I’m reading Vol. 6 of Charlotte Mason’s writings. And all I can say is, “Read the original.”
It’s so full of passion and knowledge. Also, it’s good to read about her journey in developing her philosophy of education rather than just reading “here’s how you do it.”
When you can understand the reasons behind what she did, it’s much easier to understand what to do in a modern world.
As I’ve mentioned before, I started out teaching my children somewhere between Charlotte Mason and Classical. And while I don’t think they’re exclusive at all, I think much of what Ms. Mason proposed was extremely classical, the point of origin, to me, seems to be different.
(And by the way, I’m not an expert at either. I’m figuring this stuff out as I go, and I am having a blast doing so. But I no way feel unqualified to talk about these ideas as a parent and teacher. I’ve come to learn that I’m not an expert, but then again, neither are the people than many of us call experts. Just look at the public school system.)
Ms. Mason’s methods really were focused on the whole child. And while much of the subject matter taught was the same as with classical education, the input and the output were different. From my interpretation of her writings, she believed that children should read books for themselves and interpret for themselves, guided by their teachers. I believe she knew the dangers of what a teacher-led education could do to a child. Some of which I addressed here.
Where input is concerned, the quantity, the quality, and the method are all important. Charlotte Mason piled on the quantity–not too much, but not too little either. She definitely piled on the quality–nothing but the best. Neither of these really differ that much from other methods of education. The method and the reasoning behind it, though, appear to be unique. She said that just like the body needs food, the mind needs ideas. I believe she recognized in children the hunger for information, knowledge, and understanding. She didn’t believe that these passions needed to be created, only cultivated. So the method of input was to give children the tools to read and then let them read. It seems so easy, but it contradicts most of what we do with education–even homeschooling.
How much time do your children spend reading every day? How much lecturing do you as a parent do? I know when I answer these questions, that we are not doing as much as we should, especially where my boys are concerned. My daughter sleeps on books and sucks the information in even as she sleeps.
A worksheet here, and a worksheet there, here a sheet, there a sheet, everywhere a worksheet. It’s just too much. And we use these because we want documentation on what they can do. We think it’s helping to accomplish output, but really it’s driving out the input.
This is where we are in our journey. I’m frustrated with myself and how I’ve gone astray. We’re not doing bad by any measure out there. But my children should have the best, and I think I’m crowding out the best with the good and easy.
So my goal for the rest of the school year is to find a way to get us back on track.
By the way, it’s not the curriculum so much as the implementation. It’s all about the method of the input. Some of it is co-op driven, which I don’t want to give up at all; we all love it. But some of it is because it’s been easier to do it the traditional way.
Anyway, reading Ms. Mason’s original volumes, as available and recommended through Amblesideonline, is what has me refocusing. There’s good stuff in those books.
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