A Delectable Education Charlotte Mason Podcast

The feast Charlotte Mason spread for the children included generous portions of history, geography, and modern language, but in the upper forms the news of the day was another important aspect for study. How do we navigate the current events in our turbulent, partisan, and often shocking times? Liz, Emily, and Nicole discuss the purpose of current events in the program, as well as sources of news and applications of world events in the education of our children.

Charlotte Mason did not limit persons and knew the scope of a child's education was limitless in its potential for each individual. This episode of Charlotte Mason in Our Homes interviews Caroline Chermely whose son was born at 25 weeks causing multiple deficiencies and life-long limitations. Two terms of a Charlotte Mason approach has resulted in undeniable growth and possibilities now. Whether you personally must cope with a child having "special needs," or not, this mom shares ideas with immense lessons and ramifications for every child applicable in every home.

Did Charlotte Mason have a rhyme or reason to her broad and varied feast or, was it just a collection of unrelated topics? Far from a mishmash, the more the whole feast is pursued, in all its varied subjects, the more it all fits as a whole. Emily, Liz, and Nicole have an animated conversation exploring just how connected this wide feast really is.

Not only did Charlotte Mason include abundant novel reading in her curriculum feast and reference novels and characters from them continuously throughout her own writing, but she believed they were valuable for everyone--not just students. This week's episode is a book discussion of Middlemarch by George Eliot, a novel she references and an author she admired. Whether you have read this novel or not, join in to hear not just what we thought of it, but how it reveals much about our Charlotte Mason education.

Today's episode is a talk given by Liz at several conferences and events. She discusses the role parents play in the lives of their children--a topic much discussed by Charlotte Mason. We hope you enjoy this talk and are challenged and encouraged by the wisdom Miss Mason has to offer us parents.

Charlotte Mason included the study of great works of art in her regular school curriculum. This episode explores the many options for making picture study and picture talk more robust, richer, and engaging  for your children with examples and ideas straight from the P.N.E.U.--ideas beyond just "look and tell."

Charlotte Mason insisted the teacher not take a "front and center" role, warned against the "talky-talky" teacher, etc. This episode addresses when it is appropriate for the teacher to explain, question, and even present the "oral lesson."

This Charlotte Mason episode is a brief look into some important, but less talked of subjects. Nicole briefly discusses the natural history lists, what kind, why, and how they are kept; Emily shares about the scope of this curriculum--is it broad or deep; and Liz discusses the importance of the preschool years and what we must guard for the younger children.

This episode is an interview with Jessica in southeast Asia as part of our Charlotte Mason in Our Homes series. Living and teaching with this method in another culture presents special challenges, but also provides exceptional benefits and blessings. The setting is different, but this mother's joys and hardships are common to us all.

This Charlotte Mason podcast is an immensely realistic and practical guide for the teacher. Liz, Emily, and Nicole share what Charlotte Mason's principles for lesson preparation and planning are, then discuss how to make it happen. What should we as teachers be spending our time on behind the scenes, before the lessons? What is actually required of us to make lessons successful and what is not? These and other daily tasks for smoothing the school days are unpacked in this conversation.