By Christine Norvell, Guest Author Since we’ve moved to Siloam Springs, I’ve spent plenty of time watching my cat happily climb the old dogwood tree by our garage. Bark chips off as he climbs higher. He often looks back at me as if he wants to know whether he should jump or keep going on his elevated scratching post. It brings to mind the wonder of tree … Continue reading Climbing Trees
By Christine Norvell, Guest Author I confess. I have asked students to make revisions to their essays. In fact, I may have casually said, “You just have some light revision work,” or “This needs heavy revision.” It sounds flippant to my ears now. Trite. But those comments all beg the same question—what does it really mean to revise our writing? One of my former students … Continue reading Re-Visioning Our Writing
By Christine Norvell This time of year seems to both sadden me and lighten my heart. In the school year, I grow sad because I realize that my time of influence with my students is even shorter. Only months remain, not an entire school year. Yet I’m grateful for a two-week reprieve. Not seeing each other for a time does help us appreciate each other … Continue reading Halfway: Moments That Sadden and Gladden
By Christine Norvell Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words. —Paul EnglePaul The more we read poetry, the more we appreciate what we read. Whether we read poetry for ourselves or teach it in any grade or subject, reading, appreciating, and understanding it is a skill that grows with experience. Over the … Continue reading Teaching Poetry
By Christine Norvell James V. Schall, S.J. “The Metaphysics of Walking.” The Life of the Mind: On the Joys and Travails of Thinking. Wilmington: ISI Books, 2006. Our society is completely dependent upon not only technology, but also the quickness and ease with which we get what we want —information, entertainment, things. Within most of us, the natural consequence is a pervasive impatience, a quickness … Continue reading Walking with James Schall
By Christine Norvell How do you teach beauty? The concept of beauty is not a light thought but a worthy one. As I attended a summer seminar on teaching and writing about beauty, I quickly realized how much is contained in a single word. Many rich books were referenced, and one book in particular captured me by its title alone, The Fragrance of God. As … Continue reading Book Review, The Fragrance of God
The following is one of the sessions from our 2018 Conference co-hosted by School of the Ozarks and held at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO. The full collection of presentations can be found at https://theclassicalthistle.com/2018-conference/. Daily Bread Christine Norvell, Regent Preparatory Jesus taught us to pray and to ask for our daily bread in Matthew 6. Like the Israelites in Exodus 16, we … Continue reading Daily Bread (2018 Conference Presentation)
By Christine Norvell I found when I first visited with Dr. Robert Woods by phone in 2011 that he had a winning way. I was simply calling to learn more about the Great Books graduate programs at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. I told myself I was just investigating, but by the time our conversation ended, I found myself agreeing with his pivotal question, “When … Continue reading Book Review: Dwelling on Delphi: Thinking Christianly about the Liberal Arts
The Classical Thistle 