What Does A Charlotte Mason Education Include?

Charlotte Mason had a name for her educational process. She called it the "Science of Relations." This Science of Relations was a series of relationships formed by the student as he or she became skilled in a wide range of subjects. Let's hear it in her own words.

We have relations with what there is in the present and with what there has been in the past, with what is above us, and about us; and that fullness of living and serviceableness depend for each of us upon how far we apprehend these relationships and how many of them we lay hold of. Every child is heir to an enormous patrimony. The question is, what are the formalities necessary to put him in possession of that which is his? We do not talk about...educating him with a view to his social standing or his future calling. We take the child as we find him, a person with many healthy affinities and embryonic attachments, and we try to give him a chance to make the largest possible number of these attachments valid.

Charlotte Mason developed a philosophy that modern educators now interpret. For this reason, there is no "one single Charlotte Mason style." In fact, there is quite a lot of disagreement. Sticking to Charlotte Mason's own writings, the following would likely be included in a Charlotte Mason education.

1. Knowledge of God: This is always first and most important
2. Habit training: The desire is to create children with strong wills that willingly choose to act in the right way. Habit training is then a discipline of the student's will and behavior.
3. Nature and outdoor life: Observing nature and creation gives students knowledge of God. You cannot teach nature first-hand without outdoor life. All ages should spend time outside, in any and every weather.
4. Fitness routines matter: Charlotte Mason allocated time for exercising each day.
5. Living Books: These should be used instead of a textbook. A true Living Book has ideas from the best minds and great stories from people with real experience. Charlotte Mason had high standards for the books she considered "Living Books."
6. History: Uses the same philosophy behind the "Living Books" idea. History should be taught using primary sources (real experiences) and some really well-written history books.
7. Join history and literature: These two subjects are always taught together. When studying the American Revolution, students would also read works of literature written during the late 1700s.
8. Exposure to great and noble ideas: Facts are not alive. Instead of exposing students to facts, they should encounter great and noble ideas. But, think outside the book! Children get similar exposure when they expand their mind with art and music.
9. Math that uses reasoning: Focus is placed on story problems and problems that challenge comprehension, instead of memorization of facts. Manipulatives are awesome!
10. Copywork: Children will transcribe noble pieces of literature in order to practice their handwriting.
11. Narration: Children recite a story back to the teacher instead of composition, utilized for young children.
12. Foreign languages: Yes! Learn a new language! During her time, Mason encouraged French, as well as Latin.
13. Short lessons: Focus on excellence and don't over-stress the brain.
14. Reading: Sight vocabulary, not phonics, forms the basis of Mason's reading instruction.
15. Read on your own: Once you can read on your own, the child should do so. Except for occasions when the material needs to be modified.
16. Memorization for meditation: Charlotte Mason didn't use memorization as a means for assimilating facts. Instead, memorization should be used to provide students material to ponder and reflect.
17. Quality is always preferred over quantity.