Christiana Homeschool
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Mission & Statement of Faith
    • Meet Our Tutors & Staff
    • Our Leadership Team
    • Meet our Board of Directors
    • Our Facility
    • Where are our graduates today?
    • Employment at CHA
  • I'm new here!
    • Curriculum At CHA >
      • Preschool
      • K-2
      • Grades 3-5
      • Grades 6-8
      • High School
    • Tuition 2020-2021
    • What is expected of parents?
    • Registration
  • CHA PROM
  • Christiana Family Page
    • Tutor Appreciation
    • Parent Meeting Video
    • Parent Letters & Syllabi
    • Book List
    • Class Lists/Rosters
    • Shurley Grammar In-service
    • Policies & Procedures >
      • Classroom Rules
      • Uniform Policy
    • Thinkwave Grading System
  • TUTORS
    • General Tutor Meeting
    • Motivational Videos
    • Substitute Pay Rate and Information
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Helpful Contacts
  • Broadway Revue

Beginning With the End in Mind

10/9/2019

1 Comment

 
 Beginning With the End in Mind (or How I spent my Summer)

                    At CHA, and indeed in Classical Education generally, it is often said that we seek the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. These sometimes seem like nebulous terms, but there are moments when a glimpse can be seen of that which we seek. For Aristotle, the “telos” or “end” was that for the sake of which something is done. This summer a group of CHA graduates met to reread and discuss Plato’s Republic, a book which is read by CHA high school freshmen. It is a difficult book, full of challenging questions and sometimes disquieting proposals; however, the questions it raises are timeless and often fully appreciated only after years of consideration. After four years of Great Books classes, seven CHA graduates (classes of 2017 and 2019) recognized the pivotal position this text holds in the program and in the Western Tradition and desired to read it again with their four years of Great Books experience behind them. During the discussions that ensued, “that for the sake of which” began to emerge.
                The graduates had vague recollections of reading the Republic, and fond memories of fruitful discussions under the skilled tutelage of Mr. Jenkins in ninth grade, at a time when they were first being introduced to the greatest thinkers of Western Civilization. This time they recalled and further reflected upon key episodes, such as the divided line and the allegory of the cave; they considered the proposal that justice in a city and in a man requires the rule of reason over spiritedness and passion and that proper balance results in a just city and a just soul. Ultimately, they proposed that the perfectly just city and soul can only be realized in heaven. They also “entertained without accepting” (the mark of an educated person, according to Aristotle) Plato’s more challenging proposals such as the comingling of men and women in training for guardianship; the dissolution of the family; the noble lie, in which children are told that their souls are made of a particular metal which corresponds to their role in the city; and the elevation of the philosopher to king. These proposals were first considered in order to be understood and then challenged based on consideration of other authors such as St. Augustine, John Locke, Rene Descartes, and Holy Scripture. In the end each participant was able to fully contemplate what is Just and how it relates to what is Good.
                The ability and humility before a great text that the graduates exhibited does not emerge in a vacuum. Before reading the Great Books, many good books must be read, and literature is at the heart of the CHA program. While learning history, CHA students encounter good literature, stories which exercise the imagination and give life to the story of Western Civilization…in other words, their story. Main idea sentences, challenging though they may be, give rise to the ability to determine an author’s message. Presentations in front of the class, with all of the nerves which accompany them, prepare the student to express his or her thoughts articulately to others. The study of rhetoric solidifies this skill. Every essay written, for all of the blood, sweat, and even tears, sharpens the students’ skills of understanding an author and assimilating his views into the student’s own. In short, the CHA liberal arts program, every piece of it, prepares the student for the kind of humbling and challenging reading the graduates not only are able to tackle but choose to tackle because they know that it is Good.
                It’s hard to homeschool, and even harder to homeschool classically. For parents there is blood, sweat, and tears as well. Along the way, however, there is wonder and joy as we encounter the education most of us never had. And the telos, that for the sake of which, is humble, articulate, godly adult children who seek for themselves the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. Seven such young adults who stayed the course have shown what is possible when the classical, liberal arts program is embraced. They engaged together in dialectic, or reasoned discussion, the heart of the Great Books program. And together we had a glimpse of “the idea of the good…the cause of all that is right and fair in everything” (The Republic of Plato Book 7 517a). And this glimpse is available to anyone who chooses to seek it.
 
- Amy Bittner, Senior Seminar Tutor and former Great Books Tutor
1 Comment

Great Books Education

7/10/2019

1 Comment

 

Sometimes words or phrases are repeated so often that they lose their meaning.  In other cases, we may falsely assume we know what is meant by a given expression because we’ve heard it so often, yet never actually understood it.  Perhaps, one of these descriptions is true of you when you hear the words “Great Books Education”.   Precisely, what does that mean?  A great books educations is one in which the student is steeped in the ideas and ideals that have shaped Western Civilization. 

By the time most students reach 9th grade, when the Great Books begin being read, they are well into the Logic stage of learning and headed toward the Rhetoric stage.  They have learned, or are in process of learning, how to properly argue and are ready for the material which of perennial importance.   Those materials are made up of the best and most important pieces of literature written during the last 2, 800 years.  In these works, the student is exposed to virtue, piety, faith, democracy, tyranny, freedom, war and peace, truth, love, happiness, desire, and a host of other topics of ongoing significance.  The Great Books education seeks to teach the student what was thought at various times and diverse places about any of these important ideas. 

But more than just reading and listening, the Great Books education gives the student the opportunity to formally engage the writings of each author.  After effort is made by the students and tutor to determine what a writer has to say, the Great Books class has the task and privilege of discerning the importance of that author’s contribution to our present time.  Not whether or not there are worthwhile thoughts present (that is almost always the case!).  Instead, the focus is on seeing how things we take for granted came into existence.  For instance, the Republic of Plato has an extended section on the importance of arithmetic.  Many students have asked over the years, “when will I ever use Algebra”?  The savvy parent or tutor will have some ready examples of when it’s practiced and may well be able to build a justification for the central role of math in most curricula.  But in all actuality, math gained its place not by usefulness (though it certainly is), but because of its effect on the mind and soul.  As we learn and contemplate the fixed, eternal laws of math, our souls and minds are drawn upward toward those lofty heights where He Who Is, reigns.  While many modern schools teach math for its usefulness they have forgotten why it is such an honored field:  it actually draws us closer to God.  Plato recognized that 2,400 years ago.  Our students are given the chance in great books to read, discuss, and then write about this great idea and see the origins of math’s centrality. 

Flowing from this idea, a Great Books education acts as a protection against modern dogma.  That is not to insinuate that there aren’t good modern ideas.  It is, however, to point out that we tend to be creatures of our time.  We are prone to seeing this or that idea a certain way and no other option is admissible.  In the example above, math has come to take on a utilitarian function.  Reading the Great Books reminds us that there is more than one way to view the study of arithmetic.  Further, they remind us that our own narrow view, in one time and in one place, may, and often does, exclude a fuller and more beautiful view of the whole.  Another example worthy of consideration is the unquestioned place we moderns give to technological development.  Practices along the lines of cloning, embryonic stem cell research, or abortion are generally accepted in our culture.  The very fact that we can do something means we should do something.  A great book education gives the student pause to inquire about this idea’s appropriateness.  Page after page reflects the lofty, God-given status of humanity.  It would be difficult to imagine a graduate with a Great Books education supporting anything that trivializes the origins and beauty of human life.  The Great Books student is equipped with the tools to counter can with should.

Lastly, the True, Good, and Beautiful are revealed to the reader of Great Books.  We seek to have our entire being made alive and set free by truth.  Our longing is that all idol forms and error will perish, that they will flee from the Truth’s glorious light. Pilate famously asked “quid est veritas?”  “What is Truth”?  The answer to this question is “the result of our mind being in accord with reality”.  Simply, by reading the Great Books we allow the greatest minds in history to teach us how things are.  Goodness is seen in each thing maximizing its God-given potential.  Everything has an end or a purpose.  The acorn develops into the mighty oak; the human becomes one who glorifies God and enjoys him and all his benefits.  The Great Books are filled with characters, arguments, and stories which teach men their purpose.  Despite Odysseus’ self-inflicted problems, he and Penelope stand, not only to couples but to all, as models of fidelity.  Faithfulness is a key component to the good life-the life God intends for us.   Finally, Beauty inspires wonder.  Therefore, it is the prerequisite for much, if not all, of learning.  Examining, for instance, the poetry of the Great Books curriculum, beauty emerges from the harmony and proportion it exhibits.  These attributes of beauty draw us further in to the message being communicated by luminaries like Homer, Virgil, and Dante. 
               
There is yet much more to say about the Great Books education.  For now, suffice it to say that this curriculum allows students to listen in on, and then participate in the Great Conversation.  The wisdom of the ages then informs the mind which is at risk of falling prey to the errors of a given generation.  Ultimately, this education leads to Christ-the source of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

​--Bill Jenkins, Headmaster

1 Comment

Our Roman Adventure...

6/5/2019

1 Comment

 
     Several weeks ago, I, and twenty other CHA parents and juniors/seniors, returned from Rome.  One person called it “the greatest homeschool field trip ever”.  Seemingly every day presented a fresh thing for admiring, a new wonder for gazing.  Gasps, hand covering of the mouth, barely audible exclamations, and virtually every other method of expressing astonishment were the norm. Each corner turned, every sanctuary entered, presented wonders nearly unspeakable. At times, we asked our tour guide questions.  But frequently, silence and awe were first reactions. Multiple attendees verbalized as their primary regret having to leave so soon. 
      In short, this was an unforgettable trip. To the Board of Directors for their great support, to families who participated in fundraisers throughout the year to make the trip more affordable, and to my wife Allison for retrieving important documents and generally being a steady force in planning, I give thanks.  It doesn’t seem like enough in light of the trip’s magnitude.  But you all are appreciated more than you could possibly know. 
     Some of you may ask, “why did we go on this trip”?  After all, it was expensive.  It was also something CHA had never done before.  So, why? There are several reasons we visited Rome and plan to return in 2021 with our current freshmen and sophomores.  First, Rome is the center of Western Christianity. Whether Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Evangelical, we have our roots in Rome. Our tour included more churches than I can count. I will say more about them below. Without doubt, visiting, praying in, and tracing the biblical story in art, was a spiritual experience.  Spending time before the tombs of Peter and Paul, as well as the chains which held them in prison, was incredibly moving. Crawling up the Holy Steps which Constantine’s mother, S. Helena, brought to Rome from Jerusalem, all while staring at an inscription above which quoted Isaiah “He was wounded for our transgressions...” pierced to the very heart.  Countless other things could be recounted.  Suffice it to say someone called it something of a pilgrimage.  I don’t think that person was wrong.    
     Our academy is also classical.  As such we draw on the wisdom and history of ancient Greece and Rome in many respects. The time spent at the Roman Forum, Colosseum, the gate of Constantine, as well as the Pantheon, afforded us the opportunity to witness the ruins of a civilization to which our culture is indebted. Aside from grand ideals enshrined in our society, like democracy and freedom, our greatest architecture is a testament to Greco-Roman greatness.  We also stood in the spot where Charlemagne was crowned emperor. Seeing the birthplace, or at the least place where many important ideas and philosophies were nurtured, served to make concrete much of what has been learned in the student’s time at Christiana.  
     There is art everywhere in Rome.  We saw the anguish of Michaelangelo’s La Pieta, Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Teresa, the Trevi Fountain, obelisk’s imported from Egypt, and so much more.  One of the books which floats around Christiana is called Awakening Wonder. I’m quite confident that student and parent alike experienced this phenomenon.  Being in Rome, surrounded by beauty, the soul’s yearning for the source of that beauty was indeed awakened.  Perhaps, the words of one of our seniors best summarized this.  Julia Lohrmann said, “Why can’t they make churches like this in America”?  I have several theories.  Whether they are correct or not, the question’s foundation is accurate.  There are few places to go in the world where the art and architecture is so moving-and they are not in the United States. 
        Beyond all this, trips like this are the kind that can cement friendships for a lifetime.  It is certainly my hope that the week spent together at places like the Sistine Chapel, Piazza Navona, the Catacombs, and, of course, in all of the authentic Italian restaurants talking over great food, is something all of our students will remember fondly for a lifetime. 

​--Bill Jenkins, Headmaster
1 Comment

Meeting Some Remarkable Guys!                        ...Kim Jernigan

11/8/2016

1 Comment

 
I was recently asked an odd question concerning my homeschooling. That question caused me to really think. The question was ‘aren’t you looking forward to being done homeschooling so that you can read what you want and catch up on TV?’ Hmmmm…I have homeschooled for 20+ years and I must say that it has been the HARDEST job that I have ever done. Being responsible for teaching my kids to read, for mapping out their curriculum, for making sure they knew math and science…I could go on and on. It is not a task for the faint of heart. My book shelves are bulging with curriculum, some well-used and some never used as those books weren’t worth opening.

But there are a couple shelves containing books that are so worn that the bindings are nearly gone, the margins are no longer white because of the comments in the margins, and some of the pages are missing because they fell out. Those are the ‘great books’ that made it onto our co-op’s list of great reads throughout history. Aristotle, Homer and Plato made the list. Virgil, Shakespeare, Plutarch and Livy show up in 10th grade. Boethius, Dante and Twain entertain and challenge our 11th grade and finally in 12th grade, we have the likes of Pascal, Descartes, Swift and Paine. The friend who asked me this question about finally ‘reading what I want’ has heard me talk about these books. I can’t say I’ve read them through all the way…chapters, sections, and synopses here and there. I’ve talked with my children about these books and have learned a great deal through ‘chewing’ on the words of these authors of old. And then there is summer reading. My book list is long…it seems to grow exponentially and bookshelves overflow. Ayn Rand has been a favorite recently and Twain is a favorite ‘go to’ author. I currently am working through Federalist Papers and none of this writing is easy to read and process.

But as my friend realized, my days of homeschooling are just a few years from being over and then I can read what I want. However, I have been to the fountain. I have learned from the best. I have seen words woven together in such a way that I can’t leave them behind. I come to a fork in the road. I could return to mindless fiction for a steady diet of information or I can continue to meet with the great voices of history and delight in a hearty diet of great words!

You see, my children have been classically educated. This type of education is reaching the WHOLE person and in my situation, it has reached the WHOLE family. As my children have read and I have read, we have engaged in rich discussions, asking questions and pursuing truth. The structure of a classical education involves educating children appropriately according to their age and stage of development. But this education also involves integrating subjects and making connections. Our current government run education involves compartmentalizing everything. You take math, you take science, you look at a portion of history. But with a classical education, we want to work through history and understand how science was influencing a culture, why different people groups were fighting, how the church was being persecuted and changing. And, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We want our students to question, to debate, to draw conclusions and ultimately to find truth. There isn’t a different truth for each person that lives in the world. There is THE truth and we are on a path to discover that truth. From the moment a child enters Kindergarten until they take the stage for their Senior Thesis, we want them to grow in the truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ and to know how to think and affect the world around them.

So, back to the question at hand. What will be on my reading list in a couple years? I can’t say for sure, but I can say with certainty that I have met some pretty remarkable guys…Plato, Homer, Virgil, Twain, Dickens, Franklin…I think that I want to hear from them and chew on their words a bit longer. I’ve been classically trained myself over these last 10 years and I don’t want to stop.
​
Won’t you join me?

1 Comment

Tips for a Successful and Happy (or rather, ‘contented’) CHA Year

9/5/2016

4 Comments

 
As we begin the countdown to school beginning again, I suspect we are all a little sad. Once again, summer has come and gone so quickly. For some, it has been a wonderful summer of going to the pool and lake, getting together with friends, going on vacation, reading all those books. The list could go on. For some, the summer has been hard, where expectations have not been met. We have heard of those who have been sick or needed some kind of surgery. Or perhaps work for a spouse (or for you!) took an unexpected turn and there was added stress or responsibility this summer. However your summer turned out, the reality is that the end of August is here. September is looming around the corner and we will all be meeting up in community to teach our children.

What we have experienced this summer has been from the hand of God. If the summer months were idyllic and wonderful, praise Him…He gave you this gift. If they were difficult, took unexpected turns and twists, praise Him….He gave you this gift! It is evident throughout scripture that all things come from God’s hands. We see that with Job, Joseph, Moses…and even in the death of Christ, which seemed like a bad thing to the disciples at the time. However, in all of these situations, God had plans that were beyond the grasp of those involved and used all of these things as part of His plan.

And guess what? Work is part of His plan too. From the beginning, in the garden, Adam and Eve had jobs!!!!! In Genesis 2:5, we are told that there were no shrubs or plants because God had sent no rain and there was no man to CULTIVATE the ground. Last time I checked, cultivate was an ‘action’ word and man would be doing that job. We also see that Adam’s first job was to name all the animals. Imagine that one…how fun would that be?? God’s intention on this big beautiful planet Earth and in the perfect garden that He made, was that man would be purposeful and necessary. All of scripture reminds us of the work of Christ. Jesus didn’t enjoy endless lazy, hazy days of relaxing. He had purpose and worked to fulfill that. But, He did go to the Father often and we see places where He slept, ate and enjoyed fellowship.

So, as tutors and students alike, prepare to go back to school, we need to understand this Biblical view of work and realize that God has called us to be students and to be tutors. This is OUR WORK for the moment. He wants us to learn well and to teach well.  Of course, we all know that sin entered the world in the beautiful garden that God had established. With that came grumbling, complaining, blame shifting, dissatisfaction and frustrations. When it all boils down to it, just like Adam and Eve, who wanted things ‘their way,’ we also want things our way and when things get too difficult, we want to complain and bail out! Can we say ‘yet I will praise Him’ whether things are good or bad? You have my permission to hold me to this.

As we near the start of this ‘work’ for this year, let’s keep the following things in mind:
  1. We are a community of believers, called together to teach our children. Dwell on the blessing of that. We live in a country where we are free to NOT send our children to school. We have chosen this path for various reasons, but whatever the reason, we HAVE chosen it and continue to make choices for our family. Years ago, we became familiar with the customs of Belarus, a country under dictatorial rule. There are no choices. You go to government school. You serve in the military (if you are a boy). You go to the trade school or college they determine (based on your test schools). You do the job they tell you to do. You live in the housing they set up for you. Period. Or, consider children in the ‘bush ‘of Africa. Education is not a word in their vocabulary.
  2. We get to do this together. There is support and comradery at CHA. We may not like all the policies. We may not agree with every philosophy or with the other person’s theology.  But we are Catholic and Protestant, together for one goal. Use the support you’ve been given. You have each other to help you carry life’s burdens. Talk to each other when life is hard. Help each other to more Godly marriages and parenting. Give each other ideas on ‘at home’ work days. Help each other when the load becomes heavy. Some enjoy homeschooling just within family or a small network. That’s great, but CHA is designed to give you assistance and support.
  3. Know when to ask for help. There are several things in place where you can bring your prayer requests or concerns. First, there is a time of prayer every morning for adults, usually in the lunch room or hallway. If you ‘drop off’ or teach later, I encourage you to go to this…maybe 10 minute…prayer time. Share your requests and pray for the academy, tutors and the students. Secondly, there are wonderful tutors and department chairs to talk to if you are struggling. Don’t keep your concerns about heavy or frustrating homework to yourself. Go, lovingly, to the tutor or department chair and ask for help or guidance. Third, there is a liaison in place to help if you are feeling like you are drowning. Finally, will you commit to pray for CHA regularly? That may be daily or weekly, but will you pray for the board, the department chairs, the tutors and the students?
  4. Share your ideas! We have a CHA Family FB page and a larger organizational page set up on FB…if you find something that works, share it. If you want to write a blog about something that has worked, that would be wonderful. We all have great ideas and we have a good network set up to share them.
  5. Intentionally, get to know other moms! One of the things I most loved in our first few years at CHA was the network of moms that would gather in the hallway to talk, share and even pray. I will never forget Madeline Jones calling us to pray right there in the hallway for difficult things. Those comfy chairs aren’t there anymore, but maybe we should drag a few out there to encourage these little groups to form.
  6. Keep it positive. I’m not going to gloss over the fact that there have been trying seasons at CHA. There are around 70 families at CHA. That makes about 140 or so parents and about 150 students. That makes roughly 300 people (add in a few extra siblings and some tutors with no children at CHA). 300 people, with different ideas, talents, philosophies and denominational differences…WOW! First, let’s stop and thank God that HE has maintained this group for 15 years. As we look to the next school year, consider how we can work toward 15 more. Scripture gives us guidance on this. I especially like Titus 3:2 (Remind them)… ‘to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.’ We need to learn to go to the person who has offended us. If resolution does not come, there are systems in place to help with this so that we can strive to walk in unity.
  7. Set time limits for homework and projects. You (and tutors) are given homework guidelines. Use timers, communicate with tutors and modify when needed. Students who are ‘perfectionists’ will have a difficult time with this one. But that is where you can provide some guidance and oversite at home.
  8. Sprinkle in fun activities! Take time each home day to ‘stop and smell the roses.’ Take a ½ hour break and listen to a Christian comedian (I recommend Tim Hawkins)...you can find snippets on You tube or order one of his videos. Take time for a 10 minute walk with your kids to clear your head. Or drive to McDonalds after lunch to get an ice cream cone. Consider an evening story time with one of the literature books. Older and younger kids can enjoy this too! Begin every day with a 5 minute Psalm reading or singing. BREATHE! If you don’t get all the work done one day, you don’t get it done. The grading system at CHA is for your benefit, not your demise. Check it ONLY to see what is missing. Encourage excellence, but know when to stop. God has clear rest plans in place…day and night. We work and we rest. On the 7th day, He rested, so we should do that too. I speak to myself, because I am often busy on the Sabbath.
  9. Ask questions! If you don’t understand, need clarification, please ask. Many tutors have been teaching for a while, and we need to know when our directions were unclear. Tutors are usually available by phone, e-mail, text. They will let you know the best way to contact them. This will often ease burdens quickly if you just contact them!
   10. Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made you, not we ourselves. We are His        
        people, the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3).  Know Him well this year and go to Him often.           He has made you and has anointed you for this work (either as student or tutor). Do your work           well.
4 Comments
<<Previous

    Blog Contributors

    CHA will be presenting various blogs from tutors, parents and guests.

    Archives

    October 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All
    Alexander The Great
    Catholic
    Classical Education
    College
    College Admissions
    Co-op
    Electronics
    ELEMENTARY
    Engrade
    HIGHSCHOOL
    Highschool Homeschool
    Homeschool
    Homeschooling
    Homeschooling Mom
    Honors Program
    Jesus Christ
    Protestant
    Public Education
    Reading
    Rest
    Sabbath
    Science Fair
    Stobaugh
    Summer
    Transcript
    World War II Factories

    RSS Feed

Picture
Christiana Homeschool                      
640 Lucabaugh Mill Road                       
Westminster, Maryland

Christiana is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization

Copyright @ Christiana Homeschool  - 2016