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Finding Good Books and Finding the Character Development within Them Great Character Building Site-Christian 10 Commandments of Organization High Cost of Disorganization--Why we should develop the virtue of orderliness. "A Civilization at Risk: Whatever Became of Virtue?"--Online Chapter 1 from Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft "Justice, Wisdom, Courage, and Moderation: The Four Cardinal Virtues"--Online Chapter 4 from Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft Online "Prologue" from Heart of Virtue by Donald Demarco "Living a Virtuous Life" by Fr. William Saunders "On Self-Discipline" by Rev. James V. Schall, S.J. |
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PRAY for FORTITUDE & PERSEVERANCE No NAGGING! Remember: A Hopeful, Expectant Eye! Be as positively hopeful in the face of your own failure, as you wish to be when your children fail. |
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| The Way of the Will |
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| The Four Cardinal Virtues Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude, & Justice |
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| Note: Underscored titles and names indicate web links. Click on them to access the mentioned resource. |
| Miss Mason recommends that: "Children should be taught (a) to distinguish between 'I want' and 'I will.' (b) That the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts away from that which we desire but do not will. (c) That the best way to turn our thoughts is to think of, or do some quite different thing, entertaining or interesting. (d) That after a little rest in this way, the will returns to its work with new vigour. (This adjunct of the will is familiar to us as diversion, whose office it is to ease us for a time from will effort that we may 'will' again with added power. The use of suggestion as an aid to the will is to be deprecated, as lending to stultify and stereotype character. It would seem that spontaneity is a condition of development, and that human nature needs the discipline of failure as well as of success.) The study of the will is important as it provides the basis for much of Miss Mason's educational theory. Because the will can be trained through the use of diversion, or a change of activities, it only makes sense that we must first develop the habit of attention before we can effectively begin to train our will. Then, when needful, we can change our thoughts whenever they are leading us away from that which we will. If our will is weak, all the more reason for not thinking the thoughts which could lead us astray, and to strengthen our power to divert our thoughts, it is helpful to engage in a different activity. This becomes important in homeschooling when we schedule our tablework, alternating subjects of intense concentration with those that require less concentration or physical activity. This alternating of short lessons helps to build the habit of attention, and allows our children to succeed as they do. It is vital that our children can accomplish the tasks to which we set them. Herein lies the true self-esteem that is healthy for our children to have--the knowledge that they can apply themselves to difficult tasks and can accomplish them. However, ...The Will, we are told, is 'the sole practical faculty of man.' But who is to define the Will? We are told again that 'the Will is the man'; and yet most men go through life without a single definite act of willing. Habit, convention, the customs of the world have done so much for us that we get up, dress, breakfast, follow our morning's occupations, our later relaxations, without an act of choice. For this much at any rate we know about the will. Its function is to choose, to decide, and there seems to be no doubt that the greater becomes the effort of decision the weaker grows the general will. Opinions are provided for us, we take our principles at second or third hand, our habits are suitable ,and convenient, and what more is necessary for a decent and orderly life? But the one achievement possible and necessary for every man is character; and character is as finely wrought metal beaten into shape and beauty by the repeated and accustomed action of will. We who teach should make it clear to ourselves that our aim in education is less conduct than character; conduct may be arrived at, as we have seen, by indirect routes, but it is of value to the world only as it has its source in character." An interesting revelation I've had, is that the will we develop when learning new habits is the same will that we need to develop if we are to have a godly, good character. So we found it helpful to begin with developing habits of orderliness first, and then using the will we 've strengthened to help us further develop virtues and good character. As my children are older, we've been working together to do this, studying habits and the will. This is especially important for children over the age of reason. |
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| If Education truly is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life, then homeschooling parents must be inherently familiar with habit formation, both their own and their children's. A peaceful, loving, and knowledge- oriented atmosphere does not occur without the systematic and persistent efforts of the parents. Habit, a means of rendering the most basic requirements of such an atmosphere automatic, is, or will become, the parents' best friend. In addition, training the children to control and master their own wills and behavior is an inherent part of creating the Christian character capable of heroic deeds in the future. |
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| Lynn Hocraffer's Study Guides to CM-- GREAT summaries/outlines on the following topics: Woman of Wisdom, The Child, Discipline, Habits & Character, Motto of Education & Reforms, Ideas, Relations, Attention, Narration, The Will, The Reason, Goals, Religion, The 3 R's, Geography & History, The Arts, Masterly Inactivity, Outdoor Education, Nature Study & Notebooks, Method and Philosophy of Education, Useful Links, Twenty Questions, A Charlotte Mason Education, Book Review, Hints on Child Training, Book Review, For the Children's Sake, Book Review CM's Original Home Education (Online: click on underlined volume number) Vol. 1: Home Education: (not yet online) Vol. 2: Parents & Children: (completely online) Vol. 3: School Education: (20 chapters online) Vol. 4: Ourselves: (1st three chapters on- line) [All about Habits of doing good (Virtues) and Vices; Forming right conscience] Vol. 5: Formation of Character: (not yet online) Vol. 6: A Philosophy of Education: (completely online) The Way of the Will -- C. Mason, vol. 6, ch. 8 Charlotte Mason Education Links |
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| Transcript of "The Will" in progress! |