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THE EDUCATION OF THE HOMESCHOOLING PARENT

by Donna-Jean A. Breckenridge

"The sense of must should be present with children; our mistake is to act in such a way that they,

only, seem to be law-compelled while their elders do as they please." Charlotte Mason, Volume

6, Philosophy of Education, p. 73

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly

dividing the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15

We were sitting at the kitchen table. My two younger children were playing in the backyard

sandbox, within my line of vision through the window. They had finished their lessons for the day,

and I was having a study time with my oldest.

I was going over with her a booklist of required reading. As I described the several selections

pertaining to America's Revolutionary War, she sighed.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

She hesitated - wondering, I think, how I would take what she was about to say. Then she looked

me straight in the eyes and posed this question.

"Why do I have to read all this, and you can read whatever you want?"

To know Bethany is to realize she was not being impertinent, just very honest. She prompted me

to think - what does a homeschooling parent want for their child? Most would say they want the

character of godliness in their child - but they also want them to have a Biblical worldview, a

passion for learning, and - especially - they want it to be lifelong.

Yet too often, we as homeschooling parents hand out assignments, and then go back into our own

world. It is fair to say our own responsibilities are huge, and we have some heavy burdens as well.

For some of us, it is the care of a new baby, or a handicapped child, or an elderly parent. For

others of us, it is the pressure of tight finances - or the lack of finances, or the fear of losing a job,

or the pressure of a ministry. It seems reasonable to say if there is any time to relax at all, we do

not want to spend it stretching our minds. And yet - where is there room for a love of learning?

Often, in an effort to promote homeschooling and the notion that "anyone can do it," we minimize a

parent's need for education. We point to statistics that prove it is not a parent's education that

predicts a homeschooled child's success. The reality, though, is that parents do need to be

educated - but in a unique and ongoing way, that provides a model for their children.

Charlotte Mason gave a specific example of this in the area of Nature Study. "Mothers and

Teachers should know about Nature," she wrote. "The mother cannot devote herself too much to

this kind of reading, not only that she may read tidbits to her children about matters they have

come across, but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observation."

(Home Education, Volume 1, p. 64)

My daughter's question has come to me again and again. Do I only read for my own pleasure? Or

do I intentionally expand my knowledge in ways my children can see? Like so many other

homeschooling parents, my life is very full. I write, I speak, I teach my children, I run my home, I

hold a staff position at our church. I also am someone who seeks to learn all I can in several areas

already - most especially the Word of God, and in regards to world events and missions. But when

was the last time I read a book on the Revolutionary War? When was the last time I did extensive

study on a single poet? When was the last time I studied the names of cloud formations, or

focused on a math concept (other than balancing a checkbook)?

Since that question from my daughter, I have prayed for and received a passion for learning:

Wildflower study...The history of slavery in America...The poetry of Wordsworth and Whittier...The

nature writings of Gene Stratton-Porter...The Revolutionary War and its notable leaders...The life of

William Carey. Women in missions. My own copywork of the book of Ruth in French. And much

more.

I know it looks overwhelming - even a bit ridiculous. But understand I often do this for just a few

minutes each day. My children know my grown-up life has different responsibilities than theirs.

But I want them to see me model lifelong learning before them.

If you are in a season in your life where there is not an inch of room for additional study on your

part (and that is the case for many), then study along with your children. Be sure the reading

material and curriculum plan you select for your children is worthy. The living books, the art

appreciation, the music, the nature study, the supreme study of the Word of God - these are the

things I love about a Charlotte Mason education. They affect me personally as I guide my children

in their learning.

Realize, too, that even a few minutes a day are important in a parent's education. Your children

will be impacted by the power of your modeling.

Bethany had asked me, "Why can you read whatever you want?" The funny thing about this is

that the challenge of studying new areas of life has become "what I want." I have a passion about

my own education, and a zeal for learning more about God and the world He created. And

perhaps, just perhaps, that is the greatest lesson I will ever teach my children.

What Will They Remember?

by Donna-Jean A. Breckenridge

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Ecclesiastes 12:1

"You want the child to remember? Then secure his whole attention, the fixed gaze of his mind, as it were, upon the fact to be remembered; then he will have it: by a sort of photographic (!) process, that fact or idea is 'taken' by his brain, and when he is an old man, perhaps, the memory of it will flash across him." - Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 156-157.

As I look back on my life, I have sought to determine my earliest memory. It is of standing at a large bay window in a living room on the second floor and hearing my father's voice from down the street, preaching the Gospel. I have asked my mother about it, and it turns out that I am remembering tent meetings our church held. At the time, I was just a little past two years of age.

My parents probably had not planned that day specifically for me to remember. I'm sure their focus was on other things. And yet, that event has made an impression on me and the stability of our home and the truths my father preached are reflected in so many of my childhood memories.

There were other times when my parents intentionally set out to make memories for my brother and me. One summer, for my eighth birthday, I was given a choice as to how we would spend that day. I can't recall one of the choices, but I do remember the other one was the 1965 New York World's Fair because that's the one I chose. It was an unusual thing for our family to go on such an extravagant outing, and it seems I should remember so much of that memorable time. In fact, though, hard as I try, I have only one single memory of that day of sitting on a bench, feeling extremely tired, and with my feet just aching. That's all I recall of what should have been a wonderful adventure.

To this day, if we ever drive to Kennedy Airport or Shea Stadium, along the way we can see the still remaining 135-foot high open-worked steel globe. Yet all I can think of when I look at that huge Unisphere is tired, weary 8 year-old feet.

My Dad wrote a book once. It was about missions. On that exciting day when it came back from the publisher's, he gave me the first one. Inside the cover of "Living for the Dying," he wrote a treasured inscription "to the most wonderful little girl in the whole world," and then encouraged me to let my life be characterized by the book's title. Just before signing it, he wrote, "Always remember to love the Lord Jesus with all your heart."

There are things I hope my three children remember. Day to day, I hope they remember to say thank you, to hang up their coats, to feed the dog, and to shut the door behind them. I want them to remember the things they learned in our homeschool lessons yesterday, to remember their math and French and spelling words and what happened in the last chapter of "Misty of Chincoteague." It would make me happy to know they remember our fun trips down the Jersey shore and to Lake Ontario, the laughter around our dinner table, and the endless supply of hugs and kisses. I cannot control how they will sift through all of that in their minds, though, and what they will recall most.

But what I pray they remember, above all, are the truths of God's Word, and to love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts. And if that is truly the most important thing in all of life, then it should be reflected in my attitudes, my plans, and my priorities but especially, it should be reflected in me. Because between the World's Fair and a parent's impassioned beliefs, the carefully planned and scheduled World's Fairs of life lose out every time.

I'm making memories for my children when I least expect it. It's something I need to remember so they can remember, too.

"Nature Study - Focusing on the creation, or the Creator?"

by Donna-Jean A. Breckenridge

(The Mother) "will point to some lovely flower or gracious tree, not only as a beautiful work, but

a beautiful thought of God, in which we may believe He finds continual pleasure, and which He is

pleased to see his human children rejoice in."

Charlotte Mason, "Home Education" (Vol. 1), p. 80

"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy

riches. So is this great and wise sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and

great beasts." Psalm 104:24-25

I went on my prayerwalk this morning. It's just a couple of days before the start of spring, and

although there was a chill in the air, I could see the promise of warmer days in the buds on the

bare branches of all the trees. So when we went as a family on our weekly Nature Walk after

lunch, we focused on studying the tree buds.

We looked at the red star-burst buds on the Red Maples, the tiny acorn-like buds on the

dogwoods, the little husk-like buds on the yellow-green willows, the small green buds on the

forsythias. We noted how some trees, like the silktree, still looked totally dead because its

changes come a little later in the year.

When we got back to our kitchen table, we got out paints and paper, pencils and pens, and began

drawing entries for our Nature Notebooks. It is a way of life for us - and a vital part of the way we

homeschool our children, Charlotte Mason-style.

Nature Study is a wonderful element of this education. It is foundational for a study of all the

sciences, for it employs the powers of attention, of observation, of classification. My children can

identify many different wildflowers, birds, trees, fish, insects, animals, rocks, constellations, and

cloud types. They know the song of the cardinal, the month the trout lilies appear, the shape of

tracks left by a raccoon, and how the bees go in and out of the mountain laurel. And I am seeing

how the keeping of a Nature Notebook all these years is helping my oldest daughter as she now

keeps a lab notebook for her additional science course.

Nature Study, however, needs to go beyond knowledge of the world around us. I have many

friends and acquaintances that also study nature with their children, and could put me to shame

with their elaborate knowledge. There is one important difference, though. They do not know

God.

Children today, whether in a homeschool or a traditional school setting, are being asked to care

passionately about the planet, the various endangered species, the supposed (but erroneous)

equal value of baby seals to baby humans. For many, the caring is elevated to that of reverence

and near-worship.

I don't like to see a tree cut down. When we moved to this house, there were woods behind us

and to the side of us. Eight years ago, the area behind us was cleared for the building of

condominiums. I was saddened to see each tree that was felled. However, as much as I

treasured that special forest, and even fought to have it preserved, I did not worship it. I worship

its Creator.

The Psalmist David wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his

handywork." (Psalm 19:1) God's creation reveals much about Himself - and there are countless

lessons for us to learn.

I understand, employ, and advocate the academic reasons for Nature Study. But I seek

something even more when we take a walk each Monday after lunch. I seek to have my children

see God as Creator, His creation as a reflection of His character, and His works as reminders of

His plan for their lives.

Next Monday, when we set out with our backpack (ready to bring back any interesting specimens

for drawing), our magnifying glass, our "bug house," and our pencil and paper, seeking to observe

and chronicle the further explosions of spring around us, I'm going to make sure we stop a

moment before heading out. I'm going to have a word of prayer with my children - and ask God to

reaffirm His written Word to us and reveal His eternal truths once again through His creation.

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

God has so much to teach us - from His Word, and from His works. What a thrill to be able to

learn along with my children!