“What Does that Mean?” How to Teach Shakespeare to Young Children

While teaching Shakespeare to a group of 5 to 12 year old home school students, I quoted from Henry V, charging his soldiers, “Set thy teeth and spread thy nostrils wide.” Gordon (8) grimaced, “What does that mean?” I leaped for joy! “Yes! You’re asking the right question. You didn’t just skip it, allowing your mind to wander off!” Emma (9) responded, “Sounds like a raging bull ready to destroy its enemy.” “Yes!” I hollered. “That’s what Henry V wanted his men to do to the French!” Teaching the classics to young children is a delight and a must! Younger children delight in learning Shakespeare just as the child of 6 delights to see a frog hopping along a path. Later in high school he will dissect the frog! Participants in this session can expect to learn how to reduce students’ intimidation of Shakespeare as well as how to teach children to understand, delight in, memorize, and perform the great works of Shakespeare. This seminar will benefit those who teach middle and high school students, as well. If you haven’t started Shakespeare, now’s the time!

Covenant Moms: A Heart for God

We have been entrusted with the precious and overwhelming task of passing on the faith to our children. Ps 78:4 encourages us: “We will not hide them from our children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.” This session will provide practical guidance as we explore 1) the Lord’s worship and prayer, 2) redemption and holiness in the home, 3) the affections of our hearts, 4) shepherding the heart vs. behavior modification, 5) discipline (every occasion for discipline is an opportunity to point them to their Redeemer and King!) We are covenant moms in a Christian home, a home where the love of Christ reigns supreme and where affections for our Savior are ever increasing. We are nurturing in them a heart for God, like our own.

How to Train the Intellect and Touch the Heart through Literature

Charlotte Mason believed we need to feed the child’s mind with the food of intellectual life: excellent literature. Exposing students (even young children) to “classic” literature not only introduces them to the “great conversation” but also teaches their minds to think. Literature uses “figures of speech” which require the mind to perform mental gymnastics in order to discover meaning. Poetical devices and imagery in literature communicate truth by touching the heart. Doug Phillips has argued that poetry is essential to a man's life. God chose to communicate much of Scripture through the language of poetry. Why? Because the beauty of language paints mental images that touch the core of our being in a way that mere fact cannot. In this session we will explore the teaching of classic literature which requires the mind to think. In the words of Shakespeare’s Henry V, “Work, work your thoughts!” Included will be how to teach classic literature to even young children as well as a study of the literary aspects of Scripture, Hymns, Shakespeare, Poetry, Classics, Living Books and Recitation.

Intergrating the Curriculum

With history as the pivot and literature as the primary medium, our homes can provide an atmosphere where “children express ideas that fill them when exposed to great materials.” As we move through history, we integrate all the disciplines that apply: geography, art, music, literature, archeology, nature, church history, philosophy. We create a world for the children, not segmented, unrelated subjects. They’ll even role play their history; “living in a single time period until they practically think the same thoughts as the people they study, learning the intricate details of one person's life.” Why bore them with out-of-context dates and lists, or detached, flat summaries from textbooks? A whole world is waiting to be recreated in the minds and hearts of our children.

Lord, We Need Grace to Do This!

Home schooling our precious covenant children is a marvelous opportunity to see God’s amazing grace every day. Think about it. They are sinners, we are sinners. Though we desire greatly to please God and fulfill this calling joyfully, we fail every day to love unconditionally, labor diligently and trust Christ completely. God’s grace isn’t just for when we come to faith. We need His grace every day. Do you compare yourself and your children to other home schooling families? Are you overwhelmed at the high calling of rearing your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Do you wonder if you’re covering “it” all? Are you overburdened with the ungraded papers, the unfolded laundry and the unattended toddler? Are you lacking in the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…” We need to step back and take a big picture look at what God is doing in our families as we seek to glorify Him while loving and teaching our children. Come all who are weary and heavy-laden…and be encouraged!

Seeing the Hope of Redepmtion in the Beauty of the Arts

Music, art and poetry not only present Truth and Goodness but they move us because they present truth and goodness in a context of timeless, universal BEAUTY. Now, this is not to say that all examples of aesthetics are beautiful. Much bad art is not beautiful! Nor does good art avoid displaying the effects of sin. But, when the art form is excellent it can be beautiful even when it presents some aspect of the Fall. As Christians, we see glimpses of paradise even in our fallen world. We have hope that the Redeemer is returning to restore all of creation back to the paradise that was lost. The presentation will examine Redemption as seen in art, poetry and music.

"The Shout of a King: Should Children Read Fairy Tales?"

What do fairy tales do for children? First of all, they do not evade the reality of evil. G.K. Chesterton would say if a book has no wicked characters then it is a wicked book. Fairy tales give children a sense that a war is being waged, and they are partakers of it. The bad guy must be caught, evil must be crushed. In their books children read of evil monsters, wicked queens, yes, but also of brave acts, noble deeds and heroic saviors...See the blog (July 4, 2008) at ChildlightUSA.org

ChildlightUSA blog 2010

"What Motivates? Piquing Interest in the Arts"

Music, art and poetry not only present Truth and Goodness but they move us because they present truth and goodness in a context of timeless, universal BEAUTY. When the art form is excellent it can be beautiful even when it presents some aspect of the Fall. As Christians, we see glimpses of paradise even in our fallen world. We have hope that the Redeemer is returning to restore all of creation back to the paradise that was lost. This article examines Redemption as seen in art, poetry and music. See "The Review" (Summer/Fall 2008) the Charlotte Mason journal at ChildlightUSA.org

Charlotte Mason Review (Journal) 2010