Home Education

When pioneering British educator Charlotte M. Mason (1842-1923) wrote Home Education: Training and Educating Children Under Nine in 1886, the need for such a practical guide for families was paramount. At the time, such holistic homeschooling methods were largely undocumented and parents benefited greatly from the sharing of Mason's knowledge. The book is just as relevant and popular today, as parents and teachers alike continue to employ the Charlotte Mason (CM) method of home schooling for their own children.

As one of the earliest leading advocates of parents educating their children at home, Mason was well ahead of her time. She emphasized that children should be allowed to learn at their own pace and that the role of parents should be to offer generous amounts of encouragement and support in addition to lessons. She also believed in using "Living Books" (high-quality narrative literature that brings subjects alive, offering intellectually stimulating ideas as well as facts); the teaching of positive personal habits; exposure to the arts; journaling; and guided discovery, including significant exploration of and immersion in nature. Based on a fundamental understanding of young children and their needs, Mason's method provides proven strategies for establishing comfortable home environments that are conducive to successful learning. She regarded education at home as "an atmosphere, a discipline, a life." Though the CM method of teaching is fundamentally based in Christianity, it can be readily adapted to other religious and secular environments.

Home Education collects six in-depth and informative lectures on preliminary considerations, outdoor life, establishing habits, morals, lessons, and conscience. Parents will find this classic book an invaluable resource and will reference it for years to come. It is a must-have addition to the library of any contemporary homeschooling family.