3. Emphasize ideas and experiences.
Our children's education should be one composed primarily of their own thoughts--thoughts they think because they are inspired by a poet's romantic notions, an artist's eye for what is beautiful, or because they are intrigued by the subject treated in great literature. Their days should be full of experiences that allow them to learn and think freely, without contrived set-ups and artificial environments. Children can be mildly amused reading a story in a reader about Carlos going to the museum or Annie's grandmother's wisdom, but those are hardly the fodder for thinking noble thoughts and appreciating great wisdom as Ms. Mason suggests children should. On the other hand, their own trip to the museum, one on which they are left to roam and look attentively at what strikes them, and to quietly sit with their thoughts and mull them over, can inspire artistic imitation, story-telling, poetry composition, or at the very least, lively conversation and exchange of ideas. An afternoon tea-time in which Granny is allowed to share her memories of World War II or the landing on the moon will bring a real appreciation for her wisdom and an understanding of history through her eyes. That old adage about lighting a fire instead of filling a bucket comes to mind here. We are not in a race to tick things off a list and say we've exposed our kids to them. We are about their becoming, and since we know not what they are to become, we must open to their eyes to a wide variety of good, noble, holy things. But we are not to do this in a hurry. We need to let each idea, each experience settle in their small hearts and minds, take root, and then blossom in the direction it will. On the one hand, we cannot fill their days with textbooks and workbooks and expect them to become passionate about the things presented to them there. On the other hand, we cannot busy their lives with so many things that they have no time to reflect, to develop an interest in one particular thing and follow where it leads. We need to acquaint them with ideas and experiences much the same way we acquaint them with nature, with time to observe, think, sort, classify, and gasp with wonder and joy. We must be emphatic in our attempt to give them a taste of the banquet of life's lovely things, and then let them choose with which they will fill their plates.
4. Read, react, and retell.
Charlotte Mason advocated an education rich in "living books". The subject of which books qualify as living books has been discussed extensively and I won't repeat it here. Suffice it to say that in our home, books which use language that is artificially childish are not living books. Books which tell us about something without sparking an interest in it or a conversation about it are not living. Books which show no concern for literary merit or the quality of story-telling are not living. And books which are not about things pure, good, holy, and noble are simply not allowed. If you need a place to start with living books for all ages, try the book list here under suggestions toward a curriculum. It has proven an inexhaustible resource for the basis of our homeschool. I know many moms who understand the concept of living books, but are at a loss as to what to do besides read them. I think kids need to learn to react to the ideas they find in books, and that reaction can take many forms. For little ones, it can simply be the chatter and pointing and laughter that accompany reading and great picture book. For older kids, it can be activities you propose to help them better grasp a key idea in a book. And for experienced readers, it can be mature conversation as well as some project of their choosing as the books ideas direct them. The books we are calling living books are full of ideas to spark learning. We would be remiss if we did not dig into this treasure chest and pull a few gems from it. The last part of this equation is the retelling, or as CM called it, narrating. Children simply relate to you their version of what they have read or what has been read to them. They are instructed to be attentive to the first reading of the material, and then they narrate the story (or experience or movie or conversation) to you. For younger children, you type as they narrate. Older children (no earlier than ten) can write or type for themselves. The child can illustrate a printed copy if he/she desires. In this way, we are able to glean the connection our child has made with what was read. More than being a fantastic tool to judge reading comprehension, narration is a window into our child's thoughts, a way of "seeing" what spark has been ignited by the living literature they have taken in. This provides us the opportunity to fan the flames of that spark by guiding them further down the trail their thoughts choose. We see their vocabulary grow and change with exposure, and their flair for story-telling mature. We see their ear for detail refine itself over time and their passion for ideas grow. And if we do not, we know it is time to evaluate where we are and why. It is the retelling that we see the life that has taken shape in our children's minds, and what a privilege that is.