{"id":1929,"date":"2015-05-15T20:31:43","date_gmt":"2015-05-15T20:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.doingwhatmatters.com\/?p=1929"},"modified":"2016-07-08T16:59:25","modified_gmt":"2016-07-08T16:59:25","slug":"ideas-worth-sharing-on-learning-practicing-autism-entrepreneurship-and-dressing-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doingwhatmatters.com\/ideas-worth-sharing-on-learning-practicing-autism-entrepreneurship-and-dressing-well\/","title":{"rendered":"Ideas Worth Sharing: On Learning, Practicing, Autism, Entrepreneurship, and Dressing Well \u2014 IWS #2"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have a habit of adding great articles to my reading list, so I can read them more than once. Sometimes I don’t get back to them for awhile, and usually when I do, the delight remains. Some of the best posts aren’t new, but “new” is not always synonymous with “great.”\u00a0Here are a few recent favorites for your reading pleasure.<\/p>\n

Learning Well<\/h3>\n

C. S. Lewis’s List of Ten Books that Influenced Him Most<\/strong><\/em><\/a>: I’m ridiculously pleased to discover that I’ve read all of half of them and parts of others. If you like Lewis’s writing, you may also enjoy some of the works that influenced him. And if you like Charlotte Mason, you might be pleased to know that she also enjoyed Wordsworth.<\/p>\n

\"Home<\/a>\"\"The Use and Misuse of Charlotte Mason’s First Principle<\/em><\/strong><\/a> at Afterthoughts<\/strong>: There are so many good points in this post; it is a must-read. The lines that ring true-blue for me:\u00a0“All children deserve\u00a0a\u00a0broad and generous curriculum<\/a>.\u00a0The children do not get to choose,\u00a0to self-limit due to their own ignorance. Instead, we offer them a feast. Some of them gobble all of it up, and others are extremely picky eaters. But all come\u00a0to the same table.”<\/p>\n

And that is how it should be. There will always be delight-directed learning opportunities, but they cannot define\u00a0the extent of an education. Children cannot learn to love what they are not aware of, so it is only reasonable to spread a generous feast of all the best that has been thought, said,\u00a0painted, built, and written (with apologies to Matthew Arnold).\"\"\"by<\/p>\n

“Active imagination focuses attention.”<\/strong> Commencement speeches aren’t always worth staying awake for. Water Water Everywhere: Thirsting for Imagination?<\/a><\/strong><\/em> by Christopher Nelson, president of St. John’s College, is. This delightful romp through a classically inspired dreamscape\u00a0winds up\u00a0with\u00a0a concise, memorable description of what it takes to be an ideal student<\/strong>. Don’t miss it!<\/p>\n

How to Practice Well<\/h3>\n

8 Things Top Practicers Do Differently<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: In a study of college-level piano students, researchers found what works in practicing . . . and what doesn’t. I was somewhat surprised at some of the things that don’t work (like practicing longer or with more repetitions), but the description of what did work reminded me of the way Charlotte Mason approached spelling (Home Education<\/em>, p. 240-243). Perhaps it’s because both methods are\u00a0characterized by simplicity, order, and active engagement.<\/p>\n

Autism and Antibiotics<\/h3>\n

I don’t remember where I came across An n=1 case report of a child with autism improving on antibiotics and a father\u2019s quest to understand what it may mean<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, but I found it a thought-provoking article. The author, John\u00a0Rodakis of the Autism Research Foundation<\/a>, suggests that “There is compelling evidence of a link between autism and the microbiome in at least a subset of children,” and provides an interesting glimpse of his own son’s experience, as well as a look at current research (not much has been done) on this topic. It’s worth reading if your child or someone you know is affected by this disorder.<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurship<\/h3>\n

I’m always astonished by what is available free online. At Open Culture<\/strong>, you will find a vast array of learning resources. One of the most interesting for entrepreneurs is the linked list of 150 Free Online Business Courses<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0Topics range from taxes and management to social media, advertising, and agricultural futures and options, and more, and instructors include\u00a0professors from many colleges\u00a0including MIT and Oxford.<\/p>\n

Dressing Well<\/h3>\n

On a different note, I have been reviewing the\u00a0Dressing Your Truth<\/em><\/strong> program<\/a>. \u00a0I don’t usually write about appearance, but I have been speaking\u00a0this year\u00a0on\u00a0Becoming the Mom You Want Your Kids to Remember<\/em>, and the focus in the talk is on shaping ourselves\u00a0\u2014 inner lives and outer atmosphere \u2014 to become moms whose lives speak love and truth to our students.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There wasn’t anything in the talk about appearance, but it cropped up so often in conversations afterward that I was reminded of how many negative, sad messages we receive as women about ourselves, our appearance, and our clothing.\u00a0Many women are conditioned to regard appearance as a superficial aspect of identity, but it truly isn’t. The way we feel about ourselves\u2014our value as human beings\u2014is often manifested in our appearance.\u00a0Since moms pass on so much more than academics<\/strong>, it’s a good idea to\u00a0discover a way of looking at appearance that is balanced<\/strong> and based on truth<\/strong>, rather than something based on society’s idea of what is beautiful.<\/p>\n

Dressing Your Truth<\/a><\/em> is one of the few resources I’ve seen that approaches the question of what to wear and how to wear it from a whole-person\u00a0perspective<\/strong>.\u00a0The course includes an extensive library of teaching videos<\/strong> (all featuring real people in all sizes, shapes, and colors), plus the DYT book<\/strong>, and other helpful tools. Everything from fit and clothing care, to beauty myths, putting together outfits (even on a tiny budget), and improving mother\/daughter relationships is covered.<\/p>\n

I appreciate that the outfits shown are suitable for an ordinary life \u2014 personality is fully expressed\u00a0without resorting to scanty or impractical clothing.\u00a0From what I have seen, it reminds me just a bit of the approach my high school sewing and tailoring teacher took when teaching us how to choose colors and patterns, but of course, it’s a lot more in-depth.<\/p>\n

I recommend this course\u00a0for<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • entrepreneurial moms<\/li>\n
  • anyone with\u00a0daughters<\/li>\n
  • anyone whose self-concept and ideas about clothing have been shaped by a culture of comparison, shame, or fear<\/li>\n
  • anyone who opens their closet and feels they haven’t anything to wear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    It can be incredibly freeing to finally discover\u00a0that you can look and feel lovely, even if you aren’t at your ideal weight or place in life, and that knowledge is a great gift to give your daughters (and your husband).<\/p>\n

    Something Lovely
    \n