This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to another segment of New Ideas for Mother Academia!  The purpose of this series is to share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I especially like to seek out free resources because I want to prove that you can seek out wisdom without having to spend any money.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // THE DAY IS NOW FAR SPENT

Cardinal Robert Sarah is a holy man and an incredibly profound thinker.  (I read and really enjoyed his book, The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise, in 2024.)  The FORMED bookclub has a 14-episode series discussing another of his books, The Day Is Now Far Spent.  In this one, Cardinal Sarah “analyzes the spiritual, moral, and political collapse of the Western world and concludes that ‘the decadence of our time has all the faces of mortal peril.'”

2 // CHARLOTTE MASON

If you’ve ever wanted to dive deeply into Charlotte Mason’s books, check out this schedule at Charlotte Mason Poetry.  It appears that the reading groups have already started and are thus unavailable, but it may be helpful to have the reading schedule for your own enjoyment.

3 // A SYSTEM FOR READING CHESTERTON

Another opportunity for a deep dive!  Is G.K. Chesterton an author on your TBR?  Check out this reading plan from The Society of G.K. Chesterton!  The website divides his works into subsections (like Apologetics, Fiction, Social Commentary, Poetry, etc.), making it really easy to work through the list.

4 // TECHNOLOGY IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Technology in American History is an MIT course originally taught in 2006.  “This class will consider the ways in which technology, broadly defined, has contributed to the building of American society from colonial times to the present. Far from being an ‘add-on’ to political and social events, technology is viewed as a central organizing theme in American history. Indeed, the United States is often referred to as ‘the technological society.’ What does that expression mean? Why did it originate? How and in what ways does technology intersect with society and politics? How has technological progress been construed in America? Does technology mean progress? If so, progress for whom and for what? What is the relationship between technology and democracy in America? How have notions of ‘responsibility’ in engineering and technology development changed over time?”  The two books needed are A Social History of American Technology by Ruth Schwar Cowan and Major Problems in the History of American Technology edited by Merritt Roe Smith and Gregory Clancey.  The website also includes a reading schedule and lecture notes.  Even though this course is almost twenty years old, I bet there is still a lot to glean and compare to our modern times.

5 // PIXAR IN A BOX

This last one is a little out of left-field but may be fun to complete with the kids!  If you’ve ever been curious about storytelling through computing, Pixar in a Box is the course for you!  “Pixar in a Box is a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar artists do their jobs. You will be able to animate bouncing balls, build a swarm of robots, and make virtual fireworks explode. The subjects you learn in school — math, science, computer science, and humanities — are used every day to create amazing movies at Pixar.”  Super fun.

PREVIOUS IDEAS

Paradise Lost, Memorizing the Presidents, Political Philosophy, Classical Architecture & Wind in the Willows

Nuclear War, Fulton Sheen, the Poetry of Early New England, Mensa Reading Lists & Shakespeare’s Philosophy

Biology Review, Gregorian Chant, Out of the Silent Planet, Faerie and Fantasy & Maternal Attachment

Dracula, a Great Books Reading List, AP Art History, Ancient Greeks & Roman Architecture

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to another segment of New Ideas for Mother Academia!  The purpose of this series is to share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I especially like to seek out free resources because I want to prove that you can seek out wisdom without having to spend any money.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // DRACULA

It’s October and this seems like the perfect time of year to read Bram Stoker’s Dracula!  To further engage with the text, check out the commentary from The Literary Life Podcast.  They have a five episode series deep diving into the book.

2 // A GREAT BOOKS READING LIST

If you’re interested in working through a guide of classical recommendations, look into St. John’s reading list!  “St. John’s College is best known for its reading list and the Great Books curriculum that was adopted in 1937. While the list of books has evolved over the last century, the tradition of all students reading foundational texts of Western civilization remains. The reading list at St. John’s includes classic works in philosophy, literature, political science, psychology, history, religion, economics, math, chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy, music, language, and more.”

3 // AP ART HISTORY

AP classes don’t have to just be for high schoolers!  AP®︎/College Art History from Khan Academy is completely free and looks pretty comprehensive.

4 // ANCIENT GREEKS

Examine the history and legacy of the ancient Greeks with the Athens and Sparta course from Hillsdale College.  This is a nine-lecture course and attempts to answer these questions: “What is necessary in order for a democracy to flourish and endure? How does a city form free and self-governed citizens? What are the best means of resisting tyranny from without or within?”  Interesting.

5 // ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

Keeping with the ancient civilizations theme, let’s end with a course on Roman Architecture with Diana E. E. Kleiner!  This is an intensive course with 23 videos and offers “an introduction to the great buildings and engineering marvels of Rome and its empire, with an emphasis on urban planning and individual monuments and their decoration, including mural painting.”  Sounds fascinating!  The two texts used are Roman Imperial Architecture by John B. Ward-Perkins and Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide, second edition by Amanda Claridge, which can be found used for cheap!

PREVIOUS IDEAS

Paradise Lost, Memorizing the Presidents, Political Philosophy, Classical Architecture & Wind in the Willows

Nuclear War, Fulton Sheen, the Poetry of Early New England, Mensa Reading Lists & Shakespeare’s Philosophy

Biology Review, Gregorian Chant, Out of the Silent Planet, Faerie and Fantasy & Maternal Attachment

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to another segment of New Ideas for Mother Academia!  The purpose of this series is to share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I especially like to seek out free resources because I want to prove that you can seek out wisdom without having to spend any money.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // A BIOLOGY REVIEW

If it’s been awhile since you’ve taken a science class, Getting Up To Speed In Biology from MIT may be a good fit for you!  The course introduction says that this course “will also be useful for anyone preparing to take an equivalent college-level introductory biology class elsewhere. It includes lecture videos, interactive exercises, problem sets, and one exam.”  This is the textbook, but you can usually find cheaper used copies on Better World Books or ebay.

2 // GREGORIAN CHANT

Learn Gregorian Chant with Laus in Ecclesia, translated by a monk of Clear Creek Abbey.  “Each of the 15 lessons teaches chant theory, assists with practical vocal or rhythmic exercises, and offers a written assignment.”  There is even a correspondence course!

3 // A DEEP DIVE INTO OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET

Dive deep into C.S. Lewis’ science fiction novel, Out of the Silent Planet!  As you read, you can follow along with commentary from The Literary Life Podcast’s three part series.

4 // FAERIE AND FANTASY

I was excited to discover this unique 14 week lecture series with Corey Olsen, the Tolkien Professor.  (I read his book, Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”, early in 2024 and really enjoyed it.)  This goal of this course was to “explore[d] the medieval Faerie-story tradition and examine[d] the modern fairy-tale and fantasy genres that grew from it.”  Some of the required readings include:

• “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” from The Canterbury Tales
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books
• The Princess and the Goblin
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• Sabriel

5 // MATERNAL ATTACHMENT

How about dabbling in a little psychology?  In this five lecture series, “Dr. Emily Burdett…explores psychological theories of attachment as the close emotional bond formed between two individuals.”  Sounds intriguing.

PREVIOUS IDEAS

Paradise Lost, Memorizing the Presidents, Political Philosophy, Classical Architecture & Wind in the Willows

Nuclear War, Fulton Sheen, the Poetry of Early New England, Mensa Reading Lists & Shakespeare’s Philosophy

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to another segment of New Ideas for Mother Academia!  The purpose of this series is to share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I especially like to seek out free resources because I want to prove that you can seek out wisdom without having to spend any money.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // LOOKING AT NUCLEAR WAR

Living at the Nuclear Brink: Yesterday and Today is a ten week self-paced course from Stanford.  This topic seems more important by the day!  The professor’s goal is “to warn you of the dangers you face and to give you some insight on what could be done to avoid those dangers.”

2 // THE POETRY OF EARLY NEW ENGLAND

How about diving deep into some poetry?  The Poetry of Early New England is a course that doesn’t seem to be viewable, but the reading list is still available and very helpful.  They also include a great list of resources to dig even deeper into this time period.

3 // FULTON SHEEN

The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen is a three-part video series from Pursuit of Wisdom courses at Ave Maria University.  From the blurb: “Join Dr. James Patterson in a captivating online video course exploring the life and teachings of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, a trailblazer in Catholic media. Embark on a journey to understand Sheen’s dynamic perspective and gain refreshing insights into his impact on faith, society, and personal growth. Learn how Archbishop Sheen’s groundwork in Catholic media communication laid the foundation for future spiritual leaders. Under Dr. Patterson’s guidance, discover Archbishop Sheen’s enduring wisdom and its relevance in today’s world.”  I have read Sheen’s Life of Christ, Communism and the Conscience of the West, and Treasure in Clay and all have been excellent.

4 // A MENSA-APPROVED READING LIST

Mensa for Kids has compiled multiple reading lists for various ages.  A good place for women to start might be the Grades 9-12 list, which has titles like:

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

5 // THE PHILOSOPHY OF SHAKESPEARE

Let’s end today’s list with a little Shakespeare!  I found an interesting three lecture series on the Philosophy of William Shakespeare from Paul Krause at Discourses on Minerva.  He will discuss “the philosophy and theology embedded in the plays of William Shakespeare. In particular, we look at Shakespeare’s political philosophy, his philosophy of love and war (and politics), and his theology of love.”  Sounds intriguing.

PREVIOUS IDEAS

Paradise Lost, Memorizing the Presidents, Political Philosophy, Classical Architecture & Wind in the Willows

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

This will hopefully become a monthly series where I share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // A DEEP DIVE INTO PARADISE LOST

John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, is a classic that looks at the cosmological, moral and spiritual origins of man’s existence.  The Antrim Literature Project can help unpack this poem and give you a deeper understanding with their twelve lecture series.  They call it reading “in slow motion” and I love that.

2 // MEMORIZE THE PRESIDENTS

Want to work on your memorization skills?  This video can help!  Memorize Academy uses visual memory techniques and says: “Focus on seeing each image in your head, and you’ll be amazed how easily you can recall everything.”

3 // INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Politics is an integral part of our society.  You can start at the beginning with the Introduction to Political Philosophy course from Open Yale Courses.  This is a completely free introduction to political philosophy “as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition.”  The booklist includes:

• Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato
• Republic by Plato
• Politics by Aristotle
• The Prince by Machiavelli
• Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
• Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
• Political Writings by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

There are 24 lectures to watch and a syllabus to follow.

4 // A SURVEY OF CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE 

This is a four part lecture series hosted by University of Notre Dame professor and The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) Board Member Richard Economakis.  The series starts with the architecture of Ancient Greece and proceeds all the way to present day.  Sounds fascinating!

5 // A DEEP DIVE INTO THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Last but not least, let’s dive deep into a classic children’s novel from 1908 called The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.  As you read, you can follow along with commentary from The Literary Life Podcast’s four part series.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

It’s been two and a half months, so time for a little Mother Academia update!  (You can find the introduction post here.)

A TWO MONTH UPDATE

AMERICAN HISTORY

I’m ever so slowly making my way through Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay, following rabbits trails as the mood strikes!  I realized (a little too late) that I could have added Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee into the Jacksonian presidency period…maybe I’ll read it anyway?  Once I got to the chapters about the North and South and the increasingly tense issue of slavery, I knew I wanted to take a significant pause.  I started with Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (which was excellent) and then tried a fictional novel called The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier (good).  Although the goal of this Mother Academia endeavor is to try to read books from my shelves, I couldn’t help myself and purchased a few more from this time period.  See more about those below!

CATHOLIC STUDIES

I’m reading slowly in this topic, but learning a ton!  I finished Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History by Rodney Stark, which was excellent, and am one chapter in to Bad Shepherds: The Dark Years in Which the Faithful Thrived While Bishops Did the Devil’s Work by Rod Bennett.  It’s not grabbing me nearly as much as the first book and the writer’s tone is significantly different than the more academic Stark, but I’ll persevere.  I’m also still plugging along with the Catechism of Saint Pius X.  Just a few more sections to go!

LATIN LANGUAGE

I…am…struggling, ha!  I have been going through Latin by the Natural Method, First Year by William G. Most, PhD (free online!) and it is just not clicking.  I think it’s because they’re throwing declensions and cases at me right away and while I sorta get it, I also don’t retain it.  It’s gotten so bad that I’ve purposely skipped “Latin Day” multiple weeks in a row, so I know something has to change.  My middle school son is also taking Latin and I think I’m going to switch into his book, Getting Started with Latin by William E. Linney.

ECONOMICS

I completed the Economics 101 course (free from Hillsdale College) and learned a lot!  Obviously, there were a lot of economics nuts and bolts (supply and demand curves, economic profit, macroeconomic theory, etc) but the course also provided the evidence that free markets will always perform better than planned economies.  Really, really interesting.  The book I read to go along with the course was A Capitalist Manifesto: Understanding The Market Economy And Defending Liberty by Gary Wolfram.  Next up: taking a follow-up course from Hillsdale called Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity.

OTHER NOTABLE SIDE PATHS 

+ I finally read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien along with an accompanying book called Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s “the Hobbit” by Corey Olsen.  The latter definitely helped me as I read and explained pieces I might have overlooked.  Fantasy is not my go-to genre, but I really enjoyed the experience!
+ I dabbled in something completely new and followed along with Adam at Close Reading Poetry’s explanation of Anne Bradstreet’s poem “Before the Birth of One of Her Children.”  I printed out the poem for my commonplace book and added the notations as he went along.  I’m not well read in poetry, but I think this is a Youtube channel I’ll be frequenting more in the coming months.
+ And because I can’t leave well enough alone, I started a Great Books 101 course and began the massive tome of The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer.  About 100 pages in so far!

DOWN THE CIVIL WAR ERA RABBIT TRAIL

My time for this Mother Academia endeavor will definitely be shortened in the next few months as farming ramps up, but I hope I can keep the habit going.  I’m especially excited to dive into the new books I bought for the Civil War Era study and I’d love to know if you have any recommendations for this time period too!  My new additions:

• Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
• From Slave to Priest: The Inspirational Story of Father Augustine Tolton by Caroline Hemesath, OSF
• Faith and Fury: The Rise of Catholicism During the Civil War by Fr. Charles P. Connnor
• The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara (pulled from the school shelves!)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

I recently watched a Youtube video called “Pursuing the Intellectual Life Outside of Academia (as a mom)” from Autumn at The Commonplace and woo!  It spoke to me.  If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know that I have eclectic taste in books.  It was pretty difficult to whittle down my interests into four themes, but I persevered!  For my “Spring Semester,” I picked American history (continuing on from last year), Catholic studies, Latin, and Economics.

2024 could be a pivotal year in countless ways and I want to expand my knowledge to better understand current events.  The United States is a constitutional republic – why does that matter and do current events reflect that or deter away from it?  The Catholic Church is riddled with confusion and infighting – what do we believe and how has the Church dealt with similar issues in the past?  The US government is trillions of dollars in debt and inflation is a problem – what does that mean for our children in the future and what actions can we take today?  And Latin, the building block of so many words and the traditional language of my beloved Church – I want to learn it!

A couple details: my goal is to try to commit 30 minutes a day to this endeavor.  Hopefully, it will be in the early morning before my kids wake up, but I could also fit it in sometime after lunch.  My TBR is miles long, but I’m trying to prioritize books that I already own before buying new ones.  (That may explain the randomness of my booklist below.)  I even made a weekly reading schedule to keep me on task:

My Weekly Reading Schedule
with a little religious reading each morning

SUN: off
MON: American history
TUES: Economics
WED: Latin
THUR: Catholic Studies
FRI: Misc. Non-fiction (memoirs, books that don’t fit, etc)
SAT: free choice

So excited to see where this takes me in the new year.

MY MOTHER ACADEMIA SYLLABUS FOR 2024

1. American History
   1. Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay
   2. The Federalist Papers by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton & John Jay
   3. Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
   4. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
   5. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
   6. The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes
2. Catholic Studies
   1. Catechism of Saint Pius X (I’m already more than halfway through and just need to finish)
   2. Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith by Bishop Athanasius Schneider
   3. Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History by Rodney Stark
   4. Vatican II: The Essential Texts edited by Norman Tanner
   5. Bad Shepherds: The Dark Years in Which the Faithful Thrived While Bishops Did the Devil’s Work by Rod Bennett
   6. 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle by Warren H. Carroll
3. Latin Language
   1. Latin by the Natural Method, First Year by William G. Most, PhD
4. Economics
   1. A Capitalist Manifesto: Understanding The Market Economy And Defending Liberty by Gary Wolfram
   2. Gold: The Race for the World’s Most Seductive Metal by Matthew Hart

This post contains affiliate links.

My monthly Mother Culture plans were quite hit or miss last year.  As I reflected on it, I think my biggest issue was that I over-anticipated my free time.  In reality, with the small pockets of “me” time I currently have, there was just no way I could read an entire book, see a new handicraft through from start to finish, research and enjoy new music and start a new skill all in thirty days.  (DUH.)

So for this year, I’m back to the drawing board.  I tried to pick topics that fit with my children’s school subjects, both for my own knowledge and so I can sprinkle in a few extra facts along the way.  I used Ambleside Online as a jumping off point for the artist and composer studies.  Handicrafts will also be included, but I have a separate idea for that.  (Details coming next week!)  My plan is to work steadily through the list, focusing on quality versus quantity.  We’ll see how it goes.

American History

My elementary school children are learning about Early American history this year, so I chose two books that fit:

• Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
• Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay

Artist Study // John Singleton Copley

We will also be studying this colonial-era artist as a family.  I’m really interested to read more about him!

• A Book to Buy //A Revolution in Color: The World of John Singleton Copley by Jane Kamensky
• Noteworthy Pieces of Art (and many more are also found here) //
  1. Paul Revere, 1768-70, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
  2. The Nativity, 1777, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
  3. Watson and the Shark, 1778, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.
  4. The Death of the Earl of Chatham, 1779-81, National Portrait Gallery London
  5. The Defeat of the Floating Batteries at Gibraltar, September 1782, 1783-91, Guildhall Art Gallery London
  6. The Red Cross Knight, 1793, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.
  7. Saul Reproved by Samuel for Not Obeying the Commandments of the Lord, 1798, Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Biology and Nature Study 

My natural history choices are all over the place.  I am eager to start reading from this list and I could probably write five more posts with interesting books I’m dying to get my hands on!  For now, I chose one new-to-me title and one that I’ve had on my shelf for awhile.  I also stumbled upon an herbal studies course that sounds fascinating.

• The Monk in the Garden: The Lost and Found Genius of Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics by Robin Marantz Henig
• Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
• Herbal Materia Medica Course from Herbal Academy

Composer Study // Antonin Dvorák 

After reading this short description of Antonin Dvorak, I knew he was a composer I wanted to learn more about!

• Books to Read // Antonin Dvorak, My Father by Otaker Dvorak and Dvorak: His Life and Music by Gervaise Hughes
• Noteworthy Pieces of Music (links for all can be found here) //
  • Symphony 9 in E minor Op. 95 B.178 “From the New World”
  • Slavonic Dances Op. 46 and Op. 72
  • Carnival Overture Op. 92 B.169
  • Humoresques for piano Op. 101 no. 1-8 (especially no 7 in G flat)
  • String Quartet No. 12 in F maj Op. 96 (“American”)
  • Trio no. 4 in E minor Op. 90 “Dumky”

Classic Literature // Don Quixote

This darn book.  I start and stop and start and stop.  I’m not making any promises, but hoping for at least a little forward progress!

Oof, did I really miss another two months of Mother Culture?  I seem to be unable to consistently invest in myself in this way!  Thankfully, I’m no quitter and I’m going to try again in April.  My five assignments for the month:

ASSIGNMENT #1: Complete a month-long nature phenology wheel.

ASSIGNMENT #2: Write a creative snail mail letter to a penpal.

ASSIGNMENT #3: Get back to regular Latin lessons on Duolingo.

ASSIGNMENT #4: Discover a new musical artist and listen to some songs.

ASSIGNMENT #5: Read a book written before 1950.