We have been having many discussions about education in our home recently. We haven't been all that pleased with the schooling that our two youngest children are receiving and have been discussing the possibility of switching to home-schooling. Charlotte Mason has been an inspiration to me for a long time and this quote of hers not only guides my beliefs as an educator, but also guides the premise of this blog.
My husband and I have both recently left our careers in teaching to go down a different path. Part of this came from burn-out, part came from a desire for a slower life, less dependant on the "system", and part of it came from a real disillusionment with the education system in our country today. Teachers are trying their best, but it's an uphill battle and very rarely do they win. And it's our children that are caught in the crossfires.
Our daughters are sensitive girls, they're well-read, eager learners and their growth - physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual - is being hindered by all the other issues that are occurring in schools. This isn't an article criticising schools, or belittling the job that thousands of teachers are trying to do everyday. It's a true confession, I suppose, of how we are feeling in our home at the moment and the fact that we are unapologetic for it. Home-schooling seems to be the best thing for our family and if that is the path that we choose to take, then I know more of Mason's teachings will be on my reading list.
What does education look like for you? Are you familiar with Mason's philosophy on education? I'd be more than happy to share more with you all as I learn more myself.
Have a lovely week, and don't forget to learn something new. Growth and learning are lifelong joys!
Does Mason's ideas follow closely with Montessori ideals? Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield is a really good example of how well children will learn as they feel comfortable in their environment and are allowed to move at their own pace.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely aspects of their styles of education that overlap - for example, they are both big believers in using nature as part of study. Be outdoors as much as possible, for learning, observation, craft etc. I love that aspect of it but it rarely happens in schools these days.
DeleteBeing childless I shouldn't opine too much about current education, but the general feeling I get is that many, many people are quite unhappy with it and rightly so. I think home schooling seems amazing. I would have loved it. You and your husband already have a head start, being teachers, and since your love of learning shines through every post you write, you are a natural!
ReplyDeleteErina
Thanks Erina, I think we would definitely feel a bit more confident taking it on given our experience, but it would also be a big learning curve for us. We don't want to push the girls (I'm not sure how successful it would be if they didn't actually want to home school), but we are hoping that they will realise it is in their best interests. I wish we had started when they were all little!
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