The moral development of children: it’s what motivates many parents to homeschool in the first place. But if that’s the goal, how do we achieve it? Charlotte Mason’s surprising answer focuses not on the training we conduct but rather on the knowledge we provide. Recorded live at the Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference, July 2021. The …
What role does observational science play in your philosophy of education? John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), the “father of modern teaching,”[1] broke with tradition when he called out: And why should we need other teachers than these our senses to learn to know the works of Nature? Why, say I, should we not, instead of these …
Editor’s Note: The debate between Charlotte Mason and classical education has been going on for years. Does it really make a difference whether Mason was a classical educator or was influenced by classical theories of education? In this episode, Shannon weighs in on this topic as she recounts her journey from classical teacher to Mason educator and researcher. …
Editor’s Note: Agnes Drury was in charge of the scientific work at the House of Education, and she had a particular delight in nature study and nature notebooks. In this paper from the 25th annual conference of the PNEU, Drury explains how nature study and science instruction were carried out at Mason’s school for teachers. …
When people first hear about the Charlotte Mason method, many decide they want to try it out. They start small, with a few elements such as nature study and narration. Over time they begin to see results in their family, and they want more. For some, this becomes a quest for the perfect Charlotte Mason …
Editor’s Note: The August 1906 issue of The Parents’ Review closed with a preview of what was coming next: “The September number of the Parents’ Review will be devoted to the subject of Religious Education in the Home, and will contain several papers on a subject which is a cause of some anxiety to parents…”[1] …
Scouting is one of the Charlotte Mason subjects that caught my imagination as soon as I heard of it. It seemed to combine everything I wish I had been taught about self-sufficiency and living a life immersed in nature. But so broad was the scope that I knew I had to put it on the …
Editor’s Note, by Nicole Williams In The Story of Charlotte Mason, Essex Cholmondeley wrote: Another choice is an instance of Miss Mason’s understanding of the out-of-school needs of boys and girls. In 1905 a small military handbook came to her notice. It was called ‘Aids to Scouting’ and had been written by Robert Baden-Powell to provide …
Everyone remembers the good times they had in school, and while the setting may be different for each party or hangout time, the one thing that remains constant is that everyone involved is surrounded by friends. But what about homeschooled children? If they mainly interact only with their families, where do they make friends? Most …