School Education: Developing A Curriculum

Original Homeschooling #3

by Charlotte M. Mason

Book by Mason, Charlotte M.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Parenting, Classics, Christian, Ebooks

367 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Charlotte Mason, a renowned British educator, lived during the turn of the 20th century. She turned the idea of education being something of utilitarian necessity into an approach based upon living ideas. She believed that education is "an atmosphere, a discipline, a life" and a "science of relations." Her methods are embraced around the world today, especially among the homeschool community.

Reviews

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I read this since joining Goodreads although I thought I read it recently. Excellent summary of Charlotte Mason's ideas. Tremendously helpful.

[ladydusk · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fourth completed Mason volume and perhaps my favorite. So practical, she builds her case carefully from right uses of authority through the curriculum, ending with samples of student work and Mason-trained teachers' lessons.

I loved reading it a chapter a (week)day and discussing with a friend. That was incredibly helpful for getting much out of it. I think this volume will be one I revisit often.

[Kay Pelham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it this time around with Cindy Rollins' recordings on her Patreon, as well as discussions with the group when I could make the live meetings. More treasures every time.

[Blossom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took almost 5 years to read this?! Well, that’s not a reflection of the book. I would give this 4.5 stars out of 5. There were a few places a bit more explanation would have helped me. But the principles are the fundamental aspects to understand. This book gives more insight on how to apply them more specifically. It includes appendices with very helpful questions and examples.
I want to start reading it again right now!

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will probably give anything Charlotte Mason writes a 5 star review. Her words are always applicable, intensely practical and the best philosophy of education out there. It still shocks me that this woman who operated her teaching schools at the turn of the century got everything so right. So many times I read her words and say, yes, that is happening today, just like she said.

[Anna Stegeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The distinction between knowledge and information is, I think, fundamental. Information is the record of facts, experiences, appearances, etc., whether in books or in the verbal memory of the individual; knowledge, it seems to me, implies the result of the voluntary and delightful action of the mind upon the material presented
to it.”

[Two Hearts Homeschool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading for my Idyll 3.0 challenge group - the appendices alone are gold! My favourite volume (that’s what I say about every volume though!)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read volume 6 several times and I still had some questions around things like the role of the teacher and oral lessons. They were more than answered in this volume. It was immensely helpful. There is much practical advice and I think the appendices are extremely valuable. This is my favorite CM volume!

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read over the past 9 months with our Charlotte Mason reading group. Such a rich and helpful volume! So glad I’m reading it with one “school age” student and it will be a great reference for future years.

[Brit Chhangur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went incredibly slow through this but almost every time I picked it up, I could immediately make application in my own homeschool. So practical and helpful. What a beautiful philosophy! “We begin to see what we want. Children make large demands upon us. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. ‘Thou hast set my feet in a large room,’ should be the glad cry of every intelligent soul. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time…”

[Brittany Lindvall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and easier to read than some of her others, I think. There is much to ponder and I’m glad I finished it as I am thinking about our next school year because I am considering some changes that she speaks to.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! I wish I had read this 10 years ago.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I underlined a lot in this one but my biggest impression is her emphasis on letting “the big book by the big man” be the education. It reminded me why I was drawn to Charlotte Mason in the first place. When I was pregnant with my first, I started gathering books I loved and couldn’t wait to share with him. That’s what populated our first Morning Time when he was 18 months old (a picture book, a Bible storybook, puzzles, games, poetry, that sort of thing). I recently remembered that simple rubric and it’s helped me frame what our next school year will look like: not a frantic striving to fit in every good book recommended by every trusted source in the futile hope of “covering” everything with my children, but rather beloved books shared in an orderly-ish manner in faith that they’ll warm the imaginations of my kids. I’m looking forward to it.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished with my CM reading group: five of us, moms from five different countries, meeting on Zoom every other week to discuss the writing and ideas of Charlotte Mason. Next up: Volume 5 Formation of Character

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read this volume before and some chapters I was just underlining everything. Love reading her volumes, always so much better and thought provoking for me than people talking about her work.

[Jaquelle Ferris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't my very favorite Charlotte Mason volume, but that could be because it's not as immediately relevant to my context as some of her other volumes. Still, I LOVE Mason's principles and find so much wisdom in her educational philosophy. I look forward to re-reading this when my daughter gets older!

[Angie Libert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Mason is simply brilliant. I would give this book 15 stars, for each of the three times I have read this, if that were an option.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to add this later, because I’ve finished listening to Cindy Rollins read it aloud, but I really wanted to go back and read it myself carefully. I haven’t had the time to do that yet, so I’ll review more thoroughly whenever that happens. I did think this was chock-full of practical suggestions!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much wisdom inside these pages. I am slowly making my way through the volumes, and this one was excellent! I'm grateful that Ms. Mason shared this so many years ago, and that newer publishers have reprinted them.

[Jessica Perteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this January of 2022 and finally finished it! It was my favorite of all her volumes! Definitely will reread it.

[Bethanyanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third time through

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I would put out the controversial opinion that I would recommend reading this first after Vol. 1.

[María Elena Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is probably one of my favorites.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her writing style is... not my favorite, but I think reading her original volumes are vital to really understanding her methods and philosophy of education. By far the single best comprehensive approach to teaching and learning that I have found, although I disagree with her on a few things (especially writing instruction in the middle school/high school years).

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are books I dabble in--rarely reading one volume straight through from beginning to end. I tend to check chapters off in the table of contents as I have time to read them.

I rate this a "5 star" because that's generally how I feel about CM's works and why I come back to them. But this one is probably the most directly "educational" and less applicable to those who aren't dabbling in education to some degree or another. That being said, it's very practical for those of us who ARE in education (homeschool or not--there are plenty of CM-style schools and classrooms out there!).

I'd still start with her principles and philosophy first before reading this volume and trying to mimic the curriculum exactly. It's important to know WHY she outlines the curriculum she does.

Update 2/20/21: I re-read this straight through with a friend in a short(ish) time frame (1 chapter/day) and it was fantastic. I don't think I read it straight through last time, and I found myself underlining/noting some of the same things but lots of new ideas. It's a volume worth reading and worth rereading. I understand some of CM's concepts better now for sure.

[Shannen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this book was really hard to get through. If you're looking for info that directly effects your homeschool, skip to chapter 15. All that's before that is a lot of information of educational theories of the 19th and early 20th century.

[Ardyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The middle of this was a tougher slog than volumes one and two, but the appendices more than made up for it! The sample exam questions & children's responses, plus specific oral lessons, are exactly what I needed to see at this point. Possibly my favorite in the series thus far.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Even where our sentiment is warm, our religious notions are lax; and children, the children of good, religious parents, grow up without that intimate, ever-open, ever-cordial, ever-corresponding relation with Almighty God, which is the very fulfillment of life" ~CM

This book like most of it's predecessors, was a delightful surprise. I was expecting this to be concerning what my modern, millennial dictionary defined as "school". How pleasant was it to be completely changed in the way that it actually turned out. She puts such a clear emphasis on what proper education is for children and I found it so freeing for my son. She also quotes a myriad of authors that stirred my desire to learn more about each of them. Finally, Mason does a masterful job in capturing the core of education, the fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, and how that should compass everything our children learn.

[Shelley Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Mason’s third volume is a practical look at her educational philosophy and how to implement it. She also has chapters emphasizing the science of relations in education, as well as habits. Very encouraging - much to think on and appreciate about Mason’s wisdom. I will say, I had trouble with some chapters in the middle on educational theories of the 19th and early 20th century - definitely had to slog my way through.

I find it fascinating that so much of what she says and her ideas are still being taught by experts today - information is not knowledge, children need a great deal of “wise and intentional letting alone” to grow in confidence, and basically everything she says in habits.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this if you're interested in Charlotte Mason education. Home Education is the general go-to for a first volume of Mason, but I think this would be a better start. It lays out her philosophy in a very clear and organized way, and is very short (with nearly 100 pages being appendices with samples of student work), and does not confuse us with Victorian ideas about respiration and beef tea. I shied away from this volume assuming it was for teachers in schools rather than at home, but that is just not at all true - it is very relevant to homeschools. The last three chapters are the best summary of Charlotte Mason education I have found.