Living Books

I am reconnecting with some friends in our local CM group. I do miss those meetings and hope to start getting to more of them now. The current meetings are discussing Cm's original writings, but they always get off on other tangents.

I think a recurring theme that I find a center of our home is Cm's feast of ideas.

Someone on my Cm list posted about trying to 'do this right'. "This" being a Cm education, but "This" could be many other things.... Classical, etc.

I think my "This" is building relationships in my family and helping my kids discover the love of learning... and encouraging thinking. The rest of my "This" is bringing in ideas.

I am less set on the 'when' things are brought in. I am open to the 'how'. But I find even with our ebbs and flows, the 'what' is often in books. Audio books are working very well around here. I just wish our library had more, though they do have a lot. I may be time to look into the online services?

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom was a tremendous book for me. The historical aspects are large (WWII in Holland), but also the witness of faith was incredible. Now S is reading it and zipping through it.

I am just thinking about how much I learned from that book. How the faith aspects really touched me. I don't think I ever read a book that impacted me that much as a child/teen.
If I can give the boys just a dozen or so of these kinds of books, their education at home has already far surpassed my own education as a child.

I think this can be added to the goal I am shooting for.

I like the way we have gone from 'assigning' to sharing books the past months. I find it has been more real and the boys are learning more. They also trust me that I won't just assign them something that may not really be that great, to mark it off my list. It is really furthering my education by researching and reading/listening to books. I have ventured into new areas I had not before: books they may like, books in areas we are not as well-versed in, books the library happens to have around, books on book lists I had not seen before.

I have found that since I am careful in what I ask them to do, they do more and more willingly when I do ask. Maybe because they know I will probably be bringing them something good.

Most books I share by just sharing my enthusiasm about them. They naturally want to read. Other books (like The Hiding Place) I share the enthusiam, but then *strongly* suggest they read them. Usually they will not balk, as I pick and chose the "strongly suggested" books carefully. (Pick your battles as they say!)

I am wondering about Cm's philosophy of living books (and Classical's-- which I am not familiar with)-- and how that jives with what we are doing.

I wonder about the pre-planned reading, etc. Am I missing something here by not having a 'plan' set in stone? We are finding, reading, discussing. I see real connections in their own time. An example is from The Hiding Place. S is absorbed and reading it in his spare time. (Usually I just request they read at night before bed). He asked me about the beginning of the book, what year it took place (it was the 1920's) He commented on the technology then (they were thrilled to get radio) and how that was just 80 years ago and where we will be in the next 80 years.

Now, I think about making up a lesson with a timeline and know this is more effective. I could assign books, but less connecting would happen. I think what I can do is research books in areas or time periods that we have not yet covered.

But, I see living books and a continued centerpiece of learning around here.