Join us for a day of Charlotte Mason focused fellowship, encouragement and lessons in the practical application of sloyd, scouting and brushdrawing. We hope to provide an opportunity to for local homeschooling mothers to learn together and get to know like-minded women in the community.
Schedule
Saturday, July 13, 2019 8:45 am Doors open 9:30 am Introduction 10:00 am Scouting with Children 12:00 pm Lunch 1:00 pm Sloyd and Brushdrawing, Practical Arts 1:30 pm Sloyd workshop 2:15 pm Fellowship, coffee and book shopping 3:00 pm Brushdrawing 4:00 pm Fellowship and book shopping 5:00 pm Retreat ends
Speaker Bio
Brittney McGann has been studying Charlotte Mason for over seven years. She runs two local CM groups and has coordinated multiple retreats, including Grace to Build Retreat in Black Mountain, NC. Brittney’s writing has been published by Charlotte Mason Poetry and the Charlotte Mason Institute. She has also been a guest on several podcasts, including A Delectable Education and Aftercast. Her research into sloyd has resulted in the republication of Paper Modelling, by M. Swannell, and Cardboard Modelling, by William Heaton. Brittney has written new introductions for both of these beautiful reprints. She has also been presenting her research at regional and national conferences for for the past four years. A native of California, Brittney now lives in North Carolina with her husband and children, restoring native plants to their 3.5 acres.
Workshops
Scouting with Children Scouting includes elements of nature study, survival skills, handicrafts and character training. The purpose of scouting is to teach the child to notice, to care and to be of use. Every child can benefit immensely with scouting as part of his or her education. This workshop will begin with a short talk to discuss the purpose and benefits of scouting. Brittney will then lead the group in several scouting activities, sharing her experience and research and answering questions. Wear your walking shoes and bring a compass!
Sloyd and Brushdrawing, Practical Arts Paper sloyd and brushdrawing are both integral parts of a Charlotte Mason education with a surprising overlap of purpose. Explore these intersections with Brittney McGann in a short presentation, then try your hand at precision and fluidity with practical workshops in sloyd and brushdrawing.
Sloyd Workshop Paper sloyd is, for most, a completely foreign subject and can be an intimidating endeavor. But usually a little practice and the ability to ask questions is enough to spark interest and give confidence to the teacher. Two projects will be made during this workshop, one in paper and one in cardboard. All materials will be provided.
Brushdrawing Workshop Brushdrawing with “blobs” is a simple technique that can yield beautiful results in nature journals, art and design projects. This workshop will give instruction in proper technique, how to hold the brush, mix paint and lay down strokes. Brittney will share how these techniques have helped her develop skill and increased her pleasure in nature journaling. Attendees will learn some basic strokes and then learn how to use those strokes to paint a natural object. All materials will be provided.
Details
Cost: $45 registration + $15 (optional) for lunch
Included: The cost of registration includes drinks and snacks through the day, plus all materials needed for the workshops, except a compass.
Lunch: We are offering boxed lunches from Panera as a lunch option, otherwise attendees may bring something from home. The retreat center is not close enough to local restaurants to make it advisable to go out for lunch. The menu for Panera lunch boxes can be found here and the $15 cost includes tax and tip for the delivery person.
How to Register: Fill out the form on this page. Within 24 hours you will receive an email with a Paypal invoice. The invoice must be paid within 48 hours from when we email you or the spot will be lost. No notification will be given for cancelled registrations due to unpaid fees.
Who is this retreat for? Homeschooling mothers with an interest in the subjects offered. It isn’t necessary to follow a Charlotte Mason philosophy, however, the workshops will be led according to Mason’s principles.
Can I get a refund? There are no refunds, however, we do allow you to transfer your registration to another person. If there is a waitlist we are happy to assist in the transaction.
Can I bring my baby? Though we normally allow babes in arms to our retreats, the activities we will be doing require mother to have use of both hands, so please leave your little ones at home for the event.
Can I bring my children? Not this time. But we hope to offer family events in the future.
Where can I stay? This retreat is designed for local homeschoolers, but travelers are welcome. We are not arranging any overnight lodging, but there are many options in Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas.
What is sloyd? “Sloyd” comes from the Swedish word for handicrafts. It is a philosophy that focuses the systematic teaching of skills including wood work, metal work, knitting, sewing and, as in our case, paper. Brittney McGann has authored several article on sloyd, which can be found on the Sloyd Resources Page at the Charlotte Mason Poetry website. What is brushdrawing? Brushdrawing is the watercolor painting technique taught to form 1 students (1st - 3rd grade) in PNEU schools and used as a foundation for nature notebooks, art and design in later forms.
What do you mean by scouting? The inspiration for this scouting workshop comes from the work of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the scouting movement. Charlotte Mason used his military guide, Aids to Scouting and adapted it to teach children. Elements of survival skills, nature study and handicrafts are included in the scheme of scouting.