Ok, so one of the side perks of helping gather stories for Ascension Press' new "Amazing Grace for Homeschoolers" book is meeting so many great Catholic homeschooling families....For a real treat, I invite you to *meet* Maribeth Chambers and her talented, musical kids.
http://www.thechambersmusic.com/index.html
Once you've listened to these incredible kids play, I'm sure you want to ask her some questions, so I've taken the liberty and done it for all of us:
TT: Maribeth, your family sounds awesome.
Maribeth: Thanks. It is only by God's grace we can do this.
TT: What's the best thing about being a musical family?
Maribeth: I'd have to say I treasure these times that music is CONSTANTLY playing in our home, plus the tunes aren't noxious. There's something uplifting about classical music.
Being a musical family also keeps our family unit tight. It's bound us together, added discipline to our lives, and blessed us with many other opportunities.
TT: All the kids are homeschooled?
Maribeth: Yes, all of my kids, from ages 6 to 17 are homeschooled and have been for eight years. I took my oldest two out of school after realizing that homeschooling was a calling. So I teach five grades this year, from first grade to senior in high school.
TT: How does homeschooling allow a greater delving into your Catholic faith?
Maribeth: When the kids were younger we could focus on the saint of the day, celebrate feast days and get to Mass so much easier! We regularly did things like Meals on Wheels and we made meals for grandparents and our priest. These days with two high schoolers and three elementary aged children I try to keep running around at a minimum. We start our school day with religion. We focus on the Morning Offering, morning spiritual reading, Mass about twice a week, weekly Holy Hour, confession about every two weeks, daily rosary and nighttime spiritual reading.
Daily we put the saint of the day on the board and discuss, as time/my planning and memory allows.
But we also have time for general discussion of how our faith might be present in the world: through what we read, by reviewing history/literature topics in light of our faith.
Our spare time is spent performing, sometimes for pay, sometimes not (charity, or nursing homes). We spend the bulk of our time together, learning to express charity in our home (which truly is the most difficult part of "love thy neighbor"!).
TT: What curriculum do you use?
Maribeth: We use mostly Mother of Divine Grace curriculum in the elementary grades and Kolbe Academy, Napa, CA, for the high schoolers.
TT: Do you perform any musical pieces in the tradition of the Catholic faith?
Maribeth: Not as many as I'd like. We began (studying and performing) with classical (Suzuki method music) and branched into bluegrass. Ave Maria, Amazing Grace and Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring are the biggies we've played for a long time. We've played these and Canon in D at Mass.
TT: What do you like best about working with your children?
Maribeth: Well, I've been able to learn a new instrument from my children (the double bass; I played the flute in high school). We travel as a family, an example that families CAN do things together. I've had so many comment on how I got my teens to accompany us and I think that's just what we do. There would be no discussion on not doing it as a family.
TT: What is your advice to others who want to encourage music in their homes?
Maribeth: I'd say find a Suzuki program and get started! It involves the parent, a teacher and your child; the program encourages daily practice with parent and student in the early years. It encourages a love for classical music. Also, it's really helped keep the junk music at arm's length here. My husband and I don't allow individual radios or stereos; we've never allowed the headphones/Ipod things; we've never done the video/Xbox things. I must sound ignorant, and I am, as I don't think these things (including individual radios in bedrooms) encourage best use of time from a secular standpoint. Crucially, they don't encourage spiritual growth as a Catholic. They are hindrances to knowing, loving and serving God.
We've got one "boom box", a family one, that we use to play our Suzuki tapes or educational tapes/CDs. My high schoolers aren't allowed to buy CDs without our approval. Generally (they buy) Josh Groban, Nickel Creek (which we still have to view the lyrics), Appalachian music, Celtic...
TT: What about contemporary music?
Maribeth: We don't do Christian rock, although the older boys asked at about age 13. (I believe) rock has no redeeming value (this coming from someone who, at eight, vowed to marry her favorite Beatle, Paul.) (I believe) that Chrisitan rock is watered down from the true faith, so why go there? Once I got the rule down with the oldest, it's been a non-issue with the rest. They don't even ask.
TT: Thank you Maribeth! It's been great visiting with you!
Maribeth: You're very welcome.
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