Charlotte Mason High School- A Mom's Help to Redeem your Education

This week, Angelica Cable is joined by teenagers Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14). Together they tackle Orual’s emotional "damming" and the symbolism of her veil, alongside a larger, thoughtful conversation on biblical masculinity, femininity, and what it means to be a truly self-sacrificing leader. Plus, they place a friendly wager on Orual's upcoming single combat and look at the comedic rivalry between Fox and Bardia.Next up Chapters 18 & 19!

Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Junto Podcast, where we dive deep into the pages of classic literature.I’m your host, Angelica, and I am beyond excited to share this week's episode with you—honestly, it is my absolute favorite discussion to date! Joining me at the table are two brilliant young minds: 15-year-old Adalyn and my 14-year-old daughter, Esther.Together, we are diving into Chapters 12–14 of C.S. Lewis’s masterpiece, Till We Have Faces.Inside the Episode:In this episode, we tackle some incredibly profound themes, including:The Nature of True Love: What does it actually look like, and where does it go wrong?Orual’s Doubt: We uncover the real hang-up Orual has when it comes to believing in the gods.The Ethics of Euthanasia & Restraint: A look at the heavy moral dilemmas embedded in the narrative.What's Next?Next time, we will be discussing Chapters 15–17.Enjoy the episode, and happy reading!

Join this discussion I had with Esther (14) and Adalyn (15) of C. S. Lewis' book Till We Have Faces. He's a master at showing us the greater reality through fiction!!Next up, Chapters 12, 13, & 14. 

Welcome back to the Podcast of the Junto Club! I’m excited to share this conversation with you about the book Till we have Faces by C. S. Lewis. I’m talking about chapters 5 & 6 with Adalyn and Esther, and through this conversation I can literally see how we are growing in wisdom.  Enjoy!

I discuss/argue about chapters 5 & 6 of Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis. These characters are interesting and hit us in different ways! Let us know what you think! Next up, Chapters 7 & 8. 

Chapters 3-4: Till We Have FacesWelcome back to the show! Today, Esther (age 14), Adalyn (age 15) and myself are diving into Chapters 3 and 4 of C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, and honestly, this is where the story really starts to click for us. We are moving past the initial setup, and the characters are finally starting to show their true colors—or, in some cases, the masks they wear to hide them.In this episode, we unpack why this "retelling" format is so powerful; it forces us to ask if we’ve only ever heard one side of the story, and what happens when we finally listen to the other side. We also tackle the looming mystery of the "accusation against the gods" and try to figure out who—or what—is actually responsible for the desolation in the land.In this episode, we cover:The Sibling Dynamic: We break down the stark differences between the sisters. We discuss Redival’s immodesty and her tendency to stir up trouble , and explore why Orual’s position in the family feels so much more complex—especially when she starts to sound disturbingly like her father.The "Psyche" Problem: Is Psyche truly a healer, or is her naive attempt to heal the village actually a source of danger?. We debate whether she acts as a messianic figure or just a sheltered princess.Orual’s Inner Conflict: We talk about why we admire Orual’s sharpness and intelligence, even while acknowledging her struggle with anger and the fear that she might one day become the very thing she despises.The Mythic Shift: We explore why Lewis might have inverted the roles of the sisters compared to the original myth, and how that changes our emotional connection to the characters.It’s been fascinating to see how these characters move from mythic archetypes to real, complicated people. Pull up a chair and join our conversation as we look at why these ancient choices feel so hauntingly relevant to our lives today.Join us next time for chapters 5 & 6!

Welcome back to the show! If you have ever wanted to read the classics but felt intimidated by where to start, you are in the right place.I’m your host, Angelica Cable, a homeschool mom of 3 with a deep passion for literature. Today, I’m sitting down with Adalyn (15) and my daughter Esther (14) to crack open the first two chapters of C.S. Lewis’s self-proclaimed masterpiece, Till We Have Faces.In This EpisodeI believe that talking about great books is the secret to truly falling in love with them. In this episode, we don't just summarize the plot; we start tracking the heavy themes in this psychological novel—from the tension of the divine to the complexities of the human ego.Why Listen?Till We Have Faces is a book that demands to be read deeply, and it’s much better to do it together. After this conversation, I couldn't wait to keep reading to see how C.S. Lewis addresses the issues he brings up right at the get-go.Whether you are reading along with us or just looking for a bit of wisdom, this episode is your invitation to join the conversation. It only gets better from here!Thanks for joining us! If you enjoyed this deep dive, make sure to subscribe and share this episode with a fellow book lover. Let’s keep reading, talking, and learning together. Also email me at [email protected]

Join our latest homeschool Charlotte Mason high school English class as we continue our poetry reading series, finishing the "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." We explore how to read this classic through a Christian lens, finishing up a great series on a great work! If you're looking to deepen your understanding of literature and how to read it meaningfully, this discussion is for you! ❤️Email us your thoughts: [email protected]

Join my Charlotte Mason High School class with Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14) as we have a fun discussion on "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Part 6 by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Classic literature was WRITTEN to be discussed. If you want to enjoy poetry more, join us! Don't walk this homeschool journey alone!After Part 7 of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (released next week!), we will start discussing Till we have Faces by C. S. Lewis. Get yourself a copy so you can read a few chapters and then listen to our discussion. Join in the conversation by emailing us at [email protected]

Join our Charlotte Mason homeschool highschool class for a discussion on Part 5 of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." We are  bewildered by this section; but that's all part of the fun. If you can enjoy entering into unknown waters, you will enjoy poetry all the more. ❤️ Get yourself a copy of Till we have Faces by C. S. Lewis so you can read along with our discussion in a few weeks!😍We would love to hear your thoughts at [email protected]

If your experience with poetry has been dry and tedious, this is the podcast for you. Join our homeschool class as we continue our series on "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," discussing Part 4 of the poem by Samuel Coleridge. We aim to make poetry for beginners engaging and meaningful within your homeschool journey. Gain courage to hunt for beauty while reading literature with your own family. After we finish the 7 sections of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, we are going to read through Till we have Faces, so prepare yourself buy tracking down a copy of that great classic by C. S. Lewis!

How do you have meaty discussions with your teenagers? Discussions forge the deep relationships we want with our kids, and solidify deep growth in their character. If you don't expect valuable insights to come out of the mouth of your children, you are sabotaging the potential you have for deep discussions. Join me for a real Homeschool High School class with Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14) as we read through the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Coleridge. You can follow along with captions on Youtube.I hope your appreciation for poetry will grow, and you will gain skill in having deep, life-shaping discussions within your own family. We would love to hear from you! Email: [email protected]

Years ago I couldn't handle a poem that wasn't written for kids, but I've grown-- and you can to! My goal is to help moms who dream of meaty high school discussions, but feel lost in the world of upper-level classes. If you invest in your own education, and you can have the meaningful experiences with your teenagers that you dreamed of when you started your homeschool journey. Listen in on a real class as I read and discuss Part 2 of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner with my daughter Esther (14 years old) and friend Adalyn (15 years old). This is a public domain book, so you can follow along with text online, or you can watch the video on youtube with captions. One challenge of upper-level literature is that the beginnings are hard. We have more questions than answers at this point. But the more we wonder, the more "wonder" we have when things are revealed! Read with courage and curiosity and trust the answers to come in due time (like in Part 3!!!).

Just the other day my friend said, "I HATED poetry in High School!" I didn't read more than a handful of poems before I graduated. Poems can be so hard to understand, the point seems to go over our heads, and actually make us feel dumber than when we started reading. Read a list of poems included in any Charlotte Mason curriculum and you can despair: How can I pass on a love of poetry to my children?!?!We know intrinsically that poetry can enrich our souls. Your homeschool starts with your loves. You must legitimately learn to love poetry. This is not far fetched, it will happen through practice in community!I help moms who feel inadequate in their ability to homeschool. You can start by feeling undereducated and become a confident, joyful life-long learner. You can walk the path that you want to lead your children down. I am recording my real class as we read and discussion through the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner with Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14). I am inviting you in so that you can strengthen your own intellectual courage and curiosity and thus develop into a great teacher. I hope our fantastic discussions show you what a joy it is to invest in these final years of the homeschooling journey.I would LOVE to hear from you. There is always more to discuss about a poem, and I would love to hear your thoughts, your struggles, and your suggestions! Email: [email protected] poem is written in 7 sections, so join us for 7 weeks as we read through and discuss together. We will read 1 part each week. Part 2: 3-12, Part 3: 3-19, Part 4: 3-26, Part 5: 4-2, Part 6: 4-9, Part 7: 4-16.

More and more homeschool moms are realizing that it is essential that our high school students read original documents for history. Have you ever read the US Constitution? For me, starting out it felt like more of an obligation than a delight, but the experience was surprisingly much more fun than I anticipated. I foresee it will enliven our thoughts and discussions for years. When we finished, I had 2 of my students (Adalyn and Esther) list reasons you should read the constitution. We spend this episode trying to convince others to read it, as well as giving helpful tips for the process. Enjoy this playful and helpful discussion, and add to the conversation by commenting your own thoughts!Next up, grow your appreciation for poetry by reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner with us! We will read 1 part each week. Part 1: March 5, Part 2: 3-12, Part 3: 3-19, Part 4: 3-26, Part 5: 4-2, Part 6: 4-9, Part 7: 4-16.

Do old books intimidate you? Most of us know original sources are the best sources, but feel some reluctance to actually reading them. Do you expect them to be tedious and difficult?I never liked history, and I've wondered what exactly my aim is in teaching it. I've landed on the true goal: to get wisdom. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a classic book often assigned to Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers. It was a delight to read and is clearly a treasure-trove of wisdom, which really comes out in our discussion. Homeschool mom, listen in on this discussion I had with 2 students, and grow your own confidence to dig in and get wisdom from old books together, through the very end of your homeschool journey. 

For homeschool families! Listen in on this passionate discussion between me and 2 students. We have opinions on this book that is frequently assigned for Charlotte Mason high school students. This is the second installment of our discussion on Oliver Goldsmith's book, The Vicar of Wakefield. Our first episode was a spoiler free teaser, a prep guide for before you read the book. This episode has all the spoilers. There are three types of people who would benefit from listening to this discussion. 1. The "Victors" of Wakefield: If you've finished the book, we know you want to rehash and think through it all again. 2. The "Cheaters" of Wakefield. Love spoilers? Need more encouragement to read the book? Maybe you are a homeschool mom who's thinking of assigning it as a read, but you don't have time to read it yourself? This would be a super helpful discussion for you to hear before you assign it, or to give you material to discuss with your student after they read it. 3. Folks who are interested in what homeschooling in high school looks like. (What do ya think... the "Peer-ers" of Wakefield????)Thanks for listening! We'd love to hear from you!

I pull back the curtain on our wonderful Charlotte Mason homeschool in this pilot podcast episode where I discuss The Vicar of Wakefield with 2 teens. This book was a wild ride for us with a rough beginning and a beautiful ending. Should you read it? Should you assign it to your highschooler? In a "spoiler-free" discussion we share what we wish we had known before starting out so you can enjoy this classic from beginning to end.