More On Real Knowledge- aka The Knowledge Party

Well, I have ot of time for blogging the past days.

Boys are off on some pre-planned projects, dh is absorbed in training sessions for his new job, so I am not cooking dinner for him at night. I have a bunch of projects I am catching up on.

I have been thinking a lot as I read Shakespeare's bio. I am seeing how the puzzle pieces fit. The pieces of our history. As I read about him and his times, it does seem like a jigsaw piece that just fits neatly into that time period. It is connected to what came before. It is connected to what comes after.

I was thinking that just a century or two after WS came America's founding fathers. You can hear some of the puritans' threads also in the lives of WS's contemporaries. It is forming together. This makes me think that yes, history is very important to know. It gives one a sense of who we are. It even helps me sort out this Paletsinian/Isreali battle that is raging currently. It is about history. The more we know about history, or even if we just know there *is* history, then we can understand things.

One thing that drives me crazy is when they poll these high school students and they don't know who the Vice President is, or can't tell apart the Bill of Rights from the Constitution. That is just part of knowing who we are.

I am not saying that all kids, or adults for that matter need to be history buffs. I never touched history until my late 30s. Of course I think I was a bit shallow, too. All this to awkwardly say that yes, there is knowledge that our dc need to know. But need to know and 'know' are two different things.

Suffice it to say that I made straight As in high school, where I took American History, World History and Texas History but was woefully unlearned in any sense of who we are as a people or where we came from.

So, to me, that says that lessons and textbooks are not the answer. At least for my dc and their learning style.

But back to the major influences. A book came in at the library I had ordered a while ago and forgot. It is Plutarch Lives. Yes, yes.. on all the lists of great books and Charlotte Mason loved it. But... I have to remember Cm lived in the 1800's in England.. her idea of a proper education may be different than mine. For goodness sakes, she required French since those pesky frogs were just across the channel!

I am listening to it today to preview. This struck me.

Plutarch wrote this in 100 AD. (may be off a few years). This is the first known biography written. Wow. That struck me.

It struck me in the same way as when I heard Jane Austen's books were the first real novels. Before that I guess it was Robinson Crusoe (which read more like a journal... a good read, too.. though gets kind of laborious).

Firsts. That is amazing. The first time Man did something.

Listening to the first bio, I got a glimpse into Roman life. Must say I'm not that proud of my heritage, if this is an indication. When babies were born if they were strong the city leader would pronounce them part of the community and the community basically raised them. (Hillary would be at home here.) If they were puny they were taken to a cavern, where I assume they were left for dead.

But, this same bio (I forgot the Greek's name) was the one who came up with the idea for a Senate.

This, to me, is like learning about a little point of light. A point of light that tells me where my civilization came from.

Here is an analogy. I know this is long, but it is my blog.. so I guess I can go this tangent if I want. Hope you are along for the ride.

Have you ever moved to a new town and felt you were basically all alone? Then, as you begin to explore (which is fun in itself) you find places you enjoy, and then form connections with. Things become more familiar.

Then, you begin to make friends. Some good friends, mostly acquaintances. But, as you drive around you may go by a neighborhood and know, for example, that Lisa lives there. Then the next few miles take you by an area that you know Sally lives. Little points. Little places of context and familiarity.

That is what history is seeming to be for me.

So, Plutarch, Shakespeare... Jefferson, Washington and Adams. These are all people that I should know. My boys should know. But how?

Years ago, Debbie at STAA suggested to me to teach my boys history through biographies. This was after we discussed how one son in particular did not like battles or violence.

And, Cm has a good conjunct to that. She says that we need not do a broad survey of history but know a few people but know them in depth. Thus, living books. oh.. thus biographies.

Yes.. I think biographies are more and more the key.

Both sons have enjoyed many bios this year. They were really just what I could find on audio at the library that passed my preview test. Bob Dole. Not a great, great man, but a good man who had his perspective. He was a great solider. Ronald Reagan. We listened to one chapter of Slick Willie.. just to get the other side of the equation.

But.. this to say.. bios are a great way to learn about the people, the times.. perspectives. Ann Coulter was interesting.. (boys did not read) but she does keep things hopping.

How much of this is real, necessary?

Maybe the answer is 'some'.

There must be some. Some will get the mind thinking. Which 'some'? Maybe the some that takes hold and they can relate to.

What if we miss some? What is to miss? If they relate to some then they know there is lots more out there they are just not relating to right now. But it is there.

Example- One of the all out best books we ever read is The Hiding Place. It had it all- healthy Christian values, a family, real, and history- WWII in Holland and Germany.

Honestly, I feel if the boys just connect to that one book the whole year they are farther in history than I was through my whole childhood and through college.

Because in that book they not only leanred its contents, but they also saw that it existed. So, for example when we talk about the Palestinians and Israelis they will know that they, too have a history. There is evil in the world. There is conflict. There are good and bad people on each side. They are real people. Though some are completely misguided and full of hate.

One aspect of history can teach all aspects.

So, if they don't connect with Shakespeare or Plutarch.... that is ok. If I do, that is good. If they see that I do, that is really good. It may plant a seed for later. But (again as Cm says) I need to present the feast and share with them so the seeds will be sown and the ones meant to blossom will.

In the meantime I am getting a great second education.

My fingers are tired. OH, well.. I am sure most people gave up long ago as this post is long. But it really helps me to write this out.

God Bless,
Cindy