Sunday, June 03, 2007

Candlewicking, Sweet Bread, Monster Cookies

FOUR DAYS until the Third Annual Charlotte Mason Conference hosted by ChildLight USA!

ChildLight USA requested samples (flat samples only) of the efforts of children learning with a Charlotte Mason philosophy. I submitted two things about Pamela to encourage parents with special needs children: (1) her candlewicking (which was sidetracked due to our move into Glasers' old house) and (2) her cookery (recipes and photos stripped from the video clips).

Children today do many activities under the guise of "arts and crafts" that Charlotte Mason would not classify as a handicraft. I will leave the discerning reader to imagine what that may be. I believe Pamela's efforts represent Charlotte Mason's standards, which are few and are outlined as follows (page 315):


(a) “They should not be employed in making futilities.”
(b) “They should be taught slowly and carefully.”
(c) “Slipshod work should not allowed.”
(d) “The children's work should be kept well within their compass.”

Here are pictures of Pamela's candlewicking, based upon animals she drew herself:



I listed six recipes for almost everything we have cooked to date (I omitted pizza because I never took a picture of the finished product). Being required to meet this deadline will give me the motivation to add missing recipes to the cookery book we are making, tailored to Pamela's diet. Here are two recipes I have not blogged yet:

Pamela’s Sweet Bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup warm water
GF/CF bread mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet yeast

Pour the liquid ingredients in the bread machine pan. Put the dry ingredients on top, with the yeast last. Do not stir because the machine will take care of it. Put the pan in the machine. Set the baking cycle for sweet bread and the kind of crust you prefer and peek at the progress through the window to your heart's content.



Pamela's Monster Cookies
1 bag Incredible Chocolate Chunk Mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the mix into the bowl. Add all wet ingredients into a large bowl and stir. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. For monster cookies, use a plastic ice cream scooper. Six cookies fit on a square cookie sheet. A cookie tastes great alamode!



I am doing two presentations this year:

Assessing Therapies for Special Needs Learners from a Charlotte Mason Perspective
Therapies recommended for special needs children can cloud one’s vision of education as “an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life”. The speaker will demonstrate how to translate one autism therapy into Charlotte Mason terminology and accept or reject principles that respect a child’s personhood. The participants will do the same for a speech program for language-delayed children. They will leave the class more confident in selecting the therapies most suited to a Charlotte Mason philosophy. They will leave inspired by Miss Mason’s language arts program, which enabled a person with life-long challenges with language to learn recitation!

Masterly Inactivity—Not Your Average Unschooling!
Those vaguely familiar with Charlotte Mason’s writings often view masterly inactivity as the unschooling part of the day. Masterly inactivity, which flows from our responsibility and authority as parents and educators, colors how we teach children. The speaker will outline what masterly inactivity is and is not, will describe the characteristics of those who apply it, and how it affects play, work, friends, money, opinions, and education. The participants will brainstorm how Miss Mason might apply it to book choices, television, video games, and other aspects of modern life.

Cheri Hedden, listowner of AOwithLDKids, is also presenting on a CM-friendly way to map a road to success for your special needs child's challenges.

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