2023 Charlotte Mason Together Homeschool Retreat

A Charlotte Mason Morning of Studies (Sonya): Sonya will walk you through an entire morning of studies in a Charlotte Mason home school. Come prepared to take on the role of a 5th grade student as you experience the methods in real time and get a feel for what a day-in-the-life would be like. Great for those who are new to Charlotte Mason and those who want a refresher course to build their confidence.

Principles and Methods (Sonya): After the provided lunch, you will have an open forum to discuss the morning’s studies and ask questions. Sonya will give additional insight and encourage you with the captain ideas to keep in mind as you teach your children.

Putting It Together (Sonya): Wrap up this practical and personal time with a look at schedules and curriculum. Sonya will guide you through how to create a schedule that works for your family and give an overview of the SCM curriculum resources that can help you spend less time planning and more time enjoying your children.

Becoming an Ambassador: Charlotte Mason’s Method for Learning a Foreign Language (Allyson): Charlotte Mason set high goals for us as citizens. One of those was becoming an ambassador for our family and our nation by learning to converse in foreign languages with citizens of other nations. She felt that learning a language was among the most important priorities in education. We will explore her method for teaching and learning languages by participating in actual lessons and discussing her principles. Her straightforward approach should encourage all that teaching languages at home is possible, even if the teacher is learning the language alongside the student.

Contra Dance: Simply take the country folk dances like Charlotte taught her students, mix in a “caller” element like Swedish Drill, and add a lively dose of all-American square-dance music, and there you have it—contra dance! No experience required. If you can walk, you can contra dance. Come prepared for moderate exercise, lots of laughter, and a rollicking good time!

Nature Walk (Karen and Doug): Experience the refreshing beauty of a morning nature walk while learning how to make your own Charlotte Mason nature explorations more effective and meaningful. Karen and Doug will be your guides, sharing practical tips, tools, and observations along the way. (Registration required.)

Main Gathering 1: Ideas in Lessons (Sonya): Sonya’s sessions will focus on the top two priorities of a parent, both in home education and in daily life. She’ll open the main retreat with a look at the first priority, which is the presentation of ideas during school lessons, exploring practical ways to communicate good, loving, and noble ideas with confidence and grace.

Breakout 1A: Teaching High School Language in the Spirit of Discovery: Miss Mason and François on Teaching Grammar for a Foreign Language (Allyson): For many of us, learning a foreign language meant learning grammar more than it meant speaking. Miss Mason and François depart from this approach and focus on speaking and hearing the language. They do teach grammar. François Gouin, however, proposed reforming how grammar was taught, and he and Miss Mason were in agreement on the principles for doing so. In this session we will explore how François and Miss Mason approached grammar by discussing their principles and participating in sample lessons. Their approach should ease the minds of those who fear they cannot teach advanced grammar in a foreign language to their students.

Breakout 1B: Fractions the Charlotte Mason Way (Richele): Experience a living teaching of fractions using Charlotte Mason’s hands-on approach. In this interactive session, we’ll explore the simple yet powerful ideas behind fractions and some simple and effective ways to relay these ideas to your own child. If your own relationship with fractions has never been a comfortable one or you want to discover the CM way of teaching these foundational ideas, this session is for you!

Breakout 2A: From Supporting Spouse to Super Hero Husband (Jason): Let’s develop the super hero husband! Find a cape, put on tights, and be that super hero husband! Well, it may not be that easy, but you can confidently don that super hero husband style! Learn simple hacks to advance the husband’s super powers as an active participant in homeschooling. 

Breakout 2B: Great Book Discussion — Jane Eyre (Richele): Come enjoy an interactive session in high school literature as we get to know novelist Charlotte Brontë and one of the greatest literary figures of all time, Jane Eyre! Together we’ll dig into the significance of our reading while seeing firsthand how simple it is to use the Great Book Discussions resource in your home, co-op, or book club.

Main Gathering 2: Lifelong Learning/Lifelong Relationships (Allyson): The end of education is delight in living—to give a full life. When our children are engaged learners, they continue to find delight in learning and in creating relationships with authors, creation, the mysteries of the world, and even their parents. Allyson will discuss some of the implications of lifelong learning for us as teachers of our children now and as they age and enter college and beyond.

Beautiful Handwriting Event (Michele): Join Michele Jahncke for an interactive and enriching time learning strokes and letters, cursive joins, writing words, and more. As you enjoy acquiring this rewarding skill yourself, Michele will also provide insight concerning teaching handwriting to your children and using beautiful script as a teenager’s handicraft. Paper and pencils provided!

Nature Walk (Karen and Doug): Experience the refreshing beauty of a morning nature walk while learning how to make your own Charlotte Mason nature explorations more effective and meaningful. Karen and Doug will be your guides, sharing practical tips, tools, and observations along the way. (Registration required.)

Main Gathering 3: Why We Study Art (Richele): If we don’t study art to become connoisseurs, why do we study it? Employing Miss Mason’s methods, we’ll explore some of the messages great works of art have to teach us and why the appreciation of art is both a great and a simple joy.

Breakout 3A: Charlotte Mason and the University: Will a Charlotte Mason Education Prepare My Child? (Allyson): As homeschooling parents, it is very hard not to second-guess whether we are adequately preparing our children to enter the university. Allyson will speak to those questions based on her 18 years of Charlotte Mason homeschooling and 25 years of teaching at Georgetown University. She has seen that a Charlotte Mason education—including high school—provides a very solid foundation for creating engaged learners. She will discuss her reasons for saying so and some of the myths about what students should know or take in order to enter college.

Breakout 3B: Developing a Disciple-Making Culture in Your Family (Jason): God’s calling on parents to intentionally disciple their children can feel like a daunting task, but this session will give you the confidence you need for the journey.

Worship Together (Josh): Set aside some time to worship God in this special session that is always a highlight of the retreat.

Main Gathering 4: Habits in Life (Sonya): Sonya will close our time together by looking at the second of a parent’s top two priorities. This session turns the spotlight onto the formation of habits. You will receive lots of encouragement and valuable help for the daily challenge of carrying out this priority well.