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Chari
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| Posted: Jan 31 2012 at 2:25pm | IP Logged
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Count me in....with my 16yo, 14 yo and possibly my 21 and 23 when they are home......
no writing pressure from us.....
but discussion for sure!
Thanks for inspiration, Jen! I love this idea!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Jan 31 2012 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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This happy gathering will motivate me! Thanks, all  .
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 31 2012 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
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ok I got it onto the two kindles and the kindle app on my laptop. Even though I will likely read it outloud.
hmmm maybe I'll read something short like a Beatrix Potter tale first for the younger kids and then read this outloud.. that will satisfy the younger ones desire to "be in on it" and they could drift away by the time I got to the older kids readings. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 31 2012 at 3:37pm | IP Logged
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I'm so thrilled to have all this great company! I can envision this working in a few different ways:
Some of you may just want to strike out independently, enjoying essays at your own speed. Others may want to follow along and chime in as we progress through essays one at a time (or we may skip around....just because.  I can't promise we'll go in order!). Let's start a new thread for each different essay so that we can share discussions, observations, and any natural extensions and rabbit trails that spring from the reading of these essays. We'll explore one essay a week. If I drop the ball and don't start a new thread, consider this your invitation to start a thread discussing a new essay.
These essays are so approachable....and for a variety of ages, not just high schoolers! My 11 yo has no trouble reading, understanding and enjoying these essays - so younger than high school ages are welcome to join in!
Our explorations are pretty natural and low key in our home. Discussions prompt questions --> Question prompt us to dig a little deeper, and we do in areas of interest. You may go in different directions with these essays!  You may want to focus more on just reading/discussion/writing! And you may explore different areas than we do! I'd love to share the variety of ways these essays can be explored!
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Here's how today looked:
Essay for this week: A Piece of Chalk
** Everyone read the essay independently: 15 yo, 11 yo and me. We discussed it - together and individually. Very natural discussions - mostly reflecting on Chesterton's style with my 15 yo, and her impressions. My 11 yo was more concrete in his observations. (I think it would be enjoyable to read some of these essays aloud, don't you?)
** We have really enjoyed spinoff conversations from the essay:
~ Do animals have a soul? (11 yo very interested in this question)
~ Why is England a piece of chalk (archaeological composition of England)
~ Poetic contents of one's pocket, and in particular the poetry of the pocketknife (a poem my children would like to write)
** From the essay, we enjoyed hearing about Chesterton's preferences for brown paper, and the reasons why he preferred using brown paper, and we had some great discussions about white chalk on brown paper as it relates to sketching/drawing.
** Both kids got out brown paper and white chalk and decided to see the striking nature of white on brown paper for themselves (mental note: I'm almost out of brown kraft paper pads....order more since they both really enjoyed using it again today.) My son chose to draw the soul of a moth.  (this was inspired from Chesterton who chose not to draw nature, but rather, the soul of the cow that was passing in front of him.)
** HIGH SCHOOLER: chose topic of her essay -- but she won't tell me what it is.
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I'm going to start a new thread so that others can chime in on where this essay of Chesterton's takes them. I'll try to be attentive and leave a linky trail on this thread (which we'll call our master thread) so we can keep a nice index of threads collected for reference. Join in whenever and wherever you like!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 01 2012 at 8:08am | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
** From the essay, we enjoyed hearing about Chesterton's preferences for brown paper, and the reasons why he preferred using brown paper, and we had some great discussions about white chalk on brown paper as it relates to sketching/drawing.
** Both kids got out brown paper and white chalk and decided to see the striking nature of white on brown paper for themselves (mental note: I'm almost out of brown kraft paper pads....order more since they both really enjoyed using it again today.) |
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Okay, note to self BUY some brown paper. I have never had any of this in my house EVER -- except brown paper bags!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
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KackyK
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| Posted: Feb 02 2012 at 6:49am | IP Logged
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Really late chiming in...hoping I can jump in still with dd age 15 in 9th grade. His English class we're finding somehow ended up without a "core", we are sort of going through motions here. This could be just the thing we need to center ourselves. Thanks!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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stellamaris
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This looks so wonderful, Jen! I wish my dd could participate, but she's pretty well occupied with a couple of AP Courses, French, British Lit, SAT Prep, and now we need to spend some time on math, too! She said if she finds she has enough time in a few weeks, she might join in then, if that's OK? It's wonderful for her to be home again, but we are still sorting out her schedule, etc.
I'm reading the essays, though, and loving them!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
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Mackfam
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stellamaris wrote:
She said if she finds she has enough time in a few weeks, she might join in then, if that's OK?
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Oh, of course! And we're leaving a little trail of bread crumbs for the essays we tackle here so it should be easy to pick up and join in wherever you like at any time! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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KackyK
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| Posted: March 26 2012 at 4:37pm | IP Logged
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Ds 15 and I have been following along, slowly behind everyone. But now we have caught up. Anything after "Extraordinary Cabman"?
I am so not inspired in this department, these essay threads have been great for us!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 26 2012 at 4:50pm | IP Logged
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KackyK wrote:
Ds 15 and I have been following along, slowly behind everyone. But now we have caught up. Anything after "Extraordinary Cabman"?
I am so not inspired in this department, these essay threads have been great for us! |
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Oh, this is encouraging, Kacky. I thought I was just monologuing along and boring everyone to tears. We actually took a couple of weeks off while my dh had a knee surgery and we took a spring break to garden. So, we're back at it today and my dd just brought me the ipad with all of her highlighted notes from Tremendous Trifles. (I had no idea how mac-nifty that little ipad was!!!)
Sarah read The Wind and the Trees today, of which she laughingly reports that the essay devotes exactly two paragraphs to wind and trees, and the rest of the essay is all one Chestertonian tangent after another of things that one feels, but can't see...like...the wind. I'll start a thread on it to share our observations and narrations and some ideas.
Thanks for encouraging me, Kacky!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Mackfam
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KackyK wrote:
| Ds 15 and I have been following along, slowly behind everyone. But now we have caught up. Anything after "Extraordinary Cabman"? |
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Here you are, Kacky! The Wind and the Trees. My dd and I have such a fantastic time discussing these essays! There are many directions to go on this one, and it's a fantastic essay for anyone studying any kind of revolution in history!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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KackyK
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| Posted: March 26 2012 at 6:49pm | IP Logged
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Awesome thanks Jen! We haven't done anything new or different than ya'll's great suggestions...so I haven't added that we are following.
Actually ds just read the "Cabman" today, tomorrow we will chat. He handed the Kindle back to me afterwards and said..."I'll read it again tomorrow, it had a few too many "certainly uncertains" for me "
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: High school essay course using Chesterton
