Summer School

[qos]

My daughter is woefully ignorant of some basic literary, spiritual and historical information.

I suppose it's not all bad that an eleven year old girl doesn't really know what the word "sin" means -- but she needs to understand the concept intellectually if she's going to be able to engage in certain texts and conversations to come. And yes, there are spiritual and ethical issues for us to engage as well. She doesn't know what the Constitution of the United States is. I don't expect her to be able to recite it, but she she should know a) that it exists, and b) what its significance is.

It's my fault -- and her father's -- that she lacks this basic information. Unlike us, she is not a general sponge when it comes to information. When I was her age I had been reading the encyclopedia for fun for several years and had convinced my parents to buy me a book called The Last Two Million Years. I had read most of the Bible and was at least familiar with other religious traditions. I had a general grasp of major events of world history. She is not omnivorous in her inquiries. If it's about animals, she's all over it, but she won't go out of her way to investigate other topics. And I haven't made the time to introduce her to topics that aren't being covered in her classes.

So when regular school gets out this year, she and I (hopefully with the contributions of local friends and family) are going to embark on a Cultural Literacy program.

I have a lot of ideas about what to cover, but would love suggestions of topics -- especially if you have specific books, movies, local resources, or etc. you can recommend to help liven up the process.

I'm also going to make an effort to participate in more activities that she likes, especially things like going to a wild animal park and to a local wolf sanctuary, and do more outdoors things like bicycle riding with her.

Comments

Overview History Books

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Go grab Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the ______ series. Good overview, realizes the world is round, deals with science, politics, etc. Starts with evolution, so there should be enough animals to pull her through into the people stuff.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_storyteller_/]

I would certainly like to help.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've been assuming that both you and uncrowned_king would want to participate.

[seauleja.livejournal.com]

Some history of music could also be fun...

A good way to connect to other things that were going on historically in the United States, especially since the 1800's.

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

I think it is hard to get a sense of history in such a young town as Seattle. Perhaps some travel to local historical sites. I am sure a trip to Europe would help her connect to the past.

At PSU we have a program that de-emphasizes the classical learning, but rather focuses on critical thinking. The young one is probably well on her way to becoming a vet or animal keeper, but she'll need some research skills. Perhaps she could do an inquiry into the history of domestic animals - horses, falcons or something. She might be able to connect to history by looking through books (and not the internet). Maybe ask her to pick an animal topic and have her do an investigation.

Do you spend time with her at the library?

I actually think that being 11 and not knowing the word sin is rather cool and indicative of the accepting world where she was nurtured. How do you want to present these concepts to her?

[queenofhalves]

do you have the book "cultural literacy"? i bet that would help you structure your curriculum.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Good idea. :-)

I'd heard of the book, but hadn't picked it up.

[oakmouse]

One tack (among many; this goal is a candidate for a multifaceted approach if ever I saw one!) might be to introduce her to some of the "classic" kids' books which are age-appropriate and suited to her interests. A lot of the good old books from the 19th and early 20th centuries involve bits and pieces of culture in a painless form, such as references to literature, art, and music. One example might be Little Women; another, Jane Austen's juvenilia; another, A Little Princess or The Secret Garden. Those sort of books introduced me to the larger cultural framework when I was a kid. By the time I was 12, I knew a fair amount about Bunyan, Milton, the Bible, Christianity, the changing role of women in the 1800s, literature (especially Gothick novels *g*), classical music, and a raft of other things from the bits dropped in passing in such books. I've never read Bunyan and ended up throwing Milton against the wall (I can't stomach Paradise Lost), but I know a lot of detail about both because I've read so many stories written by people who *did* read them.

Equally, books from the 20th century which were written by literate, cultured people can have the same effect. She's probably too young for Dorothy Sayers (who is very educational in a gentle way), but check out lists of the Caldecott Award winners from before about 1960 and you'd have some good choices available.

Not sure if this will work, because I don't know if your daughter would find any such books appealing, but it might be worth a shot.

[amqu.livejournal.com]

Wow, public schooling isn't what it used to be. I was a voracious reader and picked up a lot of what I know just through fiction books. I don't know how much of a reader she is, though. Age-appropriate historical fiction might be the way to go.

Just a for instance, I was having a discussion with my mother about current events and she said she hadn't realized until she read a recent article that the United States had engaged in war with Islam at the time of Thomas Jefferson. Did I know that, she asked? Yes, I replied. I know all about the Barbary pirates because I read romance novels. ;)

[qos.livejournal.com]

I know all about the Barbary pirates because I read romance novels.
Ha! Love it!

Unfortunately, my daughter is not a voracious reader, and her tastes lean very much to either biology or fantasy so she's not picking up much by osmosis. I am going to try to get her some books that will help her get some history around a really good story.