Charlotte Mason was a British educator who lived around 1900. Her methodology of teaching focused on teaching the whole child – not just with academic facts, but also with habits and character development, living books, experiences in nature, communication, artists and composers, handwriting practice with a purpose, and more.
This method is a parent-led approach that aims to fill a child with ideas as opposed to facts and data. Some of the key features of an education with this method are:
- Nature Study – getting close to examine the natural world around them
- Outside Time – as much outside time as possible, no matter the weather
- Living Books – quality fiction and non-fiction literature that bring things (like history) to life
- Habit Training – working on developing quality habits for everyday life
- Copywriting – handwriting practice from pieces of quality literature
- Short Lessons – allowing for better focus and variety in a day
One of her most popular quotes is, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.”
Curious about a day in the life of a Charlotte Mason homeschooling family?
Charlotte Mason Benefits
- It focuses on the development of the whole child.
- Using living books really helps children relate to what they are learning.
- It allows for lots of childhood free time and exploration of personal interests.
- Outside time and nature study are naturally built-in.
- It can be a very relaxed, child-centred learning experience.
Charlotte Mason Disadvantages
- It is a lot of reading – since it uses books for every subject and topic.
- It can feel outdated since her methodology is from 100 years ago.
- Being outside in all weather can be a con for some – inclement weather can make for uncomfortable outside time.
- It can be a lot of parent-involvement, through read-alouds, listening to narration, providing explanations, etc.
- Books can be costly and take up a lot of room, if you don’t have library access or would rather buy them to keep
Examples of Charlotte Mason Curriculum
Recommended Resources
Where to Buy Charlotte Mason Curriculum in Canada
Charlotte Mason Blogs
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Owner at The Canadian Homeschooler
Lisa Marie Fletcher is a mom of 5 with 15+ years of homeschooling experience. She started The Canadian Homeschooler in 2010 as a way to support the homeschooling community in Canada.
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Hello Lisa! My cousin used to homeschool for about four years, and I heard of Charlotte Mason from her. Now, Iām making a report about her educational principles. And my research led me to your beautiful article. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about the topic. Iām in the middle of completing my report, but I can already say that she created a significant educational revolution. But I wonder if her methodology can keep up with the emerging tech tools today.
Welcome š
Great thoughts. I wish I could offer some insight into Charlotte Mason in the modern world, but I think the idea is mostly to *not* be part of the tech world as long as possible. For better or worse.
I hope you find some great resources in your research š