Charlotte Mason High School Curriculum: Four Books for Planning
Welcome back to A Mother’s Thinking Love: Living Ideas, Lovingly Share! In my last post, I wrote a brief introduction to our journey to a Charlotte Mason homeschool. In today’s post, I want to share some of the books I am using to plan our Charlotte Mason DIY high school curriculum. Join me as I walk through my top four books for this task!
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How to Begin Planning a Charlotte Mason Curriculum
When we began homeschooling, the only form of education I knew was modern education. While this modern philosophy of education was not what I wanted in our home, I did not have an alternative until I met Charlotte Mason. Her philosophy immediately resonated with me. When we began implementing, or attempting to implement, her philosophy at home, I had no idea what I was doing. It felt right in my mind, but I felt very clumsy in practice. Over time, I realized that it wasn’t enough for me to have a Charlotte Mason daily checklist, I needed to be reading about her philosophy itself. Without understanding her philosophy, our home felt like puzzle pieces without the box. We had all of the components, the puzzle pieces, to create a beautiful education: living books, reproductions of beautiful paintings, folk songs, narration, the list goes on. What I was missing was the puzzle box with the picture to show me how to put it all together. In this case, the philosophy to help me put these beautiful puzzle pieces together.
Four Key Books for Planning a Charlotte Mason High School
I chose four books to share with you today.
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- In Vital Harmony: Charlotte Mason and the Natural Laws of Education by Karen Glass
A brilliant first step towards learning about Charlotte’s principles of education. LINK
- A Thinking Love: Studies from Charlotte Mason’s Home Education by Karen Glass
A more practical look at a Charlotte Mason education through the lens of her principles. LINK
- Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass
A thorough look at narration from first lessons through high school. LINK
- A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason
Volume 6 in Charlotte Mason’s own six-volume Home Education series. LINK
You may be wondering why, if we are planning a Charlotte Mason High School curriculum, I listed only one book written by Charlotte Mason herself. While I hold Charlotte Mason’s Home Education Series very dear, her volumes can be a little daunting for those of us steeped in modern education and unfamiliar with Victorian English. I highly recommend reading, or listening to her volumes at some point, but I sympathize with the busy mother who wants to begin researching her philosophy. This is why I recommended three books written by Karen Glass to begin with. If I was counseling a mother who was new to Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education, I would recommend she read the books I listed in the order I listed them. Karen Glass’s writing is clear, concise, and accessible. She is a brilliant communicator who has inspired me with her humility and wisdom.
Tips for Reading a “Philosophy of Education”
My well-loved copy of A Philosophy of Education. I flip through this, and add more sticky notes, while I plan our Charlotte Mason High School Curriculum.
First, don’t expect to pull out every last ounce of wisdom on your first read. Read the book, assimilate what you can, and expect to read it again later. I am focusing on the sections relevant to the upper forms as I plan our Charlotte Mason high school curriculum.
Second, listen to an audio version, as needed. I ended up switching back and forth between an audiobook and a physical book. If you are interested in planning a Charlotte Mason high school, I recommended reading the curriculum chapters from a physical text. Find the free audiobook on Librivox.
Third, read a little at a time. Continuous reading of a challenging text can lead to burn out making the mind less than thrilled about returning to said text.
Share Your Charlotte Mason Planning Recommendations!
These are the top four books I recommend to any mother who is interested in a Charlotte Mason education. They are invaluable for me as I am planning a Charlotte Mason high school. Have you benefited from reading any of these books? Are there other books you would recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
