Philosophical Cornerstones – Video Package

Sessions included:

Educating Image Bearers with Dr. Jennifer Spencer

As we seek to follow Mason’s philosophy and carry her methods forward, studying her 20 principles–what they mean and their implications for today–is critical. In this session, Dr. Spencer breaks down the principles into easy-to-understand pieces, shares current research that supports the principles and gives us direction, and discusses important implications for today’s practitioners.

Narration with Dr. Carroll Smith

In Home Education Mason says, “Let us take the goods the gods provide. When the child is six, not earlier, let him narrate the fairy-tale which has been read to him.” (p. 232). Language, we know, is innate to all of us. It is part of the imago Dei within all of us as humans. Narration is simply a product of what God has already put within us. I have watched short videos of my new granddaughter babbling to herself, and she is not yet one year old. Mason wants us to use “the goods the gods provide.” Children, as she describes, love to retell stories and particular events in their own lives. She provides the example of a child describing his dog fighting another in the street. This, she believes, is the ground plan of his education (p. 231). How do we make use of this natural language development that occurs in most children? Getting a thorough understanding of narration can take a full day. In this short session we will explore, What is narration? When do we narrate? How do we begin to narrate? What do we narrate? And, what types of narration are possible, and much more? Join us as we start an exploration of the use of narration in a Charlotte Mason education.

The Importance of Peace with Nancy Kelly

“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” – Goethe The Charlotte Mason philosophy and method of education has a unique source that encourages shalom in the home. This talk will explore the meaning of peace, how a CM education helps develop peace, and why parents are called to be peacemakers. Nancy will share insights from her own experience as well as some extremely helpful direction from Mason and other solid PNEU teachers on peace in our homes, schools, and lives.

Finding Freedom in Charlotte Mason with Amber O’Neal Johnston

When parents and teachers rely on intuition, reflective practice, and common sense to revise their application of Mason’s principles based on the family or child at hand, they often walk away feeling as though these “departures” are separating them from the more legitimate world of CM purists. This session will reframe some of our thinking in this area as we discover that embracing freedom is not an educational or moral failure but an inherent aspect of a true Charlotte Mason education.