A True Education is a Relational Education

Thoughts from School Education: Chapter 6 "Some Educational Theories Examined"

 

This chapter starts off in much the same way as the last: Charlotte continues surveying and critiquing some of the common educational theories of her day.  (Particularly in this chapter, she is discussing the ideas of Herbart.  I'm not going to get into him, but if you are curious you can read Brandy's post on Herbart and what our friend Charlotte had to say about him here.)  In the end, she draws the conclusion that none of these theories of education are adequate, and from there proceeds to lay out her own.

 

One thing to note about Charlotte: she is really humble when she goes about putting forth her own theories.  She doesn't claim to be an expert, but is only suggesting those principles that she has gleaned from her own experiences working with actual children.   'E.F.B.' who wrote the forward to The Story of Charlotte Mason notes this about her as well: "I should say that underlying all her work is her wonderful intuitive understanding of children, especially very young ones; and her teaching and writing are effective and durable because she has founded her private structure of the human mind, which is both the raw material and the finished product of education, on the rock of a wide reading of the great philosophers.  On this rock she has built steadily and naturally with the materials of her own experience as a teacher of children." (p. vii).  Charlotte was no armchair educational theorist, she was a down-in-the trenches practitioner.   We can trust what she is telling us to hold true because she is speaking from experience and not just proposing untried ideas.

 

So, what are these principles that she proposes?

 

1. Children are persons – like ourselves.  They have both souls and bodies.  They are to be taken seriously.  They are able to will and think and feel.
2. Since children possess both souls and bodies, both must be nurtured and nourished: "Pleasant and well-cooked food makes a man of cheerful countenance, and wine gladdens the heart of man, and we all know the spiritual refreshment of a needed meal.  On the other hand, we all know the lack-lustre eye and pallid countenance of the well-fed who receive none of that other nutriment which we call ideas; quick and living thought is as necessary for the full and happy development of the body as it is for that of the soul." (p.64-65)
3. Education is the 'science of relations': "We, for our part, have two chief concerns – first to put him in the way of forming these relations by presenting the right idea at the right time, and by forming the right habit on the right idea; and secondly, but not getting in the way and so preventing the establishment of the very relations we seek to form." (p.66)   
4. Given all of the above: Teachers must learn 'the art of standing aside" which is "the fine art of education".  There's that masterly inactivity thing again.  Note, however, that the teacher's role isn't completely passive – this isn't unschooling we're talking about here.  The teacher's role is to present the student with a broad array of ideas, to work on the formation of good habits, but then to step aside and let the student form their own relationship with those ideas.  

 

 

Charlotte goes on to give a couple of examples of what this might look like:

• Don't let the student "believe that to know about things is the same thing as knowing them personally." (p.66)  
• Rather, "…we do not endeavor to give children outlines of ancient history, but to put them in living touch with a thinker who lived in those ancient days…" (p.67)

Charlotte is not satisfied with students who have accumulated a storehouse of facts, but wants the child to form a relationship with the world by coming into contact with its peoples and ideas.

 

This is where I start to get really excited about what she is doing – she wants to give her students the world and prepare them to live in it as fully as possible.  Next time, we'll dig deeper into just how that is all supposed to work.

Acknowledging the Whole Person

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 5 "Psychology in Relation to Current Thought"

 

This is one of those chapters in Charlotte Mason's work that was rather a slog to get through, as she gets into an evaluation and critique of some of the educational and psychological theories of her day.  I'm sure this was quite interesting to her contemporaries who would have had familiarity with those theories, but can be rather confusing to those of us reading her works a hundred years on. J  Needless to say,  I followed Mortimer Adler's advice for 'superficial reading' (as described in his book How to Read a Book) and didn't sweat the bits I didn't understand and focused on that which I did.  Convoluted discussions of Victorian era educational philosophy aside, I still mined several gems in this chapter and that's what I'd like to focus my thoughts on here today.

 

Charlotte Mason notes the dissatisfaction with the education system in her day and rather idealistically suggests that this is a good thing because perhaps this means that there is positive change on the way.  Sadly, I wouldn't say this has played out that way over the past hundred years as the 'system' has only become more and more broken as each succeeding generation has tried to come up with some bigger-and-better idea to replace the ideas that didn't work in the last. (Interestingly enough, Adler discusses this very thing in relation to methods of reading instruction in How to Read a Book.) In a way, I suppose that this dissatisfaction with the system has paved the way for the surge in the popularity of homeschooling over the past generation and the renewed interest in Charlotte Mason, Christian Classical Education, and the Liberal Arts Tradition – which are all good things, albeit still quite small scale in the grand scheme of things.  But who knows where all that will go in the next hundred years?  Perhaps we can share in some of Charlotte's optimism.

 

She goes on to list some of the necessary elements for an adequate system of psychology to underlie our philosophy and methods of education.  She notes that it must address the whole person: "Next we demand of education that it should make for the evolution of the individual, should not only put the person in the first place, but should have for its sole aim the making the very most of the person, intellectually, morally, physically.  We do not desire any dead accretions of mere knowledge or externals of mere accomplishment.  We desire an education that shall be assimilated; shall become part and parcel of the person, and the psychology which shall show us how to educate our children in this vital way will meet our demands." (p.47)

 

The failure to acknowledge the whole person is largely what is wrong with the "system", I think, as well as the failure to acknowledge that there is such a thing as knowable truth (Andrew Kern talks about this in his video series on Teaching from Rest, particularly in Video #2).  This is part of the reason why I so appreciate Charlotte Mason and her emphasis on feeding the mind and soul with good, true, and beautiful ideas and her constant reminders that children are persons – not oysters or brains in vats.  The Christian Classical tradition emphasizes this as well with its emphasis on people as image-bearers – as beings with souls, created in the likeness of God Himself – and on wisdom and virtue as the end of education, not merely head knowledge and marketable skills. 

 

Charlotte critiques the materialist philosophies of her day and explains the outcome of these unsatisfactory theories and methods:

"We become devitalized; life is flat and grey; we throw desperate, if dull, energy into the task of the hour because we shall say so, any way, get rid of that hour; we are glad to be amused, but still more glad of the stimulus of feverish work; but the work, like ourselves, is devitalized, without living idea, without consecrating aim.  Our manner becomes impassive, our speech caustic, our countenance dreary and impenetrable.  This is the change that is passing over large numbers of the teaching profession, men and women of keen intelligence, who might well have been inspired by high ideals, quickened by noble enthusiasms, had they not imbibed and educational faith which meets all aspirations with a Cui bono?  We give what we have, and only what we have.  What have these to pass on to the children under their care?" (p.54).

 

The failure of reaching the whole person in education leads to devitalization, dullness, greyness.   Is that what we want for our students?  For ourselves?  I found it interesting that this idea of reaching the whole person applies not only to students but extends to the teachers.  We can't feed souls, pass on love and enthusiasm and wonder if we haven't been feeding our own souls.  We can't help others to see goodness, truth, and beauty if we've not beheld it for ourselves.  How can we as parents and teachers feed ourselves?  For myself, I make it a priority to make room in my day to cultivate a habit of wide reading.  I listen to podcasts and read blogs that inspire and encourage me (see some of my favorite resources up there in the Resources Tab).  I don't have a local Charlotte Mason or Classical community, but have found a wonderful online community at the Ambleside Online Forums. I've taken up nature journaling and drawing alongside my children.  Check out Brandy's wonderful series "Learning How to Live" for more ideas along these lines.  It's never too late to take the cultivation of your own mind and soul seriously.

 

I'm glad I took the time to wade through this chapter, despite the outdated philosophical references.  One thing that I love about Charlotte Mason is that her ideas are enduring and valuable no matter how the current social landscape has changed.  There is still plenty here for modern parents and teachers to take away.

Masterly Inactivity: On Knowing When to Let Go

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 4 "Some Rights of Children as Persons"

 

In this chapter, Charlotte lays out some specific examples of ways that we can respect the personhood of our children and practice masterly inactivity.  Some of those ideas included:

 

• Giving them freedom in play rather than over-stuffing their schedules with organized games and activities.
• Giving them the opportunities to express themselves freely rather than micromanaging.  Specific examples suggested were the freedom to explore creatively and come up with their own ideas and designs when doing art and craft projects rather than expecting a set outcome and freedom to write about topics of interest.  It occurred to me that the use of the 'blank page' in a notebook (as described in The Living Page) as a tool of response to a lesson rather than a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet was one way that this particular suggestion could be applied.  Nelleke shares another example here of giving her son freedom to explore as he has begun learning how to play the piano.
• Giving children the opportunity to "stand or fall by their own efforts" – experiencing for themselves the natural rewards or consequences of their actions, rather than nagging or bribing them to correct behavior.
• Giving children the freedom to choose their own friends.
• Giving children the freedom to spend their pocket money as they choose.
• Allowing children to form their own opinions on things like politics and religion as they grow into adults rather than expecting or influencing them to adopt the exact same position that we hold.

 

Cindy also has a good summary of this chapter here. 

 

I think it's important to note here that one needs to take these suggestions within the whole context of Charlotte's ideas. (And, as Cindy points out in her post, one needs to consider age-appropriateness with these suggestions too.)  Masterly Inactivity doesn't mean a totally 'hands off' approach. It does mean understanding and applying our God-given authority rightly.  It means understanding that our role as parents and teachers is to set before our children the great feast of ideas and to diligently train them in good habits.  It is only within this framework that we will be able to have the freedom not to give into the temptation to micromanage.  The key principle that I took away from the examples Charlotte writes of in this chapter was the idea that our role as parents is to instill our children with right ideas, sound principles, and good habits and then LET GO and not try to micromanage every aspect of their lives, even if that sometimes means letting them learn certain lessons 'the hard way'.   Easier said than done!  Once  again, I find it comes back down to the idea of resting in the Lord and entrusting our children to Him.  It goes back to remembering that we don't have the power to save our children or make them wise in our own power and strength – only God can do that.   We sow the seeds and let the Lord take care of bringing forth the harvest in their lives in His good time.   This has been such a repeated message to me lately!  It has certainly brought home to me the absolute necessity of praying regularly and fervently for my children and for the Lord to work in their lives.  (Lisa has a beautiful, must-read post on this topic here.)

Masterly Inactivity: How Can We Live It?

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 3 "Masterly Inactivity" – Part 2

 

Last week, we defined what is meant by Charlotte Mason's term "masterly inactivity".  Today let's talk about how  we can reach this serenity of attitude – this 'state of rest' as Andrew Kern would put it – so that we can practice Masterly Inactivity in our homes.  Charlotte offers a few suggestions towards this end:

 

First of all, Charlotte encourages mothers to 'play' from time to time: "If mothers would learn to do for themselves what they do for their children when these are overdone, we should have happier households.  Let the mother go out to play!  If she would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes to tense, and just take a day, or half-a-day, but in the fields, or with a favorite book, or in a picture gallery looking long and well at just two or three pictures, or in bed without the children life would go on far more happily for both children and parents" (p.33-34).

I know, it does sound like a bit of a pipe dream, doesn't it?  In my particular life situation, I don't have a lot of opportunities to get out and away from my children, and yet I do see the difference that it makes when I can.  My ideal is to take a half a day at a coffee shop to read and think and journal, or to take a long walk in some peaceful place – but I can't do either of those in our current city.  What I have been able to manage is daily quiet rest time – in which we all go into our separate spaces and relax with a book or take a nap, mama included.  I also stop whatever tasks I am doing in the late afternoon early enough to be able to take 45 minutes or so with a cup of coffee and a book that nourishes my soul and mind before I need to start dinner.  My children are often playing outside at this time of day, weather permitting, so I join them with a chair on the front porch. Occasionally my husband will take the children out or find projects that he can include them in on the weekends so that I can have some quiet time alone at the house to read or write.  We are sadly lacking in places where one can take long peaceful walks in our city, but we soak that kind of thing up when we are able to get out of town for a while.  An occasional ladies' night out can be refreshing too, although in a different way.  What can you do to get some occasional refreshment for yourself?  It's worth a think, even if it means thinking outside the box.

 

Charlotte also encourages us to try and have a 'state of leisure' in our homes as far as possible.  The ideal is to try and avoid being rushed, busy, and stressed.  Busy seasons lead to greater 'fractiousness' in the home.  "Leisure for themselves and a sense of leisure in those about them is as necessary to a child's well-being as it is to the strong and benign parental well-being" (p.35).

 

This is a tough one in today's world, isn't it?  There's almost a societal expectation that we make ourselves busy, with the accompanying guilt trip  if we're not.   I will confess that I probably have an easier time of keeping our day-to-day schedule leisurely simply because I live in Africa and don't have the myriad of activity choices that are available elsewhere.   We still have busy seasons, though, especially around conference and co-op sessions…and I do notice the increased "fractiousness" in our home during those times.  It always makes me glad these are temporary seasons in our family life and not our normal state of life!  It is worthwhile to consider all the activities that we are involved in and all the running around we do.  Is it possible to combine our errands into fewer trips?  Can we evaluate the true value of our activities and cut some of them out?   Cindy Rollins has some words of  wisdom on this subject matter here. "Stress," she reminds us, "is the enemy of just about everything worthwhile."

 

Ultimately, though, and perhaps most importantly of all, Charlotte reminds us that masterly inactivity is the outworking of our faith in God and our rest in Him: "The highest form of confidence, known to us as faith, is necessary to full repose of mind and manner.  When we recognize that God does not make over the bringing up of children absolutely even up to their parents, but that He works Himself, in ways which it must be our care not to hinder, in the training of every child, then we shall learn passiveness, humble and wise.  We shall give children space to develop on the lines of their own characters in all the right ways, and shall know how to intervene effectually to prevent those errors which, also, are proper to their individual characters" (p.35).

 

Masterly inactivity is really all about REST – teaching and parenting and living from a state of rest, trusting that God will lead and guide us – when to act, when to let things go - and trusting our children are ultimately in His care.  Our role is to plant the seeds, He brings forth the fruit.

 

The message of masterly inactivity dovetails so nicely with my contemplations on rest over the past month or two.  I highly recommend Sarah's new ebook and audio companion Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace if you need some practical encouragement in this regard.  At the very least, you can listen to interview she did with Andrew Kern as part of the audio companion for free at the Circe Institute website. 

 

In what practical ways have you striven to live out the principle of masterly inactivity in your living, parenting, and teaching?

 

 

 

 

Masterly Inactivity: What is it?

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 3 "Masterly Inactivity" – Part 1

 

In this chapter, Charlotte notes the weight of responsibility we feel as parents to bring up our children "to be something more than ourselves" (p.26)  To feel the weight of that responsibility without knowing exactly what to do about it results in worry, restlessness, and anxiety.  Mason's antidote for this is what she calls masterly inactivity.  What is that, you may ask?  Perhaps it may be best to first think about what it is not.

 

Masterly Inactivity is not:

• A fatalistic "what's the good of trying" attitude
• Laziness
• License to do whatever one wants
• Fussy complacency
• Giving in to children's whims

 

Rather, Masterly Inactivity is:

• "Wise Passiveness" – a phrase Charlotte borrowed from the poet Wordsworth.  "It indicates the power to act, the desire to act, and the insight and self-restraint which forbid action." (p.28)
• A sense of liberty and freedom under authority.  Masterly inactivity only "works" within the framework of rightful authority.   That 'authority must be ever-present but in repose: "But she must see without watching, know without telling, be on the alert always, yet never obviously, fussily so.  This open-eyed attitude must be sphinx-like in repose." (p.31)
• Exercised naturally and with good-humor – not forced or contrived.
• Exercised with self-confidence: "Parents should trust themselves more" Mason tells us. (p.29)
• Exercised out of a 'sound-mind'.  Children pick up on our nervous, anxious state.  We need to act out of rest, peace and serenity.  

 

Have you read Dorothy Canfield Fisher's Understood Betsy?  We recently finished it as it is the assigned literature selection for Ambleside Online Year 2 (although absolutely still worth a read even if you aren't an AO user).  In that book we see how these two opposing states of being play out in the life of young Elizabeth Ann (Betsy).  Betsy's parents died when she was young and she has been raised by her Aunt Frances who is nervous, fussy, and controlling.  As a result, Betsy has grown to be a nervous and fussy child who lacks confidence to do just about everything.  When she is 9 years old, she is sent to live with her Aunt Abigail, Uncle Henry, and Cousin Ann.  At their farm she is looked after with love and care, but also given a great deal of freedom – Uncle Henry lets her take the reins of the horse when they are driving home with the station, Aunt Abigail lets her season the applesauce to taste although Betsy has never made it before, she is sent off to walk to school on her own on the very first day, and so on.  By the end of the book we see Betsy growing into a confident young woman.  What difference Masterly Inactivity made in her young life!

 

Next week we'll look at some practical ways that we can learn to live and teach and parent from this state of 'masterly inactivity'.

 

 

The Power of Routines

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 2 "Docility and Authority in the Home and School Part II: How Authority Behaves"

 

In this second chapter, Charlotte gets into  specifics of what 'authority' ought to look like.  I have actually written before on this topic – this chapter was assigned reading during the 20 Principles study last year.  It was good for me to go back and review the ideas in that post – I think maybe I need to hang that list up somewhere to remind myself what healthy authority looks like.  This time through this chapter, however, I noticed a something new.  (Isn't that the sign of a good book?  Something you can read again and again and see something new each time?)  That's what I want to talk about today.

 

"So far as the daily routine of small obediences goes, we help them thus to fulfill a natural function – the response of docility to authority." (p.20)

 

"Now to work a machine such as a typewriter or a bicycle, one must, before all things, have practice; one must have got into the way of working it involuntarily, without giving any thoughts to the matter: and to give a child this power over himself – first in response to the will of another, later, in response to his own, is to make a man of him." (p.20)

 

"…the parents are slow to perceive that it is not the soothing routine of lessons which is exhausting to the little girl, but the fact that she goes through the labor of decision twenty times a day, and not only that, but the added fatigue of a contest to get her own way.  Every point in the day's routine is discussed, nothing comes with the comforting ease of a matter of course; the child always prefers to do something else, and commonly does it.  No wonder the poor little girl is worn out." (p.21)

 

"They are careful to form habits upon which the routine of life runs easily…" (p.22)

 

Did you notice a theme running through these quotations from this chapter?   These points brought home to me again the idea that routines are the keys to habit.   I've had the idea of routines on my mind a lot lately, since one of my main 'takeaways' from our reading of Desiring the Kingdom was the importance of habits and routines.  After tweaking our evening routine to better reflect our values, I discovered that a good routine provided us with a framework upon which to hang other habits we'd like to develop.  For example, having an evening routine in place that helped to remove some of the chaos from our supper hour has made it easier to focus on helping our children develop better table manners.   These thoughts from Charlotte have me wondering if we can take the importance of routines a step further – our routines give us "rails" to help us move through our days more easily and to practice some of the more 'moral' habits such as obedience.   When we have established good routines in our home, we do things just because it is the next thing to do – we don't have to think about it.   In our home, we have breakfast, we have our morning devotional time, and then we go do chores.  It's just what we do.   Occasionally we have some hiccups along the way, but generally we don't have big showdowns over obedience when morning chore time comes because it's just time to do them.   I think perhaps this is an example of what Charlotte was trying to get at here – our routine provides us with the opportunity to get daily practice in "small obediences", thereby helping to develop our obedience "muscles" if that makes sense.

 

Having these kind of routines in place also helps us to save energy for the bigger and more 'out-of-the ordinary' decisions that need to be made.  We don't spend all day needing to decide "what comes next?" because, barring any unusual circumstances, we already know.  As a mother, I have more energy to focus on discussing big ideas and heart issues with my children.  I am calmer and better able to maintain a proper balance of authority in my home.  The children live in the security the "comforting ease of [things happening] as a matter of course" to borrow Charlotte's terminology.   In a recent thread over on the AO Forum, we were discussing how we could develop a relaxed atmosphere in our homes.  I realized that having a consistent routine in place is a big key to that – not a rigid schedule – but a general flow to the day where we all sort of know what to expect.   I've noticed that on weekends or the odd weekday that my husband is home from work – when our normal weekday routine goes out the window – we all tend to be more cranky and fractious with each other.  I can't help but wonder if that's because we've lost the security that our routine provides.  (Perhaps my next project needs to be to consider a reasonable routine for weekends and holidays!)

 

All of these things taken together have helped me to realize that routines can be a really powerful tool in our life-hacks toolbox.  Beyond the practical benefits of smoother and more relaxed day, routines can also be a tool we can use to help ourselves and our families to grow in wisdom and virtue.  In her book A Mother's Rule of Life, Holly Pierlot explains how she borrowed from the monastic tradition to help develop routines in her home that would help her grow in holiness:

"When Mother Teresa began writing her Rule, she didn't begin with the schedule.  Instead she began writing out the 'principles and spiritual goals' that defined the mission of the Missionaries of Charity…It was only after Mother Teresa had first defined specifically what she was doing and why she was going to do it, that she next drew up a simple schedule based on that mission…"

 

It is worth really carefully (and prayerfully) considering what goals we have, what habits we want to develop, what virtues we need to practice and then seeking to establish routines that will reflect our values, give us opportunities to move towards our goals, and in that way grow in grace and virtue.  In her series "Education is for Life", Mystie explores this idea and walks through some practical ways that we can flesh out the big idea "principles" that we want to live by.  I'm hoping to revisit this series during our summer break as I consider our plans for the fall.

 

Charlotte closes this chapter with an encouraging reminder:

"Let us not despise the days of small things nor grow weary in the well-doing…" (p.23)

 

Those little things?  They are worth persevering in because they can have a far greater influence than we might ever think.

 

Approachability and Rightful Authority

Thoughts on School Education: Chapter 1 "Docility and Authority in the Home and in the School – Part 1"

 

In this and the following chapter, Charlotte is attempting to explain her principles of authority and docility as they are foundational to the 'curriculum' that she is presenting.  She urges us to consider a happy medium between strict, arbitrary autocratic rule ('you do this  because I say so!') vs over-permissiveness. 

 

Here are a few of the quotes I highlighted and thoughts I had as I read this chapter:

 

"…it is far easier to govern from a height, as it were, than from the intimacy of close personal contact.  But you cannot be quite frank and easy with beings who are obviously of a higher and of another order than yourself; at least, you cannot when you are a little boy.  And here we have one cause of the inscrutable reticence of children.  At the best of times they carry on the busy traffic of their own thoughts all to themselves…But it is much to a child to know that he may question, may talk of the thing that perplexes him, and that there is comprehension for his perplexities.  Effusive sympathy is a mistake, and bores a child when it does not make him silly.  But just to know that you can ask and tell is a great outlet, and means, to the parent, the power of direction, and to the child, free and natural development." (p.4-5)

 

There's a good question: how can we strike a balance between maintaining our parental authority and yet being approachable to our children so that they will be willing to talk to us about the things that interest and concern them?  I remember as a child (and especially as a teenager) not really wanting to talk to my parents about things because I always feared what their reaction would be – they didn't tend to be explosive or angry, but I did fear their disapproval.  By the grace of God I have a very good and open relationship with my parents now as an adult, but still have the sense that I would like to approach this differently with my own children.  I want my kids to feel comfortable talking to me about what concerns them, but am really not sure how exactly to do this without erring on the side of being too much of a buddy and not enough of a parent.   I suppose one way that I am trying to cultivate this is to listen to what they want to say now – even though at the moment it is often recounting their favorite moments from the movie Planes once again – so that they know that I am willing to listen, no matter what it is.   I think that homeschooling is another avenue to encourage this  - especially since CM style homeschooling is so focused on reading and discussing enriching ideas.  Still, I'd love to chat with a parent of adult children who has navigated this successfully and hear your tips, though. J

 

"For it is indeed true that none of us has a right to exercise authority, in all things great or small, except as we are, and acknowledge ourselves to be, deputed by the one supreme and ultimate Authority." (p.7)

 

Charlotte notes that the breakdown of a proper sense of authority in her (and our) culture comes from the 'dethronement of the divine'.  This was the natural result of some of the influential philosophies of her day (Locke and Spencer are two that she notes).  This effect has trickled down even further into our present day postmodern culture as well.  If we have no concept of the authority of God, we have no foundation for authority at all.  Authority comes from God.  Charlotte proposes the restoration of the proper idea of authority as a foundation for the rest of her educational thoughts:

 

"…restore Authority to its ancient place as an ultimate fact, no more to be accounted for than is the principle of gravitation, and as binding and universal in the moral world as is that other principle in the natural." (p.9)

 

She warns several times in this chapter against the abuse of authority, something that she notes parents and teachers can often be susceptible to on account of the fact that we are 'big' and our charges are 'little'.  But authority isn't an 'inalienable right'.  It is something that is deputed to us from God when He places us in a position where the exercise of that authority is needful.   Authority ultimately belongs to Him – it is our job to exercise that authority responsibly and 'as unto the Lord'.

 

"…we know now that authority is vested in the office and not in the person; that the moment it is treated as a personal attribute it is forfeited.  We know that a person in authority is a person authorized; and that he who is authorized is under authority.  The person under authority holds and fulfills a trust; in so far as he asserts himself; governs upon the impulse of his own will, he ceases to be authoritative and authorized, and becomes arbitrary and autocratic." (p.12)

 

It's pretty humbling to think about it like that, isn't it?  God has given us a weighty responsibility in asking us to serve as His deputies in the lives of the children He has placed into our care.   It can be really tempting to try to carry out that responsibility in our own power, but when we do, we are treading on dangerous ground.  However, it is also freeing to realize that the chain of command doesn't stop with me.  I have a Higher Authority that I can appeal to for grace, strength, and wisdom to carry out this task.  Ultimately, the best thing I can do is rest in Him, daily place the lives of my children into His hands, trust His guidance and direction, and leave the results to Him.  I have been realizing again and again lately that my job as a parent is to plant seeds, and it is the Lord who will reap the harvest.

 

" Authority is that aspect of love which parents present to their children; parents know it is love because to them it means continual self-denial, self-repression, self-sacrifice: children recognize it as love, because to them it means quiet rest and gaiety of heart.  Perhaps the best aid to the maintenance of authority in the home is for those in authority to ask themselves daily that question which was presumptuously put to our Lord – 'Who gave Thee this authority?" (p.24)

 

(PS: Here is another good post that addresses this topic.  Happy Reading!)

Thoughts from School Education (Charlotte Mason Series, Volume 3): Preface

Moving along from our discussion of Desiring the Kingdom, I have decided to return to our friend Charlotte Mason for awhile.  I've read her Volumes 1 and 6 twice each now, and feel fairly well grounded in her 20 Principles after our study of them last year, but I have never read School Education (Volume 3) in its entirety.  Reading Charlotte Mason's own words can be kind of intimidating, but I have also found it very rewarding.  It is well worth the effort to dig in and go to the source no matter how much you may have read about Charlotte Mason's ideas.  If you've never done so, I encourage you to give it a try.   I'm not going to set this up as an official book club type study, but I'd love it if anyone wants to read along with me and share thoughts and links in the comments. J

 

A few resources I recommend and will be consulting myself as I work through the book:

 

You can read Charlotte's writings online at Ambleside Online in the original or in a modern English paraphrase.

I am actually reading from the Kindle version that I downloaded here.   The paraphrase is available for Kindle from Amazon, as are printed copies of her works.

 

There is a current discussion of Volume Three going on in the AO Forum right now.  I'm not actively participating in it since they are already up through chapter 10 and I am just getting started, but will be following along with the thoughts shared there as I read through at my own pace.  (I think you have to have an account at the Forum in order to see any of the posts.)

 

Cindy at Ordo Amoris also blogged through School Education several years ago.  I always appreciate her insights.

 

So the Preface.  Where are we headed in this Volume?

 

Volume Three contains Charlotte's thoughts and suggestions towards a curriculum for children under 12.   It is a curriculum that is "the outcome of a scheme of educational thought" – it is solidly based on carefully considered principles and ideas, not just a hodge-podge of resources that have been cobbled together.   That is one thing that I appreciate about CM – her ideas and principles are based on her years of study, life, and experience.  I really appreciate that about the ladies that put together AO for us too – they have carefully considered Charlotte's principles and made their suggestions based on that.  Before I had settled on priorities, principles, and goals for our homeschool, I was driven back and forth by every new curriculum product that crossed my path.  Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, I do encourage you to consider your principles, priorities, and goals FIRST before you begin researching and purchasing your curriculum materials – and then make your choices based on those principles.  This has helped me narrow down my choices considerably as well as resist the temptation to jump on the bandwagon with every new thing that comes up.

 

In this Volume, Charlotte tells us that she is not going to consider ALL the possible aspects of physical, mental, moral, and religious training, but only those things that are most often overlooked.  This isn't intended to be a comprehensive educational manifesto, but rather to stimulate our thinking on issues that perhaps we haven't considered before.

 

The foundational principles to her curriculum suggestions are those of authority and docility and the personhood of children.  These are considered in more depth in the first several chapters.

 

In the later chapters of the book, she turns her attention specifically to the proper use of books: "I have tried to show how necessary it is to sustain the intellectual life upon ideas, and, as its corollary, that a school book should be a medium for ideas and not merely a receptacle for facts…Our great failure seems to me to be caused by the fact that we do not form the habit of reading books that are worthwhile in children while they are at school and under 12 years of age."  I'm really looking forward to this part of the discussion since one of my very favorite things about CM is the way that she used books.  A living book is far more than facts presented in story form but rather is one in which "facts are presented as the outcome of ideas."  

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Look forward to chatting with you all more about these ideas in the weeks to come.