Charlotte Mason Educational Philosophy

I came across the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy when I read the book “For the Children’s Sake” in about 1984. Many years went by. My husband and I raised our 5 children, I worked in many different educational environments, earned my PhD, and finally came the time to start this school. As I reread about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, I realized that this was what I had been looking for. It was in-line with my educational philosophy that I had developed over the years. This is what I would use to create my school. Charlotte Mason wrote 7 books explaining her philosophy. They are somewhat difficult to read as they were written in the late 1800s to early 1900s and in British English. Others have written books explaining her philosophy in an easier to read style. At the end of this essay, I have listed some of these books so that you can read about this educational approach. This would be extremely helpful for you to better understand your child’s daily educational environment while attending Flint Academy. Having this knowledge will help you be of support to your child and your child’s teacher. Also, there are many things that you as parents can do to reinforce and even partake in the Flint Academy-Charlotte Mason education of your child. After all, we believe, at Flint Academy that the parents are the first and main educators for their own children. If you have chosen Flint Academy to assist you in accomplishing this noble task, then you will want to learn as much as you can about this approach.

In her books, Charlotte Mason mentions the three mottoes she created for parents, children, and teachers. Charlotte Mason’s parents’ motto is “Education is a discipline, an environment, and a life.”

“Education is a discipline”

This refers to the organization and form that education takes. Discipline is associated with the word disciple which refers to an individual who is under the tutelage of a respected teacher and adheres religiously to what is being taught. Education then defines one’s life. Whatever education one receives will inform their daily decisions and affect the outcomes of their life. It is of vital importance then to choose the educational discipline that is most worthwhile for your child.

“Education is an environment”

The word environment is related to the word envelop or wrapped around. An environment envelops you. It is all encompassing. It is made up of the physical (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. To create the educational environment, educators must think about the building, classroom, colors, furniture, educational materials used, activities and lessons chosen, lighting, sounds, calmness developed, teacher to student ratio, teacher attitudes, and spiritual beliefs affecting relationships, all of which create the educational environment experienced by the children. If the environment is conducive to learning and to inner peace, then it is effective. If the environment is a deterrent to learning and is unpleasant, then the education is a dismal failure.

“Education is a life”

When a child is born, they begin their educational journey. The first educational environment the child experiences is the home and family. Next is the natural world, God’s classroom. Later formal schooling begins, either in a homeschool or brick and mortar school. When the adult completes their formal education, learning does not stop. Education in many forms continues until the end of life. And all these learning environments overlap and continue influencing the individual. Education is a life. It is not isolated events.

The children’s motto created by Charlotte Mason is “I am, I ought, I can, I will.” The poem for children to learn and say in class, written by Charlotte Mason and incorporating the motto, is “I am a child of God, I ought to do His will, I can do what He tells me, And by His grace, I will.” The teachers’ motto is “For the children’s sake.” Whatever we think and whatever we do must always be for the sake of the children. We must remind ourselves of this daily and strive to remain in a positive mood and look forward to the big picture.

Flint Academy’s school motto is “Flint Academy, where we recognize that your child is eternally significant.” This is one to ponder for a minute. It is read aloud at many teacher meetings to keep our hearts in the right place and our view of the children in line with God’s view of them. A few of the many features of a Charlotte Mason education include narration, classical literature read aloud daily, short lessons, living books, mastery learning, habit training, experiencing the natural world, and believing the child is a person in their own right with their own destiny. Our job, whether parent or teacher, is to help them get there.

Dr. Paula J. Flint, Ph.D.

Informational Books

“For the Children’s Sake” by Susan Schaeffer McCauley

“Pocketful of Pinecones” by Karen Andreola

“The Story of Charlotte Mason” by Essex Cholmondeley

“A Charlotte Mason Companion” by Karen Andreola

“The Original Homeschooling Series” by Charlotte Mason

“A Charlotte Mason Education” by Catherine Levison “More Charlotte Mason Education” by Catherine Levison

“Simply Classical” by Cheryl Swope