Partnering with parents in the education of their children is one of the unique guiding principles of Ambleside School.
Charlotte Mason, whose educational principles inspire our classrooms, began her work over one hundred years ago with parents…
Read MoreHere’s a link to an interesting article published last week in The Atlantic on navigating the use of phones and portable devices and parenting.
Read a brief excerpt here:
Read MoreSome of us are spontaneous and function best in crisis mode. Some of us thrive on routine and plan our calendars weeks in advance. Regardless, I imagine that as each of us made the transition into parenthood, we moved a little closer to routines to make our busy lives work. September seems to be the natural month for "New Year's Resolutions," and now is the time for home routines to set a tone for your student's education.
Read MoreDo you feel you are always nagging your children? Charlotte Mason's ideas about building character in our children through habit are fresh approaches for parents. Interestingly enough, some of her suggestions are validated by modern brain research.
Read MoreRecently on a Saturday morning I attended a seminar, “Growing Up Peaceful.” As an over-50 mom, I have a growing list of families for whom I pray with deep compassion. Among these, many are struggling to understand why their child has panic attacks or cannot show up consistently for a class or job. A child struggling with anxiety or depression is a common concern. As a mother (and future grandmother!), I strive to be aware of how I can make a difference in the life of my children and their friends.
Read MoreI am an extremely grateful father of five adult children, all of whom love Jesus and one another. How did this happen? I’m not sure, but here are some highlights of what happened along the way.
Read MoreCharlotte Mason discussed curriculum not as an end in itself, but as the overflow of a philosophy. Consider the foundation of this philosophy--children are persons, bearers of God's image--and the educational tools to which it directs us: atmosphere of environment, discipline of habit, and inspirational ideas from a banquet of thought.
Read More"We (as parents and teachers) ought to do so much for our children, and are able to do so much for them, that we begin to think everything rests with us...Our endeavors become fussy and restless. We try to dominate them too much, even when we fail to govern, and we are unable to perceive that wise and purposeful letting alone is the best part of education." -Charlotte Mason
Read MoreDr. Sax began his talk on Friday, March 15th, with this pop quiz.
"Which of the following, measured when a child is 11 years of age, is the best predictor of happiness and overall life satisfaction roughly 20 years later, when that child has become a 31- or 32-year-old adult?
Read MoreIn the last few days, I have been pondering what Ambleside brings to families. Time and again I have heard parents say, "Ambleside has changed our family." This has been true for my family, and one of the most powerful ideas Ambleside gives to families, mainly parents, is the idea of…
Read MoreTwo years ago, it was a fresh spring day.
Blooms were coming to life all around me but my own spirit was fading. In this season of newness, I had recently been introduced to a season of newness in my own life: parenting a teenage girl…
Read MoreIt looks like someone wasn’t paying attention. Every day at Ambleside School, we hone the Habit of Attention.
In his book, Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax, MD, PhD, discusses five factors that are driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men. In Part 1 of our blog, we talked about video gaming. Another factor is Changes in School.
Read MorePicture these two scenarios…
Read MoreToday is national handwriting day!
Read MoreDr. Leonard Sax, meet Charlotte Mason. I can just imagine what that first meeting would be like.
Read MoreSometimes, it takes the peaceful days of a winter snow to remind us how to be joyful in simple things--like a warm winter fire, a cozy book, or a quiet trek in the snow. The silence of snow reminds us of how clamorous our lives have become and whispers a forgotten truth: children have more when they have less.
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