Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival: The Pursuit of Knowledge {vol.1}

"Like the body, the mind has its appetite, the desire for knowledge. Again, like the body, the mind is able to receive and assimilate by its powers of attention and reflection. Like the body, again, the mind rejects insipid, dry, and unsavoury food, that is to say, its pabulum should be presented in a literary form. The mind is restricted to pabulum of one kind: it is nourished upon ideas and absorbs facts only as these are connected with the living ideas upon which they hang. Children educated upon some such lines as these respond in a surprising way, developing capacity, character, countenance, initiative and a sense of responsibility. They are, in fact, even as children, good and thoughtful citizens."

CM,v6p20

The Pursuit of Knowledge

Kelly @ The Homeschool Co-op presents Keeping Curious: Retaining Our Love of Learning.

amy in peru presents Desire - Pursuit - Delight.

Sarah presents I Want to Know.


image courtesy of AMA90

Lanaya presents We Should All Be As Happy As Kings .

gina roldan presents Towards A Philosophy of Education (Desire of Knowledge - Curiosity).

Pamela Jorrick presents Loss, Mess, and Perspective.


image courtesy of shelead

Mama Squirrel presents The great wide road, the adventure we are given: a sort of manifesto.

Grace'n'Chaos presents Discovering an Ancient Queen.

"Let me try to indicate some of the advantages of the theory I am urging––It fits all ages, even the seven ages of man! It satisfies brilliant children and discovers intelligence in the dull. It secures attention, interest, concentration, without effort on the part of teacher or taught.

Children, I think, all children, so taught express themselves in forcible and fluent English and use a copious vocabulary. An unusual degree of nervous stability is attained; also, intellectual occupation seems to make for chastity in thought and life. Parents become interested in the schoolroom work, and find their children 'delightful companions.' Children shew delight in books (other than story books) and manifest a genuine love of knowledge. Teachers are relieved from much of the labour of corrections. Children taught according to this method do exceptionally well at any school. It is unnecessary to stimulate these young scholars by marks, prizes, etc."

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More posts on topics of interest to a Charlotte Mason education:

Nancy Kelly presents Pilgrim's Progress & Sidewalk Chalk Art.

Bobby Jo presents Building a Library, Beginning Science and Living Out an Education.


image courtesy of lumix2004

Shirley Ann Vels presents Music Appreciation...

Jimmie presents Art Haiku.

Ann presents Poet and Poetry Study - Robert Louis Stevenson & Artist and Picture Study - Norman Rockwell.



image courtesy of tijmen


"It is true that,

"There lives
No faculty within us which the Soul
Can spare: and humblest earthly weal demands
For dignity not placed beyond her reach
Zealous co-operation of all means
Given or required to raise us from the mire
And liberate our hearts from low pursuits
By gross utilities enslaved; we need
More of ennobling impulse from the past
If for the future aught of good must come."
[from Musings Near Aquapendente, by William Wordsworth]

Wordsworth is no doubt right. There is no faculty within the soul which can be spared in the great work of education; but then every faculty, or rather power, works to the one end if we make the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake the object of our educational efforts. We find children ready and eager for this labour and their accomplishment is surprising."

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Upcoming Carnivals:

Copywork/Dictation/Composition - 10/25
Suggested Reading:
CM vol.1 p241-246
Parent's Review article on Dictation.

Religious Studies - 11/8
Suggested Reading:
CM vol.3 p137ff & vol.6 p.159-169
Parent's Review article: A Boy's Religion & The Development of the Religious Instinct in the Child

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