Bent Leather
From Shannon Whiteside, Program Director:
The final session of the CMI conference last week in Kentucky was a wonderful presentation by Sandra Zuidema called Life Long Learning = A Life of Creativity. As Sandra shared her thoughts, she also made pottery on a wheel right in front of our eyes. She told her story about how her years immersed in teaching a Charlotte Mason education inspired her pottery designs. She also talked about the way pottery has allowed her to get to know others and share a commonality when her natural self would have been shy and introverted. In Ourselves, Mason talked about the importance of having a wide knowledge so we can always be ready to talk to strangers and engage with their interests. Even if we think we may not have anything in common with someone, we can learn from them and tap into their knowledge. It might not be easy at first to know what their particular interest might be. But if we are patient and willing, there will be a topic that sparks joy for that person. This is how Mason described it: “Perhaps there is no one who has not some bit of knowledge or experience, or who has not had some thought, all his own. A good story is told of Sir Walter Scott, how he was travelling from London to Edinburgh by the stage-coach, and sharing the box-seat with him was a man who would not talk. He tried the weather, crops, politics, books, every subject he could think of––and we may be sure they were many. At last, in despair, he turned round with, "Well, what can you talk about, sir?" "Bent leather," said the man; and, added Sir Walter, "we had one of the most interesting conversations I remember." Everybody has his 'bent leather' to talk about, if we have the gift to get at it” (p. 75).
After the conference, I visited the Shaker Village which was a community built in the 1800’s by a group of people whose unique beliefs shaped their way of living, their craftsmanship and their style of worship (hence the name Shakers). The two different guides brought such enthusiasm to their presentations. I couldn’t help but think that the Shakers were their “bent leather.” I even asked them personal questions about why they were so fascinated with the Shakers and what they appreciated about that community. It made me realize that when we make the time to learn from others, we are giving them an opportunity to be valued, to be heard and to be treated as a person. I benefited from their knowledge, but I hope they too felt blessed by sharing their insight to someone who engaged and dialogued with them. I encourage you to help your students look for ways to find the “bent leather” of the people that come across their path and to encounter the joy that comes from a shared conversation.
Notes
1. Office Hours: Please join us next Wednesday, August 7th for a Book Discussion on A New Book for Little Historians. Make sure to RSVP to the event here. We can’t wait to see you there!
2. New Executive Director: CMI is entering a new phase! Founded by our first executive director, Carroll Smith, we are now excited to introduce you to our next Executive Director, Kerri Forney! Read a letter from her here.
3. CMI Tribute: We are thrilled to announce the 2024 CMI Tribute honoree, Nicole Cottrell, for her inspiring work at Stories of Color, where she encourages and equips homeschoolers to offer a more diverse feast of living books.
4. Virtual Tickets for Joy of Making: Gather with friends and have a watch party (we’ll provide some ideas and inspiration for events like this), sneak in one recording at a time when you have the chance, watch with a spouse, grandparent, neighbor, or colleague, it’s up to you! Content will be available from September 14-December 31. While you wait, enjoy some past conference talks here!
5. #AlvearyBackToSchool: Start the school year strong with Alveary! Join us every Friday in August on Instagram for tips and inspiration. Share your back-to-school moments by tagging @Alveary and using #AlvearyBackToSchool.
August 2: Planning and Preparation 📸
August 9: Nature and Outdoor Learning 🌿
August 16: Creative Spaces 🏠
August 23: Living Books 📚
August 30: Handicrafts 🧵
6. American Colonial History Book: This book is scheduled for high school history this year. It is currently listed as “out of stock” on the website. If you still need to purchase this book for your student(s) please contact Yale University Press customer service at 1-800-405-1619 to place an order. They have a limited number available and request that orders be placed before the end of September to be fulfilled.
