So after Brandy at Afterthoughts posted some suggestions for a Mother’s Summer Education Course, I felt inspired to write about my choices for each of her suggested categories, and the reasons for them. We still have almost six weeks of our current Ambleside readings left to fit in between VBS, vacation and summer camp, so I still have several currents reads to finish up. But there are some other books I’d like to read, or at least start, over the summer.
Divinity
I will continue to read A Praying Life – so far it’s been really convicting, encouraging, and practical. I also hope to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, as a head-start on the AO Year 8 reading (and because I’ve been wanting to read it for years).
Physiology and Health
I may be cheating a bit with this selection, as Brandy says this category should focus on children’s health, but Ambleside does list Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand under the category of health. This is not a favorite genre of mine – just reading the AO notes gives me the willies – but I do need to pre-read it to see if it is appropriate for Miss A next year.
Mental and Moral Science and Education
Now this is the category where I almost always have a book (usually several books) going, and many more waiting on my shelves or wishlist! I hope to finish up two or three over the summer. I am about halfway through Awakening Wonder (which got sidetracked by Life Under Compulsion) – it’s short but a bit dense. Honey for a Teen’s Heart also went on my must-read list after reading Heidi at Mt. Hope’s fabulous review. I’m not too thrilled that my copy looks like a bad photo-copy, but I guess I’ll survive. 😉 I also bought Arithmetic for Parents at Brandy’s recommendation, and I’m hoping it will give me some much-needed understanding in the area of math.
Nature Lore and the Elements of Science
This is another neglected reading category for me, which is ironic, since I married a scientist. But I need to broaden my horizons, so I’m going to tackle Fabre’s The Life of the Spider, which Miss A is currently reading. Perhaps if I finish that I’ll get a head start on Galileo’s Daughter, scheduled in Year 8, or even read Galileo himself.
Fiction and Literature
This selection has a bit of a story. Watership Down is scheduled in AO Year 7, but because Miss A had already listened to the audiobook multiple times, I decided to replace it with Ben Hur. I did still want to read it myself, and bought a lovely hardback earlier this year, but had yet to read more than a few pages. When I posted on the AO forum about my struggles to comprehend The Once and Future King, another Year 7 book, one lady suggested that reading and discussing Watership Down would help. So I talked to Miss A, and she agreed to read a few chapters a week during the summer. I am looking forward to it, as I’ve seen several other AO mothers say it is wonderful, and it is one of my husband’s favorite books. I’m still not sure if we’ll try the second book of The Once and Future King at some point – the first was not an enjoyable read for either of us, and just seemed downright weird (not to mention irreverent) at times.
And here’s hoping I can squeeze another novel in during the summer – Lorna Doone perhaps?
