If you're like me, trying to embrace a Charlotte Mason education, I understand your journey. Or at least, large parts of your journey.
And, please, trust me when I say this - If we are embracing a Charlotte Mason home education, our days with our children should be (mostly) - freeing, spiritual, joyous, authentic, peaceful, natural, and inspiring a love of learning in us all. If our days are not doing these things (at least most of the time), there is probably something wrong with our approach to implementing this beautiful philosophy into our homes. (And I've been there... more times than one...)
When I first started trying to wrap my mind around Charlotte Mason's philosophies, I was incredibly overwhelmed. There just seemed to be so much to take in, to understand, to work towards.
But more than 5 years in, and I now see more clearly - yes, Charlotte's philosophies are profound - but her ways? They are actually quite simple and incredibly gentle.
Charlotte's methods were never meant to overwhelm Mothers. Quite the opposite, in fact - in their truest form, they are a breath of fresh air, so freeing and liberating to embrace!
I've really learned quite a bit about embracing a Charlotte Mason education in the past several years. These lessons have come through wonderful mentors, countless books and articles, and many mistakes. I've also watched many other Moms both succeed and struggle right along with me.
It's a bit of a touchy subject, but I wanted to comment on something I feel is quite important. Especially in the social media, web-based world we now live in...
Many well-meaning Charlotte Mason home schooling Moms quickly recommend using Ambleside Online to 'do' Charlotte Mason.
I felt the same way - if I really wanted to embrace Charlotte's ways and reap the benefits - I had to use Ambleside. I have no idea why this idea prevails, but in many (MANY) circles, it does.
But it just isn't true, my friends. Stick with me here, I promise, I'm not throwing online tomatoes at Ambleside Online (I actually love the site for many reasons, which I'll get to in another post...)!
BUT -
It is very, very easy to get lost in a sea of massive book lists and strictly outlined 'curriculum'. Even in the world of Charlotte Mason. This curriculum can (and just might) steal your joy and your child's joy if it isn't the right fit. This is how I know...
Here's how it went with me:
Visit Ambleside Online after recommendations from other Charlotte Mason Moms.
Stare blankly for way too long, trying to wrap my mind around what I'm even looking at.
Realize about two hours later how absolutely incredible this site is and what a RESOURCE!
Do a happy dance that now, my Charlotte Mason education is all figured out! I just follow this recipe right here!
Spend two weeks consumed with printing out all the required readings and schedules for the three years where my kids fit.
Spend even more time and money trying to acquire all the books.
Become obsessed with downloading free Kindle books onto the iPad. (Don't even get yourself started...)
Line everything up just perfectly and wait for the first week.
Then, the first week passes and...
Pretty much everything falls to pieces.
There are WAY too many readings for us to keep up with.
I am trying to cover three separate time periods with three very different children. (I honestly have no idea how you Ambleside Mamas do this... it is CRAZY!)
My eldest dislikes almost all his books (and he's a prolific reader).
My middle child has no natural interest in any (ANY) of the history topics, which form the spine of the program.
My youngest is in the clouds dreaming of Lego and how to achieve better blasting sound effects.
We are quickly losing our peace, joy, authenticity, joy of learning...
And I become incredibly discouraged.
I think to myself, well... I should really follow these specific outlines and read these books... (which in some cases, were way too hard for our children, irrelevant to our geographical area and interests, or just didn't fit our beliefs or family values/philosophies) because, well, this is what all those Charlotte Mason people recommend.
Ladies - I'm not sure how Ambleside Online became the go-to for Charlotte Mason educators, but it truly is only a potential resource. (One of many, many potential resources out there!) It was created by a group of Moms, just like you and I.
The wonderful ladies who put together Ambleside Online even state it themselves - the site is merely a resource and not a recipe for a successful Charlotte Mason education.
There are parts of Ambleside Online that really work for us.
Some of the book recommendations have been fantastic and we are using some of them in our daily learning. I love the suggestions for poet studies and picture studies, and looking through and using suggested titles for living books is also very helpful.
But, I'll be honest, there is a whole lot that does't work for our family. And for a while, I really let that get to me.
And I've also watched so many Moms struggle in the same ways. I've read numerous comments similar to these:
'Neither myself or my child liked those books, but we trudged through anyways...'.
Or
'I really don't like the content of (insert book name), but we read it anyways, since it was on the schedule'.
And what about:
'My son doesn't like those books at all, but he knows he has to read them - its part of school, and that's that.'
I'm not judging anyone, sweet friends... but when I read stuff like that, I just feel sad and confused.
And I just don't understand - if we are passionate about embracing Charlotte Mason's ways -why are we pushing books that go against our own personal convictions or simply aren't working for our children?
If a living book isn't 'living' for your child, I'm convinced much of what Charlotte wanted for us is lost.
You know that wonderful connection - that interest-based, self-led, excited learning process. That inspired, thought-provoking experience is far less likely to take place when we force a book (or several books!) on our kids when they are showing us they aren't working for them. And so often, this is happening just because certain books are on a list or included in a curriculum.
It's taken me about 5 years to realize there is no 'curriculum' that will answer all my prayers and relieve all the 'what ifs?' or our children's education. There is no curriculum that can replace the freedom of following the Holy Spirit and our hearts as we journey together.
Because here's the thing with 'boxed' curriculum. Whether it is actually delivered to your front door in a physical box, or it is 'boxed' for us on a website, it is still, well, 'boxed'. (Meaning that someone has put it all together ahead of time and we are using that put-together curriculum with our children.)
Most curriculum is created by Moms just like you and I.
Moms who found something that really worked for their children and wanted to share their success in hopes of encouraging and helping other families. (Which is great!) But we can't forget that what works for one family won't always work for another. What books appeal to one child might not appeal at all to another child, after all, as Charlotte said:
Children are born persons.
Yep, they are their own little person (or big person). Us Moms know that better than anyone!
I'm convinced the way to find immeasurable success with Charlotte Mason's philosophy is this - embrace the very heart of the method, rather than getting stuck on any particular book list or curriculum.
(Which, again, is what the ladies at Ambleside Online preach!)
Now, as a very important side-note, I want to openly state that many (MANY!) families have enjoyed success using curriculum like what is found within Ambleside Online and various other book-based curriculums (Sonlight, Heart of Dakota, etc.).
And I have seen the benefits of these lists and suggested studies over and over. Sometimes, the books do click with the children and there is a great connection, a spark - that living education is found through a certain 'curriculum'.
But - I've also talked to so many Moms who get incredibly discouraged when a curriculum just isn't working in their home. They figure, because the suggested 'Charlotte Mason' style curriculum isn't working, then it's the philosophy that's the problem.
The philosophy itself is not the problem. Rather, it is the understanding of and the application of the philosophy that can be flawed.
So what does Charlotte Mason say about learning through Living Literature and Whole Books?
One of the key fundamentals of the Charlotte Mason philosophy is the use of Living Books in the home. These are books that are written by a single author who shares his or her passion for a given topic with the reader. This can be done through non-fiction or fiction (especially in the area of history). These books inspire children to think, dream, learn, and explore. They are captivating, well-written pieces of literature where the learning goes right from page to heart.
Some examples of beautiful living books we've read this year are: The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Backyard Birds by Robert Bateman, A Secret Garden by Frances Burnett, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Wralls, Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, and The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, to name a few.
Here's a quote from Charlotte:
Did you catch it?
We are to encourage and inspire our children to have relations of pleasure and intimacy with as many interests as possible (the feast of ideas through books) but it ought to be proper to him.
Yes, proper to that particular child at that particular time.
This means learning alongside our children in the areas where God has gifted them and given them an interest. It doesn't mean there won't be topics our children don't enjoy as much as others - but there is certainly a benefit to focusing on that which he or she DOES enjoy!
The whole idea of Charlotte's philosophy on living books is we use books that inspire our children to grow in character, knowledge, ideas, and passions. So, what books we use is up to us as parents! There are literally millions of fantastic living books available today. We get many of our books from the library and have collected several shelves worth of beautiful classics and whole books for our family to read any time we choose. Many of these books are found on Charlotte Mason booklists, because the booklists are in many ways fantastic!
But, here's the catch - I've learned to use sites like Ambleside and sites that include Charlotte Mason booklists as a tool. I don't get discouraged or stuck on them if a book isn't working for us.
Any resource available is just that, an additional resource. It is a tool in your homeschooling tool belt. But it is not the belt itself.
When we get stuck on book lists and curriculums, especially for Charlotte Mason, we stifle much of the freedom of this beautiful philosophy. We can lose sight of the very point of reading wonderful books - because we are stuck on reading the specific books listed on a given list for a given grade level, and often, a given time period.
So, this post is to encourage you - embrace the books and timelines that work for your family and your children. Don't get too lost in the sea of Charlotte Mason Curriculum for specific age categories and seasons. Your child is unique and your family will travel a unique road.
Sure, if you want to - log onto Ambleside Online and similar sites and enjoy the wonderful lists of living books for suggested reading. Try a few out and see if they work for your children. Glean from these sites some great suggestions for books to read, but don't be discouraged if some of the books don't work for your children or don't fit your needs or personal philosophies!
Leave room for the Spirit of God to move in your home and lead you to the right topics, the right books, and the right areas of study for your specific children. The Lord has given them gifts and talents all their own!
Recognizing a Living Book -
Here is an interesting thought from Karen Andreola, which she writes in her book, A Charlotte Mason Companion.
"The One-Page Test:
Here is another way to recognize a living book. First examine the book to see if it promotes noble thoughts rather than a jaded or misleading outlook on life. If the book captures your interest it very well may capture that of your children's. Once you have determined its general suitability, simply give the book - whether fiction or non-fiction - the one-page test. Start reading it aloud to your children and look for signs that it is opening the doors of their minds. Stop at the end of the first or second page. You will know you have found a living book if you hear them plead, 'Read me more!'"
Blessings!
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