In a week this shawl has grown quite a bit! I’ve been knitting on it fairly monogamously, with a bit of sock knitting on the side. I’ve tried ripping back on my nordiska but the cable detail on the raglan increases is making it a challenge! I just can’t bear ripping it all out and starting all over as it was probably at least 15 hrs of work. Anyway, in the meantime it is truly so satisfying to work with the beiroa yarn. I love the slubby bits of brown wool when I come to it, and I love the weight and warmth of this shawl as it begins to take shape. I’m almost done with the first big triangular section and am excited to start the short row sections on the sides of the triangle. I know this is going to be something I wear constantly in the fall and winter.
We will start school lightly this week and I have been reading The Brave Learner after seeing Ginny recommend it on her blog. I am really, really enjoying it and so encouraged by it. In fact, I don’t think it could have come into my hands at a more perfect time. She refers to feeling battered by the various philosophies and ideologies surrounding homeschooling–unschooling? classical? charlotte mason? common core? Not to mention all the various curriculum! Don’t we all sometimes feel battered by all these ways in which we try to figure out the key to making our home school work? Listen to this:
“The solution doesn’t lie in materials or ideology. Rather, to experience joy, peace, and progress in home education requires a paradigm shift–a change in the criteria for how we see and stage our homeschools… The key to a kinder and gentler homeschool is attending to the details we overlook–the coziness of our homes, the principles of natural learning, and the tenderness of our intimate relationships. It takes courage to move away from traditional methods of measurement: grade level, scope and sequence, the Common Core. Our kids naturally lead the way, diving into whatever subject matter draws them, fearless in their belief that they can learn anything they want to learn.”
Bogart also talks about the common question we often hear thrown around these days: how do we get our children to love learning? I love her thoughts on this, her questioning our motives in “getting” our children to love learning, and so forth. I have been wrestling with some of these things in particular as Phoebe has been having some challenges with math which is making her “hate school,” and my main focus this school year has been about redeeming that love of learning. I’m eager to learn and read further from Bogarts wisdom! Already I’m very inspired and challenged. I would recommend her book, though admittedly am only 50 pages in.
So what might you be reading or making these days?
Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
everything He gives 