I have been a fan of the Charlotte Mason homeschool curriculum and approach for many years. As I explored her approach I found valuable resources.  Below you will find several books that will make your journey through homeschooling the Charlotte Mason way much easier.

Charlotte Mason’s Thoughts on Home Education and Destiny

Charlotte Mason was a Christian and believed that the Lord made each child unique.  He placed a specific plan for each child’s path.

Much of our current approach to education is geared toward telling children what track they should travel on instead of discovering the path the Lord intended for them to travel.

Her approach requires embracing the attitude that each child is special and has a unique call on their lives.  It is a huge task and you may feel overwhelmed at times. The suggestions below may help in your journey.

Book Recommendations:

Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie is a reminder of what education is truly about.

Sarah Mackenzie reflects upon the importance of looking at how we educate our children in a way that they learn to love learning instead of checking off specific boxes as they get things done.

It is disheartening when children simply tick off the worksheet when they really haven’t absorbed anything. True learning has not taken place.

It’s all about perspective.  What are we teaching our children about education?  She writes from a desire to walk in the peace that is promised to those who follow God.  Sara’s desire was to demonstrate peace and grace in her life. These elements would be translated to her children as they grew up.  It is something that we have to contend for, but it is worth it.

Character Building the Charlotte Mason Way

Interestingly, as children see true glory and peace they will gravitate towards this lifestyle.  Enjoy reading this treasure and glean some nuggets that will make a great difference in your homeschool life as well as your life in general.  Strong character traits will carry young people far.  This trait will open doors to whatever they want to do in life because they will have the discipline to complete a plan of action.

Habits and Character Building

Habits: The mother’s Secret to Success (Charlotte Mason Topics) (Volume 1)  Charlotte stressed the importance of helping your child as well as yourself acquire good habits. These are solid foundations that make life run easier.

Good habits can clear the way for children and adults to live a productive and joy-filled life. Check out my post on Habits and download the freebie. This is a great resource to refer to as you are developing good habits in you and your children.

You will also want to check out these two videos from Ambleside Schools on the subject of habit forming.

Character is established and strengthened as healthy habits are formed.  Enjoy this book as you lay down good habits for your children and yourself.

Charlotte Mason: Home Education in the Modern Era

A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola.   Karen has written a book that chronicles her experience using the Charlotte Mason approach to learning.  As you read this piece, you will discover what the Charlotte Mason approach looks like in the modern area. 

Karen takes you through her homeschool journey and shares the joys and challenges she experienced.  You will also want to read Karen’s blog posts on Mother Culture.  It is a refreshing and reassuring idea that stresses the importance of taking care of oneself as a mother.

Charlotte Mason at Home and School

For The Chilren’s Sake: Foundation of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. This is another look into the experience of a homeschooling mom that has chosen to use the Charlotte Mason apporach.  Teachers in the classroom, as well as homeschool moms, will benefit from reading Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s book.

A Charlotte Mason Education: A Home Schooling How-to Manual

Catherine Levinson has taken the key foundations found in the Charlotte Mason approach and presents them in a simple way that allows families to enter the homeschooling world from a Charlotte Mason perspective.  Catherine’s manual helps you establish weekly schedules and routines that make homeschooling and home education possible.

Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass is an explanation of the art of re-telling.  Charlotte Mason explained how to implement narration and it has been used in traditional schools as well as homeschools. This book explores the theory behind the use of narration and then shows how to implement the process from beginning to end.  Children and adults can benefit from the practice of narration to fully grasp a concept.

These resources are helpful tools in understanding the Charlotte Mason approach.  It is my hope that you will find each of these tools valuable and helpful.

What educational tools have you found helpful?  What have I missed? I would love to know what’s worked for you in educating your children.  Please leave a comment and share this post with your friends.