Foreign language was a major component in Charlotte Mason’s curriculum. This podcast addresses the reasons for foreign language study and how mothers of one tongue can still faithfully include it in their homeschool.

Listen Now:

“All educated persons should be able to speak French.” (Vol. 1, p. 300)

If you would like to study along with us, here are some passages from The Home Education Series and other Parent’s Review articles that would be helpful for this episode’s topic. You may also read the series online here, or get the free Kindle version from Fisher Academy.

Home Education, Part V, Chapter XX

An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education, Book I, Chapter 10, Section II: Languages

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

(Contains affiliate links)

Home

http://www.thespanishexperiment.com/

http://www.thefrenchexperiment.com/

http://www.theitalianexperiment.com/

http://www.thegermanexperiment.com/

http://cherrydalepress.com/

Mason’s Living Languages

CM Simple Spanish

What are Charlotte Mason’s thoughts on grammar and composition? Listen to this podcast to hear some of her rationale for these subjects, to dispel myths about the Charlotte Mason method and the subject of writing, as well as these moms’ experience with teaching these technical and creative written skills.

Listen Now:

“[G]rammar, being a study of words and not things, is by no means attractive to the child, nor should he be hurried into it.” (Vol. 1, p. 295)

“Children will probably be slow to receive this first lesson in abstract knowledge, and we must remember that knowledge in this sort is difficult and uncongenial. Their minds deal with the concrete and they have the singular faculty of being able to make concrete images out of the merest gossamer of a fairy tale.” (Vol. 6, p. 210)

“But a child cannot dream parts of speech, and any grown-up twaddle attempting to personify such abstractions offends a small person who with all his love of play and nonsense has a serious mind.” (Vol. 6, p. 210)

“Our business is to provide children with material in thier lessons, and leave the handling of such material to themselves…They should narrate in the first place, and they will compose, later, readily enough; but they should not be taught ‘composition.'” (Vol. 1, p. 247)

“It is not enough that a child should learn how to write, he must know what to write.” (Vol. 6, p. 234)

“In fact, lessons on ‘composition’ should follow the model of that famous essay on “Snakes in Ireland”––”There are none.”” (Vol. 1, p. 247)

“If we would believe it, composition is as natural as jumping and running to children who have been allowed due use of books.” (Vol. 1, p. 247)

If you would like to study along with us, here are some passages from The Home Education Series and other Parent’s Review articles that would be helpful for this episode’s topic. You may also read the series online here, or get the free Kindle version from Fisher Academy.

Home Education (Volume 1), Part V, XIII

An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education (Volume 6), Book I, Chapter 10, Section II: Knowledge of Man: Composition & Knowledge of Man: Grammar

The Bedford Handbook

The Elements of Style

(Contains affiliate links)

This episode marks the one year anniversary of this Charlotte Mason podcast. Over the past year, we have received dozens of questions from our listeners and this Q&A is exemplary of the requests we receive and our attempt to address widely varying topics, namely this week: where to find out-of-print living books, the relevance of Charlotte Mason today and the practice of “scaffolding” lessons.

Listen Now:

“The public good is our aim; and the methods proposed are applicable in any school.” (Vol. 6, p. xxvi)

“Before the reading for the day begins, the teacher should talk a little (and get the children to talk) about the last lesson, with a few words about what is to be read, in order that the children may be animated by expectation; but she should beware of explanation and, especially, of forestalling the narrative. Then, she may read two or three pages, enough to include an episode; after that, let her call upon the children to narrate,––in turns, if there be several of them…and when the narration is over, there should be a little talk in which moral points are brought out, pictures shown to illustrate the lesson, or diagrams drawn on the blackboard.” (Vol. 1, pp. 232-33)

Writing to Learn

(Contains affiliate links)

Addall Search Engine

Bookfinder.com

Main Lesson

Yesterday’s Classics

Living Library Press

This podcast explores what Charlotte Mason had to say about the skill of writing. Why do the children need to write? What writing must they do? How can they be taught penmanship, spelling, punctuation, and style? Join us in working through this incremental and crucial school subject.

Listen Now:

“I can only offer a few hints on the teaching of writing, though much might be said. First, let the child accomplish something perfectly in every lesson–a stroke, a pothook, a letter. Let the writing lesson be short; it should not last more than five or ten minutes. Ease in writing comes by practice; but that must be secured later. In the meantime, the thing to be avoided is the habit of careless work.” (Vol. 1, pp. 233-34)

“[T]here is no part of a child’s work at school which some philosophic principle does not underlie.” (Vol. 1, p. 240)

“The gift of spelling depends upon the power the eye possesses to ‘take’ (in a photographic sense) a detailed picture of a word; and this is a power and habit which must be cultivated in children from the first.” (Vol. 1, p. 241)

If you would like to study along with us, here are some passages from The Home Education Series and other Parent’s Review articles that would be helpful for this episode’s topic. You may also read the series online here, or get the free Kindle version from Fisher Academy.

Home Education (Volume 1), Part V, Chapters X-XII

Writing to Learn

(Contains affiliate links)

The New Handwriting

This week’s podcast illuminates the Charlotte Mason method as it is being practiced in its country of origin: The United Kingdom. Emily interviews, Leah Boden, who discovered Mason and has been implementing her method in her own life and, like us, is working to support and encourage home educators in the knowledge and practice of Charlotte Mason.

Listen Now:

Handbook of Nature Study

Our Island Story

Trial and Triumph

(Contains affiliate links)

Leah’s Instagram

Leah’s Blog

The Charlotte Mason Show

Leah’s Facebook Page

Leah’s Periscope Channel

http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/

Join the HomeschoolLibrary Yahoo Group if you’d like to learn more about starting a lending library! (email homeschoollibrary-subscribe@yahoogroups.com)