Book #6

I am part of a Gathering Project with some friends--a book club where we read and discuss books about leadership skills and that deal specifically with the philosophies found in Thomas Jefferson Education.  Our book for this month was How Children Learn by John Holt.  John Holt is educator who is a proponent of homeschooling and unschooling. 


I found this book very interesting.  It contradicted a lot of what I was taught in my education classes.  But after 7 years of homescooling, I use a lot of things that go against what I learned at school.  John Holt's biggest idea is that children (people) can't be taught, they learn things on their own.  I've noticed this in my home--when one of my kids doesn't want to learn something there is nothing I can do to make them.  I can build an inspiring environment, I can provide fun activities, I can mentor, I can set the example, but I can't make them learn.  Learning is up to them. 

John Holt says that if we leave a kid to his own vices, he will discover and learn on his own.  The critic in us might ask, "How can you be sure that this method works?"  He says that we can't be sure.  But after many years of observing kids in different environments he says we have to have faith.  "This faith is that man is by nature a learning animal. . .Therefore, we do not need to 'motivate' children into learning, by wheedling, bribing, or bullying.  We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning.  What we need to do, and all we need to do, is bring as much of the world as we can into the school and the classroom; give children as much  help and guidance as they need and ask for; listen respectfully when they feel like talking; and then get out of the way.  We can trust them to do the rest."

John Holt shares a lot of stories and experiences about how children learn to talk, write, read, do sports, draw, and discover new things.  He shares his mistakes, his epiphanies and his insights into the mind of a child.  If you have ever been curious about child learning, this book is a great place to start. 

Book #5

The kids and I just finished Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.  The version we had contained beautiful illustrations and Faythe sat next to me the whole time so she could see the pictures.  During my one-on-one school time with Dyllan we read a short snippet of the story and it intrigued us so we got the whole story from the library.  I can't believe how many books I didn't read as a child.  A lot of the books I read to the kids are new to me, too. 

Pinocchio is the story of a puppet who makes bad choices.  He skips out on school, gets tricked because of his foolishness, lies, goes to prison, makes bad friends, doesn't work, fights, runs away, and more.  There are times when he tries to be good--he repents often, but eventually goes back to his same mistakes.  Several times I stopped my reading and questioned what makes the fairy decide it is OK for Pinocchio to become a real boy.  You learn the answer in the end.  He is forgiven because "boys who take care of their parents, and help them when they are poor and sick, are deserving of great praise and affection, even if they are not models of obedience and good  behavior."

There are many lessons to learn from Pinocchio and I love how the author talks to the reader helping them understand the messages that he is trying to get across. 

Book #4

My sister and I challenged each other to read the full, un-abridged, 1500 page version of Les Miserables before going to see the new movie.  We gave ourselves plenty of time, with the goal of 100 pages a week, to finish by Valentine's Day.  Two months into the book I got the reading schedule for a 5 Pillar class I'm taking.  Guess what was the first book on the list?  Yep, Les Miserable.  I now had to finish the first half by the 16th of January and the remainder of the book by the 30th.  I upped my pace and finished a week early! 

I'm so glad that read this book.  A few years ago I saw the musical and read a simplified version so that I would be familiar with the story.  This book, though, was so much better.  Victor Hugo does a great job of letting the reader see into the characters--we get to see their struggles, their thoughts, their development.  I enjoyed how everyone and everything tied together.  There is so much more detail in the book that is missed in the play.  Later I'm going to try to take the challenge of picking one theme and writing a paper, but for now I'm just going to introduce some of the characters. 

The Bishop of Digne (M. Myriel) is the first character we meet.  He is a true example of charity, compassion and mercy.  He is the man who brings Jean ValJean back from the dark. 

Fantine is the mother of Cosette.  Though she had her out of wedlock, she sacrificed so much to give Cosette what she thought was a good life. 

Jean ValJean, the main character, was a convict who, after meeting the Bishop, struggled to make his life right.  He is charitable, wise, and self-less. 

Javert is the police inspector who is always after justice.  He wanted Jean ValJean back in prison.  In the end he shows mercy and has a mental breakdown because the merciful act contradicted everything he was.

M. and Mme. Thenadier are the couple with whom Fantine places Cosette in hopes that they will provide a good home for her.  Unfortunately they are horrible people.  They abuse Cosette, they lie and steal, and they treat their children (especially their boys) badly. 

Cosette was just a baby when given up by Fantine.  She knew nothing of her mother.  She was probably 9 years old when she was rescued by Jean ValJean.  She lived with him as her father until she married Marius.  Cosette is an example of trust. 

Marius Pontmercy, the son of a colonel in Napoleon's army, fell in love with Cosette, fought in the revolution, and shows an odd allegiance to the Thenadier family.

Eponine was one of the daughters of the Thenadier's.  She loved Marius and saved his life during the fight at the barricades. 

Gavroche is one of the sons of the Thenadier's and probably my favorite character.  He provide comic relief to such dark circumstances. 

Even though this book was long and at time difficult to read I am so glad that I took the opportunity to read it.  It was a great story with so much to think about.  I'm looking forward to watching the movie. 

Book #3

Sometimes I have to read something fun as a reward or break to help me get through more difficult books.  I'll read my daily goal in my classic then read a chapter of another easier book.  My most recent fun book was from The Last Apprentice series--Clash of the Demons.  It is book 6 in the series.  The series is about a boy who is an apprentice to a Spook--someone who fights the dark. 

In the Clash of the Demons, the apprentice (Tom Ward) and his master join Tom's mom, a group of witches and another spook in an effort to kill the Ordeen--a dangerous creature from the dark.  They make alliances that wouldn't normally be made in order to be successful and the Spook is worried about Tom giving into the dark.

Even though the books are a bit scary, I enjoy the story and growth of the characters.

Personalities

I've taken personality tests in the past, but never thought much of them.  I remember things like red or A, but now I don't remember what those things mean.  A while back a friend introduced me to a whole new type of personality test.  Actually it wasn't a test--more like a makeover program.  The creator, Carol Tuttle, calls it beauty profiling--a guide to help people discover their "natural movement" or natural beauty.  The program uses more than personality traits to fit you into a category, it uses body language and facial features, too.  The big difference between this "test" and others I have taken is that this one "educates women about their unique type of beauty, giving them the insights and tools to feel more confident and look more beautiful." 

Like most personality tests, the Beauty Profiling has 4 types: Type 1--the bright, animated woman; Type 2--the soft, subtle woman; Type 3--the rich, dynamic woman; and Type 4--the bold, striking woman.  After reading the book and watching the videos I narrowed myself down to either a type 2 or a type 3.  It was hard for me to decide, I felt like I was equally both.  I finally decided on type 2 and went about changing my wardrobe to match my personality.  It has been a fun process.

Shortly after I started "dressing my truth" I read another personality book called Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.  Again, she divides people into 4 different personalities--Sanguine (the extrovert, the talker, the optimist); Melancholy (the introvert, the thinker, the pessimist); Choleric (the extrovert, the does, the optimist); and Phlegmatic (the introvert, the watcher, the pessimist).  As I read I automatically matched her categories with the Beauty Profiling categories.  The Sanguine is a Type 1, the Melancholy is a Type 4, the Choleric is a Type 3 and the Phlegmatic is a Type 2.  This book did have a test, but I skipped it--it was too hard!  As I read I came to the same conclusion as before--I'm equally Choleric and Phlegmatic.  Later I took the test with Jonathan and came out as Choleric.  The thing that I liked about this book is that the author helps you take the weaknesses of your personality type and make them strengths.  She also helps you understand other personality types and how to better interact with them. I have enjoyed learning more about people as I learn their personality types.

Book #2--What the Devil is thinking

Have you ever wondered what the devil is thinking as he tries to drag you down to his miserable station?  C.S. Lewis has a pretty good idea.  The Screwtape Letters is a compilation of letters written by one devil (Uncle Screwtape) to another devil (his nephew, Wormwood) giving him "advice for the capturing of the human heart." 

This is my second attempt at reading this book and I am happy to say that this time I was successful.  Years ago I started reading it because it was a favorite of Jonathan's best friend, but I didn't get very far.  This time my mentor recommended it and she is the only reason I forced myself to finish.  I can't quite pinpoint what it is that I didn't like--the fact that they call God the enemy?  The style of writing?  The way Screwtape makes his way seem the right way?  I don't know, but I hope I never have to read this book again.

With that being said, I did learn something from this book.  In each letter, C.S. Lewis shows us several different ways that the devil tempts and tricks us.  I think that knowing a little bit about how Satan thinks will help us be better prepared to fight him and defend our homes and family.  The devil uses distraction--using worldly things to keep our minds off of spiritual things.  He wants us to judge others and think that we are better.  He tries to tamper with our relationships, using negative thoughts and feelings.  The devil wants to make sure our prayers are selfish and repetitive and hopes that we will think they are ineffective.  He also wants us to be take our likes and dislikes to extremes and become fanatic about them.  He hopes to get us depressed because we are easier to be tempted.  He hopes to keep us from action--to think, but not do.  Another way he tricks us is to get us to focus on the future instead of the present.  He wants us to be selfish and prideful.  The devil takes a virtue of Christ a spins it his way.

He is subtle, but this knowledge can help us win the battle.

Book #1

Jonathan made a goal to read a book a week last year.  He kept track of his books on Goodreads and actually read over 65.  It wasn't really a book a week (sometimes he read no books, sometimes he read 3 books), but he read at least one for every week of the year.  Discussing this, Jonathan thinks that, with the books I read to the kids and the books I read on my own, I read more than that.  So, this year I am going to try to keep track.  I'm debating as to whether I should include the audio book, but I think I will. 

The first book I read probably shouldn't count because I started it last year, but I'm in the middle of Les Miserables and I'm DEFINITELY going to count that one when I finally finish!  I read The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Ange aloud to the kids as part of our homeschool book club.  It's about a young boy, Robin, who is supposed to be a page to a knight, but gets sick and loses the use of his legs.  With the help of a friar he learns that there are opportunities for everyone, no matter what their situation. 

When the friar first meets Robin he says, "Thou  has only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it."  Then several times he shows Robin the doors.  The friar teaches Robin how to read and write believing that that skill would help him go if his legs couldn't.  The friar also teaches Robin how to swim to strengthen his arms.  Robin later gains the ability to use crutches because of this strength.  The friar said that the crutches would be a "door in the wall" because they would give him opportunities to be independent.  Another "door in the wall" was the different ways Robin was able to serve--not the same as a knight, but in his own way. 

What in your life has been a "door in the wall"?