Category Education Is

Posts and comments about Charlotte’s philosophy of education as an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.

Charlotte Mason Method vs. Unschooling

We’re finishing up a series today on how the Charlotte Mason Method differs from other homeschool approaches you may have heard of. We’ve already discussed how Charlotte Mason is different from a traditional approach, unit studies, and the classical approach.…

Charlotte Mason Method vs. Unit Studies

When I started homeschooling more than thirteen years ago, I used a unit study approach because I thought it was my only alternative to a traditional curriculum. At the end of that year I heard about Charlotte Mason and knew…

Charlotte Mason Method vs. Traditional Curriculum

“What’s the difference between the Charlotte Mason Method and the traditional curriculum that I’ve been using?” Last weekend at the North Carolina homeschoolers convention we heard that question several times. It’s a great question. In this series we are discussing…

When Grades Are Necessary

Last week we highlighted the four schooling methods that Charlotte Mason said to avoid. One of those methods is the practice of giving grades. We’ve received several inquiries from our readers with great questions about how avoiding grades would look…

Four Methods to Avoid in Charlotte Mason Homeschooling

The past few weeks we’ve been talking about feeding our children’s natural curiosity and desire for knowledge by using living books and natural things. Those Charlotte Mason methods help our children form relations that result in true education. But did…

I Can Relate

Fleece. Dyeing. Carding. Spinning. A year ago I recognized those words and could define them accurately. But in the past several months my oldest daughter has taken up dyeing and spinning as a hobby. Now when I hear someone mention…

Another Kind of Ornament

I enjoy the annual Christmas tree trimming at our house. (Well, aside from climbing up into the attic and hauling down all the boxes.) We put on some Christmas music, light a cinnamon-scented candle, assemble the faithful old artificial tree,…

This Year’s Feast

Picture a banquet, a feast, lavishly spread on a long table. Now, keep that picture in your mind, for that is how Charlotte Mason described the abundance of ideas that we should make available to our children in their school…

Our Little E-Book Surprise

We’ve had a great response to our series on Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life — Charlotte Mason’s three-pronged approach to educating our children! It’s been refreshing to go back to the basics over the past few weeks.…