Over the past few weeks, life in the Beck house has changed dramatically. I am so humbled by God's ever present hand in my life.
For years we have known of the book Teaching the Trivium by Bluedorn. We knew of this book because we homeschool using the Classical Christian approach.
After seeing it go on sale I purchased it for Michael and once he cracked the book life as we knew it changed. It's not like we were living a bad life, God just had bigger plans for us.
Have you ever known that you believed in something or knew something but couldn't quite put it into words? Then when you read it in print the huge lightbulb flicks on and you have that moment of suspended motion. A moment when you say "finally! Someone else thinks like I do."
Well, Teaching the Trivium provided that moment for Michael. I love to see this fire in my husband. He can't stop devouring new information (if you know Michael you're probably thinking that he's always been this way. he has but now it's multiplied exponentially!).
If you are completely clueless on what classical christian homeschooling is or what the heck Teaching the Trivium is about, here is a synopsis:
The Trivium In a CapsuleThe Trivium consists of the first three formal subjects of the seven liberal arts: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. This is the formal Trivium in the classical sense. This formal Trivium is an academic reflection of the more basic Biblical Trivium, the mental capacities of Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. (See the list of references at the end of this article.) The classical style of education is built upon these three mental or intellectual capacities:
- The first, for receiving and gathering up information - Knowledge.
- The second, for arranging and connecting the information in a logical order - Understanding.
- The third, for putting this gathered and ordered information into practical expression - Wisdom.
Children are continually developing in Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. Though these three capacities are mutually dependent upon each other, and the capacities are developing in the child from before birth, nevertheless, children pass through several developmental stages, or levels of learning, where one capacity experiences rapid growth. We will describe these stages below. Keep in mind that our age divisions are not meant as nice neat little cubicles. They are only arbitrary approximations, and they may vary greatly from child to child.
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In summary, the capacities for Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom are not neat little compartments with sealed doors between them. Rather, they all develop at the same time from the very beginning, yet they each pass through successive periods of intensive development, until they finally catch up with each other and work harmoniously together. These ages are only approximate, and your child may be on either side of the line. To summarize it all in one sentence: we first instruct the child in Knowledge; then we guide the youth in Understanding; then we challenge the older youth in Wisdom.
*Exodus 31:3; 35:31; 36:1; Deuteronomy 1:13,15; First Kings 7:14; Job 15:8-9; Proverbs 2:6; 3:19,20; 5:1,2; 8:12; 18:15; 23:23; 24:3,4; Daniel 1:4,17; 5:14; Ephesians 1:8,9,17,18; Colossians 1:9,10; 2:2,3; and many other places.Peruse that site for more information on the Trivium and Classical Education.
Now, as my title eluded to, here is our daily schedule. Michael feared I would push-back (as I often do with change) and that the kids would resist. However, like all things God designed "the cards fell into place". Life has been much easier, less chaotic and abundantly rich since implementing this schedule.
7:00 am Wake Up. Breakfast. Chores (I will add this chart in another post)8:00 am Bible time/Family worship/Prayer8:30-9:30 am General meeting- Recite memory work- Bible verses, alphabet (eng., latin, greek, hebrew)
- Reading- children read (Bible history, Constitution, poetry, etc.)
- Practice narration- Haley or Mommy reads, Haven and Haley narrate back
9:30-10:15 am Mommy reads. May ask questions to children about what was read. Can do art or crafts but must be quiet! (the littles may busy their hands but must listen)10:15-11:30am- Phonics for Haven - English notebook
- Copywork- minimum 15-20 minutes (Bible, history, poetry, quotes, speeches, latin, greek) - can combine w/ artwork and draw pictures of what is being copied - put in English notebook
- History and Timeline
11:30-1:00pm- Prepare and eat lunch
- chores
- clean house
1:00-2:00pm Naps.2:00-2:45pm Mommy reads aloud (same system as 9:30)2:45-4:30pm nature walks, play outside, library, volunteer work, field trips, museums, fairs, workplaces, ....4:30-5:00pm Mommy works out5:00-6:30pm Dinner and chores. Bible reading and questions w/ daddy.6:30-7:30pm Daddy reads. Latin or Greek work.
