This is, briefly, how it works:––
A child is a Person with the spiritual requirements and capabilities of a person.
Knowledge 'nourishes' the mind as food nourishes the body.
A child requires knowledge as much as he requires food.
He is furnished with the desire for Knowledge, i.e., Curiosity; with the power to apprehend Knowledge, that is, attention; with powers of mind to deal with Knowledge without aid from without––such as imagination, reflection, judgment; with innate interest in all Knowledge that he needs as a human being; with power to retain and communicate such Knowledge; and to assimilate all that is necessary to him.
He requires that in most cases Knowledge be communicated to him in literary form; and reproduces such Knowledge touched by his own personality; thus his reproduction becomes original.
The natural provision for the appropriation and assimilation of Knowledge is adequate and no stimulus is required; but some moral control is necessary to secure the act of attention; a child receives this in the certainty that he will be required to recount what he has read. Children have a right to the best we possess; therefore their lesson books should be, as far as possible, our best books.
They weary of talk, and questions bore them, so that they should be allowed to use their books for themselves; they will ask for such help as they wish for.
They require a great variety of knowledge,––about religion, the humanities, science, art; therefore, they should have a wide curriculum, with a definite amount of reading set for each short period of study.
The teacher affords direction, sympathy in studies, a vivifying word here and there, help in the making of experiments, etc., as well as the usual teaching in languages, experimental science and mathematics.
Pursued under these conditions, "Studies serve for delight," and the consciousness of daily progress is exhilarating to both teacher and children.
Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Series v6p18-19
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Suggested Reading:
CM Series: Vol.6 pg.300ff
PR Article: The Open Road
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7 comments:
...and that is why I love learning more and more about Miss Masons philosophies! I wonder do you follow the AO years for each child or do you read books to all your children at the same time! Just interested! xxx
Paulina Falls??
BTW, if you reply to me, I have no idea where those comments are going?
Ham
@Sarah,
My kiddos are divided into years as follows: AOy7 - 13 & 12yobs, AOy2 - 8yog, AOy1 - 7yob
I've combined the oldest and will work (finagle) to combine the younger set this coming year for ease of use. My youngest will be on her own in another year or so.
@Hammy,
Yep. that picture was taken in the millisecond I paused before continuing to flail my limbs in order to avoid being devoured by the mosquitoes... it was amazing infested.
:)
Amy dear,
Oh, we had the most lively discussion on this very topic last Pmeu mtg! I like what Arnold wrote about knowledge:
Knowledge is information touched with emotion. Mason continues by saying " Feeling must be stirred, imagination must picture, reason must consider, nay, conscience must pronounce on the information we offer before it becomes mind-stuff. (The Story of Charlotte Mason, p. 175)
So much for "covering" the material just to say you've gone over it with the student. It's both a relief and a responsibility.
Admiration, Hope and Love,
Nancy
It always helps me to have CM's stuff narrated back and summarized. Thanks!
I love the use of the word "delight". You find it in so much of her writing. Your summary gave me my lightbulb moment Monday, thanks!
@Nancy
YES. feeling stirred, imagination pictures... curiosity. interest. attention. reflection. judgment.
all stemming from the BEST books.
I love her.
I just wish I had all the time in the world and a bigger brain to hold it all.
"Mind stuff" makes me think of another quote I just wrote down: "Naturally, each of us possesses this 'mind stuff' in limited measure, but we know where to procure it; for the best thought the world possesses is in books... we must open books to children, the best books."
@philipsgirl & gracenchaos...
one might think it was narrated wouldn't they? I thought so to at first too when I was about to post as I looked back over my notes from which I took the quote... but it's actually quoted exactly from vol.6 p 18!!! ;)
hilarious.
amy
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