Take the Unhurried, Thoughtful Path
From Sarah Stabenow, Marketing Coordinator
saun·ter: (verb) walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort
My children have been hitting the trails since they could hold their heads up in a hiking backpack. Once they were big enough to walk on their own, our hikes became much shorter, which initially frustrated me. It was during this stage that I was introduced to the word "saunter." My oldest, an expert at marveling at nature and taking her time, taught me its true meaning. While I was focused on our mileage goals and completing the trail, she naturally focused more on feeling the sand in her toes, hearing the birds, and smelling the flowers—enjoying the journey more than the destination. Little did I know then, this is a lesson my kids would teach me over and over.
John Muir, the renowned naturalist and advocate for wilderness preservation, beautifully articulated this sentiment when he said, “I don't like either the word [hike] or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not 'hike!”
As a Charlotte Mason educator, I see a profound connection between sauntering and our educational philosophy. An unhurried, thoughtful approach nurtures curiosity, appreciation, and relationship! Charlotte Mason reminds us, “Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking – the strain would be too great – but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest.”
As many of us approach the third term, contemplating lesson plans and trying to fit everything in before summer, let the idea of sauntering guide our decisions. Instead of cramming unfinished work, let's be deliberate about what can be accomplished and savor the lessons. Enjoy the springtime weather and take moments to saunter outside, embracing the art of unhurried exploration.
Where are you in this term? How do you find balance between the unhurried life and the educational goals you've set for the year? Share your thoughts with us in this Fabulous Friday post!
Notes
1. Late Summer CORE: Did you miss registration for the 8-week intensives on Mason’s methods starting in June? Jump into one of our late-summer cohorts instead! Class times for Cohort 1 are especially designed to accommodate early birds and/or those outside North America.
2. Alveary+ Pre-order: Sign up early and get a free monograph! Everything you love about Alveary’s rich lesson plans will be loaded into the Syllabird scheduling tool and available on June 1. Renew your membership or head to your 2024-25 dashboard for the link to upgrade your membership!
3. CMI Virtual Tickets: Virtual Tickets are now available for purchase! For $49.99, you'll get access to all five keynote sessions, a selection of breakout sessions, a virtual swag bag, a special giveaway for virtual attendees, and more. Purchase your virtual ticket here.
4. Alveary Science Kits: Science kits are now available to order. Head to Homeschool Science Tools and get your science supplies for the year delivered to your door!
5. On the Blog: How does personhood relate to curriculum? Originally from the Spring 2020 series, we're re-releasing an interview with Dr. Carroll Smith titled Personhood and Curriculum with a new and fully-edited transcript. Check it out on the CMI blog.
6. Alveary Open House: Our Ambassador Kit includes inspiring ideas and two encouraging videos from Dr. Whiteside, Alveary's Program Director, to help you organize a local event. Invite your friends and share the joy of Alveary!
7. Common Place Quarterly: For only $25/year, you can enjoy digital access to all 25 back issues of CPQ, plus those coming out this year! Use code: CMIdigital25 at checkout.
8. Class of 2024: We would love to celebrate with you! Share a picture of your graduate and a favorite Alveary memory for us to highlight on social media and the Hive!
9. Alveary Weekly: Missed an issue? If you want to check out past issues of our Newsletter head to the “What’s New” section of your dashboard!
10. Office Hours: Here is a link from Wednesday’s Office Hours on Foreign Language with Kim Keel.
