December 07, 2020

I Am Not a Teacher

December 07, 2020/ Erin Cox

𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿.⁣
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My youthful ambitions were to be famous and make money.⁣ (Deep, I know.)
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I never wanted kids. I definitely would never be "that mom" who doesn't work, doesn't climb the ladder, doesn't have "huge" accomplishments to show the world.⁣
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I was the least homeschooler-type person in all the world.⁣
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Then the Lord knocked. He placed a baby on my heart then one in my tummy. Then another.⁣
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And during that first set of babies, he placed a book in my hand: 𝘈 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. I rocked a massive belly and read ideas about motherhood and education that might as well have been from Mars.⁣

October 19, 2020

The Purpose of Catechism

October 19, 2020/ Lara Chomout

This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.

It was Tuesday evening, and I was exhausted and ready to curl up in my own bed with a good book. Naturally, I didn’t want to let our 3-year-old’s bedtime routine linger. I read her a couple books, not giving into her requests for “just one more,” and started to move on to our prayer. For some reason, despite my longing to keep it quick, I decided to ask her one of our catechism questions from our preschool curriculum.

I looked at her sweet little face and asked, “Who made you?” I wasn’t fully expecting an answer. I was simply going to answer it for her- as we have done during our school time during the day. “God made me!” she said with absolute delight. Tears started filling my eyes as I said “Yes, he sure did. God made you.”

April 22, 2020

Memorization: When to move on?

April 22, 2020/ Erin Cox

My child is learning this memory work really quickly... Should I move faster, add to it, or go to a different level? This question lands in my lap quite often, so I want to explore things a little bit further with you. Always remember, this is my personal perspective, so trust your gut and your prayers, Mama!

March 16, 2020

Saint Patrick’s Day Free Printables

March 16, 2020/ Erin Cox

St. Patrick left an amazing legacy on the isle of Ireland that hasn’t been quickly forgotten by the Irish in over one thousand years! Each year, we celebrate his gift of Christian mercy, love, and compassion on March 17th.

After researching and learning about Ireland over the past 2 months for this issue of On Mission, I can see why St. Patrick loved it so. Even after escaping from captivity as a slave there, his heart could not be separated from the land or the people. God called him back- to HIS CAPTIVES- to preach the Good News.

January 07, 2020

How to Create a Memory Statement Board (The Gentle + Classical Preschool)

January 07, 2020/ Erin Cox

During my years as a homeschool mom, I’ve found that I’m not alone in always looking for a more efficient way to walk through our days, plan ahead, and keep moving without getting bogged down and distracted. One of the most effective ways I’ve found to stay on track with younger students is the addition of a memory work (or memory statement) board or display in our home.

Over the past year, I’ve received email after email from users of The Gentle + Classical Preschool or Gentle + Classical Nature all reflecting the same sentiments: they felt lost and unfocused in their school days UNTIL they created a memory work board!

December 26, 2019

How to incorporate geography, culture, and missions into your homeschool day...

December 26, 2019/ Erin Cox

We all have basic subjects that we know are foundational for a full feast for our children: math, science, history, Bible, foreign language, and even the riches like art and music study. But, I think that it's not necessarily unique to me that we can often overlook subjects that DO deserve a presence in our homeschooling portfolio.

Traditionally, history is the "core" for a classical education- one of the four "cycles" as we have come to know them. I want to reference a post I wrote a while back in developing The Gentle + Classical Preschool Level 2:

December 15, 2019

20+ Books for the Jesus-Loving Homeschooling Mama (+ How to find time to read...)

December 15, 2019/ Erin Cox

“Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.” -Charlotte Mason

I have no idea how many books I’ve read in my life, but I can promise you that they have shaped who I am and the way I live- drastically. The way I speak to my husband, the way I teach or discipline my children, the way I pray and seek the Lord- have all been shaped by books.

Books are powerful because words and ideas are powerful. Allowing someone else’s ideas into the most intimate places in our heart is a precious thing- a thing we must always approach with discernment.

Charlotte Mason tells us that ideas build upon ideas. And so the ideas that we develop are often rooted in the ideas that we have received from others. We receive ideas through conversation, articles, books, music, movies, television shows, and even our social media feeds.

December 03, 2019

Thriving in Your Home (Instead of simply surviving...)

December 03, 2019/ Erin Cox

This is a guest post from my friend Jana! I love to read her practical encouragement and actionable wisdom. I hope it will bless you too!

The monotony of life at home can lull us into simply existing. We’ve all been there. But it doesn’t have to be so. Mama, you can thrive at home! Here are three strategies: make it beautiful, provide gracious order, and be a consistent presence.

MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL

Do you feel an internal tug for beauty? Perhaps you love an orange sunset or pink peonies. God created this world beautiful as a reflection of Himself, so I believe an innate pull to beauty is why we desire to create beautiful spaces in our homes. Beautiful spaces bring a deep sense of thriving.

November 25, 2019

Maintaining a "One Room Schoolhouse" with Teens in the Mix

November 25, 2019/ Erin Cox

This is a guest post from Kelly Hellmuth! I’m absolutely delighted to have a “peak behind the curtain” into Kelly’s home. Find more from Kelly at the bottom of this post.

“Maybe it’s the influence of the Little House on the Prairie, but I find the history of the one-room schoolhouse a little romantic.” - Denise M. Colby

Don’t we all? Most of us here are pursuing an educational path either with Charlotte Mason or Classical influences (or both!), and we know the value of educating our children together. There is an ease and even a necessity to discuss subjects such as history and science and fine arts as a family.