On Writing in Books

“Writing notes in the margins of books is fine if it’s done neatly and beautifully–books should be handled with respect. Numbers, letters and underlining can be used to help spot points and to save the needless work of writing out notes. Let the student write out a half dozen questions about the passage studied. He doesn’t even need to write out the answers if he understands that the mind can only truly know whatever it can rephrase as an answer to a question that it asks itself.” ~Charlotte Mason

I thought this was food for thought.  I know that I am helped immensely by highlighting, underlying and writing in my books.  I think that my book-loving Victoria would be horrified at the thought, though!

Do your kids write in their books?  Do you find that it helps?  What helps your kids retain what they read?

 

 

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An Ad Worth Quoting

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The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.

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– Apple Computer Advertisement

Teaching 101

This is exactly what I wish all college profs and textbook authors understood.  🙂

 

The Wisdom of Simple Children's Books

Did you know…

There are only forty-four sounds in the English language.  And all of those forty-four sounds – every ending, blending, and diphthong – can be found in Goodnight Moon and Make Way for Ducklings and Charlotte’s Web.

-The Read-Aloud Handbook
by Jim Trelease

(Incidentally, The Read-Aloud Handboook is book I loved so much when I was just starting my parenting journey that I accidentally bought two copies!)

Quote from a 12 year-old

Photograph by Victoria

Those who have been reading for a while know that life with my formerly-nearly-perfect Victoria has been an interesting adventure since she turned twelve in May.  While she’s still pretty darn close to perfect, my goodness can her moods twist and turn.  And I am frequently evil incarnate, or at least fairly horrifying, embarrassing or unjust.

Which is why I nearly broke something smiling when she uttered this line in the van today as we left for a party:

“I like our family best of any family I know.

There may be chaos but we don’t have to be quiet or good.”

LOL!  I’ll take it!

(Though I personally think all four kids are very good.  My definition of good is embodying qualities like kindness, empathy and honesty, which the 3 big kids have and Alex is mastering in his crazy three-year-old way.  Quiet?  No, I could never claim that with a straight face.) 🙂

Thoreau on Education

“What does education often do? It makes a straight-cut ditch out of a free, meandering brook.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

Delightfully Said…

“Whenever I think of public education, I imagine a cross between an enforced 13-year-long session of Simon Says and the movie Cool Hand Luke.”

David Albert, Home Education Magazine, July-August 2010