Spreading the feast of the Charlotte Mason method of education through weekly podcasts. Join us for short discussions that provide information, examples, and encouragement to the homeschool parents putting CM's ideas into practice in their homes.
Charlotte Mason’s method is relevant for every kind of child, which this week’s episode verifies. Over two years ago, the ADE ladies were interviewed by Beth Corcoran on her Flamingo Feathers podcast, which focuses on education for children with special needs. Beth has graciously allowed us to post that episode for our listeners, of interest not only to parents with special needs children, but will especially inspire anyone by her introduction that describes how the ADE episode of 2020 has subsequently changed her family’s life.
Listen Now:
“The reader will say with truth,-” I knew all this before and have always acted more or less on these principles ” ; and I can only point to the unusual results we obtain through adhering not ‘ more or less,’ but strictly to the principles and practices I have indicated.” (6/19)
Narration, attention, habits: Charlotte Mason knew they were natural to a child and work together. The ADE ladies welcome Annette Dionisio to the podcast, a mom who has diligently employed the art of narration in all areas of life with her children. Beyond the books, narration is key to our personhood and Annette has found it key to parenting. Enjoy this episode of “Voices from the Conference” as Annette presented two. lessons with her children and caught the attention of our 2022 attendees with her masterful use of a child’s natural gift of narration.
Listen Now:
“The mind receives knowledge, not in order that it may know, but in order that it may grow, in breadth and depth, in sound judgment and magnanimity; but in order to grow, it must know.” (6/237)
Books are not just for school lessons, but as Charlotte Mason concurred, family read-aloud time is essential to the education of a child. Listen in as Emily, Nicole, and Liz reminisce about their own experiences and share an abundance of suggestions for how to make family reading part of your family culture.
Listen Now:
“This habit should be begun early; so soon as the child can read at all, he should read for himself, and to himself, history, legends, fairy tales, and other suitable matter.” (1/227)
“There are few stronger family bonds than this habit of devoting an occasional hour to reading aloud, on winter evenings, at any rate…But this, of reading aloud, is not a practice to be taken up and laid down at pleasure. Let the habit drop, and it is difficult to take it up again.” (5/220)
[Read for] “the pleasure of other people from the moment when they can read fluently at all.” (5/220)
“It is not important that many books should be read; but it is important that only good books should be read.” (5/223)
Homeschooling with Charlotte Mason’s method brings life, more life than we expect. Don’t miss this episode from the Charlotte Mason in Our Community series if you wonder about habits, notebook organization, the purpose of handicrafts, service to others, creativity, time management, and productivity. Micah Pettes joins the ADE ladies to discuss the story of how her Charlotte Mason education inspired a family business that is blessing hundreds of other families.
Listen Now:
“The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” (Vol. 3, pp. 170-71)
This is a re-release/update to our original Episode #80. Charlotte Mason developed her educational method for all students, but many feel that by high school they must get on to more serious preparation for college or career and abandon the course they have been on. The moms of A Delectable Education discuss the high school years, what studies are tackled, how to deal with college transcripts and applications and college entrance exams. Does Mason’s curriculum prepare a child for the real world? Will they be able to succeed in a non-Charlotte Mason environment? What does high school look like if you follow a Mason approach to education?
Listen Now:
“The work of the Parents’ Union School led up naturally, and without any real break, to the larger life of the public school, for which the children by their early training were well fitted, as it seemed merely the stepping from one classroom to another, so comprehensive and intelligent had been the previous preparation.” (In Memoriam, p. 45)
“The history studies of Forms V and VI (ages 15-18) are more advanced and more copious and depend for illustration upon readings in the literature of the period…But any sketch of the history teaching in a given period depends upon the ‘literature’ set; for plays, novels, essays, ‘lives,’ poems, are all pressed into service and where it is possible, the architecture, painting, etc., which the period produced.” (Vol. 6, pp. 176-78)
“I feel one of the joys of the Sixth Form is that there the girls can go on with the subjects they are most keenly interested in–subjects they have been longing to have time for–and freedom of choice is one of its characteristics…[they] learn how little they know–what fields of knowledge there are of which they know.” (A P.U.S. Headmistress, writing in the Parents’ Review)
“But the people themselves begin to understand and to clamour for an education which shall qualify their children for life rather than for earning a living. As a matter of fact, it is the man who has read and thought on many subjects who is, with the necessary training, the most capable whether in handling tools, drawing plans, or keeping books. The more of a person we succeed in making a child, the better will he both fulfil his own life and serve society.” (Vol. 6, p. 3)
“All callings have one thing in common––they are of use; and, therefore, a person may prepare for his calling years before he knows what it is. What sort of person is of use in the world?” (Vol. 4, Book I, p. 205)
“The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” (Vol. 3, pp. 170-71)
