New CORE class outline

For the past month, we have given out specific reading assignments as well as specific things to do with them.  While I have hoped that people would adapt them as necessary, we feel it has become more of a limited checklist than a way to individually explore where a student wants to go with our primary material.

We are going to change the format as follows:

-"Starting point": This will be where we have the common books/articles/videos that we want everyone to read, etc.

-"Bunny Trails!":  This is where the youth and parent will create their own "path" to further their learning, similar to what we have done the previous months.  Find articles, videos, or other activities that take what we studied in common and help you explore it more in depth where you feel inspired to go!  I recommend at least 2 or three learning activities or 1 in depth one to further your personal study of the focus for the week.  Basically, you will come up with the same kind of thing we created for you last month, but you will do it on your own in a way that is more personally, spiritually directed and adapted.

-"Project Time!":  Throughout the month I want them working on a project or series of projects where they take what they are learning under that month's principle and apply it to themselves in their lives.  They can start off with one and then adapt or change it throughout the month.  Each week we will touch base with them and the project they are currently working on, and then spend extra time the final week sharing what they learned.  It can be a project for a Master class that they are working on the entire month, or a week to week adaptation.

I am hoping that this will make it more open to personal adaptation and exploration of their personal learning styles and mission.  I have included in their tomes a page that says "What Can I Do With What I Studied?" that has a bunch of ideas for the Bunny Trail section.  I will also have ideas on the blog, but I don't want it to be just a "find a video that applies on youtube and share it."  It should be a meaningful time spent in further research that is personally directed.

We will still have the "checklists" each week and I would like to have them come to class with them already filled out with you, the parent, as much as possible, although I will have a few extra copies on hand for them to fill out there.

Please give me feedback about any ways we can adapt or improve.
Thanks!

Follow-up on Joan and her voices by Tracy Ressa

Here is some interesting information from Tracy Ressa...thanks, Tracy!

Who were Joan's "Voices?"

 

Joan herself stated at her trial that an angel she later learned was the Archangel Michael first visited her when she was thirteen on a summer day in her father's garden. Joan went on to explain how the Archangel Michael instructed her to "be good and go habitually to church." The Archangel Michael also gave her instructions as to her mission:

"The Voice told me, two or three times a week, that I, Joan, must go away and that I must go into France. Joan responded to the Archangel Michael with a certain astonishment later saying at her trial: "I answered that I was just a poor girl who knew nothing about riding or leading in war." The Archangel reassured Joan that other Voices would come to help and counsel her: "Saint Michael, when he came to me, told me that Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret would come to me and that I should act by their advice, that they were bidden to lead me in what I had to do and that I should believe in what they would say to me and that it was by God's order." 

 

As we look at who these saints were and what strong defenders of the faith they were, we nod our heads and think how appropriate that these are her counselors:

 

St. Michael the Archangel

 

St. Michael is one of the principle angels;  his name was the war cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers.  (See Daniel 10:13, Daniel 12, Rev 12:7)

 

St. Catherine of Alexandria

 

Catherine of Alexandria is said to have been born the daughter of Cestus, wealthy man of Alexandria in Egypt. She was noted for her wealth, intelligence, and beauty. She is said to have learned philosophy, languages, science (natural philosophy), and medicine. She refused to marry, not finding any man who was her equal.

She is said to have challenged the emperor (Maximinus or Maximian or his son Maxentius are variously thought to be the anti-Christian emperor in question) when she was eighteen years old. The emperor brought in some 50 philosophers to dispute her Christian ideas -- but she convinced them all to convert, at which point the emperor burned them all to death. She then is said to have converted others, even the empress.

This infuriated the emperor and she was tortured on a spiked wheel, which miraculously fell apart and the parts killed some who were watching the torture. Finally, the emperor had her beheaded.

In about the 8th or 9th century, a story became popular that after she died, St. Catherine's body was carried by angels to Mount Sinai, and that the monastery there was built in honor of this event.

St. Margaret of Antioch

 

Margaret was a virgin and martyr from Antioch, where her father was a pagan priest. Having embraced Christianity and consecrated her virginity to God, she was disowned by her father and adopted by her nurse.  (Her mother died shortly after Margaret’s birth.)

 

One day while she was watching sheep, a Roman prefect named Olybrius caught sight of her, and, attracted by her great beauty sought to make her his concubine or wife. When nothing could succeed in moving her to yield to his desires, he had her brought before him in a public trial at Antioch. Threatened with death unless she renounced the Christian faith, the holy virgin refused to adore the gods of the empire and an attempt was made to burn her, but the flames, we are told in her Acts, left her unhurt. She was then bound hand and foot and thrown into a cauldron of boiling water. Miraculously, at her prayer, her bonds were broken and she stood up uninjured. Finally the prefect ordered her to be beheaded.

 

Tracy

Inspirements for VISION DAY II

AUGUST 28TH: 9:30-12:30 (with lunch and elections afterward)

Read Section I of "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" and do at least one of the baby steps.

Bring your Tome, scriptures, and anything you wanted to show last week that you didn't get to.

Check out the Leadership link on the side to find the INSPIREMENTS for the next week, Week 1 of September.

See you then!