Name: Great Homeschool Conventions (Columbus)
Start: 2025-04-24T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-04-26T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Columbus, OH

This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 2 months ago by sheraz.

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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December 6, 2017 at 9:58 am
jdueck
Participant
Hey Y’all,
I know this may sound dense, but I so badly want to read all of Mason’s books, however, I don’t have the time or brainpower left by the end of the day when I have time to do any reading myself to comprehend her writings. Any audible books or suggestions that summarize (though not leaving out all the important facts) the modern approach to Charlotte’s writings? I do listen to the Simply Charlotte podcast. What books, blogs, audio recordings would you suggest as I start out? Last year, we did My Father’s World Curriculum and this year we tried Bob Jones Press Online Academy (*slaps hands on head*). We are still trying to figure out what works best for our family. 6 hours of school is not. I am looking for a way to modify what we are using and really feel Charlotte’s books would be an invaluable tool to get me where we need to be educationally as a family of 6. I appreciate all your insight, book suggestions and instruction on this!!
December 6, 2017 at 10:03 am
totheskydear
Participant
Ambleside Online has all her books rewritten in modern English. http://www.amblesideonline.org/CMM/ModernEng
December 6, 2017 at 10:52 am
Karen Smith
Moderator
Charlotte Mason’s own writings are the best for understanding her philosophies of education. However, if you are looking for more of an overview of what a Charlotte Mason education is and how to follow her methods in your home, then you might want to start with something different.
Karen Andreola’s book, A Charlotte Mason Companion, is a subject by subject look at how CM methods can be used in a home school. Our Learning Library has several videos and many articles on using CM methods, organized by topic and series. We have also taken what Charlotte Mason wrote about different topics, which are scattered throughout her books, and gathered them together in books on those topics. Sometimes it is helpful to read her writings topically. So, if you wanted to read what Charlotte Mason wrote about nature study, our book Hours in the Out-of-Doors has that. If you wanted to know what Charlotte wrote about language arts, our book Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing has that. Laying Down the Rails contains Charlotte’s writings on habit training.
December 6, 2017 at 11:54 am
sheraz
Participant
I agree with Karen that the SCM handbooks are so invaluable to someone who wants to know what CM said without wading through a ton of words to find the real gems. The handbooks are so helpful because they have taken quotes on the topics from all the volumes and are presented together. They are awesome!
I do encourage you to work and persevere in reading her volumes. They are worth the time. She feels like an old friend now. =) In the meantime:
A Charlotte Mason Companion is a great introduction to CM.
Mind to Mind by CM and Karen Glass is an abridged version of Volume 6. Karen Glass edited out the parts that aren’t relevant (stories of people or situations that are not helpful to us because they are so old and unknown). She added clarifying chapter headings before each chapter. I find it helpful as I study the original. But it is easily read on its own.
For other more specific help:
Librivox has Volume 1 read aloud for free:
https://librivox.org/home-education-series-vol-i-home-education-by-charlotte-mason/
Emily at Living Books Library has Volume 1 and Volume 4 read aloud and available as downloads that you pay for:
http://www.livingbookslibrary.com/p/charlotte-mason-audio.html
There are lots of podcasts, but remember that each person is putting their own interpretation or twist on her words as they implement them into their schools. This is not bad, but remember that there is more than one way to implement her principles and methods.
A Delectable Education, Your Morning Basket, and The Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins, and Schole Sisters are a few CM podacsts.
For more detailed lists, I have included a link from my blog that is a list of CM educational things that I recommend. It is under the Charlotte Mason tab – click on recommended reading. This link will take you right there.
https://mysouldothdelight.wordpress.com/charlotte-mason-resources/history/