Merry Christmas to all. This re-release of an early episode on picture study and music appreciation begins with a few tips and updates and is appropriate for a feast for the eyes, ears, and heart during this special season. For the not-to-be missed lessons, including art and music is the life-giving energy for the rest of the feast.
Charlotte Mason made several statements that began, "Education is…" This episode teases out many of her definitions of education. Emily, Nicole, and Liz discuss her perspective on education and how it applies to us today.
Term examinations in Charlotte Mason's schools were mandatory. This re-release of our 2017 podcast episode explores the purpose of examinations, what was covered, and how we evaluate our child's performance, with a slight update from what we've learned over the last four years.
We're popping into the feed today with three short announcements about upcoming events and items you'll want to know about.
Did Charlotte Mason advocate the common notion of "mastery before moving on?" Liz, Emily, and Nicole discuss this popular idea and, based on Miss Mason's principles, the cases when moving on with or without mastery of a subject are beneficial for the student.
A Charlotte Mason education is grounded in principles of teaching, not just products. This is critical in the area of writing, whether handwriting or written composition. Since writing is essential, enjoy this re-release of our original show with some new preliminary comments.
This week's Charlotte Mason podcast is an interview with a mom of five on the subject of physical geography. Morgan Conner wanted to know more about her region, wanted to learn how to do geography walks, and shares with us how this came about. If you don't know much about your locale, its geology, or how to incorporate geography walks, you will be delighted with the practical and informative suggestions Morgan shares.
Nature study is essential in a Charlotte Mason education. In revisiting "the basics," this is the reason we offer you this re-release of our original nature study episode. Even if you have been studying nature with your children for years, you will be re-inspired and grateful for the world that has been given.
We think of school as paper, pencils, and books, but Mason's delectable feast included innumerable other learning opportunities. We try to hit the highlights here of the vastly underrated world of things that can be considered critical to the well-rounded education.
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“The children I am speaking of are much occupied with things as well as with books, because 'Education is the Science of Relations,' is the principle which regulates their curriculum; that is, a child goes to school with many aptitudes which he should put into effect. So, he learns a good deal of science, because children have no difficulty in understanding principles, though technical details baffle them. He practises various handicrafts that he may know the feel of wood, clay, leather, and the joy of handling tools, that is, that he may establish a due relation with materials. But, always, it is the book, the knowledge, the clay, the bird or blossom, he thinks of, not his own place or his own progress.” (Vol. 6, p. 31)
“At the same time, here is the mother's opportunity to train the seeing eye, the hearing ear, and to drop seeds of truth into the open soul of the child, which shall germinate, blossom, and bear fruit, without further help or knowledge of hers.” (Vol. 1, pp. 44-45)
"At any rate he should go forth well furnished because imagination has the property of magical expansion, the more it holds the more it will hold." (Vol. 6, p. 43)
"The work is arranged on the principles which have been set forth in this volume; a wide curriculum, a considerable number of books for each child in the several classes, and, besides, a couple of hours' work daily, not with Books but with Things." (Vol. 3, p. 271)
If you would like to study along with us, here are some passages from The Home Education Series and other Parent's Review articles that would be helpful for this episode's topic. You may also read the series online here, or get the free Kindle version from Fisher Academy.
School Education (Vol. 3), Chapter 21
Towards a Philosophy of Education (Vol. 6), Book I, Sections II and III
The Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv
(Contains affiliate links)
Charlotte Mason increased the feast both in variety of lessons and length of lessons as the children grew, but how does one teacher with multiple students in multiple grades manage? This episode explores many of the possibilities for combining children of different levels. Creative structuring and a knowledge of what each needs is key, and there are lots of options at every stage for sharing lessons.
Another season of Charlotte Mason episodes is around the corner. Want to know what series we will be doing, what new projects we have to offer, and what to expect? Emily, Nicole, and Liz give some sneak previews.
This Charlotte Mason podcast episode addresses three short topics: the lists of attainments for six and 12-year-olds, what age is right to start school, and memorization. Liz, Emily, and Nicole each tackle one of these and gives you the short and simple advice from Charlotte Mason.
In Charlotte Mason's book addressed to students, she wrote them a chapter on vocation. This episode concludes our series on the first book of Ourselves and is an informal chat about our calling in general, our children's callings in particular, and some of the ways we can encourage them to follow theirs.
Instead of focusing on the principles and feast of curriculum subjects for the teacher, this episode speaks directly to the students who are beginning their Charlotte Mason education. Maybe you have never experienced school at home, but even if you have, this new way of doing school is going to be different than any other school experience you have had. Since this education expects you to do the work of your own education, we thought it only fair for you to know a thing or two about it.
Charlotte Mason's book for students, Ourselves, is valuable to homeschool parents and all teachers, too. This episode in the series highlighting sections of Ourselves addresses a hot topic in our culture today: justice. Specifically, what do the opinions we hold have to do with doing what is right to others?
From the wisdom of Charlotte Mason for homeschool families, we share a session from the ADE at Home Conference in February 2021: a long Q&A session. Here are dozens of questions of everyday school problems with attitudes and behavior, habit training, and lots and lots of discussion on scheduling and planning from the multitudinous questions we received that day.
This episode on the series covering Charlotte Mason's volume Ourselves addresses one aspect of the portion of "The House of Heart," namely, loyalty. What do love and loyalty have to do with one another? How does awareness of loyalty affect our life? Emily, Nicole, and Liz discuss this topic, relevant for our students as well as their teachers.
For those who try to wrap their mind about the enormous feast Charlotte Mason offered in her curriculum, today's episode is a treasure. Emily, Nicole, and Liz read for you a hundred-year-old article that was once presented for the very purpose of giving interested educators an overview of this educational model. Enjoy listening and reading it yourself, then explore valuable links to guide you into more valuable nuggets.
What do beauty and homeschooling the Charlotte Mason way have to do with one another? This free-form conversation discusses the inborn need to appreciate beauty in everyone, its development, its false counterparts, and how the feast develops this aesthetic sense in children.
A keynote of a Charlotte Mason education is the nature walk. Would you believe we have never had an episode dedicated solely to this topic? By way of apology for the delay, this episode covers all things nature walk--where, when, how, what preparations, destinations, options for families or groups of families. Spring has sprung, and this episode should inspire you whether you are a beginner or an old hand at nature rambles and hikes.
Charlotte Mason addresses concerns about our body in Ourselves and this week's lively discussion focuses on the body's need for rest. Not just our students, but homeschool teachers also need rest. We hope this episode will energize you to consider how to work true rest into your life.
A Charlotte Mason education included the best novels the world had to offer. This episode is a lively discussion of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley, a book Miss Mason referred to in all of her six volumes and one of the first English historical novels. To read it is to understand more about Miss Mason, and ourselves.
Our first ever ADE at HOME Virtual Conference was a great success...but it's not over! Take a quick listen to hear some exciting news, and a chance to WIN access to all the content from this weekend's event.
Charlotte Mason homeschoolers know that the curriculum feeds the whole person. Miss Mason tackled helping young persons to understand themselves and their place in the world through one of her volumes, Ourselves, to widen their understanding of themselves and the world they live in. This episode gives an overview of the purpose and plan for this book in the feast and is the first of the season 6 podcast series covering topics from Self-Knowledge, the first book of Ourselves.
Charlotte Mason developed her educational method upon underlying philosophical principles, but many of those influences popular in her day are unknown to today's homeschooling teachers. This episode unpacks three prominent figures who were giants in education then, discussed in Miss Mason's Home Education series, and attempts to distill their contributions, and to compare and contrast them to the ideas Miss Mason rejected or accepted.