Brief Introduction to the Charlotte Mason Method
Homeschooling can be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of a parent’s life! There are so many methods, styles, curriculums, and philosophies to choose from when it comes to homeschooling. Researching and figuring out what style works for you and your children can be an adventure. One of the first steps is to determine which style you prefer. A popular method in homeschooling styles is the Mason method, pioneered by the 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason (1842 – 1923).
If you’re not familiar, don’t worry because you aren’t alone. Many people outside the homeschooling movement aren’t familiar with Charlotte Mason and her work. In addition to being a homeschooling pioneer, Charlotte Mason was an educational philosopher and theorist. When Mason died in 1923, Time Magazine noted in her obituary that her influence “was probably more widespread than that of any educationist of her time.”
Charlotte Mason’s Philosophy
Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education considers the child as a ‘person.’ She also emphasized the importance of a liberal curriculum. She argued for education to be much more than just preparing a child for employment, which was the norm of her time. Instead, she wanted a holistic education that would fully prepare the child for life as a whole.
One of her most famous quotes, “education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life,” exemplifies her philosophy’s timeless wisdom. Mason focused on the importance of the atmosphere we develop around the children in our homes, the habits we cultivate in them, and choosing what they learn in life.
Any parent who wishes to cultivate a lifelong learning culture in their children should consider the Charlotte Mason method. It helps to develop a strong moral and ethical framework in children. Typically, a Charlotte Mason curriculum is filled with life lessons, art, literature, living thoughts and ideas (in her words), and a true appreciation of nature.
The Charlotte Mason Method
Charlotte Mason’s method distinctly differs from traditional “school at home” homeschooling. This method is ideal for anyone who loves books and reading. Additionally, it helps develop a strong philosophical and spiritual foundation and cultivate good habits in children. On top of this, it provides flexibility and makes the learning of literature, math, or science fun! How? Good question. Here are a few of the core features of this method:
Living books:
“Children must have books, living books; the best is not too good for them; anything less than the best is not good enough” (Charlotte Mason, Home Education).
A book is a living book if it stimulates the child’s intellectual life. Facts are presented as the outcome of ideas in a living book, and the child should enjoy reading it. This may be confusing for some, so let us try to simplify it further. Consider the traditional textbooks we see around us. Many of them are dry, matter-of-fact presentations of facts on various subjects. Few children will enjoy reading school textbooks. Such books are not living books. A living book exudes the author’s passion and ‘comes to life’ when children engage with it. Instead of a boring textbook, the same lessons can be taught using a living book. It can be a novel or story which includes the same lesson written in the boring textbook that nobody wants to read. Great novels, stories, poems can all be living books. Even a well-written school textbook can be a living book if it stimulates and engages the child. Living books are meaningful, well-written with wonderful plots.
Choosing appropriate living books is paramount to this style of learning. Who will judge whether a book is a living book? Charlotte Mason offers a solution to this challenge. The child is the expert in this case. A book is a living book if it finds its way to the child’s mind (if the child enjoys it!). Charlotte Mason’s philosophy considers children as intellectual equals. We should always keep that in mind while choosing living books.
If you need help choosing living books, read more here.
The Power of Narration
The Charlotte Mason method puts great emphasis on the power of narration. Children should read living books and discuss the ideas in those books in their own words. Educators can choose living books from any range of human interests: religion, folk tales, science, math, or literature. What matters is that children get to engage with the ideas shared by these living books. A content-rich living book-learned using a narrative style will help develop language skills. This process can be valuable, especially if the children are elementary students. Once they learn to read and speak the concepts discussed in these books, they can learn to write easily.
Read more about the power of narration in the Charlotte Mason method.
Copywork
The practice of copywork holds hands with an emphasis on narration and living books. Copywork can be as simple as recording a short, eloquent passage from a work of literature. Additionally, skills such as handwriting, grammar, spelling, and memorization can be incorporated into the practice of copywork. A key element of copywork is selecting only the loveliest of passages, which will fill the children’s minds with important truths. As children get older, they can select portions of the text they find poignant to record as their copywork. The idea behind the practice of copywork is that the meaningful words of the recorded passages will stay with the student long after the book is read.
Age-Appropriate Learning Intervals
… reading lessons must be short; ten minutes or a quarter of an hour of fixed attention is enough for children of the ages we have in view … (Charlotte Mason, Home Education).
Charlotte Mason emphasized the need to spread out learning in short intervals. She prescribed short 20-minute lessons for children under eight. She recommends even shorter intervals if they are doing a reading lesson. The duration can be progressively increased as the children grow. She understood the importance of attention to education. Long, rigorous study hours can be draining for a child. Parents can use this short lesson framework to chart out their lesson plans.
Harnessing the power of Nature
“The Sense of Beauty comes from Early Contact with Nature” (Charlotte Mason, Home Education).
Charlotte Mason argued that intimacy with nature is essential for personal well-being. She encouraged outdoor games, nature walks, and outdoor geography. An astute observation she makes is that nature walks can cultivate the “habit of attention.” This is a sobering thought in this digital age when attention is in short supply. These outdoor activities do not have to be expensive trips. The outdoors can easily be delighted by walking in the neighborhood, doing activities that develop a sense of direction in children, and simple backyard games.
She also emphasized the importance of observing nature and learning how it works!
“There is no part of a child’s education more important than that he should lay, by his own observation, a wide basis of facts towards scientific knowledge in the future” (Charlotte Mason, Home Education).
Common Misconceptions about Charlotte Mason
Since this is a century-old practice and philosophy, there are certain misconceptions about the Charlotte Mason method. Let’s take a moment to explore a few of them.
The main inhibition faced by some parents is the thought that this is a fundamentally Christian homeschooling system. It is true that Charlotte Mason was a devoted Christian and used the Bible in her method for teaching values, life lessons, and habits. But if you belong to another religion, you can use any religious book of your choosing. If you do not subscribe to any religion, you can use good folk tales (or living books) that include strong moral themes.
Others believe that there is too much emphasis on art and literature in the Charlotte Mason method, but science is not given equal prominence. This is a misconception. This method values the power of observation and learning science by observing nature. Teaching science is also addressed in this method, but not by using random textbooks, but by carefully selecting living books that uses a narrative style to discuss scientific concepts. Anyone interested in the power of interdisciplinary storytelling will find the Charlotte Mason method a useful tool to teach Science.
Some of the other myths about the Charlotte Mason method are discussed here: Link.
Summary
Many consider that Charlotte Mason offers a system of homeschooling. But the real nature of what this method offers is the philosophy of a true child-centered educational environment.
Charlotte Mason was ahead of her time when she argued that “Education is the Science of relations.” This principle emphasizes the true interconnectedness of knowledge. Anyone looking to provide a fulfilling homeschool experience to their children should closely examine the Charlotte Mason method.