| There is more to atmosphere than white | | | | express opinions in an atmosphere in which |
| ruffled curtains fluttering in a sunny breeze | | | | discussion is open and far-reaching. In |
| and red geraniums on the window sill. These | | | | Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education it |
| cozy things do make for a pleasant setting in | | | | is an excellent thing to have an opinion of |
| a home, but they are only the beginning. It | | | | your own, provided you are not bent on |
| is the life-supporting atmosphere of home | | | | sticking to it. We preserve the natural |
| working in a child's life that is so | | | | candor of children by listening with a |
| important in his education. Atmosphere is one | | | | patient sympathetic hear, and we can expect |
| of only a few instruments the educator has at | | | | attentive listening from children if we do |
| her disposal to encourage the work of | | | | not scold them. A helpful book to read, for |
| thinking in the student and to stimulate | | | | those desiring gentle encouragement to |
| healthy growth of the whole child. | | | | improve the atmosphere of their homes, is |
| | | | Henry Clay Trumbull's book Hints on Child |
| Ideas Children absorb ideas from the "thought | | | | Training (conveniently sold on page 59 of |
| environment" we provide for them. Ideas are | | | | this magazine). I particularly like this |
| food for the mind. A child's mind | | | | paragraph from the chapter on sympathy: A |
| automatically grows as he considers ideas. | | | | parent loses his opportunity for good to his |
| What is an idea? Charlotte Mason tells us: An | | | | child, if he fails to have sympathy with this |
| idea may exist in a clear, distinct, definite | | | | child in that child's weakness and follies |
| form as that of a circle in the mind of a | | | | and misdoings. It is in every child's nature |
| geometrician or it may be a mere instinct, a | | | | to long for sympathy at the point where he |
| vague [association] towards something . . . | | | | needs it most; and when he has done wrong, or |
| like the impulse which fills the young poet's | | | | has indulged evil thoughts, or is feeling the |
| eyes with tears, though he knows not why. To | | | | force of temptation, he is glad to turn to |
| excite this relationship or appetite toward | | | | some one stronger and better than himself, |
| things lovely, honest, and of good report is | | | | and make confession of his faults and |
| the earliest and most important ministry of | | | | failures. If as he comes to his parents at |
| the educator. | | | | such a time, he is met with manifest |
| | | | sympathy, he is drawn to his parents with new |
| How are we to impart ideas to our children? | | | | confidence and new trust. |
| Ideas are of spiritual origin and God has | | | | |
| made us spiritual people. | | | | Let Home Have the Greater Influence As |
| | | | children grow older, they may become more and |
| Therefore, ideas are passed on from person to | | | | more fascinated with the world. |
| person - through conversation or books | | | | |
| written by those who love their subject | | | | When they are very young they may fill their |
| matter. Charlotte urges us to give children a | | | | pockets with rocks, acorns, pinecones, shells |
| regular feeding of ideas through sweeping | | | | or feathers. When they are older they will |
| tales of history, wonderful inventions and | | | | more consciously collect impressions of the |
| discoveries in science, lives of great men | | | | ways and happenings of the people around |
| and women, and stories that radiate the moral | | | | them. The pull of this curiosity seems to be |
| life; as well as paintings, plays, Psalms, | | | | felt most strongly in the teen years. We |
| poems, and symphonies. | | | | grown-ups may forget what once enticed us, |
| | | | since our fascination with the world has |
| Wanted - Homemaker Our children will pick up | | | | faded. The influence of the world over our |
| many ideas from the atmosphere we provide in | | | | children really depends on what standards we |
| the home. What do we need to ensure that this | | | | set at home - the standards by which the |
| atmosphere inspires them on to the kinds of | | | | children are accustomed to measure things. |
| things we want them to learn? First, someone | | | | God's World publications (800-951-5437) |
| loving needs to be home to make it home. | | | | supply children with knowledge of current |
| | | | events while helping to temper the influence |
| We are living in a career-minded, | | | | of the world by presenting the news in the |
| materialistic generation that depreciates the | | | | light of a Christian worldview. |
| role of a mother. But the mother is the | | | | |
| irreplaceable foundation of a home. | | | | My family has benefited by knowing other |
| | | | homeschooling families because they are close |
| During World War II, when America was | | | | families. A respect for parents, the |
| imprisoning Japanese families in camps, a | | | | satisfaction of learning together, a fondness |
| reporter stepped up to a little | | | | for simple pleasures, good humor amidst hard |
| Japanese-American girl waiting at a train | | | | work, sympathy in sorrow, the joy of |
| platform. "How does it feel to be without a | | | | worshipping together - these are a few |
| home," the reporter asked. | | | | consequences of the atmosphere of a close |
| | | | family. Such homes give the gift of |
| "Oh," replied the little girl, "we have a | | | | unworldliness. |
| home, we just don't have a house to put it | | | | |
| in." Protecting Wings A Christian home | | | | Manners - More Than Meets the Eye In the |
| provides the protecting wings of a religious | | | | eighteenth century, etiquette was expected |
| atmosphere. A catechism is essential teaching | | | | from all persons of "good breeding." One |
| for children to understand what and why one | | | | needs only to read one of Jane Austen's |
| believes; but as absolutely necessary as such | | | | delightful novels to become acquainted with |
| teaching is, it will not in itself create a | | | | the mannerly characters of her time. Today, |
| religious atmosphere. In an article on | | | | however, any form of etiquette seems to |
| atmosphere in Charlotte's original magazine, | | | | belong only to these "prim and proper" |
| the writer said, The test will be whether | | | | Victorians. You will find an almost universal |
| religion is the center of our life - our joy | | | | lack of manners everywhere by people who are |
| of our joy, the consolation of our sorrow, | | | | supposedly "educated." Perhaps today the |
| the one eminently important thing for which | | | | necessity to use manners is seen as |
| all others have to give way; whether we view | | | | infringing on the "freedom to express |
| the things of daily life primarily with | | | | oneself" without constraint. |
| reference to it, and whether all else is felt | | | | |
| to be relatively devoid of interest and | | | | Are manners the hollow tactfulness some use |
| value. . . . As love and faith are the two | | | | on the selling floor - a kind of manipulating |
| wings of the Divine, so they are of natural | | | | flattery? No, our children can have worthier |
| religion, and it is their strong protecting | | | | reasons for exhibiting manners. Good manners |
| wings that our children must ever feel around | | | | can be another term for duty, for |
| them. | | | | righteousness, for morality. True politeness |
| | | | simply consists in treating others just as |
| I like what Charles Spurgeon said about the | | | | you like to be treated yourself. This polite |
| religious atmosphere of home: "When home is | | | | treatment comes from direct teaching, but |
| ruled according to God's word, angels might | | | | also results from a caring home atmosphere |
| be asked to stay with us, and they would not | | | | where a child will acquire a servant's heart |
| find themselves out of their element." Wow, | | | | like that of our Savior's. |
| isn't this a high ideal? Don't be | | | | |
| discouraged, dear parent, with the heavenly | | | | More to Education than Atmosphere But we |
| command, "Be ye perfect." We may not reach | | | | would have a one-sided view of education if |
| our ideals but it is our fervent, faithful | | | | we determined education to be an atmosphere |
| reaching towards them that matters greatly. | | | | only, just as we would if we viewed education |
| | | | as only that of gaining skills in the three |
| Open Communication Another essential | | | | Rs. In my next article we will look at that |
| ingredient in the home atmosphere is intimate | | | | other powerful instrument of the educator - |
| communication. By this I mean the freedom to | | | | the formation or "discipline" of habits. |