This episode highlights the relevance of a Charlotte Mason education for children who have unique differences as persons in one way or another, needs that affect how they relate to and respond to their education. Is Mason’s method possible for children with special needs?
Listen Now:
“Greatness and littleness belong to character, and life would be dull were we all cast in one mould…” (Vol. 2, pg. 71)
“The best public schoolboy is a fine product; and perhaps the worst has had his imagination touched by ideas; yet most of us recognise that the public school often fails, in that it launches the average and dull boy ignorant upon the world because the curriculum has been too narrow to make any appeal to him.” (Vol. 3, p. 246)
“Let me add that the appeal of these principles and this method is not to the clever child only but to the average and even to the ‘backward’ child; indeed we have had several marked successes with backward children. Just as we all partake of that banquet which is ‘Shakespeare’ according to our needs and desires, so do the children behave at the ample board set before them; there is enough to satisfy the keenest intelligence while the dullest child is sustained through his own willing effort.” (Vol. 6, p. 245)
“The teachers underrate the tastes and abilities of their pupils. In things intellectual, children, even backward children, have extraordinary ‘possibilities for good’–possibilities so great that if we had the wit to give them their heard they would carry us alog like a stream in spate.” (Vol. 6, p. 52)
“This is what we have established in many thousands of cases, even in those of dull and backward children, that any person can understand any book of the right calibre (a question to be determined mainly by the age of the young reader); that the book must be in literary form; that children and young persons require no elucidation of what they read; that their attention does not flag while so engaged; that they master a few pages at a single reading so thoroughly that they can ‘tell it back’ at the time or months later whether it be the Pilgrim’s Progress or one of Bacon’s Essays or Shakespeare’s plays; that they throw individuality into this telling back so that no two tell quite the same tale; that they learn incidentally to write and speak with vigour and style and usually to spell well. Now this art of telling back is Education and is very enriching.” (Vol. 6, pp. 291-92)
“People are too apt to use children as counters in a game, to be moved hither and thither according to the whim of the moment. Our crying need to-day is less for a better method of education than for an adequate conception of children,––children, merely as human beings, whether brilliant or dull, precocious or backward. Exceptional qualities take care of themselves and so does the ‘wanting’ intelligence, and both of these share with the rest in all that is claimed for them in the previous chapters. Our business is to find out how great a mystery a person is qua person. All action comes out of the ideas we hold and if we ponder duly upon personality we shall come to perceive that we cannot commit a greater offence than to maim or crush, or subvert any part of a person.” (Vol. 6, p. 80)
This was such an inspiring episode!
Thank you for sharing your hearts & wisdom with us!
Great episode…very uplifting! I would never describe my child as "backward," though…I suppose this was acceptable in Miss Mason's day.
A lady called my daughter "backward" today at Kroger, because she didn't respond to her greeting.
Thank you so much for this beautiful episode. It spoke directly to my heart. My youngest son has significant disability, including having had his left hemisphere removed as a toddler to help control his catastrophic epilepsy. Between the surgery, ongoing seizures and treatments, he has layers of special needs both medical and developmental. It's a lot to wrap my heart/mind around and I grapple with self doubt often. Which is why I found myself weeping my way along with you ladies through several parts of this discussion. It has been incredibly inspiring and mind-blowing and transformative to watch him blossom. The wideness of the feast is so essential. He is drawn to things I would never have guessed, such as poetry. Though his speech is quite limited, he can narrate many things (in his own way) and will often share some idea that captured his heart months ago. I laughed with you because his favorite subject, too, is math and at 9 he is still at a preschool level. But he feels successful in his ability, and that is a gift and a win! Thank you for validating and reminding me that this journey is not about intellect but about the enrichment of the whole person. I needed that today! <3
My mother used to call children who didn't respond, smile, speak as "backward." I always thought it was a social problem. At any rate, I find the term amusing as I always wonder if we call the precocious child "forward?"
-Liz
I am grateful the episode was an encouragement. Your son will be greatest in the kingdom of God. His insurmountable handicaps and your unimaginable challenges are gifts too, if only we have eyes to see.
-Liz
Thank you ladies. That was awesome and refreshing. I met you Nicole at the CA Western Conference. I am a missionary in Peru and I dream of one day opening a CM school for this underprivileged kids. I have a 5 year old on the autism spectrum. This podcast gave me great hope and direction for this year. All His best to all of you.
Monique, It's was good to hear from you again, and I hope you and your family are doing well in Peru. I'm glad we can be an encouragement to you from so far away.
~Nicole
Do you have an example of the curriculum you use?