The Warren & the World Vol 5, Issue 39

The Warren & the World is Story Warren’s weekly newsletter, providing a round-up of our favorite things from around the web as well as a review of what was on our site over the past week. We’re glad you’re here!

Around the Web

Kids Don’t Need to Be “Well Rounded.” They Need to Be Passionate.

Kevin Currie-Knight explores the benefits of specialization in education.

A few years ago, I started watching a TV show called Master Chef Junior. It’s a cooking competition where kids from ages 8-15 compete each week to see who can cook the best dishes for a panel of expert judges…
These kids produce phenomenally intricate dishes that judges frequently say could be served at top-notch restaurants. I often watch the show in awe.

When Things Don’t Go As Planned

Christine Keegan writes about finding out that all God’s ways are good.

This week was full of reminders that all our best laid plans can change. I wrote a menu out for the week, but someone stopped by unexpectedly and I couldn’t get things together for dinner on Wednesday. Josh had a last minute event that took up two extra evenings, and I was left to pack and prepare for the weekend without him, so I couldn’t make it to our Day of Prayer gathering like I had planned. Sadie spent the week crying about ear pain so I ended up driving her to and from doctors all morning and spent too much money and a wasted morning nap for the baby in a taxi. And these were just the things on the micro level.
Today, as I tried to keep five kids sane and pull together everything for the camping trip we leave for in the morning, I crawled onto my bed for a moment of quiet, and in a way, a consecration for the plans that lay ahead, plans I know could so easily change.

Race, Wrongs, And Rejecting The Past

Joshua Gibbs writes at Circe Institute on the challenges of understanding race today in light of the past.

In the many debates currently raging over race in this country, one often hears the claim that the historic, centuries-old wrongs enacted by whites against African Americans still matter. We may not pretend as though slavery did not happen, or that slavery is sufficiently far in the past that we can forget about it. Time does not heal all wounds. Rather, past wrongs ferment like wine and become more potent the longer they sit in the dark.

27 Book Series for 5th Graders (10 Year Olds)

Melissa Taylor has another set of series recommendations–this time for 10 year olds.

If you’re looking for a good book series for your 5th graders (10 year olds), here are 28 great choices for every interest.
See ALL my book recommendations for 10 year olds here.

Around the Warren

Use Their Imagination

Clay Clarkson reminds us that fostering imagination is a work to be done.

[I]magination has the property of magical expansion; the more it holds the more it will hold. ~ Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education, 1925
It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that imagination is like inspiration—that it just kind of happens. Not true. Imagination is just like a muscle—it will become weaker or stronger depending on how it is fed and used. We generated a lot of mental perspiration to feed our children’s imaginations with the best in books, music, arts, stories, poetry, nature, drama, and so much more. However, each of our children still had to actually exercise their own imaginations to make them stronger. We couldn’t do that for them.

Dan Zanes: Night Owl

S.D. Smith introduces us to Dan Zanes and his music.

We are big Dan Zanes fans in our home. We especially love his Sea Music, but the record this song comes from, Night Time, is also pretty great. It even features a Zulu song, which warms my part-African heart. Enjoy!

Something to Do with Your Kids

When the calendar switches to October, I’m TOTALLY ready for autumn and all its accoutrements. You can check out some fun fall activities for your family here.