Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
You’ve probably heard the expression that children are like sponges. Especially during early childhood, children absorb information and learn from their environment at a remarkable rate. This isn’t just the case for the academic content they are exposed to, either. The eager curiosity with which children learn from the world around them extends into every aspect of their lives. The Charlotte Mason homeschooling method is all about making the most of the holistic learning experiences around us in the world.
What Is Charlotte Mason Homeschooling?
The Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling is based around the philosophy that education is more than textbooks and worksheets. Instead, it is viewed as an “atmosphere, a discipline, [and] a life.” Children learn from each of these three interconnected aspects in equal measure:
- Atmosphere: Children learn an immense amount from simply observing their surroundings, home environment, and the adults in their lives. As such, the rules and routines that govern a child’s home life become an important teaching tool.
- Discipline: Charlotte Mason believed the habits that a child engages in every day will have a significant impression on their character. As such, this homeschooling philosophy asserts that these routines comprise a third of a child’s education, so there is an emphasis on fostering positive “disciplines.”
- Life: The final third of a child’s education in this method concerns your approach to academics. By “life,” Charlotte Mason meant that children should be exposed to meaningful, real-world thoughts, experiences, and stories instead of only being presented with facts to memorize.
Thinking About Charlotte Mason Homeschooling?
The holistic nature of Charlotte Mason homeschooling means that children of all ages, needs, and interests can excel with it. Additionally, the traditional aspects of this approach make it more structured than some homeschool styles, like roadschooling and unschooling, which appeals to many families. If you’re looking to start or change course in your homeschool journey, these questions might help you decide if Charlotte Mason is the right style for your family.
- Does your child enjoy learning in a structured or unstructured way? A Charlotte Mason homeschooling approach is typically less structured than the traditional school environment, with an emphasis on connecting with nature and nurturing the self, but at the same time, it isn’t as freeform as unschooling or as self-directed as Montessori. The Charlotte Mason method is intentionally designed, while still leaving room for exploration.
- Does your child have a broad range of interests? Some homeschooling methods enable students to explore their interests in immense depth. This can lead to amazing learning and fascinating discoveries, but it can also result in a less well-rounded education. In the Charlotte Mason method, children are typically guided toward a comprehensive education rather than deeply focusing on any one subject. Of course, you can still integrate your child’s interests into their studies. After all, interest-driven learning has many benefits!
- What is your child’s attitude toward school and learning usually like? The Charlotte Mason method places an emphasis on educating the whole child rather than just the intellectual aspects of their mind. Therefore, it can be a helpful approach for families with resistant learners or children who are feeling a little “burnt out” from their previous school experiences. By fostering positive habits and strong self-discipline, Charlotte Mason’s philosophies can be a great solution for many homeschooling families.
- What unique needs does your child have? The Charlotte Mason approach is typically understanding and accommodating toward the needs and preferences of individual students. Part of this comes from Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on meeting children where they are, in order to help them grow and develop holistically.
- How many children are you homeschooling at once? Whether you’re homeschooling one child or multiple kids at the same time, the Charlotte Mason approach can help your homeschool days run smoothly. With time for individual exploration and quiet, disciplined work built into each day, this approach can help you find the time you need to support each child individually.
Benefits of the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Style
Every homeschool style has its own unique benefits. Many of the strongest points of the Charlotte Mason method tie back to the philosophy of this approach’s creator herself. Charlotte Mason wrote extensively about education, childhood development, and raising children to be well-rounded individuals. As such, families who homeschool with this style have plenty of guidance to follow.
The Charlotte Mason method is also inherently flexible. Part of this comes from Charlotte Mason’s commitment to understanding the growth and development of kids and using this to guide every lesson. This can make the Charlotte Mason method a great choice for families homeschooling kids with exceptional needs. Other perks of this style include that it…
- Deeply motivates students
- Follows a clear structure
- Easily integrates with other homeschool styles, like Unit Studies
- Encourages holistic learning
- Supports personal health and good habits
How to Homeschool With the Charlotte Mason Style
Charlotte Mason is a holistic approach that can guide a homeschool family’s methods. From living books to scientific exploration, this timeless homeschooling philosophy can elevate student learning in every subject. Additionally, this method has enough structure to create routines and expectations, without the draining stress and pressure of highly formal learning environments.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your homeschooling journey or looking to try something new, you might be wondering how to start Charlotte Mason homeschooling. Here are a few steps you can take to make this process easier:
- Learn about the unique methods that define the Charlotte Mason process. Narration, living books, nature walks, and transcription work are all hallmarks of this method. Start by acquainting yourself with these techniques and considering how to work them into your student’s curriculum.
- Get organized. Whether you’re an experienced homeschooler or just getting started, you’ll need a strategy to keep your records, plans, and materials in order. Check out our tips on homeschool recordkeeping and organization to get ready.
- Choose a curriculum. Charlotte Mason is a homeschooling method or philosophy, not a set curriculum. This means you might need to select a formalized curriculum to follow, depending on your state and local homeschool laws. Be sure to look for a curriculum that is compatible with the Charlotte Mason approach, while also meeting your child’s unique needs.
- Get started! With your methods, organizational systems, and curricula in order, you’ll be ready to jump into the world of Charlotte Mason homeschooling. From academics to personal habits and beyond, this method can help you keep your child engaged and on track.
Charlotte Mason Math Curriculum
Charlotte Mason wrote about her beliefs that math is all-too-commonly presented to children in a completely dry and boring way. The Charlotte Mason method prioritizes mental math and oral recitation over solving through writing, especially in the early grades, when students are still mastering arithmetic facts. Teaching math through this method involves…
- Exploring patterns in nature
- Connecting topics, like probability, to real-world events
- Applying number sense to solve problems
Charlotte Mason Language Arts Curriculum
Language arts may be the subject that Charlotte Mason was most passionate about! She believed in teaching language arts through “living books” that showed the passion and knowledge of the author with every page. The Charlotte Mason method of teaching language arts is centered around…
- Integrating language arts into other subjects
- Fostering a love of learning through high-quality texts
- Learning about topics like grammar and vocabulary through exemplars
- Completing tasks like copywork and dictation
Charlotte Mason Social Studies Curriculum
In the Charlotte Mason method, social studies is often closely integrated with language arts. Children learn about history, cultures, and more through quality books that convey experiences instead of only ideas. A Charlotte Mason social studies curriculum might also include…
- An examination of topics like citizenship in connection with good habits
- In-depth explorations of topics in history and social studies that interest the student
- The use of materials like maps or historical documents to support living books
Charlotte Mason Science Curriculum
Like other subject areas, the Charlotte Mason method emphasizes approaching science through living stories. This means exploring the importance of scientific inquiry, discovery, and thinking as it relates to real people solving real problems — not just memorizing facts and numbers. Teaching science through the Charlotte Mason method involves…
- Focusing on real-world applications rather than deeply technical details
- Pairing exploration and demonstration with living stories
- Fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity
Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Electives
In the Charlotte Mason method, good habits are one of the three essential tenets of education. Homeschool electives can be an important part of helping students develop these habits and grow holistically as people. For example…
- A Life Skills elective can help foster positive habits.
- Foreign languages help students become part of the broader world around them.
- Fine arts allow students to explore the meaningful stories and experiences that define our lives
- Biblical studies are closely related to core subjects in the Charlotte Mason method
Charlotte Mason Homeschooling with Miacademy
Ready to make the switch to Charlotte Mason homeschooling? Miacademy’s accredited K-8 curriculum can be the perfect accompaniment to this holistic approach. Our self-paced courses are completely flexible, and they can easily be customized to meet your child’s needs. You can follow our recommended scope and sequence for a structured approach or personalize each lesson to follow your child’s interests.
Starting a new homeschool style can seem intimidating. After all, there is a lot to organize as you settle into your new routines. Miacademy can make the process of homeschool recordkeeping and organization easy, too! With just a few clicks, you can print reports about your child’s progress right from your parent portal. These are a great tool for your records and can also help you understand your child’s growth.
Holistic Learning With Miacademy
The Charlotte Mason approach is centered around the belief that children learn from their daily activities, from interactions with others, and from observing the world around them. This philosophy of nurturing the whole person shows in every aspect of Charlotte Mason homeschooling.
At Miacademy, we also believe in supporting more than academic learning alone. That’s why we also offer elective courses in life skills, visual arts, Bible studies, music, and more! After all, these creative, personal experiences are an essential part of how kids grow and develop.
Miacademy is more than just a curriculum, though. It’s also a completely safe and moderated social environment for kids! Holistic learning in the Charlotte Mason method includes social and emotional growth, so our platform can be an amazing way for kids to interact with and learn from their peers.
FAQ
Q: How is the Charlotte Mason method related to Classical Homeschooling?
A: Charlotte Mason was a classical educator! She customized and tweaked the classical style, but there are some remaining similarities. The main differences are found in Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on education as an atmosphere, discipline, and life, whereas the classical style instead focuses on the three stages of learners.
Q: What does a day look like in Charlotte Mason homeschooling?
A: Generally, this approach will involve a mixture of structured and unstructured learning time. A typical day may start with lessons in the morning, then pair it with free exploration, nature walks, and reading in the afternoon. Time is also often set aside for field trips and other special activities.
Q: What is a living book in the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling?
A: Living books are books that go beyond the words on the page. They make stories come to life! Charlotte Mason homeschoolers rely on these books to convey information across all subject areas to their students in meaningful, engaging ways. After all, Charlotte Mason believed that we learn best through stories instead of facts and figures alone.
Q: Is the Charlotte Mason method for Christian homeschoolers?
A: Charlotte Mason was a devout Christian, and her beliefs permeate essentially every aspect of her writing. They also heavily influenced how she believed most subject areas should be taught. As a result, many Christian homeschoolers find that the Charlotte Mason method is the perfect fit for their family! However, Charlotte Mason personally taught students and worked with teachers of other faiths. She also emphasized her belief that all children would benefit from her methods. While homeschoolers may or may not wish to follow Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on Christianity, any family can apply her methods to their homeschooling practice.