It is tempting to believe that our present catastrophes are unique, when in fact many great writers have survived disasters—not only survived, but in fact were only able to write the books we now treasure because they had faced the horrors which taught them wisdom, grace, and strength....
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As parent-teachers, we tend to make book discussions complicated. We overdrill vocabulary or approach questions as a tool for comprehension, rather than an invitation to talk. ...
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That’s what living books do. They become your friends, they touch your life, and you aren’t the same afterwards. You have relationships with them, and they make you feel emotions as any friend would....
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In an age where the family seems disconnected more than ever and the general expectation is for teens to rebel, I am blessed to enjoy close-knit relationships with my children. As I reflect on how this happened, it’s not complicated, but it was intentional. ...
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In our home, when the kids were starting out, I didn’t know much about reading out loud. With my A-type personality and love of worksheets, we had bookshelves full of textbooks and encyclopedias....
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Copywork is a strategy made popular by the Charlotte Mason style of education. A student copies a piece of well-written work onto paper or into a notebook. While this may sound like handwriting, it is much more than that....
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What is the distinction between The Lord of the Rings (or Narnia), and Harry Potter? The Harry Potter series does have redeeming qualities. Harry is, in many ways, an admirable figure. He’s a nice kid. He values friendship and loyalty. And he struggles to defeat/thwart enemies who are clearly evil....
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