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The following presentation was given at Coram Deo Academy’s Classical Educators Training Conference on August 7, 2007. An audio version of Mrs. Rogers’ remarks is available by CLICKING HERE.

Stabilitas, Conversio Morum, Oboedientia:
Keys to Managing Learning at Home

Good afternoon and welcome to this grammar track session of the 2007 Classical Educators Training Conference. I’m Barbara Rogers, Admission Director of Coram Deo Academy, and the mother of three current CDA students as well as two CDA alumni.

I’m sure you’ll recall that the Latin phrase, coram deo, means “before God” or “in the presence of God.”  By choosing to educate your children at Coram Deo Academy, you are embracing an approach which aims to commend all facets of our lives, public and private, physical and intellectual, to God’s presence.

This session focuses on how we do that in the “at home component” specifically for the younger student, say from Kindergarten until 4th grade but we’ll be laying a foundation which is applicable to all grade levels and ages. I’d like for us to consider three elements of successful learning at home: stabilitas, conversiō morum, and oboedientia. But first let us open with prayer.

O gracious Father, we give thanks for these parents who are dedicated to raising children to glorify and serve you. We thank you for the commitment of time and money and effort that they are investing in their children’s futures.

We humbly ask that you send forth your Holy Spirit and breathe God’s truth, your grace, your direction upon this time together. Grant that what is spoken and what is heard, is the message of encouragement that you want to shower upon these parents as they begin a new school year and another year of growing closer to you. All this we ask in the name of your precious son. Amen.

We truly do need to begin each day with prayer. I hope that you have regular devotions together as a family with Bible reading and prayer time. There are so many good ways to instruct your children in the faith and encourage them in their young walks with the Lord.

But I also know that some of you are in a season of life where you don’t have an extensive block of time in the morning to pray before Dad leaves for work. You have diapers to change and toddlers to potty train and all sorts of demands on your time. So I simply want to encourage you to cultivate a pattern of prayer which compliments your current circumstances. Of course, make a commitment to pray but realize that this is a season. Before you know it, you’ll be entering another season and adapting to life’s changes. In an eye blink, your children will be like mine: from ages 11 to 21 and there will be no babies to rock to sleep.

Some days you may have the leisure of a more extensive “quiet time.” By all means embrace that when you can. But others, maybe those school days (we have to leave at 7:15 am) when you need to have everyone dressed and fed and out the door really early, then you may not, so I really encourage you to make a regular habit of commending the day unto the Lord immediately upon awakening. I’m pretty consistent about rolling out of bed, going directly to my knees and saying:

O God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this new day; defend us in the same with thine almighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And I have tried to say this regularly with my children. I still occasionally wake them up and say it with them. Sometimes I simply remind them or ask them if they have said their morning prayer. When they were really little, we used a very simple one:

I praise my God this day. I give myself to God this day. I ask God to help me this day.

Not that one can’t pray spontaneously. Prayers of the heart certainly can be very powerful and wonderful. They are a part of my prayer life and my children’s and I suspect they are a special part of yours.

But I also have come to love the beauty and the content of this morning collect from the Book of Common Prayer. It just covers everything. It has gratitude, it acknowledges the Lord’s sovereignty, begs his protection. I just don’t see how one can improve upon those words. Will you say it with me?  Let’s pray together:

O God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this new day; defend us in the same with thine almighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Now, let us get on with the business at hand. I’m sure you’re wondering about these Latin words on your hand-out though you’ve probably figured out a lot of it already. [The hand-out is posted at the end of this webpage.]

Stabilitas, conversiō morum, oboedientia.

The Trivium traces its roots to early Christianity, after the fall of the Roman Empire. If we look at these early Christian communities which preserved the wisdom of antiquity and codified what we now know as the liberal arts, we can see three ways in which these Christians grew closer to God through every day life, namely: stabilitas, conversiō morum, and oboedientia.

 We will spend the majority of our time on stabilitas for it has many pragmatic applications to your child’s study space and his study time.

I think we easily can see how this quality applies in a multitude of ways. For one thing, if we are to be successful in our schooling, our children must have the security of a home. They simply need Mom and Dad to be there providing a safe and nurturing environment. Stabilitas. Stability.

Even if marital or financial stresses erupt, and we’re not immune to those, our faith and trust in God is an enormous stabilizing factor. God provides. Trusting in his mercies amid adversity teaches our children a lot about the certainty of his promises.

So as best you can, hopefully with the benefit of a supportive spouse, keep your home-life secure and peaceful, harmonious and orderly.

How do we set up a stable study space? Begin by evaluating your home. Perhaps with the fresh eyes of a friend, look at your floor plan to determine the best place for schooling. Be willing to let this evolve over the years.

In general, I would say that a common area such as a kitchen or family room is preferable. If you have the luxury of an extra living area such as a bonus room or spare bedroom, then that’s fabulous. If not, then the kitchen table will suffice. You will just need a system for clearing the area for meals—a crate, bookshelves, or your child’s book bag can contain the necessary supplies. It doesn’t have to be a separate room, but it does have to be a designated space.

It’s possible that the designated space could be your child’s bedroom but that doesn’t work for most kids. If you have multiple levels you are schooling, then I think you’ll find it more amenable to have everyone together in a common room, at least the majority of the time. If need be, you can work with one child while another older one goes off to his room to read or study alone and report back to you. But generally, you’ll want the children where you can easily monitor their progress. This is true when they are younger and you are working along side them and it still holds true as they get older and work more independently. In fact, you’ll especially want the computer in a common room as they get older.

We have been in our current home for 11 years and I am still tweaking the set up. Initially, we had a school room-slash-family room and it took me several years before I realized that the TV in this room created a tension.  We were at cross-purposes (study, entertainment!) so after a while, we moved the TV into the formal living room and it’s worked much better.

Within the last few years, we made some more changes. We brought the kitchen table into the school room. Long ago we had begun to eat all our meals in the dining room. The kitchen table had always been a magnet for school books—mostly math books were always attracted to it and we simply couldn’t get away from the piles of school stuff. So we put a tablecloth on the good mahogany table and covered it with a clear plastic protector. We daily enjoy that bright sunny room. We don’t save the formal dining room for company only and the kitchen table is freed up for schooling.

Our school room has a desk for each child and at this stage, with Logic and High school students, we have several computers plus lots of book shelves with books arranged by grade level. We can easily find the next literature book and so forth.  A good school room needs to have a place to file returned school work such as the history or Bible notebooks and also the graded math or phonic worksheets, etc.  And of course, have all the school supplies (paper and extra markers, etc) readily at hand--in bins, baskets, whatever. Have a place for everything so everything can be in its place.

Not only do you need to stabilize the student’s space but you will also need to organize yours: you’ll need a grading center. It doesn’t have to be your own separate desk, though that helps, but you do need a space to organize your answer keys-- tabbed hanging files to organize all the Wordly Wise, Shurley, Saxon, etc. Keep a good supply of red pens and a grading basket out where children place their completed work for you to grade. Guard against temptation—don’t leave those answer keys out. Be watchful, if need be, lock them up. That’s rarely necessary but I do want to alert you that some children may seek an unwise shortcut....

Well, let’s also consider how stabilitas applies to a child’s study time. If children need order and routine, how can we provide that at home? How can we help them know what to expect? How can we provide consistent boundaries which help them feel safe? I wish I had done a better job of establishing such routines for my children; my family has paid a price for our lack of commitment to a regular study schedule.

I am continually amazed by the skill of the CDA faculty in this area. It’s not that the teachers are inflexible but that they exhibit the perfect balance of gentle firmness. It let’s the children know they mean business. Clear instruction in the little things: this is where your lunch box goes, now it’s time for math. Let’s put away our books and get our hands washed for snack time.

Try as best you can to establish similar routines at home—have a place for book bags and lunch boxes. Establish a pattern for returning home on a CDA school day—unload the car, clean out the lunch box, have a snack and perhaps change clothes. Then get out their PIF (parent information folder), review the returned work, and look at the new assignment sheet. Do this at the beginning of the “at home” segment of the school work—not the end. I know that that’s really obvious to most people but it wasn’t to me always.

Our first year at CDA, we had a near disaster with our then 6th and 8th graders. Catherine and Jonathan came home on a Thursday and we trusted that they were managing their own studies. We did check in with them over the next few days, but their assurances of “yes, we’re on track” should have been verified. Instead we let it drag on all weekend and into Monday and into Monday evening and later in Monday evening. By then the tears were flooding….We got better after that. Check the assignment sheet right off the bat and monitor your child’s progress.

When you come home from school, help your child choose a small assignment or two to get done that same day. Highlight on the assignment sheet and tackle a math sheet or a page of handwriting. This lets you get a “jump start” on the next day so you can begin afresh the next morning with the main work.

It’s helpful for little ones if you set their work in order, opening pages and perhaps penciling in the due date. It’s probably best to work assignments in the same order as the school day—routine really eliminates a lot of haggling. Many families simply require the child to keep that same flow at home. Get up at the same time and begin your studies at the same time.

Do not answer the phone during school time. That’s what answering machines are for. Respect your child’s study time and he will respect it as well.

Know what needs to be graded earlier in the day and set the deadline—please don’t give me a math lesson to grade at 5:30 pm when I’m trying to think about dinner or when I’m heading out the door to drive brother to soccer practice….

One word of caution: don’t be so inflexible that you drive yourself crazy. When a doctor or dental appointment is set for the “at home day,” adjust the schedule. Make allowances for what needs to be finished at home and what can be reviewed in the car, etc. If at all possible, however, save those appointments for summer or Christmas break and keep the school day clear.

Redeem travel time by keeping study items in each vehicle. Put a copy of Shurley grammar jingles in a plastic sleeve protector. Have history/Bible cards out so you can review dates and Scripture verses. Have your children help each other review in the car. They can go over their Latin vocabulary or drill math flash cards together.

Charlotte Campbell has a wonderful tip if you have little ones under foot: keep a special toy basket that only comes out for your toddler or preschooler to play with while you school with your older child. Something safe and not too noisy: perhaps Duplos or pattern blocks.

Have all the school assignments and supplies set up and ready to go—don’t waste the first 10 minutes of “productive preschooler’s time” looking for a sharpened pencil. You can’t expect a 2 ½ year old to maintain self-control endlessly and not ask for Mom’s attention while the older sibling is schooling so be prepared. Be ready and use the time well.

Here are a couple of other approaches to getting school work done when there are other younger children:

Start the older child in his PJs before breakfast while the baby is still asleep. Get 10-15 minutes of study in. Tackle a handwriting assignment or a math timed test while the house is quiet. Then break for breakfast and pick up again later after the morning dishes are done.

Use baby’s nap time or if your little one is giving up his nap, then enforce a QT (quiet time) or
R & R (rest & relaxation) mid-morning in his crib. Or perhaps after lunch you can enjoy a book together before sending the younger children to their rooms. Let them listen to a story on tape and have a safe, quiet time while you finish up lessons with big brother or sister.

Another option is to finish schoolwork when Daddy is home and can play with the others or take them on a walk. Don’t abuse this though—try to get the schooling done earlier in the day—it’s much better when everyone is fresher in the morning. Aim to be all through by 3 pm. Go over the backpack checklist and have everything in order, then play and run errands and so forth.

Perhaps grandparents or a neighbor could occasionally help occupy the little ones. If you do want to involve Dad directly in the schooling, let him re-enforce the Bible lesson or read literature at bedtime. My husband still reads to our children and they love it. It’s such a treasure to have Dad share good books and join in the exchange of ideas. But have the main “seat work” completed so the backpack can be all packed up and ready to go before Dad even gets home for dinner.

Try to stay on task and complete the school work with a limited number of breaks and when you do step away from the studies, do so with a specific plan. Set a timer for “recess” or incorporate chores into the day as a study break. This can be a learning time—even pre-schoolers re-enforce their knowledge of colors and math concepts as they fold wash cloths in half and so forth.

The bottom line with stabilitas is that it enables us to grow. Think of a newly transplanted tree: it has been up-rooted so it doesn’t have deep roots yet. It’s under stress. Yet God wants us to flourish. So he wants us to be watered and fed and stay put. And staying put sometimes means that we’ll face trials. But these trials are opportunities to let His grace work deeply in our hearts which brings us to our consideration of conversiō morum.

Now this is a term that’s a little tricky to translate. It’s most often translated as conversion of life. I’ve provided separate definitions but the whole of the meaning is summed up in “conversion of life.”

This growing closer to God and allowing Him to transform us at a very deep level is an on-going process. The end of a liberal arts education is to know how to live the good life, to be wise and choose the greater good. We begin this process at a pretty young age but it never stops. You and I are still being shaped. We’re still growing in virtue. We’re still learning. How much more so for your little grammar school-aged child who is beginning a new journey in this coming school year.

In some ways, he is not going to be the same child come next May. He’s going to pass developmental milestones—intellectual ones, physical ones, emotional and spiritual ones. Tying shoe laces, writing his name. Reading. It’s an exciting time. And it’s furthered, as Aristotle told us, by the cultivation of habit. That’s how we and our children grow in virtue—cultivate good habits. We respond with patience even when it’s not our first inclination because we work at choosing to do so. To choose not to gossip, not to lose our tempers, and so forth. It’s in “not getting our own way all the time” that God draws us closer to Him because it requires us to be obedient.

Remember when we opened with prayer and talked about commending the day unto the Lord? We acknowledge our sovereign God, thank Him and ask His help. “What do you want me to do with the gift of this new day, Lord?”

This is not a guaranteed formula to avoid strife. We’re not waving a magic wand. There will be days when the baby has diarrhea and the dog messes on the new carpet and the washing machine breaks down. Life will happen; drinks will spill. But we have the grace to deal with the interruptions because we have sought the Lord’s covering for the day. The trials will still come but we will be transformed; we will be converted (if you will), made holy, by enduring, by being obedient. By being like Christ: Christ became obedient, even obedient unto death on the cross.

So we come to oboedientia. What does it mean to be obedient?

It goes without saying that we must attempt to raise obedient children. How you do that? Well, parenting methods are not within the scope of this talk. But I can say with confidence that we will never have obedient children until we learn to be obedient ourselves. We have to be willing to listen to God and He speaks to us in many ways. If only we have ears to hear….

My family has a 13½ year old long-haired Dachshund who is going deaf and probably even a bit blind. It’s actually been a rather dramatic and rapid decline. Bruno truly doesn’t hear us enter a room or call his name or jingle his leash. He used to go ballistic when the dryer buzzed; no response now (and believe me, we do a lot of laundry in our house!). So he really doesn’t hear any commands. But what is truly sad to me is that he doesn’t even hear our words of praise. No tender words of encouragement during a bath, none of that. What a changed world for him.

If we are not open to listening to God’s commandments, we’re probably not open to the words of love and consolation that He wants to give us either.

In a way, it reminds me of Helen Keller. My youngest daughter played the role of Helen in a local junior college production of The Miracle Worker last fall. What a wonderful play with such amazing characters. As we delved into the story and this historical giant figure came to life, I was so struck by the blindness and deafness that plagues all of us until a good teacher provides the keys to understanding. 

And I believe, my friends, that that is what we all are seeking as we embark upon this year of discovery with our children. What a joy to share directly in it because we partner with the faculty of Coram Deo and the faculty partners with us. It’s such a magnificent privilege: to be an Annie Sullivan in our own children’s lives.

God be with you in the coming year as you school at home in God’s presence, coram deo.

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Stabilitas, Conversio Morum, Oboedientia:
Keys to Managing Learning at Home

If we are to live our lives coram deo (in the presence of God), then we must begin each day with prayer. By commending the new day unto the Lord, we ask Him to be present in every moment and every activity.

I praise my God this day. I give myself to God this day. I ask God to help me this day.

O God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this new day; defend us in the same with thine almighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Stabilitas +  conversio morum  +  oboedientia