As we make our way into Masonland, we may find that there is a whole foreign language here in this beautiful place. In Episode 2, we’ll make our own Charlotte Mason-to-English dictionary and go over some of the common phrases and words that you might hear as we enter this enchanting, but oft confusing, world of classical Charlotte Mason philosophy.

Books Mentioned: Home Education | A Philosophy of Education (*affiliate links) 

Join the Ordinary Matters Community: The Ordinary Matters Patreon 

Connect with us elsewhere:

Instagram | Email us at [email protected]

COMMONPLACE: 

“If mothers could learn to do for themselves, what they do for their children . . . we would have happier households.” (School Education, pg. 33)

“consider how laborious life would be were its wheels not greased by habits of cleanliness, neatness, order, courtesy; had we to make the effort of decision about every detail of dressing and eating, coming and going, life would not be worth living… The habits of the religious life also become fixed and delightful and give us due support in the effort to live a godly, righteous, and sober life.” (A Philosophy of Education, pg. 103)

“Children must have books, living books; the best are not too good for them; anything less than the best is not good enough” (Parents and Children, pg. 279) 

“Recitation and committing to memory are not necessarily the same thing, and it is well to store a child's memory with a good deal of poetry, learnt without labour.” (Home Education, pg. 224)

“Children know how to read, but they cannot read.” (P.R. article, 1890)

“The gains of such a method of learning are, that the edge of the child's enjoyment is not taken off by weariful verse by verse repetitions, and, also, that the habit of making mental images is unconsciously formed.” (Home Education, pg. 225)

“culminates in a Scott or a Homer and begins with the toddling persons of two and three who talk a great deal to each other and are surely engaged in ‘telling’ though no grown-up, not even a mother, can understand. But children of six can tell to amazing purpose. The grown-up who writes the tales to their ‘telling’ will cover many pages before getting to the end of ‘Hans and Gretel’ or a Bible story…” (A Philosophy of Education, pg. 190)

“From the beginning examinations have been an important part of our work, not with the intention of criticizing or grading, but as a means of encouraging and helping both teacher and taught.”  (“Examinations in the PNEU School and Schools Affiliated,” G.H.A. Stephens)