Wednesday 5 September 2012

Science, Fabre and Charlotte Mason

(Science's) textbook usually presents a devitalized science - only a genius can write a scientific book that throbs with life and is still scientific. Read Fabre's descriptions of insect life, those fascinating stories from which one has to tear one's self away, and compare that description of the same insect in a textbook of biology - the one is a living story of living creatures, the other a lifeless account of dead, dissected things.
  D. Avery, The Cultural Value of Science, Parents Review, volume 31, no. 9.  edited by Charlotte Mason.

This sums up my intention for this blog.  How can we learn science in a way that is throbbing with life?  Jean Henri Fabre wrote living stories.  Charlotte Mason, a 20th century British educator, stated that 'all thought we offer to our children shall be living thought; no mere dry summaries of facts will do; given the vitalizing idea, children will readily hang the mere facts upon the idea as upon a peg capable of sustaining all that it is needful to retain.' (2/227) Those ideas are introduced first through living books.

be-like-Fabre:  books that throb with life, persons that observe keenly and learn.

6 comments:

  1. Oh, yes - I have found you! Lovely, Jen. Can't wait to continue reading your insights into the world of science.

    Congratulations and hugs,
    ME!

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  2. Hello, Jen! I look forward to following your blog, the insights and discoveries you will have to share!

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  3. Dear Jen,

    I'm so thankful that you've started this! I'll be watching closely.

    JT

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  4. Hi, Jen.
    Welcome to the blog world :)
    I am looking forward to more of your thoughts and learning alongside you.
    So glad you're here.
    Bobby Jo

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  5. Thank you for your support! I'm still trying to get the technology figured out, it's slowing me down!
    JLG

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