Knowledge of God, My Notebook...

As we work through Start Here, A Journey Through Charlotte Mason's 20 Principles by Brandy Vencel, part of the assigned reading each month comes from For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.  I read this book years ago, not too long after starting to homeschool.  It seemed quite philosophical at the time and I wasn't sure what do to with it.  Of course, this was before I studied Charlotte's writings for itself.  Now, as I reread For the Children's Sake along side A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason, I see parallels.  I am finding Chapter 5 Education: A Science of Relations particularly helpful as a more practical application of Charlotte's philosophy on teaching specific subject areas in our time.   Check out Imparting Knowledge, Part 1 to read quotes from A Philosophy of Education regarding Charlotte's ideas on Knowledge of God.  In contrast, here are my notebook entries on Biblical teaching after reading Chapter 5 of For the Children's Sake....

Knowledge of God

- Biblical teaching must be directly from the Bible
- PNEU schools read consecutively from the Bible including The Gospels, epistles, Revelation, and Old Testament
- Narration is a must after each single reading
- Model simple daily prayer that is sincere and conversation genuine
- Give the child grace after an offense
- Show thanks and praise to the Lord
- Introduce other Christians through biographies and books
- Children should have their own Bible
- Be a role model
- Memorize Psalms

Some things can be enjoyed as a Christian.  Others must be discussed and understood.  A third category must be avoided. (p. 97)

We don't have to make every day a sort of Sunday school lesson... (p. 101)

Children need to consider practical issues.  They want to think.  They want answers.  Christianity is part of that rock of reality about which youngsters long to know.  They need to understand how contemporary issues fit into what the Bible says. (p. 102)

Atmosphere - love, truth, humility, forgiveness

Discipline - plan for contact between child and truth; not left to chance

Life - Bible, worship, worries, questions, failures, joys