Mountaintops

“A child should be brought up to have relations of force with earth and water, should run and ride, and swim and skate, lift and carry; should know texture, and work in material; should know by name, and where and how they live at any rate, the things of the earth about him, its birds and beasts and creeping things, its herbs and trees; should be in touch with literature, art and thought of the past and the present. He must have a living relationship with the present, its historic movement, its science, literature, art, social needs and aspirations, In fact he must have a wide outlook, intimate relations all around, for it depends, not on how much is learned, but how things are learned.”

– Charlotte Mason

Yes to all of that.

Fourth grade brought the California history float parade and David’s landmark was Mount Whitney. His brother has climbed it, David has been at home on mountains and met their trees, rocks and creatures. All school year we dive into the stories of past and present, the history of landmarks, natural phenomena, and great explorers. So last week David dug his hands down into wet clay, felt its texture and made a mountaintop – a mountain atop a boogie board atop a skateboard that he marveled at and prepared to walk around his school in the annual 4th grade float parade. I’m thankful for the time to attend to how things are learned and to marvel with them instead of just marching through a test of how much is learned.

For more real life inspiration this June head on over to Childhood Unplugged…