Education is a Life...

The room was already overflowing when I walked in. People were milling around looking for chairs and quickly coming to the conclusion that it was standing-room only. It took a few moments but then we were all settled in. Some at tables while others littered the floor. We were there to be inspired...hungry to stretch ourselves and our teaching abilities. Today we would feast at the table of ideas.

For more reading, go to Charlotte Mason volume 6.

After a brief introduction, we transitioned from sharpening our skills to peacefully participating as if we were the students. In her quiet manner, we were handed our Book of Prayers and a piece of paper. This was not just any piece of paper. It was beautiful and heavy in weight. One we would want to treasure. The instructions were given and we complied. First with our dictation and then our prayers. We were asked to think upon what we read and choose a portion of the prayer we felt spoke to us. A few shared but all placed their thoughts on this beautiful paper. As we finished writing we listened to her read a portion of St. George and the Dragon while doing popcorn narration to help create the habit of attention. Seemlessly we transitioned in to math work by working on one math problem. We were asked to think upon the equation and quietly show when we would be able to explain how we solved it. She worked on the board as one student and then another explained their methods. Then she asked us to think deeper about our math problem. We would need to draw how we solved the problem. Math is a thing...an idea. It is not just an unrelated string of numbers. Our minds were growing weary but she had already anticipated that and gave us instruction. We were in a new place and we needed to go outside and explore our surroundings. As we left the room we were asked to find something from outside and bring it back inside. A bowl of trail mix was by the door to provide small sustanance as we ventured out in to nature. We explored, some quicker than others, but we all returned with our little treasures from nature in hand. Upon our return, she read to us the history of our temporary home. We sat absorbed, knowing that she may call upon any of us at any time. Instead she asked us to chose something from what we read and save it to share at home or with a friend. Again, in a quiet manner, our instructions were given. We were to take a moment and draw our piece of nature or possibly even the map from which we live. While we worked music played in the background beckoning us to stay, quietly working, until it was completed. Our mini school day was almost finished but again she asked us to reach in to our mind and recall one more time the story she had read earlier. This time we were to think of pictures, images the story created in our mind's eye. We were to add that to our notebook.

As I listen to the song below, I am transformed to the classroom where education is a way of life. Where atmosphere is peaceful and ideas are planted. I recognize that my home can not be exactly like the 3rd grade model I participated in but I can examine the atmosphere of my own home and school. I can prayerfully prepare the soil for ideas...