A Full Life: The Works of Charlotte Mason

CHAPTER XV - IS IT POSSIBLE?

The Attitude of Parents towards Social Questions

1. Show that we are facing a moral crisis.
2. How does this crisis show that we love our brother?
3. How does the ‘idol of size’ affect us?
4. Cui bono? Show the paralysing effect of.
5. Can character be changed?
6. What is the question of the age?
7. What is the essential miracle?
8. Why should hope fail for the vicious by inheritance?
9. For the vicious by inveterate habit?
10. For the vicious in thought?
11. What hope is there in the received doctrine of heredity?
12. Show that education is stronger than nature.
13. That there is natural preparation for salvation.
14. That ‘conversion’ is no miracle.
15. That ‘conversion’ is not contrary to natural law.
16. That there may be many ‘conversions’ in a lifetime.
17. Under what conditions is an idea potent?
18. Show the potency and fitness of the ideas included in Christianity.
19. Why is curative treatment necessary?
20. Show that a strong organisation may afford relief.
21. Show that work and fresh air are powerful agents.

CHAPTER XIV - THE HEROIC IMPULSE

Parents are concerned to give this impulse

1. Of what value is heroic poetry in education?
2. Show that Beowulf is our English Ulysses.
3. Show that he represents the English ideal.
4. Illustrate the gentleness of our forefathers.
5. Can you give any old English riddles?

CHAPTER XIII - FAITH AND DUTY

Man lives by Faith, Godward and Manward

1. Show that ’sacred’ and ’secular’ is an irreligious classification.
2. How is all intercourse of thought maintained?
3. Why is it obvious and natural that the Father of spirits should deal with the spirits of men?
4. Why is easy tolerance mischievous?
5. Show that man lives by faith in his fellows and in God.
6. Describe faith in God.
7. Show that faith is natural.
8. Is not a self-originated impulse.
9. What have you to say of the worship of faith?
10. How is ‘righteousness’ defined by the author in question?

CHAPTER XII - FAITH AND DUTY

Claims of Philosophy as an Instrument of Education

1. Show that English educational thought tends towards naturalism.
2. What is Madame de Staël’s verdict upon ‘Locke’?
3. Show that our educational efforts lack aim.
4. That we are on the verge of chaos.
5. But also on the verge of an educational revolution.
6. Is our system of education to be the issue of naturalism or idealism?
7. What is to be said of the ethical view of education?
8. Show that no attempt has been made to unify education.
9. What are the claims of philosophy as an educational agent?

10. Show that a nation should be educated for its proper functions.
11. How do the minor moralities become easy?
12. How is a habit initiated?
13. Can spirit act upon matter?
14. How is the individuality of children safeguarded?

CHAPTER XI - FAITH AND DUTY

Parents as Teachers of Morals

1. What does Mr Huxley consider to be the sole practical outcome of education?
2. Have we an infallible sense of ‘ought’ ?
3. Show the educational value of the Bible as a classic literature.
4. How should a mother’s diary be useful?
5. Show the use of fairy tales in moral instruction.
6. Of fables.
7. Of Bible stories.

8. Why should the language of the Bible be used in teaching?
9. Should the stories of miracles be used in moral instruction?
10. Should the whole Bible be put into the hands of a child?
11. Give some moral rules to be gleaned from the Pentateuch.
12. Show the value of the ‘Odyssey’ and the ‘Iliad’ in moral teaching.
13. What is the initial weakness of ’secular’ morality?
14. What is to be said in favour of lessons on duty?
15. Show the moral value of manual training.
16. Show the danger of slipshod moral teaching.
17. Show the importance of methodical ethical instruction.

CHAPTER X - BIBLE LESSONS

Parents as Instructors in Religion

1. Why are Sunday Schools necessary?
2. Show that parents should instruct their own children in religion.
3. Describe an Australian outcome of the Parents’ Union.
4. What is the gist of the report of the Committee on the Religious Education of the Upper and Middle Classes?
5. Give a few of the reasons why parents fail to instruct their children in religion.
6. Discuss the discredit thrown upon the Bible.
7. Discuss, ‘miracles do not happen.’
8. Show that our conception of God depends upon miracles.
9. Discuss miracles as contrary to natural law.
10. Show how fitting are the miracles of Christ.

CHAPTER IX - THE CULTURE OF CHARACTER

The Treatment of Defects

1. What is the ultimate object of education?
2. How are parents concerned with ‘the defects of their qualities’ in their children?
3. Give some cases of children thus ‘defective.’
4. Indicate the special treatment in each case.
5. Show that moral ailments need prompt attention.
6. Show that ‘one custom overcometh another’ is a gospel for parents.
7. In what way is there a material register of educational efforts ?
8. Prove that mother-love is not sufficient in itself for child-training.

CHAPTER VIII - THE CULTURE OF CHARACTER

Parents as Trainers

1. How far does heredity count?
2. Show the value of opportunity to children.

3. Describe a curious experiment in education.
4. Show that character is an achievement.
5. What two ways have we of preserving sanity?
6. Show that the development of character is the chief work of education.
7. Give some plausible reasons for doing nothing towards character training.
8. How does the advance of science affect the question?
9. What is a parent’s duty towards a lovely family trait?
10. Towards distinctive qualities?
11. What are the four conditions of culture?
12. Exemplify in the case of a child with an inherited turn for languages.
13. Show that work and waste of brain tissue are necessary.
14. Point out the danger of eccentricity.
15. Name some causes of oddity in children.
16. How shall we save our ’splendid failures’?

CHAPTER VII - THE PARENT AS SCHOOLMASTER

1. What is a schoolmaster supposed to do for a boy?
2. For what various reasons is this task left to the schoolmaster?
3. With what class of children does he succeed?
4. Why does not the discipline of school always affect the life?
5. Discuss ‘Edward Waverley’ as an example of mental ’sprawling.’
6. Show that we are not meant to grow up in a state of Nature.
7. Prove that the first function of the parent is that of discipline.
8. Show that education is a discipline.
9. Distinguish between discipline and punishment.
10. How are disciples lured?
11. Show that discipline means steady progress on a careful plan.

CHAPTER VI - PARENTS AS INSPIRERS

Primal Ideas derived from Parents

1. What is the chief thing we have to do in the world?
2. Name two ideas of God specially fit for children.
3. ‘We ought to move slowly up through the human side.’ Why not?
4. Distinguish between logical certainty and moral right.
5. How might the Crucifixion have appeared to a conscientious Jew? How, to a patriotic Jew?
6. Show what primal ideas children get from their parents.
7. What have you to say as to the first approaches to God made by a little child?

8. Discuss the question of archaic forms in children’s prayers.
9. Show how fit for a child is ‘the shout of a King.’
10. Also the notion of the ‘fight for Christ against the devil.’
11. “How very hard it is to be a Christian.” Is this a child’s experience?