Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Subject Topic: CHESTERTON ESSAY - The Perfect Game Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Mackfam
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Posted: Feb 06 2012 at 7:00pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam
From our master thread - High school essay course using Chesterton. {Reminder: These essays come from G.K. Chesterton's book, Tremendous Trifles, available free for ereader/Kindle}

Essay for this week: The Perfect Game

All are welcome to join in the discussion!

1) READ THE ESSAY

2) Add to this thread any observation, enjoyable discussion, question, natural spin-off or rabbit trail that introduced itself by way of this essay.

3) Encourage high schoolers to model an essay based on Chesterton's essay.

4) Idea: The theme of this essay is a croquet game. Get out your croquet set and play. Try to play a game at the same time of day that Chesterton did: when "the dusk was converging upon dark." Do you know someone who is a very talented croquet player? Invite them over to play - can you feel the joy of playing for sheer enjoyment? Discuss games and sports and the joy of playing the game.

5) Discussion: Any high schoolers out there that have become very proficient at a particular sport or game? Discuss ways to continue loving *the game* for sheer enjoyment of the game. What attracted you to that game to begin with? Do you ever look beyond the simple pleasures of the game - those things that only an "amateur" would relish? What continues to light the spark of passion for that game? Ever played badly and had the most delightful game in spite of your performance?

Chesterton wrote:
It is only we who play badly who love the Game itself.
::
It is we to whom it is art for art's sake.


6) Idea: Consider a game, any game, that your high schooler is NOT proficient in. Play that game with your high schooler. Encourage them to relish the game as art for art's sake.

7) Idea: Draw the "face of Croquet" as she is personified by Chesterton.

8) Discussion: What do you think Chesterton was referring to at the beginning of his essay when he spoke of a supernatural oddity that left a peculiar impression?

All discussion and further sharing is encouraged!

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Jen Mackintosh
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Grace&Chaos
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Posted: Feb 21 2012 at 4:20pm | IP Logged Quote Grace&Chaos
Hi Jen, super late with notes. My dd and I just shared our impressions of the essay, which we put aside for a while .   

We had a nice dicussion about how games are meant to be fun for enjoyment sakes and comparing that the games for fun ideology can turn into so much more than just friendly competition. How it can evolve into profit, money, media attention, advertisement, over fascination and obsession with the game. (this kind of happened because her dad and I just watched Money Ball and she knew the jist of what it was about)

We also talked about how she didn't enjoy playing the game of croquet (two years ago with her Keepers group) mostly because she didn't understand the rules of the game. On the other hand she enjoys just for fun playing soccer with her dad and siblings because she understands the game better. She also felt that soccer offers more movement and running around where as a gentlemen's game like croquet was a little on the slow side.

Just a few observations from a 12 yr. old. She wants to know "which one should I read next?"

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Mackfam
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Posted: Feb 21 2012 at 4:32pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam
Oh, I just love hearing of others thoughts and reflections on the essays! We really enjoyed that one, although we decided we wouldn't model an essay after it - we'd just enjoy it for the sake of enjoying it!

Grace&Chaos wrote:
Just a few observations from a 12 yr. old. She wants to know "which one should I read next?"

I'm so glad you asked! This week we're reading The Extraordinary Cabman. Another delightful essay! I'll start a thread in a bit...but in the meantime...wonder no more!

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