Picture study is such a simple way to give our children beauty in the midst of life and to cultivate their tastes for what is worthy and good. It adds so much to our week to take just five or ten minutes on Monday or Tuesday (or Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, for that matter) and […]
One of the great things about a Charlotte Mason education is the wide variety of subjects the students get to enjoy: history, geography, Bible, science, math, and language arts; plus music study, art, nature study, picture study, handicrafts, singing, poetry, foreign language, and those wonderful family read-alouds. (more…)
Over the years since Delightful Reading first came out, we have seen many faces light up as parents discover Charlotte Mason’s brilliant method of teaching children to read. Her techniques work with both new readers and reluctant readers and have helped many a student enter the wonderful world of reading with confidence! (more…)
(I am so pleased to welcome a guest writer who excels at presenting an insightful summary of math the Charlotte Mason way. Richele Baburina has extensively researched Charlotte Mason’s approach to math and compiled her findings in her excellent book, Mathematics: An Instrument for Living Teaching, and helpful DVD series, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math: A […]
Most of you were probably taught English grammar the same way I was. In first grade we were told, “A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. Circle the nouns in these five sentences.” Then in second grade we were told, “A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, […]
When we talk about writing, we usually have one or both of these aspects in mind: handwriting and composition. Let’s look at each one and outline how Charlotte Mason approached them. (more…)
Sometimes I read a book that grips my heart and challenges me to change. As I’m reading I think, Oh, this makes so much sense; I’ll always remember what it says. And for a little while I recall poignant passages and mull over meaningful phrases from the book in my mind. But then I read […]
When my oldest child was a little one, the thought of teaching her how to read hovered in my mind as a huge challenge. I don’t remember waking up at night, wondering if I would be able to teach her to tie her shoes or to drive a car; but I do remember staring at […]
Charlotte Mason used a two-faceted approach to teaching science that was very effective: systematic studies and spontaneous discovery. The systematic studies were accomplished through reading and narrating living science books. The spontaneous facet was added through doing nature study. (more…)
Thousands of families have benefited from Charlotte Mason’s wonderful counsel on habit-training children. The timeless strategies she outlined continue to change homes around the world. Yet, as I travel and speak on habit-training, parents often approach me with this concern: “I want to cultivate good habits in my children, but how can I do that […]
Charlotte recognized that not every student would become a virtuoso, but she understood that beauty and enjoyment can be added to life by appreciating good music, singing, and learning the basics of playing music. Here’s how to approach music in a Charlotte Mason way. Music Appreciation Simply choose one composer and play his or her […]
I’ve been cleaning off my bookshelves these past couple of weeks, trying to cull out duplicates. Now, usually duplicate copies of a title are not a problem in a household of readers, but when the shelves are full and you need more space . . . sacrifices must be made. (more…)
If you had graduated from one of Charlotte Mason’s schools, you would have studied several different foreign languages: French, German, Italian, and Latin. And not just studied, but used and understood those languages quite well. (more…)
The more time you spend around the Charlotte Mason Method, the more you come to realize what a nicely balanced approach it is. CM is not all books and narration; Charlotte also recognized the importance of working with your hands. (more…)
It seems that many schools either sprinkle a little art into the curriculum here and there as an afterthought or ignore it all together because of time constraints. Neither approach reflects the goal of a generous curriculum. Charlotte Mason approached art in a balanced way, regularly scheduling time for her students to both appreciate others’ […]
Sally Clarkson has held a special place in my heart for about twenty years now. My homeschool journey began with a copy of her Educating the WholeHearted Child on my nightstand, much dogeared and highlighted. Over the years she continued to encourage and refresh my heart with The Mission of Motherhood, Seasons of a Mother’s […]
At the end of the year, it is often encouraging to look back and see what has been accomplished. While it’s tempting for any homeschool mom to focus on what she didn’t get done, there is a lot to be said for intentionally taking some time to remember what did get done. So give yourself […]
Today we’re happy to announce a new free video resource: SCM Answers Your Questions. Last week we invited you to send in your questions about homeschooling with the Charlotte Mason Method. We selected ten of those questions to answer, and I was able to sit down and record my thoughts for you via video. Click […]
Over the past few weeks I have been gleaning much from two people who are nearly as opposite as opposite can be: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Carl Sandburg. About the only things they have in common are that they were both men and were both poets. (more…)
A couple of weeks ago my daughter and I visited New Zealand. We didn’t board an airplane or book passage on a ship; we made the trip from the floor of our school room with a map and a sweet little book, Herbert: The True Story of a Brave Sea Dog. On the way we […]
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Scripture Memory: Why 4 weeks ago