Charlotte Mason in Breif

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Charlotte Mason was a British educator who lived in during the Victorian Era of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Though she did not have children of her own, she instructed others, mothers included on how to educate.  She published a number of books and was sought after to speak on the subject of education. Her principles were a groundbreaking change to the Victorian period style of education.

She shares in her 20 principles that children are born persons. They have their own uniqueness, their own thought with unlimited potential.

In 1984, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s book, For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School ignited the flame for a new generation of homeschoolers. Her book is a household staple for the Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool with practical ideas to awaken your child's mind. 

The Charlotte Mason method of education has since become a beloved method of teaching within the homeschooling community. From the beginning of our homeschooling journey, I have always been drawn to her ways of teaching. A model that at the heart, is an atmosphere, a discipline and a life. Recognized as a trailblazer in home education and a school reformer, Miss Mason's practical teaching style are just as valued today as they were first written.

"The Original Homeschooling Series were out of print for over 80 years until Dean and Karen Andreola brought them to America while returning from a mission trip in the Spring of 1987. A Charlotte Mason educational revival soon followed."

Unfortunately, they are once again out of print. Thankfully for technology, we can still read them here and here.

"The parent's chief care is, that that which they supply shall be wholesome and nourishing whether in the way of picture books, lessons, playmates, bread and milk, or mother's love."  Charlotte Mason

So what is the essence of a CM education? Short lesson that encompass the following:

Knowledge of God: Biblical Truth, read every day. "The indwelling of Christ is a thought particularly fit for the children, because their large faith does not stumble at the mystery, their imagination leaps readily to the marvel, that the King Himself should inhabit a little child's heart."

Memorization of Scripture and Literary Works: Not just rote memorization, but soaking in great works to memory for the nourishment of one's heart and mind. "It is a delightful thing to have the memory stored with beautiful, comforting, and inspiring passages."

Copywork: Copying well-written literature for developing legible penmanship. "Children should transcribe favourite passages. A certain sense of possession and delight may be added to this exercise if children are allowed to choose for transcription their favorite verse in one poem or another... But a book of their own, made up of their own chosen verses, should give them pleasure."

Narration: Simply re-telling what you have heard or understand about what was discussed. “The teacher reads and the children ‘tell’ paragraph by paragraph, passage by passage”

Living books: Usually a narrative written with passion and knowledge by the author to draw the reader in to the subject. Typically textbooks are frowned upon. “As for what are called children’s books, the children of educated parents are able to understand history written with literary power, and are not attracted by the twaddle of reading-made-easy little history books”

History: Keeping a historical timeline, and understanding History with quality books. "Let him linger pleasantly over the history of a single man, a short period, until he thinks the thoughts of that man."

Nature study: Cultivating a love of nature and creation through observation. "An observant child should be put in the way of things worth observing."

Physical Fitness:  Daily physical exercise. "Never be within doors when you can be rightfully out."

Habit & Character Development: Teaching children to behave in the right manner. "Whatever the natural gifts of the child, it is only so far as the habit of attention is cultivated in him that he is able to make use of them."

Language learning: Learning a second language. "There is hardly another civilised nation so dull in acquiring foreign tongues as we English of the present time; but, probably, the fault lies rather in the way we set about the study than in any natural incapacity for languages." 

Fine Arts: Exposing children to art and music, by studying the masters and composers. “There must be knowledge … not the technical knowledge of how to produce, but some reverent knowledge of what has been produced that is, children should learn pictures line by line, group by group, by reading not books (about art) but the pictures themselves.”

My favorite resource for planning our CM year is Simply Charlotte Mason. We also use SCM for our Hymn Study and  History Guides for our spine. We are slowly feathering the Brave Writer Lifestyle in our homeschool that is also influenced by Miss Mason.

If you Google "Charlotte Mason Blogs" you'll get a wide variety of blogs and websites to choose from. My absolute favorites are The Unplugged Family, Our Journey Westward and Julie Ross. I see a few movements growing out there too, giving more freedoms to children to be Wild and Free and encouraging mums to be more intentional and slow with learning. {swoon}

I am in no way a Charlotte Mason purist. I don't thinks it's wise to hold to one ideal when it comes to homeschooling my children. If they are born persons, made in the image of Yah, then as a home educator, I should to some degree bend to the needs and learning styles of my child. As that child grows, with each changing season, our homeschool methods should reflect that change and growth. 

We enjoy certain aspects of Montessori, Waldorf, Unit Studies, Notebooking and Delight Directed learning as well as CM. Though I follow most of her principles, I'm not quite Charlotte. 
But close enough. :)

My favorite Charlotte Mason and homeschooling encouragement books: