Course Description and Purpose

The central focus of this course is to integrate the philosophy and model of Charlotte Mason (1842-1923) with current research in learning and child development. If we are to make sense of Charlotte Mason’s relevancy in the 21st century, then situating her thought and ideas in a current context is essential to what teachers need to know about how children learn and grow as persons. Of key importance is the question, “How do children learn?” To answer that question, a biblical view of human beings, their behavior, and their relationship to learning is the starting point. For this we shall synthesize many of the philosophical and practical tenets found in Mason’s works and writings as well as those writers who align with her thinking. Through a biblical framework, the major families of learning theory (behaviorism, social learning, cognitive information processing, and constructivism) are then examined to determine what things are acceptable and helpful to the Christian teacher in a Mason context.