Classical Education has become the mountain that is just too high to climb.  The sad thing, though, is that many don't even give it a try.  They decide from just looking at that mountain that it is unattainable.  They don't want to even attempt to climb it. I agree that the mountain looks steep.  There are patches of glaciers along its path and the elevation makes it difficult to breathe at times.  But the going isn't as scary as it seems from the bottom.   If the trek is taken at a slow, steady pace,  the top can be reached.

When I first heard of Classical Education, I was so excited!  I had found the way to educate my children.   Reading the Great Books, discussing them,  being a part of the Great Conversation, excited me.  This is what I wanted for my children.  As I started on this path,  I had moments of waffling.  Who was I kidding?   I couldn't teach my kids this way!   Yes, I am an avid reader, but my books are mostly of the fluff variety.  Homer would laugh me out of the room if he ever read the kind of books that I used to read.   I am horrible at math.  I am not good at science.   Latin? (shiver)  The more I walked up the path, the more I wanted to turn around and play it safe.  Taking the Classical Education trek was a bit too scary for me.  Actually, it looked quite nice at the bottom but once you started sludging up the side of the mountain, the air of second-guessing started wafting around me.  

How could a reader of Danielle Steel books ever get to the point of reading Walden or Homer?  That word kept echoing in my brain, How?  How am I ever going to do this?

I am very thankful that I didn't give up at the starting line.  I kept putting one foot in front of me by taking along  my handy dandy manual of self-education.  I began to educate myself in the area of latin, math, and science.  When we would study an area of history or science,  then I would get a book from the library on that same subject but at a  jr. youth or adult level.  I have fallen off the latin wagon but this summer I am aiming to get back on it as my oldest will start with latin during the year of 2010.  I need to be ready.  I am also planning on taking Traditional Logic  so to prepare myself when it is time for my children to take it.

The most progress I have made is in the area of reading.   No more Danielle Steel books for me.  No Sirree Bob!   I have not yet read Walden (even though it is on my bookshelf) but I have read both of Homer's, The Iliad and The Odyssey.   The best part of this is that I understood everything that was going on!   Wahoo for me!  This was a huge mountain for me to climb but it has been so worth it.  I have also read  David Hicks'  Norms and Nobility.   This is a very tough read.  My head would make a zinging sound every time I would open up the book.   It took me 3 years but I did complete it.  Better yet, I knew what he was talking about.  That is important, you know. 

I have climbed many reading mountains.  I am now ready and  semi-confident of attacking the mountain of Teaching Classical Education to my Children.  I can do this. The key is to educate myself while I am educating my children.

I think every mother should be doing this, regardless of whether they are classical homeschooling,  regardless, even, of whether they are homeschooling their children.  We owe it to our children to be familiar with and know what they are learning.  We also owe it to ourselves to excercise our brain muscless by attempting material that may be just a bit beyond us.  If we keep persevering, that material will become too easy for us and we will be able to move on to the next step.  

In honour of Mother's Day, I encourage you all to keep plugging away at the mountain of self-education.  Take a deep breath and put one foot, slowly but steadily, in front of you.  You will be amazed at all that you can accomplish!

Happy Mother's Day!

Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies, hmeschooling her 3 chldren (9,8,6) and attempting to give them a Classical Education.  You can read  more at her blog.

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