The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins

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

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