tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356505102024-03-13T20:03:27.063-04:00Aut-2B-Home in CarolinaAUT-2B-HOME IN CAROLINA ~ Teaching our twenty-five-year-old daughter with autism and aphasia, who is still learning about God, the world, and its people with a little help from Charlotte MasonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger731125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-89548724708119815142015-03-31T00:11:00.000-04:002015-04-01T17:20:05.177-04:00Beach Novel While Not on the BeachIt's spring break and I'm reading a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/jul/22/book-beach-the-moonstone-wilkie-collins">literary beach novel</a> while not on the beach, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140434089/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0140434089&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=6PQQRCFI4XG2KV7O"><i>The Moonstone</i> by Wilkie Collins</a>, a <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/10bks.shtml#fre">Year 10 Amblesideonline free read</a>. Seven chapters into the book, my favorite, laugh-out-loud quote is,
<blockquote>Clear your mind of the children, or the dinner, or the new bonnet, or what not … and don't I know how ready your attention is to wander when it's a book that asks for it, instead of a person? ~ Gabriel Betteredge, former bailiff and current house steward who consults <i>Robinson Crusoe</i> as his lifetime companion.</blockquote>
He raises a good question — How does one train attention to a book, not a person, when years of schooling has trained students to focus on a teacher lecturing or prompting? When years of worksheets has taught them to skim for answers, instead of reading to know? How can this transformation happen in a classroom with students whose abilities range from barely able to make it through a large group setting without a meltdown to gifted learners who already long to know? How do we help them go from letting facts pass through them like a sieve to seeking knowledge and making connections?
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What are signs of a classroom full of seekers? Here is a list made by Charlotte Mason to assess for yourself, whether you are a homeschooling parent, a teacher at a homeschooling co-operative, or a teacher in a classroom. (These statements are quoted from <a href="https://www.amblesideonline.org/CMM/M6complete.html#028">Leslie Laurio's modern paraphrase</a> of <i><a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/toc.html#6">Towards a Philosophy of Education</a></i>.)
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<i>"It's appropriate for all ages — even Shakespeare's seven ages of man!"</i> — When I'm pre-reading, I sometimes gasp at an exciting connection. The other day my mind turned to a literature book when reading about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RXPBDW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004RXPBDW&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=QKY7UAEQ32O4AJES">Tim Severin's brilliant solution</a> that blocked ginormous waves from entering his medieval leather boat during a gale. He and his crew sewed together pieces of oxhide with thongs to make a shell based on an image of a Roman army testudo formation that flashed into his mind. <b>The hard part letting students make discoveries</b>. To my delight, one girl gasped; another said, "Wait a minute;" a boy blurted out the name of the book.
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<i>"It effectively educates brilliant children, and develops the intelligence of even the slower children."</i> — The other day we did the classic test of acids and bases using red cabbage juice as suggested in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/188393771X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=188393771X&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=ZVMDDWATWMZLPGHR"><i>The Mystery of the Periodic Table</i></a>. First, we tested vinegar and it turned red; then, we tested a baking soda solution, and it turned blue. Excited chatter erupted. We put them together and purple foam brewed. Eman, who is learning to function in a large classroom, exclaimed, "I can't wait to tell my dad I did three experiments." Another student decided to do this at home with his little brothers. The seekers of the class pondered and shared their thoughts, "Wait a minute! So, when you mix the acid and base, it reacts and becomes neutral!" <b>Living out living books means that persons with varying abilities can thrive together.</b>
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<i>Children concentrate with focused attention and interest without any effort from them or their teachers.</i> — <b>Effort is required to get them to that point!</b> Lots of patient smiles and awkward pauses and encouragement. Reading short sections. Scaffolding them in how to notebook. Reading fewer books. Skipping long, wordy nonessential passages. Once students learn this kind of concentration, it looks effortless.
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<i>All children taught this way express themselves in confident, well-spoken English, and use a large vocabulary.</i> — The boy who came to us labeled non-verbal in August 2013 amazes us. Every morning he spends a half-hour outdoors on a scooter. When we came in, I asked what he was going to do during math and he said, "Work on lessons." For history, he said, "Narrate." Narrate! He is still such a slow processor that it's hard for him to narrate in class. Since he asked for it, the headmaster and I brainstormed how it could be done. Now, he leaves the class with his Kindle and notebook and finds one of us. Then, he narrates and we write what he says. The first day was rather amusing — for the record, he did not have his Kindle that day — he said that Lincoln "was a red car." However, a few days later, Angie took down what he said about their readings in ancient history, "Mesopotamia has rivers. Deserts with dark storms like Egypt." <b>Even speech-delayed children can acquire a large vocabulary when surrounded by living books.</b>
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<i>Children are calm and stable.</i> — Last week, I substituted in the elementary class. Since Eman and the boy who narrated Mesopotamia are usually with me, they joined me for the reading, a chapter from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486400778/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0486400778&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=YCSBQHZVAQWIFR4A">Tom Sawyer</a></i>. Thirteen students and I sat in a circle on the carpet while I read to them. Those with books had their eyes on the words. A prospective family with a spectrum child was meeting with Angie. They wanted to know how their child might fit in, so she said, "In the room next door are four special needs children. You'll be able to figure out one. Can you spot the other three who all have autism?" They quietly opened the door, watched, and listened. They were amazed at how calm and attentive the students were. <b>Building trust, developing good habits, and helping students find joy in learning helps them find meaning their daily work.</b>
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<i>Keeping the mind busy with things to think about seems to make children's minds and lives pure.</i> — <b>Our kids find neat things to do outside of class.</b> Several want to do more chemistry experiments at home. Some girls are planning to make a video of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RXPBDW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004RXPBDW&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=QKY7UAEQ32O4AJES">The Brendan Voyage</a></i> over the summer. At recess, the kids are fighting Civil War battles or fighting over who gets to be Robin Hood and Maid Marion. We have a couple of kids whose viewing choices have shifted to history documentaries and trivia shows. When they go to local Mexican restaurants, they speak Spanish and sing for their servers. One boy would rather go to North Dakota to see dinosaur bones instead of Disney.
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<i>Parents [and teachers] share their children's interest in their schoolwork and enjoy the company of their children.</i> — Back to my morning substituting, we read the chapter on World War I from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607965321/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607965321&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=O6PHIDDANVACV5TJ"><i>A Child's History of the World</i></a>. First, they gave a lovely narration about the previous chapter on the Industrial Revolution. Then, we read the introductory section on Serbia and Austria, which they narrated well. "Those countries are so little!" We read how France and Russia joined the fray. They were indignant about Germany marching through poor Belgium. When I asked what they thought England would do, they were sure it would side with Germany. They based their reason upon the connection between British royalty and Germany in their biography about Queen Victoria. They were shocked and appalled to learn that the United Kingdom sided with France. "FRANCE?" "They always fight France!" "Have they forgotten Napoleon?" The teacher told me that, the next day, they were still shaking their heads and muttering about England's choice. <b>Teaching is a pleasure when students are engaged!</b>
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<i>Children enjoy their books, even when they aren't picture books, and they seem to really love learning.</i> — We are reading a challenging, worthy book for junior high geography. We sample the most tantalizing excerpts, and they are hooked. Two gasped when Josef Fischer found the long-lost <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldseemüller_map">Waldseemüller map</a> in a German castle. When each student got a print of one of the twelve pieces, they looked carefully to make one large map. "Hey! That's not big enough!" "Yeah, the book said it was four by eight feet." In drawing a medieval map of the cosmos, done in Latin, they applied Spanish and Aristotle's four elements. "<i>Tierra</i> — <i>terra</i> — it must be Earth!" "<i>Aqua</i> sounds like <i>agua</i>, which is water." "<i>Aer</i> looks like air." "So, <i>ignis</i> must be fire!" In narrating the imaginary races that medieval people believed existed, one girl said, "Those sound like the duffle pods in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064405028/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0064405028&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=KNQ7CQNMVXPYNEDO"><i>The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</i></a>;" a boy decided the barking, dog-headed people were from Egyptian mythology; Eman added, "They're wearing a dog head skin like British wild people." <b>Students love learning when we let them make connections.</b>
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<i>Teachers don't have to work so hard making corrections.</i> — One day, I filled in for the junior high teacher for literature. The class narrated their previous reading in an Alfred the Great biography. They were confused about why Alfred would marry when he was only a boy. I was confused because I didn't remember him having an arranged marriage as a child. I quickly realized their error and peeked at the next reading. I decided it contained enough information for them to correct themselves. After reading a section, I heard, "I'm confused." "Why did Alfred call Judith his sister?" "It said Judith married a man four times her age." "She's fifteen, so her husband must be sixty." "Wait, I think I got it! Judith married Alfred's father!" "And she's young enough to be his sister!" "Oh, now it makes sense!" <b>Living books lend well to self-correction when students go astray.</b>
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<i>Children taught this way do very well no matter what school they attend.</i> — I suspect that children do very well in school, and, more importantly, do very well in life based upon what I know of CM-taught students who are now adults.
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<i>Students don't need grades, prizes, etc., to motivate them.</i> — To scaffold parents in the transition, we assess habits as well as academics using a non-tradtional scale: novice, apprentice, practitioner, and expert.<b> It removes the pressure of "getting all A's" because nobody can be an expert at everything. There is always room for growth!</b> Having gotten over the hurdle of extrinsic motivation, the junior high is starting to learn for the sake of learning. When they drew a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_and_O_map">T-O map</a> in their notebook, one said, "Hey, didn't we see one of those in a Fra Angelico painting?" When I pulled out <a href="http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fra_Angelico#/media/File:Fra_Angelico_037.jpg">Madonna and Child in Majesty</a>, they asked, "Why is the globe upside down?" One is saving up for a copy for the Waldseemüller map for her bedroom. Another <i>mappamundi</i> sparked a lot of conversation. "<i>Mappamundi</i> must be a map!" "<i>Mundi</i> sounds like <i>mundo</i> which is Spanish for world." "I get it! Map of the world!" "Don't you see? Jesus is embracing the world. He's in it and in us!" "I can see why they were afraid to sail west. It wasn't just the end of the world; it was the end of time." "So, let me get this straight. What we're reading in geography is connected to chemistry, history, literature, and Spanish?" One student asked about the antichrist, and other students raised their hands to answer it! The teacher simply guided their conversation.
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Since I don't believe in extrinsic motivation, I will offer a hilariously funny natural consequence for making it to the end of this very long post: another quote from <i>The Moonstone</i>, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/27/100-best-novels-moonstone-wilkie-collins">one of the 100 best novels in someone's eyes</a>. It seems that Gabriel Betteredge may adore <i>Robinson Crusoe</i>, but he would not last long in a Charlotte Mason style of education.
<blockquote>You see my young master, or my young mistress, poring over one of their spiders' insides with a magnifying-glass; or you meet one of their frogs walking downstairs without his head — and when you wonder what this cruel nastiness means, you are told that it means a taste in my young master or my young mistress for natural history. Sometimes, again, you see them occupied for hours together in spoiling a pretty flower with pointed instruments, out of a stupid curiosity to know what the flower is made of. Is its colour any prettier, or its scent any sweeter, when you DO know? But there! the poor souls must get through the time, you see — they must get through the time. You dabbled
in nasty mud, and made pies, when you were a child; and you dabble in nasty science, and dissect spiders, and spoil flowers, when you grow up. In the one case and in the other, the secret of it is, that you have got nothing to think of in your poor empty head, and nothing to do with your poor idle hands. And so it ends in your spoiling canvas with paints, and making a smell in the house; or in keeping tadpoles in a glass box full of dirty water, and turning everybody's stomach in the house; or in chipping off bits of stone here, there, and everywhere, and dropping
grit into all the victuals in the house; or in staining your fingers in the pursuit of photography, and doing justice without mercy on everybody's face in the house.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-51570428230940528312015-02-28T23:51:00.000-05:002015-03-01T17:23:18.179-05:00The ShiftTonight we celebrated the term finale feast at Harvest, a Charlotte Mason style private school founded by two friends and me. We value feasts, not just food feasts, but feasts of the mind. On Fridays, we celebrate the feast after lunch. Rather than fight minds wandering to the weekend ahead, we grab their attention by feeding their ears with composer study, their eyes with picture study, their fingers with handwork, and their minds with Plutarch. We also invite parents and homeschoolers to join us — it gives our teachers an afternoon a plan and our community a chance to gather together. The feasting culminates in the term Finale Feast, where we feed the families a lovely meal, let the students share some things they have learned (tonight it was Psalm 121, Génesis 1:1 in Spanish, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KI1GR6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002KI1GR6&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=6JNKMBXGBDUEMSCG">"La granja,"</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001380NZK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001380NZK&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=UBX3CAFHK5TY2PXL">"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"</a>), and invite a pastor to share the gospel and feed their souls.
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Lately, I've pondered what I call the shift, which is the process of becoming a seeker of knowledge. One of the fathers told me tonight that it's like a lightbulb suddenly switched on in the brains of his daughters. Another student shared "Harvest can change your perspective of learning — in a fun way." And, after settling into a routine of copywork, oral narration, and drawing a story, <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2015/01/flexible-thinking-in-how-we-help.html">Eman</a> suddenly decided to try written narrations. He has volunteered to do three of them on his own initiative. <b>On his own initiative!</b> Do you know how huge that is? He told our headmaster, "My hands are hungry for writing words." So, part of the shift is stimulate a person's hunger.
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One transformation has amazed me. I met this introverted girl over four years ago. She hardly talked to me even though her brother, a chatterbox, was in my class at the after school program. They were some of the first students to sign up for Harvest. Anyway, a Charlotte Mason style of education has changed her life — just two weeks ago, she did a wonderful reading as Ophelia in Hamlet. Not only is she taking guitar lessons, she has played for us once at the morning meeting and plans to write the school song. She did not want to recite a poem at the finale feast. She doggedly pursued the opportunity to share her testimony.
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She was amazing. She stood at the podium, her face radiant with confidence. She gestured and put passion into her carefully chosen words. She admitted to being shy, quiet, and scared at school. Its strictness and rules kept her from being herself. She had friends and good teachers, and nothing bad happened. Yet, the atmosphere made her feel small. She said that she could not believe she was looking forward to her first day of school last year. Within a week, she relaxed and let herself emerge. She beamed as she described who she is today: she talks non-stop, she narrates everything, and she is not afraid to speak about her faith, which brings her joy.
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I could spend all night blogging about changed lives. About the girl who never went outside and who now adores going on what she dubbed "the dangerous and wet trail of death" on Friday. About the boy who got upset when asked to read aloud who acted in a play in Charleston last month. About the girl whose third grade teacher made her feel stupid and who now knows how intelligent she really is. And the primary class who is absolutely jealous because they are not old enough for Shakespeare. And the girls who bake to raise money to build an aquaponics farm in Mozambique.
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God keeps sending us students and we are now completely full. We have a waiting list next year, and it looks like we are going to add on to our building in God's perfect timing. We hope to have more space next year. If God can give us the resources to open a school in ten weeks, He can supply enough money to build this summer or the next. Rather than ask people to buy things they really don't need (wrapping paper, candy, popcorn, magazines, etc.), we have set up a <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/harvest2015?fb_action_ids=10206234232673719&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=undefined">gofundme page</a>. Every dollar raised there will go directly to building more rooms so we can help kids shift to becoming seekers.
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One thing God has taught me in the past two years is that He is in the big things, and He is in the little things. One of the girls asked me what we were serving and I told her taco soup. She did not look thrilled. She asked about dessert and I told her key lime pie. "Pie, I don't like pie! Aren't you going to serve fried chicken and macaroni and cheese?" I told her no but that Mrs. Shea is a really great cook! So, what happens on Saturday? The afternoon of The Finale Feast, a couple celebrated their 50th anniversary. They had plenty of leftovers and asked us if we wanted some. So, that young lady got her macaroni and cheese (and it was delicious).
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<blockquote><i>"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."</i> Lamentations 3:22-23</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-40964626844376942252015-01-31T10:56:00.002-05:002015-01-31T10:57:47.868-05:00Flexible Thinking in How We Help Spectrum Students<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrWrfsCRyK6F1nPWa5fQxPTloiktqHVVQA-p6HcIPFWbgY6UsOfila2l6RUB6P4UdoQjL-givOESow-t3FTmLAZZ82e8pQ6lE3KVBYkPYTXa9nPn-2Od_cWR-Del9UZZvgvuiQ/s1600/eman1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrWrfsCRyK6F1nPWa5fQxPTloiktqHVVQA-p6HcIPFWbgY6UsOfila2l6RUB6P4UdoQjL-givOESow-t3FTmLAZZ82e8pQ6lE3KVBYkPYTXa9nPn-2Od_cWR-Del9UZZvgvuiQ/s320/eman1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Last year, I blogged a bit about a "Harvester" with autism who enjoys gardening. (<a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">Harvest</a> is a Charlotte Mason style school where Pamela and I hang out.) We have several spectrum students in our school, and they are all so different. As the saying goes, if you've met one person with autism, then you've met <i>only one person</i> with autism. We have one boy who "missed" a lot of classroom time last year because he was on a very difficult journey from learning to co-regulate (master his reactions with the help of someone) to self-regulate (know when to excuse himself or ask a teacher to help him deal with a stressful situation). This year, he's learned the lesson so well that he's never out of class. <b>Point One:</b> <i>Sometimes, taking a huge step back fosters a huge leap forward!</i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSJxJ74dmckPBD3PHD5qpTsuVSUgSZqY1cuhKv6Tmptndt-pf_mgDP172CnKLiToXEYQsJo1Aswxq3prCqYekCWLc1LZ79cIblucxg2ZZ3m3i8n-JLlbYoYEpqUmkAFIQD9fY4A/s1600/eman2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSJxJ74dmckPBD3PHD5qpTsuVSUgSZqY1cuhKv6Tmptndt-pf_mgDP172CnKLiToXEYQsJo1Aswxq3prCqYekCWLc1LZ79cIblucxg2ZZ3m3i8n-JLlbYoYEpqUmkAFIQD9fY4A/s320/eman2.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Another spectrum Harvester came to us last year from a self-contained classroom, labeled as nonverbal. His real issue is slow processing. When we gave him time to process, he talked. Once he realized that we would wait for him, he began to talk more and more and more, a little bit faster, a little bit faster, and a little bit faster. After the morning meeting, he needs time to eat a snack and burn off energy. Then, he is ready to join his peers for class. He works all day in class at his own level. He goes through an occasional giddy spell and has to leave class until he gets a grip. <b>Point Two:</b> <i>Sometimes, labels are not accurate.</i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aAujJoZySEmz8078hQICvNCdkeP0P9idEmo1MQPR_EE8tU2MOm2cmm3n0pMRt26ITeadS-0DNYsbUxHtc4dCplLyV9zx9EeGMUs7AQSMYq_ZD0BRtijkG9QKT105fKBLw7ZhCg/s1600/eman31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aAujJoZySEmz8078hQICvNCdkeP0P9idEmo1MQPR_EE8tU2MOm2cmm3n0pMRt26ITeadS-0DNYsbUxHtc4dCplLyV9zx9EeGMUs7AQSMYq_ZD0BRtijkG9QKT105fKBLw7ZhCg/s320/eman31.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Here is the update on Eman, who could only handle an hour at school just over a year ago and who now stays all day and after school to play with friends. Last year, our goal was for him to work up to a full day at school. While he made it through most days, he left at lunch whenever he had a tough morning. Some mornings were tough, and I believe one issue was that he knew he had an out. His mother assisted the primary class teacher in the morning and went home for lunch. In the back of his mind, he knew he could go home if he acted up enough. <b>Point Three:</b> <i>Some behaviors are deliberate, and they are the trickiest to figure out.</i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0sKRCXx-qR0_6C0vGTAYux9oU__ae0e3I8hRBkoPBRFsexzMdr1hj0tzwSldiMvE8fhjp2VbVCLqA_gsJqySeVsWeMqP6CIfoT2p0OI72nYb5pkEkz2eKdFXQ7cjyJFDHYKJjg/s1600/eman4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0sKRCXx-qR0_6C0vGTAYux9oU__ae0e3I8hRBkoPBRFsexzMdr1hj0tzwSldiMvE8fhjp2VbVCLqA_gsJqySeVsWeMqP6CIfoT2p0OI72nYb5pkEkz2eKdFXQ7cjyJFDHYKJjg/s320/eman4.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>The good news is that we have figured it out. Over the summer, his mother chatted with him from time to time about having to stay all day. Why? This talented lady has joined us as the primary class teacher! The first term he stayed all day, but some days were very tough. Eman is wonderful and, when fully regulated, he is a delight. He gets excited about a story; he stays very engaged; he begs to help. The day we planted seeds in the winter garden he had a hard time taking turns because he wanted to do everything. When he notebooked the garden, he drew his dream garden which included a fountain and a hot tub. He has a big heart and a big imagination. <b>Point Four:</b> <i>Every child, however challenging, has good qualities!</i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLrg4XgyyjUMWr8RaXQXCHV1pe1B-lhROicY3xPYs3qDDDT7CT1cxcJZzMGygHqk1EBW0vUFDvYdA8vtKnalsIIoyZF7Vq4GtLRLM0WyOjFWHZARJbI2Me_HsKO76Dg9hn0GNIw/s1600/1690569_315252671997624_4686414947375538008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLrg4XgyyjUMWr8RaXQXCHV1pe1B-lhROicY3xPYs3qDDDT7CT1cxcJZzMGygHqk1EBW0vUFDvYdA8vtKnalsIIoyZF7Vq4GtLRLM0WyOjFWHZARJbI2Me_HsKO76Dg9hn0GNIw/s320/1690569_315252671997624_4686414947375538008_n.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>What was the trick? Eman is easily bored, but he needs some structure. Spending all day, in the same class, with the same kids, with the same teacher was a little too much sameness for him. His mother and our headmaster brainstormed a new schedule that gives him variety within a routine. He joins the morning meeting for the devotion, pledge, song, habit talk, and Spanish and then he has a snack. Low blood sugar can ruin a day for him. Then, he goes to the headmaster for independent work: listening to an audio book, notebooking it, and map work. Then, he joins Pamela and I for literature: we practice the <a href="http://fighterverses.com/set-5-core-esv/week-4/">fighter verse of the week</a>, read a poem, read from two different literature books, and prepare for Shakespeare on Thursday. Then, he goes to his mom's room for math and heads to lunch. After lunch, he goes to recess and comes back in for copywork. Then, he and Pamela join the junior high in the big room for history and science in the afternoon. I am teaching that class so the junior high teacher can continue to build a solid relationship with him because he will spend several years in her class. <b>Point Five:</b> <i>In spite of what many believe, rigid routine does not help autistic children.</i>
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How have things been going for Eman? Surprisingly well. He's only had two tough days all term. On one day, he tested us and realized that he prefers choosing to do the right thing even though he does not always feel like it. The other day was a combination of a cold and a death in the extended family.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-24067646645882153562015-01-18T20:53:00.000-05:002015-01-18T20:54:02.199-05:00Winter Nature Study Y'allLet's face it! When the temperatures are below freezing, it's hard to muster the mojo to walk. (For folks down south, hot, humid, mosquito-mired days in July are no picnic). Whatever your obstacle, it's worth keeping the habit of a long, weekly walk. Our sweet spot is <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/search/label/Santee%20NWR">Santee National Wildlife Refuge</a>, and, while it's twenty minutes from my house and ten minutes from <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">our school</a>, I don't mind the drive once a week. Here are a few tips, one or two gleaned from the <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/forum">AO forum</a> which I encourage you to join because of their collective wisdom.
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<ul>
<li>Find a like-minded kindred spirit to walk with your family. Make a commitment with one another to walk the same place at the same time every week.</li>
<li>Bring and wear what you need to be comfortable: hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, layers, boots, raingear, sunscreen, insect repellant, etc.</li>
<li>Set a temperature limit (minimum and maximum) and use that to buck yourself up when it's cold but not too cold and hot but not too hot.</li>
<li>Practice the habit of cheerful resilience. We have sayings to go with the weather: "Harvest kids don't melt/ freeze to death/blubber." (The kids reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618250743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618250743&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=O4ZZYGCNOW7K4BAQ"><i>Carry On, Mr. Bowditch</i></a> coined that last one.)</li>
<li>Take pictures to help you research what is out there. Let older children take their own pictures if they use it for nature study.</li>
<li>Keep a family nature notebook for the little ones and scaffold them into doing their own when they are ready. Record common names and Latin names of what you see whenever possible.</li>
<li>Keep a list of what you find at the back of your notebook like the one Laurie Bestvator shared in her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615834108/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0615834108&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=3TLLJULMGGIHNBJL"><i>The Living Page</i></a>. It becomes a handy reference during notebooking time.</li>
<li>Let them develop their own names of places: we have the castles and moats, rock mountain, the frog pond, the boat ramp pond, the binocular boardwalk, the swamp boardwalk, etc.</li>
</ul>
Just over a week ago, we experienced a "long" period of freezing temperature. My friends from up North, please make sure you have no coffee or tea in your mouth. Thirty-six consecutive hours of temperatures well below freezing is long for us — especially when your house is not insulated!
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We decided to make Friday's walk optional since it began just as the thermometer began passing 32 degrees Fahrenheit. My group headed straight to the water where the deer drink. Watching them play in the ice was like<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UMW63Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003UMW63Y&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=LVVNXCFDCYJFJJRC"> seeing Lucy explore Narnian snow for the first time</a>. Ice is a rare treat for us. Seeing a section of our lake iced over is extremely rare. Rather than drag them out of the ice and walk the whole trail because that is what we do every week, I let them explore and play with ice. As you can see in the pictures, they had a BLAST.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44I2scNzVexvpLb4tcOGClAmhJHYG2nsNPE_DbmmiBOLFvtprQOLjCg4AAm3RpWmtq91dFX1yBEJfDVW4ijYag98nfAUNThyE3KslPWzLClB8xG3Ve5W9yYGJoz8WJIg-yNxGWQ/s1600/10420149_315253595330865_2878600614040047787_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44I2scNzVexvpLb4tcOGClAmhJHYG2nsNPE_DbmmiBOLFvtprQOLjCg4AAm3RpWmtq91dFX1yBEJfDVW4ijYag98nfAUNThyE3KslPWzLClB8xG3Ve5W9yYGJoz8WJIg-yNxGWQ/s320/10420149_315253595330865_2878600614040047787_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxSwOmlLz2cICzPRrlBu7iTFMvD3H4kXpBON1kur84iNw2RJVe22XIW3AMRlnG2VRQV_-2K8mlJGdodVx_bgRSb5uNl905vQOcMTuEvrqdAmyMUANzVH3FD5Qk2ONR7ckSgcdEg/s1600/10906452_315253541997537_5936133339623552663_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxSwOmlLz2cICzPRrlBu7iTFMvD3H4kXpBON1kur84iNw2RJVe22XIW3AMRlnG2VRQV_-2K8mlJGdodVx_bgRSb5uNl905vQOcMTuEvrqdAmyMUANzVH3FD5Qk2ONR7ckSgcdEg/s320/10906452_315253541997537_5936133339623552663_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxF_D4kG3gektjeHUuVua9JsXg-tBjhHeZdz_lG-WMeUcRE62vSWNLtelqdrdqIofFN_nVHDwZGXUg_8_x21oO0c8Wlq3MhDLPwHrRzcdCC4HXFUK6SCyjfc11gPOZX4LetT7dg/s1600/10923746_315253295330895_4546732544862030931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxF_D4kG3gektjeHUuVua9JsXg-tBjhHeZdz_lG-WMeUcRE62vSWNLtelqdrdqIofFN_nVHDwZGXUg_8_x21oO0c8Wlq3MhDLPwHrRzcdCC4HXFUK6SCyjfc11gPOZX4LetT7dg/s320/10923746_315253295330895_4546732544862030931_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOlSA638IDV8zsaDdOOjYKBOVPJF4YlfCsSPpKpC_QxXnQhZ-B6jqH5nxI-BBACBbKvYx371Y5cbva3SrSbJxl2nes4MPSQaoEs3dxNUuUES9r-k2KiceOuJPPf3NwB7CflnXYQ/s320/10917074_315253465330878_8487393607811115233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOlSA638IDV8zsaDdOOjYKBOVPJF4YlfCsSPpKpC_QxXnQhZ-B6jqH5nxI-BBACBbKvYx371Y5cbva3SrSbJxl2nes4MPSQaoEs3dxNUuUES9r-k2KiceOuJPPf3NwB7CflnXYQ/s320/10917074_315253465330878_8487393607811115233_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWZ_2cRb-rSrDsX_Le-PyLjWX_Rqj1IHtMQQHL7A6VFUqYrMykxq_y5ALFbB1eo6yzt2cloRr8rfuWjF0lTRe72On4IxnKmvnT4KuzhCdqYuIr1mcEjwNXZhTd86Sot-otH82Lw/s1600/10488023_315253585330866_3767765931030483085_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWZ_2cRb-rSrDsX_Le-PyLjWX_Rqj1IHtMQQHL7A6VFUqYrMykxq_y5ALFbB1eo6yzt2cloRr8rfuWjF0lTRe72On4IxnKmvnT4KuzhCdqYuIr1mcEjwNXZhTd86Sot-otH82Lw/s1600/10488023_315253585330866_3767765931030483085_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5xYJluBFrHW7ngkBVvu6c7VxfLGaU0SllymIoh9xSZazwR26sE8jTzWe1tEyl5bbenZ572Gg89HBm1fKgzatTTjLWWn8qiBxBTO5wQfTGAB9HNjpC3U4wbiQNZt-fEIhLKkS4A/s1600/10926442_315253311997560_6672624145951082825_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5xYJluBFrHW7ngkBVvu6c7VxfLGaU0SllymIoh9xSZazwR26sE8jTzWe1tEyl5bbenZ572Gg89HBm1fKgzatTTjLWWn8qiBxBTO5wQfTGAB9HNjpC3U4wbiQNZt-fEIhLKkS4A/s200/10926442_315253311997560_6672624145951082825_n.jpg" height="145" width="145" /></a>
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It is especially rewarding when you get to see students making discoveries. They became mesmerized by chucking bits of ice and watching them skid across the ice. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=315256148663943&set=vb.141438449379048&type=3&theater">This video</a> shows them cheering when the little chunks slid off into the water.
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When this little boy ran through the cypress knees, he announced, "Hey, it's like a maze!"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2BEKCJ7zCQtZ6JDPXx9A-dDw94-WK6htSPuR0MYWth_Oo42BgA5jIfYZJ4TrttZOUN3KMrt5eWY5XXpqOpeHAU6yDxE67pkorN_TlpximBNH05bG9pXhlAqESOKkOlE0Q-AsNw/s1600/1743686_315253751997516_3650987784064490819_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2BEKCJ7zCQtZ6JDPXx9A-dDw94-WK6htSPuR0MYWth_Oo42BgA5jIfYZJ4TrttZOUN3KMrt5eWY5XXpqOpeHAU6yDxE67pkorN_TlpximBNH05bG9pXhlAqESOKkOlE0Q-AsNw/s320/1743686_315253751997516_3650987784064490819_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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Then, the kids had an idea just as we are driving away. They wondered if they could explore the ice at the little beach near the mound. They learned that the ice had already melted on the sunny side of the lake.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO-Bj5dPymOqvxE8zpu0X0cZ73p0Ihsgdcgg7yOYlSOSmz95SS7RnxNDuY-KLDwuQ8lt_NMimwf1O0vbpsnj4zQeLIx82yoaxMDbvUCFvH9jtVH3j4xLXZxEKzhyphenhyphenGznOaYvP64A/s1600/10920910_315253998664158_3112750494310156889_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO-Bj5dPymOqvxE8zpu0X0cZ73p0Ihsgdcgg7yOYlSOSmz95SS7RnxNDuY-KLDwuQ8lt_NMimwf1O0vbpsnj4zQeLIx82yoaxMDbvUCFvH9jtVH3j4xLXZxEKzhyphenhyphenGznOaYvP64A/s320/10920910_315253998664158_3112750494310156889_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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What was Pamela doing? Well, she and I had violated one of our tips. We had forgotten to wear boots so we did not have as much fun as the others!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q44YWb-KsVHPvbhrz13fRdAiEW_eHSXlnTpmgEgQMnqHYnoVTVaZJHZ89Cj2homTRufGTtI7VZNPdDOTELdFHMhVFS-IDX3roBPIAymNZpKhkdLBBZl_9fK9qF0Icozx-frWVw/s1600/10353105_315253675330857_5661527976662500870_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q44YWb-KsVHPvbhrz13fRdAiEW_eHSXlnTpmgEgQMnqHYnoVTVaZJHZ89Cj2homTRufGTtI7VZNPdDOTELdFHMhVFS-IDX3roBPIAymNZpKhkdLBBZl_9fK9qF0Icozx-frWVw/s320/10353105_315253675330857_5661527976662500870_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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Pamela and I go there every day. Because the junior high was overflowing, Pamela and I are working together again. She and I join the entire school for morning meeting where we listen to a devotion, recite the pledge of allegiance, sing a patriotic song or hymn, and learn Spanish (which I teach). She and I are working through a variation of AO Year 7 adapted to a private school, modified to scaffold students who have never learned through Charlotte Mason principles.
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It is a challenging transition! She and I worked very hard during the first term in between trips to Indiana and Canada. In Ohio, we watched a jousting tournament! And we met <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/11/lessons-about-learning-from-praying.html">Hildegard and other friends in Ontario</a>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM0l5zDbjfPihDOmAmX_43e0SWNHSD6EuseeRO9dlToLHJ-lwMCZrWFpwZ0cQTy5jRAiyAD9TE3Y59IFiNwanjY1bRacEuKtAfAodagPzOAuC1bRFSzbBMt30bwuaw06CwB5paQ/s1600/10653377_10152372478652499_7260588825845793380_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM0l5zDbjfPihDOmAmX_43e0SWNHSD6EuseeRO9dlToLHJ-lwMCZrWFpwZ0cQTy5jRAiyAD9TE3Y59IFiNwanjY1bRacEuKtAfAodagPzOAuC1bRFSzbBMt30bwuaw06CwB5paQ/s320/10653377_10152372478652499_7260588825845793380_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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You may think Charlotte Mason is all about reading tons of great books. While we do read great books, we also study things up close and personal. God has sent all kinds of creatures to us. We studied a dead bat, a baby opossum that found itself in our trashcan one morning, and a mud turtle.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEAm83fLi4Ugwe_ufbiLBbSD7a3_9E-SkMZjaMWzeE-cRoQiNJ3G_JHCjDBD8AVjKhgjvUHEelfXiA9t_BOfa81l4DLlYl_EYWyspHNa2b_GZ8fSkLu-5XJ-lVXjz28Kv1OSQbw/s1600/10410432_281697828686442_5321274535617559476_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEAm83fLi4Ugwe_ufbiLBbSD7a3_9E-SkMZjaMWzeE-cRoQiNJ3G_JHCjDBD8AVjKhgjvUHEelfXiA9t_BOfa81l4DLlYl_EYWyspHNa2b_GZ8fSkLu-5XJ-lVXjz28Kv1OSQbw/s320/10410432_281697828686442_5321274535617559476_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaYL0hoK4vWBAJRlUe5-EuxgLbauQtDDpaQU03TLw3aA8kqvnOTTfV7Gun2J8uiLM4l-zjnJubAAhqbjG_4lOUJaKS83BbcaC2WnQOlv4rmd8048s7hzGwy2f3Znnz50mOXup2g/s1600/10711031_281697845353107_8787013137862304589_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaYL0hoK4vWBAJRlUe5-EuxgLbauQtDDpaQU03TLw3aA8kqvnOTTfV7Gun2J8uiLM4l-zjnJubAAhqbjG_4lOUJaKS83BbcaC2WnQOlv4rmd8048s7hzGwy2f3Znnz50mOXup2g/s320/10711031_281697845353107_8787013137862304589_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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We explored two Carolina bays: one at <a href="http://southcarolinaparks.com/woodsbay/introduction.aspx">Woods Bay State Park</a> and another at <a href="http://www.fws.gov/santee/">Santee National Wildlife Refuge</a>. Their staff invited us to go on their autumn audit of snakes and salamanders. We saw how they capture and count these critters. Don't worry! This snake is venomous unlike the cotton mouth that stayed in the cage.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZrOA-veeeoWBYhxiP7dvGf1Kb2pAPf1xSc7KbQLFf3GTh_S2UxXXClO5nVrwbaAevX0Ocn9_5PwCw4Is_6ruKQOgyp7uslXFEQl-RK1cN5FqHaWKfqCrMbOcTPJ19LYDV_7CMw/s1600/10406684_291103031079255_270123922144058723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZrOA-veeeoWBYhxiP7dvGf1Kb2pAPf1xSc7KbQLFf3GTh_S2UxXXClO5nVrwbaAevX0Ocn9_5PwCw4Is_6ruKQOgyp7uslXFEQl-RK1cN5FqHaWKfqCrMbOcTPJ19LYDV_7CMw/s320/10406684_291103031079255_270123922144058723_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVQKj7GzV-_zIlwgQGIZxMyOSA_iC-FVcFrevgGONMIjzaO15PiNW5cBZ-g5qHNV_l-wiBFmTCf44DCRWffaYli9ffnFRd3ljuz7Xk-MKwxzrpv45CAh4cYn35wJL7Dhj3V967A/s1600/10897815_10152612111547499_7499126953577173413_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVQKj7GzV-_zIlwgQGIZxMyOSA_iC-FVcFrevgGONMIjzaO15PiNW5cBZ-g5qHNV_l-wiBFmTCf44DCRWffaYli9ffnFRd3ljuz7Xk-MKwxzrpv45CAh4cYn35wJL7Dhj3V967A/s320/10897815_10152612111547499_7499126953577173413_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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The staff of SNWR also gave us a tour of the bird migration fields and told us all the things they do to keep traveling birds well-fed. We learned a lot about the different habitats along our beloved trail and how to apply terms like producer, consumer, and decomposer.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_oBCHiW2ItboUetJXWaZ-83w1OgD0vDXbp3IiXRwC8xt0cFLnScEWdHZHc_45fm9BWG88CaUGK68hX5KMkF4abJOYCdm1UX798WzPakQFpY7PUZUWkyrd0YWZOX7qzpiZAZx1Q/s1600/1507939_295683673954524_1155799787285341091_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_oBCHiW2ItboUetJXWaZ-83w1OgD0vDXbp3IiXRwC8xt0cFLnScEWdHZHc_45fm9BWG88CaUGK68hX5KMkF4abJOYCdm1UX798WzPakQFpY7PUZUWkyrd0YWZOX7qzpiZAZx1Q/s320/1507939_295683673954524_1155799787285341091_n.jpg" height="251" width="375" /></a>
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Finally, we ended the term and our study of Hildegard von Bingen with a visit from the author of the book we had been reading. <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/08/on-being-like-child-hildegards-gift.html">Megan Hoyt</a> shared things about Hildegard that went beyond the book. We passed around herbs, and the children enjoyed grinding spelt. She passed around scrolls with sayings by Hildegard plus something they might be when they grow up. The Kindergartners was so impressed because they knew the book inside and out. When our headmaster told them that the author of the book is here, their eyes grew wide and one little boy exclaimed in surprise, "She's HERE?"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocADrnrbxtCtfAGPmyNUNGeETS5TfxBbYcjfjMChhpHUe0vlCO13sdE6kFnHYx_eNxhfWF04WyUq1_OYPN0bwR6AN9CSFktIkcYS87_CzDdIxTCy-3oqVd_hXs5X-WEXAUOsigw/s1600/10322582_298011790388379_5578687780404429961_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocADrnrbxtCtfAGPmyNUNGeETS5TfxBbYcjfjMChhpHUe0vlCO13sdE6kFnHYx_eNxhfWF04WyUq1_OYPN0bwR6AN9CSFktIkcYS87_CzDdIxTCy-3oqVd_hXs5X-WEXAUOsigw/s320/10322582_298011790388379_5578687780404429961_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCS41MzeFygSAl5OTdg-JfgwyHtV_6qf0xym1t53AbRzqhE8CE56fjLbHbb001ZLa3FuNejMWAttLPudX91ZSoVmISZZoFy2SfKbAP-ve1iMCihoHTjYhHaKLAl2xZQzMD7Eazg/s1600/6833590531_b278042b5d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCS41MzeFygSAl5OTdg-JfgwyHtV_6qf0xym1t53AbRzqhE8CE56fjLbHbb001ZLa3FuNejMWAttLPudX91ZSoVmISZZoFy2SfKbAP-ve1iMCihoHTjYhHaKLAl2xZQzMD7Eazg/s200/6833590531_b278042b5d.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>To read more posts like this, check out the <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/p/cm-carnival-schedule.html">Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-11170506311320960032014-11-03T19:59:00.000-05:002014-11-03T19:59:02.102-05:00Lessons about Learning from a Praying MantisHas it really been three months?
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Between retreats and starting a new school year at <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">Harvest</a>, my poor blog has been quite neglected. Pamela and I just returned from <a href="http://www.l-harmas.com/">l'HaRMaS in Canada</a> and, if you want to know more about it, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/look-who-dropped-in-at-lharmas.html">Mama Squirrel</a> has written a series of posts about it: <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/roxaboxen-and-mitford-two-safe-places.html">our bedtime story <i></i></a><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060526335/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060526335&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=53MGXLKU3CZBL36L">Roxaboxen</a></i>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-gift-from-lharmas-lharmas-posts.html">delighting in a praying mantis eggs sac as a party favor</a>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/tammy-glaser-and-dhm-on-teaching-whole.html">feeling empowered rather than small and dim</a>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/sweet-home-ontari-ama-lharmas-posts.html">on place and architecture</a>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/let-wild-rumpus-start-lharmas-posts.html">acting on ideas</a>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/in-this-way-delight-lharmas-posts.html">THE Voice</a>, <a href="http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-mason-circle-lharmas-posts_31.html">learning-serving-learning-serving-...</a>, and <a href="http://www.deweystreehouse.blogspot.ca/2014/11/education-is-discipline-it-starts-with.html">starting with a story</a>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMKlTcqJ-wp3joJxlhtUT2xkj8GhoKWppWiVZRYj_l4mJUG17tN9DowXo-bQMTnYQRRZtBWMWhzbdjxcrLtZPx2liyq3NS-z2FObO4r8PoGflyeYeTmRpJl0e9EeP0Fr26TNqTA/s1600/shelfie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMKlTcqJ-wp3joJxlhtUT2xkj8GhoKWppWiVZRYj_l4mJUG17tN9DowXo-bQMTnYQRRZtBWMWhzbdjxcrLtZPx2liyq3NS-z2FObO4r8PoGflyeYeTmRpJl0e9EeP0Fr26TNqTA/s1600/shelfie1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
My friend, Jennifer Gagnon, <a href="http://belikefabre.blogspot.com/">blog writer of BeLikeFabre</a>, lives out what we believe. Her bookshelf — an <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/">AmblesideOnline</a> paradise — mesmerized Pamela and I. Every inch, from floor to ceiling, from one end to the other end of a joyously long wall is crammed full of literary treasures and hidden gems. On a table nearby sat a white ceramic pot with another guest she was hosting, a praying mantis that we named Hildegard, of course! Watching Hildegard eat a bee reminded me of important lessons about learning.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDNENY9szkpWxcxbLrhQ13F_dTJp12malratLSMufdvRqOScK-uAZXGOA9dx4b25Ov7hGHwT1neZhXqmiZ9pBAhH5lqGqpeWSdClhZZEjKBJK7kshKOq1WG7xbA7pIQpTPxwtCw/s1600/hildeb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDNENY9szkpWxcxbLrhQ13F_dTJp12malratLSMufdvRqOScK-uAZXGOA9dx4b25Ov7hGHwT1neZhXqmiZ9pBAhH5lqGqpeWSdClhZZEjKBJK7kshKOq1WG7xbA7pIQpTPxwtCw/s1600/hildeb3.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Before Pamela and I arrived, Jennifer and <a href="http://ohpeacefulday.blogspot.com/">Jeanne (our surprise visitor from Australia)</a> watched Hildegard feed on a spider and a cricket. They talked up the process so much we had to see it for ourselves. The morning after l'HaRMaS ended we stood outside (me in my pajamas), gathered around the pot, and waited for her to attack and eat a bee. We watched and waited and watched and waited and... Occasionally, Hildegard would focus intently on the bee and move her head to track it. <a href="http://northwestbynorth.wordpress.com/">Poor Kathy</a> delayed her departure for the airport as long as she could to see the great event.<br />
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We tried scaffolding Hildegard to speed things up. In the process of moving the pot, the stick where she perched had gotten stuck under a plastic container. Jennifer tried to give her a leg up, but the mantis grew frightened and fought her help, even trying to bite her. Things settled down, and Hildegard tracked and follow the bee's movements. She knew the distance was too far but did not realize the plastic wrap covering the pot prevented the bee from flying off. She did not know that climbing onto the container would close the gap between herself and her prey. We tried pinning the bee to the edge of the pot, hoping a leaf protected fingers and thumbs from its stinger. Even that did not encourage her to pounce.<br />
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Hildegard neither knew nor cared that Kathy longed to see the big event. That minutes were ticking by and our friend would soon be bound for the airport. She tracked the bee warily but did nothing more. We offered her a big leaf with a long stem, and she ended up stuck under that, too. We pushed a hydrangea and stem to no avail. Kathy left, and we waited some more. Hildegard stayed hidden below the scaffolding we had offered her.
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My mind wandered while we waited. As <a href="http://www.rdiconnect.com/growth-promoting-mental-challenge/">Dr. Gustein points out in a recent note</a>, we are born driven to seek out and engage in challenging situations. Certain conditions encourage the most growth. Learners are most engaged when they feel safe and supported. All of our hurried attempts to scaffold her must have frightened her terribly. It took her a long time to feel secure enough to venture out of hiding. That is what happens to all learners who have been placed into environments that create frightening learning experiences.
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Clearly, Hildegard needed to feel a sense of normalcy — that things fell into a predictable pattern that made her feel at home. The unfamiliar environment of the pot and our frantic attempts to help left her unsettled. All the resources of her meager brain were channeled toward safety. Once we left her alone and watched her without prodding her, she settled down. She began to feel secure. Slowly, a foreleg crept up to the plastic container. She waited for signs of trouble, and, when there were none, another leg popped up. One by one, carefully, hesitantly, the mantis crawled on top of the container.<br />
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Once we backed off, we saw that she could handle the challenges in her own time, Hildegard made progress. It was not immediate. She saw the bee but did not pounce on it right away. She started to track it. It looked almost as if she were measuring it and assessing whether or not she could manage it. <a href="https://archive.org/details/fabresbookofinse00fabr">Fabre's description</a> is exactly what we saw,
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<i>For a long time she waits in vain ; for the Wasp is suspicious and on her guard: still, now and then a rash one is caught. With a sudden rustle of wings the Mantis terrifies the newcomer, who hesitates for a moment in her fright. Then, with the sharpness of a spring, the Wasp is fixed as in a trap between the blades of the double saw — the toothed fore-arm and toothed upper-arm of the Mantis. The victim is then gnawed in small mouthfuls.</i></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhQ4lltmTLjfbZ7JeyNBMB9uGHi43LY3gOBdCdFQtg5qwRoVQQBNpfih4Zj-pHsOGNyokRCLdjP41f_8bAdti7z3wNwhkkOJmX4txt-CFzIDhlQ8-Dzj41m5AYvV3mhUMSmENyw/s1600/hildeb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhQ4lltmTLjfbZ7JeyNBMB9uGHi43LY3gOBdCdFQtg5qwRoVQQBNpfih4Zj-pHsOGNyokRCLdjP41f_8bAdti7z3wNwhkkOJmX4txt-CFzIDhlQ8-Dzj41m5AYvV3mhUMSmENyw/s1600/hildeb1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Before we headed out on a nature walk along Lake Erie, we released Hildegard and took lots of pictures. She's quite a celebrity. You may be wondering how to apply these lessons to learners in your life. How does one approach the ambitious Year 7 of AmblesideOnline with a person whose language skills are very delayed? Well, I will let you know in my next post because that is exactly what Pamela and I are doing.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLxrSSpBhD2T8rVAjs5UwOEWc5iXN98YA7nPe0xMg6eWLlDVea_O0A2BGFwis4ukJ6ROzfLP3GqKRA4io98CnTmWNvPrpKx0RWI5EX8sGZpI66t1vkHUzm_6HhkneySkEKuo2-Q/s1600/hildeb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLxrSSpBhD2T8rVAjs5UwOEWc5iXN98YA7nPe0xMg6eWLlDVea_O0A2BGFwis4ukJ6ROzfLP3GqKRA4io98CnTmWNvPrpKx0RWI5EX8sGZpI66t1vkHUzm_6HhkneySkEKuo2-Q/s1600/hildeb2.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxp_vgDyrKdNzIXzXdavOStRa27JipiktCBjn0Zt8yKNpTvV0ykOWvbsKLAPqwMCaU6Xw-rdTfNX8-3aWAxJZ1_6kPD1HYfykf15ijAsGw-RbjeSnSNKU4Umw56ctN-Zj4TNvOQ/s1600/hildea1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxp_vgDyrKdNzIXzXdavOStRa27JipiktCBjn0Zt8yKNpTvV0ykOWvbsKLAPqwMCaU6Xw-rdTfNX8-3aWAxJZ1_6kPD1HYfykf15ijAsGw-RbjeSnSNKU4Umw56ctN-Zj4TNvOQ/s1600/hildea1.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-77685017990552094462014-08-08T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-08T00:00:13.891-04:00On Being Like a Child: Hildegard's Gift<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JOReIa93eyaBPS5R6XSRGaGY1wWMvkIII3IDVRPLzzwO5RWT5hW4lmuoxKmRCu41PwXv8byp_Tu0RpWIkrS9-b2S1LpJ4G_ll4q8Qbti_GtO-bjHZtPwi1LkXLz_R5soyTzLxQ/s1600/hildegards-gift-homepage-ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JOReIa93eyaBPS5R6XSRGaGY1wWMvkIII3IDVRPLzzwO5RWT5hW4lmuoxKmRCu41PwXv8byp_Tu0RpWIkrS9-b2S1LpJ4G_ll4q8Qbti_GtO-bjHZtPwi1LkXLz_R5soyTzLxQ/s320/hildegards-gift-homepage-ad.jpg" height="254" width="375" /></a>Some of our special needs children face many illnesses, and a book like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612613586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1612613586&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=2O4GOVNI56LWJ2DE"><i>Hildegard's Gift</i> by Megan Hoyt</a> offers encouragement. In full disclosure, this review is biased because Megan is my friend. I did buy a copy for her to sign with my own money. And, if you don't believe my praise, read the <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-61261-358-1">wonderful review at Publishers Weekly</a>. <b>And, it happens to be on sale right now!</b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyPNO-cdN3936Qis52K-yAhVdpiLzVrPt2tSd9ekC1FoyKGNSbMOKHw5Ais4hXVCl3n8PuZJNOddT_aWKdXubSPq0flkVRHhgijbvhBwk7g2fW3dM_yS7kBEpRkz3m_YPKsw8gw/s1600/clockwise43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyPNO-cdN3936Qis52K-yAhVdpiLzVrPt2tSd9ekC1FoyKGNSbMOKHw5Ais4hXVCl3n8PuZJNOddT_aWKdXubSPq0flkVRHhgijbvhBwk7g2fW3dM_yS7kBEpRkz3m_YPKsw8gw/s320/clockwise43.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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Hildegard was a composer, nun, herbalist, writer, and many other things who lived nine hundred years ago. From the time she was a young child, she suffered from terrible headaches that left her worn out and bedridden at times. Megan's book weaves many big ideas into this children's biography of Hildegard: not all gifts come in packages, with some gifts comes pain, sometimes our frail bodies need rest, sometimes we must persevere even when our body is not cooperating, sometimes our talents are as plain as day, and sometimes they appear in God's good timing. Megan sprinkled Hildegard's words throughout the text. The illustrations by David Hill strike me as Narnian, and that is the highest praise I can give to a piece of art. The tone of the book is sweet and gentle, but also gives children a glimpse of the dark times in Hildegard's life.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19jzHSEwFZROqabhI7Zyq7jK9Hclf9mNw1eyp2uTRURdEiRz4Qp6hYa10uH7v9_eWD6naem6vfL3QKh68S8yBYPzP76FyGCFw5s8Qe4a2-3dH58tH191Q5hzsn3FvZaB0AIobRQ/s1600/clockwise31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19jzHSEwFZROqabhI7Zyq7jK9Hclf9mNw1eyp2uTRURdEiRz4Qp6hYa10uH7v9_eWD6naem6vfL3QKh68S8yBYPzP76FyGCFw5s8Qe4a2-3dH58tH191Q5hzsn3FvZaB0AIobRQ/s320/clockwise31.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>We were blessed on July 28 when Megan did a book signing event for us during <a href="http://www.prov-en-der.com/weekends.html">Clockwise</a>. My friends from <a href="http://www.prov-en-der.com/">prov.en.der</a> came to <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">Harvest</a> and shared what they know about "unhurried time" with our teachers, parents, teachers from <a href="http://redmountaincommunityschool.com/">one of our sister schools</a>, and homeschoolers.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIlF1UlzzY-X-K0Ri-Op5u9GTgk_3Nw9bjia5McLaA1l76LVGBNhymIuR2bArSCd2LRgtR4sngY40ccgT9MTpRqb2X40X5oWSYlZbqLkuotDkPYoCZ7wtnR-ku8N0Zr3UkKhKqQ/s1600/clockwise04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIlF1UlzzY-X-K0Ri-Op5u9GTgk_3Nw9bjia5McLaA1l76LVGBNhymIuR2bArSCd2LRgtR4sngY40ccgT9MTpRqb2X40X5oWSYlZbqLkuotDkPYoCZ7wtnR-ku8N0Zr3UkKhKqQ/s320/clockwise04.jpg" height="328" width="375" /></a>
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Humility, being childlike, going through a day done Mason's way, helped us understand "unhurried time." We did copywork, studied dictation, recitation, picture study, history, poetry, prayer, hymns, literature, math, handicraft, nature walk, etc. Our special guest Megan introduced us to Hildegard, not just through her book, but in many ways. She gave us more details about her world and what life was like. She showed us paintings of how people portrayed this visionary woman.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lMFMe3ERFeq0kf23WR73L_i-R0yifoC1iR8rrhy3T69f23ITQsyXeLOM5gOZ3Yi0Rtc0Rs8023jo64AEKvPm3r4LtePx_NloPJ7UCWNuur66mSf6KRYVIJx6SLLMJJLNNGY6CQ/s1600/clockwise33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lMFMe3ERFeq0kf23WR73L_i-R0yifoC1iR8rrhy3T69f23ITQsyXeLOM5gOZ3Yi0Rtc0Rs8023jo64AEKvPm3r4LtePx_NloPJ7UCWNuur66mSf6KRYVIJx6SLLMJJLNNGY6CQ/s320/clockwise33.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7muHFjj5nIM9IqaVdCXPJxJCBH75SncEihrBvjijrB3_b0vIG8FMNeY0aWK0zHbnTQuosjt3n9w0dNgcoPhMYScW2r0JmQqKJDtITW-WGINvmcmxKGGSKcLMGLlpVjEOoCTjzg/s1600/clockwise34.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7muHFjj5nIM9IqaVdCXPJxJCBH75SncEihrBvjijrB3_b0vIG8FMNeY0aWK0zHbnTQuosjt3n9w0dNgcoPhMYScW2r0JmQqKJDtITW-WGINvmcmxKGGSKcLMGLlpVjEOoCTjzg/s320/clockwise34.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNTzAMp14kPGsGrgCSqbnVHb8jR3dAhDi9s1Y3MOV0UNTnJODmhMpf_4gB29FLPG5dLUgZ4XropBL4_a8yM4LJ3HhJwB64E46FNS9GkwTAneKqc3pSuw19gTED-tU4fpXbxM_Mw/s1600/clockwise41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNTzAMp14kPGsGrgCSqbnVHb8jR3dAhDi9s1Y3MOV0UNTnJODmhMpf_4gB29FLPG5dLUgZ4XropBL4_a8yM4LJ3HhJwB64E46FNS9GkwTAneKqc3pSuw19gTED-tU4fpXbxM_Mw/s320/clockwise41.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Megan shared many delightful things about Hildegard in ways that tapped into our senses. Throughout the day, we listened to her music while we did work that required quiet thought. We tried singing <a href="http://youtu.be/Wpl-5wu5P4Q">"O Ignis Spiritus"</a> in the best melisma style that we could. She invited one of our teachers, who grows all sorts of herbs in her garden, to share those that Hildegard might have enjoyed. I don't want to give it all away, but we enjoyed it so much I plan to invite her back so our kids can get to see a bona fide author who is published! If you live within a reasonable distance from the Charlotte area, I encourage you to contact her for a book signing.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaI0Hnelr105uhEWwAhGFb96NiV2DGuBD7uJ0mazJPB13ACfe_zWPGKWFSGqX6nrgvssOIf3qBVk-wEE0khHtfatf9rrrfG6gMOQrdeWWyuYuM_5HiOXxtv40Q2wfO4qncQxX8g/s320/clockwise37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaI0Hnelr105uhEWwAhGFb96NiV2DGuBD7uJ0mazJPB13ACfe_zWPGKWFSGqX6nrgvssOIf3qBVk-wEE0khHtfatf9rrrfG6gMOQrdeWWyuYuM_5HiOXxtv40Q2wfO4qncQxX8g/s320/clockwise37.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwqt0YVXCGaVTfR1TpABrdG3LJXjJgMj5ja4ca-OMdRJAAVY4RWfsMpDG9Dgm5ijFn-7O6crukimHInpSo0KI6tJC-SjGIRQiZGCrbiyddMWCv2qb0XrPqtqoKJo-YbgDlNC6_g/s320/clockwise38.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwqt0YVXCGaVTfR1TpABrdG3LJXjJgMj5ja4ca-OMdRJAAVY4RWfsMpDG9Dgm5ijFn-7O6crukimHInpSo0KI6tJC-SjGIRQiZGCrbiyddMWCv2qb0XrPqtqoKJo-YbgDlNC6_g/s320/clockwise38.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDRSqxUxhqz9B6uVRCzFnbI0fjj05RC-kTMpURbvDoC34oiWN71-lcFdgP94-bG7Iov_j1vxXLhKDW2tvMRyzie4kU_IsBxbvkUMYVqC7cngXCTrBWcJO6RZmJNeFrcgqs9KGdw/s1600/clockwise39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDRSqxUxhqz9B6uVRCzFnbI0fjj05RC-kTMpURbvDoC34oiWN71-lcFdgP94-bG7Iov_j1vxXLhKDW2tvMRyzie4kU_IsBxbvkUMYVqC7cngXCTrBWcJO6RZmJNeFrcgqs9KGdw/s1600/clockwise39.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLXwxdgtEg0w3unVISRjBgA5G4dZM29CAtXZP735aLGS3oGLGmsdCiJeCC80XKId46eRGRYOR2vNm2ttfXwoPKXZ0z1oEAV7rY6ZTIdyiDXOMNFcu_xupzfIHuDOASsvTfkbnUg/s1600/clockwise36.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLXwxdgtEg0w3unVISRjBgA5G4dZM29CAtXZP735aLGS3oGLGmsdCiJeCC80XKId46eRGRYOR2vNm2ttfXwoPKXZ0z1oEAV7rY6ZTIdyiDXOMNFcu_xupzfIHuDOASsvTfkbnUg/s1600/clockwise36.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-61800267628321073252014-08-03T15:20:00.000-04:002014-08-03T15:28:58.237-04:00What Humility Has to Do with Autism<blockquote><i>Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.</i> ~ Lord Acton</blockquote>
Some friends and I were commenting on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/powerful-and-coldhearted.html">an article which states that people in power are less sensitive to social cues</a>. "Studies have repeatedly shown that participants who are in high positions of power (or who are temporarily induced to feel powerful) are less able to adopt the visual, cognitive or emotional perspective of other people, compared to participants who are powerless (or are made to feel so)."
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People in power are less able to mirror the emotions of others. It explains why politicians seem out of touch the longer they stay in Washington. Why the people who suffered at the hands of the monarchy and the czars committed cruel acts after they won revolutions. "When people experience power, their brains fundamentally change how sensitive they are to the actions of others." It causes me to appreciate people like George Washington: the people would have given him honors, titles, rank, and lavishness worthy of a king, but he remained humble. He went back to farming after his eight years in office ended.
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If you have a special needs child in your life, this article becomes personal! The world views our children as weak — less than human. Their vulnerability makes others feel powerful. A friend's husband is in a wheelchair due to a recent accident. Although she works with special needs students, she didn't understand what it's like until now. People don't look her husband in the eye: he's beneath them. He communicates well, yet one waitress didn't leave a bill until my friend had returned from the bathroom.
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Even in fleeting encounters, power lowers resonance with social cues. "For those participants who were induced to experience feelings of power, their brains showed virtually no resonance with the actions of others; conversely, for those participants who were induced to experience feelings of powerlessness, their brains resonated quite a bit. In short, the brains of powerful people didn't mirror the actions of other people."
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Whether we are parent, teacher, or therapist, power can go to our head, especially when a task is vital. For me, that hot button was potty training because diapers shut down many opportunities. Pamela was six years old and still in pull-ups. No matter how often we headed her to the bathroom, she never realized it was time to go. Fortunately, I had read that a benefit of a gfcf diet was improved bladder control. I quit potty training until we started homeschooling Pamela and took her off certain foods. Fortunately, I had never pushed Pamela to the point of causing me to regret my actions. Had I not known about food connection, it could have happened.
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Certain kinds of therapy puts the adult into a powerful role. Think about what a person might do to a child, even a well-intentioned adult who only wants the best for that child, might do because of the power differential. Even an intelligent, loving adult might overstep boundaries because power has shut down the mirror neurons that promote empathy. We know what can happen when a low-verbal or non-verbal child is put in the hands of someone with too much power. We see the awful stories on the news all the time!
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I prefer <a href="http://www.rdiconnect.com">Relationship Development Intervention</a> and <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org">Charlotte Mason</a> because adults are viewed as encouragers and guides. Children are valued for who they are, whether they are brilliant or a bit delayed or far, far "behind." In this <a href="http://youtu.be/Bz14PMFQry8">"must-see" video</a> on being the father of someone with autism and apraxia, Matt Oakes put our roles as parents and teachers very well.
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<i>"I don't think it's my job to force Liam to be the kind of kid, the kind of person that I want him to be. It's our job as parents, it's my job as his dad, to help him find who he is."</i>
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<b>"Is." Not "will be."</b>
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<i>"A child is a born person."</i> ~ Charlotte Mason
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The view of ourselves as persons in authority must be accurate as well. Matt appreciates the importance of humility.
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<i>"Instead of being this sort of superhero for their kids, I think that a good dad is someone who just humbles himself in front of their kids and finds ways to reach to their kid where they are and say I see you and I love you."
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"I think to help kids unlock who they are you have to realize as a dad, as a parent, that it's really not about you. But, to make it about the kid, you have to be vulnerable and you have to be humble. You have to let that stuff go."</i>
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Mason cautioned us about our view of ourselves in this way, <i>"Our deadly error is to suppose that we are his showman to the universe; and, not only so, but that there is no community at all between child and universe unless such as we choose to set up."</i> She kicks this view of humility up a notch by recognizing authority properly.
<blockquote><i>"When we learn to realise that––God is, Self is, the World is, with all that these existences imply, quite untouched by any thinking of ours, unprovable, and self-proven,––why, we are at once put into a more humble attitude of mind. We recognise that above us, about us, within us, there are "more things . . . than are dreamt of in our philosophy." <b>We realise ourselves as persons, we have a local habitation, and we live and move and have our being in and under a supreme authority.</b></i>" ~ <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#114">Charlotte Mason</a></blockquote>
Humbling ourselves forces us to trust in the Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to work in our children what we cannot do. Like Matt said, our role is not to force our children to be what we want them to be. Only the Holy Spirit knows who they are. In our humility, we can help them find out. Since God already knows, the more we trust Him, the less we get in the way.
<blockquote><i> "When we recognise that God does not make over the bringing up of children absolutely even to their parents, but that He works Himself, in ways which it must be our care not to hinder, in the training of every child, then we shall learn passiveness, humble and wise. We shall give children space to develop on the lines of their own characters in all right ways, and shall know how to intervene effectually to prevent those errors which, also, are proper to their individual characters."</i> ~ <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#028">Charlotte Mason</a></blockquote>
I attended two Charlotte Mason retreats in the past two weeks. <a href="http://www.prov-en-der.com/weekends.html">Clockwise</a> invited me to assume a humble posture, that of a child, where we immersed ourselves in a typical school day. <a href="http://sageparnassus.blogspot.com/p/living-education-retreat_25.html">Living Education Retreat</a> gave me three verses on humility:
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<i>"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. <b>Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another</b>, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"</i> 1 Peter 5:5
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<i>"Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves."</i> Luke 22:26
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<i>"At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'"</i> Matthew 18:1-4Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-8437094847366920872014-07-08T11:21:00.002-04:002014-07-08T17:54:09.666-04:00The Un-Vacation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJp3nBtSMFOWbEpgjrFp81bqc4wTbkcbeSqHemDrnVZxvSmhbMpvZz8Nx0U4H_ZUrbXcpOYsNNfaPS0f0Ocvf0V-5d8GwUvWjAVhhhcgTy9DkFP7mKv-4XHok5RG6f5mccyaiwHw/s1600/doodlesjuly41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJp3nBtSMFOWbEpgjrFp81bqc4wTbkcbeSqHemDrnVZxvSmhbMpvZz8Nx0U4H_ZUrbXcpOYsNNfaPS0f0Ocvf0V-5d8GwUvWjAVhhhcgTy9DkFP7mKv-4XHok5RG6f5mccyaiwHw/s1600/doodlesjuly41.jpg" height="159" width="200" /></a>I've never cared for amusement parks. It's not because I'm old. This has been happening since I threw up on a roller coaster in fourth grade. My stomach hates curveballs. It has rejected its contents on a windy road on the way to Neueschwanstein castle in Germany, on Navy ships and sail boats, on a Navy training propeller plane and helicopter, and on a P-3 mission over the ocean near Russia. I even have to close my eyes during intense Imax moments. For many years, Steve and I tolerated amusement parks for Pamela's sake, hoping David would take on our role when he got bigger. He inherited my weakness so we take turns escorting Pamela until we all turn green.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA_iH_W0yqsrx8e6pymBGi5GhYVYcShsxNnISmdOx70hanks9BSeDiIcVP4URaGkRK2Tb5P4nS9Dur0kNpID7tZT1R9x9qZL6Eu4Sl8lzTptFLGO-TDQCUZxQWpfHfs4Gz3ZXcw/s1600/doodlesjuly45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA_iH_W0yqsrx8e6pymBGi5GhYVYcShsxNnISmdOx70hanks9BSeDiIcVP4URaGkRK2Tb5P4nS9Dur0kNpID7tZT1R9x9qZL6Eu4Sl8lzTptFLGO-TDQCUZxQWpfHfs4Gz3ZXcw/s1600/doodlesjuly45.jpg" height="103" width="200" /></a>I know families who love this kind of vacation. We're not one of them.
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When I think of amusement parks, I think hot, sticky, sweaty, waiting in line, trying to block out what is offered to entertain us. The food is expensive and must be avoided for Pamela's sake. Everything is overpriced and, even if you pay for everything in advance, you end up paying for more than you intended. Lately, we've stopped at unusual places in our <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/search/label/travel">travels</a>. We decided to make our weirdness official: over the holiday weekend, we attended a retreat called "Marvelous Mozart" at a <a href="http://www.saintmeinrad.org/">Benedictine archabbey</a>, located about half way between Kansas and South Carolina.
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What about Pamela?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvIN6GeI2c1sPoFcs0i310esQU43JOU5kkii9gBGtMQTpg1zxwtsv324lyhmoF361Zcd1hqAd5vWOTeepx_gKkayD28pZOADlFLOmA-WD3R9VLxeKoljDMoEpfx2ef3hlcEv5-Q/s1600/lakewalkjul071407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvIN6GeI2c1sPoFcs0i310esQU43JOU5kkii9gBGtMQTpg1zxwtsv324lyhmoF361Zcd1hqAd5vWOTeepx_gKkayD28pZOADlFLOmA-WD3R9VLxeKoljDMoEpfx2ef3hlcEv5-Q/s1600/lakewalkjul071407.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>She loves all styles of music. Her i-Touch has every genre of music imaginable. On long drives, she chooses classical stations on Sirius with occasional dips into the broadway channel and kids' music. Pamela adores Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and too many to list here.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH9IsAeYbUug2K06ZC31eqcvzn8n9LZRXfIp1qUN28Sw6LiFSe9JH8gUj_55M2Dyy6GaMSPCbAIjBGseWa1jkc9JSE-KrbHfKf8La4D9Uz4wcQOQe7_1rgFF8uNi0sh-eQq_wsQ/s1600/doodlesjuly42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH9IsAeYbUug2K06ZC31eqcvzn8n9LZRXfIp1qUN28Sw6LiFSe9JH8gUj_55M2Dyy6GaMSPCbAIjBGseWa1jkc9JSE-KrbHfKf8La4D9Uz4wcQOQe7_1rgFF8uNi0sh-eQq_wsQ/s1600/doodlesjuly42.jpg" height="200" width="59" /></a>The retreat location was perfect and the grounds were lovely. The guest rooms, dining area, and classroom were all in the same building. Since Pamela knew how to find our room and get in with a key card, she could take a break whenever she pleased. If Steve and I lingered over coffee longer than she liked, she asked to go to the room. If she got a little bored with a session, she left early. The Benedictines built many breaks into the schedule, perfect for Pamela and I since we are both recovering from colds.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPgH5AYzjA9cYTXxb-TwZg0s8mqQXLEUzVo1efPSyB9Fgt3sC2EHU-gATFRmmnhwUQ8aQYAaRVBe7SDi5PfBWStUKX2JXMaD-avGD3kYzXiQ41hDgEetUCeW_x_qTcNfdRFp3sA/s1600/doodlesjuly44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPgH5AYzjA9cYTXxb-TwZg0s8mqQXLEUzVo1efPSyB9Fgt3sC2EHU-gATFRmmnhwUQ8aQYAaRVBe7SDi5PfBWStUKX2JXMaD-avGD3kYzXiQ41hDgEetUCeW_x_qTcNfdRFp3sA/s1600/doodlesjuly44.jpg" height="200" width="83" /></a>What did she do during a session? She watched a documentary about Mozart with us and watched several clips of his operas. She listened to some music as well. While some people took notes or read the handouts, Pamela doodled. She loves to doodle!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79K1tCPKUVrWQCO3SOD1DmCB-eCtb6zA-nnmvZcwix4cQP-mYlYm-Kr8EVSs8YFZGM1vvMLXpUBr7Js0AsmF_9mzK3tzIl3-PsIJm9aGhEMItR7DoClB-AIf6amanPrkPyk2Ktw/s1600/doodlesjuly43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79K1tCPKUVrWQCO3SOD1DmCB-eCtb6zA-nnmvZcwix4cQP-mYlYm-Kr8EVSs8YFZGM1vvMLXpUBr7Js0AsmF_9mzK3tzIl3-PsIJm9aGhEMItR7DoClB-AIf6amanPrkPyk2Ktw/s1600/doodlesjuly43.jpg" height="70" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiF5BC7ZhUo7etOnbXTED2UW54zw49vJcGnW3YBzmkCNWtwx50saxmnBsHkb79zpkVys4HzWCs_B1XgCap64mRx1HLZ6-ZgZX6ORdOkp6e7ub6pj2vno_wZE7kSLb_6bmN4eRT5A/s1600/doodlesjuly47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiF5BC7ZhUo7etOnbXTED2UW54zw49vJcGnW3YBzmkCNWtwx50saxmnBsHkb79zpkVys4HzWCs_B1XgCap64mRx1HLZ6-ZgZX6ORdOkp6e7ub6pj2vno_wZE7kSLb_6bmN4eRT5A/s1600/doodlesjuly47.jpg" height="200" width="51" /></a>Archabbey accommodations lacked a few things. Since we pay for television at home, having no television in the room worked for us. The Internet was down, and monks aren't the most technically savvy people, which is more than balanced by their gracious hospitality. The bathrooms had a shower but no bath, just like two bathrooms in our house. We had no idea where the nearest store was, but we left the windows open at night and awakened to sweet birds. We ate our meals cafeteria style: simple, nourishing, filling, and good for the waistline. One night we had corn fresh off the cob — delicious!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6yvidM7XszOJXLv_wxs1ljngtLxuq9WmlrQNUp-cvoe_DXQJZfmcFKvidM31sj5HBysC9Ifd4xJC_5IHYnO6fZNUUdep6LTRj0HnkEpwcDQPNwOZsN_mcMrCVn56vO4_0ecQvw/s1600/doodlesjuly46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6yvidM7XszOJXLv_wxs1ljngtLxuq9WmlrQNUp-cvoe_DXQJZfmcFKvidM31sj5HBysC9Ifd4xJC_5IHYnO6fZNUUdep6LTRj0HnkEpwcDQPNwOZsN_mcMrCVn56vO4_0ecQvw/s1600/doodlesjuly46.jpg" height="118" width="200" /></a>How did Pamela do on the un-vacation? Very well. She had one moment of frustration during a lecture when someone who shall not be named was trying to figure out his complicated travel schedule. Pamela watched his every pen stroke and commanded him to stop after he made one too many changes for her taste. She demanded him to put it away and settled down after he did. She also had a mini-melt during the last lunch. She was out of sorts because she had planned for us to leave after breakfast. I had to stay for the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000004CX8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000004CX8&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=PU52XT5VCCSVDKLT">Requiem</a> session (a highlight for me). She rushed during lunch and dropped her tray on the floor in the serving area. I gave her a big hug to calm her because I walked her to her seat. Steve and kitchen staff cleaned up her spilled salad. To help her recover, we went ahead and got food for her. Up until this point, she had had no problems getting her own tray and serving herself.
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Pamela and I took a quick nature walk around a little lake on the grounds. Steve had been spied it during his morning run and urged me to see it. Isn't the weather and view gorgeous?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_BKPv7XI_nCQQGH8EwIsC5nfGvjpXHy0Cdlr9P-62ZR32HKZzN2Ydsqs2gKTVD_9gxOMD2hZT1W6EnJ7aZr7Jl7_aEThtPWBLhAPFZnmB_9K6J7uZ2gDoE6zxuR8ggdHaJ3Ozg/s1600/lakewalkjul071401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_BKPv7XI_nCQQGH8EwIsC5nfGvjpXHy0Cdlr9P-62ZR32HKZzN2Ydsqs2gKTVD_9gxOMD2hZT1W6EnJ7aZr7Jl7_aEThtPWBLhAPFZnmB_9K6J7uZ2gDoE6zxuR8ggdHaJ3Ozg/s1600/lakewalkjul071401.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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I spotted several new things in this short trek: two new species of dragonflies and crawfish holes in the grass near the water. The dragonflies were moving so quickly I'm shocked my camera picked up anything. These short, stubby dragonflies are called <a href="http://www4.uwm.edu/fieldstation/naturalhistory/bugoftheweek/amberwing-dragonfly.cfm">eastern amberwings (<i>Perithemis tenera</i>)</a>. They hung out above the water's edge.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9en-3Iuq9BFrpkU0oMEC1DNPzNSLHeHUyf5Ti7JfcsyW0SRvUhnKY_fmjALf-XPa3XvyLou67aVAYeRne4u2ZNL1ZE6_3-oePM-lRtK0uE_vRbXQIRxedVW6IMKLFWPfkXvMbw/s1600/lakewalkjul071402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9en-3Iuq9BFrpkU0oMEC1DNPzNSLHeHUyf5Ti7JfcsyW0SRvUhnKY_fmjALf-XPa3XvyLou67aVAYeRne4u2ZNL1ZE6_3-oePM-lRtK0uE_vRbXQIRxedVW6IMKLFWPfkXvMbw/s1600/lakewalkjul071402.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIV2ttsW07QIseK5SWsCoJ0M2oJwyAhxu1WJorUn0K4Tr72RHvXPhLR9xivix8P3IzFdpwSx1Rqd-epyEBzzR5MwH-qIARVtDIJNGHAT547CV99R7cM75-ehx1kIgOWEDITn5xrQ/s1600/lakewalkjul071403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIV2ttsW07QIseK5SWsCoJ0M2oJwyAhxu1WJorUn0K4Tr72RHvXPhLR9xivix8P3IzFdpwSx1Rqd-epyEBzzR5MwH-qIARVtDIJNGHAT547CV99R7cM75-ehx1kIgOWEDITn5xrQ/s1600/lakewalkjul071403.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a>
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I've never seen anything like these black and prom-tuxedo-blue dragonflies. The <a href="http://www.loudounwildlife.org/HHWidowSkimmer.htm">widow skimmers (<i>Libellula luctuosa</i>)</a> buzzed over water and fields like tie-fighters in a Star Wars movie. They went so fast all I could see was a blur of color. Apparently, the males defend their territory aggressively.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVK1gfXrRfqEG__VQkpLy2RJi0DJflKKaTvbgLS5_Fe3mIDdUkyvjBd2sF17vghDMMm_F_hpnQ5yiwoejpy5mmp0rZeZzFBqv6r2Ecjsm9lxkgn3bgq_SbNz9ydyyFkjvU366ew/s1600/lakewalkjul071409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVK1gfXrRfqEG__VQkpLy2RJi0DJflKKaTvbgLS5_Fe3mIDdUkyvjBd2sF17vghDMMm_F_hpnQ5yiwoejpy5mmp0rZeZzFBqv6r2Ecjsm9lxkgn3bgq_SbNz9ydyyFkjvU366ew/s1600/lakewalkjul071409.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19i1ciUhGAH7U1A8St0bfEBYgki20XQ3TpfNm1DsiAHsvnr5lEmE0UuO5b5SSFtb5Vyj8s3BIzI_Z2_41HgCBoc8hj5EwC-yTQmCnWzGWe16Tuqifqh21C0Qpu_5wgobuers6-w/s1600/lakewalkjul071411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19i1ciUhGAH7U1A8St0bfEBYgki20XQ3TpfNm1DsiAHsvnr5lEmE0UuO5b5SSFtb5Vyj8s3BIzI_Z2_41HgCBoc8hj5EwC-yTQmCnWzGWe16Tuqifqh21C0Qpu_5wgobuers6-w/s1600/lakewalkjul071411.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a>
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These crawfish holes remind me of mud castles I used to make at the beach as a child. If we ever come back, I want to bring a picnic lunch and watch for the crawfish to come out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAipvU6CDaIaOVwgA-cAAXWdzvJcinchW7pHT2kLIYXUnWSTCmlWMMQNS09YKjIhCapMh9BEqhIdLliEmP_yuwc02JnIsrtgRlnr13NllSOE0bjybCdvjQb-8zhfwrLqCxr1m7w/s1600/lakewalkjul071405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAipvU6CDaIaOVwgA-cAAXWdzvJcinchW7pHT2kLIYXUnWSTCmlWMMQNS09YKjIhCapMh9BEqhIdLliEmP_yuwc02JnIsrtgRlnr13NllSOE0bjybCdvjQb-8zhfwrLqCxr1m7w/s1600/lakewalkjul071405.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMGXfcXO1BjZ_gAHTIcy7bKmQxvQnijqvDkzU_hjP94AWHFbl_J8jWMYKNxg75MN0I1og9tS7_InCZXQzYm21y5XyddwTDQa8BmRQ4QnAgEsYfGphhBFHVecbKHybNZTntvXsYw/s1600/lakewalkjul071406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMGXfcXO1BjZ_gAHTIcy7bKmQxvQnijqvDkzU_hjP94AWHFbl_J8jWMYKNxg75MN0I1og9tS7_InCZXQzYm21y5XyddwTDQa8BmRQ4QnAgEsYfGphhBFHVecbKHybNZTntvXsYw/s1600/lakewalkjul071406.jpg" height="160" width="160" /></a>
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Can you tell that Pamela was in a hurry to go home?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqff96kmB1PhuYdx3IOn2ucYe3SuXvcSs7NSyt6JPj6UWSo98xLCmIF8A4izxuDzetOe5LmnrnRW48xdtaJzjRmsMpciexGJBvp-XyA7HUXEwscBWTLVsnqppKhIJKuPMaVxhSbg/s1600/lakewalkjul071408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqff96kmB1PhuYdx3IOn2ucYe3SuXvcSs7NSyt6JPj6UWSo98xLCmIF8A4izxuDzetOe5LmnrnRW48xdtaJzjRmsMpciexGJBvp-XyA7HUXEwscBWTLVsnqppKhIJKuPMaVxhSbg/s1600/lakewalkjul071408.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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And, in case you haven't had enough doodles....
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0h8HEQcKGoc2RFgyB6z68kwrPLhvZVPCh-a9wd-cLY-MoQSIVRCrqft3_KQ6j65jLeqVH9QzZjBYFmPci24nOp_GA-RzAqwc1WJHcuy67zSmsXwUc3N-sZj6MPds0GGhtlTJmQ/s1600/largedoodles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0h8HEQcKGoc2RFgyB6z68kwrPLhvZVPCh-a9wd-cLY-MoQSIVRCrqft3_KQ6j65jLeqVH9QzZjBYFmPci24nOp_GA-RzAqwc1WJHcuy67zSmsXwUc3N-sZj6MPds0GGhtlTJmQ/s1600/largedoodles.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAqd0P73sdy5OpZPfIvrIY0L5jvdPpK200l5yfLtCP8kg5bZZ3SkgneCWTYQziQWN2jSk6BjaYdSATemznkvABvG3aIqsMN_nwbjOsUdLWwpug4w9QBel8oEWArADeaCSJ1vCgQ/s1600/largedoodles_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAqd0P73sdy5OpZPfIvrIY0L5jvdPpK200l5yfLtCP8kg5bZZ3SkgneCWTYQziQWN2jSk6BjaYdSATemznkvABvG3aIqsMN_nwbjOsUdLWwpug4w9QBel8oEWArADeaCSJ1vCgQ/s1600/largedoodles_0001.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZSYb2XFFwSrCCHNynfSX2EPfolJIN5vcfsEhheNPDrRHvvGwV58WY5jnXUAVZjLlqu6xlwzXaI5uPpyPMQzsW_51VEI5VslhfzpLbTCOZR4gLq0DJhWjLME2BZjorSxMymFRFg/s1600/largedoodles_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZSYb2XFFwSrCCHNynfSX2EPfolJIN5vcfsEhheNPDrRHvvGwV58WY5jnXUAVZjLlqu6xlwzXaI5uPpyPMQzsW_51VEI5VslhfzpLbTCOZR4gLq0DJhWjLME2BZjorSxMymFRFg/s1600/largedoodles_0002.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-56091721164228571312014-06-29T13:14:00.000-04:002014-06-29T17:31:17.726-04:00Digging for Knowledge<blockquote>
<i>I think we owe it to children to let them dig their knowledge, of whatever subject, for themselves out of the fit book; and this for two reasons: What a child <b>digs for</b> is his own possession; what is poured into his ear, like the idle song of a pleasant singer, floats out as lightly as it came in, and is rarely assimilated.</i> ~ <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#177">Charlotte Mason</a></blockquote>
What does "digging for" do to the mind?
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The best way to answer that question is to dig for yourself. Until we experience digging, we can only see what our children show us. Digging takes time. It is a slow process. It demands careful attention. The results are not always immediate.
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Understanding Charlotte Mason's method requires us to dig. Because we are used to having knowledge poured into us, opening her books and studying them is a challenge. It's much easier to read someone else's interpretation of her ideas or to follow a checklist or "how to". This may be easier but it runs the risk of becoming a system, the very thing Mason sought to avoid. We must understand why we do what we do.
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Right now, I'm digging into <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615834108/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0615834108&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20&linkId=5C4KTFXYQGQWHTCD"><i>The Living Page</i> by Laurie Bestvater</a>. If you're looking for a quick summer read, TLP is not it! I read a little bit and narrate to my commonplace journal. I copy my favorite quotes and phrases. I join the grand conversation about this book with <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/forum">AmblesideOnline</a> friends.
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This is how I process nature study (pages 17-27), which addresses Mason's connection to scouting, how <a href="http://www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/">Gilbert White</a> inspired her, what Mason expected in a nature notebook, her thoughts about nature lists, scrapbooks, collections, a family diary, science notebooks, lab books, calendar of firsts, natural history clubs, etc. I read a page and write down my thoughts. I look up examples of nature notebooks at the <a href="http://www.redeemer.ca/charlotte-mason/default.aspx">digital archives</a>. I write a collection of phrases resonating with me: "make Glory 'visible and plain,'" "source of delight," "knowing glory," and "traveling companions and life records."
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Reflecting upon my walks at <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/search/label/Santee%20NWR">Santee National Wildlife Refuge</a>, I copy Laurie's words, "Perhaps it was his ongoing relationship with a relatively small patch of country over time, allowing him to form deep knowledge of a particular place and to notice even the smallest seasonal changes that Mason admires" (page 20).
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIX1_vePpQIq1tGe2FxzHwOYLX-9Y7tVvV9D_lDJ7TxW0x_eLWkjGMV0RlfY0bti6PSs8EfeqEBwyMvmKWvGAha2cBkpeQJv6ItKiKn69cWqSs9UpY5ygUp3HhHUBTwiWoIIxXg/s1600/skink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIX1_vePpQIq1tGe2FxzHwOYLX-9Y7tVvV9D_lDJ7TxW0x_eLWkjGMV0RlfY0bti6PSs8EfeqEBwyMvmKWvGAha2cBkpeQJv6ItKiKn69cWqSs9UpY5ygUp3HhHUBTwiWoIIxXg/s1600/skink.jpg" height="199" width="375" /></a>
I let go of my guilt about the lapses in nature notebooking last winter and spring when I read what one of Mason's student teachers wrote, "I am horrified to find that I have not written in my diary for nearly a month" (page 21). I copy her words into my commonplace journal. Then, I pull out my nature notebook and make my first entry in six months! The skink in my watercolor is too short and stubby. The artists in my family would see every flaw. I remind myself of a <a href="http://www.philosophersmail.com/virtues/why-you-should-stop-taking-pictures-on-your-phone-and-learn-to-draw">recent article about John Ruskin</a>: <i>"So if drawing had value even when it was practised by people with no talent, it was for Ruskin because drawing can teach us to see: to notice properly rather than gaze absentmindedly. In the process of recreating with our own hand what lies before our eyes, we naturally move from a position of observing beauty in a loose way to one where we acquire a deep understanding of its parts."</i>
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<b>My goal is not to produce great art. My goals are to learn how to see, observe beauty in a skink, and understand its parts. Process, not product.</b>
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I think about the nature lists in the back of a notebook, which Laurie suggests students adapted to their own needs. I spend time in two states regularly and have a special walking place for both. Rather than sorting my items by kind (flower, bird, insect, etc.), I decide to sort mine by place. I get out my ruler and draw lines in the back of my notebook. Since I'm halfway through the notebook I begin my calendar with June 2014, rather than January. I make it a year and a half, rather than two. I leave a column for notes. I title it "Santee List." My first walk yields sixteen items: <a href="http://srelherp.uga.edu/lizards/eumlat.htm">broad-headed skink</a> (<i>Eumeces laticeps</i>), <a href="http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/crane_fly.htm">crane fly</a> (<i>tipulidae</i>), <a href="http://naturalsciences.org/prairie-ridge-ecostation/what-time-is-it-in-nature/archive/eastern-pondhawk">eastern pondhawk dragonfly</a> (<i>Erythemis simplicicollis</i>), <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/280526/bgpage">roly poly</a> (<i>Armadillidium nasatum</i>), <a href="http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/esps/factsheets/household_structural/daddy_longlegs_hs47.html">daddy long-legs</a> (<i>Pholcus phalangioides</i>), <a href="http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/orchard-orb-weaver">orchard orbweaver</a> (<i>Leucauge venusta</i>), <a href="http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/golden_silk_spider.htm">banana spider</a> (<i>Nephila clavipes</i>), <a href="http://alabamaforeverwild.com/index.php/the-tiger-beetle/">tiger beetle larva "chicken choker"</a> (<i>Cicindelinae</i>), <a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note61/note61.html">eastern tent caterpillar tent</a> (<i>Malacosoma americanum</i>), <a href="http://www.southernedition.com/TheCatalpaTree.html">catalpa leaf</a> (<i>Catalpa bignonioides</i>), <a href="http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/mrri/acechar/specgal/cypress.htm">bald cypress wood</a> (<i>Taxodium distichum</i>), <a href="http://www.scwildlife.com/pubs/novdec2012/fruittrees.html">unripened black cherries</a> (<i>Prunus serotina</i>), <a href="http://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/liquidambar-styraciflua/">sweet gum balls</a> (<i>Liquidambar styraciflua</i>), huckleberry (or blueberry or...?), white blue-eyed grass (<a href="http://www.dpughphoto.com/plants_color.htm#purpleorblue">Sisyrinchium albidum</a>), and <a href="http://naturalhistory.uga.edu/~gmnh/mycoherb_site/gabasidios.htm#lycom">naked puffball</a> (<i>Lycoperdon marginatum</i>). Here's a video of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=244633059059586&set=vb.141438449379048&type=3&theater">whacky crane fly</a>.
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Maybe, I'll attempt a calendar of firsts next spring.
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I head over to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%C2%A0https://amblesideonline.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=12180">AO's thread</a> about this section of the book. One person asked about identifying and naming things. I write,
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<i>On learning the names of things, we take pictures and post them on Facebook. You would be amazed at how passionate the conversations between parents, grandparents, and knowledgeable friends get in naming things. If we don't know what something is, we give it our own pet name. There was this spider that we called either neon spiders or alien spiders and, one day, I got the perfect picture and we were able to name it: orchard orbweaver.
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I think it is healthy for children to realize that *WE* are lifelong learners. It's okay not to know something and to research it together. Our elementary students do spend some of their free time trying to find the name of something and it is exciting when they figure it out and share it with the class. Also, you sometimes need to see something several times and to watch it undergo seasonal changes and to observe its behavior before you can name it. It's the relationship that really matters, not the name. The name is just the icing on the cake.
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Oh, the funniest thing is when you learn that something has no common name. Then, the kids start to debate what the name should be!</i></blockquote>
Here are glimpses of Glory from our last walk.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-19787868915609717652014-06-01T19:52:00.000-04:002014-06-01T19:52:01.361-04:00Offering a Full Life<blockquote>
<i>Children make large demands upon us. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. Thou hast set my feet in a large room; should be the glad cry of every intelligent soul. 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.</i> ~ Charlotte Mason (<a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#170">page 170</a>)</blockquote>
Recently, a Facebook friend asked what we would like in a daycare program for special needs adults. What I described was basically a full life as described by Charlotte Mason. While the programs in my area don't meet her lofty expectations, <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">our school</a> does! At the beginning of the year, I imagined I would hang out there and teach Pamela when I wasn't helping out. Family obligations for two of our staff put a serious dent in my time with her, so she attended class with the elementary students for the last two terms of the school year.
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Because her teacher and classmates were so gracious and giving, Pamela had a wonderful year! When we moved to Carolina almost a decade ago, I would have never imagined her attending class all day long with her academic peers. All I can say is that God is good!
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She joined her class for all manner of living.
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>Weekly Nature Walks
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuVgF8S4pwadrOA7-pk71obgdRECN05JcH9lZwe9Qx4M2vFCsgShBBPoPEkLUweQ8eDeLFbtuXgeNFibEitW6aSjgMdpF9kgv8NDRxpjlR9ml9a-tBlWVEvdKsGacpcikIooDSQ/s1600/10338883_231124263743799_3537908780845770268_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuVgF8S4pwadrOA7-pk71obgdRECN05JcH9lZwe9Qx4M2vFCsgShBBPoPEkLUweQ8eDeLFbtuXgeNFibEitW6aSjgMdpF9kgv8NDRxpjlR9ml9a-tBlWVEvdKsGacpcikIooDSQ/s1600/10338883_231124263743799_3537908780845770268_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Classroom Critters
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6Y956X3-YLROrvNzVPItiEIxt25f6CpNejWr0vTwDsUhyphenhyphenZBYF0EBSG3wlc-3kKbuKHa10qOQkRdZ8AzG6triWhthfF_5Y1Wz6WdItgHKAWIQ5DA5p2KDbO-VfwAX7SV_wNhjdQ/s1600/10298733_236132879909604_1135974732308572763_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6Y956X3-YLROrvNzVPItiEIxt25f6CpNejWr0vTwDsUhyphenhyphenZBYF0EBSG3wlc-3kKbuKHa10qOQkRdZ8AzG6triWhthfF_5Y1Wz6WdItgHKAWIQ5DA5p2KDbO-VfwAX7SV_wNhjdQ/s1600/10298733_236132879909604_1135974732308572763_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Reading and Narrating Living Books
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJREODktZflQ8mH3ugzoN4JTne9r1VJyQ2GNM2cFJH-lGgOx_JouEdjrQg0j4UYcwiFfnQzeFTGrU0rW2yLhc7f-fMaRZwwVe5tkR_GaXvum0kdNGkDtQAXUjb7MRmzvQvsViPg/s1600/1175630_162306380625588_1434996753_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJREODktZflQ8mH3ugzoN4JTne9r1VJyQ2GNM2cFJH-lGgOx_JouEdjrQg0j4UYcwiFfnQzeFTGrU0rW2yLhc7f-fMaRZwwVe5tkR_GaXvum0kdNGkDtQAXUjb7MRmzvQvsViPg/s1600/1175630_162306380625588_1434996753_n.jpg" height="169" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Science Projects
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0DT8USeJbd5v5u4goQutJm5UCenoVoSqxzmzQ3bE2K8LhE-hSqT-ghbQRiw7pQS4ifQabeO9boSNJ_b4-Ebyar5l5zvUQugzeeofHRJDctrrvLdEUmRq3O7D9k6bnbVWMGxQqQ/s1600/1234027_164929513696608_1484422245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0DT8USeJbd5v5u4goQutJm5UCenoVoSqxzmzQ3bE2K8LhE-hSqT-ghbQRiw7pQS4ifQabeO9boSNJ_b4-Ebyar5l5zvUQugzeeofHRJDctrrvLdEUmRq3O7D9k6bnbVWMGxQqQ/s1600/1234027_164929513696608_1484422245_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Notebooking
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS84y74qu8DqcZ_INMFtJ2N89VJvoR09lQXinBwLhH1492EFrq2JTpcU1sJaughkO1WWilwqmeOr4B6VGY9DYoiV7y3VdFmGb1eT4DdZuzq5BYlbabrD-6n5qLOeFs1nVANf4fVQ/s1600/1619349_211824302340462_339426375_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS84y74qu8DqcZ_INMFtJ2N89VJvoR09lQXinBwLhH1492EFrq2JTpcU1sJaughkO1WWilwqmeOr4B6VGY9DYoiV7y3VdFmGb1eT4DdZuzq5BYlbabrD-6n5qLOeFs1nVANf4fVQ/s1600/1619349_211824302340462_339426375_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Gardening
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIQf3DTU-je8vy8hYZc48ufhqlzad34YTlKSCeagQ9qzAp3leXCpqqUUKgu4qdj7x8KWfcrjusNOfVVGHG-nU3QgZD6X3Wy61wvRsbVAq5UARUXk9QcENuEyZEJtUUrYec0EUWQ/s1600/1012549_214564002066492_1120456558_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIQf3DTU-je8vy8hYZc48ufhqlzad34YTlKSCeagQ9qzAp3leXCpqqUUKgu4qdj7x8KWfcrjusNOfVVGHG-nU3QgZD6X3Wy61wvRsbVAq5UARUXk9QcENuEyZEJtUUrYec0EUWQ/s1600/1012549_214564002066492_1120456558_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Chores<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAaYK7VwN6MHx-9_zVNaulDtkT0zKxChPiCbhSEbVL5Q4aXu0Mr9Q7DMcJllZHxsh5PPuWYjVJedXKRSFDvUQ0Zbn5eTTwd_3hDFbvbNzcJHzV8iaOrBc5STufNWlR0WJXotiGQ/s1600/1897726_215613128628246_592107814_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAaYK7VwN6MHx-9_zVNaulDtkT0zKxChPiCbhSEbVL5Q4aXu0Mr9Q7DMcJllZHxsh5PPuWYjVJedXKRSFDvUQ0Zbn5eTTwd_3hDFbvbNzcJHzV8iaOrBc5STufNWlR0WJXotiGQ/s1600/1897726_215613128628246_592107814_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Shakespeare
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnSqxqdL7ep4PPJytkwlZXqF20mTJlFLZDZvUUO1QwInXYpRGHxwLWDxBKsAFPfwplAoTD3a2IhbRwVXBGZJa2W1gC4-f3ATVJyqsJ6s9sMMibOLAcIKBqaWb7NEIl0bDJDjZsA/s1600/1922098_214569655399260_1715747171_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnSqxqdL7ep4PPJytkwlZXqF20mTJlFLZDZvUUO1QwInXYpRGHxwLWDxBKsAFPfwplAoTD3a2IhbRwVXBGZJa2W1gC4-f3ATVJyqsJ6s9sMMibOLAcIKBqaWb7NEIl0bDJDjZsA/s1600/1922098_214569655399260_1715747171_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Field Trips
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hrWfNP-eKUcuV0Q9HYdNMEhHeRNaMWf6LatLj7gB509cyEn4CThItZMDDo-IwXGnqvibJqFKU3m5nTc3fe0U3UkT48SdoBkfS6ulwHmc1eUrXXQJP07y_K5DiNy9E0MEWfhBLw/s1600/1375059_175243882665171_941398959_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hrWfNP-eKUcuV0Q9HYdNMEhHeRNaMWf6LatLj7gB509cyEn4CThItZMDDo-IwXGnqvibJqFKU3m5nTc3fe0U3UkT48SdoBkfS6ulwHmc1eUrXXQJP07y_K5DiNy9E0MEWfhBLw/s1600/1375059_175243882665171_941398959_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Tracking Snow Tracks
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSDb2QonkHb0NsF5cMIS-yjQvBhm7IJiXKuGp9vBOMfAj4Khpw-gEayy0c6jjZGNcmSSXobb3GIngdUXryy0U9Zs68LkDfNxesrGPypX2lvsFSgvfhmaYhl_LZwRiLYFPgtB-Q/s1600/1604954_208063389383220_1906112617_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSDb2QonkHb0NsF5cMIS-yjQvBhm7IJiXKuGp9vBOMfAj4Khpw-gEayy0c6jjZGNcmSSXobb3GIngdUXryy0U9Zs68LkDfNxesrGPypX2lvsFSgvfhmaYhl_LZwRiLYFPgtB-Q/s1600/1604954_208063389383220_1906112617_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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A Pool Party
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsg9Z2HKPU03FcrTmlaskRIqAMECiTEZmtlS2OyxiLEO3kmZ0Qv2xsNq7v0WFMRoVFYXXizb3HV7qd8TU2vJKI5vFArsZtOgHZJjqbuD1SR_43gVzEleIfS3pE0Ky8o6UdocauA/s1600/10353641_236133636576195_4944889772845105963_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsg9Z2HKPU03FcrTmlaskRIqAMECiTEZmtlS2OyxiLEO3kmZ0Qv2xsNq7v0WFMRoVFYXXizb3HV7qd8TU2vJKI5vFArsZtOgHZJjqbuD1SR_43gVzEleIfS3pE0Ky8o6UdocauA/s1600/10353641_236133636576195_4944889772845105963_n.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>
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Handcrafts
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7VJ7kbiP5uHwB1SwDYASmCKp3ePSrsT7dWgF-I4YF96phKfTmspsOvVTQ712vucNHfV7NhqAd_CW9Atz4R0Yx3ZREVXZ5Zd62zR6xw4aWQzSWRnd2ZCpqzy6PbzU5dZXI6q6MQ/s1600/10374918_234612926728266_4456621808052142342_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7VJ7kbiP5uHwB1SwDYASmCKp3ePSrsT7dWgF-I4YF96phKfTmspsOvVTQ712vucNHfV7NhqAd_CW9Atz4R0Yx3ZREVXZ5Zd62zR6xw4aWQzSWRnd2ZCpqzy6PbzU5dZXI6q6MQ/s1600/10374918_234612926728266_4456621808052142342_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>
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Term Finales</b></span></div>
I'm especially pleased about the term finales. Even though Pamela narrated less frequently and less consistently than she would have with me one-on-one, clearly she paid enough attention to have something to say during her term exams. Not only that, she has transitioned to doing all her term finale questions in writing. So, besides the benefits of having to self-regulate to the demands of a typical classroom, she made progress in her academics. That's a more than acceptable trade-off, especially when I consider the alternatives for her as an adult in the autism spectrum.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvUctlWGgRAw6W7mEKtLkDhnqU0QjIHM9F0m0GJ3nCCS_N3pYxKbd9Zoit9142kQBqfcdDStLVddJ9g4Xz3DO9TVV2_6_kQFkEUI9UHeMn8u0-SA_l_JvGZOiZBk-HVRi3i1Pew/s1600/pamtermfinale1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvUctlWGgRAw6W7mEKtLkDhnqU0QjIHM9F0m0GJ3nCCS_N3pYxKbd9Zoit9142kQBqfcdDStLVddJ9g4Xz3DO9TVV2_6_kQFkEUI9UHeMn8u0-SA_l_JvGZOiZBk-HVRi3i1Pew/s1600/pamtermfinale1.jpg" height="485" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLNk07PCfRdtX5hDN8oxSvaNKTiF820aWv3yCtb8FaPAoHtk4tXsDwVzQZliolFPSmZxjyEdkoQRcXHr2pJBlzorRl89P3c7xgLm0hYP_ZcLVZhYTR73wcHM5w9ckgsXLF7jSmA/s1600/pamtermfinale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLNk07PCfRdtX5hDN8oxSvaNKTiF820aWv3yCtb8FaPAoHtk4tXsDwVzQZliolFPSmZxjyEdkoQRcXHr2pJBlzorRl89P3c7xgLm0hYP_ZcLVZhYTR73wcHM5w9ckgsXLF7jSmA/s1600/pamtermfinale2.jpg" height="245" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ubg2ibI0xT2ZRvz_cJc7_SmSv3t1KVWwDUOf8PR_VWeKltAAtFI4tWZgK3ENt-IAgHfSW1CdiITqa5xSN3sdt3pWfCjZWwI2F6Fe-Pt09m-k4W-Al3KjS7DdQCdixN98ZgJcAA/s1600/pamtermfinale3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ubg2ibI0xT2ZRvz_cJc7_SmSv3t1KVWwDUOf8PR_VWeKltAAtFI4tWZgK3ENt-IAgHfSW1CdiITqa5xSN3sdt3pWfCjZWwI2F6Fe-Pt09m-k4W-Al3KjS7DdQCdixN98ZgJcAA/s1600/pamtermfinale3.jpg" height="414" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PNgExGOSsgln6lctVYJl43rA9_c8cVsk8OrnMFr56rwhzg5uPqEf7lxKGbZXatdjrmyPkjSqK8ZQGbP8kB1dqrnGscM1kddStbsX79ntTW1Ovm-wmhxoGS3HIWxgzwUEba5vDA/s1600/pamtermfinale4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PNgExGOSsgln6lctVYJl43rA9_c8cVsk8OrnMFr56rwhzg5uPqEf7lxKGbZXatdjrmyPkjSqK8ZQGbP8kB1dqrnGscM1kddStbsX79ntTW1Ovm-wmhxoGS3HIWxgzwUEba5vDA/s1600/pamtermfinale4.jpg" height="219" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyLs6SbJx97KN3P02OxaBhEP9luXQ_oBz5D18HUJJbqO3p_7KwL1yH7yE7Jaugf9ycIWAemQ13khrBKhqTq-s8aV_oA_XD5e_29qmEq5hyphenhyphendde9L9da6oHM3uPXzm5tA08Irneeg/s1600/pamtermfinale5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyLs6SbJx97KN3P02OxaBhEP9luXQ_oBz5D18HUJJbqO3p_7KwL1yH7yE7Jaugf9ycIWAemQ13khrBKhqTq-s8aV_oA_XD5e_29qmEq5hyphenhyphendde9L9da6oHM3uPXzm5tA08Irneeg/s1600/pamtermfinale5.jpg" height="252" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAy-v-KDIH2EguARuRKC2FStYOcM9d9lk0m6u2V6JnebF-7ZGZUuVJb5oENjabz_5d447TvXdJ7ocJQbXxLTnxKeIH-Eqmy1_9RIQKzHdMwstdl5FDxM-fvB0DKw8DpXUxIKBqVg/s1600/pamtermfinale6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAy-v-KDIH2EguARuRKC2FStYOcM9d9lk0m6u2V6JnebF-7ZGZUuVJb5oENjabz_5d447TvXdJ7ocJQbXxLTnxKeIH-Eqmy1_9RIQKzHdMwstdl5FDxM-fvB0DKw8DpXUxIKBqVg/s1600/pamtermfinale6.jpg" height="488" width="375" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-46630556668124237182014-04-21T16:54:00.002-04:002014-04-21T21:02:05.238-04:00Beautiful in Its TimeI promised to share Mason's ideas about habits of faith in light of <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/04/where-are-they.html">families dealing with autism becoming unchurched</a>. Everything has a <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/ecclesiastes/3-1.html">season</a>. There is a time for every matter under heaven. God makes everything <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/ecclesiastes/3-11.html">beautiful in its time</a>. Since we cannot fathom His ways, we can wait and see <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/ecclesiastes/3-10.html">what He has assigned for us</a> and cling to Him during this dry season.
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Some parents tag team (take turns on Sunday or attend different services). Some arrive in two cars. Some simply cannot make it. God is with us in all places and times: <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/139-2.html">He knows when we rise and sit</a>. <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/139-5.html">He lays His hands on us</a> <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/139-10.html">to guide us and to hold us</a>. Since <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/139-2.html">He knows our thoughts</a>, He knows when we long to worship Him with His people in His house but cannot because of our unique situation. <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/139-7.html">We're always in His presence</a>, even when we're changing a six-year-old's diaper.
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I see His omnipresence as good news! The Father who sent His Son to meet the woman at the well, heal the sick, and be God in the flesh meets us where we are. We can draw great comfort that He's with us when we're stuck at home. <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_13">Mason sees God</a> as tender, compassionate, caring, and wise — better than any human father that has ever lived. We're with Him all the time! Our lives should have <a href="http://journey-and-destination.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/education-is-life.html">no separation between the secular and sacred</a>, especially on Sundays! G. K. Chesterton paints the image beautifully in this poem:
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<i>You say grace before meals. All right.<br />
But I say grace before the play and the opera,<br />
And before the concert and the pantomime,<br />
And grace before I open a book,<br />
And grace before sketching, painting,<br />
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;<br />
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.</i>
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These habits are only a start. We shouldn't launch them all at once nor check them off like IEP goals. What little, daily things draw you to God? Take your time. Savor whatever moments come your way and leave checking off to the behaviorists.
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<b>Thought of God</b> - God intends our spiritual life and earthly life to be one, so we can train faith habits anywhere, anytime. One habit is <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_13">thought of God</a>: "Happy-making, joyous thoughts, restful and dutiful thoughts, thoughts of loving and giving and serving, the wealth of beautiful thoughts with which every child's heart overflows." Since we're to be humble as children, we can hope for a heart full of beautiful thoughts. Relationship Development Intervention showed me how: <b>slow down and focus on God's nonverbals</b>. Something as mundane as dung beetles can make us rich toward God.
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Dung beetles? Yes! I read a tidbit about dung beetles and their life cycle the weekend before last. Gross, but interesting stuff. What did we see on the nature walk at the wildlife refuge the following Friday? Dung beetles! I shared what I knew with two of our groups (we usually break up into four or five groups when we walk). It wasn't a coincidence because, two days later, my Sunday school class was taking turns reading Ezra 6. I read aloud the passage which included <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/ezra/6-11.html">these words from the ESV</a>: "Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill." On Monday morning, one student told me she heard a story about dung beetles on the radio on the way to school!
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I think God weaves these threads into our lives to see if we are paying attention to His little pokes. While God may give us a booming call to do something big (such as <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org">opening a small, private school based on Mason's ideas in less than three months</a>), He may also share delightful, little moments with us.
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<b>Bible Reading</b> — Another habit on Mason's list is one we can cultivate at home. During my unchurched season, I wasn't regular in my Bible reading. I'm still not as regular as I'd like to be. If you're not well-versed in the Bible, why not pick something exciting like <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/daniel/1.html">Daniel</a>, <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/jonah/1.html">Jonah</a>, or <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esther/1.html">Esther</a>? <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_13">Mason believed</a>, "The narrative teaching of the Scriptures is far more helpful to children, anyway, than the stimulating moral and spiritual texts picked out for them in little devotional books." Tap into your inner child and read the Bible with a humble heart.
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Read and narrate little bit at a time. Look at beautiful paintings or sculpture from that time in history. Look up places on the map and make your own Bible timeline. Daniel comes to life when you see the <a href="http://www.stockholm360.net/list.php?id=persepolis">palace of Darius</a>, <a href="http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/ishtar-gate-and-processional-way.html">the Ishtar gate</a>, paintings like <a href="http://www.dailyartfixx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/blake_william_nebuchadnezzar.jpg">Blake's Nebuchadnezzar</a> or <a href="http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/full.php?ID=45500">Tanner's Daniel in the Lion's Den</a>, or <a href="http://www.bible-history.com/maps/alexander_campaigns.html">maps of Alexander's empire</a> (wondering if he is the great horn or the mighty king). <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756689627/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0756689627&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20"><i>The Illustrated Bible Story by Story</i></a> illuminates Bible reading beautifully.
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Keep in mind that <a href="http://www.feminagirls.com/2014/04/15/busy-bible-reading/">the idea isn't to become SUPER BIBLE READER with AMAZING LEGALISTIC POWERS</a>! It's to feed on God's Word, meet with Him, and grow in grace and truth. Jesus promised that <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/14-26.html">the Holy Spirit would instruct us in all things</a>: surely, that includes the Bible. <b>By opening the Word, we're inviting the Holy Spirit to be our teacher!</b>
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<b>Regularity in Devotions</b> — By devotions, <a href="ttp://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_13">Mason meant prayers</a> and she thought it "a great thing for all of us to get the habit of 'saying our prayers' at a given time and in a given place." Devoting a set place and time for prayers is hard for parents of autistic children. Life is unpredictable and we never know when the timer is counting down to a meltdown. We can pray anywhere, anytime because God is everywhere. Jesus recommended finding a <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/6-6.html">secret spot in your home</a> and, when on the go, He did seek <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/luke/5-16.html">quiet places to pray</a>, even <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/luke/6-12.html">late at night</a>. Because some of our children have insomnia, praying in the wee hours of the night may be a good fit. Don't worry if you are too frustrated or too exhausted or too sad to say the "right" words. God has given us the <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/romans/8-26.html">Holy Spirit to speak on our behalf</a> when we're speechless. <b>Just as we long for our children to come to us, God longs for us to come to Him.</b>
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<b>Habit of Praise</b> — Music delights us and makes worship feel natural. Mason wrote, "Praise and thanksgiving come freely from the young heart; gladness is natural and holy, and music is a delight. The singing of hymns at home and of the hymns and canticles in church should be a special delight." God must value worship songs since the <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/1.html">longest book of the Bible</a> is pure music. David, a <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/acts/13-22.html">man after God's heart</a>, wrote many psalms. <b>Why not sing thoughts of God at home?</b>
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We focus on one hymn for a time and then learn another. I prefer sheet music to plain words to let Pamela see notes moving on a page and harmonies working together. While I prefer hymns and choral pieces like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003CT7/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000003CT7&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">Handel's Messiah</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FD2LG4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004FD2LG4&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">Beethoven's Ninth</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000041ZS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000041ZS&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">Mozart's Requiem</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QQPBHA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000QQPBHA&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">Bruckner's motets</a>, you might prefer something else. What kind of music draws you closer to God? The side benefit is that a spectrum child might enjoy worship services more if the music is familiar.
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It amazes me how God works through the person choosing music for a service to touch your heart. Last year, not long after we'd adopted "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" as our school song, we sang it in church. I felt blessed. The other day a family from our school attended my church's worship service. Two of the three hymns were ones we've learned at school this year ("Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and "Amazing Grace"). The student had specifically asked for the school to learn the former and the first piece she asked to learn on the guitar is the latter. She felt loved that morning!
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<b>Habit of Sunday-keeping</b> — God didn't need a day of rest after creating the world, but He knows that humans do. Parents of special needs children struggle to juggle everything, much less rest for a full day. When my two children were little, Steve worked long hours and traveled. We didn't get much rest. We didn't have family nearby. We had just moved and didn't even have friends. So, we tag teamed rest. Steve stayed with the kids while I got my coffee and book fix. Steve grabbed a smoothie and went to the video store by himself. We all headed to a nature trail and walked. I was always amazed at how well just a few hours of relaxation cured crankiness. As <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#137">Mason said more eloquently</a>, "How healing to the jaded brain is the change of thought and occupation the seventh day brings with it."
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If anyone knows how jaded a brain can get, it's families raising spectrum children! <b>Keeping Sunday means quiet, glad, serene, instead of the rigid and dull ruled by frowning naysayers.</b> She recommended "Sunday stories, Sunday hymns, Sunday walks, Sunday talks, Sunday painting, Sunday knitting even, Sunday card-games." It doesn't even really need to be Sunday, much less an entire day. After a long week of school, Saturdays work better for me. I'm tired and not ready to think about what needs to be done by Monday. I read books for my own enrichment, keep my diverse notebooks, practice my hobbies (I have many), go out for pizza with Pamela, etc. I still have chores, but I only do what I feel like doing.
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Right now, an hour, much less a full day may seem out of reach. I pray a day will come when you can come closer to Sunday-keeping. In the mean time, grab fifteen minutes here and there or an hour of respite. If all you can manage is to kick up your feet and sip a cup of coffee, give yourself the gift of Sabbath in the best sense of the word.
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<b>Rest. Calm. Peace.
</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-35901912155112347512014-04-08T21:28:00.000-04:002014-04-08T21:28:29.178-04:00Ideas about Nature Clothed upon with Facts as They Occur<blockquote>
<i>Our business is to give children the great ideas of life, of religion, history, science; but it is the ideas we must give, clothed upon with facts as they occur, and must leave the child to deal with these as he chooses.</i> ~ Charlotte Mason</blockquote>
Nature study is the foundation of science because it offers many ideas, clothed upon with facts, in the environment in which living things belong. Our guide on the <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/03/nature-walks-building-dynamic-thinking.html">Bulls Island trip</a> is used to having groups that focus on the product: getting to the beach, exploring it, and finding two souvenirs to take home. The mile-and-a-half walk is simply the way to hit the beach and nab the shells, sand dollars, and other treasures. Going on nature walks every week has taught us that the process of walking a path offers treasures of its own.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgFe3snSQZDzUPPuNT6s7sPiNDigxAvOYaF0YuqBps_pbgv7_Ew-rj80S-Pi5R95B0FiBciugHWkXIBLAcN41TXFJpkR6Ybr7Jw4KdG46JwHrBzlCDTEdRluqBXSAMU3DGnf8MA/s1600/bullisland008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgFe3snSQZDzUPPuNT6s7sPiNDigxAvOYaF0YuqBps_pbgv7_Ew-rj80S-Pi5R95B0FiBciugHWkXIBLAcN41TXFJpkR6Ybr7Jw4KdG46JwHrBzlCDTEdRluqBXSAMU3DGnf8MA/s200/bullisland008.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>The very first thing that caught the eye of our young naturalists was the muddy tracks. We all agreed that they had to be raccoon tracks for we had seen them in the snow at our beloved <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/search/label/Santee%20NWR">Santee</a> last February. A couple of the younger students wondered if those were <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142402524/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0142402524&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">Rascal's tracks</a>. We also spotted some deer tracks. The guide does not typically have students interested in little things like tracks, so our headmaster had to run ahead and let him know why we were lingering.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhwNwNaQ-LwKyEiiR6NB_XCcp7tkmusx8jiB18H-twno6U5t1sjnLYtsMzvY2Ykr63bqYGqWkxElC_h7xVLxpkWSRPnGxV809PTI9KwbZche_abAJJiMvgG2wppHwYPy0WICugA/s1600/bullisland017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhwNwNaQ-LwKyEiiR6NB_XCcp7tkmusx8jiB18H-twno6U5t1sjnLYtsMzvY2Ykr63bqYGqWkxElC_h7xVLxpkWSRPnGxV809PTI9KwbZche_abAJJiMvgG2wppHwYPy0WICugA/s200/bullisland017.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqRMnmQ8JCbjxry6edw-ITaqqpSpv1PArwkLaS73eVmaTROQw5uDV2rlmRHJeda41LP880vqMB-Gh_SwXgWbtgbR31MINsXQNNtDxiu2h29SzKfncOVvF2EoZqkp2ANYLgdX7hg/s1600/bullisland018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqRMnmQ8JCbjxry6edw-ITaqqpSpv1PArwkLaS73eVmaTROQw5uDV2rlmRHJeda41LP880vqMB-Gh_SwXgWbtgbR31MINsXQNNtDxiu2h29SzKfncOVvF2EoZqkp2ANYLgdX7hg/s200/bullisland018.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguA-7S70jckEJf2Mn9LfiYu0VrWtmmTe3bz9DjK4aF7cX3rKK62zwTPZPZw5siSryIU1-dPkkaKdjkxMJtYCT8slR7BOkWyMWGKDlkypAbxFUblCD3VHBxlIV-ZsIyAZVbD_IJ3g/s1600/bullisland015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguA-7S70jckEJf2Mn9LfiYu0VrWtmmTe3bz9DjK4aF7cX3rKK62zwTPZPZw5siSryIU1-dPkkaKdjkxMJtYCT8slR7BOkWyMWGKDlkypAbxFUblCD3VHBxlIV-ZsIyAZVbD_IJ3g/s200/bullisland015.jpg" /></a>Our guide has taken many groups, school groups, adult groups, etc. on this path. He knows what to spotlight along the way — things that capture people's attention. He stopped beneath this tree and pointed out the series of holes drilled into the branch. He asked what might have made these holes. He expected insects or woodpeckers. Hands popped up and our kids blurted, "<a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/great-backyard-bird-count-2014.html">Yellow-bellied sapsucker</a>." "We have one at our school." "It's made holes in our tree." "We found a dead one and drew pictures of it."
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His jaw dropped. "You're the first group that has nailed it on the first try."
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Our kids recognized it immediately because they have seen it themselves. Parents waiting to pick up students after school have watched a yellow-bellied sapsucker drill for sap from the red maple tree. Kids making entries in their nature notebooks have heard the tapping and looked up to see the bird seeking nourishment. Two weeks ago, my group noticed a pine tree at Santee with the same series of holes with sap pouring out of them. One student piped up, "A yellow-bellied sapsucker must have done that!"
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This kind of information is easily recalled because the brain has stored short episodes of this feathered friend. They've studied a carcass carefully to glean details one cannot observe with a live specimen. Firsthand knowledge is easier to recall than disembodied facts memorized from a textbook. When our students hit high school biology, they'll recognize lichen they've seen on trees in many colors including pink! They'll remember how much more striking it looks on rainy days.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFenJKTWoVFSXQSIvl8-rTo1ygrWTZixqtTbtNUeGqfHsAdKjOKwKU0YnAU0CUD6WPUuMWzVaBAhRo1WBU-XO2tq70VCKofE7_P1JSa2X1DGctyAz8CyKsqcG2HlNcrqT9-5_cA/s1600/bullisland013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFenJKTWoVFSXQSIvl8-rTo1ygrWTZixqtTbtNUeGqfHsAdKjOKwKU0YnAU0CUD6WPUuMWzVaBAhRo1WBU-XO2tq70VCKofE7_P1JSa2X1DGctyAz8CyKsqcG2HlNcrqT9-5_cA/s200/bullisland013.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3od1XDLd7afbkBf6qHacqnFI36Sd0DWbRK7SBgkjU29UfuXTm0XB7KmlxTYalEkC0-ehUTeIMkfb83f-pLbeF-OtVblm5COZC6TJhApI2EgnD9YzRk3gDoVx678NAsrIeK9Faig/s1600/bullisland083.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3od1XDLd7afbkBf6qHacqnFI36Sd0DWbRK7SBgkjU29UfuXTm0XB7KmlxTYalEkC0-ehUTeIMkfb83f-pLbeF-OtVblm5COZC6TJhApI2EgnD9YzRk3gDoVx678NAsrIeK9Faig/s200/bullisland083.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgGkP3HFqBgfdk6N27ylCLiLzMNjGItQwoyqicK_1puLO6sVLfW4T3EjNuFvqCwIva5sXXNg8SKrlGJU2PtWu3TMvGD15EueudOCCsiFriDBtQrN91Cg7Jc7NBYgqj0L4UFxyGA/s1600/bullisland087.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgGkP3HFqBgfdk6N27ylCLiLzMNjGItQwoyqicK_1puLO6sVLfW4T3EjNuFvqCwIva5sXXNg8SKrlGJU2PtWu3TMvGD15EueudOCCsiFriDBtQrN91Cg7Jc7NBYgqj0L4UFxyGA/s200/bullisland087.jpg" height="165" width="92" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fNxSWI7QndgzxmQWdLAplcnvzBSwgNaNtsIV-QG44LpX3XDwqmuUdPWY2H1GYCAlCoUGrD_kBZC-V3pObD6SeKcL0Q_YLCtbpR_2l93ZxWO_8YDeCeVAyIyQz9GiUWLW0jhd7A/s1600/bullisland024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fNxSWI7QndgzxmQWdLAplcnvzBSwgNaNtsIV-QG44LpX3XDwqmuUdPWY2H1GYCAlCoUGrD_kBZC-V3pObD6SeKcL0Q_YLCtbpR_2l93ZxWO_8YDeCeVAyIyQz9GiUWLW0jhd7A/s200/bullisland024.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc1pqhLK8DZtAXwgWowEwdIMvakXQXLlBA8L4HREFV3uPDY2d501cTSNwzOokqYtzzn1mzTnNTGrUPeUUgzxvAaQ5VN8OYJFMA3chy0BpU8Frhjs73g_gh0vKliJELQB4Y0VHUQ/s1600/bullisland093.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc1pqhLK8DZtAXwgWowEwdIMvakXQXLlBA8L4HREFV3uPDY2d501cTSNwzOokqYtzzn1mzTnNTGrUPeUUgzxvAaQ5VN8OYJFMA3chy0BpU8Frhjs73g_gh0vKliJELQB4Y0VHUQ/s200/bullisland093.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>When they learn in high school biology that lichen is a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae, they won't have to wonder what they are. They'll have seen example after example in many shapes and colors of fungi, decomposing their space. They'll remember the time we had a massive algae bloom in the fish tank and we conducted experiments (such as turning out the lights for a week and creating a blackout with trash bags for another week to kill off algae). Taxonomic terms won't be something to be memorized and will be drawn from memories of personal experiences.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwySzFVh9zO5zPug0u3_tBoyuoJoLIDDbFMyGzZsgQdvv2EScHAwQO3j-jRxJtUg_Ko1ydllof_i77PHoskSL9uErB5yfUawzcdkSqmTE8rd-bz2dhb9w9i2rVPer74yygjtFPxA/s1600/P1060202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwySzFVh9zO5zPug0u3_tBoyuoJoLIDDbFMyGzZsgQdvv2EScHAwQO3j-jRxJtUg_Ko1ydllof_i77PHoskSL9uErB5yfUawzcdkSqmTE8rd-bz2dhb9w9i2rVPer74yygjtFPxA/s1600/P1060202.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25J3YxPzZkeV0myYhBXG9tfUfuoLsIZjiWfEgIWYogG0SuEPFip49eoFsCVuSRelD4WdZWcmGuSFvNKWO_GxFINRLtTgikFdPTONf9I4QItmrxadbCPgn0avkMif_SaKAMowjpQ/s1600/newcamera01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25J3YxPzZkeV0myYhBXG9tfUfuoLsIZjiWfEgIWYogG0SuEPFip49eoFsCVuSRelD4WdZWcmGuSFvNKWO_GxFINRLtTgikFdPTONf9I4QItmrxadbCPgn0avkMif_SaKAMowjpQ/s320/newcamera01.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rBEAaP5iFUHTd3FsbpOhMm7KqSQiJkbsjbgjmoQR6qq2i-hy9vdb7TEMXkdAlvdZFsO3tNvU3Wv0KBYIzWiUSByH8YZDVxPRf-JxnW9aauWP-tuORkUOawgGUAsrrSt7jBROSg/s1600/P1060615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rBEAaP5iFUHTd3FsbpOhMm7KqSQiJkbsjbgjmoQR6qq2i-hy9vdb7TEMXkdAlvdZFsO3tNvU3Wv0KBYIzWiUSByH8YZDVxPRf-JxnW9aauWP-tuORkUOawgGUAsrrSt7jBROSg/s320/P1060615.JPG" height="350" width="350" /></a>
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Speaking of algae, we know that the youngest ones will stop confusing "allergies" with "algaes" as they learn more. They will know the source of the yellow dust that makes many of us so miserable this time of year. They will eventually blame the small male pine cones for the pollen that causes sneezing, runny noses, and burning eyes, not the woody female ones that most people associate with pine trees.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm6JVG80EaHdcGRhuI75Cgx3MOKFz5-4iNojmn5MTFwTNLxJHI5S_priQTvc4ENdDE_fI5x8box92awm4D8SR4OHMx6Rroqj68eBwnaoX8lVtDRr7C7DwbHZSwNoAK2XpzNnoNA/s1600/bullisland077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm6JVG80EaHdcGRhuI75Cgx3MOKFz5-4iNojmn5MTFwTNLxJHI5S_priQTvc4ENdDE_fI5x8box92awm4D8SR4OHMx6Rroqj68eBwnaoX8lVtDRr7C7DwbHZSwNoAK2XpzNnoNA/s200/bullisland077.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj8OdcTEiKEXQnssIxbcammPP9gQauRom64WX_27cSBel88SnpueAvKSezcpfRC54T8X2pXmcrZWB9z239kdRVLDklY4EXeX1SFwAxzCbtwCvCgqAy0l1_G7QncXHy7frtcXkFA/s1600/bullisland060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj8OdcTEiKEXQnssIxbcammPP9gQauRom64WX_27cSBel88SnpueAvKSezcpfRC54T8X2pXmcrZWB9z239kdRVLDklY4EXeX1SFwAxzCbtwCvCgqAy0l1_G7QncXHy7frtcXkFA/s200/bullisland060.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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They will also have stored memories of adults curious to know about things and longing to know more. Adults with their own questions about living things. Adults who don't need reward-driven incentives to fuel the desire to find out more about God's handwork. Thus, they see us ask the name of something or come back a week later with possibilities we have researched. They watch us share our favorite nature books or post photographs to each other on Facebook. They hear us joke about coming back to Bulls Island to find out what color blooms on the thistle.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8xmSkl7nGfBCsduCnZ26ARgUuY7GiIb7r3fO8TP26x-94KkADdJ0alpcppAVeLlyZgtVE-xE4_VnXqmgwCm_jtyNWhR4qymG1o9qfgcbSUNC7mlTxXPM0ae5ZLHrnTeIhABH4g/s1600/bullisland063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8xmSkl7nGfBCsduCnZ26ARgUuY7GiIb7r3fO8TP26x-94KkADdJ0alpcppAVeLlyZgtVE-xE4_VnXqmgwCm_jtyNWhR4qymG1o9qfgcbSUNC7mlTxXPM0ae5ZLHrnTeIhABH4g/s1600/bullisland063.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-ROxpXkAUEieX4KjgUY-siUtbtVNORq1_o3BX4GCLNv7kSAZ6LbmvkuBLvbw0LmhmbI2FCCMCsxoTSlsor_EdI-m1IBA7NvMITVjPSS3GY4x4VPfxuYCPFG3WMl6LrYxD7BxUw/s1600/bullisland061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-ROxpXkAUEieX4KjgUY-siUtbtVNORq1_o3BX4GCLNv7kSAZ6LbmvkuBLvbw0LmhmbI2FCCMCsxoTSlsor_EdI-m1IBA7NvMITVjPSS3GY4x4VPfxuYCPFG3WMl6LrYxD7BxUw/s200/bullisland061.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq8GXZf9HAEPMWYJhbewYb31YM7vGddsXW-sl-y-49sUaiozD9RGYjyCWvCPW-QnSQfslYNWEu322FkP9FiyzafiBrEKm2NRUZvJi2OrkDhSHe9QTWirjcngXa2a3YH0HPuBdkA/s1600/bullisland057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq8GXZf9HAEPMWYJhbewYb31YM7vGddsXW-sl-y-49sUaiozD9RGYjyCWvCPW-QnSQfslYNWEu322FkP9FiyzafiBrEKm2NRUZvJi2OrkDhSHe9QTWirjcngXa2a3YH0HPuBdkA/s200/bullisland057.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGfByVBewufBEkqK73x7975PxuS12h4oqdtCxoJ4E3Mxxb0prunFi2EungNIj80M8r1hytpTbb7AcUnxTgk0w33WhB7f7SzsfnnNQGBRTLbVXd6ItiwWOro51UaiCOQLtkcRixw/s1600/bullisland069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGfByVBewufBEkqK73x7975PxuS12h4oqdtCxoJ4E3Mxxb0prunFi2EungNIj80M8r1hytpTbb7AcUnxTgk0w33WhB7f7SzsfnnNQGBRTLbVXd6ItiwWOro51UaiCOQLtkcRixw/s200/bullisland069.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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If you have no idea where to begin, I'll let you in on a big secret. Fifteen years ago, when I started down the path of Charlotte Mason homeschooling, I knew very little about nature study. Just get out there. Look at things. Ask questions. Research online. Get excited when you learn something new. Read books written by naturalists. Before long, you'll be so inspired about nature study that you won't be able to stop!
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Traditional, orderly services often work well for our children. They are predictable, quiet, etc.<br />
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However, parents feel embarrassed if their autistic kids — who look old enough to "know better" — wiggle or make auditory self-stims. People stare at us when this happen. Or, our kids makes loud remarks about that fat guy or that old woman or the boring sermon or the bald preacher. Or, getting everyone dressed in their Sunday best to church on time is impossible. Or, someone has a meltdown in the car on the way over because of a detour. Or, the preacher who gets exuberant during a sermon preaches too loud. Or, there is some anomalous noise in the sound system that only our children hear and it drives them bonkers. Or, our gluten-free, casein-free child runs straight to the donut table, which we will regret the next day. Or, some do-gooder decides that a teen isn't qualified to care for your six-year-old in a room nearby while you're at choir practice (true story). Or, children's church is too loud or doesn't exist or has nobody equipped to handle our kid or the "cry room" is too loud or....<br />
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Contemporary services often work well for our children. They allow our kids to wiggle, make noise, and wear their daily uniform (sweat pants). <br />
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However, parents feel embarrassed if their autistic kids — who look old
enough to "know better" — make auditory self-stims during that quiet, reflective hand waving song. People
stare at us when this happen. Or, our kids cannot handle the unpredictable nature of service that has no bulletin to cue them when the end is in sight. Or, our kids makes loud remarks about tattoos, pink hair, saggy pants, or that awesome Sponge Bob shirt.
Or, our kids sneaked a water bottle in the car, has wet pants, and refuses to calm down until we go home and change and by then it's too late. Or, someone has a meltdown in the car on the way over
because of insomnia the night before. Or, the sound system for those rocking worship songs are way too loud. Or, our active, clumsy child knocks over the donut table. Or, children's church is too loud or
doesn't exist or has nobody equipped to handle our kid or the "cry room"
is too loud or....<br />
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Or, for some reason, we parents lack skins thick enough to get over....<br />
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"__________ doesn't look autistic." <br />
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"There's nothing wrong with that brat who only needs a pop on the
hiney."<br />
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"I read this book that your child might be demon-possessed."<br />
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"How can you homeschool? You're not qualified to handle autistic children."<br />
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"Why don't you homeschool?" <br />
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"One little cookie can't hurt." <br />
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"I don't believe in medications."<br />
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"Your kid needs meds."<br />
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"Did you see the program about [insert latest autism cure] the other day?"<br />
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Eye rolls and giggles from the cool teens who sit in the back row where you sit in order to get away with your fifteen-year-old who still carries Barney to church.<br />
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The inability for Sunday school coordinators to see that your teenaged child would be better off attending a developmentally appropriate class (second grade) instead of the teen class or special needs class. <br />
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Why can't we get over this stuff? If our kids don't sleep, we don't sleep. Or, worry about the future or just the next day's tall order keep us up. Or, we never get a break from our kids. Or, if we do get a break, we worry about our kids. Or, we are exhausted by trying to give normalcy to typical children and cannot wake up for church.<br />
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There are wonderful, compassionate, kind, loving families who have done everything under the sun for the child and, with puberty, comes the downward spiral and the overwhelmed teen leaves bruises. How can they take someone who might lash out and hurt someone at church?<br />
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Every family and situation is so unique, I can offer no answers. You probably know a family dealing with autism who never makes it to church but wishes they could. Why not ask them what you can do to help make church work better for their family? Then, see what you can do about making it happen. Even if it doesn't work, they will appreciate that you tried.<br />
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At the next Charlotte Mason carnival, I will share her thoughts on habits for families who just can't make it to church for the reasons I listed above and more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-2231467886309731402014-03-29T18:06:00.002-04:002014-03-29T18:08:33.931-04:00Nature Walks: Building Dynamic Thinking for Our SPD KidsWe'd been looking forward to <a href="http://www.bullsislandferry.com/index.php?page=bulls-island-ferry">Island Quest</a>, an exploration of South Carolina's barrier island, <a href="http://www.fws.gov/caperomain/text/BullsIsTsheet05.pdf">Bulls Island</a>, for a month! Unfortunately, the day was overcoast, wet, rainy with temperatures in the 60s. Imagine taking children ranging in age five to fifteenish, some with autism, sensory processing disorders, or other reasons to struggle with resiliency. Did the overcast, cloudy skies forecast doom our nature walk?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dUdh18-o2HtiQdXynerY9dOS7Bbmt592W95Rd_Q1izmFS3ool_c2MvwuWEhNWnXCLXMAM6IFoLqdHNTFvqau6ddLFPCxfHqgPOCPmP-Ohj2CyEH3q3DMGmPWswkbUuFy1KdnKQ/s1600/bullisland006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dUdh18-o2HtiQdXynerY9dOS7Bbmt592W95Rd_Q1izmFS3ool_c2MvwuWEhNWnXCLXMAM6IFoLqdHNTFvqau6ddLFPCxfHqgPOCPmP-Ohj2CyEH3q3DMGmPWswkbUuFy1KdnKQ/s1600/bullisland006.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoE5m1BIB_DtWDeTgAq0DxUBWvG0ojvQY1o-KZ_YM2A2uT11hA3VEa9NnEvJPdOH1BKCvE_qY0UoJ5pk3RcJ4MJOcez3zE9wTGwGxhfXxX0phIMAKEQhnVUQdKK6y2pJHIkIFlw/s1600/bullisland037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoE5m1BIB_DtWDeTgAq0DxUBWvG0ojvQY1o-KZ_YM2A2uT11hA3VEa9NnEvJPdOH1BKCvE_qY0UoJ5pk3RcJ4MJOcez3zE9wTGwGxhfXxX0phIMAKEQhnVUQdKK6y2pJHIkIFlw/s1600/bullisland037.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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No! Students, staff, and chaperones had a blast in spite of spending two-hours in a car full of kids, a half-hour on a ferry, walking three miles — half of the trek in rain showers — BEFORE eating lunch.
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Yes, at dark moments when the sun had abandoned us, we felt doubt and discomfort. We were soaking wet. Hair dripping with water. Sea water giving us free facials. Chilled by wind gusts. We cycled through the five stages of grieving our dampened condition and let go! We embraced the quiet rain and enjoyed whatever the day gave us.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMm9nkFfeghWpiEk0uK_9k9lBeZ-gIqPv9Xx2hxqmQ5-dt1xcxdhUrTRA7HikCw9qDOUnnMW4FfbPoNgGzQBmkb_DjT2qRpFzl_cQV-1LX919FJDdx6VzuT4Z6nF5HljLIBxIqsQ/s1600/bullisland064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMm9nkFfeghWpiEk0uK_9k9lBeZ-gIqPv9Xx2hxqmQ5-dt1xcxdhUrTRA7HikCw9qDOUnnMW4FfbPoNgGzQBmkb_DjT2qRpFzl_cQV-1LX919FJDdx6VzuT4Z6nF5HljLIBxIqsQ/s1600/bullisland064.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1k29S-ecnCVbMxWXBMEwuPwF_95ta-LiRarW-Omn306KgYzwOg4BosOFmRRxrh2mbOjdaDv-wl_3xXee1ub2ipqrNiBMIOaiaLih7lRySSMhv0vIiXbwlZObNVN3Zw3zhxGQNtg/s1600/1507326_10203177709591067_1973053863_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1k29S-ecnCVbMxWXBMEwuPwF_95ta-LiRarW-Omn306KgYzwOg4BosOFmRRxrh2mbOjdaDv-wl_3xXee1ub2ipqrNiBMIOaiaLih7lRySSMhv0vIiXbwlZObNVN3Zw3zhxGQNtg/s200/1507326_10203177709591067_1973053863_o.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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Wonder is what saved the day! Since the beginning of the school year, we had faithfully walked the nearby wildlife refuge every Friday. We'd walked it on hot days, cold days, wet days, muddy days, snowy days, icy days. Kids who hated going outside have fallen in love with the creation. Kids who couldn't stand the sight of squiggly things now see beauty in them. The habits of walking regularly and of lengthening attention spans have reaped a harvest. We'd progressed from that first disastrous trek in which chased down little ones darting here, there, and everywhere and seeing nothing to a group that impressed the naturalist who guided us (more on that in another post). They see wonder in animal tracks and bird songs; little things like snails, rocks, lichen, moss, fern, and fungi; big things like alligators, live oak trees, and rotten logs.
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How do we scaffold wonder?
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We walk every week, any weather, with rare exceptions. An outing lasts at least an hour and a half. Our trail is a mile long, but it's more like a mile and a half due to rabbit trails.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius0jfFXXALK68qQgs6KRWQIRbdUw0q-FoCXZgELSWQUCdfHd3wTRQpBTX5tnOVHSZkQYR969mViz6jRuUUJIW4IS11_uuYl979ExBLHoHcwqF00YtxWwOYNWR3EBtWj1qG3Q2Ig/s1600/bullisland009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius0jfFXXALK68qQgs6KRWQIRbdUw0q-FoCXZgELSWQUCdfHd3wTRQpBTX5tnOVHSZkQYR969mViz6jRuUUJIW4IS11_uuYl979ExBLHoHcwqF00YtxWwOYNWR3EBtWj1qG3Q2Ig/s1600/bullisland009.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeokG062hU3HaeGZ7srIubeELJPnpJmSxKbdfj4yjCWE-L-ZD9VIzytjZVuMKDnRFyIKX_4UwQd2_F6tm1qQgHNxf8_hWoRKqETU5zyyq0KjNVEhHFkcRiyB8MyrKbDI-S-Z6eg/s1600/bullisland051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeokG062hU3HaeGZ7srIubeELJPnpJmSxKbdfj4yjCWE-L-ZD9VIzytjZVuMKDnRFyIKX_4UwQd2_F6tm1qQgHNxf8_hWoRKqETU5zyyq0KjNVEhHFkcRiyB8MyrKbDI-S-Z6eg/s1600/bullisland051.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We assign children to one adult guide. We space the groups out on the trail so they learn to follow one person. We vary the guide and the group composition every week to promote flexibility for our static thinkers. This time, we all went together and we all followed one guide. Months of nature walks meant they could adjust to a different game plan.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkmp3gqryzjVqHvCsBdqy3jOBloKTCEM9scj86UmtHv3hVfr8RUJ9cGmLkapIr4NqP9umRSggIFJiSPAAzcE56RAiENrILNDCBH2VgPl_Q2RYpWnblhJnyvOPbnaBjSZYIkJdbA/s1600/1016021_10203177713111155_1905780396_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkmp3gqryzjVqHvCsBdqy3jOBloKTCEM9scj86UmtHv3hVfr8RUJ9cGmLkapIr4NqP9umRSggIFJiSPAAzcE56RAiENrILNDCBH2VgPl_Q2RYpWnblhJnyvOPbnaBjSZYIkJdbA/s200/1016021_10203177713111155_1905780396_o.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fq-Ajs2i1Ko-GRXNgOje8PKca_eQNExb6ij8ApxwmUPDGaY5LvcIwKTY4tBrzw0ZV_abuyWFP4FM72ab5f_BHKHBJ3wAku_ZiqjiEG9iMd8EF_76B48s7mmLX8ht9z2_-P9vA/s1600/bullisland012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fq-Ajs2i1Ko-GRXNgOje8PKca_eQNExb6ij8ApxwmUPDGaY5LvcIwKTY4tBrzw0ZV_abuyWFP4FM72ab5f_BHKHBJ3wAku_ZiqjiEG9iMd8EF_76B48s7mmLX8ht9z2_-P9vA/s1600/bullisland012.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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At school, we spend time outdoors. We notebook outdoors. We eat outdoors. We play outdoors. We work outdoors. It feels natural to be outdoors for several hours.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRi_zSu5v-rsVe0940b66r7r2tWdFDSqU8gad3k3av3gdCBA58nZJIdTLdycoMlZeQDhWSMaART49HPsOjzfREQhRo9BRpa2-hajmZqr1zR2Yx1rJG0R7Iwz1LcNYvmsAG4m9fw/s1600/bullisland080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRi_zSu5v-rsVe0940b66r7r2tWdFDSqU8gad3k3av3gdCBA58nZJIdTLdycoMlZeQDhWSMaART49HPsOjzfREQhRo9BRpa2-hajmZqr1zR2Yx1rJG0R7Iwz1LcNYvmsAG4m9fw/s1600/bullisland080.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5jviwLB_PfcgFwHMF_7ZgotXseqn5HRLmbhLB9LYjcjeONl2MZrb_3pqImnJzk3npgqFL8Ah1qGgEVI5D7iPCNMcgVMK0M1eRMzJFwBrf43AlgIbyocY7EOGjTy4rISXBSfdog/s1600/bullisland054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5jviwLB_PfcgFwHMF_7ZgotXseqn5HRLmbhLB9LYjcjeONl2MZrb_3pqImnJzk3npgqFL8Ah1qGgEVI5D7iPCNMcgVMK0M1eRMzJFwBrf43AlgIbyocY7EOGjTy4rISXBSfdog/s1600/bullisland054.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We prepare without over-preparing. Even though there was only a thirty percent chance of rain, we came with boots, raincoats, cheap emergency ponchos, etc. We had bugspray, hats, and sunscreen in case the sun came out in full force. We didn't give too much information. Would you tell kids they had to walk almost three miles before they could eat lunch?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEC5xlEhfnyUouH6UVxFoEtxxPaw1JBNRfnb921006zHouyv9kX5qqcCPr6icJu52otI4fomCr2NTIadBeVTWJg1Z1sp8KAeBpp1VfXT-f9eh5YKdSAuPxIqIpH9ustq7iIqKzDA/s1600/bullisland074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEC5xlEhfnyUouH6UVxFoEtxxPaw1JBNRfnb921006zHouyv9kX5qqcCPr6icJu52otI4fomCr2NTIadBeVTWJg1Z1sp8KAeBpp1VfXT-f9eh5YKdSAuPxIqIpH9ustq7iIqKzDA/s1600/bullisland074.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPdWaV59fq4jvrXKHyFAkP32FzJryABSQKhCuYhtM32nq2r7svSy2uORRc1qVR8VB2xXCYX23ukmLtuAHBXKVkdlmgLSBkUJXWJrBtUiAD_fy5KzKR6rAHJigJzRsGONqTvcwLw/s1600/bullisland062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPdWaV59fq4jvrXKHyFAkP32FzJryABSQKhCuYhtM32nq2r7svSy2uORRc1qVR8VB2xXCYX23ukmLtuAHBXKVkdlmgLSBkUJXWJrBtUiAD_fy5KzKR6rAHJigJzRsGONqTvcwLw/s1600/bullisland062.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We adapt whether it's hanging out our clothes to dry or finding joy in broken things.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIRIm326SLQCg4g0_gVnO5jycoh8OmSxaZH5ET1HQhz3xSabWVQM3kQPBuzG2Pmb1t3JjfrtiKlQj-RP7AHZIbHXsk8AMQjkkuOeh8Xlu9WFrmzfVnJ6SP-qW0ChLI2-giiLhMA/s1600/bullisland081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIRIm326SLQCg4g0_gVnO5jycoh8OmSxaZH5ET1HQhz3xSabWVQM3kQPBuzG2Pmb1t3JjfrtiKlQj-RP7AHZIbHXsk8AMQjkkuOeh8Xlu9WFrmzfVnJ6SP-qW0ChLI2-giiLhMA/s1600/bullisland081.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWdmOH6yw-vPESjPp-QnN93JG-3XhZ32D_2fKpBk2-f00flPHKyH0YLCIQnL73SL9Qrbv3p41qdVKBOeRvFjlnoQQLfKp5f1Kh5JTXdOtsWA3_MJeblKeG-eruCkjp6JGFeecrg/s1600/bullisland043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWdmOH6yw-vPESjPp-QnN93JG-3XhZ32D_2fKpBk2-f00flPHKyH0YLCIQnL73SL9Qrbv3p41qdVKBOeRvFjlnoQQLfKp5f1Kh5JTXdOtsWA3_MJeblKeG-eruCkjp6JGFeecrg/s1600/bullisland043.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We overcome our own discomfort with things that disgust us.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD7k0D11Pl70vz_O5Pkt1ll5cZBHZoe3AAFXkIzZT0LyUVQO4mlA8ghJVqDtlaVo5YtNSXzw4MELMnFI7zYbFFLztVnEm7Nvc_tDQzy4jV0FPa0FIHniC-Qxk4JA98DCNx1eguQ/s1600/1780942_10203177712711145_691676100_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD7k0D11Pl70vz_O5Pkt1ll5cZBHZoe3AAFXkIzZT0LyUVQO4mlA8ghJVqDtlaVo5YtNSXzw4MELMnFI7zYbFFLztVnEm7Nvc_tDQzy4jV0FPa0FIHniC-Qxk4JA98DCNx1eguQ/s1600/1780942_10203177712711145_691676100_o.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCz7NIjJ8X-t7eHm7dOpCIkK6a7P2SZ1d8tych3hyphenhyphenuSIu2kdFOEgytMDTCepWzUYxHY1DGO5iGvaVK_yZemj4PSty3eGahdCt7xuR-1rnq_UVGe6ok-cSiWjdcVsoB69TA7kdA4g/s1600/bullisland073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCz7NIjJ8X-t7eHm7dOpCIkK6a7P2SZ1d8tych3hyphenhyphenuSIu2kdFOEgytMDTCepWzUYxHY1DGO5iGvaVK_yZemj4PSty3eGahdCt7xuR-1rnq_UVGe6ok-cSiWjdcVsoB69TA7kdA4g/s1600/bullisland073.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
<br />
We stop and study interesting things. Wonder thrives.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vxuuGsZqBrMK3vIYUGNanBe16lB75wL9XqP7AeVjiun808u2gzjVZs41Ta2a2igm-uFjVaRcpfJJ6E7MqpH8vy0DaBtnTPF3YoqGIzfPnEo-GXOsgAIgsC2W1ObfIbEeiSwZ0A/s1600/bullisland030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vxuuGsZqBrMK3vIYUGNanBe16lB75wL9XqP7AeVjiun808u2gzjVZs41Ta2a2igm-uFjVaRcpfJJ6E7MqpH8vy0DaBtnTPF3YoqGIzfPnEo-GXOsgAIgsC2W1ObfIbEeiSwZ0A/s1600/bullisland030.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQCSudk1QYAZRpKA2zpeXrhLKDLWzuwKyMZO7HLJFgZQCRjz6vh3QKTVEUeYgO3s_81ST7ZMzolgubTVePd4B_9MtjfZVpRHwXfF9z1h_Pkw24M71ZUIyhzKdr4x5k3mXmyLIOg/s1600/bullisland029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQCSudk1QYAZRpKA2zpeXrhLKDLWzuwKyMZO7HLJFgZQCRjz6vh3QKTVEUeYgO3s_81ST7ZMzolgubTVePd4B_9MtjfZVpRHwXfF9z1h_Pkw24M71ZUIyhzKdr4x5k3mXmyLIOg/s1600/bullisland029.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We treasure keepsakes.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5onfQqsvaBtWnXi8MET9mM0w04b_kzzIxf9rXtVK2dyd0m6BpYl9Z3iWx6Iy15mB3kILho3ezOvetMizLmeYrihtADauatuuxrtU6LXbNS7uyhkv0Jh0N7tsUDdNNvoVlGqzuRw/s1600/bullisland045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5onfQqsvaBtWnXi8MET9mM0w04b_kzzIxf9rXtVK2dyd0m6BpYl9Z3iWx6Iy15mB3kILho3ezOvetMizLmeYrihtADauatuuxrtU6LXbNS7uyhkv0Jh0N7tsUDdNNvoVlGqzuRw/s1600/bullisland045.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinXR9vQL6JuvXri0d2HL770Rkj6ufQzLWjRglHkOet4CVlhkww8LBXsGELFi4uvHTxqUhnNlUPzPkNxJfdti4fi-b_TAIc3TDeZonTft9S_Sx3FBkr1C39vRJsf1wk8cRg_qscQ/s1600/bullisland098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinXR9vQL6JuvXri0d2HL770Rkj6ufQzLWjRglHkOet4CVlhkww8LBXsGELFi4uvHTxqUhnNlUPzPkNxJfdti4fi-b_TAIc3TDeZonTft9S_Sx3FBkr1C39vRJsf1wk8cRg_qscQ/s1600/bullisland098.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXr_hOifkz3eZZdqPDD3VggB_dILPBiY1LihIWYirwn0NFFXXxs49665ZxWpZxkR4552O3uFKsHkyMtOFmOetc8nvwp731QGisT-ttwKVB5TbmVi679J8xx6CtYnpq5lkoKxA1A/s1600/bullisland041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXr_hOifkz3eZZdqPDD3VggB_dILPBiY1LihIWYirwn0NFFXXxs49665ZxWpZxkR4552O3uFKsHkyMtOFmOetc8nvwp731QGisT-ttwKVB5TbmVi679J8xx6CtYnpq5lkoKxA1A/s1600/bullisland041.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBqMV7t7k5Mi5pvLdVndBTAjhEsFQPURnwzItSykT1cUM9IR3ps0aS3eYFVCYUf_wweJHGu1NUQ2K9to3swDPgOLc8z3DNFSoE_ecn6r3l7nKUSaUT4un_8Nc__-9RPK7HiuGDg/s1600/bullisland108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBqMV7t7k5Mi5pvLdVndBTAjhEsFQPURnwzItSykT1cUM9IR3ps0aS3eYFVCYUf_wweJHGu1NUQ2K9to3swDPgOLc8z3DNFSoE_ecn6r3l7nKUSaUT4un_8Nc__-9RPK7HiuGDg/s1600/bullisland108.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
<br />
We respect living things.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioH1RzPOxCeW-uqqwCzVlVwMM6W1ggXhjex6YtXFCJ1tOfHP-RJpA-pNiFOhDUU2PNJC4VaUg02MdFvL1Eh-6PNJfBIjIgGuLAfi5fCeljHKgA7gFVn2Gwe04eqjQLSCLZcv8Wrg/s1600/bullisland049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioH1RzPOxCeW-uqqwCzVlVwMM6W1ggXhjex6YtXFCJ1tOfHP-RJpA-pNiFOhDUU2PNJC4VaUg02MdFvL1Eh-6PNJfBIjIgGuLAfi5fCeljHKgA7gFVn2Gwe04eqjQLSCLZcv8Wrg/s1600/bullisland049.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZt5ZVbjTKKJT86ejv1_NJyXmifxUegImkf-kE09yDdpqWUFWDjxgcTAPcjSLCsvhqWInm79V3OkUBvsT1FRBKM8v5FebfzEPnJCzfefeqXLN_bN0HrFDnuL6TywZ7tqMy2JYxg/s1600/bullisland038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZt5ZVbjTKKJT86ejv1_NJyXmifxUegImkf-kE09yDdpqWUFWDjxgcTAPcjSLCsvhqWInm79V3OkUBvsT1FRBKM8v5FebfzEPnJCzfefeqXLN_bN0HrFDnuL6TywZ7tqMy2JYxg/s1600/bullisland038.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
<br />
We respect our guides.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fq-Ajs2i1Ko-GRXNgOje8PKca_eQNExb6ij8ApxwmUPDGaY5LvcIwKTY4tBrzw0ZV_abuyWFP4FM72ab5f_BHKHBJ3wAku_ZiqjiEG9iMd8EF_76B48s7mmLX8ht9z2_-P9vA/s1600/bullisland012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fq-Ajs2i1Ko-GRXNgOje8PKca_eQNExb6ij8ApxwmUPDGaY5LvcIwKTY4tBrzw0ZV_abuyWFP4FM72ab5f_BHKHBJ3wAku_ZiqjiEG9iMd8EF_76B48s7mmLX8ht9z2_-P9vA/s1600/bullisland012.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIKkubNUpGcKCHAAkdwlCEAUwatWhV_L7Ss8UKbEvVT0q58s3CtpS4wkqXsZ2WZSNVe75AutLaNJGinLjXA1YuMVYpPoYoGFuuBXayI-Ivfjy0X_unLk5sHmDffa75ewx3uzCWA/s1600/bullisland023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIKkubNUpGcKCHAAkdwlCEAUwatWhV_L7Ss8UKbEvVT0q58s3CtpS4wkqXsZ2WZSNVe75AutLaNJGinLjXA1YuMVYpPoYoGFuuBXayI-Ivfjy0X_unLk5sHmDffa75ewx3uzCWA/s1600/bullisland023.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We enjoy being together.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelQhNTZyge9qzqaCjtu9kuyMVwWmKKMc4Inz0_NNSaF5neUr-2iAyLzb6V95c9C3XluKzh120A15rn9nXj6DUEQoByc7YqCHjJ8JFyWn0ee1RgzsQqlUPjajWXzWuLPiPggwLMQ/s1600/bullisland094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelQhNTZyge9qzqaCjtu9kuyMVwWmKKMc4Inz0_NNSaF5neUr-2iAyLzb6V95c9C3XluKzh120A15rn9nXj6DUEQoByc7YqCHjJ8JFyWn0ee1RgzsQqlUPjajWXzWuLPiPggwLMQ/s1600/bullisland094.jpg" height="211" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjum57yr_D5bkADx4MYN8v_he4Li1somAFbqLoeA_pyP0jtisGeB6CmPp866ZSjdJ5cdPJTCJlzI9Tdk5L92_HFwzM48-K9FynrGA7bVrejZ_990XXEolKNw8usi_Wu2d_0JsudDA/s1600/bullisland095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjum57yr_D5bkADx4MYN8v_he4Li1somAFbqLoeA_pyP0jtisGeB6CmPp866ZSjdJ5cdPJTCJlzI9Tdk5L92_HFwzM48-K9FynrGA7bVrejZ_990XXEolKNw8usi_Wu2d_0JsudDA/s1600/bullisland095.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
<br />
We dance in the rain.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9V02PxgStQzpEZ50rMiuk0HmIyoc0DwSQg-x8Yhs8fLxIC31KWnDt3KZqbioh7qZTHv00HZNhNFU6sAmcW1QEMZ4j5qdVv-OoU_PeIkIr8FysWoE6bnR8TlBExmZycnTCEFUYA/s1600/bullisland107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9V02PxgStQzpEZ50rMiuk0HmIyoc0DwSQg-x8Yhs8fLxIC31KWnDt3KZqbioh7qZTHv00HZNhNFU6sAmcW1QEMZ4j5qdVv-OoU_PeIkIr8FysWoE6bnR8TlBExmZycnTCEFUYA/s1600/bullisland107.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9fevGDu0KaQEda7Kb0TOru5RIvocImaMqBroBv02-Q5hjT4gZo9NR4h-qsaZEzj3BbHkY1oBg3SCvch3KFP3VCHrPkR4U53TOPt2JGB91pgAdYqjakd-py4jlZzm6j1rY0jglw/s1600/bullisland046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9fevGDu0KaQEda7Kb0TOru5RIvocImaMqBroBv02-Q5hjT4gZo9NR4h-qsaZEzj3BbHkY1oBg3SCvch3KFP3VCHrPkR4U53TOPt2JGB91pgAdYqjakd-py4jlZzm6j1rY0jglw/s1600/bullisland046.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoE5m1BIB_DtWDeTgAq0DxUBWvG0ojvQY1o-KZ_YM2A2uT11hA3VEa9NnEvJPdOH1BKCvE_qY0UoJ5pk3RcJ4MJOcez3zE9wTGwGxhfXxX0phIMAKEQhnVUQdKK6y2pJHIkIFlw/s1600/bullisland037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoE5m1BIB_DtWDeTgAq0DxUBWvG0ojvQY1o-KZ_YM2A2uT11hA3VEa9NnEvJPdOH1BKCvE_qY0UoJ5pk3RcJ4MJOcez3zE9wTGwGxhfXxX0phIMAKEQhnVUQdKK6y2pJHIkIFlw/s1600/bullisland037.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtecHPOgjjSfugxVOpZ802bafLj3O1GiMOK6ViYQnJVgZUUQTMZ4bYbOcj5aHB8M5grG1aVQSyhRVgfj1oNILvd-fX94yEfETei4Gu6fTeqx8SmB6i-5qJaEgOzsjmhu3t-dR6Fg/s1600/bullisland007.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtecHPOgjjSfugxVOpZ802bafLj3O1GiMOK6ViYQnJVgZUUQTMZ4bYbOcj5aHB8M5grG1aVQSyhRVgfj1oNILvd-fX94yEfETei4Gu6fTeqx8SmB6i-5qJaEgOzsjmhu3t-dR6Fg/s1600/bullisland007.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>Pamela did have a moment in which she was quite miserable. We had just left the beach. It was a wee bit cold and rainy. She had figured out we'd have to walk over a mile before we could stop and eat. She fussed and wanted to stop. I told her that there were no roads and the only way we were getting back was by walking. Otherwise, we'd be stuck like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ0PWRO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IJ0PWRO&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20"><i>The Swiss Family Robinson</i></a> and we'd have to build a hut and survive on whatever lived on the island. She accepted my perspective, and that was her only moment of real complaining. The day offered enough wonder to make the discomfort and long trek worthwhile.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PS4mW6HsG3f9B_yQWJityVSlcNiPSPBtd6PmfBA9xlUCzXn9pN_RAOut_k5k5UnSieBw-me0IqCGSG9WQc0RbN-piVQq4rNqAQrLAVu5PBDRAXz9bAI4J5J1812Q4AMT6-MPxQ/s1600/10010088_10203177713551166_405060266_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PS4mW6HsG3f9B_yQWJityVSlcNiPSPBtd6PmfBA9xlUCzXn9pN_RAOut_k5k5UnSieBw-me0IqCGSG9WQc0RbN-piVQq4rNqAQrLAVu5PBDRAXz9bAI4J5J1812Q4AMT6-MPxQ/s1600/10010088_10203177713551166_405060266_o.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>When we finally reached the boat for our return voyage, it began to rain again. God rewarded us for our perseverance and showed off his creation. We spotted dolphins following our wake far off in the distance. All manner of birds greeted us as we slipped into port. Even the drizzle cannot stop nature's beauty and bounty.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLkwDxQZPtkIxzHUFaX-J__JiI1tOiGbmr_z1hyphenhyphenZUN4Z0qfBXDFfU6V7RXfY8R8-1xehIazEtt6b3HFUckuwmI8Bb7H-KmIFJWD4VLjI4KbI52oGR8Y_W3xQeMcIALozlvjTmvA/s1600/bullisland099.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLkwDxQZPtkIxzHUFaX-J__JiI1tOiGbmr_z1hyphenhyphenZUN4Z0qfBXDFfU6V7RXfY8R8-1xehIazEtt6b3HFUckuwmI8Bb7H-KmIFJWD4VLjI4KbI52oGR8Y_W3xQeMcIALozlvjTmvA/s1600/bullisland099.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEira2jtcTIizfSeePEPJa0_M-2nrSqz3g7GuMguoln3sKm5amaoh__AP4LPkRfSb14KpVlUdmQrNZfA9y-Ba0GDyZznUplv2apdjrOuuaAEBUWPNdBNZ2sqZYY8ijqB6zGLgkzCUw/s1600/bullisland096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEira2jtcTIizfSeePEPJa0_M-2nrSqz3g7GuMguoln3sKm5amaoh__AP4LPkRfSb14KpVlUdmQrNZfA9y-Ba0GDyZznUplv2apdjrOuuaAEBUWPNdBNZ2sqZYY8ijqB6zGLgkzCUw/s1600/bullisland096.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsXB7V3Qr3jsuvPqTfS1-OFgu4UOUCgFvwYoHWSHqDovcVVFl1yplfjgL_-ieqsjHNLvoM2bMtA3i3IZJcT0d2UAn-Ps7Nd0oXEw0xG0r_5NplbpwrPj305hS7it-7EQsiyDllw/s1600/bullisland100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsXB7V3Qr3jsuvPqTfS1-OFgu4UOUCgFvwYoHWSHqDovcVVFl1yplfjgL_-ieqsjHNLvoM2bMtA3i3IZJcT0d2UAn-Ps7Nd0oXEw0xG0r_5NplbpwrPj305hS7it-7EQsiyDllw/s1600/bullisland100.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmE_r1DCmcAeto2GLUfCD6H57EkCGMx85NpLAHwiy0YSo6TMfcw8xRFrGatXt1RMCKSxAH6L5dOGFVgnMas5fYrGo8amrUNImFHW9K4dHsCxNuqk05bR9jKCpE7eIk9yiiQGr21g/s1600/bullisland102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmE_r1DCmcAeto2GLUfCD6H57EkCGMx85NpLAHwiy0YSo6TMfcw8xRFrGatXt1RMCKSxAH6L5dOGFVgnMas5fYrGo8amrUNImFHW9K4dHsCxNuqk05bR9jKCpE7eIk9yiiQGr21g/s1600/bullisland102.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-44618020850054236752014-03-24T17:10:00.000-04:002014-03-25T06:30:37.911-04:00Lying: Sin, Developmental Milestone, or Both?Teaching a child to tell the truth is more complicated than it sounds. It requires more thought than a simple rule.
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My grandmother told whoppers, and her daughters knew it. The four of them were caught fleeing Nazi Germany. They weren't Jews: they were simply a widow and three homeless children trying to survive. They had to live in a Danish refuge camp where nurses gave them "health shots." My grandmother suspected they were experimental vaccines after a few children died. She figured that, if her girls missed a couple of shots, the nurses would lose interest in them. On the day of the next set of rounds, my grandmother found a ditch, had the girls lie down, and covered them in leaves. She told them that she was going to pretend she didn't know where they were when the nurse came. She told them that, no matter how much she called, they were to be still as mice. They could come out only when she came and removed the leaves.
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My grandmother was right. After missing a couple of shots, the nurses stopped paying them visits. She and her daughters survived the war.
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Mason taught morals through the Bible, biography, and poetry because of their complexity. While the Bible doesn't condone lying, <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1999/may24/9t6068.html?paging=off">heroes of the faith lied</a>. The midwives' lies in Exodus let the Jewish people flourish. Rahab lied and helped the Israelites topple a tyrant. Like my grandmother, Elisha lied during wartime. While these lies served a purpose, the Bible neither justifies them nor excuses them.
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Morever, <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan08/liar.aspx">telling lies is a developmental milestone</a>. Children younger than three don't intentionally lie. "Lying is a cognitive signal that people understand what others are thinking." Children can lie when they have language, theory of mind, self-regulation, and the connection between rules and their consequences. Some people with autism are <a href="http://www.autism-help.org/points-lying-milestone-autism.htm">unable to lie</a> if they don't realize that others have their own thoughts, feelings, plans, and perspectives. They assume everyone knows what they think, know, and feel.
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Mason's educational view of lying and other moral issues makes sense.
<blockquote><i>Some time ago I was present at an interesting discussion, among the members of an educational society, on the subject of children's lies. It was interesting to notice that the meeting, consisting of able, educated people, divided itself into those who held that children were born true and those who held that they were born false; it did not occur to anybody to recall his own childhood, or even to reflect on his own condition at the present moment (<a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_12">page 129-130</a>).</i></blockquote>
Mason wasn't making a theological point (in case you're wondering about original sin, total depravity, and all that).
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Very young children are incapable of lying because they lack the cognitive abilities, not because of their innocence. Once all the pieces are in place, they can and do lie. The delays in development found in autism highlight this. Because of her aphasia, it's hard to tell if Pamela lies. Stating something with inaccuracy has more to due with language stumbling blocks than morality. I know a boy who has all the pieces in place except theory of mind: he speaks well; he understands consequences; he sneaks when he's trying to break a rule. He is brutally honest. If you ask him if he did something, he admits it freely and openly. I suspect his first lie will be the one typical of toddlers: the punishment-escaping variety.
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Mason discussed this kind of lie in the chapter entitled <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol5complete.html#5_1_06">"Mrs. Sedley's Tale"</a> in her book, <i>Formation of Character</i>. Mason saw the source as moral cowardice: the child has done wrong but is afraid to confess. She recommended parents address a wrongful deed in an encouraging manner: "Make sure of your ground, then show her the pieces; say the vase was precious, but you do not mind about that; the thing that hurts you is that she could not trust her mother." We invite our children to trust us, so that we can help them address the wrong without complicating it with lies. As their best guide and advocate, we can help them repair the situation when we know the truth. Our role model is our wise, gentle God, unconditionally loving, readily forgiving.
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What about inventive, creative lies? Developmentalists compare it to exploring new spaces. "They explore this new mental playground as well. Kids will lie about their names, the color of the dogs, their favorite foods — just to see what happens." Mason's solution is two-fold.
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1. "Teach her truth, as you would teach her French or sums––a little to-day, a little more to-morrow, and every day a lesson" (<a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol5complete.html#5_1_06">page 83</a>). Develop the art of accurately narrating in lessons: narration, picture study, nature study, even math. The other day, one of our students with autism and aphasia was narrating a story to me. When he got to the part about the kite being stuck in the tree, he chuckled. Then, he said, "The sun eat the kite." I played along with him at first because he was communicating the nonverbal component of telling a whopper beautifully: a playful grin, a twinkle in his eye, a knowing look. I gave him a funny look, and he tried again, "The moon eat the kite!" I played along, winked, and said, "The kite got stuck on a cow's horn." He laughed out loud. Then, we got serious and he narrated what really happened to the kite.
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2. "An imperious imagination like Fanny's demands its proper nourishment. Let her have her daily meal: 'The Babes in the Wood,' 'The Little Match-Girl,' 'The Snow-Maiden,' tales and legends half-historic" (<a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol5complete.html#5_1_06">page 83</a>). Show children the proper playground for inventive, creative lies. Let them play freely and let them exercise their imagination. Let them explore imaginary worlds in books where anything can happen. (For a literary treatment on the topic of what purely factual education does to the mind, read <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/786/786-h/786-h.htm">Hard Times</a></i> by Charles Dickens or problems Eustace Clarence Scrubb encountered in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064405028/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0064405028&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</a></i>.)
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Older children struggle with the lie that covers for a friend. My alma mater expelled people for lying because of its strict honor code ("A midshipman does not lie, cheat or steal"). The dilemma occurred when a roommate broke a regulation and then asked others to lie. The rule breaker usually faced marching tours, extra room inspections, and uniform inspections if caught. The liar was expelled unless the liar was a junior or senior. In that case, a liar enlisted in the Navy to pay back two or three years of college. Such a harsh punishment didn't deter lying for a friend.
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I was lucky because my roommate believed in putting her roommates above herself. When she felt like going out for a night on the town (against regulation, of course), she hid her civilian clothes in a book bag, put on her uniform, and headed out the door. She never told us where she was going. We assumed that she needed quiet time at the library. When asked about her whereabouts, I could truthfully say, "I think she went to the library." She was a true friend because she never put us in a position of having to lie for her.
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Authority has a great deal to do with lying. In our broken world, sometimes those in authority put us in a position where lying seems to be the "best" option. My grandmother lied to save her children. Rahab lied to avoid breaking a promise she made to the spies. The midwives lied to avoid killing babies. These lies are justifiable in our own eyes but regrettable because God intended us to be truthful in a perfect world.
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One post cannot possibly cover more sophisticated aspects of lying. The articles <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan08/liar.aspx">"Liar, Liar, Neurons Fire"</a> and <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1999/may24/9t6068.html?paging=off">"Is Lying Always Wrong?"</a> offer more food for thought. For a rigorous reformed theological treatment, read <a href="http://www.waynegrudem.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Grudem-Why-it-is-never-right-to-lie-article.pdf">this article by Wayne Grudem</a>.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-57903763579496750242014-03-10T17:13:00.000-04:002014-03-10T17:39:23.205-04:00Learning from Whales and Other Inspiring IdeasThis month, the <a href="http://www.fisheracademy.blogspot.com/p/cm-carnival-schedule.html">Charlotte Mason blog carnival</a> is considering the topic of <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_12">moral training</a> — closely related to next month's topic, <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_12">religious training</a>. Both flow out of the idea of authority: what we <i>ought</i> to do depends upon who is the final authority. As a Christian, I see God as the final authority who decides what I ought to do. I believe that God is the final authority for all, even those who disagree with this view, as did Charlotte Mason. Just as gravity affects those who don't understand it or try to ignore it as demonstrated by countless disasters on America's Funniest Video, the moral Law set up by the Lawgiver still holds true.
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I've never considered the word <i>ought</i> until now,
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<blockquote><i>"Ought" is part of the verb "to owe," and that which we owe is a personal debt to a Lawgiver and Ruler, however men name the final authority. If they choose to speak of Buddha or Humanity, they do not escape from the sense of a moral authority. They know that <b>that which they ought</b> is <b>that which they owe to do, a debt</b> to some power or personality external to themselves. God has made us so that, however much we may be in the dark as to the divine Name, we can never for a minute escape from the sense of "Ought, the law. ~ Charlotte Mason (<a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_12">pages 126-127</a>)</i></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uMee9ZEeLmsNJ0toUIh8F-cSkFQdhqUFA41kEl5tqR3yOHK7hJd0hicJrO0UZJeggKQaz_Ni5Z1GSCKEFYU8rw6R8avI5bMf9p6n9wxHANrrdmaeMKwv3kMHFywte6YYThyphenhyphenAkA/s1600/joyno3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uMee9ZEeLmsNJ0toUIh8F-cSkFQdhqUFA41kEl5tqR3yOHK7hJd0hicJrO0UZJeggKQaz_Ni5Z1GSCKEFYU8rw6R8avI5bMf9p6n9wxHANrrdmaeMKwv3kMHFywte6YYThyphenhyphenAkA/s320/joyno3.jpg" /></a>As Jesus, the One who paid my debt, attested, this Law isn't a rigidly enforced set of Do's and Don't's that creep into most religions. He boiled it down a simple principle. Love God and love others as yourself. What a timely whisper from God a week after a teen put this on the chalkboard at our school and the day after my pastor shared in his sermon that "We're number three!" in this look-out-for-number-one world.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUXK0455sXwC10LkhK60Pe4-cBCd6gRAsZ1-Vm3PktxLNgpfMWvkVSbrRdInVycUzHBk8yJoxkbihjhnOzZiotunSoXC7-rtn26EnxPBq_-M1o11vp-RDRzQvEw2k7AU7zqrUSg/s1600/perubirdsbio15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUXK0455sXwC10LkhK60Pe4-cBCd6gRAsZ1-Vm3PktxLNgpfMWvkVSbrRdInVycUzHBk8yJoxkbihjhnOzZiotunSoXC7-rtn26EnxPBq_-M1o11vp-RDRzQvEw2k7AU7zqrUSg/s1600/perubirdsbio15.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Some moral impulses, such as generosity, come more easily than others. Recently, a friend leaving soon for a mission trip to Peru (yes, <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/">Amy</a>, you read that correctly) shared her experiences with the kids at school. She showed us a video of the orphanage that we are supporting with the gift of construction paper and scissors. Seeing what little they have tugged at the hearts of our children. One, who suffers immensely in our hot summers, asked his mother if he could get a job to help buy an air conditioner for the kids. They all want to raise money, and we are considering something they can do with true work. A worm or cricket farm, perhaps.
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Most feel the impulse to take care of the birds in our school yard and feed the fish in the pond and in the fish tank. They love animals! They care for the plants in our garden and watch to see them grow. Even chores get done with alacrity when they know that recess follows.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QU0PvhLB9IoaY6r_iI5xocezHcGhEO5RIWdivd9P_vqflXEAzfnSDEeD8kG-y1f3veS7l3xS2nm_V500iMGIQUkUsQPrEqrj0kbCyMHlH9oyXKz0SJJIZ-XXbq6Uol9QTOafEA/s1600/perubirdsbio13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QU0PvhLB9IoaY6r_iI5xocezHcGhEO5RIWdivd9P_vqflXEAzfnSDEeD8kG-y1f3veS7l3xS2nm_V500iMGIQUkUsQPrEqrj0kbCyMHlH9oyXKz0SJJIZ-XXbq6Uol9QTOafEA/s1600/perubirdsbio13.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL1ccvAGvrdf27gqm4PV8C49b9KM-cgnbkRT3kibTLYwfCpEDE44shqh5pi9LkOHT7KoijEbZO6S7cdHvsWfL9CV2katnnqCkztVY20Im-5tsK2pFOAw45dmiQidgk7HJZWSENg/s1600/perubirdsbio05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL1ccvAGvrdf27gqm4PV8C49b9KM-cgnbkRT3kibTLYwfCpEDE44shqh5pi9LkOHT7KoijEbZO6S7cdHvsWfL9CV2katnnqCkztVY20Im-5tsK2pFOAw45dmiQidgk7HJZWSENg/s1600/perubirdsbio05.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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We also see what Mason called "selfish, resentful, unamiable movement of children's minds." Our task is to figure out what inspires a selfish heart to consider how actions affect people around it. What inspires an impatient heart to slow down and regroup. What helps a deceitful tongue tell the truth.
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Mason recommended poetry, biography, and the Bible ("storehouse of the most inspiring biographies") for source material. Even a science book can offer a nugget of moral ideas. We'd noticed a bad habit creeping in one of the classes. They've become very good friends but, along with that friendship, came the desire to chatter all day long, even during a narration or while the teacher gave instructions. One day, we learned from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UV900C/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003UV900C&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20"><i>Secrets of Sound</i></a> that humpback whales sing songs that are more than calls (simple short sequences). They sing songs lasting as long as a half hour. Not only do they improvise like jazz singers but they sing their own "folk" songs unique to a region that change from season to season. And, whales <b>NEVER</b> interrupt the singer. Now, when they are too chatty, merely mentioning whales quietens them.
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<blockquote><i>Stern lawgiver I yet thou dost wear<br />
The Godhead's most benignant grace;<br />
Nor know we anything so fair<br />
As is the smile upon thy face;<br />
Flowers laugh before thee on their beds;<br />
And fragrance in thy footing treads;<br />
Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong;<br />
And the most ancient heavens, through thee,<br />
Are fresh and strong.<br /></i>
~ William Wordsworth</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-24915256631022871252014-02-23T00:28:00.000-05:002014-02-23T08:19:54.623-05:00The Tale of the Sleeping Fish: A Parable of Mental Habits<blockquote>
<i>Attention</i>, the power of turning the whole force of the mind upon the subject brought before it.
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<i>Concentration</i>, which differs from attention in that the mind is actively engaged on some given problem rather than passively receptive.
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<i>Intellectual Volition</i>, the power, that is, of making ourselves think of a given subject at a given time;––most of us know how trying our refractory minds are in this matter, but, if the child is accustomed to take pleasure in the effort as effort, the man will find it easy to make himself think of what he will. ~ <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_11">Charlotte Mason</a></blockquote>
Once upon a time, there were fourteen fish — thirteen swam around while one slept behind a plant. As they were new to this tank, they weren't quite familiar with how things were done. They didn't realize when they were to be fed, much less in what direction their banquet would appear.
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One morning, the fish were quite hungry, but they didn't realize it was time for a feeding. They heard a strange creaking sound but hadn't yet connected it to the arrival of food. After the tank lid was opened, a boy and his friend sprinkled fish flakes on top of the water. The two watched the fish and waited and waited and waited for something to happen. None of the fish noticed the food floating above them. The boy and his friend giggled about the fish that were oblivious to their meal.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DTZbaY6w7XuAQRCOVWnvoqtp6QkicAyx1k01QkHXsUnW3kQAA-Ngjf76MhabNJj0T5yzHVpyREp6BOtv-dCAXYhZ-1yoJg8Lk4tIRU_vDOBO05-IHKsBf2Pr5j5WxMieMsuV4w/s1600/fishtale4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DTZbaY6w7XuAQRCOVWnvoqtp6QkicAyx1k01QkHXsUnW3kQAA-Ngjf76MhabNJj0T5yzHVpyREp6BOtv-dCAXYhZ-1yoJg8Lk4tIRU_vDOBO05-IHKsBf2Pr5j5WxMieMsuV4w/s1600/fishtale4.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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After several very long minutes, one fish flake slowly drifted down. The boy and his friend began to wonder which fish would spot it first. None of the fish paid attention to the flake until it fell halfway down the tank. Suddenly, the white fish with red blotches spotted the food and gobbled it up. The other thirteen fish didn't even know they had missed something. The boy and his friend began to giggle some more.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3z44WLd5D9cOO45U9AVI37WewwPh-oKzYLFx6W4mR2grghLana5NfhPblTbT3f04zp7B4FLl17-tFAhd2WxptCaXR6cbCsMO5Sli-O-D0j1cYkVLvrko0GisLV_Qi3gbh1JXhA/s1600/fishtale5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3z44WLd5D9cOO45U9AVI37WewwPh-oKzYLFx6W4mR2grghLana5NfhPblTbT3f04zp7B4FLl17-tFAhd2WxptCaXR6cbCsMO5Sli-O-D0j1cYkVLvrko0GisLV_Qi3gbh1JXhA/s1600/fishtale5.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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That fish remembered where the food came from and swam to the surface of the water. It gobbled up flake after flake. Then, another fish noticed its friend eating food at the surface and joined the feast. Before another minute passed, five fish had gobbled up most of the fish flakes. The boy and his friend tossed in more flakes and, by then, all the fish were at the surface gobbling food — all but one fish — the one sleeping behind the plant.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln0J7I0iU1E1Q1eSSOPPK1FDxbpYV9X8GAPwrPi3qA5vhCwa6yllWm8TqHAgJ_wrrq76-nmMjE_N4hUWfahJr1ePTerZYKVIyOhVXy_ywJKJWIlPNwFedHevVhPfYbLVcjH-6eg/s1600/fishtale1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhln0J7I0iU1E1Q1eSSOPPK1FDxbpYV9X8GAPwrPi3qA5vhCwa6yllWm8TqHAgJ_wrrq76-nmMjE_N4hUWfahJr1ePTerZYKVIyOhVXy_ywJKJWIlPNwFedHevVhPfYbLVcjH-6eg/s1600/fishtale1.jpg" height="345" width="375" /></a>
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The boy and his friend watched and watched and waited and waited for that sleepy fish to wake up. It looked awake for its eyes were open. Clearly, it had no idea what it was missing. The boy and his friend waited for several minutes and then the jaws of the sleepy one began to move as if it were chewing. Perhaps, it heard the sound of its friends eating.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3KQyEXvyYzQuLUyaPm0UN7o68bVm631djHV_bPJhaO8kJgygQLyY6yD4mFE0qr6ymCRqW1o7ffdRSIIysCXi7x7xLd130UTXD-oxtEEyfdVWlOwqwqVXNncPax9R4RhQ4f-r7Q/s1600/fishtale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3KQyEXvyYzQuLUyaPm0UN7o68bVm631djHV_bPJhaO8kJgygQLyY6yD4mFE0qr6ymCRqW1o7ffdRSIIysCXi7x7xLd130UTXD-oxtEEyfdVWlOwqwqVXNncPax9R4RhQ4f-r7Q/s1600/fishtale2.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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Its mouth grew wider and it chewed almost like a cow. It slowly drifted up from behind the plant. Then, the fish realized it has almost slept through breakfast. It zoomed to the surface of the water! Since the food was nearly gone, the boy and his friend sprinkled a few more flakes for the sleepy head.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eGWCqbJNJ7oFU0nEJjmsmqtoYXHSfm086TNJQpfuGQ9SsOca_GyZYKAQ9Weaf8jJrk8_xS4IiMRk6HhzsZMS14qk2d5jsLyRWezzW61WC1ZtHwo0HpACmnCIiXo_QBFxIc0GGQ/s1600/fishtale3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eGWCqbJNJ7oFU0nEJjmsmqtoYXHSfm086TNJQpfuGQ9SsOca_GyZYKAQ9Weaf8jJrk8_xS4IiMRk6HhzsZMS14qk2d5jsLyRWezzW61WC1ZtHwo0HpACmnCIiXo_QBFxIc0GGQ/s1600/fishtale3.jpg" height="206" width="375" /></a>
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<b>Morals of the Story</b>
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<i>Attention</i> - Children are born with natural curiosity unless something hinders it. Sometimes, physical or brain issues get in the way. Sometimes, the education system encourages them to pay attention to earn cheap rewards (grades, test scores, awards, candy). When offered nourishing food (ideas found in living books and real things) and allowed to explore them with an active mind, they eventually learn to pay attention. Some take longer than others to join the feast.
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<i>Concentration</i> - Children who have stayed too long in a stultifying atmosphere take awhile to wake up. My friend who fed the fish in this true fish tale, came to our school, highly resistant. He associated school with people who said "GREAT JOB" and "CALM DOWN". He associated school with long, tedious tasks and nothing that interested him in the least. He associated school with being asked to do things that were outside of his zone of proximal development.
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As a result, he had developed the habit of balking when asked to do most things. It took some time and patience but we focused on developing a relationship with him. We kept lessons short and offered interesting things for him to do with free time. We consistently expected him to do little things within his reach and letting him do things he finds interesting — things like poring over animal books and magazines, feeding the fish, replenishing the bird feeders, cleaning the pond, working in the compost bin and garden, etc.
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There was a time when a drawing in a nature notebook was "too hard" or "too boring." Now, he draws something and writes a sentence. He even drew a comic of the fish tale because he found the fish tale hilarious. Below is the nature notebook entry he made the day the school got the fish. He has gone from concentrating on how to get out of work to doing it so he can concentrate on what interests him.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTlVax2fjOmWjOrmsYICZRxyjnNr6dreQb0bjPLq2pbwJLw-Mei9YisEZJK3ez-NZFWz8K7sFVY7I1VTdu2qe6Dt-Ajwx0wS9WC5JlyXvppMDhLN2LtY0hmXxuqNGpaoSya1viQ/s1600/1619148_211824142340478_1891490983_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTlVax2fjOmWjOrmsYICZRxyjnNr6dreQb0bjPLq2pbwJLw-Mei9YisEZJK3ez-NZFWz8K7sFVY7I1VTdu2qe6Dt-Ajwx0wS9WC5JlyXvppMDhLN2LtY0hmXxuqNGpaoSya1viQ/s400/1619148_211824142340478_1891490983_n.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<i>Intellectual Volition</i> - Some take a long time to find intrinsic motivation, especially if the education system hasn't been a good fit. Eventually, the sleepiest of minds or resistant minds or unfocused minds will find enough living ideas to find pleasure in the effort.
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<blockquote><i><b>Anxiety the Note of a Transition Stage</b>––Every new power, whether mechanical or spiritual, requires adjustment before it can be used to the full.... But to perceive that there is much which we ought to do and not to know exactly what it is, nor how to do it, does not add to the pleasure of life or to ease in living. We become worried, restless, anxious; and in the transition stage between the development of this new power and the adjustment which comes with time and experience, the fuller life, which is certainly ours, fails to make us either happier or more useful.</i> ~ <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_03">Charlotte Mason</a></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-45744876204984757912014-02-18T16:31:00.000-05:002014-02-18T16:31:52.885-05:00Guest Blogger: Pamela's View of the Ice Storm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTJHwtGJsjtKKCTR_U8P221SHaOYq2fKsa1DIMEldtOnGyFlrTpvleQLJu7zuvEp-wRNPYBz7YW_RykepbBD_4fv5e6sYgG7cECFvW0Bx9f_QZntAuOPfW3u-pz5FjHGcWs4wYw/s1600/icestormblog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTJHwtGJsjtKKCTR_U8P221SHaOYq2fKsa1DIMEldtOnGyFlrTpvleQLJu7zuvEp-wRNPYBz7YW_RykepbBD_4fv5e6sYgG7cECFvW0Bx9f_QZntAuOPfW3u-pz5FjHGcWs4wYw/s1600/icestormblog1.jpg" height="498" width="375" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-51921285561946651812014-02-15T21:41:00.002-05:002014-02-15T22:12:29.467-05:00Resiliency during Mr. Toad's Wild Ride<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrdZiFfi6dqMUQw7xqOzEo70nhTFSY7rSsIWAuwFE8fWc0NThsootsTMD6g2Et1FZ3ERNC6XsxHXFuasUjWA2QHqKaFttcybkKzbcYwdZrhpmqYV3qrRCi7ukMACip90bh6LRdA/s1600/poweroutage.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrdZiFfi6dqMUQw7xqOzEo70nhTFSY7rSsIWAuwFE8fWc0NThsootsTMD6g2Et1FZ3ERNC6XsxHXFuasUjWA2QHqKaFttcybkKzbcYwdZrhpmqYV3qrRCi7ukMACip90bh6LRdA/s1600/poweroutage.tiff" height="133" width="200" /></a>I want to THANK all the people who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe (firefighters, police, EMS, tree cutters, etc.) and warm (electric and gas company workers).
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The week began uneventfully. I prepared two posts for the blog carnival: <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/02/on-reason.html">one on Sunday</a> and <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/multitasking-thwarts-habit-of-attention.html">one on Monday</a>. I hosted the <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/on-mindfulness.html">blog carnival on Tuesday</a>. Pamela and I attended school like we always do. Our headmaster (also a volunteer firefighter) called off school because of <a href="http://www.clarendoncitizen.com/article/12%E2%80%9D-1%E2%80%9D-ice-predicted-clarendon">Winter Storm Pax</a>, which seemed <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/great-backyard-bird-count-2014.html">scarier than Leon</a>. The governor <a href="http://www.thestate.com/2014/02/12/3262282/hunker-down-and-stay-home-says.html">urged everyone to stay home</a>. They were right. Early Wednesday morning, <a href="http://www.clarendoncitizen.com/article/weather-conditions-deteriorate">someone in our county died in a car accident</a>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFz-7SkWIA3SVpYJ83pPIkvoyPNPF7G-DsWDKph-9FNf40iP3TTF78alY5xBX-636laeUaJ7tQBKoNHb9IjBORYk4GtsAXAYq-tTYXITkSPK-VU-4KwbkMeZl2Jg26vU3-rrVQtA/s1600/140212_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFz-7SkWIA3SVpYJ83pPIkvoyPNPF7G-DsWDKph-9FNf40iP3TTF78alY5xBX-636laeUaJ7tQBKoNHb9IjBORYk4GtsAXAYq-tTYXITkSPK-VU-4KwbkMeZl2Jg26vU3-rrVQtA/s200/140212_0001.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>
While everything looked sparkly and lovely with an icy glaze, I worried about the power. My folks had gone several days without it in the <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/2002-12-05-winter-storm_x.htm">ice storm here back in 2001</a>. I headed out to take pictures for Steve and posted them before we lost power. It rained and sleeted off and on all day. David cleaned the tub and filled it with water for the toilet. I filled jugs with fresh water for us to drink. Then, we waited.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ly69mpTeOufbshbebONhyvoj6p2_so5GyHRKjtVmmhU_RU63mpq3abvfFiMVs7Y8TFiM0COkAKcT2I_h40D7qM8ReFnQ2SloRhEQa6h9T8mR9cvKnXsOh_etwG5YQuSaMAWHFw/s1600/Ice+20145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ly69mpTeOufbshbebONhyvoj6p2_so5GyHRKjtVmmhU_RU63mpq3abvfFiMVs7Y8TFiM0COkAKcT2I_h40D7qM8ReFnQ2SloRhEQa6h9T8mR9cvKnXsOh_etwG5YQuSaMAWHFw/s1600/Ice+20145.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRav6hwwTb0WrZmh4sdbZ0V0cadFUVftsSr5plNDdT0l_xinBsd5qFDAzNuZpXE1bZrkAOxXdo2-bPNLB7cobP1OUDKiI8w_LtJOy5QbXiWERlJfGdKP6RBFk6PgyKGO7upsF_Xg/s1600/Ice+20147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRav6hwwTb0WrZmh4sdbZ0V0cadFUVftsSr5plNDdT0l_xinBsd5qFDAzNuZpXE1bZrkAOxXdo2-bPNLB7cobP1OUDKiI8w_LtJOy5QbXiWERlJfGdKP6RBFk6PgyKGO7upsF_Xg/s1600/Ice+20147.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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When lights flickered that evening, Pamela turned off the ceiling fan lights (4 bulbs) and turned on the desk lamp to dim. She explained, "I don't waste power." Her thoughtfulness impressed me, and I posted a note about it on Facebook. At about ten o'clock, we heard a tremendous crash. Pamela woke up and asked me, "What happened?" <i><a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/02/pax-caroline.html">My favorite branch had bit the dust (sniff, sniff).</a></i> Then, we all went to bed warm and cozy, and the temperatures dipped below freezing.
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At 1:30 AM, I woke up to the Amityville Horror in my house!
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The blue LED light of my alarm clock was blinking madly. The smoke detector was beeping at odd intervals. The house alarm system randomly cut on and off. A bright orange glow blazed eerily through my window. I grabbed a shawl and ran out to the front porch to see wild sparks and a grass fire along the telephone pole in my neighbor's yard. My dad told me later that he saw it through his bedroom window and thought he was dreaming that his front porch was on fire. I shivered in my socks and jammies and watched to make sure the ice would prevent it from spreading. Pamela popped her head out and asked, "Is the power off?" I told her, "Not yet."
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Once everything looked safe, I ran inside to wake up David. I grabbed my cell phone and we watched a spark that flashed between blue and orange travel down the power line. Here is a short clip (turn up the volume to hear the crackle). These are the last dying breaths of our power.
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzT7-PJAPGTS8qk1Jvtatg3_4QoxKmz4TOfAhnSpd5WCjasMSTYISvHWQAc_P70TpaecRspbbep9zg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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We heard a terrific BOOM. The sparking stopped. We had no power. The next morning we figured out that a tree branch had smashed the light bulb of the street light and caused the light show. We headed back into the house. David used his new iPod as a flashlight and I looked up the number for the power company in the phone book. Since Duke bought Progressive Energy recently, I couldn't find the phone number. We bundled up and went back to bed.
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The most amazing thing about that night was that Pamela didn't freak out. In spite of the noise and the fire and the loss of power, she didn't cry and she didn't scream. She saw that I was calm and that her brother was calm and that our neighbors across the street were calm. She borrowed our perspective and didn't lose her cool.
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<b>Do you know how amazing that is for an autistic person?</b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHUXD2xfpdKvFyejYf7AiGJ8Xf6RICX2U6qhsa7WPLR-vkHS2p0oqRqjClJxR1okLYLOtnvRaiU1txv3FcnFSxg6fFuY2K16sAW6o1p-y0DHMzpqqxKHpo6I2vlSI5hEn1Hh5Rg/s1600/Hoth25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHUXD2xfpdKvFyejYf7AiGJ8Xf6RICX2U6qhsa7WPLR-vkHS2p0oqRqjClJxR1okLYLOtnvRaiU1txv3FcnFSxg6fFuY2K16sAW6o1p-y0DHMzpqqxKHpo6I2vlSI5hEn1Hh5Rg/s1600/Hoth25.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>We woke up the next morning (Thursday). Pamela wasn't upset nor did she cry about the loss of power or the lack of electronics. At some point, she had rummaged through kitchen drawers and pulled out two flashlights for me. The house was very cold, but the thermostat had reached rock bottom. I found the thermometer we use for science and discovered that room temperature was 50°! I headed outside to assess the damage and take more pictures.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh0eOit_YKcE6-dQTAk29urOM1NcfdlAZTdl4PtyusMiQXcJ_gxzsz74dYvtJTzqMRnvKt1at5V0Dqw9U_WneXnL67r6gX7yY1xmwWIZznvUF0GffhVzIP1b6KbnLTxIzTfIQtg/s1600/Hoth08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh0eOit_YKcE6-dQTAk29urOM1NcfdlAZTdl4PtyusMiQXcJ_gxzsz74dYvtJTzqMRnvKt1at5V0Dqw9U_WneXnL67r6gX7yY1xmwWIZznvUF0GffhVzIP1b6KbnLTxIzTfIQtg/s1600/Hoth08.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrlMhFfinrfEL0lPQcN8hLffy4apLmOy3fuOdns1-xflCyBdpLbG40O1qsKvcFakTL-TBjZ-Lo6gvDlFEdmYEpvgrwtJjmz2EL0OGi_SNHUTx6kaZpDbHcEmpWJLWQfIATb0DNg/s1600/Hoth05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrlMhFfinrfEL0lPQcN8hLffy4apLmOy3fuOdns1-xflCyBdpLbG40O1qsKvcFakTL-TBjZ-Lo6gvDlFEdmYEpvgrwtJjmz2EL0OGi_SNHUTx6kaZpDbHcEmpWJLWQfIATb0DNg/s1600/Hoth05.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o9Wc2stJJfijc7FoJaH2ufi52M2abcctyv4bpXG5RweL-lxmKim5XhdgZ-mWXlkdPxUQZ6-QUnowqMFI-gKzLHjVlAtb49AVXPsgULfIDbf9IqJgATniCZd2dOVxGTiFvbiDJA/s1600/Hoth07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o9Wc2stJJfijc7FoJaH2ufi52M2abcctyv4bpXG5RweL-lxmKim5XhdgZ-mWXlkdPxUQZ6-QUnowqMFI-gKzLHjVlAtb49AVXPsgULfIDbf9IqJgATniCZd2dOVxGTiFvbiDJA/s1600/Hoth07.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3beOG_KofDEkmM7QID8pJf_NXHh_JnirL9NL1_2l_d4HMpG2JMzKebWAsHYt1BIb0ZgxBtvPKZnUCo5xQhlNukGM67MEwPnFH_ZWKNu8Gcbcbe5ebai6-rsH116M9Vu-2xw6Xw/s1600/Hoth23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3beOG_KofDEkmM7QID8pJf_NXHh_JnirL9NL1_2l_d4HMpG2JMzKebWAsHYt1BIb0ZgxBtvPKZnUCo5xQhlNukGM67MEwPnFH_ZWKNu8Gcbcbe5ebai6-rsH116M9Vu-2xw6Xw/s1600/Hoth23.jpg" height="375" width="375" />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnOLmANVoPsGvzZgGRNzKJdaXkdl7mbuszBJF0pKYxvojtQcnnTnf0FywfTqSpjY3ttLR2kE7AbsCcHtEdDX-PsFKYtrwSizIAm-WjQdXajoukMkxOXSTfxSgcvfy9eVXFkPLvA/s1600/Hoth24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnOLmANVoPsGvzZgGRNzKJdaXkdl7mbuszBJF0pKYxvojtQcnnTnf0FywfTqSpjY3ttLR2kE7AbsCcHtEdDX-PsFKYtrwSizIAm-WjQdXajoukMkxOXSTfxSgcvfy9eVXFkPLvA/s1600/Hoth24.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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Until you've been through an ice storm without power, you have no idea how eerie it is. Dead silence. Totally cut off from the world. Silence broken by the branches cracking, which sounds just like gunshots. Sirens blaring down the road. Heavy vehicles rumbling past to help someone in need. Melting ice sliding off the metal roof and hitting the windows.
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I decided to keep warm by cleaning house since Steve was due to arrive the next day. I had a pile of laundry to fold, dusted, and worked on the floors. David woke up at around eleven and said, "That's weird. I'm picking up Opa's wireless." When offered the chance to hang out at her grandparent's house, she refused. I took a break at one point and enjoyed a cup of coffee before heading back to Planet Hoth. At about one, we decided to find some hot food. Hardly anything was open and what was open had Soviet Union style lines. I managed to order a delicious meal for us, only to learn that they couldn't take credit cards. An hour later, we came home with groceries from The Pig.
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<b>Pamela got a little upset at one or two times, but she did well in the face of so much uncertainty.</b> She consoled herself in the car by comparing the situation to history. "No power. Just like cavemen." "I pretend to be Ma and Laura." "Knights had no power." When we heard a favorite composer, she'd say, "Mozart had no electricity." I was so impressed with how much self-regulation and resiliency she displayed in the face of adversity.
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I cleaned until sundown, and the thermometer was at 46° when I left. Miraculously, my folks still had power. Mom offered me a glass of my sister's award-winning Madeira. I rarely drink but the thought of going home to a frozen house with temperature dipping into the twenties convinced me to sip a quarter of a glass. At around eight o'clock, their power went out! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! We went out to the street to look for a cause and, to my great joy, a man from the power company was working in the cold and dark to restore power! I jumped up and down on my mom's porch like a contestant on <i>The Price Is Right</i>! Before long, the power came on so I checked on my house. I turned around to get Pamela when I heard the lovely purr of the heating unit.
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We slept well in a warm, cozy house. And we slept in! I spent the day vacuuming, doing laundry, running the dishwasher, etc. <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/02/in-my-captain-idea-log-gbbc.html">I emptied out the freezer and counted birds</a>. Pamela and I picked up our hot meal. Bright sunny day. Ice gone! Except for the fallen trees and debris and the sound of chainsaws you'd never have guessed that our town had looked like Narnia the day before. Of course, lots of people are still without power, even now.
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That evening, I was doing the finishing touches of cleaning up. There seemed to be a bunch of power trucks in front of the house. I found out later they were pruning the live oak in the yard of the neighbor across the street. Apparently that tree was an outage epicenter. While I was working on the bathroom, Pamela burst in and announced breathlessly, "I saw CBS."
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Me: "At Oma's house yesterday?"
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Pamela: "A reporter."
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Me: "Where?"
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Pamela: "Over there!"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNGznmEFEZJmPML8t0tDuKf_x7lchLw5ZukAOh5H0bAf0aeQphVqjgLi2S1OLRm6bERdpNAWxDWC2-EVlb5a4EEGoa0qFvPJNOt1lOVezGcKeIhTRaaxv2OYw9RHaL3CwosOHww/s1600/newscrew1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNGznmEFEZJmPML8t0tDuKf_x7lchLw5ZukAOh5H0bAf0aeQphVqjgLi2S1OLRm6bERdpNAWxDWC2-EVlb5a4EEGoa0qFvPJNOt1lOVezGcKeIhTRaaxv2OYw9RHaL3CwosOHww/s1600/newscrew1.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K622FpHNWX7KlFdqn40PHlDQple4p8G0nA9snh_qryaTqQudCHsfiIHkUBKd4riTtzFghqjIm_vGwSeONmi_gryzlQr-q_l1HwOiBeCY5t7X0mS3itn527BOtqpn0zQnZSqWfg/s1600/newscrew2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K622FpHNWX7KlFdqn40PHlDQple4p8G0nA9snh_qryaTqQudCHsfiIHkUBKd4riTtzFghqjIm_vGwSeONmi_gryzlQr-q_l1HwOiBeCY5t7X0mS3itn527BOtqpn0zQnZSqWfg/s1600/newscrew2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPpFLJCEJFNOHpdOyCt_-XrKzvndNqim0yXMH2oD_N19EP9BV8ny_IpRyHvTWBJ4m9wB8Jzf5Y7JzIm2fQ4xWFzowVbE8ra6qNo4-7wupt32jJRX2ukKphoA5X6XVf3hRWrlkaA/s1600/newscrew3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPpFLJCEJFNOHpdOyCt_-XrKzvndNqim0yXMH2oD_N19EP9BV8ny_IpRyHvTWBJ4m9wB8Jzf5Y7JzIm2fQ4xWFzowVbE8ra6qNo4-7wupt32jJRX2ukKphoA5X6XVf3hRWrlkaA/s1600/newscrew3.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>She pointed to the window. I looked out. Seven power trucks lined the street with a WLTX vehicle in front of my house. A reporter was giving <a href="http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=264057">a live report for the news for a station in Columbia</a> — the night footage is in front of my house.
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You don't see that everyday! You might not think much of what Pamela did. Let me explain. First, she noticed something extraordinary in a week of unusual events. Second, she realized I was so busy cleaning I failed to notice what was happening on the street. Third, she could not keep the exciting news to herself. She searched for me and went upstairs to tell me.
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This is one element of what they call experience sharing in RDI. <b>Situations like this may seem minor but, when you add them up, you see a huge improvement in quality of life as a <a href="http://passthebeandip.blogspot.com/2014/02/100-things.html">friend has shared at her blog</a>.</b>
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Steve finally made it home and we were so glad to see him. He took a nap while I waited for the blanket to finish drying. Just when things had finally calmed day, Pamela and I felt a sharp jolt shove the house. Pamela asked, "Is it earthquake?" I replied, "I'm not sure," and waited to see if a tree was going to fall on the house. About a minute later a friend on Facebook asked, "Did anyone just feel an earthquake?"
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Yes, as far-fetched as it might seem, a <a href="http://www.wltx.com/news/article/264060/2/44-Earthquake-Strikes-South-Carolina-">4.1 earthquake hit Edgefield, SC</a>, and we felt it on our side of the state. So, like any good citizen scientist, I filled out an <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000mr27#dyfi_form">earthquake event form</a> and went to bed before the locusts arrived. After all, you never know what might happen with a full moon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-48272141161622376092014-02-11T21:15:00.000-05:002014-02-11T21:50:46.093-05:00On Mindfulness<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qxn2-e9keng/UvLsgES-RHI/AAAAAAAASas/_sg1Bozr3Pg/s288/Jimmie-CM-blog-carnival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qxn2-e9keng/UvLsgES-RHI/AAAAAAAASas/_sg1Bozr3Pg/s200/Jimmie-CM-blog-carnival.jpg" height="180" width="179" /></a>Welcome to the February 11, 2014 edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival. The two carnivals for the month of February focus on Chapter 11 of <i>School Education</i>, and I encourage you to read it in <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_11">Mason's own words</a> or <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CMM/M3complete.html#113">Leslie's lovely paraphrase</a> (Sh..., no one will ever know). Not only do I encourage you to read the chapter first, but narrate it, copy your favorite phrases, make your own connections. How can we expect our children to develop mindfulness if we aren't doing it ourselves?
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<a href="http://journey-and-destination.blogspot.com/2014/02/some-unconsidered-aspects-of.html">Carol focuses on ideas</a> in her post on this chapter, and ideas are at the heart of intellectual habits. They are the things that our minds digest to absorb nourishment that causes new ideas to grow. Like many of us, she longs to hone her own mindfulness,
<blockquote><i>I underline passages, scripture or quotes that stand out to me as I read. It's telling that often when I go back through books I've read and see what I've underlined, I think, 'Why on earth did that strike me at the time?' and I am clueless because I allowed it to pass over the surface of my mind. Taking the time to write some notes in the margins or in a notebook makes all the difference for me.</i></blockquote>
<a href="http://lettersfromnebby.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/being-good-stewards-of-our-thoughts/">Nebby shares her struggles with mindfulness, too</a> because she wants more for her children. Don't we all?
<blockquote><i>All those things that my kids in a Charlotte Mason education are supposed to be learning, the habit of attention, concentration, being able to focus all their mind and to remember after one reading, I am horrible at those things. Perhaps that is why I am so attracted to Charlotte’s methods; I want something better for my kids. My mind always drifts during sermons. And I rarely remember things I read well. That’s actually why I blog on books so much — so that I can look back myself and remember what I read. It’s actually kind of nice when it comes to movies because I can watch them again without knowing what is going to happen.</i></blockquote>
These are great questions. Does my mind drift during sermons? Can I remember what I read? What intellectual habits might I encourage for myself? This year, I'm expanding my habit of keeping. I draw and write in a nature notebook consistently. Now, I'm adding a language arts notebook for my own copywork and narration to better understand what students at my school are experiencing. Doing so led me to some wonderful connections between <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/multitasking-thwarts-habit-of-attention.html">Psalm 100 and this chapter on mindfulness</a>.
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<a href="http://www.marigoldcottageschool.com/2014/02/living-ideas-and-intellectual-habits.html">Amy has asked herself similar questions</a> with an eye toward the aging process. Here's her plan:
<blockquote><i>I hope this year to really give my children an opportunity to develop their intellectual habits, and I think my own could use some tweaking as well. I think our explorations with AO will give us some lovely scaffolding as we explore and form our intellectual habits. Reading, discussing, asking some tough questions and paying attention to how we present our ideas and our written work will all play their role.</i></blockquote>
<a href="http://sageparnassus.blogspot.com/2014/02/comprehension-questions_2.html">Nancy shared an important discovery</a> in asking questions about the leading questions at the end of Mason's book <i>Ourselves</i>. Mason wrote this book for students whom she trusted to read one time and narrate. Why include such pointed questions? Well, you'll have to read Nancy's post to learn why but it connects to our struggles with developing our own intellectual habits.
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While many place their faith in reason, Mason viewed it with doubt. Look where Lady Reason lead the French during their revolution. Being mindful is reading something old and comparing it with something new. <a href="http://beracavalley.blogspot.com/2014/02/can-reason-be-unreasonable.html">Kristyn pondered the limitations of reason</a> with the recent debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham (<a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/02/on-reason.html">as did I at my math blog</a>). Her questions illustrate beautifully what an active mind does naturally:
<blockquote><i>Could your reasoned conclusions of any particular point be unreasonable? How do we know if they are? And how do we change, if so?</i></blockquote>
Blog carnival coordinator Amy Tuttle describes a hands-on way to develop <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/2014/02/paper-sloyd-to-warm-intellect-habits.html">mindfulness through paper sloyd</a>. She and her children are seeing intellectual habits emerge as they make projects together. She explains,
<blockquote><i>I had to learn to be <b>clear and careful</b> in GIVING instructions. We have all had to work to maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere (struggle on, perfectionists!). The kids have had to make an effort not to get overwhelmed or frustrated while <b>listening and concentrating</b> in a group context with various skill levels represented.</i></blockquote>
Speaking of sloyd, <a href="http://www.myrubyslippers.org/2014/02/handicrafts-busy-hands-with-paper-sloyd.html">Gina shared pictures of her children making an envelope</a>. She compares it to the Japanese art of origami, but with more cutting, drawing, and measuring. Like Amy, Gina hopes her children will refine intellectual habits as they do more lessons.
<blockquote><i>Our first sloyd project was a simple envelope but it required the kids to carefully measure and cut. I assisted them a little. I showed them how to use a ruler and where to find 'inches'. They carefully measured, cut and folded to make an envelope. For the succeeding lessons, my job is to read the lesson and have them figure out how to measure, fold, and cut based on the instructions and diagram with minimal assistance.</i></blockquote>
Moreover, sloyd shows students one place where math ideas live in the real world. Yesterday, I was guiding a boy in making a <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/01/picture-frame.html">picture frame</a>. When he drew the two diagonals, he exclaimed, "Hey! I just made an intersection." I probed a little further since he started the conversation, "I have a bonus question! What kind of angles are formed when the diagonals of a right triangle intersect?" He grinned, "Right angles!"
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Today, a girl elaborated on her ability to make a 6″ by 6″ square. She needed a 10″ by 10" square to draw a frog. I have no idea how this turned about because she didn't show me the process. I was excited for her to link what she learned in paper sloyd to what she wanted to make. Elaborating on a previous idea is another example of mindfulness.
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Speaking of math, our potpourri of posts touches on <a href="http://ourjourneywestward.com/living-math-index/">Cindy's take on living math</a>. Two more posts point to nature study: a <a href="http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/2014/01/year-long-milkweed-study-complete.html">year-long milkweed study by Barb</a> and <a href="http://aut2bhomeincarolina.blogspot.com/2014/02/great-backyard-bird-count-2014.html">Friday's Great Backyard Bird Count by me</a>. And, if you have littles underfoot while you try to teach the older ones, <a href="http://joyouslessons.blogspot.com/2014/02/schooling-with-littles-our-daily.html">Celeste shares how her days with six children and one on the way look</a>.
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Thank you to all the bloggers who worked so hard to make this carnival possible. You have given us all food for thought. If today's posts inspire you to write about the topic of mindfulness (intellectual habits), feel free to submit it to the <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/2014/02/charlotte-mason-blog-carnival-invitation-february-2014.html">next carnival</a>. The carnival schedule for the year is <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/p/cm-carnival-schedule.html">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-6915775749449838572014-02-10T19:08:00.000-05:002014-02-13T23:23:22.479-05:00Psalm 100Multitasking thwarts the habit of attention. You can read what it does to <a href="http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-myth-of-multitasking">health, IQ, learning, and productivity here</a>.
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There I was. Friday night. Doing a very tedious task. Making a 137 graphs for a video explaining how to <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/02/sewing-the-valentine-with-horatio.html">curve stitch a heart on a paper sloyd picture frame</a>. To break up the monotony, I popped on the head phones and "listened" to a <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/education-for-exultation">John Piper sermon on education</a>. I should say half-listened. To be honest, it didn't make much sense because only a sliver of my mind was paying attention.
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One sentence drove me to dig deeper when I had more time the next day. <i>"For . . ." A whole philosophy of education hangs on this word.</i> How could an entire philosophy of education hang on one word? I replayed the sermon on my Nook while falling asleep. It still didn't make sense.
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The next day, I put my full attention to work. I copied Psalm 100 into my notebook (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615834108/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0615834108&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">thanks for the inspiration, Laurie</a>).
<blockquote><i>Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord himself is God; it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. <b>For</b> the Lord is good; his lovingkindness is everlasting and his faithfulness to all generations.</i></blockquote>
I pondered <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/20Principles.html">Charlotte Mason's twenty principles</a> in light of "the old one hundred." I wrote in my notebook. I listened to the sermon, and it made much more sense. A whole philosophy of education rests on <i>for</i> because knowing God is the aim of true education. Both Piper and Mason believe in an education rooted in God. He wrote, <i>"God-centered Exultation is rooted in God-centered Education."</i> She wrote, <i>"The knowledge of God is the principal knowledge, and the chief end of education."</i>
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When I turned to the <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_11">chapter to study for the blog carnival</a>, and joy swept over me as I read this line: <i>"We realise ourselves as persons, we have a local habitation, and we live and move and have our being in and under a supreme authority."</i>
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It fits so beautifully with these verses from Psalm 100.
<blockquote><i>Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.</i></blockquote>
Piper put it like this, <i>"We need to know three things: 1) The Lord is our God. 2) He made us. 3) We are his people, like sheep in the pastures of a shepherd."</i>
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Mason's three ultimate facts –– not open to question are, <i>"God is, Self is, the World is, with all that these existences imply, quite untouched by any thinking of ours, unprovable, and self-proven –– why, we are at once put into a more humble attitude of mind."</i>
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God has lovingly placed us in a pasture to feed on great intellectual and spiritual ideas and to be active in our exploration. As my pastor pointed out in his sermon yesterday, the pasture has some boundaries, and, within those boundaries, we can play freely. He has given us the Good Shepherd to guide us, protect us, and lead us to living water and rest. He has given us the Whispering Spirit to offer us knowlege of <i>"witty inventions, of man and nature, of art and literature, of the heavens above and the earth beneath,"</i> to help us discover, and to share great ideas.
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A more humble attitude of mind avoids a great fallacy. Our natural tendency amplifies Self and World and puts God to a small corner in the pasture. We forget that the source of great ideas whether they be scientific, literary, poetic, or artistic is God, who sends the Whispering Spirit in the name of the Good Shepherd to <i>"teach you all things"</i> (John 14:26).
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Humility takes me back to the word upon which a whole philosophy of education rests. The last verse of Psalm 100 explains it well. <i>"<b>For</b> the Lord is good; his lovingkindness is everlasting and his faithfulness to all generations. The Creator of Self and World, our authority, is good, is always loving and kind, and is faithful to us all."</i> Knowing these three attributes of God is the point of education.
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When we follow the Good Shepherd to the still waters and pay attention to the Whispering Spirit, then we can know something new about God. New to us, not to the Father, of course. That's when we see the glory of God and He fills us with joy.
<blockquote><i>"Child, know thyself, and thy relations to God and man and nature."</i> ~ Charlotte Mason
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<i>"He desired not to assist in storing the passive mind with the various sorts of knowledge most in request, as if the human soul were a mere repository or banqueting room, but to place it in such relations of circumstance as should gradually excite its vegetating and germinating powers to produce new fruits of thought, new conceptions and imaginations and ideas."</i> ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge on Plato's aim (<a href="https://archive.org/details/generalintroduct00cole">page 24</a>)</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-40734549115837881792014-02-09T22:36:00.000-05:002014-02-09T22:39:10.084-05:00Great Backyard Bird Count 2014<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQchfjlHiWIOAyUdr9uD4xhRX6YZ9qMV64ECCpi_HYJoVlyKRbLezXgJSfqhOIiJYJIZAawyIH2uui-RaOAJnAQwaePjsqdNRelBvZv_v1YuSTb3xVbs48ht4JyAFgZmlZfY7hA/s1600/mybirds05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQchfjlHiWIOAyUdr9uD4xhRX6YZ9qMV64ECCpi_HYJoVlyKRbLezXgJSfqhOIiJYJIZAawyIH2uui-RaOAJnAQwaePjsqdNRelBvZv_v1YuSTb3xVbs48ht4JyAFgZmlZfY7hA/s1600/mybirds05.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>We've had a rare snowfall here in the midlands of Carolina. I couldn't resist taking pictures of birds and their tracks. We saw our typical favorites: <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id">northern cardinals</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/id">chipping sparrows</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/id">goldfinches</a></i>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReO6ThdOMWmUl8RTWBmGOANaQk-Sp-R35IX97lSFVFhlQIwJiZn-BsmWLDC7608Br2aP9xsJkG8jjsMgDM3LyJWVTphSLzQ6cV-R6wmwJmNRDZOdkHJMooa-tAYEgGYBr1BPgHw/s1600/mybirds01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReO6ThdOMWmUl8RTWBmGOANaQk-Sp-R35IX97lSFVFhlQIwJiZn-BsmWLDC7608Br2aP9xsJkG8jjsMgDM3LyJWVTphSLzQ6cV-R6wmwJmNRDZOdkHJMooa-tAYEgGYBr1BPgHw/s1600/mybirds01.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijRV6iVMw9C7qqcy9SYqFfZGMAIpwinOg7DSD48JUmMVYTl71noZz7svY5fLTv1igrXHY9Rkf-XpbJkq3Efkhz0BkNbaAEUSZn0cBqLimCSN2gZYXponz1hv6m7ywAbfnT0KOuw/s1600/mybirds02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijRV6iVMw9C7qqcy9SYqFfZGMAIpwinOg7DSD48JUmMVYTl71noZz7svY5fLTv1igrXHY9Rkf-XpbJkq3Efkhz0BkNbaAEUSZn0cBqLimCSN2gZYXponz1hv6m7ywAbfnT0KOuw/s1600/mybirds02.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF75IcKEysk_ZkaK9HDBZT5J4vrFE18SbsL-hzaJHgHYteVIJsZFDVGwFF6jgQ7x4vlGTAAOCZyDJfPhbln6sDQ0sXgHErKxEj2dbmUXldZFkK8Q3xFeM3dWfkMclWiIc-sGZyBQ/s1600/mybirds10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF75IcKEysk_ZkaK9HDBZT5J4vrFE18SbsL-hzaJHgHYteVIJsZFDVGwFF6jgQ7x4vlGTAAOCZyDJfPhbln6sDQ0sXgHErKxEj2dbmUXldZFkK8Q3xFeM3dWfkMclWiIc-sGZyBQ/s1600/mybirds10.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAs4gIm7E91Ylg7pVGv60ifRZtQtFETQ6Gshn4I3srpT1QMtroG3n2YNntRa5c69LGRYc7CeKYoUqeDg2YYLnFTqVK1ZEuxAHnukKMjR9oiYKvRTtzZFBkxnZPz5nnnJ84f9b3g/s1600/mybirds03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAs4gIm7E91Ylg7pVGv60ifRZtQtFETQ6Gshn4I3srpT1QMtroG3n2YNntRa5c69LGRYc7CeKYoUqeDg2YYLnFTqVK1ZEuxAHnukKMjR9oiYKvRTtzZFBkxnZPz5nnnJ84f9b3g/s1600/mybirds03.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNWaKkpPBT97Kdm_nbqWUrlBwIaS8r2a09szTOUmMhN3bK8ZZGzbDxGxqH9XQIJM2FbnVxfSu5hO-GAvfocwbjSnGwFx35gPr7W8_FjxOliUVNZ-TKy852S8nTjfzX7ehIjuQcg/s1600/mybirds04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNWaKkpPBT97Kdm_nbqWUrlBwIaS8r2a09szTOUmMhN3bK8ZZGzbDxGxqH9XQIJM2FbnVxfSu5hO-GAvfocwbjSnGwFx35gPr7W8_FjxOliUVNZ-TKy852S8nTjfzX7ehIjuQcg/s1600/mybirds04.jpg" height="360" width="360" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtJ68okf9XzSnMF-TUBzHOaj_pFlAEYbC9cqYY72RsH87ZRQ_wJBEiZUJWAXR5Nmj1hbzdbIdLvksdy3sD55EoSSnzfey85vxJ5xc7jYPbk1Ntks6E395TUhqMsv7qKICJmrjeQ/s1600/mybirds09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtJ68okf9XzSnMF-TUBzHOaj_pFlAEYbC9cqYY72RsH87ZRQ_wJBEiZUJWAXR5Nmj1hbzdbIdLvksdy3sD55EoSSnzfey85vxJ5xc7jYPbk1Ntks6E395TUhqMsv7qKICJmrjeQ/s1600/mybirds09.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I also spotted two kinds of birds that are new to my feeder. How exciting! Truly! I squeal when I discover new birds. The first was something completely new to me: an <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/eastern_towhee/id">eastern towhee</a></i>. Its unusual behavior first caught my eye: the towhee was flicking leaves up as it foraged. Later, I spotted it perched on tree branches not far from a sparrow. Since towhees look like a large sparrow, the picture with the <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/chipping_sparrow/id">chipping sparrow</a></i> clinched the identification for me.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-LCyO7qGp8rlqcsFU9FoRGdraIWfS-HEtLAzhokaUJal_sFtDZvyMaubg3cDm03L78Brz-VT8mfIA4yNolI9jVvBLLKd7ONxXfpngzXsgOC8ZIrPRgEPlNlJhORF0F4iEW7V8w/s1600/mybirds12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-LCyO7qGp8rlqcsFU9FoRGdraIWfS-HEtLAzhokaUJal_sFtDZvyMaubg3cDm03L78Brz-VT8mfIA4yNolI9jVvBLLKd7ONxXfpngzXsgOC8ZIrPRgEPlNlJhORF0F4iEW7V8w/s1600/mybirds12.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvV-ySuFGFNg8-7Gh1eFf-nyFXGOHlBA5hNPZoQCE22U0qTX-LpzQNrRHYPOfbu05_uLKt0DeXkgUZ4s28KLl4FCnlOJlrbo-D8rFGWL8A65z54oDU_PXlJ6wpVuikxvrXJeXQQ/s1600/mybirds11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvV-ySuFGFNg8-7Gh1eFf-nyFXGOHlBA5hNPZoQCE22U0qTX-LpzQNrRHYPOfbu05_uLKt0DeXkgUZ4s28KLl4FCnlOJlrbo-D8rFGWL8A65z54oDU_PXlJ6wpVuikxvrXJeXQQ/s1600/mybirds11.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5ww7SyHBtu3b8IXBF8qrOO_60Fie1O1L8ucd3Gw0fccSRMBNFFs03DdfhJ1hq8SxK7VJWt2LJSOci_Q4JnOpK-e5YOSbdOgiWTMK3vUCWlrdxLp1mg9hz17rdu1cjlt7hEhRDw/s1600/mybirds06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5ww7SyHBtu3b8IXBF8qrOO_60Fie1O1L8ucd3Gw0fccSRMBNFFs03DdfhJ1hq8SxK7VJWt2LJSOci_Q4JnOpK-e5YOSbdOgiWTMK3vUCWlrdxLp1mg9hz17rdu1cjlt7hEhRDw/s1600/mybirds06.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a>The other bird that thrilled me is the <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/dark-eyed_junco/id">slate-colored, dark-eyed junco</a></i>. I first met them behind Pike's Peak where they live year round. In years of bird watching here, I've never seen any. Monday, I spotted a flock at the school. I loved seeing them at home today. Aren't they cute?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S2z4IgToewzdIu4TrHo9-ywaqEpKS_0DwUORBwOGWcSCxEjZDxcRThxmr04j7ggAUs14PkXvyNt6pNLsTI5OVVyAG3aP13vTAynS_sqZaPuF9rQFoWGMXi464ZYR8MKBMw6cZA/s1600/mybirds08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S2z4IgToewzdIu4TrHo9-ywaqEpKS_0DwUORBwOGWcSCxEjZDxcRThxmr04j7ggAUs14PkXvyNt6pNLsTI5OVVyAG3aP13vTAynS_sqZaPuF9rQFoWGMXi464ZYR8MKBMw6cZA/s1600/mybirds08.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcE4Xx21H1ThXkCfpsZxs8_bGbEBPqlA-DZQItOTGYrmICQX0YbgCMzFCPkvviZiiK6J73kC5mAbbPV-W4E3P8cZa0o3fz-PNdNlgKBqasrPenCZcDnf7kKNsu3BY4CbIbBkXQw/s1600/mybirds07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcE4Xx21H1ThXkCfpsZxs8_bGbEBPqlA-DZQItOTGYrmICQX0YbgCMzFCPkvviZiiK6J73kC5mAbbPV-W4E3P8cZa0o3fz-PNdNlgKBqasrPenCZcDnf7kKNsu3BY4CbIbBkXQw/s1600/mybirds07.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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Long-time blog readers know that we celebrate the <a href="http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc">Great Backyard Bird Count</a> every February. This year will be quite an event since Pamela and I will be counting at two locations: <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">our schoolyard</a> on Friday and our backyard the rest of the weekend. Because we needed to prepare an entire school for this event, I came up with several things to teach students and staff to identify birds. At the beginning of the new term last December, I incorporated a bird theme into some elements of our curriculum.
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<b>Living Books</b> - At the beginning of the school year, the elementary students started reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0153566183/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0153566183&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">UltraSwan</a></i> by Elinor Osborn and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618243437/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0394847008&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">The Wright Brothers</a></i> by Quentin Reynolds. Now, they are reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1882859529/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1882859529&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">John Audubon: Young Naturalist</a></i> by Miriam Mason and the primary students are reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618243437/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618243437&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">The Boy Who Drew Pictures</a></i> by Jacqueline Davies. I also recommend a birthday present I gave to a young naturalist: <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590787641/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1590787641&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson</a></i> by Peggy Thomas.
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<b>Nature Study</b> - We have bird feeders stationed in the school yard, and students help us keep them filled. When playing outside for recess, students see things in nature and ask us about them. We give them proper names so that most of them have from saying <i>red bird</i> and <i>blue bird</i> to <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/id">cardinal</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/blue_jay/id">blue jay</a></i>. They also know <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/mourning_dove/id">mourning dove</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_robin/id">robin</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_mockingbird/id">mockingbird</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/tufted_titmouse/id">tufted titmouse</a></i>. Some students are quite advanced and know <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-bellied_sapsucker/id">yellow-bellied sapsucker</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/carolina_chickadee/id">Carolina chickadee</a></i>. Instead just knowing the name of our state bird, many students can describe how the <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/carolina_wren/id">Carolina wren</a></i> looks. They ask for the names of birds that they see while looking out the window at school and even at home. They have to give a good description, and then we head to our bird books.
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Our staff and students have come a long way since the beginning of the school year. We are all more aware of birds and able to identify some and able to observe and describe them in enough detail to classify them. It's quite common for children to ask me about a bird that they saw at home or grab me at recess to take a picture of one. It's not unusual for students to flock around the big window near the bird feeders suddenly because one student exclaims, "I just saw a huge bird!" The other morning, one girl asked me to identify a bird. "It's brown on the back and has brown splotches on its chest. It's about the size of a blue jay. It was on the ground looking for seeds or worms." I showed her a picture of a <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown_thrasher/id">brown thrasher</a></i>, and she smiled, "That's it!"
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One little boy's mother majored in biology in college. They were out bird watching and he said, "I think that's a <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/id">tufted titmouse</a></i>." She thought he was making up the name, so she looked it up on her smart phone. He was right, and she was amazed at what he knew about birds. We have a little flock of tufted titmice that adore our bird feeders.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74SaRZicnMO2c1Ag3L5-ZGL2lpo8JM_hWFibAUW4jn_frRKwX7HADybPXUlBsAbmjjW3pLKKTVO9Ak7O9DfW4IxvwKbUaJBDuX0JYuh43Filc81codVvaWZKnByrECFkGA27YPQ/s1600/sapsuckerblog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74SaRZicnMO2c1Ag3L5-ZGL2lpo8JM_hWFibAUW4jn_frRKwX7HADybPXUlBsAbmjjW3pLKKTVO9Ak7O9DfW4IxvwKbUaJBDuX0JYuh43Filc81codVvaWZKnByrECFkGA27YPQ/s1600/sapsuckerblog1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>For science, they have made detailed drawings of a dead <i><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-bellied_sapsucker/id">yellow-bellied sapsucker</a></i> that we found on the grounds one day. While recording observations in our science notebooks, a live sapsucker was bring into a red maple tree nearby, so we quietly stalked it and found the holes in the trunk. While we were gone, an anonymous bird dropped a "gift" onto one girl's notebook and we all had a good chuckle.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0IGZhJK61Yc-1LU07SlJTyapcT8NI53C3V4PquxAvoOhsgzHXz3Pfcin0JDBraF1tMeDIXGLBj_ZCqyRiJisFa54KTaoGPMrW-GXNqa-vQdm3YEeWjt0eG39WyJ6SApxQnC7mQ/s1600/sapsucker03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0IGZhJK61Yc-1LU07SlJTyapcT8NI53C3V4PquxAvoOhsgzHXz3Pfcin0JDBraF1tMeDIXGLBj_ZCqyRiJisFa54KTaoGPMrW-GXNqa-vQdm3YEeWjt0eG39WyJ6SApxQnC7mQ/s1600/sapsucker03.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-8ly680CE5XIUu2zstaiMeGKyTC8EnEfvXq5TX0A7ZatncVgU2JwiPwuR6JMKEm7Q0lR0GFpe4WspQv9CfPTbQxwdLkopsYCiVRKU5bU3py9YUF6Fi1_d5hyAymVok67i30G0g/s1600/sapsucker02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-8ly680CE5XIUu2zstaiMeGKyTC8EnEfvXq5TX0A7ZatncVgU2JwiPwuR6JMKEm7Q0lR0GFpe4WspQv9CfPTbQxwdLkopsYCiVRKU5bU3py9YUF6Fi1_d5hyAymVok67i30G0g/s1600/sapsucker02.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt-12RrQULi92eh4HM0d-B7koECLFvwusmNiGMSg3dk5kig7T4aT7Bfm0nV7GHmFar1DclGaPpJcRj-tAxnPJ4buxI3R51aFnPS9F9NE6h_KASX43kx3w6Jh3h92CQYHedQccnQ/s1600/sapsuckerblog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt-12RrQULi92eh4HM0d-B7koECLFvwusmNiGMSg3dk5kig7T4aT7Bfm0nV7GHmFar1DclGaPpJcRj-tAxnPJ4buxI3R51aFnPS9F9NE6h_KASX43kx3w6Jh3h92CQYHedQccnQ/s1600/sapsuckerblog3.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj8GQlHDWNSV4aVoV1Zvv4vkYllRo8oTzBqHITAzYJ-0i97k1h682d6IDMUsGgk1ptTqxNtZS4gy3x7jq7smhC6p7t8v7b9WUKGFNq5rGeUUfjKcBy9JzkpwCRKlgRfiGzqrezQ/s1600/sapsucker15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj8GQlHDWNSV4aVoV1Zvv4vkYllRo8oTzBqHITAzYJ-0i97k1h682d6IDMUsGgk1ptTqxNtZS4gy3x7jq7smhC6p7t8v7b9WUKGFNq5rGeUUfjKcBy9JzkpwCRKlgRfiGzqrezQ/s1600/sapsucker15.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61uj1W4GvGuo-YZ5H2bMyXIZtPgcCdEwHj3qFJdwObAbvmSz4dE00EOi_MnEYj4NHY3X1LLonT3V79Xl3UvYfi8SOT6ag1GZYQzUINJz7unuHnTiAtr7INdINKxv1g__GhVtQ4A/s1600/sapsuckerblog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61uj1W4GvGuo-YZ5H2bMyXIZtPgcCdEwHj3qFJdwObAbvmSz4dE00EOi_MnEYj4NHY3X1LLonT3V79Xl3UvYfi8SOT6ag1GZYQzUINJz7unuHnTiAtr7INdINKxv1g__GhVtQ4A/s1600/sapsuckerblog2.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFOfxv7TudWI_TsiRt7xGjRhN36ViVEBttP33mDFICsiKtcQLKP6L8Z2TMWcRPxwCz34qU-1nimfxmUlKpObMJPBB0XAKxIIpre-fALbjon2RXAg741TQ5lIcGmXcy0KNXJLBgw/s1600/sapsucker22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFOfxv7TudWI_TsiRt7xGjRhN36ViVEBttP33mDFICsiKtcQLKP6L8Z2TMWcRPxwCz34qU-1nimfxmUlKpObMJPBB0XAKxIIpre-fALbjon2RXAg741TQ5lIcGmXcy0KNXJLBgw/s1600/sapsucker22.jpg" height="165" width="165" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAS8ltLOORVSMlL3fdcS7ns3RutYNwqtqvBXi7TX9OUdKV_QWJEBNVWK2Da1cVvbIe9OjijjiSW5G_QJv7LtOI14fFiZcRr0M-psRrTIWcVYbmwRtyd3c1WE43xa7OQk1z4qfJiw/s1600/sapsucker14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAS8ltLOORVSMlL3fdcS7ns3RutYNwqtqvBXi7TX9OUdKV_QWJEBNVWK2Da1cVvbIe9OjijjiSW5G_QJv7LtOI14fFiZcRr0M-psRrTIWcVYbmwRtyd3c1WE43xa7OQk1z4qfJiw/s1600/sapsucker14.jpg" height="375" width="375" /></a>
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<b>Science</b> - To go along with the book on the Wright brothers, the students learned about Leonardo da Vinci's flying machines and built some models as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CNVOH2Q/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CNVOH2Q&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">described in this book</a>. It also helped them understand some principles as flight and they saw how da Vinci used nature study to design his flying machines. They were quite amused at how da Vinci tested them.
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<b>Picture Study</b> - The artist we chose for picture study this term is John James Audubon, specifically <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SRXMSU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007SRXMSU&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20">this book</a>. Since we have about a dozen students per class on Fridays (our homeschooler day), we have two books and two pictures. They have to sit quietly and study the picture for at least two minutes. They are such chatterboxes it is hard for them not to talk. When they are ready, we close the books and each child gets a chance to say one thing. They go around in a circle until they run out of things to say. Then, they switch pictures.
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<b>Silhouettes</b> - We've read several books about our state. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NOQX1O/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B009NOQX1O&linkCode=as2&tag=aut2bhomincar-20"><i>Mama, Let's Make A Moon</i></a> by Clay Rice, a silhouette artist who has been to our county many times, inspired us to study bird silhouettes. I've made about ten of them. Sometimes we hand out individual silhouettes to half the class and bird pictures to the other half. Each student has one. They have to match the silhouette with the picture. I used a picture from this <a href="http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-better-identify-birds-for-gbbc.html">GBBC blogpost</a> as a guide.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkcXppwykxdjhV9L4Nfu2f9nUm_FUfjGkJ6_pw1HZywTt8SzB7f3SMcl8NR3BmUanz1pXXCSa3nLQeKeE0-km3t_FHMpHZlKAqw_tN0iOrQviYAFdcu_c29MRoF9GyfyTh5g1OA/s1600/silhouettetwo1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkcXppwykxdjhV9L4Nfu2f9nUm_FUfjGkJ6_pw1HZywTt8SzB7f3SMcl8NR3BmUanz1pXXCSa3nLQeKeE0-km3t_FHMpHZlKAqw_tN0iOrQviYAFdcu_c29MRoF9GyfyTh5g1OA/s1600/silhouettetwo1.png" height="288" width="375" /></a>
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<b>Plans for February 14</b> - I plan to make copies of the checklist and count birds during the day. I'll have a small group of children with me to help me spot and count the birds. As always, I'll have my camera, bird books, and my Nook available for tricky identifications.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-45462003098658485682014-01-27T17:09:00.000-05:002014-01-27T18:20:44.935-05:00Mirror Neurons and Habit Training<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeEfodVt6nzzerOn2k1VisK0MrsKjK0HoqEEa0qpXs3jICUD0U56unzog-SpU78VRdO2llU3j2SHnPUuCkX4PsbCHWdh_7ghj3jYZcwb30W78v-EfEDVpoaX_YoudZ-_-fQihHg/s1600/pictureframe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeEfodVt6nzzerOn2k1VisK0MrsKjK0HoqEEa0qpXs3jICUD0U56unzog-SpU78VRdO2llU3j2SHnPUuCkX4PsbCHWdh_7ghj3jYZcwb30W78v-EfEDVpoaX_YoudZ-_-fQihHg/s1600/pictureframe1.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a>Before sharing thoughts on physical habit training, I thought share some news I alluded to last month. I've started a <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/">math blog</a> focused on helping parents and teachers to see the beauty and joy of math. Math lovers and haters alike are invited to read about captain ideas that inspire me. Many of the downloads or ideas shared are great props for doing RDI. Yesterday, Pamela and I made picture frames through paper sloyd. I curve stitched mine. If you want to learn more, head over to my new blog!
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Today's contribution to the <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/p/cm-carnival-schedule.html">Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival</a> how <a href="http://www.rdiconnect.com/blogs/rdi-culture/archive/2014/01/22/observational-learning-and-mirror-neurons.aspx">mirror neurons (MN)</a> play a role in physical habit training. Mirror neurons in the brain fire not only when we perform an action but also when we watch someone perform it. The activity in the brain is the same whether we do something or we see it modeled for us. Some believe mirror neurons are important to imitation, empathy, social, and language development, which are all affected in autism.
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RDI consultant Simona Onnis outlined the role mirror neurons have in learning as follows:
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<ul>
<li>Child visually observes (sensory).</li>
<li>Child observes a motor action (motor planning).</li>
<li>Child applies meaning to the action (activation of MN), by understanding the intention of the one who acts and by anticipating the possible goal of action.</li>
<li>The child retains the experience in his memory (retention).</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1haDDsuYcJfEw5_VH9EldNEQfLfpGFeWyNjj9kGs0agVDX3e7WWkGYkrvlDpD6Z0ebNBm9kzEX7-2R4yR9HT13opmZ7TFYEncbsAaCWgzCRbj2XN5A6TKsaicp9_nCuw8pnDvA/s1600/pictureframe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1haDDsuYcJfEw5_VH9EldNEQfLfpGFeWyNjj9kGs0agVDX3e7WWkGYkrvlDpD6Z0ebNBm9kzEX7-2R4yR9HT13opmZ7TFYEncbsAaCWgzCRbj2XN5A6TKsaicp9_nCuw8pnDvA/s1600/pictureframe2.jpg" height="200" width="181" /></a>Yesterday, Pamela and I made picture frames using paper sloyd. This model is the third one elaborating upon a 6" by 6" square. Pamela learned how to construct the square using a ruler and pencil. We made a <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/01/paper-sloyd-envelope.html">paper envelope</a> for our first model. I took a small step, briefly explained it, pause, and waited expectantly. Drew a point at the top, described, and waited for her to do the same. Drew a point in the middle, described, and waited. Drew a point at the bottom, described, and waited. We followed the same process for drawing a line, rotating the paper, drawing more points and lines, etc.
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<a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/01/is-there-a-wocket-in-my-wall-pocket.html">Last week</a>, we made a wall pocket out of the square and, <a href="http://rarefied.weebly.com/1/post/2014/01/picture-frame.html">yesterday</a>, the picture frame. Because each model begins with the same square, Pamela learns to tap into her episodic memory. Next week, we will make a pinwheel beginning with the 6" square. The article about mirror neurons explains how to make sure we give our children the opportunity for their mirror neurons to fire in sharing an experience. Paper sloyd done right fits the bill. First, we are making little keepsakes with our hands. Each model involves following a pattern which is elaborated upon from one model to the next. Varying the pattern makes the process dynamic. I work slowly, involve nonverbal communication, and speak descriptively rather than rely on commands. I pause and wait for Pamela to engage. At certain points, I say or do something to increase anticipation or invite curiosity.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74ZTIuhPDob13O0i2n8ALj6JJhPf4y1B-EjxIbQlR48Z5YPGcQy3Zi_cf-NoByYuXDZgyh7ea-v2zyPa03GXPASPaJmcq59Jfb5lMdTHaInSc_z3x1-F7zRgCN3-c5EK7yYu8Kw/s1600/emanrecesspreps1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74ZTIuhPDob13O0i2n8ALj6JJhPf4y1B-EjxIbQlR48Z5YPGcQy3Zi_cf-NoByYuXDZgyh7ea-v2zyPa03GXPASPaJmcq59Jfb5lMdTHaInSc_z3x1-F7zRgCN3-c5EK7yYu8Kw/s1600/emanrecesspreps1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I take these same steps with children in the spectrum at <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org/">our school</a>. Eman recently shifted from half to full days, so he didn't know that students have chores after lunch. Before heading out to recess, they do a chore and sit down to wait for recess. After he finished eating lunch, I said to him, "Guess what?"
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"What?" he said.
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"Do you know what kids do before recess?"
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"No, what?"
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I pointed to Tman, a friend that Eman admires. Tman was wiping the book shelves with a duster. Eman said, "What's that?"
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"A duster! The kids have chores after recess."
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He saw a duster on the table and asked, "Can I help?"
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"Sure!" So, I called Tman over and told him that Eman would like to help. I just sat and watched while mirror neurons and partnering with a peer took care of teaching Eman what he needed to learn. When they were finished, Eman was wandering around, so I said to him, "Poor Jman!"
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"What's wrong?"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwi_kNWEPBnYy8RK5TOqSGEsfljyUc7bPZKCeD8BcAZWU_q5i3UA1GNv5HZgbpn384clZFDUjy9v5lywWk0uSkI8Q9pkqWB6oUDxSGyjgUnLeJKz4PWnb7pXXKdCp3pE8CpJiPQ/s1600/emanrecesspreps2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwi_kNWEPBnYy8RK5TOqSGEsfljyUc7bPZKCeD8BcAZWU_q5i3UA1GNv5HZgbpn384clZFDUjy9v5lywWk0uSkI8Q9pkqWB6oUDxSGyjgUnLeJKz4PWnb7pXXKdCp3pE8CpJiPQ/s1600/emanrecesspreps2.jpg" height="199" width="200" /></a>"Jman's chore partner isn't here today. He has to wipe four tables all by himself." I pointed to Jman who was busy with a Clorox wipe.
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"Really? Can I help?"
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"Yes! I know he'd appreciate that!" So, I called Jman over and Jman came up with roles. "Hey, Mrs. Tammy, I could pick up things while Eman wipes under them." I told him that was a great idea. The two of them wiped the last table together.
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Again, I spotted Eman wondering, so I let his mirror neurons figure out something else. "Do you know what the kids do while they wait for recess?"
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"No, what do they do?"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-IyjpWFh7uRP7dm4qkIgkGe0EwcpMDbCTzos4cmoEvW3dBfiP4ID9azXRe1prZurqYYFUmAuOZmfPhJPmFY6E9wjSt3lsbwKjTWp0wzyYEBzSfoUgUWTN-Kaej1Vt4X3JRKUIQ/s1600/emanrecesspreps3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-IyjpWFh7uRP7dm4qkIgkGe0EwcpMDbCTzos4cmoEvW3dBfiP4ID9azXRe1prZurqYYFUmAuOZmfPhJPmFY6E9wjSt3lsbwKjTWp0wzyYEBzSfoUgUWTN-Kaej1Vt4X3JRKUIQ/s1600/emanrecesspreps3.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I encouraged him to look around and he said, "Some are sitting quietly." Then, I pointed to one of the teachers and explained, "Mrs. Jenn is watching to see who is ready for recess. The way you tell her is by sitting quietly. She calls the quietest kids first." His eyes widened and he sat down, lips sealed. He didn't say a single word and, to his delight, she called him first to recess.
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In this case, learning to do chores was to prop to a more important lesson: watching what others do and copying their good choices. Eman loves helping people: he's eager to help me push in the chairs, take care of the pond, sweep the outdoor patio, and walk to pick up lunch. Watching people do good deeds helps him develop a habit of service and builds positive memories of making the world a better place.
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<blockquote><b>Alertness</b> – Many a good man and woman thinks regretfully of the opportunities in life they have let slip through a certain physical inertness. They missed the chance of doing some little service, or some piece of courtesy, because they did not see in time. It is well to bring up children to think it is rather a sad failure if they miss a chance of going a message, opening a door, carrying a parcel, any small act of service that presents itself. (<a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_10">Page 108</a>)</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35650510.post-42648872536444798182014-01-13T16:47:00.000-05:002014-01-17T05:32:34.649-05:00Seizing OpportunitiesThis year, the bimonthly <a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com/p/cm-carnival-schedule.html">Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival</a> is spending an entire month on one suggested theme from Mason's <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html">third volume</a>: <i>School Education</i>. January's topic is physical training, and, as a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, I have had my fair share of that! Since this blog focuses on autism, homeschooling, and now <a href="http://www.harvestcommunityschool.org">private schooling</a>, I'll turn to one aspect of physical training that is vital for all of us, but especially people in the autism spectrum.
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Mason believed that an alert child will have more opportunities to see. Opportunities to do what? To serve others, to gain knowledge, to do something. Imagine for a moment what a daunting thing that can be to teach a child in the autism spectrum. First, let's read what my favorite educator wrote,
<blockquote><b>Alertness.</b>––Many a good man and woman thinks regretfully of the opportunities in life they have let slip through a certain physical inertness. They missed the chance of doing some little service, or some piece of courtesy, because they did not see in time. It is well to bring up children to think it is rather a sad failure if they miss a chance of going a message, opening a door, carrying a parcel, any small act of service that presents itself. They should be taught to be equally alert to seize opportunities of getting knowledge; it is the nature of children to regard each grown-up person they meet as a fount of knowledge on some particular subject; let their training keep up the habit of eager inquiry. Success in life depends largely upon the cultivation of alertness to seize opportunities, and this is largely a physical habit. We all know how opportunity is imaged––a figure flying past so rapidly that there is no means of catching him but, in advance, by the forelock which overhangs his brow (<a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol3complete.html#3_10">Page 109</a>).</blockquote>
I believe the number one thing parents and teachers do to discourage autism spectrum children from thinking is to issue commands. I know we're often in a hurry. Our kids process more slowly. But, if we consistently give them directives, they only have to be alert to us. They don't have to pay attention to their environment, much less persons in their environment.
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One child with autism rarely looked at anyone at the beginning of the school year. I suspect that a steady diet of "look at me" prompts was the issue. He didn't realize the benefits of looking at people because others were looking for him. The adults at our school use a different style of communication as described in <a href="http://brightsideoflifeasd.blogspot.com/2013/12/two-questions.html">my friend Di's poster</a>. While we may help students observe, we encourage them to think for themselves.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwzwnMGNLqFL3TYifHn-2eO5OwZyV72jE1EwuvkN9uDHcwLyVjX1YSm6S_vKVAmLhtlZ5uAndGuVky-wYBRX5rdQ2WZyOisSNSgL6ljh4kkxFGO7IfgOVJ8e8DoqZ2UpStMhX/s640/what+am+i+doing.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwzwnMGNLqFL3TYifHn-2eO5OwZyV72jE1EwuvkN9uDHcwLyVjX1YSm6S_vKVAmLhtlZ5uAndGuVky-wYBRX5rdQ2WZyOisSNSgL6ljh4kkxFGO7IfgOVJ8e8DoqZ2UpStMhX/s400/what+am+i+doing.JPG" /></a>
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Slowly, over time, things began to change for him. Because he wasn't paying attention to his classmates, he appeared to cut in line. For a couple of weeks, in our half hour of individualized work, we played follow the leader. The leader took all sorts of unexpected and circuitous routes. He had to be alert to changes in direction even though he knew the expedient way to put lunch bags in the refrigerator. After that, he had no problems in line.
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Because we rely more on facial expressions and gestures and not on commands, he has learned to be alert to what we say with our bodies as well as with our words. He has learned to look in the direction of the speaker during group time as well as share joint attention when it's just two people. He is even trying to play with his friends at recess. He is growing in awareness of how his actions affect his friends.
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Pamela has come a long way in cultivating the habit of alertness. She enjoys doing little things for me like retrieve the mail every day, bring groceries in the house, and carry our lunch bags into the school. She shops for things and helps us remember all sorts of details. Occasionally, I've completely forgotten about meals on wheels until she reminded me! She still has some lessons to learn. She doesn't always remember to hold the door when I'm behind her.
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And, what do I do? Do I prompt her to hold the door? No!
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Sometimes, I wait until she realizes she has left me behind.
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Sometimes, I cry out, "Hey! What about me?"
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Sometimes, I catch her before the door slams and say, "My hands are full."
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Sometimes, I knock on the door.
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By avoiding the direct command, "Hold the door," I'm requiring her to be alert to my needs and to think for herself what opportunity she can seize. Mason knew that direct commands lessens the ability of a child to remember. In <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol1complete.html#119">training Johnny to shut the door</a>, she didn't give him a direct command when he forgot. She calls his name pleasantly. She makes a declarative comment, "I said I should try to remind you." The mother of the girl lacing her boots uses eye contact and facial expression to remind her to work more quickly.
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Finally, alertness is a two-way street. For us to cultivate alertness in our children, we must cultivate it in ourselves. Once we settle on a new habit to form, we must be watchful of those situations in which the habit can be trained naturally. We must be alert and spring into action with wide and varied responses of indirectly reminding our children of what is not to be forgotten. We are wise if we mind Mason's words about our own habits: "Tact, watchfulness, and persistence are the qualities she must cultivate in herself; and, with these, she will be astonished at the readiness with which the child picks up the new habit" (<a href=" http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/vol1complete.html#122">Page 122</a>).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4