Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Homeschooling :: Washington's Rules of Civility


Every year, the students of the Norris Academy of Arts & Sciences engage is an annual practice of copying George Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior. While this may seem repetitive to some and even daunting to others, the students (two boys) glean wisdom from these seemingly out-dated rules.

 A lot of individuals may consider these quips irrelevant in a modern classroom, but Washington's Rules provide a child with a sense of reflection on the feelings of others and not necessarily of the self.

My eldest son is especially fond of the Rules, as one of his role models is Washington. I think the idea of copying and following the ideas of our first president from his own childhood, resonate deep within my eldest. This year, my youngest will copy the Rules for the first time. I am curious to see if he shares the same enthusiasm as his brother.

This is one of his favorites: #35 Let your Discourse with Men of Business be Short and Comprehensive.

Foundations Magazine offers the original script from the Rules online. Donna Young offers a free printable copybook and instructions on how to put the booklet together at her site. You can find a modern version at Ambleside Online. They have them listed in their FAQ section.

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