The Penelope's Loom Podcast

Katie is joined in this episode by three lovely ladies who all homeschool their children following the educational philosophy depicted by Charlotte Mason and embodied by the Ambleside Online curriculum. They share a wealth of wisdom, experience, reassurance, and an introduction to what this life of learning looks like. This conversation encompasses even more than homeschooling ideas, though. They...

Dr. Phillips graduated from Hillsdale College with a double major in Latin and Greek, and then went on to earn a PhD from the University of California Santa Barbara in Classical Studies. Currently, she teaches Latin and Greek for the House of Humane Letters. In this episode, she joins Katie to discuss the place of language in education, what Dorothy Sayers meant when she presented her famous essay...

Angela Weiss, experienced Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom, pastor's wife, life long learner, and burgeoning scholar, joins us on this episode of our special series on education to talk about how wisdom, virtue, and knowledge intersect and work upon us. She and Katie specifically discuss Charlotte Mason's essay on The Great Recognition, as depicted by the 14th century fresco titled The Triumph of...

On this episode of our special series on education, Emily and Katie explore more deeply true education and what Charlotte Mason did for us by working so diligently to preserve the Western tradition of thinking and learning. They discuss the difference between the "why" and the "how" of educating, the importance of synthesis over analysis, and how the child must receive and dige...

On this episode, Katie and Emily dive into a new series on education. Katie tells the story of her journey through the various worlds of education (Hillsdale, Liberal Arts, Classical Education, etc) and finally begins a brief description of the answers she has just started to find in Charlotte Mason, David Hicks, Karen Glass, Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins, and others. This is just the introduct...

In this episode, Katie is joined by Pastor David Kind from University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis, MN. They discuss the history of the liturgy from ancient times to today. They cover topics like how certain familiar ceremonial practices developed, why different churches practice the liturgy differently (or not at all), best practices for introducing a congregation to a new (to them) liturgical...

Emily and Katie discuss the transformational nature of motherhood. It is a new identity given to each woman. It is not easy, but neither is it a burden. The discussion comes to focus on the increasingly negative view of motherhood in America as a tremendous burden and miserable "career"; as a "gauntlet", a torture, and a daunting task. Emily remembers her own similar feelings w...

With the start of Advent, Emily and Katie discuss all sorts of fun and meaningful aspects of the Advent, Christmas, and even Epiphany seasons. They also talk about listening to Handel's Messiah during these seasons and give some details and information about that work as well as a few guides to increase your enjoyment when listening to it. Enjoy! Show Notes: "Dear Editor— I am 8 years old. Some of...

In his famous essay by the same name, Wendell Berry asks the important question “What are people for?” A similar question could be asked about women. And the answer is connected. He makes the point that people are to be degraded and dehumanized in our current culture. Something similar has happened to women. They’ve been removed completely from their proper context and put into boxes - one side sa...

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The 15th of October is the annual day of observance for this type of tragic loss. Emily and Kate decided to dedicate an episode to discussing their own losses and how God grants us the strength and endurance to grieve for our little ones. They also discuss how Scripture gives us the words for expressing our deep sadness and helps all of us comf...

A new season, a new cohost! Meet Emily Olson, wife, mother, writer, teacher, friend, and fellow Christian. Show notes: Commonplace Quotes: It is apparent in our growing awareness that our whole being by its very nature is one vast need; incomplete, preparatory, empty yet cluttered, crying out for Him who can untie things that are now knotted together and tie up things that are still dangling loose...

Katie and Shannon continue their discussion about education. They work through some practical questions like how to use a curriculum and what it might look like to "master" a subject before moving on to deeper philosophical questions like what the purpose of education ought to be, what a teacher is, and what the relationship between home and school should be. Enjoy! Website Link: Penelope's Loom -...

In this episode, Katie and Shannon begin a discussion about the nebulous topic "classical education." After attempting to distill a description of modern classical education, they move on to discuss their own educational background from learning at home from their parents, to their formal education at the elementary, secondary, and college level. They dive into their personal stories of how each o...

In this episode Katie and Shannon discuss how to face those times of inevitable discontentment in life. They each have their own experience to draw upon as well as a lot of great advice that they have accumulated from others over the years. They explore how the Scriptures address discontent and talk about both how to address discontent with prayer and patience and some practical things that can he...

In this episode Katie and Shannon discuss the difficult question of how to love one's enemies. They dive into distinctions and definitions about friends and enemies and try to make some sense of Jesus's command. Meanwhile, Shannon's little son, John, joins them briefly and they discuss a few commonplace quotes, too. Enjoy! Visit the website, Penelope's Loom . Show Notes: Common Place Quotes: Richa...

In this episode, Shannon and Katie discuss the nature of the disunity that is so prevalent in our nation's society today. They talk about the possible results of that disunity and the plausibility of reunification efforts. They also discuss what each has been reading and learning about lately and share a few commonplace quotes. Enjoy! Visit our website, Penelope's Loom . Show Notes: Commonplace Co...

Jumping right into a conversation about how men can support women in childbirth, Shannon and Katie attempt to discuss how some of their ideas might be put into practice, wrapping up their discussion about true community. Their conversation touches on how young people ought to be educated about the purpose of marriage and sex and the importance of both those things within true community as well as...

Shannon and Katie continue their conversation about community. After a slight digression down a theological path, they dive into a question of what must be at the center of true community. They also touch on the purpose of community and how community can be sustained even in the midst of disagreement. Enjoy!

Shannon and Katie begin a discussion about community. They examine the great interest that “community” as an idea has gathered in the last seventy or so years and what has sparked that interest. They discuss what makes a community, looking especially at the idea that a group of people must hold beliefs “in common” in order to maintain community. They touch briefly on the connection that agricultur...

Dr. Saunders and Katie conversed about the relationship between theology, our faith, and mental health. Dr. Saunders shared his own story about falling away from the Roman Catholic faith, discovering Lutheranism, and then recognizing a direct parallel between the theology of the cross, the understanding that all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God and can do nothing to earn forgiveness,...