This post has been edited- the original post was meant to be lighthearted, but some people interpreted my tone as sarcastic. I’m sorry! It was never my intention. The purpose of this post has always been to share how I discern which Charlotte Mason recommendations I follow. For a new Charlotte Mason mom, jumping into the philosophy with the goal of becoming a Charlotte Mason purist is a little overwhelming! I hope to show you that you can follow Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, but you don’t have to feel caught up in every little detail.
Related: Are You Using the Charlotte Mason Philosophy as a Method or a System?
You Might Not Be A Charlotte Mason Purist If….
- You don’t dress your children in wool during the winter
- There’s no nanny (nurse) in your home
- Your child has the occasional sweet treat
- Your nanny doesn’t understand the benefits of airing out the home
- You read stories to your young child (ages 0-6)
- Spending six hours outside each day seems like more of a challenge than a joy
- When you do get outside, you don’t haul your children to the country, but you go to the nearest park or even the backyard
- You put flowers in a bright pink vase
- You’ve put your infant in a somewhat messy high chair
This list is meant to be lighthearted! These are some of the recommendations that made me chuckle a little when I read them in Home Education. Notice that these aren’t her principles, but her recommendations.
I feel strongly that to attempt to work this method without a firm adherence to the few principles laid down would be not only idle but disastrous.” Charlotte Mason
I truly agree with Charlotte Mason’s twenty principles: I practice them, although not perfectly, everyday. But she wrote more that 2,000 pages describing her principles and recommendations. There are bound to be some that just don’t fit. Deciding that some of these recommendations don’t fit in your home doesn’t mean that you aren’t a Charlotte Mason purist. It means that you know your family and understand that there is flexibility in this method.
This podcast from The Schole Sisters addressed what Charlotte Mason meant by “few principles.” Even though she outlined 20 principles, some of them fit underneath the same umbrella, meaning that there really are just a few principles to follow.
Related: Reading to Young Children- Where Charlotte Mason and Research Disagree
How I Discern Which Recommendations to Follow
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I Don’t Follow Blindly
Yes, I agree with Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and her principles and I find them to be true. But, I also understand that she was a human. She was not perfect or infallible. While I believe she was inspired by the Holy Spirit, her works aren’t God’s Word. This understanding that it isn’t Absolute Truth gives us room to question which practices fit into today’s world.
A child who has never had to think won’t think, and probably never will. Aren’t there enough people already going through the world without any deliberate attempt at thinking or using their wits? Children must be made to think every day of their lives. They should get at the ‘why’ of things for themselves.” Home Education, pages 153-154.
If children are encouraged to “get at the ‘why’ of things for themselves,” I am sure that this applies to adults, as well. Who wants to be witless, after all?! We should be able, even encouraged, to think about the philosophy she spelled out for us and consider how we interpret it and want to apply it.
By urging us to follow Charlotte Mason as closely as possible, people are asked to put down their own thinking skills and follow blindly. The ability to think and question the philosophy is especially important in light of my second reason.
Related: Legalism in Homeschooling Methods by Cindy at Our Journey Westward
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I Understand that our World is Different
Many of Charlotte Mason’s suggestions aren’t applicable to today. The whole structure of the family has changed since then, not to mention the other cultural and educational changes.
I don’t bring these things up to say that Charlotte Mason was wrong. My point is that culturally, and according to research, some of these things don’t fit. In a different country over a hundred years later, there are bound to be differences!
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Some of Her Advice Isn’t Practical
This is not my own observation, but Charlotte Mason’s confession. When she mentioned out of door life for young children in Home Education, she said:
Let me repeat, that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household, but what seems to me absolutely best for the children, and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them.” Home Education, page 44
For us, being outside 4-6 hours a day isn’t practical. We don’t have anywhere to go on a daily basis that would allow that many hours outside to be fresh and exciting.
In Parents and Children, while talking about the application of her philosophy, she said that the principles are practical. I find this to be very true. Her principles are very practical, and I find that they have simplified our home tremendously. But her recommendations aren’t always practical.
Related: Making the Most of Outdoor Play During the Early Years
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Cultivating Taste Is Not My Priority
Many of Charlotte Mason’s recommendations revolved around establishing a child’s taste. Not just in observation of beautiful things, but a higher appreciation for them. They should learn to appreciate and ultimately choose the finer things in life (this is where the pink vase recommendation I mentioned earlier comes in!) This is not a priority for me. While I do want my children to focus on “whatever is lovely,” I don’t see any Biblical reason to teach my children to develop a taste for “things.” This doesn’t mean that I’m not going to teach classical music and worthy paintings, but it means that there’s a little less pressure to scour the Internet for the “right” artists or musicians to teach. When I read about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy now, I try to sort the recommendations that exist not to encroach on my children as persons from those that exist to cultivate taste.
Taste . . . is the only morality. . . . Tell me what you like,” Ruskin asserted, “And I’ll tell you what you are.” John Ruskin
Do you agree with this Victorian idea from John Ruskin? I definitely do not 🙂
Final Thoughts
The point of this post is not to convince you that you aren’t a Charlotte Mason purist, it was meant to encourage you because you’re doing a good job, mom. We don’t need to label and judge our efforts- we just need to keep trying and prayerfully seek what is right for our families.
**Note- It took me a while to realize that it seems like I am making a negative reference to the Facebook group. This was not my intention! The group has been nothing but positive and helpful! I was making a general statement about the blog posts and podcasts that I found on the Internet explaining this concept.
I soooooo needed to read this. I feel like I keep trudging up the CM purist hill and failing miserably but still LOVE the philosophy and try to implement it to the best of my ability. I was feeling like “maybe I’m just a phoney” thank you!
I am so glad that this post spoke to you! I think we can all feel that way sometimes. Hugs to you!
This is so liberating! Thanks for writing about this, Leah. Sharing this on my FB page. 🙂
I’m so glad that you feel that way, Elorie! Thanks for sharing!
I loved this and it made me laugh. I tend to take myself too seriously and when I was first educating with CM I actually seriously considered dressing my children all in wool and really worried about reading my littles books. As mothers, and not PNEU teachers, we have a lot more roles to juggle and we need to take CM’s principles and apply them as best we can which would best enrich and enliven our little “born persons” in their unique selves. Our goal is to inspire our students with all the is good, and true, and lovely. Being so stressed out that we are not CM enough does not give us the ability to enrich ourselves and our students. Our home environment starts with us and our own attitudes. I really thought you did such a nice job with this article and it was funny to boot! Thanks for such a balanced perspective. 🙂
Thank you so much, rlshatze! This philosophy should be life-giving, and not all-constricting! I love hearing how your perspective has shifted throughout your journey!
I agree with most everything you said :). Principles, not perfection, not legalism, not blindness.
Charlotte Mason said it herself, “Mix it with brains.” It’s very easy to be legalistic when you have only a year or two of experience under your belt. One you spend more than a few years educating your kiddos, you start to realize that situations are constantly in flux and rigid systems aren’t sustainable. Miss Mason herself knew this; it’s why she offers plenty of suggestions and possibilities, but only a few principles which she reiterates over and over and OVER. Legalistic systems don’t cast a vision or keep you moving; they crush peoples’ spirits.
Stick to the principles, mamas, flex with the details, and shrug it off when people want to fuss at you for not being “CM Enough.” We’re in this for the long haul.
I think of myself as mindfully following her principles which offers scope to think about what her ideas mean today and to dress your kids in cotton if you live in the south. 🙂
Cotton is a must 🙂
It was courageous to write such a post in the climate of CM circles today. Thank you for speaking out.
I agree with LMS that being a purist with respect to CM is a far cry from the legalism I see lauded today. This attitude leads many moms to feel that they can’t measure up and therefore turn to a different means of educating their children. When this happens they lose out on the richness we know abounds in a CM education – all because of feeling like they’ve missed the mark.
My heart goes out to those moms! A little bit of the feast is better than empty plates!
Thank you for writing this! I don’t even think today the issue is about being a purist as much as it seems to be “legalistic.” Wanting to give correct information about CM education might be purism. Telling others that if they aren’t doing everything just so they aren’t giving their children a CM education is quite another.. and sadly what seems to be happening. But encouraging ALL families to implement what they can and continue to grow in their learning of and implementation of CM philosophy should always be the primary goal. Said as the imperfect mother of imperfect children, using CM methods and philosophy for over 12 years now. Even imperfection is perfect for my family and individual children. Thanks be to God.
This post was inspired by all the panicky statements I heard from moms who were worried that they weren’t implementing CM “right.” Pointing out others’ weaknesses does nothing more than shame and discourage. You are so right- we should be encouraging others to do the best that they can! I love how you said that imperfection is perfect for your family! I will never achieve perfection as a mother or teacher- and that’s okay 🙂
Hi Leah, just wanted to say that I thought your article was thoughtful & measured. Thanks.
Thank you!
I enjoyed this post and I didn’t find it rude or sarcastic at all. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the details, but gracious! I need not agree with every jot and tittle to find the spirit amusing and, more importantly, encouraging.
Regarding Mason’s statement about adhering strictly to the principles and practices I have indicated, and whether she meant in that statement to refer to every word in each volume or only the more limited context of the statement in volume 6, I think it’s most helpful to read the context itself. Personally, I find it impossible to ignore the limitations Mason herself put on the statement:
” I shall confine myself in this volume to the amplification and illustration of some of the points I have endeavoured to make in this introductory statement.”
That introductory statement is found in the first 20 or so pages of volume VI.
She also makes it very clear that her audience for volume VI is the general public, not only PNEU families and workers:
“My object in offering this volume to the public is to urge upon all who are concerned with education a few salient principles which are generally either unknown or disregarded; and a few methods which, like that bathing in Jordan, are too
vol 6 pg xxvii
simple to commend themselves to the ‘general.’ Yet these principles and methods make education entirely effectual.”
And then we have the account of her given in the book In Memorium,”
“Perhaps this principle was specially evident during Criticism lessons on Thursday mornings when Miss Mason would criticise a student for doing what was, apparently, precisely the thing another student has been criticised for not doing the previous Thursday, thus reducing us to despair. For what were we to do? and when we asked for the precise recipe we were told to “mix it with brains.” Every lesson needs a special giving and the method is based upon broad principles which leave the teacher all the exercise of her own ingenuity.”
I love purists and strive to be accurate about what Mason said and meant myself. I have found that her methods and philosophies work. Mixing it with brains is part of the philosophy and compatible with purism.
I could be wrong, but for me, treating CM like a precise recipe seems more like legalism and less likely to be spiritually nourishing and sustaining over the long haul.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing insights here! I’m sure “mix it with brains” is a thought that will come to me often as I continue to educate my children. The idea that there is a huge contrast between CM purism and CM legalism is one that I hope spreads far and wide.
This is wonderfully said! There seems to be so much divisiveness in the name of “doing a CM education right” – as though if we don’t do everything just so, then we are not really doing CM. Maybe instead of purist it should be legalist? LOL!
I once chatted with a CM blogger who told me that there are many different ways to interpret CM’s writings. That idea has stuck with me. Let’s spread our pure, not legalistic, love for the philosophy 🙂
This is a great post, Leah! ♥
I appreciate that so much, thank you, Brandy!
To me this post struck me as facetious and far reaching. I don’t think anyone would say we need to live by every iota of what CM said, even the purists. I’m wondering who made you feel this way because it’s obvious there’s some fresh wounds and hurt feelings going on here and this post really comes off like you have a chip on your shoulder. I’m thinking some biblical conflict resolution may be in order possibly. I also recommend listening to the Delectable Education podcasts about the Charlotte Mason myths and what it means to be a purist.
Hi Chalise! I knew that sharing an opinion that is different than others’ would open myself up to some dissension. I tried to achieve a lighthearted tone, and even ran my post by several seasoned bloggers before sharing to be sure! I’m sorry that it didn’t come across that way to you. My only negative experiences have involved the unkind things that people say on the Internet when they defend their view of the philosophy.
For some reason I am unable to reply to your reply, but thank you for the link to Karen’s post. So it seems there is a a clear difference in interpreting this quote that is found in the sixth volume. Karen interprets it to refer to the principles and practices found only in volume six. Art Middlekauf interprets it to mean the principles and practices that span the entirety of her volumes. So . . . what are the implications if Art is correct? He seems to indicate in his article that this is not burdensome but should be freeing to the mother. Karen also claims freedom.
I joined that group this week also. I don’t know how much exploring you did, but I feel like you may have misunderstood Thierry intent…? It doesn’t say you have to be a purist to join. It says that the *discussion* on the page will be focused on pursing CM philosophy strictly, not mixing with other philosophies. They also point out that noone is perfectly following CMs philosophy and recommendations, and mention how not all recommendations are practical or possibly let anymore. I’ve found a lot to glean from the advice and encouragement there, and not felt like they were exclusive (or insane haha!). Just a bunch of people talking CM. I’m not a purist, but I can keep my posts to pure CM. I think that’s all they ask.
I am happy to be in the group, and have found a lot of helpful tips and conversations there so far! It was when I dug into other people’s posts about what it means to be a purist that I started to feel like I wasn’t measuring up. It almost felt like there was an elite club, and I wasn’t sure if I was “good enough” to get in!
Lauren, I realized too late that my description of “digging into being a purist” sounded like I was digging into the group. I was referring to sources all over the Internet. I’m sorry for my miscommunication!
Interesting read in light of these two articles this week from Charlotte Mason Poetry. http://charlottemasonpoetry.org/was-charlotte-mason-a-cm-purist/
http://charlottemasonpoetry.org/the-mediocre-purist/
I too am part of the CM Facebook group. In light of that first article I link to it seems to me that the Facebook group is justified in preserving not only the principles but also the practices or “recommendations” as you call them. CM herself seems to be pretty “dogmatic” about it.
I’ve been thinking MUCH about these things. Thank you for your thoughts. I guess I don’t have a conclusion of my own but will continue to prayerfully seek to understand and apply these things.
Thank you for sharing those posts! They are very thorough! I keep seeing the hashtag “mediocre purist” and it always makes me laugh. I think that must be the source 🙂
As for Charlotte Mason’s “principles and practices” quote, I posted an article by Karen Glass on my Facebook page this week. She explained that the sixth volume was written for a different audience. It was written for a broad audience of British people in hopes of spreading her philosophy far and wide. But the other five volumes were written for the PNEU. Therefore, when she said, “Principles and practices I’ve indicated here,” she was referring to those pages in that specific volume. I encourage you to read the article because I could never explain it as eloquently as Karen Glass! http://www.karenglass.net/the-quote-and-the-context/#comment-3235