The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins: Recent Episodes
Cindy Rollins
The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins explores the application of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy to the atmosphere, discipline, and life of our homes and schools. We cover Charlotte’s timeless principles as they work themselves out in our real and modern lives. Interviewing seasoned moms who have cherished Charlotte’s works while raising real children in real families, we endeavor to lay a foundation of hope and possibility for our listeners. However imperfectly.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast this week, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Sarah Stonestreet of the Colson Center all about homeschooling girls
- What is Sarah's family like, and how has she started to see differences between her girls and her boy?
- A little about Sarah's special read-aloud times with her daughters
- How to help girls navigate puberty and the plethora of choices they must make in the current culture
- How Sarah helps her children understand their purpose and place in this particular time through relationships at home and out in the community
- How can we raise strong, confident girls who have good relationships with their moms?
- Learning to let go as daughters grow up
- Embracing the "interruptions" of life as blessings
- On this episode of The New Mason Jar Podcast, Cindy and Dawn are once again joined by their friend Heather Martin to talk about the unique considerations to take into account when homeschooling boys.
- How Heather and her husband started thinking about their priorities in rearing their boys to be protectors, providers, and leaders
- Some examples of things they expected of their boys and did with them to encourage the character qualities they valued
- The importance of boys spending time alone with Dad away from Mom
- The unique way in which the Martin family celebrating each son's graduation
- Some encouragement for the mom who is worried and troubled about many things
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/145.
- Today on The New Mason Jar Podcast, Cindy and Dawn chat with returning guest Denise Gaskins, veteran homeschool mother of 5, math coach, and author about her new book Charlotte Mason's Living Math
- Why did Denise finally write this book?
- How Denise applied Charlotte's principles to teaching mathematics
- Why this book includes paintings, puzzles and discussion prompts
- What kind of accuracy is the most important in a deep understanding of mathematics?
- How can we discern if a child is understanding concepts versus just parroting back information?
- Does Denise recommend a specific math curriculum that works with this living approach?
- What is an example of what a living math lesson might sound like?
- How can we use art in teaching math?
- What does Denise think is the key idea of a Charlotte Mason math education?
For the full show notes on this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/144.
- In this episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn chat with AmblesideOnline moms Cheri Hall and Naomi Goegan about their children's experience with a long-lasting online community.
- How Cheri first discovered the philosophy of Charlotte Mason
- Why and how Naomi first started one of these AO student discussion groups
- What are some of the memorable moments that these students have had in this group?
- What is some advice Naomi has for parents wanting to organize a group like this for their students?
- Were there concerns about the online nature of the group when starting out?
- What is the biggest benefit you see coming out of these groups?
- At the end of the episode, Josiah and Ezra Hall share their personal thoughts on why being in an AO group has been such a blessing.
Don't forget to check our website for the full show notes on this episode at https://thenewmasonjar.com/143.
- For today's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn welcome back Sheila Carroll of Living Books Press to discuss all things nature study.
- Why Sheila believes nature study to be so crucial to a Charlotte Mason education
- How the mother's interest in the natural world can inspire her children
- What did Charlotte Mason mean when she said we were all meant to be naturalists?
- Where to start if you really haven't done any nature study yet?
- What was the nature study movement in America and it's possible influence on Mason?
- Restoring a vision for the primacy of God's creation in our families
- What changes has Sheila seen in families when nature study becomes a regular part of their lives?
- What could nature study look like for a family just starting out?
For the full show notes on this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/142.
- On this episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn with Fiona Altschuler and her mother Miranda about Fiona's publication, St. Nicholas Magazine.
- How Miranda first learned about Charlotte Mason
- What is the St. Nicholas Magazine, and how did Fiona get the idea for this project?
- Who can make a submission to the magazine?
- What Fiona likes best about being the editor of the magazine
- What is the St. Nicholas League?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/141.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast today, Cindy has a conversation with her friend Rachel Kovac, veteran homeschooling mother of 6 and author of several books on home education, about her newest book Their Future Is Shining Bright
- What was the learning curve like for Rachel as she homeschooled and then graduated her oldest children?
- Why Rachel wrote this new book to encourage parents
- How can we keep cultivating close family relationships through the teen years?
- Being a great "guidance counselor" for our high-school students
- Are homeschoolers missing out on the "high school experience"?
- Who can benefit from this book?
- What are some of the benefits home educated high school students have over their traditionally schooled counterparts?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/140.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are joined by Celeste Cruz, Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom of eleven and executive director of the CMEC
- How Celeste came to know about Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- Some opening thoughts on CM's approach to history through both books and other things
- What are some of the tools we can use for studying history, and what is their natural progression?
- How does Celeste work these tools into her own homeschool?
- What is the value of these tools when students are already narrating?
- Why is it so important to consider the teacher's role in using these history study tools?
- How can we support our students in the process?
See the full show notes for this episode at https://thenewmasonjar.com/139.
- On this episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Amy Snell, veteran homeschooling mom of 5 and co-founder of the CMEC, about studying history in the Charlotte Mason paradigm
- How Amy first discovered Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- What is the role of history in the CM philosophy of education?
- How is that different from the typical approach to how history is being taught today?
- Why is pointing to the moral in a history lesson a problem?
- What is unique about the CM history sequence?
- How does the curriculum change as a student grows older?
- Encouragement for teaching history using the CM method
For the full show notes for this episode, including books and links mentioned, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/138.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast today, Cindy and Dawn are joined by Dr. Joseph Loconte, author, Tolkien and Lewis scholar, historian, and filmmaker, to talk about his newest project, a documentary on Benjamin Rush.
- How Dr. Loconte became interested in history
- Who was Dr. Benjamin Rush, and why did Dr. Loconte decide to pursue his story for a documentary?
- What did Benjamin Rush have to do with Thomas Payne and the writing of Common Sense?
- Why Dr. Loconte decided to utilize the video essay format.
- What can we say to young people who are conflicted about their feelings about the United States right now?
- What drew Dr. Loconte to researching and writing about Lewis and Tolkien?
To view the full show notes with all the books, links, and quotes featured in this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/137.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast today, Cindy and Dawn chat about homeschooling through hard times with Stacy Halley, homeschooling mother of four and wife of a pastor and Air Force Reserve chaplain
- How Stacy first heard about homeschooling and Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- The circumstances in which Stacy's family found themselves due to hurricane damage and flooding
- How Stacy dealt with homeschooling in the immediate aftermath and throughout the renovation process
- The assurances we have in God's providence that Stacy relies on in times of difficulty
- How trials can help shape and sanctify our children
For the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/136.
- This week on The New Mason Jar Podcast, Cindy and Dawn have Nate and Jess Roberts on to talk about singing together as a family
- How Jess and Nate first learned about Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- What is Nate's role in teaching other families and students about folk music and musical discipleship?
- Why should we sing?
- What is the importance of folk songs and hymns in musical education?
- Why should the whole family be involved in singing?
- A little about Solfa or Solfege
- What are canons and why are they so valuable to sing?
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and links to the resources mentioned, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/135.
- On today's episode of The New Mason Jar Podcast, Cindy and Dawn welcome Emily Raible back to the podcast, this time to share her own self-education journey as part of our Morning Time for Moms series
- How Emily first found out about Charlotte Mason and her principles
- Emily's education as a child and books she remembers loving once she found her way to enjoy reading
- When did Emily realize the importance of continuing her own education, even after her formal schooling had come to an end?
- What sorts of gifts and talents does Emily seek to cultivate?
- What is the value of reading slowly?
- What are Emily's possible future plans for her education?
Be sure to check out all the show notes for this episode on our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/134.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are back with their friend Erin Kunkle for another episode in our America250 series, focusing on presidential biographies and libraries
- How Erin became interested in US history in general and in the presidential libraries specifically
- How a membership to the presidential libraries works
- How Erin deals with things she disagrees with from various presidents' lives and work
- Notable presidential biographies Erin has read
For the full show notes on this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/133.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast this week, Cindy and Dawn chat with Angel Revie, homeschooling mom of three, about doing handicraft fairs with children
- How Angel first learned about Charlotte Mason
- What is a handicraft fair, and who participates?
- What are some examples of items students bring to handicraft fairs?
- How Angel got the idea for starting a handicraft fair for her local homeschool community
- What are some of the benefits for students participating in handicraft fairs?
- How Angel organizes these fairs annually
Don't forget to visit our website for the full show notes for this episode at https://thenewmasonjar.com/132.
- Welcome back to The New Mason Jar podcast with Cindy Rollins and Dawn Duran! Today's guest is theologian and author of Tending the Heart of Virtue, Dr. Vigen Guroian.
- What is the "moral imagination"?
- Why are imaginative stories so important in developing virtue in a child?
- Why shouldn't parents be afraid to introduce fairy tales to their children?
- What is the new fairy tale project on which Dr. Guroian is currently working?
- What does it mean to bowdlerize a story?
- What fairy tales would Dr. Guroian have enjoyed most as a child?
- What parts of Dr. Guroian's own education does he look back on as the things which mattered most?
For the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/131.
- This week on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn welcome Summer Smith back to the podcast with a fun discussion about her USA's 250th Birthday Book List
- What Cindy remembers about the celebrations surrounding America's bicentennial when she was young
- How Summer first came up with the idea for creating this book list
- Why Summer tried to include a greater number of positive books than those that highlighted negative parts of America's history
- Some examples of the types of books that made it onto the list
- How Dawn is adding American patriotism resources across Cindy's Patreon and on her own Substack
For the full show notes of this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/130.
- On the first episode of Season 10 of The New Mason Jar, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Lani Siciliano, veteran homeschool mom and a member of the AmblesideOnline Auxiliary
- How Lani first learned about homeschooling and Charlotte Mason
- What is the difference between the AO Advisory and the Auxiliary?
- How did you prepare transcripts for your students to get into the military and college?
- Did Lani feel like she had to change a lot of things when she started homeschooling high school?
- How the practice of narration prepared Lani's students for higher education
- Did Lani encounter any hiccups along the way or have any regrets?
- How Lani applies a Charlotte Mason education to her own life as she has graduated most of her children
- A few more words of wisdom from moms farther down the road
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast this week, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Sheila Carroll, founder of Living Books Press
- How Sheila first heard about Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- How Sheila started developing the curriculum and resources that became Living Books Press
- What is narration, and what makes it such a powerful practice?
- How do we keep the idea of a child's personhood from steering us toward a child-centered education?
- Sheila's advice for beginning narration and dealing with pushback from your child
- How to prepare young children who are not yet school age for narrating later
- Why is nature study so important for today's children?
- How do nature study and living books work together for a full education?
- How is composition taught in the Charlotte Mason paradigm?
To view the full show notes for this episode, including resources mentioned, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/128.
- On this episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with the women behind the Charlotte Mason New England community--Sarah Beals, Megan Massaro, and Rebekah Anglea
- How and why did you get this started in the first place?
- What roles do each of you play?
- What have some of the past CMNE events looked like?
- What are some of the challenges for home school families in New England?
- How have you gotten the word out about CMNE?
- What are some benefits of having a multi-generational community?
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast this week, Cindy and Dawn talk with Querida Thompson about Handel's Messiah
- How Querida first heard about Charlotte Mason
- Who was George Frederic Handel?
- How did Handel come to write the Messiah oratorio?
- How should we first approach listening to Messiah?
- More historical context for this piece of music
- What is the shape of the whole work?
- What are some recommendations for recordings of Handel's Messiah?
For links to all the resources mentioned in today's episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/126.
- On this week's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are pleased to introduced Dr. Wilfred McClay, acclaimed history professor and author of Land of Hope, as part of our Mothers Education Course series
- How Dr. McClay fell in love with the study of history
- Why we should approach history with a spirit of generosity and gratitude
- What are the results of the modern de-bunking, judgmental way in which history is commonly taught today?
- How the update and revisions are going on a new edition of his book
- Ways Dr. McClay is involved in celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States
Don't forget to head over to our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/125 for the full show notes for this episode!
- This week on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are joined by the members of the AmblesideOnline Advisory, which includes Donna-Jean Breckenridge, Anne White, Karen Glass, and Leslie Laurio
- How does the education offered through AmblesideOnline apply to mothers and fathers, too, not only to the children?
- Why is it so important for moms to take the time to read Charlotte Mason's volumes and learn her method for themselves?
- What encouragement would you offer to help the mom do so?
- Can you speak to this desire, for homeschool material to be "open and go," specifically with respect to AO?
- What can you tell us about the AO 25th anniversary celebration?
Get the full show notes for this episode with links to everything discussed at https://thenewmasonjar.com/124.
- This week on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn sit down for a chat with Caitlin Bruce Beauchamp, an AmblesideOnline graduate, pastor's wife, and homeschooling mom on the realities of Charlotte Mason homeschooling with little ones
- How Caitlin came to own the Charlotte Mason philosophy for herself
- What a typical day looks like for Caitlin's family currently
- How learning to change your expectations can positively affect your homeschooling
- What are some of the things that Caitlin recommends to deal with littles while trying to stay on track with older students
- What Caitlin has done with her children when they are ready for phonics and reading
- Some of Caitlin's children's favorite books so far
To view the full show notes of this episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/123.
- This week on the New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Blossom Barden, veteran homeschool mom and founder of and online course coordinator for Wildwood Learning Center
- How Blossom first learned about Charlotte Mason
- Why and how Blossom started her first homeschool co-op
- How the Wildwood Learning Center operates
- What some of the classes at Wildwood look like in format
- Examples of the connections made through Wildwood
- How the teachers at Wildwood stay aligned in their philosophy and methods
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/122.
- On this week’s episode on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn chat with Joyce MacPherson, veteran homeschooling mom, author, and Cindy’s personal friend
- Who were some of Joyce’s first biographies about, and how did she start writing them?
- Why Joyce chose to write one of her most recent books about George MacDonald
- How Joyce decided to write about Jane Austen
- Where Joyce and her daughter went to learn about Austen in England
- How Joyce started writing the Shakespeare Scriptorium series
On this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Julie and Diana about their book discussion group, which recently celebrated its 20th year of meeting and reading together:
- How the group started and how they choose new books for the group to read
- Some of the ways they make book discussion nights special
- How Diana and Julie divide up roles and duties to share the load
- A little about the format of each book club meeting
- Why the ladies stick to classic literature and biographies instead of contemporary novels
- Julie and Diana’s tips for running a similar book club with their friends
For full show notes, including links to books and podcasts mentioned, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/120.
- On The New Mason Jar this week, we bring you a special Q&A episode recorded with Kay Pelham and Jami Marstal as a follow-up to our 2025 Back to School Online Conference
- How can a mom of many finish well with her last few students, implementing more of Mason’s methods now that she has more time with fewer children?
- What is some advice for dealing with disrespect from teens and pre-teens?
- What are some principles to help guide the upper years, making time for what really matters without overloading ourselves and our students?
- How should you approach starting a Charlotte Mason education with an older student?
- How can we communicate about Charlotte Mason’s principles with those unfamiliar with them in a community or cooperative context?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/119.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Anthony Coafield, Australian homeschooling father of three boys and founder of Living Book Press
- How Anthony and his wife found out about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy
- How stories shaped Anthony’s life from a young age
- Why and how Anthony started Living Books Press
- How Anthony juggles the publishing work and homeschooling his boys
- What Anthony has done to accommodate his children’s various learning needs
- What might people mean when they say they use a Charlotte Mason approach?
- What is some advice Anthony has for dads who are the primary home educators?
Be sure to visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/118 to view the full show notes for this episode, including links to all the resources mentioned in the show.
- On this week's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Sue Lee, veteran homeschool mom and French teacher
- How Sue first learned about Charlotte Mason
- How art history led Sue to studying French
- In what ways did Sue's teaching change as she learned about Charlotte Mason's principles?
- How Sue started teaching French classes for homeschoolers
- What are some of Sue's tips for teaching a foreign language?
- How can a family plan a trip to France or another dream country?
- What is the role of beauty in education?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/117.
- Today’s New Mason Jar episode features another episode from our archives with guests are Kay Pelham and Christy Hissong
- Kay is a veteran homeschooling mom to one son, as well as a piano teacher and literary enthusiast
- Christy is also a veteran homeschooling mom of one boy, and teaches at a local Charlotte Mason cottage school
- How did each of our guests learn about Charlotte Mason?
- What are some of the challenges you faced with homeschooling an only child?
- What did reading aloud look like in your home?
- How did you figure out if your child had some learning challenges that needed addressed?
- How did you use narration in your homeschool?
- Was there anything you wish had been different in your homeschooling years?
- How does a Charlotte Mason education continue for a mother after her children have graduated?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/116.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, we bring you an episode from the vault in which Cindy and Dawn talk with Jami Marstall, veteran homeschooling mom of 4 and a lifelong learner herself
- How Jami first started learning about Charlotte Mason
- Why do you think parents are hesitant about using Charlotte Mason through high school?
- What advice do you have for parents whose students are transitioning into high school?
- What about writing high school transcripts?
- Is high school a good time to outsource some of your child’s education?
- How did you adapt and change the curriculum for your different children’s interests and abilities?
To sign up for the 2025 Back to School Conference, please visit MorningTimeforMoms.com.
For the full show notes of this episode, you can visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/115.
- On this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Lauren Fee, homeschooling mom of five with a passion for Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, especially as it applies to Bible lessons for children
- How Lauren came to learn about Charlotte Mason
- Which of Charlotte’s “20 Principles” should be considered by those responsible for teaching the Bible to children?
- Who was Canon J. Paterson Smyth, and why did Charlotte Mason recommend his work?
- How Lauren has created a children’s Bible study curriculum using Smyth’s work for the modern church
- Is this curriculum only for use in churches, or can it be used at home or in schools as well?
- To get Lauren’s curriculum 20% OFF through July 12, 2025, use coupon code MASONJAR20 when you check out at ChildrensFeast.com/shop
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and book links, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/114.
- This week on The New Mason Jar, Dr. Jason Baxter returns to the podcast to talk with Cindy and Dawn about Dante as part of a new series of Mothers Education Course episodes
- When Dr. Baxter was first introduced to Dante’s Divine Comedy
- Why Dr. Baxter thinks Dante wrote this work in the form of epic poetry?
- How this translation is different than other modern English translations
- Does the language and mood of Inferno feel different from that in the Purgatorio?
- Why Jason chose the artwork he did for the covers of his translations
- Jason’s encouragement for the busy homeschool mom in approaching Dante
- Hear more from Dr. Baxter in Cindy’s summer discipleship which you can still register for here: Morning Time for Moms 2025 Summer Discipleship: Life Together
- You can also sign up for Jason’s summer class at TheHouseofHumaneLetters.com
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and book links, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/113.
- On The New Mason Jar Podcast this week, Cindy and Dawn talk with Anne White, AmblesideOnline Advisory member, about how she continues her own education as a veteran homeschool mom
- A little more background on how Anne learned about Charlotte Mason
- What kinds of books Anne remembers reading as a child
- How Anne realized she needed to continue her own education as an adult
- What ways Anne seeks to grow in knowledge now and keeps her curiosity alive
- What Anne’s reading life looks like these days
- How can busy moms use the little pockets of time in their day to keep moving forward?
Learn more about Cindy’s 2025 Summer Discipleship “Life Together” and sign up to join in today at MorningTimeforMoms.com.
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and links to books and resources, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/112.
- In this week's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Jeannette Tullis about implementing Kindergarten in harmony with Charlotte Mason's methods
- What was Charlotte Mason's approach to early childhood education?
- Is the idea of modern early education a myth?
- What do you do about writing or narration during the kindergarten years?
- How Jeannette makes reading aloud interactive
- Do parents need a curriculum to guide them through the early years?
- How do you choose good quality picture books?
- What can parents do to keep records in states where it is required?
- Plus: a sidebar about Jeannette's CM Sunday School lesson
Morning Time for Moms 2025 Summer Discipleship: Life Together information and registration can be found at Cindy's website now!
To view the full show notes for this episode on our website, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/111/.
- On this week's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn share a conversation with Anna Fischer about the homeschool hybrid school, Canyon Creek Christian Academy in Tennessee
- How Anna first heard about Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy
- What is a hybrid school?
- How Anna got involved with CCCA and later became co-director
- What it is like to run the hybrid school
- How the school leadership seeks educate and support parents
- What are the benefits for the students and any potential drawbacks of this hybrid model?
- What does a typical day at the school look like?
- How does the school find teachers who are on board with the Charlotte Mason philosophy?
- How assessments work at CCCA
- What Anna would tell people considering starting a hybrid program like this
To view the full show notes for this episode, including books and quotes, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/110
- Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn have a veteran homeschool mom, Hailey White, and her daughter Vivien on the show to talk about speech and debate from a Charlotte Mason perspective
- How Hailey first learned about Charlotte Mason and her ideas
- What were Vivien's impressions of her education?
- How did the Whites become involved with Christian homeschooling speech and debate?
- How did participating in speech and debate influence Vivien's homeschool experience?
- What is the value of joining a Stoa club, and how does it work?
- What about concerns about the competitive nature of tournaments?
- Is there a benefit for students who don't initially seem interested in public speaking?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/109.
- On The New Mason Jar this week, we bring you a replay of a great conversation all about spring nature study with Cindy, Dawn and Cindy’s friend Jeannette Tulis
- How can moms begin nature study when they have never done it before?
- How to find spring ephemeral wildflowers, and other things to look for at this time of year
- Ideas for stepping up your nature study game
- What are some tips for nature journaling?
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/108.
- On the New Mason Jar today, we are sharing a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Zach and Andrea Vaughn. Zach serves as a U.S. Navy chaplain while Andrea homeschools their four children.
- How Zach and Andrea found out about Charlotte Mason
- What it is like being an active duty chaplain
- What are some of the benefits of homeschooling through frequent moves?
- How have you found homeschooling community when arriving a new place?
- How Zach participates in homeschooling when he is at home
- What is it like when Dad comes home from a long time away?
- How do you stay connected and keep communication open when apart?
To view the full show notes for this episode including book links and quotes, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/107.
- On this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are joined by Denise Gaskins, veteran homeschool mom and math coach and tutor
- What are math logbooks, and why are they a helpful learning tool?
- Would Charlotte Mason have encouraged math games?
- How can math games progress as students gain proficiency with them?
- What is wrong with traditional math curricula, and do we need to change it?
- Denise gives Cindy and Dawn a math game prompt to show how these practices can work
- What are some ideas for students with math anxiety?
To view the full show notes for this episode, including links to all the resources mentioned, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/106.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Stephanie Russell about studying the Scriptures
- How Stephanie first learned about Charlotte Mason and her educational philosophy
- What is a “clew,” and how does this apply to studying the Bible?
- How Stephanie came upon this book along with Charlotte’s Mother’s Education Course
- Who was Mary Petrie, and how was she connected with Mason?
- How is Clews to Holy Writ set up?
- How can a busy mom actually implement this type of study?
To view the full show notes for this episode, including all books and links mentioned, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/105
- This week we are delighted to bring you another conversation between Cindy Rollins and guest Karen Glass, veteran homeschool mom and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory
- Karen and Cindy tackle the subject of Charlotte Mason and classical education, refuting some misrepresentations of a Charlotte Mason education
- Cindy explains why she has a problem with the current neo-classical education movement
- Karen explains how this conversation even came about in the first place
- Karen discusses the value of spending time reading and re-reading Charlotte Mason's work
- Cindy asks Karen to explain why she believes Charlotte Mason is in the classical paradigm
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes, book links and more about our hosts and guests, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/104.
- Today on The New Mason Jar podcast, Dawn moderates a discussion between host Cindy Rollins and guest Karen Glass, veteran homeschool mom and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory
- Karen and Cindy talk about narration and composition in the Charlotte Mason paradigm, beginning with a little background on Karen’s new book, The Art of Composition
- Why Cindy has always said that parents don’t need a writing program and Karen’s response
- Cindy’s concern for parents to remember to focus on ideas in narration over the form of composition
- Karen’s thoughts on the building blocks of narration as the foundation of writing and composition
- How Karen came to see that she had developed a sort of philosophy of writing as a conversation
- Cindy talks about distinguishing between narration and summaries of a text
- Karen shares some encouragement for moms with struggling narrators
To see the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and book links, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/103/.
- Welcome back to The New Mason Jar and another episode in our Morning Time for Moms self-education series
- Today Cindy and Dawn chat with Megan Graham, homeschooling mother of nine, two of whom she has graduated
- How Megan came to learn about the philosophy of Charlotte Mason
- What Megan’s own education was like and what her perception of learning was as a young person
- How did your idea of education shift, and were there any books that helped you form new ideas about education?
- How does Megan build in times to read in the midst of the busy seasons of life
- What Megan is currently reading
To view the full show notes, including quotes and link to books mentioned, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/102/.
- This week on The New Mason Jar, we bring you another special Q&A episode with Cindy’s Patreon members
- What is the approach to reading a book with a high school student in the Charlotte Mason paradigm?
- How do you deal with “imperfect” narrations, and how can you make stopping for narrations mid-read less distracting?
- Should we have students narrate poetry regularly?
- How can we start out narrations with young children, and what are some tips for helping students in the beginning?
- What can we do about teens who are affected by the fear of missing out on opportunities in public school?
To view the complete show notes with quotes and links to books mentioned, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/101/.
- This week on The New Mason Jar podcast, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Dr. Jason Baxter about his new book Why Literature Still Matters published by Cassiodorus Press
- How Jason wrote this book and the style of his writing as if to a specific, live audience
- Why Jason wrote about the importance of beauty, art, and literature in terms of our current culture
- Why is there a sense of urgency about the message of reconnecting with the old books and ideas
- How Jason's Substack "Beauty Matters" serves to illuminate his book
- What type of literature Jason thinks may be making a comeback
To view the full show notes for this episode, complete with quotes and links to books, visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/100/.
- On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy Rollins and Jeannette Tulis chat about ways to incorporate books into your Advent and Christmas traditions.
- This was a special video recording for Cindy's Patreon members, with the audio shared here for all our podcast listeners.
- You can download the full list of books Jeannette and Cindy talk about for your own book buying or borrowing during the holiday season on our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/099/.
- Today on The New Mason Jar, we bring you a special episode just in time for Advent
- Cindy and Dawn chat with their friend and homeschooling mom of 2, Rebecca Zipp, who writes at ahumbleplace.com
- How Rebecca first came to learn about Charlotte Mason's philosophy
- What Rebecca's website A Humble Place is all about
- What is Advent, and why did Rebecca develop this Advent Art Devotions resource?
- What other Advent traditions have Dawn, Rebecca, and Cindy had over the years?
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/098/ to get the full show notes with links to resources mentioned and today's quotes.
- Today on The New Mason Jar podcast, Cindy and Dawn sit down with Jen Sova, homeschooling mother of three boys and former English teacher
- How Jen discovered the Charlotte Mason philosophy
- How Jen's sons' learning differences affect their approach to schooling
- Jen's classroom teaching experience and how it affected her choice to use AmblesideOnline at home
- Why Jen feels AO's curriculum allows children to shine in spite of their challenges
- How Jen handles the logistics of the school day with each child's individual needs
- Why Jen is a staunch defender of the Charlotte Mason philosophy
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/097/ to view the complete show notes for this episode.
- On The New Mason Jar podcast this week, Cindy and Dawn sit down for another conversation in our Morning Time for Moms series, this time with homeschooling mom Elaine Shutt
- How Elaine first came to learn about Charlotte Mason and her methods
- How Elaine was educated herself and what her reading life was like
- What Elaine's college and early teaching experience was like
- How she fit in reading about educational philosophy when her children were young
- Elaine's story of God's provision and leadership in her current teaching setup
- Some ways she adds Charlotte Mason elements into her classroom
- The ways Elaine has made time for self-education in different seasons of life
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/096/ to view all the show notes for this episode including links to all the resources mentioned.
- Today on The New Mason Jar podcast, Cindy and Dawn talk with Karen Glass, veteran homeschool mom, member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory, and author of a number of excellent Charlotte Mason education books
- Why is Karen’s new book, Much May Be Done with Sparrows, different from the other works that she has written?
- Who is this book for, and how did it come to be?
- What is a “chap book”?
- How the essay titles, quotes from Charlotte Mason’s works, and Karen’s own thoughts interact in this work
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/095/ to view all the show notes for this episode including links to all the resources mentioned.
- On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy sits down for another conversation about nature study with Jeannette Tulis, this time focusing on autumn
- What can we look for when we go out to do nature study in the fall?
- Look for seeds and fruits
- Look for autumn wildflowers
- Examine leaf scars on trees as leaves drop
- Find resources that help identify your local flora and fauna
- Jeannette’s list of books and resources is found below
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/094/ to view all the show notes for this episode including links to all the resources mentioned.
- On The New Mason Jar podcast this week, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with Denise Gaskins, veteran homeschool mom of five and math coach
- How Denise first learned about Charlotte Mason
- What is the foundation of mathematics in Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy?
- What Denise's mathematics background is and how she taught math with her own children
- How do captain ideas apply to the subject of mathematics?
- What can parents do when we feel ill-equipped to teach math in a CM way?
- How can we bring curiosity to our mathematics exercises?
- How to bring the habit of attention to math through playful exploration
Please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/093/ to view all the show notes for this episode including links to all the resources mentioned.
- Today on The New Mason Jar podcast, Cindy and Dawn talk with returning guest, Kay Pelham, veteran homeschool mom, piano teacher, and instructor of “Story, Rhyme, and Song”
- How Kay started teaching classes for other homeschool children
- Why it is so important for Kay to pass on the Charlotte Mason principles to other parents
- What Kay’s classes are like and why she incorporates nursery rhymes and folk songs
- What are some of Kay’s favorites from each category of story, rhyme, and song?
- What has been the response to Kay’s classes?
To view all the quotes, links, and books mentioned in this episode, please visit our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/092/.
- This week we are pleased to bring you another remix episode from Season 1, this time with guest Caitlin Bruce Beauchamp, daughter of Lynn Bruce and an AmblesideOnline graduate
- How Caitlin came to embrace Charlotte Mason's methods as an adult and foster parent
- What Caitlin remembers most about her homeschool and growing up experience
- What subjects were Caitlin's nemeses in school
- How narration prepared Caitlin so well for college
- How growing up with a Charlotte Mason education informed Caitlin's family life today
- A few of Caitlin's favorite books of all time
To view all the links and books mentioned in this episode, please visit our show notes page on our website at https://thenewmasonjar.com/091.
- This week we bring you a special re-air of an episode from Season 1 with guest Lynn Bruce, a founding member of AmblesideOnline Advisory. Lynn has now gone to be with the Lord, so we share this episode in honor of her memory and with gratitude for her friendship and wisdom.
- How Lynn learned about Charlotte Mason and become interested in her philosophy
- Practical ideas from Lynn about how to have a positive homeschool experience
- Making the most of working on your own schedule and keeping it in sight
- Practicing the routine before starting the school year
- Working on the habit of attention before school started
- Having mutual respect as a foundation
- Being more aware of a child’s physical state
- Doing morning time with prayer, singing, and the “riches”
To view full show notes with all links and books mentioned, as well as how to connect with our hosts, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/090/.
- Welcome to this special Q&A episode recorded live with Cindy's 2024 Summer Discipleship group
- In this episode we hear questions from participants and answers from Cindy Rollins, Dawn Duran, and Jeannette Tulis
- Lisa asks, "What about summers? Should we work hard to give our kids a 'real' summer break?"
- Tanya asks, "What kinds of books are best for the very young and are not considered twaddle?"
- Ellie asks, "How do I know how high is too high of a reading level for reading aloud? What can we do when children seem not to be engaging with a book?"
- Arlene asks, "How can we approach art study with children when the subject in the painting is scantily clad or nude?"
- Gretchen asks, "What advice do you have for those trying to balance pursuing knowledge for ourselves with trying to help our students earn the credits they need to go on to higher education?"
Books and Links Mentioned: It’s not too late to join the The 2024 Back to School Conference: Heart to Heart which is happening this week! Recordings of past sessions are all available after they have gone live. Sign up today at MorningTimeforMoms.com.
It is not for nothing that the old painters, however diverse their ideas in other matters, all fixed upon one quality as proper to the pattern Mother. The Madonna, no matter out of whose canvas she looks at you, is always serene. This is a great truth, and we should do well to hang our walls with the Madonnas of all the early Masters if the lesson, taught through the eye, would reach with calming influence to the heart.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 33 …knowledge…is no longer sacred and secular, great and trivial, practical and theoretical. All knowledge, dealt out to us in such portions as we are ready for, is sacred; knowledge is, perhaps, a beautiful whole, a great unity, embracing God and man and the universe, but having many parts which are not comparable with one another in the sense of less or more, because all are necessary and each has its functions. Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, p. 324 Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
- On this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom of three boys, Jess Smith
- How Jess first heard about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy
- How did Jess and her friends come to start a co-op using Mason’s methods?
- Why a small co-op of just two families can still be a great fit
- How Jess kept their focus on the principles
- Some ways to cover many subjects without burdening families
- How to deal with conflict in a group setting
One thesis, which is, perhaps, new, that Education is the Science of Relations, appears to me to solve the question of curricula, as showing that the object of education is to put a child in living touch as much as may be of the life of Nature and of thought. Add to this one or two keys to self knowledge, and the educated youth goes forth with some idea of self management, with some pursuits, and many vital interests.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Preface
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Material World by Peter Menzel
D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths by Igri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
The 2024 Back to School Conference: Heart to Heart
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
Almighty God, Heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for the Care of Children, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 829
- We kick off this new season of The New Mason Jar with a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with homeschool friends April Weyland and Anna Whiteside
- How Anna and April first found out about Charlotte Mason
- How the transition to a Charlotte Mason curriculum worked for Anna
- Why April decided it was time for them to leave their old coop and start using CM principles
- How Anna started her own CM coop with a few more like-minded families
- How April tried to keep the curriculum challenging while balancing learning difficulties
- Anna’s tips on carrying over these ideas into a coop setting that isn’t strictly Charlotte Mason
No doubt we do give intellectual food, but too little of it: let us have courage and we shall be surprised, as we are now and then, at the amount of intellectual strong meat almost any child will take at a meal and digest at his leisure.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
The 2024 Back to School Conference: Heart to Heart
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
But education should be a science of proportion, and any one subject that assumes undue importance does so at the expense of other subjects which a child’s mind should deal with.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education
- This week on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn talk with homeschooling mom of 2 about using Morning Time in a local retirement home
- How Tiffany first came to know the Lord and also how she found out about Charlotte Mason
- How Tiffany started taking her children with her to do Morning Time at a local nursing home
- What are some of the fruits Tiffany has seen from this experience?
- What Tiffany includes in her morning time with the residents
- How can other homeschool families start this as a ministry in their own communities?
- What are some other areas in which families could minister to people through morning time?
Shall every man have all the bliss That is, by right of fitness, his? Is Vision for all sons of men? Shall peoples walk with God again? But, oh, the head is sick, the heart Too faint to choose the righteous part! Shall the Messiah purge the whole, And animate each sinking soul? And shall He in His power go forth? From east and west, from south and north, Shall men flock round Him with desire, Soliciting His purging fire? How wonderful Thy counsels, Lord Thy ways past finding out, Thy word, Quick and compelling, searcheth out Just means to bring high ends about!
from “Savior of the World” Book 1, by Charlotte Mason Books and Links Mentioned: The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
Find Cindy and Tiffany: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Tiffany’s YouTube
Tiffany’s Instagram
The Chief Thing we have to do––To bring the human race, family by family, child by child, out of the savage and inhuman desolation where He is not, into the light and warmth and comfort of the presence of God, is, no doubt, the chief thing we have to do in the world. And this individual work with each child, being the most momentous work in the world, is put into the hands of the wisest, most loving, disciplined, and divinely instructed of human beings. Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect, is the perfection of parenthood, perhaps to be attained in its fulness only through parenthood. There are mistaken parents, ignorant parents, a few indifferent parents; even, as one in a thousand, callous parents; but the good that is done upon the earth is done, under God, by parents, whether directly or indirectly.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 51-52
Show Summary: * In today’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy shares a chat she had with Christina Baehr, a second generation homeschooling mom in Tasmania, Australia * A little about Christina’s background and various creative pursuits, including music and writing * What is Pilgrim Hill, and why did Christina and her husband start it? * How Christina’s own self-education was deeply influenced by her mother * How Christina home educates her own children * Why Christina never really stopped self-educating * How Christina gets through difficult seasons * Evaluating expectations as a homeschool mom * How Christina got back into writing * What Christina is reading right now
That each thing is a word Requiring us to speak it; From the ant to the quasar, From clouds to ocean floor- The meaning not ours, but found In the mind deeply submissive To the grammar of existence, The syntax of the real; So that alien is changed To human, thing into thinking: For the world’s bare tokens We pay golden coin, Stamped with the king’s image; And poems are prophecy Of a new heaven and earth, A rumour of resurrection
“Credo” by James Phillip McAuley
Books and Links Mentioned: Elizabeth Goudge
Edith Nesbit
Elizabeth Von Arnim
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
The Secrets of Ormdale Series by Christina Baehr
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
Beyond Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Anthony Trollope
P. G. Wodehouse
The Mabinogion by Anonymous
How We Might Live by Suzanne Fagence Cooper
Find Cindy and Christina: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Christina’s Website
Christina’s Instagram
Christina’s Facebook Page
Pilgrim Hill
“It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence.”
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * In today’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy shares a chat she had with Christina Baehr, a second generation homeschooling mom in Tasmania, Australia * A little about Christina’s background and various creative pursuits, including music and writing * What is Pilgrim Hill, and why did Christina and her husband start it? * How Christina’s own self-education was deeply influenced by her mother * How Christina home educates her own children * Why Christina never really stopped self-educating * How Christina gets through difficult seasons * Evaluating expectations as a homeschool mom * How Christina got back into writing * What Christina is reading right now
That each thing is a word Requiring us to speak it; From the ant to the quasar, From clouds to ocean floor- The meaning not ours, but found In the mind deeply submissive To the grammar of existence, The syntax of the real; So that alien is changed To human, thing into thinking: For the world’s bare tokens We pay golden coin, Stamped with the king’s image; And poems are prophecy Of a new heaven and earth, A rumour of resurrection
“Credo” by James Phillip McAuley Books and Links Mentioned: Elizabeth Goudge
Edith Nesbit
Elizabeth Von Arnim
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
The Secrets of Ormdale Series by Christina Baehr
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
Beyond Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Anthony Trollope
P. G. Wodehouse
The Mabinogion by Anonymous
How We Might Live by Suzanne Fagence Cooper
“It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence.”
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education Find Cindy and Christina: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Christina’s Website
Christina’s Instagram
Christina’s Facebook Page
Pilgrim Hill
- On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy and Dawn sit down to talk with veteran homeschool mom Elissa Kroeger about her own journey of self-education
- How Elissa first heard about Charlotte Mason
- Elissa’s own history with reading and self-education through her school years
- How Elissa’s early homeschooling community grew organically
- How was a Charlotte Mason lifestyle a catalyst for wholeness in Elissa’s life?
- How has life changed since most of Elissa’s children have grown and are no longer in her homeschool?
- What Elissa does now for self-education
- Who were the women who made the biggest impression on Elissa’s life?
If we know one person who grows pale at a lofty thought, whose tears come at the telling of a heroic action, let us learn, from that, that these are thoughts and actions that have the power to move us all; therefore, we must give freely of our best, without the supercilious notion that So-and so would not understand. If music, poetry, art, give us joy, let us not hesitate to present these joys to others; for indeed, those others are made in all points like as we are, though with a different experience. The orator whose Sympathy is awake appeals to the generosity, delicacy, courage, loyalty of a mixed mob of people; and he never appeals in vain. His Sympathy, his comprehension, has discerned all these riches of the heart in the unpromising crowd before him and; like Ariel, released from his tree prison leaps out of many a human prison, a beautiful human being at the touch of this key.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves Books and Links Mentioned: Better Late Than Early by Raymond Moore
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
The Tripods Series by John Christopher
Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead
The City of God by St. Augustine
Genevieve Foster
H. E. Marshall
Spiritual Sight by Joyce McPherson
AmblesideOnline
Set Your Feet Retreat
It is by way of an effort towards this adjustment of power that I wish to bring before parents and teachers the subject of ‘masterly inactivity’. We ought to do so much for our children, and are able to do so much for them, that we begin to think everything rests with us and that we should never intermit for a moment our conscious action on the young minds and hearts about us. Our endeavours become fussy and restless. We are too much with our children ‘late and soon’. We try to dominate them too much, even when we fail to govern, and we are unable to perceive that wise and purposeful letting alone is the best part of Education. But this form of error arises from a defect of our qualities. We may take heart. We have the qualities and all that is wanted is an adjustment; to this we must give our time and attention.
Charlotte Mason, School Education Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
- On The New Mason Jar today, we bring you a conversation Cindy and Dawn had with the AmblesideOnline Advisory members Anne White, Donna-Jean Breckenridge, Karen Glass and Leslie Laurio.
- How the friendship of the AO Advisory developed and has been a gift for each member throughout the years
- Did the Advisory members use the whole AO curriculum as written?
- What about those fears about missing out on something if a family doesn’t do everything in the curriculum perfectly?
- The simplicity of the Charlotte Mason approach to language arts
- Do any of the Advisory doubt Charlotte Mason’s methods now that they have all graduated their children?
- Are there any things that aren’t common knowledge that the Advisory wants to share?
Books and Links Mentioned: AmblesideOnline
Six Voices, One Story by Donna-Jean Breckenridge, et. al.
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
AO Advisory Bios: Anne White grew up and still lives in southern Ontario. She anticipated David Epstein’s Range by changing her university major three times and stretching a four-year degree into seven, but she did complete a BA in creative writing, and later added a BEd in adult education. In the thirty years between those things, she (and her husband) raised three homeschooled daughters, who have each found their own Range. Anne has been associated with AmblesideOnline since its beginning, and is the author of several books about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy.
Donna-Jean Breckenridge lives with her family in northern New Jersey. She is honored to be a founding member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory, and she continues to serve AO’s community while homeschooling her granddaughters. She is a public speaker, writer (This Country of Ours – Annotated, Edited, and Updated and Six Voices, One Story: The Heart of AmblesideOnline), and audiobook narrator. She counts her greatest roles as mom to her four children, grandmother to five, and grateful friend. Her heart’s desire is to encourage others that God is safe to trust, no matter what.
After living 25 years in Krakow, Poland, Karen Glass currently lives in Indiana with her husband and youngest daughter. She is a founding member of AmblesideOnline and home educated her four children through graduation. She is the author of several books related to Charlotte Mason and speaks and teaches on the philosophy and methods (especially narration). She reads, writes, tries to grow things, and has been known to crochet doilies and knit socks.
Leslie Laurio is an art school dropout, a veteran, a homeschool mom, and one of the founders and original creators of AmblesideOnline. She and her husband live in Tennessee and have four children who were homeschooled all the way from kindergarten through high school, and are now married and scattered across the eastern US pursuing various careers and passions. She has paraphrased the Charlotte Mason series, Parables From Nature, and other works.
The person who can live upon his own intellectual resources and never know a dull hour (though anxious and sad hours will come) is indeed enviable in these days of intellectual inanition, when we depend upon spectacular entertainments pour passer le temps [to pass the time]. If knowledge means so much to us, “What is knowledge?” the reader asks. We can give only a negative answer. Knowledge is not instruction, information, scholarship, a well-stored memory. It is passed, like the light of a torch, from mind to mind, and the flame can be kindled at original minds only. Thought, we know, breeds thought; it is as vital thought touches our minds that our ideas are vitalized, and out of our ideas comes our conduct of life… The direct and immediate impact of great minds upon his own mind is necessary to the education of a child.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education, p. 303 Let us, out of reverence for the children, be modest; let us not stake their interests on the hope that this or that new way would lead to great results if people had only the courage to follow it. It is exciting to become a pioneer; but, for the children’s sake, it may be well to constrain ourselves to follow those roads only by which we know that persons have arrived, or those newer roads which offer evident and assured means of progress towards a desired end.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 245
Every plant bears fruit, ‘fruit and seed after his kind.’ All this is stale knowledge to older people, but one of the secrets of the educator is to present nothing as stale knowledge, but to put himself in the position of the child, and wonder and admire with him; for every common miracle which the child sees with his own eyes makes of him for the moment another Newton.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 54 Show Summary: * On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy and Dawn continue their Morning Time for Moms series with guests Summer and Mike Smith * How Summer and Mike first learned about Charlotte Mason and her philosophy * Mike’s early love for books and Summer’s own life of reading * How Mike and Summer continued to enjoy reading and self-education after formal schooling * Some thoughts on the college experience * How Summer keeps up her own education while homeschooling * How Mike and Summer help their children see ministry opportunities in their community
Books and Links Mentioned: In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Ice Magic by Matt Christopher
The Kid Who Only Hit Homers by Matt Christopher
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
Pickle Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield
Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
Calico Palace by Gwen Bristow
Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow
Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow
American Regional Books by Lois Lenski
Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
Kent Family Chronicles series by John Jakes
Range by David Epstein
Holling C. Holling
The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon
Beyond Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Paradise Lost by John Milton
The Iliad by Homer
The Aeneid by Virgil
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
C. S. Lewis
T. S. Eliot
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy
Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso
Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger
The Major and the Missionary by Diana Pavlac Glyer
The Odyssey by Homer
A Curious Life for a Lady by Pat Barr
Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
The Latin Letters of C. S. Lewis ed. and trans. by Martin Moynihan
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
We should allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and the ‘spiritual’ life of children; but should teach them that the divine Spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their continual helper in all the interests, duties, and joys of life.
Charlotte Mason, Principle 18
If mankind had not been organized into families, it would never have had the organic power to be organized into commonwealths. Human culture is handed down in the customs of countless households. It is the only way in which human culture can remain human.
G. K. Chesterton, Marriage and the Modern Mind Show Summary: * For this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn share about this year’s summer discipleship course, “Joy in the Morning” * Gretchen Neisler tells about her own experience with past summer discipleship and why she keeps coming back for more * What you can expect from this year’s Morning Time for Moms content and schedule * Other ways you can benefit from Cindy’s wisdom and interact with other moms (Scroll down to the “Find Cindy” section for all the links)
Books Mentioned: A White Bird Flying by Bess Streeter Aldrich
A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Ideas Freely Sown by Anne White
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Live Not By Lies by Rod Dreher
Charlotte Mason’s Great Recognition by Deani Van Pelt and Camille Malucci
Joy in the Morning (Jeeves in the Morning) by P. G. Wodehouse
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Norms and Nobility by David Hicks
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Those who believe in the dignity of the domestic tradition, who happen to be the overwhelming majority of mankind, regard the home as a sphere of vast social importance and supreme spiritual significance, and to talk of being “confined” to it is like talking of being chained to a throne or set in the seat of judgment as if it were the stocks.
G. K. Chesterton, “The Dignity of Domesticity,” The Illustrated London News, 1929
They notice for themselves, and the teacher gives a name and other information as it is asked for… In this way they lay up that store of “common information”… and what is more important, they learn to know and delight in natural objects as in the familiar faces of friends.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 237 Show Summary: * On The New Mason Jar this week, we bring you a conversation all about spring nature study with Cindy, Dawn and Cindy’s friend Jeannette Tulis, who has been a previous guest on the podcast * How can moms begin nature study when they have never done it before? * How to find spring ephemeral wildflowers, and other things to look for at this time of year * Ideas for stepping up your nature study game * What are some tips for nature journaling?
Books and Links Mentioned: Episode 12: Charlotte Mason Study Groups
Episode 56: Building a Home Library
Who’s Afraid of a Little Paint? by Jeannette Tulis
The Tree Identification Book by George Symonds
Wild Green Things in the City by Anne Ophelia Dowden
The First Book of Weeds by Barbara Beck
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Let them once get in touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 61
Ourselves, our Souls and Bodies is much used in the P.U.S., as I know of no other attempt to present such a ground plan of human nature as should enable the young student to know where he is in his efforts to ‘be good’ as the children say. The point of view taken in this volume is, that all beautiful and noble possibilities are present in every one; but that each person is subject to assaults and hindrances in various ways of which he should be aware in order that he may watch and pray. Hortatory teaching is apt to bore both young people and their elders; but an ordered presentation of the possibilities and powers that lie in human nature and of the risks that attend these, can hardly fail to have an enlightening and stimulating effect.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * On the New Mason Jar today we welcome back Anne White, veteran homeschool mom, author, and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * How Anne first discovered Charlotte Mason * About Anne’s new book title and how she came to write this work * Is this book for homeschoolers? * How can we understand and apply “justice” in the way that Charlotte meant here? * Why children need time and space to think and let ideas work in them * What do you mean by the statement that “there is is only sacred, sanctified education, or desecrated education”? * How Anne tied the magic of narration into the ideas in this book
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
A Bit of the World’s Work by Anne White
Offering Ourselves: A Lenten Journey with Charlotte Mason by Anne White
Honest, Simple Souls by Anne White
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Anne: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Anne Writes
Anne’s Author Page on Amazon
Anne’s Blog: Dewey’s Treehouse
The worth of any calling depends upon its being of use; and no day need go by without giving us practice in usefulness. Each one is wanted for the special bit of work he is fit for; and, of each, it is true that– “Thou cam’st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee.”
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Bk. 1, pp. 209-210
The mind is a spiritual octopus, reaching out limbs in every direction to draw in enormous rations of that which under the actions of the mind itself becomes knowledge. Nothing can stale its infinite variety; the heavens and the earth, the past, the present, and future, things great and things minute, nations and men, the universe, all are within the scope of the human intelligence.
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education, p. 330 Show Summary: * On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy and Dawn kick off a new series of the podcast, Morning Time for Moms, with our first guest in the series, Jami Marstall * How Jami first came to hear about Charlotte Mason * How much of AmblesideOnline’s curriculum Jami has personally read as the mother and teacher * What practices Jami put in place to ensure she was growing in knowledge * How the mother-teacher is the guide, philosopher, and friend * What is the significance of the “spiritual octopus” quote from the intro? * How can moms build a reading life in the busy seasons of life? * What Jami is reading now and what some of her other activities are
Books and Links Mentioned: Beyond Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Towards a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
The Idea of America by Gordon S. Wood
John Adams by David McCullough
The Universe Next Door by James Sire
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
Lynn Bruce’s article on The Spiritual Octopus
S2E22: Charlotte Mason Through High School with Jami Marstall
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
What we are concerned with is the fact that we personally have relations with all that there is in the present, all that there has been in the past, and all that there will be in the future––with all above us and all about us––and that fullness of living, expansion, expression, and serviceableness, for each of us, depend upon how far we apprehend these relationships and how many of them we lay hold of…. Every [mother] is heir to an enormous patrimony, heir to all the ages, inheritor of all the present. The question is, what are the [educational] formalities necessary to put [her] in possession of that which is [hers]?
paraphrase of Charlotte Mason from School Education, pg. 186
Three Questions for the Mother…She must ask herself Why must the children learn at all? What should they learn? And, How should they learn it? If she takes the trouble to find a definite and thoughtful answer to each of these three queries, she will be in a position to direct her children’s studies; and will, at the same time, be surprised to find that three-fourths of the time and labour ordinarily spent by the child at his lessons is lost time and wasted energy.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 171 Show Summary: * On this week’s episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn sit down to chat with veteran homeschool mom, Heather Martin about a wide variety of topics * How and when Heather actually learned about Charlotte Mason after organically using many of her methods all along * How getting a teaching certificate actually ensured Heather would choose to home educate instead * Were there challenges specific to having only boys? * What were some of the intentional things you did in your home to build your family culture? * Some encouragement for moms regarding mathematics * How Heather started local recitation gatherings with other homeschoolers
Books and Links Mentioned: Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Range by David Epstein
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
No one knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him; therefore, there is no education but self-education…
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education, p. 26 Show Summary: * On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy and Dawn sit down to chat about Cindy’s newest book, Beyond Mere Motherhood * How this book came to be * What Cindy hopes this book to be and who it is for * What you can expect from each chapter of the book * How this book is helping launch a new podcast series coming soon!
Books and Links Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Beyond Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer
“Why the KJV?” by Lynn Bruce
Blue Sky Daisies
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill website
Dawn’s A Reasoned Patriotism website
Dawn’s Substack
We allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and spiritual life of mothers, but teach them that the Divine Spirit has constant access to their spirit and is their continue Helper in all the interests, duties, and joys of life.
paraphrase of Charlotte Mason’s 20th Principle
Like all music, the figured bass should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul; where this is not kept in mind there is no true music, but only an infernal clamour and ranting.
Johann Sebastian Bach Show Summary: * Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy talks with Hannah Paris and Amy Edwards about the new Lenten companion book to Hallelujah, A Sacred Sacrifice * How this book came to be through the years * Some thoughts on why St. Matthew’s Passion is such an appropriate piece for Lent * How the book is laid out for families to use * Some thoughts on approaching Lent if it isn’t a normal part of your church tradition
Books and Links Mentioned: A Sacred Sacrifice: Cultivating Lenten Traditions with Bach’s Great Passion by Hannah Paris
The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley
The Charlotte Mason Book of Quotes: Copywork to Inspire by Lanaya Gore
Blue Sky Daisies
Truly parents are happy people, to have God’s children lent to them…
Charlotte Mason, from a letter quoted in The Story of Charlotte Mason Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
As a matter of fact, we do not realise children, we under-estimate them; in the divine words, we “despise” them, with the best intentions in the world, because we confound the immaturity of their frames, and their absolute ignorance as to the relations of things, with spiritual impotence: whereas the fact probably is, that never is intellectual power so keen, the moral sense so strong, spiritual perception so piercing, as in those days of childhood which we regard with a supercilious, if kindly, smile.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 260 Show Summary: * Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn chat with guests Elizabeth and Stacy about the challenges (and benefits!) of homeschooling while serving in the military * How Elizabeth and Stacy each first learned about Charlotte Mason * What are some of the challenges of military life and frequent relocation? * How have you found homeschooling community and friends when changing duty stations? * What are some of the benefits your family has experienced because of military life? * Are there any homeschooling resources available to military families? * How do you adapt your homeschool schedule during the year to stay flexible to change?
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Book
Dawn’s Reasoned Patriotism Book
Dawn’s Discerning Home Educator Substack
Every look of gentleness and tone of reverence, every word of kindness and act of help, passes into the thought-environment, the very atmosphere which the child breathes; he does not think of these things, may never think of them, but all his life long they excite that ‘vague appetency towards something’ out of which most of his actions spring.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 36
Few things could be more disastrous (as, alas, few are more imminent) than a sudden break with the traditions of the past; wherefore, let us gently knit the bonds that bind us to the generation all too rapidly dying out. It is well that we gather up, with tender reverence, such fragments of their insight and experience as come in our way; for we would fain, each, be as an householder, bringing forth out of his treasures things new and old.
Charlotte Mason, Formation of Character, p. 156-157 Show Summary: * On The New Mason Jar this week, Cindy talks with Bethany Stuard, homeschooling mom of 3, about incorporating group singing into the homeschool day * How Bethany came to know about Charlotte Mason as a second-generation homeschooler * How choral music connected Bethany with poetry, the liturgy, other cultures and more * Practical tips for helping children sing confidently at home * How folk songs help connect us to other cultures and our own history * Tips for finding a choir for a child to join * Tips for making the most of composer study
Books and Links Mentioned: Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
James Herriot
Peter Kreeft
Melody Sheet Music
Poetry Set to Choral Music on Spotify
Playlist of Folk and Children’s Songs on Spotify
AmblesideOnline Folk Song Selections
Feierabend Song Collection Books
Kodaly Collection
Find Cindy and Bethany: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Bethany’s Website
First Colony Homeschool Ensembles
...a classical education does more, turns out men with intellects cultivated and trained, who are awake to every refinement of thought, and yet ready for action. But the press and hurry of our times and the clamour for useful knowledge are driving classical culture out of the field; and parents will have to make up their minds, not only that they must supplement the moral training of the school, but must supply the intellectual culture, without which knowledge may be power, but is not pleasure, nor the means of pleasure.
Charlotte Mason, Formation of Character, p. 213
It is not the friends of our election who have exclusive claims upon us; the friends brought to us here and there by the circumstances of life all claim our loyalty, and from these we get…kindness for kindness, service for service, loyalty for loyalty, full measure, heaped together and running over.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book 2, p. 32 Show Summary: * Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn welcome back Donna-Jean Breckenridge, veteran homeschool mom, grandmother and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * Donna-Jean shares a little about how the Advisory met and went on to work together to create AmblesideOnline and a grew to have deep friendships along the way * Donna-Jean talk about how this book came to be and some of the challenges along the way * What do you see as the future of the Advisory and AO?
Books and Links Mentioned: Six Voices, One Story by the AmblesideOnline Advisory
Archipelago, The AO Advisory Blog
Find Cindy and Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Donna-Jean’s Facebook
Donna-Jean’s Instagram
Donna-Jean on MeWe
Our flesh the Word became, and dwelt with us, And we beheld His glory, as, of God, The only-begotten Son: we who believed Knew glory when we saw it, by the signs— Not of the pomp and majesty of Kings— But Grace, the touch of God, showed sweet in Him; And Truth, discerning all things, made Him simple, His glory saw we—full of grace and truth.
Charlotte Mason, from “Savior of the World,” Prologue to the Gospel according to St. John
Show Summary: * On this episode of The New Mason Jar, we bring you a replay of a special episode with Cindy’s friends Donna-Jean Breckenridge and Lynn Bruce, who has now gone to be with the Lord. * What did homeschooling look like around the Christmas holidays? * Why it is okay to take time off from your normal school work for Christmas celebrations * Why traditions are so important, possibly even more so as children grow older * What are some traditions that your family keeps from previous generations? * Handling changes and trauma as the years go by and still keep Christmas with courage * What are some Christmas “fails” that happened in your family?
Books and Links Mentioned: Saviour of the World, Volume 1 by Charlotte Mason
This Country of Ours: Annotated, Expanded and Updated, Vol. 1 by Donna-Jean Breckenridge
Episode 40: Donna-Jean Breckenridge on Updating This Country of Ours
Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
Find Cindyand Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Donna-Jean’s Facebook
Donna-Jean’s Instagram
Donna-Jean on MeWe
Education is a life. That life is sustained on ideas. Ideas are of spiritual origin, and God has made us so that we get them chiefly as we convey them to one another, whether by word of mouth, written page, Scripture word, musical symphony; but we must sustain a child’s inner life with ideas as we sustain his body with food.
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * Cindy and Dawn take some time for a more informal chat about some ideas that have been on their minds and hearts lately * The danger of “windows and mirrors” and trying to see ourselves instead of looking to God * Some thoughts on narration and attention * The value of listening to the experience of older homeschool moms
Books and Links Mentioned: The Lord Bless You and Keep You by Michael J. Glodo
Six Voices, One Story by the Ambleside Education Foundation
Education, like faith, is “the evidence of things not seen.”
Charlotte Mason, from Toward a Philosophy of Education Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
Mentally he must be developed so that as he grows older he may have the capacity to grasp the true meaning of social and political questions of the day. His mind should be so trained that he will be able to detect and reject fallacious statements, and quick to discover the claptrap of which our newspapers are so full.
E. A. Smith, “Citizenship: Our Responsibility as Teachers”, June 1911 L’Umile Pianta Show Summary: * Today’s guest on The New Mason Jar is Erin Kunkle, a veteran homeschool mom, speaker and co-host of the MAVEN parent podcast * How Erin first heard about Charlotte Mason * What is Maven all about? * What do we mean when we say “culture” and why it is important to stay engaged with it? * Does teaching apologetics and Christian worldview align with a Charlotte Mason education? * How can we talk about cultural issues in a way that encourages kids to learn to think for themselves? * Erin’s advice for talking with kids about difficult topics
Books and Links Mentioned: Affiliate links are included below.
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch
More Than a Carpenter by Josh MacDowell with Sean MacDowell
A Practical Guide to Culture by Brett Kunkle and John Stonestreet
Questioning the Bible by Jonathan Morrow
The Story of Reality by Greg Koukl
[We] must listen and consider, being sure that one of the purposes we are in the world for is, to form right opinions about all matters that come in our way.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves Find Cindy and Erin: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Maven
Maven Conferences
Maven Podcast
We take strong ground when we appeal to the beauty and truth of Mathematics; that, as Ruskin points out, two and two make four and cannot conceivably make five, is an inevitable law. It is a great thing to be brought into the presence of a law, of a whole system of laws, that exist without our concurrence,––that two straight lines cannot enclose a space is a fact which we can perceive, state, and act upon but cannot in any wise alter, should give to children the sense of limitation which is wholesome for all of us, and inspire that sursum corda which we should hear in all natural law.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, p. 230-231 Show Summary: * Today’s guest on The New Mason Jar is Melissa Bair, a homeschooling mother of 4 who loves math and has degrees in mathematics and computer sciences * How Melissa first discovered Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How Melissa came to love mathematics and what impact her teachers had on her * What kinds of activities and materials Melissa uses to teach math in a more beautiful way * The building blocks of math: notice, wonder, and discover * Is math a language or an art? * Does seeking to find the beauty in math put too much pressure on homeschool parents?
Books and Links Mentioned: Affiliate links are included below.
John Holt
Poetic Knowledge by James Taylor
Leisure: the Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Real Learning by Elizabeth Voss
A Mathematician’s Lament by Paul Lockhart
Caleb Gattegno
Chasing Rabbits by Sunil Singh
Mater Amabilis
The Mandelbrot Set
In a word our point is that Mathematics are to be studied for their own sake and not as they make for general intelligence and grasp of mind.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Again, we have made a rather strange discovery, that the mind refuses to know anything except what reaches it in more or less literary form. Persons can ‘get up’ the driest of pulverised text-books and enough mathematics for some public examination; but these attainments do not appear to touch the region of mind. Of Natural Science, too, we have to learn that the way into the secrets of nature is not through the barbed wire entanglements of science as she is taught but through field work or other immediate channel, illustrated and illuminated by books of literary value.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * Today’s guest on The New Mason Jar is Jeanne Webb, veteran homeschool of one daughter and former member of the AmblesideOnline Auxilliary, and her whole family are involved in the sciences * How Jeanne first heard about the Charlotte Mason philosophy * What make Charlotte Mason’s approach to science different from that of typical American science education? * What is the relationship of nature study to other areas of scientific study? * How do nature study and nature lore prepare children for the more formal study of science? * What Jeanne and her family did for nature study * Does a Charlotte Mason approach to science do enough to prepare students for higher education?
Books and Links Mentioned: The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
The Burgess Bird Book by Thornton W. Burgess
Napoleon’s Buttons by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
Gulp by Mary Roach
It Couldn’t Just Happen by Lawrence O. Richards
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe
A Meaningful World by Benjamin Wiker and Jonathan Witt
Who Made the Moon? by Sigmund Brouwer
The Language of God by Francis Collins
But the object of the Parents’ Review School is not merely to raise the standard of work in the home schoolroom. Our chief wish is that the pupils of the School should find knowledge delightful in itself and for its own sake, without thought of marks, place, prize or other reward; that they should develop an intelligent curiosity about whatever is on the earth or in the heavens, about the past and the present. The children respond and take to their lessons with keen pleasure, if they get even tolerably good teaching, and the want of marks, companionship, or other stimulus is not felt in those home schoolrooms where the interest of knowledge is allowed free play.
attributed to Charlotte Mason, from “Parents’ Review School”, The Parents’ Review, Vol. 12, No. 9 (1901) Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
“There can be no great art without great fable. Great art can only exist where great men brood intensely on something upon which all men brood a little. Without a popular body of fable there can be no unselfish art in any country. Shakespeare’s art was selfish till he turned to the great tales in the four most popular books of his time…”
James Masefield, as Quoted by Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Toward a Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * Today on the New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn welcome back previous guests Angelina Stanford and Timilyn Downey to cover some questions listeners had about Episode 60: The Building Blocks of Story * Is there an objective answer to the question “What is art?” * What do we mean when we say literature is art? * Why do we say fairy tales are the building blocks of story? * What is the danger of not giving children a foundation in myths, fairy tales and the Bible? * Is it ever too late to develop a taste for these stories? * What is the difference between historical fiction and literature? * How does a wide and varied literary education add to our understanding of story?
Let us take it to ourselves that great character comes out of great thoughts, and that great thought must be initiated by great thinkers; then we shall have a definite aim in education. Thinking and not doing is the source of character.
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education Books Mentioned: Northrop Frye
C. S. Lewis
J. R. R. Tolkien
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green
The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone
Beowulf trans. by Burton Raffel
English Literature for Boys and Girls by H. E. Marshall
Find Cindy, Angelina, and Timilyn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
House of Humane Letters
Angelina’s Facebook
Angelina’s Instagram
The Literary Life Online Conference 2023
As for Literature–to introduce children to literature is to install them in a very rich and glorious kingdom, to bring a continual holiday to their doors, to lay before them a feast exquisitely served. But they must learn to know literature by being familiar with it from the very first. A child’s intercourse must always be with good books, the best that we can find.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education, p. 51 Show Summary: * Our guests on The New Mason Jar podcast today are Jeannette Tulis and Sherry Early * How Sherry first heard about Charlotte Mason * How Jeannette started her own home library that then turned into a lending library * How did Sherry and Jeannette learn what books to collect and what not to bring home? * Where are the best, budget-friendly places to look for good books to buy? * How Sherry and Jeannette run their lending libraries * What are a few of our guests’ favorite books?
Books and Links Mentioned: Episode 12: Charlotte Mason Study Groups with Jeannette Tulis
Picture Book Preschool
Thrift Store Shopping Without Leaving Your House – Bibioguides
Private Lending Libraries List – Biblioguides
The Card Catalogue – Plumfield and Paideia
Jeannette’s Books About Books List
Jeannette’s Favorite Books by Category List
Jeannette’s Favorite Picture Book Authors List
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Let the Authors Speak by Carolyn Hatcher
All Through the Ages by Christine Miller
Who Should We Then Read, Vols. 1 & 2 by Jan Bloom
Anatole Series by Eve Titus
Henry the Explorer from Purple House Press
The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward
David McPhail
Don Freeman
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
Obadiah Trio by Brinton Turkle
Deep in the Forest by Brinton Turkle
Charlotte Zolotow
Jan Wahl
Little Bear Books by Else Holmelund Minarik
Frog and Toad Books by Arnold Lobel
Millicent Selsam
Animals Do the Strangest Things by Arthur and Leonora Hornblow
Carolyn Haywood
The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook by Joyce Brisley
Sugar Creek Gang Original Series by Paul Hutchens
Clementine Books by Sarah Pennypacker
The Cobble Street Cousins by Cynthia Rylant
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
Mothering by the Book by Jennifer Pepito
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble
Find Cindy and Sherry: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Sherry Early’s Blog, Semicolon
When I get a little money, I buy books, and if any is left, I buy food. My luggage is my library. My home is where my books are.
Erasmus
All our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit; but it should be given dutifully and diligently.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 2, Parents and Children
Show Summary: * Our guests on The New Mason Jar podcast this week are Emily Raible and Tracy Fast * How Tracy was homeschooled and came to learn about Charlotte Mason * How Emily first heard about Charlotte Mason * How Tracy got started using Charlotte Mason’s principles in teaching Sunday school * How Emily began creating a Sunday school curriculum using Miss Mason’s principles * What differences have been noticeable since implementing the new methods? * What a typical Sunday school class looks like in Tracy’s church * What Emily’s Sunday school class typically looks like * Some more benefits of a Charlotte Mason Sunday school
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The Bible Story Handbook by John and Kim Walton
The Burgess Bird Book by Thornton W. Burgess
House of Humane Letters
Simply Charlotte Mason
AmblesideOnline
Blue Sky Daisies publishing
Example of nature coloring pages Emily mentioned
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Above all, do not read the Bible at the child: do not let any words of the Scriptures be occasions for gibbeting his faults. It is the office of the Holy Ghost to convince of sin; and He is able to use the Word for this purpose, without risk of that hardening of the heart in which our clumsy dealings too often result.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education
In teaching music, again, let him once perceive the beautiful laws of harmony, the personality, so to speak, of Music, looking out upon him from among the queer little black notes…
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 2, Parents and Children, p. 278-279
Show Summary: * On the New Mason Jar today, Cindy is joined by Heather Bunting, homeschooling mother of 4 and former public school music teacher * How Heather first came to learn about Charlotte Mason and her philosophy * What is solfege or solfa, and why it is helpful to learn? * Why Heather started making videos teaching solfege on her channel Children of the Open Air * Is there a benefit to singing a cappella as opposed to singing with accompaniment? * Are there resources for implementing singing in the homeschool? * How singing connects with a Charlotte Mason education
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The 5th Annual Back to School Conference
Children of the Open Air on Youtube
AmblesideOnline Folk Song Lists
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
They are the earth and the wind and the home and the heather and all the gracious commonplaces of human life and circumstance. They are children of the open air.
from The Joyous Book Singing games by John Hornby
Without knowledge, Reason carries a man into the wilderness and Rebellion joins company. The man is not to be blamed: it is a glorious thing to perceive your mind, your reasoning power, acting of its own accord as it were and producing argument after argument in support of any initial notion; how is a man to be persuaded, when he wakes up to this tremendous power he has of involuntary reasoning, that his conclusions are not necessarily right, but rather that he who reasons without knowledge is like a child playing with edged tools?
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education, p. 315
Show Summary: * On the New Mason Jar today, Cindy chats with Dan Bunting, a pastor and father of 4 homeschooled children * How Dan first learned about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * Did you have any concerns about using a Charlotte Mason curriculum initially? * What Dan saw about this educational philosophy that impressed him * What Dan’s role is in his family’s homeschool journey * How Dan is continuing his own education as a father * Do you think that a Charlotte Mason education is strong enough in STEM subjects? * Dan’s best advice for fathers to support their homeschooling families
Books and Links Mentioned: Range by David Epstein
Mind to Mind by Karen Glass
H. P. Lovecraft
Terry Pratchett
The 5th Annual Back to School Conference
Dan’s Episode on The Literary Life podcast
Dan’s Reading the Psalms podcast
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
…habit is inevitable. If we fail to ease life by laying down habits of right thinking and right acting, habits of wrong thinking and wrong acting fix themselves of their own accord.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education, p. 101
In the things of science, in the things of art, in the things of practical everyday life, his God doth instruct him and doth teach him, her God doth instruct her and doth teach her. Let this be the mother’s key to the whole of the education of each boy and each girl; not of her children; the Divine Spirit does not work with nouns of multitude, but with each single child. Because He is infinite, the whole world is not too great a school for this indefatigable Teacher, and because He is infinite, He is able to give the whole of his infinite attention for the whole time to each one of his multitudinous pupils. We do not sufficiently rejoice in the wealth that the infinite nature of our God brings to each of us.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 2, Parents and Children
Show Summary: * Today on the New Mason Jar, Camille Malucci is back on the podcast to talk with Cindy about a painting that had a great effect on Charlotte Mason * How did Charlotte Mason come to view these frescoes? * What are some of the scenes depicted in the frescoes in the Spanish Chapel, Santa Maria Novella? * What was it about this painting that so impacted Miss Mason? * Why is it so hard for us to grasp the concept of “the Great Recognition” that Mason talks about? * How did Charlotte Mason see this recognition as helpful to resolving some of the discord in modernity?
Books and Links Mentioned: The 5th Annual Back to School Conference
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
Common Place Quarterly Magazine
The CMEC
Camille’s episode on the CMEC curriculum
Mornings in Florence by John Ruskin
The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley
The Charlotte Mason Collection at the Armitt Museum
Print of The Great Recognition from Riverbend Press
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
We must think, we must know, we must rejoice in and create the beautiful. And if all the burning thoughts that stir in the minds of men, all the beautiful conceptions they give birth to, are things apart from God, then we too must have a separate life, a life apart from God, a division of ourselves into secular and religious––discord and unrest. We believe that this is the fertile source of the unfaith of the day, especially in young and ardent minds…and the young man or woman, full of promise and power, becomes a free-thinker, an agnostic, what you will. But once the intimate relation, the relation of Teacher and taught in all things of the mind and spirit, be fully recognised, our feet are set in a large room; there is space for free development in all directions, and this free and joyous development, whether of intellect or heart, is recognised as a Godward movement.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children
Commonplace Tales: Tales of Imagination––Stories, again, of the Christmas holidays, of George and Lucy, of the amusements, foibles, and virtues of children in their own condition of life, leave nothing to the imagination. The children know all about everything so well that it never occurs to them to play at the situations in any one of these tales, or even to read it twice over. But let them have tales of the imagination, scenes laid in other lands and other times, heroic adventures, hairbreadth escapes, delicious fairy tales in which they are never roughly pulled up by the impossible––even where all is impossible, and they know it, and yet believe.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education
Show Summary: * Today on the New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn chat with friends Angelina Stanford and Timilyn Downey about the building blocks of stories in relation to a Charlotte Mason education * How Angelina came to learn about Charlotte Mason * Why Timilyn values the building blocks of story so much * What are stories versus literature? * What is the difference between how modernity sees art and stories and how the medievals saw them? * What is wrong with the idea of literature as a mirror or a window? * Some metaphors for approaching story * Why are unit studies problematic in approaching a Charlotte Mason education? * How can you learn the language of literature so that you can teach your children?
Last but not least, the fact that the story does not turn on children, and does not foster that self-consciousness, the dawn of which in the child is, perhaps, the individual “Fall of Man.”
Charlotte Mason, Formation of Character
Books Mentioned: Northrop Frye
C. S. Lewis
J. R. R. Tolkien
Harold Goddard
“Meditation on a Toolshed” by C. S. Lewis
Aesop’s Fables illus. by Jerry Pinkney
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands illus. by Kadir Nelson
Find Cindy, Angelina, and Timilyn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
House of Humane Letters
Angelina’s Facebook
Angelina’s Instagram
The Literary Life Online Conference 2023
The honor due to our country…is not to be confounded with the ignorant and impertinent attitude of the Englishman or the Chinese who believes that to be born an Englishman or a Chinese puts him on a higher level than the people of all other countries; that his own country and his own government are right in all circumstances, and other countries and other governments always wrong. But, on the other hand, still more to be guarded against, is the caitiff spirit of him who holds his own country and his own government always in the wrong and always the worse, and exalts other nations unduly for the sake of depreciating his own.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 4, Ourselves, Book 1
Show Summary: * Today on the New Mason Jar, Dawn Duran is here to share about her new book A Reasoned Patriotism * How did this book come about? * What did Charlotte Mason have to say about patriotism and the teaching of a country’s history? * What is the difference between patriotism and nationalism? * What does this book include? * How can mothers help develop this reasoned patriotism in the home? * What does Dawn mean when she talks about critical thinking?
But before we teach children to criticise the institutions of their country, before we teach them to be critical of what is bad, let us teach them to recognize and admire what is good.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, pg. 126
Books and Links Mentioned: Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
A Reasoned Patriotism by Dawn Duran
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
It is good, doubtless, to be cosmopolitan in our tastes, liberal and unprejudiced in our judgments; but he who would love all the world must begin with the brother whom he has seen, and enlightened sympathy with other nations can coexist only with profound and instructed patriotism.
Charlotte mason, Formation of Character
After all, what is the chief sign of growing old? Is it not the feeling that we know all there is to be known? It is not years which make people old; it is ruts, and a limitation of interests. When we no longer care about anything except our own interests, we are then old, it matters not whether our years be twenty of eighty.
Anna Botsford Comstock, The Handbook of Nature Study Show Summary: * Cindy and Dawn share a little about the upcoming 2023 discipleship course at Morning Time for Moms, The Uphill Road * Dawn asks Cindy how the summer discipleship course started several years ago * They share a few highlights of what moms can expect and some of their favorite features of this time together
Books and Links Mentioned: The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock
Bandersnatch by Diana Pavlac Glyer
The Convivial Homeschool by Mystie Winckler
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
…what if the devitalization we notice in so many of our young people, keen about games but dead to things of the mind, is due to the processes carried on in our schools, to our plausible and pleasant ways of picturing, eliciting, demonstrating, illustrating, summarising, doing all those things for children which they are born with the potency to do for themselves? No doubt we do give intellectual food, but too little of it; let us have courage and we shall be surprised, as we are now and then, at the amount of intellectual strong meat almost and child [or mother] will take at a meal and digest at his leisure.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education
Of the three sorts of knowledge proper to a child,–the knowledge of God, of man, and of the universe,–the knowledge of God ranks first in importance, is indispensable, and most happy-making.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Bethany Mandel, Orthodox Jewish homeschooling mother of 6, co-author of the new book Stolen Youth, and conservative political commentator * How Bethany first heard of Charlotte Mason education * How Bethany juggled home educating and writing a book at the same time * What a typical day looks like in Bethany’s homeschool * How Bethany navigates the challenges of finding CM-friendly Jewish homeschool resources * How do you see Charlotte Mason lining up with Judaism? * Why reading stories from the past perspectives is so important today * What Bethany and Karol’s book is all about * Are these problematic ideas infiltrating the homeschool community?
Books and Links Mentioned: Towards a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Stolen Youth by Bethany Mandel and Karol Markowicz
Heroes of Liberty series edited by Bethany Mandel
Stories for Children by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Honey on the Page trans. by Miriam Udel
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
A Gentle Feast Curriculum
Find Cindy and Bethany: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Right Books 4 Kids on Instagram
Bethany’s Instagram
But the educator has to deal with a self-acting, self-developing being, and his business is to guide, and assist in, the production of the latent good in that being, the dissipation of the latent evil, the preparation of the child to take his place in the world at his best…
Charlotte Mason, Home Education Show Summary: * This week’s guest on The New Mason Jar is Ella Rice, is a homeschooling mom of 5 who uses the Mater Amabilis curriculum with her children * How Ella first learned about Charlotte Mason * Is Mater Amabilis only for Catholics? * What made you choose to use Mater Amabilis over other curriculum choices? * What are some of your favorite part of the curriculum? * How does Mater Amabilis handle the sciences? * Are there any possible pitfalls for parents using this curriculum?
Books and Links Mentioned: Real Learning Revisited by Elizabeth Foss (this is the updated edition of the book Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home Ella mentioned)
The Mater Amabilis Facebook Group
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.
Emily Buchwald
The parent who sees his way––that is, the exact force of method––to educate his child, will make use of every circumstance of the child’s life almost without intention on his own part, so easy and spontaneous is a method of education based upon Natural Law. Does the child eat or drink, does he come, or go, or play––all the time he is being educated, though he is as little aware of it as he is of the act of breathing.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education Show Summary: * Today on The New Mason Jar, Alanna Hendon returns to discuss more about using Charlotte Mason’s ideas in the homeschool * How Alanna came to Charlotte Mason and learned more about her principles in-depth * The gift of the unplanned and prioritizing principles over practices * How do you see Charlotte Mason’s philosophy playing out with individual children versus the group? * What a typical day looks like in Alanna’s homeschool
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
AmblesideOnline
Brandy Vencel’s Charlotte Mason Think Tank
Koshka’s Tales by James Mayhew
Episode 51: Homeschool Boys with Alanna Hendon
Find Cindy and Alanna: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Alanna’s Instagram
…of all the joyous motives of school life, the love of knowledge is the only abiding one; the only one which determines the scale, so to speak, upon which the person will hereafter live.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, Volume 3 Show Summary: * Cindy and Dawn tackle another round of listener questions on this episode of The New Mason Jar * How can a mom of several school age children keep up with pre-reading? * How do you implement use of a Book of Centuries? * What can be done about children complaining about morning time?
Books and Links Mentioned: Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
Literary Life Online Conference – Shakespeare: The Bard for All and For All Time
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
...to be born a human being is like coming into a very great estate; so much in the way of goodness, greatness, heroism, wisdom, and knowledge, is possible to us all.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book 1 Show Summary: * Today’s returning guest is Anne White, veteran homeschool mom, author, and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * Anne’s history with Lent and how she and her family started observing the seasons of the church year * What is different about Charlotte Mason’s book Ourselves than her other volumes? * How might Ourselves be used in the homeschool? * How Anne went on her own journey in writing Offering Ourselves * What are some of Anne’s family traditions for Lent and Easter? * How the AmblesideOnline Advisory created a new resource page for the Easter season
Books and Links Mentioned: Offering Ourselves: A Lenten Journey with Charlotte Mason by Anne White
Honest, Simple Souls by Anne White
Studying to Be Quiet: One Hundred Days of Keeping by Laurie Bestvater
100 Days of Keeping Invitation
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley
AmblesideOnline’s new Easter/Resurrection Idea page
Ideas Freely Sown by Anne White
The Practical Plutarch by Anne White
Find Cindy and Anne: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Anne Writes
Anne’s Author Page on Amazon
Anne’s Blog: Dewey’s Treehouse
The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?
Charlotte Mason, School Education Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Melissa McMahan, veteran homeschool mom of 2 graduates and 3 still at home, and long-time follower of AmblesideOnline * How Melissa first heard about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How Melissa came to start using the AmblesideOnline curriculum * What was it like thinking about getting your children ready for college? * Did having a Charlotte Mason hinder your daughters from getting a solid science foundation? * Has narration sufficiently prepared your students for college writing? * How learning to manage time at home helps students prepare for college and independence * Other tips for preparing high school homeschoolers for college
Books and Links Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Megan: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Melissa’s Instagram
Melissa’s Youtube
…what if the devitalisation we notice in so many of our young people, keen about games but dead to things of the mind, is due to the processes carried on in our schools, to our plausible and pleasant ways of picturing, eliciting, demonstrating, illustrating, summarising, doing all those things for children which they are born with the potency to do for themselves? No doubt we do give intellectual food, but too little of it; let us have courage and we shall be surprised, as we are now and then, at the amount of intellectual strong meat almost any child will take at a meal and digest at his leisure.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Megan Hoyt, veteran homeschooling mom, musician and author * Megan tells how she picked up her love of music from her parents and passed it on to her own * What is the overall theme of A Touch of the Infinite? * What are some of the misconceptions you think people have about Charlotte Mason and music education? * What did music education look like in your own homeschool? * How Megan wrote A Touch of the Infinite and what is in the book * How did you start writing children’s books?
Books and Links Mentioned: Bartali’s Bicycle by Megan Hoyt
The Greatest Song of All by Megan Hoyt
Thanku: Poems of Gratitude edited by Miranda Paul
Hidegard’s Gift by Megan Hoyt
A Touch of the Infinite by Megan Hoyt
Find Cindy and Megan: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Megan’s Website
Megan’s Facebook
Megan’s Instagram
Megan’s Twitter
Let us consider carefully what feelings we wish to stimulate or repress in our children, and then, having made up our minds, let us say nothing.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Alanna Hendon, homeschooling mom of 6, 5 of whom are boys * How Alanna came to learn about the Charlotte Mason philosophy * The lasting and eternal value of a Charlotte Mason education * How would you respond to the criticism that Charlotte Mason is too feminine for educating boys? * Approaching poetry with boys * What other elements of a CM education have had the most impact on your home? * How does Charlotte’s emphasis on the knowledge of God and encouragement of religious habits encourage boys in their own spiritual walk?
Books and Links Mentioned: AmblesideOnline
Consider This by Karen Glass
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
Classic Poems for Boys
The Poet’s Corner narr. by John Lithgow
Creativity by John Cleese
Find Cindy and Alanna: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Alanna’s Instagram
Stories….of the amusements, foibles, and virtues of children in their own condition of life, leave nothing to the imagination. The children know all about everything so well that it never occurs to them to play at the situations in any one of these tales, or even to read it twice over. But let them have tales of the imagination, scenes laid in other lands and other times, heroic adventures, hairbreadth escapes, delicious fairy tales in which they are never roughly pulled up by the impossible––even where all is impossible, and they know it, and yet believe.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Volume 1 Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Timilyn Downey, former public school teacher and home schooling mother * How Timilyn first learned about Charlotte Mason * How Timilyn finally chose to homeschool her sons * What role Timilyn’s husband plays in their education * How do you respond to criticism about older books not being relevant * Why it is so important to understand the philosophy behind educational methods * Why Timilyn believe fiction and fairy tales are so crucial
Books and Links Mentioned: Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Morning Time by Cindy Rollins
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Consider This by Karen Glass
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green
The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Black Arrow by Robert Lewis Stephenson
Koshka’s Tales by James Mayhew
A Study of English Romanticism by Northrop Frye
English Literature in the Sixteenth Century by C. S. Lewis
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Though system is highly useful as an instrument of education, a ‘system of education’ is mischievous, as producing only mechanical action instead of the vital growth and movement of a living being.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Vol. 1 Show Summary: * Today’s guests are Anna Hornstra and two of her three daughters, Addison and Ella * How Anna came to homeschooling early on * What happened when Anna let doubts and systems set the tone of their homeschool * How Charlotte Mason’s principles have played out in Anna’s home
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
The Ordinary Parents’ Guide to Teaching Reading by Jennie Wise and Sara Buffington
The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble
Purgatorio by Dante Alighieri
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Leisure the Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper
Medea by Euripides
AmblesideOnline
Tending the Soul Art by Addison and Ella
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Miss Mason taught us that ‘Education is the science of relations’ and that a child should feel from the very beginning that his relations with number are opening up to him yet another realm of beautiful and wonderful things for his enjoyment and delight.
Number: A Figure and a Step Onward, Mrs. W.A. Stephens, The Parents’ Review Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Richele Baburina, a veteran homeschooling mother of 2 and author of The Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series, and Brush Drawing: A Basic Course * How Richele first heard about Charlotte Mason * How Richele began researching Charlotte’s ideas about teaching mathematics * What levels is The Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithemetic Series for? * What were some of the surprising things Richele learned in her research?
Books and Links Mentioned: The Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series by Richele Baburina
Brush Drawing: A Basic Course by Richele Baburina
Find Cindy and Richele: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Richele’s Instagram
Richele’s Artwork Website
Our flesh the Word became, and dwelt with us, And we beheld His glory, as, of God, The only-begotten Son: we who believed Knew glory when we saw it, by the signs— Not of the pomp and majesty of Kings— But Grace, the touch of God, showed sweet in Him; And Truth, discerning all things, made Him simple, His glory saw we—full of grace and truth.
Charlotte Mason, from “Savior of the World,” Prologue to the Gospel according to St. John Show Summary: * Today’s guests are Lynn Bruce and Donna-Jean Breckenridge, and together with Cindy they talk about Christmas memories * What did homeschooling look like around the Christmas holidays? * Why it is okay to take time off from your normal school work for Christmas celebrations * Why traditions are so important, possibly even more so as children grow older * What are some traditions that your family keeps from previous generations? * Handling changes and trauma as the years go by and still keep Christmas with courage * What are some Christmas “fails” that happened in your family?
Books and Links Mentioned: Saviour of the World, Volume 1 by Charlotte Mason
This Country of Ours: Annotated, Expanded and Updated, Vol. 1 by Donna-Jean Breckenridge
Episode 40: Donna-Jean Breckenridge on Updating This Country of Ours
Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
Find Cindy, Lynn, and Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Lynn’s Instagram
Donna-Jean’s Facebook
Donna-Jean’s Instagram
Donna-Jean on MeWe
Thought breeds thought; children familiar with great thoughts take as naturally to thinking for themselves as the well-nourished body takes to growing; and we must bear in mind that growth, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, is the sole end of education.
The Story of Charlotte Mason Show Summary: * This week Dawn and Cindy tackle some more listener questions with their personal opinions based on their experience and their reading * Why is it incorrect to say that the right homeschooling philosophy is the one that works for your children? * How do we seek to follow Charlotte Mason’s philosophy without idolizing the person or the philosophy? * Are we doing something wrong if our children do not like to narrate or seem to enjoy the books that they have to narrate?
Books and Links Mentioned: The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
Never are the operations of Reason more delightful and more perfect than in mathematics. Here men do not begin to reason with a notion which causes them to lean to this side or to that. By degrees, absolute truth unfolds itself. We are so made that truth, absolute and certain truth, is a perfect joy to us; and that is the joy that mathematics afford.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves
Show Summary: * Today’s guests are Julie Rylie and Tabitha Wirges of Climbing Higher Math * How Julie and Tabitha each first learned about Charlotte Mason * How do you approach math in a Charlotte Mason way? * What advice do you have for teaching children who don’t enjoy math? * How can moms approach math with less fear and more joy? * What does the Climbing Higher Math program look like? * Why moms don’t need to panic about math in high school
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
Ray's Arithmetic
Find Cindy, Julie, and Tabitha: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Climbing Higher Math on Facebook
Climbing Higher Math on Instagram
And, Mary, seeking meekly for direction, asked ‘how shall this be after the wont of men?’ and she was shewn how, by the immediate power of God Most High, the Child should be born, holy, the Son of God; and Mary, not knowing what all this might mean to her, cried ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to Thy word.’
Charlotte Mason, Parents Review Article, “The Nativity”
Show Summary: Today’s show is a special replay of last year’s popular Advent episode with Cindy and Dawn. To start off, Cindy shares how she started using Handel’s oratorio The Messiah for Advent. Dawn and Cindy also both share a little about their family Christmas book traditions. After that, we are bringing you the audio from 2020’s Hallelujah virtual gathering celebrating the launch of the new version of the book, featuring guests Greg Wilbur, Thomas Banks, Kerri Williamson, Lynn Bruce, Caitlyn Bruce Beauchamp, Kelly Cumbee, and Amy Edwards.
Listen Now: Books and Links Mentioned: Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins
Papa Panov’s Special Christmas by Leo Tolstoy
The Bird’s Christmas Carol by Kate Douglass Wiggins
Shoemaker Martin by
The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
Dawn’s Christmas Book Tradition
“The Nativity” Parents Review Article
Jessye Norman’s Christmastide
Kathleen Battle’s Angel’s Glory
Comfort and Joy
The Sounding Joy
Putumayo World Christmas Party
Handel’s Messiah conducted by John Eliot Gardner
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
We know how Joseph’s mind was disturbed and his heart rent (we may well believe), when the angel came and reassured him with word of the fulfilment of that prophecy of Isaiah’s,— a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel.’
Charlotte Mason, Parents Review Article, “The Nativity”
The teacher who allows his scholars the freedom of the city of books is at liberty to be their guide, philosopher and friend; and is no longer the mere instrument of forcible intellectual feeding.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guests are Kay Pelham and Christy Hissong * Kay is a veteran homeschooling mom to one son, as well as a piano teacher and literary enthusiast * Christy is also a veteran homeschooling mom of one boy, and teaches at a local Charlotte Mason cottage school * How did each of our guests learn about Charlotte Mason? * What are some of the challenges you faced with homeschooling an only child? * What did reading aloud look like in your home? * How did you figure out if your child had some learning challenges that needed addressed? * How did you use narration in your homeschool? * Was there anything you wish had been different in your homeschooling years? * How does a Charlotte Mason education continue for a mother after her children have graduated?
Books and Links Mentioned: The Common Room Blog
AmblesideOnline
Uncle Wiggly’s Story Book by Howard R. Garis
Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris
Smart But Scattered Teens by Richard Guare, Ph. D., Peg Dawson, Ph. D., and Colin Guare
SethPerler.com
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Children learn to grow.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Sonya Shafer is a veteran homeschool mom of 4 daughters as well as a popular author and speaker and co-founder of Simply Charlotte Mason * How Sonya first discovered Charlotte Mason * How Sonya and her friend Karen Smith started Simply Charlotte Mason * How Simply Charlotte Mason grew over time to cover a complete curriculum * Why it is important for parents to have encouragement and support in home educating * How people can pick and choose SCM resources that work together for a full course of study for the whole family * A little about the Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series * How Sonya has homeschooled her special needs daughter
Books and Links Mentioned: A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Laying Down the Rails by Sonya Shafer
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Range by David Epstein
Plato’s Lemonade Stand by Tom Morris
Margin by Richard Swenson, M.D.
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Sonya: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Simply Charlotte Mason
The Simply Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Podcast
- Today’s guest is Yolanda Mason, wife and homeschooling mother of 4, founder of the Heritage Learning Center in Charlotte, NC
- How Yolanda first heard about Charlotte Mason
- Why and how she started the Heritage Learning Center
- What is the value of a homeschool community like this?
- How narration can be improved in a group
- What the learning goals look like in community
- What a typical day looks like in Yolanda’s homeschool
If mothers could learn to do for themselves what they do for their children when these are overdone, should have happier households. Let the mother go out to play! If she would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes too tense, and just take a day, or half a day, out in the fields, or with a favourite book, or in a picture gallery looking long and well at just two or three pictures, or in bed, without the children, life would go on far more happily for both children and parents.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 33-34
Books and Links Mentioned: A Reasoned Patriotism Webinar
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Next in order to religious knowledge, history is the pivot on which our curriculum turns.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 273
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Donna-Jean Breckenridge, veteran homeschool mom, grandmother and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * Before getting to main the subject matter, Donna-Jean gives homeschooling moms a little encouragement and exhortation * How This Country of Ours was chosen as a history spine for AmblesideOnline * Why Donna-Jean decided to expand and update the book * How Donna-Jean annotated, expanded and updated This Country of Ours * What she hopes this new version accomplishes
It is never too late to mend but we may not delay to offer such a liberal and generous diet of History to every child in the country as shall give weight to his decisions, consideration to his actions and stability to his conduct; that stability, the lack of which has plunged us into many a stormy sea of unrest.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 179
Books and Links Mentioned: Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
This Country of Ours, Vol.1 by H.E. Marshall: Annotated, Expanded and Updated by Donna-Jean Breckenridge
A Reasoned Patriotism Webinar with Dawn Duran
Find Cindy and Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Donna-Jean’s Facebook
Donna-Jean’s Instagram
Donna-Jean on MeWe
Next in order to religious knowledge, history is the pivot on which our curriculum turns.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 273
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Donna-Jean Breckenridge, veteran homeschool mom, grandmother and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * Before getting to main the subject matter, Donna-Jean gives homeschooling moms a little encouragement and exhortation * How This Country of Ours was chosen as a history spine for AmblesideOnline * Why Donna-Jean decided to expand and update the book * How Donna-Jean annotated, expanded and updated This Country of Ours * What she hopes this new version accomplishes
It is never too late to mend but we may not delay to offer such a liberal and generous diet of History to every child in the country as shall give weight to his decisions, consideration to his actions and stability to his conduct; that stability, the lack of which has plunged us into many a stormy sea of unrest.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6, p. 179
Books and Links Mentioned: Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
This Country of Ours, Vol.1 by H.E. Marshall: Annotated, Expanded and Updated by Donna-Jean Breckenridge
A Reasoned Patriotism Webinar with Dawn Duran
Find Cindy and Donna-Jean: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Donna-Jean’s Facebook
Donna-Jean’s Instagram
Donna-Jean on MeWe
- This week Dawn Duran joins Cindy to discuss the value and practice of Swedish Drill
- How Dawn first learned about Charlotte Mason
- What exactly is Swedish Drill?
- What is the connection between Swedish Drill and Charlotte Mason?
- What are the benefits of Swedish Drill in the school day?
- How did you develop your Swedish Drill Revisited materials?
- What ages can do Swedish Drill?
- Can this be done in groups or at home with just one or two children?
I will only add, that to give the child pleasure in light and easy motion–the sort of delight in the management of his own body that a good rider finds in managing his horse–dancing, drill, calisthenics, some sort of judicious physical exercise, should make part of every day’s routine. Swedish drill is especially valuable, and many of the exercises are quite suitable for the nursery. Certain moral qualities come into play in alert movements, eye-to-eye attention, prompt and intelligent replies; but it often happens that good children fail in these points for want of physical training.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
Dawn’s Citizenship Webinar: A Reasoned Patriotism
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
- This week Dawn Duran joins Cindy to discuss the value and practice of Swedish Drill
- How Dawn first learned about Charlotte Mason
- What exactly is Swedish Drill?
- What is the connection between Swedish Drill and Charlotte Mason?
- What are the benefits of Swedish Drill in the school day?
- How did you develop your Swedish Drill Revisited materials?
- What ages can do Swedish Drill?
- Can this be done in groups or at home with just one or two children?
I will only add, that to give the child pleasure in light and easy motion–the sort of delight in the management of his own body that a good rider finds in managing his horse–dancing, drill, calisthenics, some sort of judicious physical exercise, should make part of every day’s routine. Swedish drill is especially valuable, and many of the exercises are quite suitable for the nursery. Certain moral qualities come into play in alert movements, eye-to-eye attention, prompt and intelligent replies; but it often happens that good children fail in these points for want of physical training.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
Dawn’s Citizenship Webinar: A Reasoned Patriotism
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
Our aim in education is to give a full life…. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests…. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking – the strain would be too great – but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, pg. 170
Show Summary: * Today’s episode is dedicated to remembering Wendi Capehart with special memorial messages from a few of her friends * Dawn’s memories of Wendi * How Cindy got to know Wendi * Wendi’s other friends featured in this episode: + Anne White + Bethany Yoder + Brandy Vencel + Donna-Jean Breckenridge + Jeannette Tulis + Kathy Livingston + Kay Pelham + Lynn Bruce + Naomi Goegan + Phyllis Hunsucker * Wendi’s favorite hymns and folk songs heard in this episode: + What a Friend We Have In Jesus + I Gave My Love a Cherry + Anywhere with Jesus + Froggy Went a Courtin’ + O, Sacred Head Now Wounded + John the Rabbit + There’s Not A Friend (No, Not One) + The Wellerman + The Happy Wanderer
Books and Links Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Murder Fantastical by Patricia Moyes
The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major
AmblesideOnline
Wendi’s Blog
Episode 20 with Wendi
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
It is only in so far as Knowledge is dear to us and delights us for herself that she yields us lifelong joy and contentment. He who delights in her, not for the sake of showing off, and not for the sake of excelling others, but just because she is so worthy to be loved, cannot be unhappy.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book I
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Jennifer Pepito, veteran homeschool mom, author, podcast host and creator of The Peaceful Press * How Jennifer first heard about Charlotte Mason * Some of the hightlights of Jennifer’s homeschooling journey * What is one of the books that you have connected with the most in your homeschooling? * How do you make space for reading aloud together as as family? * How Jennifer’s book came out of her own parenting fears
Books and Links Mentioned: Mothering by the Book by Jennifer Pepito
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Hero Education by Oliver DeMille
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Find Cindy and Jennifer: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Jennifer’s Instagram
The Peaceful Press
God the Holy Spirit is himself, personally, the imparter of knowledge, the instructor of youth, the inspirer of genius…. every fruitful idea, every original conception whether in Euclid or grammar or music was a direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and children, Vol. 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Marcela Best, homeschooling mother of 5 children * How Marcela started learning about Charlotte Mason * The types of special needs Marcela’s children have * How Marcela adapted the process of written narration for her dyslexic son * The technology solutions that Marcela found helpful * What aspects of the Charlotte Mason method are ideal for dyslexic students * How Marcela continues expanding her students’ narration and composition skills * How modern brain research backs up Charlotte Mason’s educational ideas * Why Marcela believes all children can benefit from a Charlotte Mason education
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Uncommon Sense Teaching by Barbara Oakley
The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Learning How to Learn Course
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
- Today’s guest is Heather Tully, wife, homeschooling mother of 10 children, and photographer of everyday life
- How Heather first came to hear about Charlotte Mason and made the transition from a neo-classical model
- How Heather manages many different ages of children by combining into forms
- What Heather’s family gathering time has looked like over the years
- How group narrations work in Heather’s family
- What a typical school day looks like in the Tully household
- Heather’s take on transitioning kids to college
- Heather’s words of encouragement for all mothers
Books and Links Mentioned: Gather: Exploring the Wonder, Wisdom, & Worship of Learning at Home by Pam Barnhill and Heather Tully
Genevieve Foster
Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall
This Country of Ours by H. E. Marshall
AmblesideOnline
The CMEC (Charlotte Mason Educational Center)
Find Cindy and Heather: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Heather’s Instagram
The mother’s work is unlike any other in the whole world, it entails the constant drawing out of the very depths of her nature, and keeps it on the stretch often for hours together. It is from morning till night, and often does not end with night. But different calls are made on her at different times, that is where the difficulty and the need of adaptation arise. She must, like a musician on a rich toned organ, frequently at a moment’s notice, pull out a new stop and push in all the others–thus only can she supply the harmony of family life. She must be ready to meet these sudden, rapid changes, these calls on her love and her sympathy on all sides… In order to succeed in this, she must bring all her powers to bear on it with definite intention, just as the skillful musician would.. To be Queen over her little kingdom, serene in every family emergency, capable to direct all things with calmness, cheerfulness, and decision, is an ambition sufficient to tax the powers of the most skillful amongst us, and a vocation equal to the highest God has appointed on this earth.
Charlotte Mason, The Parents’ Review, Vol. 4, “Family Life"
Let this be the mother’s key to the whole of the education of each boy and each girl; not of her children; the Divine Spirit does not work with nouns of multitude, but with each single child. Because He is infinite, the whole world is not too great a school for this indefatigable Teacher, and because He is infinite, He is able to give the whole of his infinite attention for the whole time to each one of his multitudinous pupils. We do not sufficiently rejoice in the wealth that the infinite nature of our God brings to each of us.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Celeste Cruz, homeschooling mom of 10, speaker at Charlotte Mason conferences and supporter of parents using the CMEC curriculum * How Celeste first learned about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How Celeste got involved with the CMEC * What was the process of the PNEU exams in Charlotte Mason’s day? * What makes a Charlotte Mason style exam different from a typical modern school examination? * How could parents set up a schedule for exams? * What is the connection between narration and end of term examinations? * What advice do you have for parents who are worried about doing exams?
Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason Educational Center (CMEC)
Charlotte Mason Digital Collection
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
School Education by Charlotte Mason
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Celeste: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Celeste’s Instagram
Celeste’s Blog – Joyful Lessons
Keeping Company on Instagram
It is the duty of the nation to maintain relations of brotherly kindness with other nations; therefore it is the duty of every family, as an integral part of the nation, to be able to hold brotherly speech with the families of other nations as opportunities arise; therefore to acquire the speech of neighbouring nations is not only to secure an inlet of knowledge and a means of culture, but is a duty of that higher morality (the morality of the family) which aims at universal brotherhood; therefore every family would do well to cultivate two languages besides the mother tongue, even in the nursery.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Volume 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Stephanie Russell, a homeschooling mother of 6 children who uses Charlotte Mason’s Alveary curriculum * How Stephanie first heard of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How did you first find out about The Alveary and decide to use it? * What Stephanie likes about using The Alveary for her family * What a typical school day looks like in Stephanie’s family * Stephanie’s tips on setting realistic expectations * What kinds of assessment do you do through the Alveary? * What are some of your favorite strengths of the Alveary? * Do you think there are any potential weaknesses of the curriculum? * Who do you think the Alveary would work best for?
Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason’s Alveary Curriculum
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Stephanie: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Is the distinction between being free to choose the right at one’s own option, and not free to do the wrong, too subtle to be grasped, too elusive to be practical? It may be so, but it is precisely the distinction which we are aware of in our own lives so far as we keep ourselves consciously under the divine governance. We are free to go in the ways of right living, and have the happy sense of liberty of choice, but the ways of transgressors are hard.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, Volume 3
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Brittney McGann is a homeschooling mother of 3 who uses the curriculum A Gentle Feast * How Brittney first came to hear about Charlotte Mason’s methods * What is A Gentle Feast and what is unique about this curriculum? * What support is offered for users of A Gentle Feast? * What does a typical homeschool day look like for your family? * Why Brittney started a scouting group and wrote a book about it * Who do you think this curriculum would work for? * How is A Gentle Feast set up?
Books and Links Mentioned: A Gentle Feast
Scouting for Wild Ones by Brittney McGann
School Education by Charlotte Mason
A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Find Cindy and Brittney: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Brittney’s Instagram
Let this be the mother’s key to the whole of the education of each boy and each girl; not of her children; the Divine Spirit does not work with nouns of multitude, but with each single child. Because He is infinite, the whole world is not too great a school for this indefatigable Teacher, and because He is infinite, He is able to give the whole of his infinite attention for the whole time to each one of his multitudinous pupils. We do not sufficiently rejoice in the wealth that the infinite nature of our God brings to each of us.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Camille Malucci, homeschooling mother of 6, contributor to Common Place Quarterly, and user of the CMEC curriculum * How Camille first came to learn about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How and when Camille started using the CMEC * What makes the CMEC uniquely helpful for larger families? * What are some of the strengths of CMEC that people should know about? * What would you say to someone who thinks that you are taking Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and turning it into a system? * Can you think of any downsides or weaknesses of using a curriculum like this?
Books and Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason Educational Center (CMEC)
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little Britches Series by Ralph Moody
The Swallows and Amazons Series by Arthur Ransome
Find Cindy and Camille: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Camille’s Instagram
The child brings with him into the world, not character, but disposition. He has tendencies which may need only to be strengthened, or, again, to be diverted or even repressed. His character––the efflorescence of the man wherein the fruit of his life is a-preparing––is original disposition, modified, directed, expanded by education; by circumstances; later, by self-control and self-culture; above all, by the supreme agency of the Holy Ghost, even where that agency is little suspected, and as little solicited. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Emily Tallent, homeschooling mother of 6 who uses the AmblesideOnline curriculum in her home * How did you come to know about Charlotte Mason and AmblesideOnline? * What made you decide to choose AmblesideOnline for our homeschool? * What do you feel are some of the strengths of AmblesideOnline? * What does a typical homeschooling day look like for your family? * What is it that you like about AmblesideOnline’s middle school science choices? * Do you see any potential problems for people diving into using AO? * What are your suggestions for moms new to AO?
Books and Links Mentioned: AmblesideOnline
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wilker and Jeanne Benedick
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Start Here by Brandy Vencel
Find Cindy Online: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
- Today’s guest is Amy Snell, a homeschooling mother of 5, as well as a speaker, teacher and encourager to fellow Charlotte Mason homeschoolers
- How did you first hear about Charlotte Mason?
- What do you think are the elements of language arts in a Charlotte Mason paradigm?
- What are some of the early steps in teaching language arts at home?
- What are some other tools we can use besides narration to strengthen a child’s composition skills?
- What are the differences between transcription and dictation and their purposes?
- How can parents implement these practices into their daily and weekly schedules?
- Ideas for helping students transition to written narration
- How would you approach teaching grammar?
- What is done for composition in the higher forms?
- Some encouragement for moms seeking to implement more Charlotte Mason methods in the language arts
Books and Links Mentioned: Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
First Grammar Lessons by Charlotte Mason
The Lively Art of Writing by Lucille Payne
Find Cindy and Amy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Amy’s Instagram
Amy at CMEC
…in fact, Composition is not an adjunct but an integral part of their education in every subject. The exercise affords very great pleasure to children, perhaps we all like to tell what we know, and in proportion as their composition is entirely artless, it is in the same degree artistic and any child is apt to produce a style to be envied for its vigour and grace…
The response of the young students to such a scheme of study is very delightful. What they write has literary and sometimes poetic value, and the fact that they can write well is the least of the gains acquired. They can read, appreciating every turn of their author’s thought; and they can bring cultivated minds to bear on the problems of the hour and the guiding of the State; that is to say, their education bears at every point on the issues and interests of every day life, and they shew good progress in the art of becoming the magnanimous citizens of the future.
Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6
…the one achievement possible and necessary for every man is character; and character is as finely wrought metal beaten into shape and beauty by the repeated and accustomed action of will. We who teach should make it clear to ourselves that our aim in education is less conduct than character;… Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Tom Cox, husband and homeschool father, classical educator, and Plutarch podcaster * How Tom and his wife learned about Charlotte Mason * How Tom became so interested in Plutarch * The value of Plutarch in the classroom and homeschool * Tips for approaching Plutarch with a realistic viewpoint * Some advice on choosing a translation (find Tom’s video on the topic here) * Some reasons NOT to study Plutarch * What a difference it has made for Tom to use narration in his classroom
Books and Links Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason Plutarch’s Lives: and English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin
The Roots of American Order by Russell Kirk
Find Cindy and Tom: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Tom’s Website, Grammaticus.co
What if parents and teachers in their zeal misread the schedule of their duties, magnified their office unduly and encroached upon the personality of children? It is not an environment that these want, a set of artificial relations carefully, constructed, but an atmosphere which nobody has been at pains to constitute.
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Toward A Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * This week Dawn and Cindy are back with another session answering listener questions * Find out about Cindy’s Summer Discipleship for 2022 * What is the “ideal” Charlotte Mason atmosphere? * How can we add multiculturalism to a Charlotte Mason education? * What do you do with your kids in the summertime?
Books and Links Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
“The Atmosphere of Home” by M. F. Jerrold
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
…the one achievement possible and necessary for every man is character; and character is as finely wrought metal beaten into shape and beauty by the repeated and accustomed action of will. We who teach should make it clear to ourselves that our aim in education is less conduct than character;…
Charlotte Mason, Toward a Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6 Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Tom Cox, husband and homeschool father, classical educator, and Plutarch podcaster * How Tom and his wife learned about Charlotte Mason * How Tom became so interested in Plutarch * The value of Plutarch in the classroom and homeschool * Tips for approaching Plutarch with a realistic viewpoint * Some advice on choosing a translation (find Tom’s video on the topic here) * Some reasons NOT to study Plutarch * What a difference it has made for Tom to use narration in his classroom
Books and Links Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Plutarch’s Lives: and English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin
The Roots of American Order by Russell Kirk
Find Cindy and Tom: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Tom’s Website, Grammaticus.co
Let me repeat that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household but what seems to me absolutely best for the children; and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Vol. 1
Show Summary: * Today’s guests are the author and illustrator of a new picture book on the life of Charlotte Mason, Lanaya Gore and Twila Farmer * How did this book come to be? * How did Lanaya and Twila come to work together on this project? * What was the process of writing and illustrating like? * Did anything surprise you as you researched Charlotte and her life? * How do you hope people will use this book?
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley
Charlotte Mason, The Teacher Who Revealed Worlds of Wonder by Lanaya Gore and Twila Farmer
Books illustrated by Garth Williams
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
Miracles by C. S. Lewis
Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear
Find Cindy, Lanaya and Twila: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Lanaya’s Instagram
Lanaya’s Blog
Twila’s Instagram
Twila’s Website
- Today’s episode is another Q & A session with Cindy and Dawn
- How do you incorporate narration later on in a child’s schooling?
- Can you talk more about the importance of written narrations?
- How do you check all your students’ work and juggle different levels of students?
- How do you combine subjects for multiple ages of students?
- What are your thoughts on using the Charlotte Mason method without an understanding of Christian theology?
- Some closing thoughts and encouragement from Cindy
Books Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer
AO for Groups on AmblesideOnline
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
The average child studies with delight. We do not say he will remember all he knows, but, to use a phrase of Jane Austen’s, he will have had his “imagination warmed” in many regions of knowledge.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, Vol. 3
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Karla Areas, homeschool mother of 2 children and co-founder of the Charlotte Mason Memphis support group * How Karla first came to know about Charlotte Mason * What kinds of adaptations Karla made to narration, short lessons and other CM methods to work with her special needs child * What are some of the features of a Charlotte Mason education that works so well for teaching special needs? * How an average school day looked for Karla and her son as he continued to grow * How do you take care of your neuro-typical children at the same time as caring for a special needs child? * Karla’s advice for all homeschooling moms to stay the course
Books and Links Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason
AmblesideOnline
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
Proverbs 21:31
- Today’s guest is Dawn Garrett, homeschooling mother of 3, and Community Manager at PamBarnhill.com
- How Dawn came to hear about Charlotte Mason after being a neo-Classical home educator
- What did your transition look like when you started using more Charlotte Mason methods?
- Did you have any concerns or challenges as you made that transition?
- How did your children respond to the change?
- What is your advice for parents wanting to make the shift?
Books and Links Mentioned: AmblesideOnline
In Memoriam by the Parents’ National Education Union
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Website
Dawn’s Instagram
There is a saying of King Alfred’s that I like to apply to our School,–“I have found a door,” he says. That is just what I hope your School is to you–a door opening into a great palace of art and knowledge in which there are many chambers all opening into gardens or field paths, forest or hills. One chamber, entered through a beautiful Gothic archway, is labeled Bible Knowledge, and there the Scholar finds goodness as well as knowledge, as indeed he does in many others of the fair chambers. You see that doorway with much curious lettering? History is within, and that is, I think, an especially delightful chamber. But it would take too long to investigate all these pleasant places and indeed you could label a good many of the doorways from the headings of your term’s programme.
But you will remember that the School is only a “Door” to let you in to the goodly House of Knowledge, but I hope you will go in and out and live there all your lives–in one pleasant chamber and another; for the really rich people are they who have the entry to this goodly House, and who never let King Alfred’s ‘Door’ rust on its hinges, no, not all through their lives, even when they are very old people.
I have a great hope for all you dear Scholars of the P.U.S.; other people will be a little the better because you love knowledge, and have learnt to think fair, just thoughts about things, and to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven in which is all that is beautiful, good and happy-making. I must not take up any more of the time in which there are so many things to be done, so, wish you the very happiest week in all your happy lives.
Charlotte Mason as recorded in In Memoriam (pp 115-116)
We as teachers depreciate ourselves and our office; we do not realize that in the nature of things the teacher has a prophetic power of appeal and inspiration, that his part is not the weariful task of spoon-feeding with pap-meat, but the delightful commerce of equal minds where his is the part of guide, philosopher and friend. The friction of wills which makes school work harassing ceases to a surprising degree when we deal with the children, mind to mind, through the medium of knowledge.
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Jami Marstall, homeschooling mom of 4, two who have graduated, and lifelong learner * How Jami first started learning about Charlotte Mason * Why do you think parents are hesitant about using Charlotte Mason through high school? * What advice do you have for parents whose students are transitioning into high school? * What about writing high school transcripts? * Is high school a good time to outsource some of your child’s education? * How did you adapt and change the curriculum for your different children’s interests and abilities?
Books and Links Mentioned: A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
- Today’s guest is Tammy Glaser, mother of 2 adult children, one with special needs, as well as a founder of a Charlotte Mason private school
- How Tammy discovered Charlotte Mason and decided it would work well for her family
- Why Tammy’s school integrates special needs, gifted and neuro-typical children in the same classroom
- What parts of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy are particularly suited for working with special needs students?
- What advice do you have for homeschooling children with special needs?
- Looking back now, do you still think it was the right decision to use Charlotte Mason methods with your daughter?
Books and Links Mentioned: Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Tammy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Tammy’s Mathematics Website–Rarefied
Many Christian people rise a little higher; they conceive that even grammar and arithmetic may in some not very clear way be used for God; but the great recognition that God the Holy Spirit is Himself, personally, the Imparter of knowledge, the Instructor of youth, the Inspirer of genius, is a conception so far lost to us that we should think it distinctly irreverent to conceive of the divine teaching as co-operating with ours in a child’s arithmetic lesson, for example. But the Florentine mind of the Middle Ages went further than this: it believed, not only that the seven Liberal Arts were fully under the direct outpouring of the Holy Ghost, but that every fruitful idea, every original conception, whether in Euclid, or grammar, or music, was a direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit, without any thought at all as to whether the person so inspired named himself by the name of God, recognised whence his inspiration came.
Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, Vol. 2
It is by the aid of imagination that a child comes to love people who do not belong to his own country, and as he learns the history of their great deeds and noble efforts, he is eager to learn something of the country in which they lived….of the causes that made the people what they are.
E. A. Parish, Parents’ Review, VOl. 25, No. 5, 1914
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Wendi Capehart, veteran homeschool mom, world-traveler, and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * How Wendi first found out about Charlotte Mason * What would you say to people concerned that Charlotte Mason is too Western or “white-centric”? * What suggestions do you have for people wanting to add more cross-cultural awareness to a Charlotte Mason education? * What part do folk songs play in a Charlotte Mason education?
Books and Links Mentioned: “Imagination As a Powerful Factor in a Well-Balance Mind” by E. A. Parish
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The Big Book of Home Learning by Mary Pride
Extending the Table: Recipes and Stories from Afghanistan to Zambia by Joetta Schlabach
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Commission
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
American Folk Songs for Children by Mike and Peggy Seeger
Find Cindy and Wendi: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Wendi’s Instagram
Wendi’s Blog
But, once more, “This kind cometh forth only by prayer.”
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Vol. 1
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Donna-Jean Breckenridge, veteran homeschool mom, grandmother and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * How did Donna-Jean first hear about Charlotte Mason? * Where did the phrase “however imperfectly” come from? * The value of small things done faithfully. * Why Donna-Jean views homeschooling her grandchildren now as a gift. * What to do when you are tempted to compare or to change everything up. * What Donna-Jean is doing these days besides homeschooling.
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
The AmblesideOnline Poetry Anthology
Consider This by Karen Glass
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Principles at the Helm Audio Seminar by Karen Glass
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Let us try, however imperfectly, to make education a science of relationships—in other words, try in one subject or another to let the children work upon living ideas. In this field small efforts are honoured with great rewards, and we perceive that the education we are giving exceeds all that we intended or imagined.
Charlotte Mason, School Education, Vol. 3
“Sound principles that are old may easily be laid on the shelf and forgotten, unless in each successive generation a few industrious people can be found who will take the trouble to draw them forth from the storehouse.”
Thomas Godolphin Rooper
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Karen Glass, author and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * Why do people think that Charlotte Mason and Classical education are different things? * What is the basis for “neo-classical” pedagogy? * Do we know what Charlotte Mason herself thought of classical education? * Is there a particular version of historical classical education that spoke to Charlotte Mason? * Is there a difference between classical education and liberal education? * How do you determine if Charlotte Mason and classical education are compatible? * What is the most classical thing about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy? * Does it matter whether we link Charlotte Mason to classical education? Why?
Books Mentioned: Consider This by Karen Glass
Norms and Nobility by David Hicks
Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
The Basis of National Education by Charlotte Mason
Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
School Education by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy and Karen: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
KarenGlass.net
Karen’s Facebook
Karen’s Instagram
And what a barren and dry land should we dwell in if our spirits were narrowed to the limits of that which we can comprehend! Where we err is in supposing that mystery is confined to our religion, that everything else is obvious and open to our understanding: whereas the great things of life, birth, death, hope, love, patriotism, why a leaf is green, and why a bird is clothed in feathers–all such things as these are mysteries; and it is only as we can receive that which we cannot understand, and can discern the truth of that which we cannot prove, and can distinguish between a luminous mystery and a bewildering superstition, that we are able to live the full life for which we were made.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Volume 4, Book 2
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Adrienne Freas, a classical Charlotte Mason education consultant * How did you make the connection between classical and Charlotte Mason education? * How did you come to learn about Charlotte Mason in the first place? * How did you get into applying these principles to charter and public school settings? * How do you train and help school teachers to use these methods? * What are the biggest challenges in helping a school convert to Charlotte Mason methods? * What is the value of discord and challenges in understanding?
Books and Links Mentioned: Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Better Late Than Early by Raymond and Dorothy Moore
AmblesideOnline
The Literary Life of Adrienne Freas
2019 Back to School Conference
Find Cindy and Adrienne: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Adrienne’s Classical Education Facebook Group
And, Mary, seeking meekly for direction, asked ‘how shall this be after the wont of men?’ and she was shewn how, by the immediate power of God Most High, the Child should be born, holy, the Son of God; and Mary, not knowing what all this might mean to her, cried ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to Thy word.’
Charlotte Mason, Parents Review Article, “The Nativity”
Show Summary: Today’s show is a special Advent episode with Cindy and Dawn. To start off, Cindy shares how she started using Handel’s oratorio The Messiah for Advent. Dawn and Cindy also both share a little about their family Christmas book traditions. After that, we are bringing you the audio from last year’s Hallelujah virtual gathering celebrating the launch of the new version of the book, featuring guests Greg Wilbur, Thomas Banks, Kerri Williamson, Lynn Bruce, Caitlyn Bruce Beauchamp, Kelly Cumbee, and Amy Edwards.
Books and Links Mentioned: Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins
Papa Panov’s Special Christmas by Leo Tolstoy
The Bird’s Christmas Carol by Kate Douglass Wiggins
Shoemaker Martin by
The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston
Dawn’s Christmas Book Tradition
Jessye Norman’s Christmastide
Kathleen Battle’s Angel’s Glory
Comfort and Joy
The Sounding Joy
Putumayo World Christmas Party
Handel’s Messiah conducted by John Eliot Gardner
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
We know how Joseph’s mind was disturbed and his heart rent (we may well believe), when the angel came and reassured him with word of the fulfilment of that prophecy of Isaiah’s,— a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel.’
Charlotte Mason, Parents Review Article, “The Nativity”
I think all that I have written is still true, but I would emphasize habit and so-on less; child-mind, no, because a child has as much mind as the rest of us.
Charlotte Mason, In a letter to Henrietta Franklin
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Maria Bell, homeschool mother of 4 * What is your story of coming to discover Charlotte Mason? * What was Charlotte Mason’s idea of recitation? * What does the Dawn and Maria’s recitation gathering look like? * What Cindy’s own recitation gatherings were like when her children were growing up * How do you keep these kinds of event from being times to “show off” * What role do parents have in preparing the children for these events? * What are some ways people can set the atmosphere with a theme? * Do you have suggestions for people who don’t have a large homeschool community already?
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Let teachers believe that knowledge is the sole concern of education, that knowledge is life, and that knowledge of God is eternal life, and education will advance by leaps and bounds, personality will develop, and the children we bring up will be, as we would have them, greater and better than ourselves.
Charlotte Mason, in a 1914 Article for “Teacher’s World”
Insofar we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall “live his life”; and that, not at his neighbor’s expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as well as himself; we all thrive in the well-being of each.
Charlotte Mason, a Philosophy of Education, Vol. 6
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Anne White, veteran homeschool mom and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * How Anne first came to know about Charlotte Mason * How Anne started creating study guides for Plutarch's Lives * What have you learned from Plutarch from all these years? * Why did Charlotte Mason put Plutarch's Lives into the curriculum? * What Anne's new book The Practical Plutarch is like * A little about some of Anne's other books
Books and Links Mentioned: For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
The Practical Plutarch by Anne White
Ideas Freely Sown by Anne White
Honest, Simple Souls by Anne White
AmblesideOnline’s Plutarch Page
Find Cindy and Anne: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Anne Writes
Anne’s Author Page on Amazon
Anne’s Blog: Dewey’s Treehouse
- Today’s guest is Liz Wetzel, mother of 5 and Charlotte Mason co-op leader
- How Liz found the need for a learning community that was sustainable
- How Liz came to know about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy
- Why Liz’s family left Classical Conversations for something else
- What happened when Liz started a Charlotte Mason reading group
- How Liz structured their CM community with a focus on older students
- What subjects Liz’s co-op usually does together regularly
- What Liz suggests for trying to start a CM community of your own
Books and Links Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
Nancy Kelly at Sage Parnassus
Wild + Free
The CMEC
Charlotte Mason in Community
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
“Comradeship has Duties.–To take one more instance of an affinity–comradeship. Most of us have serious thoughts about friendship; but we are apt to take comradeship, fellowship, very casually, and to think it is sufficiently maintained if we meet for parties, games, picnics, or what not. Public school boys generally learn better; they know that comradeship mean much cheerful give-and-take, chaff, help, unsparing criticism; if need be, the taking or giving of serious reproof; loyalty each to each, plucky and faithful leading, staunch following, truth-speaking; the power to see others put first without chagrin, and to bear advancement without conceit. Here, too, are calls for attention, labour, love and reverence; but again, labour is swallowed up in delight.”
Charlotte Mason, School Education, Vol. 3
“It is no arbitrary reward which is attached to the assembling of two or three together; we warm ourselves at each others’ fires, and glow with the heat we get. Let but the heads of two or three families meet together to talk over the bringing up of their children, and the best and wisest parents will go home with new insight, renewed purpose, and warmer zeal. ‘We shall learn by degrees that education is, like religion, a social principle as well as an individual duty; and, meeting on this higher ground, we shall find out the best of one another as we never should in the common intercourse of business or society.'”
Charlotte Mason, editorial note, Parents’ Review, March 1890
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Jeannette Tulis, a veteran homeschool mom and longtime Charlotte Mason study group leader * How Jeannette came to know about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * How Jeannette got involved with a local group of moms * Why Jeannette feels a Charlotte Mason education served all her children well * The different ways in which Jeannette’s own community has worked over the years * What types of things the study group has read together * What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a study group?
Books and Links Mentioned: Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Catherine Levison
Penny Gardner
Karen Andreola
Formation of Character by Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason in Community website
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
“It may be that the souls of all children are waiting for the call of knowledge to awaken them to delightful living.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * Today’s episode is our first Charlotte Mason Q&A with Cindy and Dawn * What volume should a mother of young children start with first? * What does Charlotte say about asking children questions after their readings? + AmblesideOnline Exam question examples + Charlotte Mason Digital Collection * What criteria would you use to decide on a curriculum that will best suite your family? * How do you keep up a culture of narration in a house full of introverts? * What can you do when your child doesn’t enjoy reading, especially older books? * How can you motivate students to do as well on written narration as oral narration?
Books Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Home Education by Charlotte Mason
Mind to Mind by Karen Glass
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Swedish Drill Website
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
“How delicious it is to sit down with a twig.”
A Student, as quoted by Charlotte Mason
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Naomi Goegan, an Auxiliary member of AmblesideOnline * How Naomi discovered Charlotte Mason’s philosophy * What would you say to new moms about starting nature study and going on nature walks? * Why does nature study get so closely associated with Charlotte Mason? * How is nature study foundational to the study of science? * Some thoughts on the posture of a student coming to the study of nature * What nature study elements are the most important in your mind? * What are the potential effects of technology in relation to nature study? * How to prepare for a day of nature study
Books Mentioned: Cornell Nature Study Leaflets
Find Cindy and Naomi: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Charlotte Mason Education SoCal Conference
Naomi’s Charlotte Mason Education MeWe Group
Naomi’s SoCal CM MeWe Community
Naomi’s SoCal CM Facebook Community
“Consider, too, what an unequaled mental training the child-naturalist is getting for any study or calling under the sun -the powers of attention, of discrimination, of patient pursuit, growing with his growth, what will they not fit him for?”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Lynn Seddon, author of the nature study resource Exploring Nature with Children * How Lynn first stumbled upon Charlotte Mason home education * What are we talking about when we say “nature study”? * How Lynn became interested in nature study * What about living in places where it seems challenging to find nature to study? * How do you make time to get outside every day? * What do you see as benefits to nature study? * What is your favorite season in England? * What is a Calendar of Firsts? * What do you use for your own nature notebook? * Why Lynn decided to write Exploring Nature with Children * What about those who feel they are not good at drawing? * What would you tell a new homeschool parent coming to Charlotte Mason for the first time?
Books Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
John Muir Laws
Find Cindy and Lynn: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Lynn’s Website, Raising Little Shoots
Lynn’s Facebook
Lynn’s Instagram
“Love, and the service of love, are the only things that count.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 4, Ourselves
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Caitlin Bruce Beauchamp, daughter of Lynn Bruce and an AmblesideOnline graduate * How Caitlin came to embrace Charlotte Mason’s methods as an adult and foster parent * What Caitlin remembers most about her homeschool and growing up experience * What subjects were Caitlin’s nemeses in school * How narration prepared Caitlin so well for college * How growing up with a Charlotte Mason education informed Caitlin’s family life today * A few of Caitlin’s favorite books of all time
Books Mentioned: Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte
Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Find Cindy and Caitlin: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Caitlin’s Instagram
Caitlin’s Writing at Afterthoughtsblog.net
The Literary Life of Caitlin Beauchamp
Subscribe: Audible
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Podcast Addict
Spotify
Stitcher
“The method is as old as the mind of man, the distressful fact is that it has been made so little use of in general education.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Karen Glass, author and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * What is narration? * How does narration work in the homeschool setting? * Does a child have to narrate every lesson? * When and how should children begin oral and written narration? * Is narration really enough? * When and how should we evaluate narrations?
Books Mentioned: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Karen: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
KarenGlass.net
Karen’s Facebook
Karen’s Instagram
“Even for their earliest reading lessons, it is unnecessary to put twaddle into the hands of children.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guests are Amy Edwards and Tina Mugglin of Blue Sky Daisies Publishing * How Amy and Tina started Blue Sky Daisies * How Cindy started publishing new editions of her books with Blue Sky Daisies * A little more information about Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love * Other communities in which morning time concepts can be used * Why Amy and Tina feel this is such a perfect time for this book * Coming in 2022, Blue Sky Daisies will be releasing a picture book biography of Charlotte Mason by author Lanaya Gore and illustrated by artist Twila Farmer. * Enter to win a copy of Morning Time by using #morningtimeformoms or #thenewmasonjarpodcast on social media posts about the book or podcast! Winners will be chosen Sept. 9, 2021.
Books Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
The Mother Tongue book series by George Lyman Kittredge
Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love by Cindy Rollins
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
The Literary Life Commonplace Book series
Links Mentioned: Blue Sky Daisies website
Blue Sky Daisies on Instagram
Blue Sky Daisies on Facebook
Morning Time printables: https://blueskydaisies.net/resources/#MorningTimePrintables
Grammarland printables: https://blueskydaisies.net/resources/#GrammarLandWorksheets
Lanaya Gore on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaya.gore/
Twila Farmer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twilajfarmer/
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
“The child brings with him into the world, not character, but disposition. He has tendencies which may need only to be strengthened, or, again, to be diverted or even repressed. His character––the efflorescence of the man wherein the fruit of his life is a preparing––is original disposition, modified, directed, expanded by education; by circumstances; later, by self-control and self-culture; above all, by the supreme agency of the Holy Ghost, even where that agency is little suspected, and as little solicited.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 2, Parents and Children
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Lynn Bruce, a founding member of AmblesideOnline Advisory * How Lynn learned about Charlotte Mason and become interested in her philosophy * Practical ideas from Lynn about how to have a positive homeschool experience + Making the most of working on your own schedule and keeping it in sight + Practicing the routine before starting the school year + Working on the habit of attention before school started + Having mutual respect as a foundation + Being more aware of a child’s physical state + Doing morning time with prayer, singing, and the “riches”
Books Mentioned: Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Find Cindy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
“The question is not, — how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education — but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 3, School Education
Show Summary: * Welcome to the New Mason Jar Podcast from Cindy and Dawn! * Who was Charlotte Mason? * Who are Cindy Rollins and Dawn Duran? * How did Cindy and Dawn come to know about Charlotte Mason? * What are some important aspects of a Charlotte Mason education? * Who is The New Mason Jar podcast for? * What can you expect from this podcast?
Links Mentioned: Submit questions for Q&A episodes to info@thenewmasonjar.com
Join Cindy’s Patreon Morning Time for Moms discipleship group https://www.patreon.com/cindyrollins
Books Mentioned: School Education by Charlotte Mason
A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay
Find Cindy and Dawn: Morning Time for Moms
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Dawn’s Articles on Afterthoughtsblog.net
“[T]he fact is, that a few broad essential principles cover the whole field, and these once fully laid hold of, it is as easy and natural to act upon them as it is to act upon our knowledge of such facts as that fire burns and water flows.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1, Home education
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Brandy Vencel of Afterthoughtsblog.net * How Brandy first came to know about Charlotte Mason * Brandy’s perspective on the 20 Principles and why they are so important * When to quit and why to persevere with challenging books * How do Charlotte Mason’s principles apply to us in our current day? * Where can people learn more about the 20 Principles? * The value of seeing all the principles as working together in unity * Brandy’s advice for new homeschooling moms who want to follow Charlotte Mason’s method
Links Mentioned: Brandy’s “Start Here” Study
Charlotte Mason Boot Camp
Books Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay
Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Brandy: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Brandy’s Website
Brandy’s Instagram
“There are few joys in life
greater and more consistent than our
joy in Beauty ”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 4, Ourselves
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Leah Boden of Modern Miss Mason * How Leah found out about the Charlotte Mason philosophy * How Leah learned about and implemented the philosophy with freedom * Who was Charlotte Mason anyway? * What Leah’s book Modern Miss Mason is going to be all about * The principles Leah thinks are key to understanding a Charlotte Mason education * A few thoughts on narration
Links Mentioned: Charlotte Mason Unboxed Course
Books Mentioned: Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay
Find Cindy and Leah: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
Modern Miss Mason
Leah’s Instagram
Leah’s Facebook
“Miss Mason left no recipes behind her. She believed in thinking persons, therefore she bequeathed certain principles based upon truth itself. Every parent and teacher is free to apply these principles in ever fresh practice according as new needs and difficulties arise.”
Essex Cholmondeley
“The message for our age is, Believe in mind, and let education go straight as a bolt to the mind of the pupil.”
Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, Philosophy of Education
Show Summary: * Today’s guest is Karen Glass, author and member of the AmblesideOnline Advisory * What, as a whole, are Charlotte Mason’s 20 Principles? * What exactly is a principle anyway? * What prompted Karen to help homeschooling moms understand the “why” behind Charlotte Mason’s methods instead of just the “how” * The crucial importance of the overarching principles of person-hood and the science of relations * Why a Charlotte Mason education is still relevant today * Karen’s advice for new homeschooling parents
Books Mentioned: Home Education by Charlotte Mason
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay
Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass
Consider This by Karen Glass
Know and Tell by Karen Glass
Mind to Mind by Karen Glass
Find Cindy and Karen: Morning Time for Moms
Cindy’s Patreon Discipleship Group
Mere Motherhood Facebook Group
The Literary Life Podcast
Cindy’s Facebook
Cindy’s Instagram
KarenGlass.net
Karen’s Facebook
Karen’s Instagram