Homeschooling the Charlotte Mason Way
Homeschooling used to consist of four or five children sitting around a table scribbling away in a pile of workbooks, while a stern parent stood over them and lectured. With the help of innovative teachers like Charlotte Mason, homeschooling has come a long way. Today, there are many different methods of homeschooling. The Charlotte Mason method has become quite popular with homeschooling parents today. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, you should definitely consider the different practices out there and see which will suit your children and family best. In this article, I will introduce you to Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling.
Charlotte Mason was a passionate and innovative homeschooling mother who founded the homeschooling movement in the early 1900’s (1842-1923). She invested her life in the pursuit of improving the quality of children’s education. Her enthusiasm and commitment to homeschooling led her to lay the foundations for an effective, complete and adaptable homeschooling program that provided children with a comprehensive education while keeping it interesting. The Charlotte Mason method focuses on core subjects and places an emphasis on literature, classical music, and fine arts. Many homeschooling parents today are using her approach to teach their kids.
Charlotte Mason coined the term “living books” when she described the types of text books teachers should use. One of the most important requirements for a “living book” is that it must be written by someone who is passionate about the subject. The book should also be written in a narrative or conversational style which is sure to capture the attention children much more powerfully than the dry factual texts often found in public schools today. Books that feel “alive” and engaging will inspire a similar feeling towards the subject. Mason also coined the term “twaddle,” to describe books that condescend to children by dumbing down information or using unsophisticated language. Mason criticizes “twaddle” for killing a child’s enthusiasm and insulting their intelligence.
An important part of Mason’s program includes reading literature and narrating. Children must become proficient at narrating in their own words what they have read. The narration can be oral, written or even expressed in drawings. Narrating after reading helps to ensure comprehension. Younger children can narrate orally or through drawings but by ten years old, the child should be able to narrate a story by writing. Narration ensures that the child has synthesized the reading, organized the information in their mind and determined how best to communicate this information.
Charlotte Mason believes that children should spend a large amount of time outdoors to help them develop a relationship with nature and a love for the environement. After observing nature, children should write in nature diaries everything they perceive about nature. Nature dairies can also be used to draw pictures of or write poetry about nature. One of the objectives of this nature study is to lead the way for meaningful instruction of scientific subjects. Homeschooling parents who want to implement some of the Charlotte Mason philosophy, should get their children started on nature dairies and ensure that their children get plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors and develop a love and appreciation for nature.
Mason held strongly to her belief that the development of good character and behavior was essential to the complete development of a child’s personality. Children must learn how to govern and discipline themselves. Mason encouraged parents and teachers to instill good habit such as respect, punctuality, cleanliness and patience in their children. Children should spend four to six weeks working on a new trait or skill until it becomes a habit. These are the cornerstones of the Charlotte Mason method. Homeschooling parents can find many ways to incorporate these practices into their homeschooling routines.