Blog Posts - Page 3 of 3 - Timeline of Classics

18Aug 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Book Lovers: Why Children are Naturals

Classical Education, Literary Analysis, Read Aloud

Do you want your children to grow up loving books? Would you like more than anything for them to have a well-rounded, literary education? If your answer is "yes," then you have to take some simple steps to nurture the book lovers in your home. [caption id="attachment_502" align="aligncenter" width="560"] A library provides a feast for the imagination. For children, this is amplified![/caption] Few things in life bring as much delight for a child as a trip to the library! What’s not to love? Kids, who are natural born book lovers, are drawn like magnets to the children’s section of a library. From pint-sized furniture to animal prints, pirate ships, and reading nooks with secret passages, a library provides a place of wonder and discovery for young imaginations. Nurture the Book…

08Aug 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Recharge for a New School Year – Part 2

Classical Education

In the last post we considered a few ways to rejuvenate yourself for a new school year. Since I am a teacher, I dearly love the summer break! But since the ideas I share will work for anyone in any season of life, let's continue my "re-" list of ways to recharge your battery. Picking up where we left off... Reset creativity - Walk the dog, go for a run, take a shower, do chores, play a game, or, my favorite: take a nap! Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, played the violin to restore clarity and inspiration. Need to get unstuck? Reset your creativity. Retire your phone for the night - I once heard wise advice: charge your cell phone in the car. Relinquish your grasp…

17Jul 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Recharge for a New School Year – Part 1

Classical Education, Read Aloud

Soon after the 2015-2016 school year ended, I was given an unexpected gift: a day at home all alone. It was glorious! (I took three naps.) Once I wiped away the sleep from my eyes, I was shocked at how tired I really was. Truthfully, a teacher's work is never done and plans for a new school year are always on the brain. With a new school year just around the corner, teachers look forward to the summer months to recharge their batteries. Perhaps sharing these refreshing ideas with you will encourage both of us to take better care of ourselves! Rest your body - You may not realize how worn out you probably are! Stress is a normal part of life, but it can have nasty consequences on your…

02Jun 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Podcast Featuring TLC – An Interview with Sarah Mackenzie (Read-Aloud-Revival)

Classic Literature, History through Literature, Podcast, Read Aloud, Top Posts

I love Sarah Mackenzie! If I could pick my neighbors, the Mackenzies would live in my neighborhood. But, since I'm on the east coast, and Sarah on the west, we'll just be thankful for wifi, headsets, and plenty of laughter! After meeting her for the first time last Fall at an IEW Exhibitor's Retreat, I learned that we had many things in common: a house full of kids an insatiable love for great books a great desire to give our families a literary education a sincere wish to face the library without fear We've bumped into one another since then at a home school convention and had a recent conversation, which is now a podcast for you to enjoy! There's so much more I could say, but that will have…

31May 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Reader Response Journaling: How the Light Bulb Switched on in One Classical Classroom

Classical Education, History through Literature, Literary Analysis

Luckily, there is a simple and effective way for classical educators to improve comprehension: reader-response journaling. Several months ago I was completing the finishing touches on the second edition of Timeline of Classics when I met a new friend, Donna Seidman. As I explained the new edition, she became more and more excited! After spending a semester refining the methods I described to her, these are Donna's observations: I teach 6th and 7th grade English classes along with Classical Studies at a hybrid-style charter school in California. I became aware of Timeline of Classics earlier this year and was excited to implement it in my 7th grade class. Being a traditional class which was used to worksheets and simply answering questions, students were: challenged to consider the material learned to…

19May 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

It Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming: Let’s Go to the Library!

Classical Education, History through Literature, Literary Analysis, Read Aloud, Reader-Response Journaling

If you're like me, the library was, and still is, one of the favorite all-time stops for my kids and me. The very mention of going to get books brought nothing but glee and smiles to the faces of my kids. (One of my daughters is now a nanny for a young family. Guess where she takes the kids at least once a week?) I knew that I needed some sort of plan before we hit the road. Choosing books at the library is like walking down the cereal aisle at the grocery store...too many choices! What's a mom to do? My heart has always been drawn toward history. Perhaps it's because I was born into a home with four grandparents and a great-grandmother who lived to be 100 years…

09Apr 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Introducing Timeline of Classics – An interview with IEW’s Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker

Classical Education, History through Literature, Literary Analysis, Podcast, Reader-Response Journaling, Top Posts

I am pleased to announce the arrival of TLC2! Wouldn't you know it? Timeline of Classics (the second edition) hit the presses the very same week I visited IEW's home base for a week of training! Not only was I overwhelmed by the beauty of eastern Oklahoma, but I could hardly contain my excitement. This was the first time I had seen the facility where my chronological book list is being published! Visiting IEW I serve the Institute for Excellence in Writing as a Certified online instructor, exhibitor, and author. It was a joy to finally meet so many of the wonderful people I work with at IEW. During my stay, I was interviewed by Andrew Pudewa (the founder, principal speaker, and director of IEW) and Julie Walker (Andrew's right…

07Feb 2016 by Gail Ledbetter

Second Edition – Coming Soon in 2016!

Classical Education, History through Literature, Literary Analysis, Reader-Response Journaling

I am pleased to announce that Timeline of Classics is expanding in 2016. The editing team at the Institute for Excellence in Writing will soon release the second edition! With the help of my literary analysis students, I bring you more "teacher features" to make Timeline of Classics even more useful for busy teachers and their students. You Can Do It! You can learn to confidently coach students of any age through any piece of classic literature. Let me teach you how to make the good and great books come alive. It's easier than you may think! Here are some simple but effective tools that have been added to the second edition: Reader-Response Journaling: a powerful method for developing thinkers Socratic Discussion: the no-tears formula Vocabulary Study: the secret weapon Prepare…