I would also do much better if I remembered this one:
I tend to follow the new and shiny instead of seeking the old ways that are tried and true.
In this volume she emphasizes the role of the teacher for children ages 9 to about 13. They are not to be lecturers or to provide oral lessons. Instead, their key role is in selecting living books, listening to narrations and discerning if children are just sharing information or truly are acquiring knowledge as they read. They should not be cramming facts but rather recast, condense, illustrate and narrate what they are learning. She repeats multiple times, "What a child digs for is his own possession." My personal experience testifies to this; however, it is an act of faith and requires time for children to dig. It is letting go of what I think is most important and allowing my kids to be their own people and finding their own way among thoughtful people. Honestly, I love teaching because it encourages me to "dig" for those nuggets. In some way it holds me accountable to keep learning. I guess maybe I need to just do it for myself and not inflict it on everyone around me.
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