- Registration with Lodging: $285
- Registration with Lodging, Spouse: $245
- Registration Commuter: $235
- Registration Commuter, Spouse: $195
We are excited to announce the Charlotte Mason Educational Retreat, 2018. WHO? The CMER Team and Nancy Kelly We are honored, humbled, and very thrilled Nancy Kelly has accepted our invitation to serve as a plenary speaker for CMER 2018. Nancy Kelly lives in a little town on the prairie called Windom, Minnesota. She and her husband Kent have home-educated their six children for over 20 years using the principles and practices of Charlotte Mason. Nancy has helped build a thriving educational community in southwest Minnesota that continues to learn and grow. She administrates the Parents’ Midwest Educational Union (PMEU), a parents’ book discussion group; Truth, Beauty, Goodness (TBG), a student learning cooperative; the teacher-training Awakening sessions; and the Living Education Retreat, now in its 12th year of sharing and spreading the ideas of Charlotte Mason. Speaking, consulting, and mentoring are three of her favorite things to do. A trip with Kent and dear friends to Ambleside, England in 2014 forever changed her understanding of Mason’s teacher training and deepened her love for Mason’s relational philosophy. She is a current board member of the Charlotte Mason Institute and writes at her CM-inspired blog, Sage Parnassus. Her newest project, Living Education Lessons, is an online mentoring community. She enjoys family, 'bright eyes', flower gardening, collecting vintage honeypots, exploring the flora and fauna of new places, and of course...books. You can contact her at [email protected]. Check out Nancy's blog by clicking HERE! WHEN? Friday, February 2, 2018, to Sunday, February 4, 2018 WHERE? INFORMATION Registration for CMER 2018 will open in August. At that time, a schedule, session descriptions, and policies will also be available. COST Registration includes a Friday afternoon preretreat introduction to a Charlotte Mason Education and six meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. Everyone lodging with us will have an individual bed but may be in a 2, 3, or 4-person room. Private rooms are available for an additional fee of $82.
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By Dawn Rhymer Sometimes the depths of my illiteracy still astound me. I have shared of my past, of my disdain or great indifference towards all things beautiful and the pride which wrapped itself around those beliefs. How could my mind, my soul, have made it so long with so little? My current, favorite verse comes from Acts 13:8. It simply states, speaking of God’s patience with the Israelites during the Exodus, “And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.” I am about forty, I have been in the wilderness, and God has so patiently put up with me. This verse both brings me to rejoice and simultaneously drives me to weep. The project began with simple research of O Sacred Head Now Wounded for my local Charlotte Mason learning community. I came across this statement, “The tune — those of you who love sacred choral music, you’re going to immediately recognize it as the PASSION CHORALE, as a part of a very, very famous piece of music composed by one of the greatest composers of all time, anywhere in any culture, and certainly one of the finest Christian sacred choral composers ever, Johann Sebastian Bach.”[1] I had no idea about what they were talking. What very, very famous piece of music? The search for the answer led to a consuming project which included listening to no less than twenty hours over five days of Bach’s Passio Domini nostri J.C. secundum Evangelistam Matthæum (The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Evangelist Matthew) or simply, St. Matthew Passion. The end result, inspired by Cindy Rollins’s 25 Days of Christmas with Handel’s Messiah, is A 40 Day Devotional for Worship. The devotional spreads the listening of the St. Matthew Passion over 40 days. I highly recommend using it together with the performance by the Netherlands Bach Society. I hope and pray this devotional will be a blessing to you and your family. May God be glorified. [1] Dr. Ligon Duncan. Hymns of the Faith: O Sacred Head Now Wounded
By Karen Canon [xi] ‘...that stability of mind and magnanimity of character which are the proper outcome and the unfailing test of a liberal education.’[i] MAGNANIM'ITY, noun [Latin magnanimitas; magnus, great, and animus, mind.] Greatness of mind; that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquillity and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, interest and safety for the accomplishment of useful and noble objects. Charlotte Mason: A Study in Magnanimity
1842-1923 in the words of her Friends and Students Excerpted from In Memoriam: Charlotte M. Mason [ii] By Dawn Rhymer At the 2017 Charlotte Mason Educational Retreat, we shared the following invitation with those in attendance. We also share this invitation with those who attended the CMER in 2016. self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid on the surface of a [our] nature Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, p. 240 The seeds for the idea of “Thoughts That Burn” were first planted at the November Journey Society meeting. A public invitation was given to those in attendance to write for their future blog. A good friend immediately responded to the invitation, and I remember thinking, “No, no! Write for us.” I never spoke the words to her, a bit embarrassed at my selfish reaction, but the idea took root.
Then, in January, I began listening to the audio version of Chris Anderson’s TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking. In it he shares how TED, seeing the vital role of self-education but understanding the motivation to take the time is often difficult, gives its employees every other Wednesday off to devote to learning about something for which they have a passion. In return, the employees then give back to TED by sharing what they learn in a TED Talk for the company. “That meant we all got to benefit from one another’s knowledge but, crucially, it also provided the key incentive for people to get on with it and actually learn.”1 In Mr. Anderson’s words, we see the double benefit of self-education. It is necessary for our own growth and through what we learn, we can also serve our community. Miss Mason, more than a century ago, shared Mr. Anderson’s vision with the graduates from the House of Education, the teacher training school at Ambleside. By Dawn Rhymer The event of CMER 2017 has come to a joyful end, but for the hearts and minds stirred there, Lord willing, it is not over. Here is my response to a friend who was praying for us.
We look forward to sharing parts of it with you over the next several weeks. To begin, this is the Welcome Letter shared at CMER 2107. “Mom, why are you doing this thing with this retreat?” This was the question posed to me by my oldest son just days ago.
I had not been directly asked that before by anyone, let alone a teenager who had been listening to and watching his mom for months preparing for the Charlotte Mason Educational Retreat (CMER). How was I to answer? Why was he asking? What did he want to hear? I had no short, well-rehearsed answer. I thought the answer required time and perhaps a story. He, of course, was not looking for that. So I fumbled and said, “Because I like doing these kinds of things.” The question reverberates in my mind, “Mom, why are you doing this thing with this retreat?” I should have had a better answer ready for him, because there is a better answer. I should have been ready to share with him the mission and vision of the Charlotte Mason Educational Retreat. It is with great joy I share this weather post with a forecast from Weather Underground. It looks like it is going to be beautiful. Last year, I only paid attention to the temperature, but as my children and I are currently studying weather, my eye has been drawn to other factors as well. The sun will be shining and the winds will be gentle. This is no small thing, and I'm beyond grateful.
In regards to clothing, our nights will still be cold and much of The Ponderosa is shaded by tall pines, so I'm still expecting areas with snow on the ground. Therefore, though it doesn't look like you will need to pack your full winter weather gear, you will still want appropriate outdoor shoes and potentially a hat and gloves. You may not need a jacket for the day, but plan for a coat in the early morning and evening, as before the sun has warmed the earth and once it drops behind the mountains, it can still be quite cold. I think this beautiful weather may open up the possibility of trying some of the trails on The Ponderosa during our free time. I'm looking forward to the adventure. The Ponderosa is under a fire ban, so we will be unable to use their fire pits for singing and roasting marshmallows. We have come up with some alternate activities for Friday and Saturday night. Friday Night: Game Night After the plenary session, drinks and snacks will be available as we gather together to play games. Bring a favorite game to share, try another's favorite, or simply join us for the laughter and conversation which is sure to ensue. Saturday Night: Contredanse After the Spouses' Panel it will be time to swing your partner. Whether you move to the beat or have two left feet, the evening of dancing is sure to be a joy. Here is a description of Contredanse from our caller:
By Dawn Rhymer I would like to take a walk. I would like to take one every day. I would like to take one no matter the weather. It would be fine to be alone; it would be equally fine to have the company of my children. There is just one problem with this idea: I'm not doing it.
It happens often in my mind's eye. I can smell the fresh air. I can feel the glow of the sun on my skin. I smile as I recognize the plants and trees which have become my friends along the well-trodden path. I know when the flowers are going to appear; I know them by name. I hear the sounds of the train in the distance and the gobble of the neighbor's turkeys. But I hear more than just the familiar; I hear sounds I have never heard before but have always been there. This idea is not a new one, as it has been on my mind for years. Sometimes, it is forgotten in the busyness of life and weeks can pass without a thought of it. But it returns with gusto, perhaps when I see a familiar neighbor making his rounds, hear of my Mom taking a walk with my Dad, as I read Miss Mason's words of encouragement to get outside, or a child shares the joy of a discovery in the yard. Yet, I do not go. We realized registration deadlines were not included in the original policy and registration pages.
By Check Registration closes on Monday, January 23. Paypal Registration closes on Monday, January 30. By Misty Sena It’s a brand new year! I always think the hanging of a new calendar brings new hope and opportunity. It can be like starting fresh. People make plans and goals. I have noticed, however, in my homeschooling journey that January and February can often be a time of weariness. The holidays seem long passed. We are in the midst of the school year and way behind in our curriculum. The nights are long and the days are cold. This year, I hit that wall early -- way back about Thanksgiving weekend. A dear lady, much further down this homeschooling/parenting journey than I am, encouraged me to take the entire month of December to re-fuel: to find things that feed my soul, to rest my spirit and to enjoy my children. Taking her advice, I put school books away and kept our Advent and Christmas plans to the simplest traditions. I added beauty to our world in the little things by playing soothing music, or silly music, or wild music. I lit candles at dinner, even on the nights we had sandwiches. I reached out to an old friend and encouraged a new one. I read a book, a novel, just for myself. I used the TV a little more or bundled the older kids and sent them outside to play. I went out to play with the children. We played games and snuggled through books and made a few cookies. It was good; I had forgotten how much we could enjoy one another. We did laundry together and cleaned house together before playing together. I scheduled only barest of outings. I implemented a quiet time for even those that are too old for naps. (Sometimes they resisted.) I snuggled more and observed much. It wasn’t perfect. But I had time to focus in on problem areas. Overall, it was lovely. I am refreshed and excited to begin this new year and continue on with our schooling.
Charlotte Mason said that, “Perhaps the first thing for us to do is to get a just perception of what I may call the relativity of knowledge and the mind. The mind receives knowledge, not in order that it may know, but in order that it may grow, in breadth and depth, in sound judgment and magnanimity; but in order to grow, it must know. The fact is that we [teachers/mothers] are handicapped… We as teachers depreciate ourselves and our office; we do not realise that in the nature of things the teacher has a prophetic power of appeal and inspiration, that his part is not the weariful task of spoon-feeding with pap-meat, but the delightful commerce of equal minds where his is the part of guide, philosopher and friend. Vol. 6 pg 237 (emphasis mine) |
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