Before Curriculum: How to Start Practicing the Charlotte Mason Philosophy in Your Home

by Amy Fischer

Unsure where to start. Overwhelmed with options. Spinning your wheels. Bring simplicity to your Charlotte Mason journey and root yourself in the deep principles of education that will set your focus, build your confidence, and give you practical tools to educate the Charlotte Mason way. Instead of tick boxes and to-do lists, Charlotte Mason's broad principles show us how to give our children a beautiful, well-rounded education. With this book, you will learn some of the most action-oriented of these the educational 'tools' of atmosphere, discipline, and life. You will be able to apply these tools in your home right away and build your confidence as a Charlotte Mason educator - even if you are just starting out.

72 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2020

Reviews

[Haley Baumeister]

There’s a million and one resources on Charlotte Mason philosophy and implementation, but after coming across the essay Persons Not Products at Mere Orthodoxy [https://mereorthodoxy.com/persons-not...], I bought this book of hers. A very simple and helpful primer!

[Paige Cuthbertson| Turning_Every_Paige]

This was a great guide if you’re a newbie to the Charlotte Mason homeschool philosophy (like me). She boils it down to the basics, which was super helpful since all the lingo and volumes can be overwhelming. The author summarized everything with earnestness and brevity, making this brief guide very practical.

I highly recommend if:
-you’re new to CM
-you have a Christian worldview
-you don’t know where to start
-and you don’t want to skim through countless blog posts and podcasts to find pieces of the info you’re looking for.

5 ⭐️

[Anna]

This was an easy way to digest Charlotte Mason’s philosophies and make an outline for my goals in homeschooling and parenting. It’s a good starting point. I feel like from here I can read articles, books, and listen to podcasts and know what everyone is talking about.

The book is full of quotes and modern research along with the author’s explanations and summarizations. It felt like talking to a sweet friend at the park while our children played.

If you aren’t a big reader, have a bunch of time, or aren’t sure if CM is right for you, I highly recommend this book!

[Karen]

“Now, rewards should be dealt out to the child upon principle: they should be the natural consequences of his good conduct. What is the natural consequence of work well and quickly done? Is it not the enjoyment of ampler leisure?” - Charlotte Mason

This short book was helpful in explaining and contrasting Mason’s ideas of habit training vs. masterly inactivity - when to intervene vs. wisely “let-alone”

[Rebecca]

It was a quick, easy read. It took me maybe an hour, but it might be nice for someone completely unfamiliar with Charlotte Mason or needing help knowing where to focus at first. Honestly though, most of the information I had already picked up from various podcasts and Fischer’s personal take or additional content is minimal.

[Melyssa Boggan]

a Charlotte Mason appetizer

This short book is a quick and helpful stepping off point to any parent wishing to quickly perceive the roots of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of home education! Very practical and adherent to CM’s Principles.

[Taryn Tyler]

Short and poorly written

[Rebecca Michelson]

This book is a wonderful introduction to the Charlotte Mason environment and mentality. It’s a great read for those wanting to prepare for homeschooling/ or combination schooling.

[Audrey Fleming]

Practical, easy, concise application of the Charlotte Mason homeschooling method!

[Meagan Snodgress]

This was a very easy read. It was clear and to the point, a great starting place for understanding Charlotte Mason.