Copywork is a standard part of our homeschool day. According to my education hero Charlotte Mason, it is the best way to learn grammar, spelling, and just plain good writing technique. I've read that many of our great historic leaders apparently taught themselves how to write by copying down the works of others before them. This is how they became proficient enough to go on and write the great speeches and documents that formed the cornerstone of our country. Well, that's nice and all, but.........I was raised on good ole spelling tests and grammar worksheets. I love the theory, but can it really work? This is what plagues my mind when I set forth to instruct Emily in a way different from how I learned. The past two years of following Miss Mason's "copywork" ideas have worried me. However, I have begun to see some fruit.
Emily is allowed to pick her own selections to copy. These typically come from either her literature or history books. Lately, she has been picking funny quotes. When I read aloud to her, I have been commenting that quotation marks indicate a person speaking. I've mentioned this a few times. I thought she understood this because after all, I am such a good teacher to bring these things up when we read. (sarcasm here) This morning she proved that copywork is indeed the best source of instruction, not.....Mom said so. I was in the kitchen when I heard her exclaim, "Oh Mom! Those quotation marks mean that someone is talking! I never knew that." I had to smile. I told her what a good observation she had made, and mentally reminded myself to relax into the method. I've noticed that her observation is starting to effect her reading voice. She uses a different tone when someone begins to "speak" in a book. So thanks Charlotte. As far as I'm concerned, we are on a first name basis now. (a note to those not familiar with Charlotte Mason: She was turn of the century English and long since deceased).
To those of you who are still hanging in on this post, here are the funny quotes Emily has been enjoying. Do you know their source? If not, use one on Emily, and she will be happy to fill you in on the joke.
"Nothing, woman, nothing's wrong. But I haven't had so much fun since that shark bit off my legs."
"Oh please don't go-we'll eat you up-we love you so!"
But the King paid no heed to them. "I have broken my good axe," was all he said, "I have broken my good axe."
Today, after waking up to more snow, the three of us were fed up with the uncooperative weather. I mean it is officially Spring after all. We packed up and headed out in search of a slice of Spring, and ended up with a plate of summer. A humid 80 degrees was just the ticket. We spent a lovely two hours observing and dodging butterflies, watching quail crossings, and viewing the fish pond. Here are a few of the delights.
