Science of Relations: Part 3 FREE RESOURCES

 Charlotte Mason Resources

 

If you would like to explore more how the educational philosophies of Charlotte Mason fit into the Patristic wisdom of the Orthodox Church, Elizabeth Davis has collected some presentations at Paidea Classics. 

Part I - Charlotte Mason's Thoughts on "Home Education" In the Light of the Teachings of Our Holy Fathers and Mothers

Part II - Charlotte Mason's Twenty Principles in the Light of Our Holy Fathers and Mothers

Part III - A Lifestyle of Learning Approach to a Classical Style of Education

You can also download those slideshows as pdf versions.

Mind to Mind, a thoughtful abridgement by Karen Glass, is an easy read and a good choice if you don’t have time or care to read all of Charlotte Mason’s books but are interested. It’s her last book, the one she wrote after decades of experience teaching, in which she sharpens and refines her thoughts on education.

 

Don’t have time to read a book about Charlotte Mason’s educational theories, but could listen to a podcast while you fold laundry or commute to work? Cindy Rollins has a new podcast, The New Mason Jar that has been comforting to me, comforting in making me feel like yes, I can do this! Cindy and various guests – mothers who’ve been doing this a while – talk about what education looks like played out in real life with real mothers and real kids.

 

Myths, Fairy Tales, and Church Fathers

 

The Church Fathers read myths? Actually, yes, many of them did. And they saw images of Christ embedded in stories. Justin Martyr calls these images “seeds of truth.” If this idea interests you, you might like to listen to Why Read Pagan Myths where I first heard this phrase - seeds of truth.

 

This article about St. Justin the Philosopher and Martyr from Orthodox Christian Fellowship articulates some of these ideas I have been trying to grapple with about creation, patterns, and Christ the Logos. It also links to the full text of St. Justin’s writing in which he mentions seeds of truth.

 

The Literary Life Podcast is free and if you scroll through the archives you might be delighted to find a discussion on a short story or Shakespeare Play you plan to read with your children or an idea you would like to think more about.

 

Not-Free Resources

(But worthwhile “Professional Development”)

 

I am currently taking a class from the House of Human Letters on How to Read Fairytales and it is very helpful in learning how to see the images! It is the reason I understood the thorns, the lips, the life in Sleeping Beauty, and most of my thoughts in this series came from this class combined with my spiritual reading. It turns out that most people in the Middle Ages knew what all the symbols were and what they meant, but we’ve lost quite a bit of that now. House of Humane Letters offers lots of “live or later” courses and webinars. 

 

From the Archives

Sunday of Orthodoxy is coming up this weekend. Here are some coloring pages and handwriting sheets to help your kids become more aware of this first Sunday of Great Lent.

 

For a look at real, live, not-perfect crafting and connections with little ones, here’s a science activity: STREAM - Creation and Chocolate. I know, I know: in this activity I helped them make the connections, after I told you not to make the connections for them. What can I say, sometimes an artsy gal is called to teach science and do a craft. In that case, one just makes do.

 

Here are the other posts about Science of Relations:

1.     Science of Relations: Delightful Connections

2.     Science of Relations: For all of Us (not just homeschooling mamas)