I’m going to venture to say that most of us did not grow up with Shakespeare as a regular part of our education. In my school years, I had only one Shakespeare play introduced to me and that was a last-minute, “Here, let’s watch this movie,” by a substitute teacher. But Charlotte Mason believed that […]
Today we want to discuss how Charlotte Mason taught English grammar. Grammar analyzes the system and the structure of a language. That’s a heavy concept that requires abstract thinking, so Charlotte did not start formal grammar lessons until the student was about 10 years old. When we talk about grammar lessons, we’re basically talking about […]
Today we want to talk about how to do formal spelling lessons in a Charlotte Mason way: dictation. If you have been following the previous articles in this How To series, you will have seen how Charlotte included some spelling components in both copywork and transcription. (And even in beginning reading lessons.) Those preparatory practices […]
I just pulled a notebook off my little reading table and opened to the first page. And I can’t stop smiling at the diversity of wisdom and wit recorded there. First is a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “I decided to accept the fact that a man must be what he is, life must be lived […]
Today I want to explain a practice that will help your student develop handwriting fluency, practice beautiful penmanship, encourage correct spelling, and feed your child’s mind with worthy ideas. It’s a simple practice, but it can yield big results. That practice is transcription. Here’s how to do it. What You Will Need Just as with […]
Perhaps you have heard the term “copywork” and wondered what exactly it is. Copywork is a method that Charlotte Mason used to help children learn letter formation. Let’s walk through what that looks like. What You Will Need Basically you need two things: something to copy and something to write with. The “something to copy” […]
Today my friend and coworker, Laura Pitney, is with me to discuss a question that we received about narration: “With more than one child in the phase of doing oral narration, how do I have them each do a narration on what we read together without them just copying the child that goes first? At […]
When you drive a long distance, it’s reassuring to have signs along the route that tell you when to turn or that your exit is coming up. Well, the same holds true when you’re teaching your child to read. There are signposts along that road. Let’s talk through the five steps involved in teaching your […]
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…)
I’m a list person. As I sit at my desk and type these words, I’ve lost count of how many items I’ve added to my to-do list already today. Lists can be effective tools for many things. But when it comes to spelling, Charlotte Mason showed us that lists are not the most effective way […]
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 […]
Most homeschool parents I talk to get a funny look on their faces when I mention poetry. That’s because their own schooling experience with poetry consisted of dissecting a poem to bits at the teacher’s insistence. Such over-analysis and examination steals all the joy from the beautiful words. Charlotte Mason’s approach is vastly different. (more…)
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…)
Last week we talked about how Charlotte Mason used guided discovery with her students to help them grow in language arts—the art of using language well. With guided discovery, you guide your student’s attention to a particular aspect of a literary passage and encourage him to look closely and discover English and grammar points for […]
The other day my older daughters were invited to an outdoor wedding at a barn. They spent considerable time discussing what they should wear. No one was quite sure. They wanted to wear something appropriate for the occasion, but they also didn’t want to over-dress when everyone else might be in jeans. They were left […]
I remember in elementary school we had weekly spelling lists. Ten words we were expected to learn before Friday’s spelling test. I would look over the list and identify any words I didn’t already know and study those. When it was time for the test, the teacher would dictate the list to us—one word at […]
Natural progressions. We see them all around us. A plant sprouts, then grows taller and wider, then develops buds, then blossoms with flowers. A baby pulls himself up, then stands, then cruises with the help of the sofa or mom’s supportive hands, then eventually walks alone. The same holds true in Charlotte Mason’s approach to […]
My first exposure to Shakespeare was in a high school language arts class. We had a substitute teacher that day. He didn’t know what to do with the class, so he wheeled in one of those TV-on-a-cart jobs and popped in a video tape of The Taming of the Shrew. (more…)
(Editor’s Note: I sometimes get asked, “What about creative writing?” Here is a lovely post about how to approach creative writing by guest writer, Karen Andreola.) “If we would believe it, composition is a natural as jumping and running to children who have been allowed due use of books.”—Charlotte Mason (more…)
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