At its core, the Charlotte Mason biography is a testament to a girl’s profound love for homeschooling, a love that blossomed into a lifelong dedication to classical education. Mason’s deep understanding of human nature and her unique insights into the mother-child bond were not just observations, but a passion she shared through a series of home education books and publications for school teachers.
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Her publications, written in the 1800s, provide a unique window into the educational landscape of that era, offering readers a glimpse into a time when traditional, rigid education was the norm.
They show the upper-class lifestyle Mason was familiar with.
However, her compassion extended beyond the privileged.
She championed the importance of a ‘liberal’ education for all, even the most marginalized, like the poor maid’s daughter or the orphaned chimney sweep, thereby emphasizing the inclusivity of her educational philosophy.
Also, as a keen observer of nature, Mason encouraged students to connect with the outside world.
She also encouraged short lessons and perfect copywork, expecting a high standard from pupils.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves too soon. In this Charlotte Mason biography, we’ll cover:
- Who was Charlotte Mason
- Her Early and Later Life
- Tenets of a CM Education
- Charlotte Mason vs. Montessori vs. Classical Education
- The Books She Wrote and
- Charlotte Mason Curricula
Let’s get started!
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Who was Charlotte Mason?
Charlotte Mason was an English educator from 1842 to 1923 (80 years).
Trained in Classical education, Mason believed education should be more gentle and individualized to give children a better learning experience.
She also thought education should be available to the masses and should be a rich feast of ideas (something she called ”liberal,” which in the 1800s meant broad-ranging and inclusive, not limited to a specific class or social group.)
The image below is a good summary of the main things she valued teaching.
The Early Life of Charlotte Mason
The Early Life of Charlotte MasonBorn in Wales, Mason was homeschooled by her parents.
As an only child, she had an excellent education as her parents presented her with a broad range of ideas and concepts.
Mason never married.
Later Life of Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason spent ten years teaching at the Davidson School in Worthing (see map below).
During this time, she thought about the need for a richer (or more liberal) education for all children, regardless of their life station.
Mason also worked on her popular Ambleside Geography books for over ten years, from 1880.
Soon, she began to lecture at a teacher’s college called Bishop Otter Teacher Training College.
Her lectures were later published as a series of books called the Home Education Series, which became a cornerstone of her educational philosophy and a widely used resource in the field of education.
Charlotte Mason’s Death
Charlotte Mason died in 1923 after reaching her 80th year.
She was much loved, and many were sad at her parting.
They engraved the following words on her tombstone:
In loving memory of Charlotte Maria Shaw Mason, Born Jan 1, 1842, died Jan 16, 1923,
Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty. Founder of the Parents National Educational Union, The Parents Union School, and The House of Education. She devoted her life to the work of education, believing that children are dear to our Heavenly Father and that they are a precious national possession.
Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.
I am, I can, I ought, I will.
For the children’s sake.
These are beautiful words for a lovely lady.
Charlotte Mason’s Theology
Raised in the Anglican church, Mason was a strong Christian.
Her strong faith is evident in all her books.
Indeed, she believed that educational theory should be based on Christian theology and that families should be led by the Holy Spirit, a belief that deeply influenced her educational philosophy and approach.
Also, when students come to a book or text, they should ask the Holy Spirit to help them understand it, reflecting the spiritual aspect of her educational philosophy and the belief in divine guidance in the learning process.
Scouting
Thanks to Charlotte Mason, we have Boy Scouts and Girl Guides today.
Mason believed nature was a competent teacher.
It has the power to amaze children and interest them, creating an excellent opportunity for interest-based education and observation.
She was the first person in modern history to recognize the educational potential of scouting.
Nature Walks and Nature Appreciation
There is plenty to look at in the wild, on bushwalks, or even at your local park.
Mason also encouraged educators to take their students on nature walks.
Nature walks are outings into nature to observe and engage with nature.
You can see the video below for more on nature walks.
The Foundation of Charlotte Mason Education
Some elements of a Charlotte Mason education are unique compared to traditional or modern education.
These elements are:
- Education should be through living books (fun educational books – sometimes storybooks – that teach children through stories and hold their interest more than dry textbooks)
- Learning should be gentle and seamless with other aspects of our lives rather than represented in a rigid curriculum.
- Guided discovery (i.e., when on nature walks) with parents assisting children when they ask
- Good habit training – a focus on developing children’s character
- Short Lessons – concise lessons where children are expected to pay attention and do very good/perfect work
- Nature Walks – parents take children out and discover nature together. They notebook their discoveries and sketch, etc
- Grow the mind and grow the person.
- Narration – test children by getting them to recite what they learn orally
- Dictation
- Perfect copywork
Charlotte Mason vs. Maria Montessori
Many wonder if Charlotte Mason’s education differs from Maria Montessori’s.
They are very different.
Using brevity that won’t do both methods true justice, here are some brief differences and similarities:
- Differences
- Mason’s education encourages reading, character formation, and gentle direction from parents; Montessori educators encourage children to teach themselves more.
- Montessori believed children should have child-sized furniture, cleaning equipment, a kitchenette, and cooking implements. There is a big focus on getting children to clean up after themselves and be neat, coordinated, and controlled in everything they do.
- Mason’s method is inherently Christian and assumes a Christian worldview, as evident in her books. In comparison, Montessori was a Catholic, but now most Montessori schools are secular.
- Similarities
- Both curricula encourage a connection with nature.
- Compared to traditional education, these methods promote education through hands-on learning.
Charlotte Mason’s education is much more prevalent among homeschoolers.
Perhaps this is because her theory is more developed and more Charlotte Mason homeschool curricula are available, a testament to the enduring influence of her educational philosophy on modern education.
To learn more about these education methods, click the following links: Charlotte Mason; Montessori.
Charlotte Mason vs. Classical Education
As you can see in Charlotte Mason’s biography, Ms Mason was trained in classical education.
Classical education was a springboard for the formation of her own method of education.
Again, using brevity that won’t do both methods justice, here are some brief differences and similarities:
- Differences
- Classical curricula divide learning into three areas – grammar, logic, and rhetoric. CM does not.
- Classical education is generally more rigorous than CM education.
- Fine arts are studied more in a CM education.
- Latin and other languages are encouraged much more in classical education.
- Classical education studies writing composition as a separate subject; CM will incorporate it into other subjects later but preferred oral narration for testing and comprehension in the early years
- Compared to Classical methods, Mason preferred parents to wait until children ask a question to pique interest; Classical methods advocate for more parental explanation.
- Mason focuses more on interaction with nature and good habit formation for developing character.
- Classical education uses more challenging texts (and some might say more boring texts) like the old Greek classics (Illiad and the Odessey); Mason uses living books and believed texts should be absorbing and capture students’ interest.
- Classical education has more rote learning.
- The logic and rhetoric stage of classical education teaches formal logic and debating.
- Similarities
- Both methods expect a high standard of students, although Mason expected perfect copywork
- Learning scripture, poetry, and songs is encouraged, but more so in classical education. Memorization is used a little more in classical education.
Charlotte Mason and Classical education are the most popular homeschooling methods used in homeschools these days (especially in America).
Check out these two articles to learn more about both methods of education: Charlotte Mason; Classical Education.
Books Mason Wrote
An avid writer, Mason wrote plenty of books, many centered around her love of education.
Her bibliography includes the following titles:
- Ourselves
- Home Education
- School Education
- Parents and Children
- Philosophy of Education
- Scale How Meditations
- Elementary Geography
- Elementary Geography: Book I for Standard II
- The British Empire and the Great Divisions of the Globe: Book II for Standard III
- The Counties of England: Book III for Standard IV
- The Countries of Europe Their Scenery and Peoples: Book IV for Standard V
- The Old and New World: Asia, Africa, America, Australia: Book V
- Formation of Character and
- Poetry: The Savior of the World
(A Charlotte Mason biography can also be found here.)
Inspired Curricula
A lot of places are enchanted by the ideas Mason put forward.
Many schools, like the PNEU School in Rickmansworth, UK, follow Charlotte Mason’s method of education.
However, CM education is best implemented in a homeschooling environment, allowing more free outdoor access.
A homeschooling education also allows for more gentle learning methods as there are lower student/teacher ratios.
Although you can learn how to use the Charlotte Mason method by reading Mason’s books on Home Education, an easier way to implement this type of education is to buy a Charlotte Mason curriculum.
There are plenty of these around, including:
- A Gentle Feast
- Simply Charlotte Mason
- Living Books Curriculum
- Charlotte Mason Ambleside Online (free)
- Charlotte Mason in a Box
- Charlotte Mason College
- My Homeschool
- CM Institute – Alveary
- Higher Up and Further In and
- Wildwood
Implementing a Charlotte Mason curriculum is more straightforward than parents might think.
There is often a lot of help from people who provide the curriculum or from Facebook forums that consist of parents who are doing (or have done) the curriculum.
These parents can offer great help if you have questions.
Conclusion: Who was Charlotte Mason?
So, who was Charlotte Mason? When I think about her, I think of a compassionate, Christian woman who loved her pupils and had a heart for parents and educators alike. Mason greatly appreciated nature and encouraged schools and homeschools to immerse their students in God’s unique creation. She also believed in habit training and the power of a good book in the role of teacher. But, if I were to summarise her in a nutshell, Charlotte Mason was a fantastic woman who loved God, women, and children.
