brandy Vencel Donna-Jean Breckenridge Jeannette Tulis Kathy Livingston Kay Pelham Lynn Bruce Naomi Goegan Phyllis Hunsucker Wendi’s favorite hymns and folk songs heard in this episode: What a Friend We Have In Jesus I Gave My Love a Cherry Anywhere with Jesus Froggy Went a Courtin’ O, Sacred Head Now Wounded John the Rabbit There’s Not A Friend (No, Not One) The Wellerman The Happy Wanderer Books and Links Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason Ourselves by Charlotte Mason Murder Fantastical by Patricia Moyes The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major AmblesideOnline Wendi’s Blog Episode 20 with Wendi Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram

It is only in so far as Knowledge is dear to us and delights us for herself that she yields us lifelong joy and contentment. He who delights in her, not for the sake of showing off, and not for the sake of excelling others, but just because she is so worthy to be loved, cannot be unhappy. Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book I Show Summary: Today’s guest is Jennifer Pepito, veteran homeschool mom, author, podcast host and creator of The Peaceful Press How Jennifer first heard about Charlotte Mason Some of the hightlights of Jennifer’s homeschooling journey What is one of the books that you have connected with the most in your homeschooling? How do you make space for reading aloud together as as family? How Jennifer’s book came out of her own parenting fears Books and Links Mentioned: Mothering by the Book by Jennifer Pepito Ourselves by Charlotte Mason For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay Hero Education by Oliver DeMille Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay   Find Cindy and Jennifer: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Jennifer’s Instagram The Peaceful Press

God the Holy Spirit is himself, personally, the imparter of knowledge, the instructor of youth, the inspirer of genius…. every fruitful idea, every original conception whether in Euclid or grammar or music was a direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Charlotte Mason, Parents and children, Vol. 2 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Marcela Best, homeschooling mother of 5 children How Marcela started learning about Charlotte Mason The types of special needs Marcela’s children have How Marcela adapted the process of written narration for her dyslexic son The technology solutions that Marcela found helpful What aspects of the Charlotte Mason method are ideal for dyslexic students How Marcela continues expanding her students’ narration and composition skills How modern brain research backs up Charlotte Mason’s educational ideas Why Marcela believes all children can benefit from a Charlotte Mason education   Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins Know and Tell by Karen Glass Uncommon Sense Teaching by Barbara Oakley The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg Atomic Habits by James Clear Learning How to Learn Course   Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram

Today’s guest is Heather Tully, wife, homeschooling mother of 10 children, and photographer of everyday life How Heather first came to hear about Charlotte Mason and made the transition from a neo-classical model How Heather manages many different ages of children by combining into forms What Heather’s family gathering time has looked like over the years How group narrations work in Heather’s family What a typical school day looks like in the Tully household Heather’s take on transitioning kids to college Heather’s words of encouragement for all mothers Books and Links Mentioned: Gather: Exploring the Wonder, Wisdom, & Worship of Learning at Home by Pam Barnhill and Heather Tully Genevieve Foster Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall This Country of Ours by H. E. Marshall AmblesideOnline The CMEC (Charlotte Mason Educational Center)   Find Cindy and Heather: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Heather’s Instagram The mother’s work is unlike any other in the whole world, it entails the constant drawing out of the very depths of her nature, and keeps it on the stretch often for hours together. It is from morning till night, and often does not end with night. But different calls are made on her at different times, that is where the difficulty and the need of adaptation arise. She must, like a musician on a rich toned organ, frequently at a moment’s notice, pull out a new stop and push in all the others–thus only can she supply the harmony of family life. She must be ready to meet these sudden, rapid changes, these calls on her love and her sympathy on all sides… In order to succeed in this, she must bring all her powers to bear on it with definite intention, just as the skillful musician would.. To be Queen over her little kingdom, serene in every family emergency, capable to direct all things with calmness, cheerfulness, and decision, is an ambition sufficient to tax the powers of the most skillful amongst us, and a vocation equal to the highest God has appointed on this earth. Charlotte Mason, The Parents’ Review, Vol. 4, “Family Life"

Let this be the mother’s key to the whole of the education of each boy and each girl; not of her children; the Divine Spirit does not work with nouns of multitude, but with each single child. Because He is infinite, the whole world is not too great a school for this indefatigable Teacher, and because He is infinite, He is able to give the whole of his infinite attention for the whole time to each one of his multitudinous pupils. We do not sufficiently rejoice in the wealth that the infinite nature of our God brings to each of us. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Celeste Cruz, homeschooling mom of 10, speaker at Charlotte Mason conferences and supporter of parents using the CMEC curriculum How Celeste first learned about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy How Celeste got involved with the CMEC What was the process of the PNEU exams in Charlotte Mason’s day? What makes a Charlotte Mason style exam different from a typical modern school examination? How could parents set up a schedule for exams? What is the connection between narration and end of term examinations? What advice do you have for parents who are worried about doing exams? Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason Educational Center (CMEC) Charlotte Mason Digital Collection Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason School Education by Charlotte Mason A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason   Find Cindy and Celeste: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Celeste’s Instagram Celeste’s Blog – Joyful Lessons Keeping Company on Instagram

It is the duty of the nation to maintain relations of brotherly kindness with other nations; therefore it is the duty of every family, as an integral part of the nation, to be able to hold brotherly speech with the families of other nations as opportunities arise; therefore to acquire the speech of neighbouring nations is not only to secure an inlet of knowledge and a means of culture, but is a duty of that higher morality (the morality of the family) which aims at universal brotherhood; therefore every family would do well to cultivate two languages besides the mother tongue, even in the nursery. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Volume 2 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Stephanie Russell, a homeschooling mother of 6 children who uses Charlotte Mason’s Alveary curriculum How Stephanie first heard of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy How did you first find out about The Alveary and decide to use it? What Stephanie likes about using The Alveary for her family What a typical school day looks like in Stephanie’s family Stephanie’s tips on setting realistic expectations What kinds of assessment do you do through the Alveary? What are some of your favorite strengths of the Alveary? Do you think there are any potential weaknesses of the curriculum? Who do you think the Alveary would work best for?   Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason’s Alveary Curriculum Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason   Find Cindy and Stephanie: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram

Is the distinction between being free to choose the right at one’s own option, and not free to do the wrong, too subtle to be grasped, too elusive to be practical? It may be so, but it is precisely the distinction which we are aware of in our own lives so far as we keep ourselves consciously under the divine governance. We are free to go in the ways of right living, and have the happy sense of liberty of choice, but the ways of transgressors are hard. Charlotte Mason, School Education, Volume 3 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Brittney McGann is a homeschooling mother of 3 who uses the curriculum A Gentle Feast How Brittney first came to hear about Charlotte Mason’s methods What is A Gentle Feast and what is unique about this curriculum? What support is offered for users of A Gentle Feast? What does a typical homeschool day look like for your family? Why Brittney started a scouting group and wrote a book about it Who do you think this curriculum would work for? How is A Gentle Feast set up? Books and Links Mentioned: A Gentle Feast Scouting for Wild Ones by Brittney McGann School Education by Charlotte Mason A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola   Find Cindy and Brittney: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Brittney’s Instagram

Let this be the mother’s key to the whole of the education of each boy and each girl; not of her children; the Divine Spirit does not work with nouns of multitude, but with each single child. Because He is infinite, the whole world is not too great a school for this indefatigable Teacher, and because He is infinite, He is able to give the whole of his infinite attention for the whole time to each one of his multitudinous pupils. We do not sufficiently rejoice in the wealth that the infinite nature of our God brings to each of us. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2 Show Summary: Today’s guest is Camille Malucci, homeschooling mother of 6, contributor to Common Place Quarterly, and user of the CMEC curriculum How Camille first came to learn about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy How and when Camille started using the CMEC What makes the CMEC uniquely helpful for larger families? What are some of the strengths of CMEC that people should know about? What would you say to someone who thinks that you are taking Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and turning it into a system? Can you think of any downsides or weaknesses of using a curriculum like this? Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason Educational Center (CMEC) Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason Home Education by Charlotte Mason The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Little Britches Series by Ralph Moody The Swallows and Amazons Series by Arthur Ransome   Find Cindy and Camille: Morning Time for Moms Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group Mere Motherhood Facebook Group The Literary Life Podcast Cindy’s Facebook Cindy’s Instagram Camille’s Instagram