"Knowing that the brain is the physical seat of habit and that conduct and character, alike, are the outcome of the habits we allow; knowing, too, that an inspiring idea initiates a new habit of thought, and hence, a new habit of life; we perceive that the great work of education is to inspire children with vitalizing ideas as to every relation of life, every department of knowledge, every subject of thought; and to give deliberate care to the formation of those habits of the good life which are the outcome of vitalizing ideas."
Charlotte Mason was referring to the use of ‘living books‘ to accomplish this very thing… this beautiful thing.
Read more at http://teachersofgoodthings.com/what-is-a-living-book/#IHWsTZ6GgzCAyjaJ.99
What Qualifies As a Living Book?
Charlotte Mason believed that in order for a book to be living, a child (or reader) must enjoy it. With one of my sons, it is about pirates, another about small engines, another about dirt bikes and farming, and our daughter, anything creative wise. Reading the description is what most people do, but for a Charlotte Mason educator you need to do the ‘one to two page test’. This test is done by opening the book to any page and reading it. If within these one or two pages, you feel pulled into the subject of the book and want to read more, it passes our ‘living book’ test.
Charlotte Mason believed that children must labor over a book because it wasn’t enough to have ideas come to their mind, but to allow the reader to assess the information, debate it, organize it in their mind and to process it enough that only the reader, not the teacher, could determine the influence it has on their life.
If you would like a WONDERFUL list of Living Books, for all ages & parents, you just have to go to this list of books that I found on Pinterest! Dottie put it all together! It's AWESOME!!!
Charlotte Mason believed that children must labor over a book because it wasn’t enough to have ideas come to their mind, but to allow the reader to assess the information, debate it, organize it in their mind and to process it enough that only the reader, not the teacher, could determine the influence it has on their life.
If you would like a WONDERFUL list of Living Books, for all ages & parents, you just have to go to this list of books that I found on Pinterest! Dottie put it all together! It's AWESOME!!!
Go to; "Learning Her Method"Read more at: http://teachersofgoodthings.com/how-to-use-living-books-in-your-homeschool/#Mx9IYyp7HgMv2iPH.99
THREE GOLDEN RULES FOR USING LIVING BOOKS
Because I know you value a learning, especially from high-quality books, I am giving you my three golden rules for using living books.
A living book is one well-written and well-told by one author with a passion for his subject. Simple. Yes? Maybe. How do you know what is well-written and well-told? What about adaptations, or collections of authors?
1. When choosing a book give it the "test". Read a small portion aloud to your children. If they say "keep reading" chances are you have a good one.
2. Don't reinvent the wheel. Use book lists offered by providers with a reputation for high standards. If you merely google "Charlotte Mason booklists" you will get a very mixed bag and risk having information from people who don't really understand CM. Instead, use the booklists on our site. Or, purchase Christine Miller's incredibly helpful book All Through the Ages. The book is a guide for teaching and learning history using narrative histories, compelling non-fiction, and literature rather than textbooks. Or, the booklists offered online by Christian Classical Education Support Loop.
3. Avoid adaptations of books (Pilgrim's Progress for Little Ones, for example). Adaptations take a great book and make it mediocre for the sake of making the book "accessible." The richness and beauty of the language is often dumbed down and the storyline simplified. Younger children can understand most texts if reading is done slowly and they are given time to absorb meaning.
All the best,
Sheila Carroll
www.LivingBooksCurriculum.com
Because I know you value a learning, especially from high-quality books, I am giving you my three golden rules for using living books.
A living book is one well-written and well-told by one author with a passion for his subject. Simple. Yes? Maybe. How do you know what is well-written and well-told? What about adaptations, or collections of authors?
1. When choosing a book give it the "test". Read a small portion aloud to your children. If they say "keep reading" chances are you have a good one.
2. Don't reinvent the wheel. Use book lists offered by providers with a reputation for high standards. If you merely google "Charlotte Mason booklists" you will get a very mixed bag and risk having information from people who don't really understand CM. Instead, use the booklists on our site. Or, purchase Christine Miller's incredibly helpful book All Through the Ages. The book is a guide for teaching and learning history using narrative histories, compelling non-fiction, and literature rather than textbooks. Or, the booklists offered online by Christian Classical Education Support Loop.
3. Avoid adaptations of books (Pilgrim's Progress for Little Ones, for example). Adaptations take a great book and make it mediocre for the sake of making the book "accessible." The richness and beauty of the language is often dumbed down and the storyline simplified. Younger children can understand most texts if reading is done slowly and they are given time to absorb meaning.
All the best,
Sheila Carroll
www.LivingBooksCurriculum.com
No comments:
Post a Comment