Podcasts about Charlotte Mason

Nancy Kelly explores what constitutes breadth and balance in a Charlotte Mason education in this plenary recorded live at the 2026 Living Education Retreat.

Your kids are glued to screens all summer and you are running out of ideas to pull them away. But what if 3 items from your kitchen pantry could spark more curiosity than any tablet ever could? Shark Week is the perfect excuse to make it happen.This episode walks you through 3 hands-on shark week activities that bust common shark myths, teach real marine biology, and get your kids off screens without a single worksheet or complicated plan:✅Why hands-on observation builds deeper thinking skills than any screen or textbook✅Discover how Shark Week can spark curiosity beyond marine biology, inspiring kids to ask better questions and pursue learning on their own.✅How following your child's natural interests develops confidence, critical thinking, and the drive to keep learning long after the lesson ends.✅Practical ways to replace passive learning with hands-on exploration that encourages curiosity, resilience, and independent learners.Resources for You:Shark Unit Study Flash Sale — save $10 with code SHARKWEEK (you pay only $5)Show Notes:Your Secret Weapon for Getting Kids Off Screens This SummerIt's a hot summer morning in July. You planned for a peaceful, screen-free summer. Instead, you're exhausted, and that phrase — Mom, I'm bored — is just echoing through your house. There's a magnetic pull between your kids and their tablets, the TV, the video games. And somehow that is winning the battle, especially with high-energy boys. They're zoning out in front of those screens and you feel guilty because you want them to love learning, not consume a bunch of pixels.I've got a secret weapon for you today. You don't need a complicated curriculum or a lecture to fix this. You need a topic that instantly captures their imagination. And with Shark Week coming up next week, we're going to use sharks to get your kids off those tablets and into real learning — right at the kitchen table.Mary Anning and the Power of CuriosityBefore we dive in, I want to give you a little historical background. There was a woman named Mary Anning in the 19th century. She was completely self-taught. She lived in England, gathered fossils, and had no formal science background. Out of 9 kids, only Mary and her older brother Joseph survived to adulthood. Life was hard.But she had a dad with great influence. Her father Richard was a cabinet maker and an avid fossil collector. His five-year-old sidekick Mary would come along and he would show her how to collect fossils at the beaches where they worked. He meticulously taught her how to locate specimens, get them out safely, and clean the delicate finds. Then he would put what they found in the storefront of his cabinet shop.Dads, you have a great impact on your kids.Mary was denied formal education — like most women and girls of her time — but she taught herself to read. And she used curiosity, drive, and perseverance to make contributions to science that are still recognized today. That is what I want for your kids in this episode.Before You Start — Grab Three ThingsGo to your kitchen cabinet right now and get these three things. A bottle of cooking oil. A small empty plastic bottle. And a handful of pennies. Just put them on the counter. Physically setting them out says — today is a hands-on learning day.Myth Buster #1: Sharks Sink Like Stones If They Stop SwimmingThe myth is that sharks sink like stones if they stop swimming. Here's the truth — bony fish have swim bladders filled with gas to float. Sharks don't have swim bladders. Instead, they have a massive, oily liver that acts like a natural flotation device. Oil is lighter than water, so that giant oily liver keeps them buoyant.Here's the activity. Fill your sink with water. Drop in your empty bottle and let your kids watch. It sinks. Now ask them — what do you think happens if I fill the bottle with oil? Don't tell them. Let them observe and be curious. Fill the bottle with cooking oil, close it tightly, and drop it in. It floats. The oil is lighter than the water and rises to the top. Super easy, but so powerful.Myth Buster #2: Sharks Can Smell Blood From Miles Away Through MagicIt's not magic — it's a highly acute olfactory navigation system. Sharks track scent gradients through water currents. God gave them the ability to smell, and that is essentially their steering wheel. Like we drive a car with our eyes, sharks navigate with their smell.Here's the activity. Get a bowl of warm water. Have your kids sit perfectly still. Drop red food coloring on one side and watch what happens. The current in that warm water carries the food coloring across the bowl — just like the way a scent pathway travels to a shark through the ocean. Let them observe, ask questions, and come up with conclusions.This is exactly what Charlotte Mason was talking about when she said kids learn best when they're allowed to interact with the real world — not reading dry textbook summaries. When kids use their own senses to observe nature, they develop deep analytical skills. No prepackaged textbook or screen can duplicate this.Myth Buster #3: Losing a Tooth Is an Emergency for a SharkFor us humans, we get two sets of teeth. Lose one from the second set and it's gone for good. Sharks are completely different. They have a conveyor belt system of teeth and can grow up to 35,000 teeth in a lifetime. Their teeth don't have deep roots, so they fall out easily while hunting — and new ones just move right into place.Here's the activity. You'll need Play-Doh or modeling clay and your pennies — or small pebbles. Roll the clay into a thick strip representing a shark's jaw. Push the pennies in one by one, layered behind each other like shingles on a roof. Have one of your kids pull out the front tooth and watch how the others shift right into place. Simple visual, powerful concept.What to Do From HereThose are your three myth busters — the oily liver, the olfactory steering system, and the conveyor belt tooth system. From here, get your library card and spend no more than five minutes searching sharks online. Pick up two or three books, or a documentary if you have DVDs. Give your kids immediate, high-quality material to dig into right after they make a mess at the kitchen table.Hands-on learning gets kids off the screens. I know for a fact — when I go visit my grandkids, they are not on their screens. They're not even watching TV. But it does take energy to plan, to find the books, to build activities, and to organize a week from scratch.If you want to skip the planning completely and be ready for Shark Week with everything done for you, grab our Shark Unit Study. Today is day one of our flash sale — use the code SHARKWEEK by Friday and save $10, which means you pay only $5. You get shark life cycle activities, a curated list of books and videos with activities to go with each one, these three myth busters, shark-themed snacks, crafts, shark binoculars, and an ocean unit tie-in as well. It's plug-and-play for your summer.If this sparked one little idea, would you share it with one homeschool mom or your co-op? That would mean the world to me.

Charlotte Mason's poem “The Disciple in the Wilderness” from The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Josh and Hannah Centers join Marty to discuss Chapter House, their publishing company reviving classic books for homeschooling families. They break down the failure of public school STEM pipelines, the superiority of physical books over screens, and why the Western canon builds virtue through wonder. The conversation covers Charlotte Mason methods, narration over worksheets, and how flawed heroes teach courage better than sanitized textbooks. They explore Christian classical education, the meaning of true literacy, and why modern schooling produces spreadsheet thinkers instead of whole human beings. Josh on X: https://x.com/jcenters Hannah on X: https://x.com/hannahcenters Chapter House: https://chapter.house/ Find the Home Mining Playbook here: https://www.tftc.io/home-mining-energy-playbook STACK SATS hat: https://tftcmerch.io/ Our newsletter: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/ TFTC Elite (Ad-free & Discord): https://www.tftc.io/#/portal/signup/ Discord: https://discord.gg/yHGkvYxdqT Opportunity Cost Extension: https://www.opportunitycost.app/ Shoutout to our sponsors: Block: Cash App: For a limited time, new customers can get $21 added to their balance. Just use code TFTC10 when you sign up, and send at least $5 to a friend in the first two weeks. Terms apply. Bitcoin services by Block, Inc. See the Bitcoin disclosures at cash.app/legal/podcast. Square: Visit http://square.com/go/**tftc** for up to $200 off eligible Square hardware. Bitkey: Use code TFTC10 for 10% off the new Bitkey. Aven https://www.aven.com/bitcoin CrowdHealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/tftc Unchained https://unchained.com/tftc/ Salt of the Earth: https://drinksote.com/tftc Join the TFTC Movement: Main YT Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/TFTC21/videos Clips YT Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQcW3jxfQfEUS8kqR5pJtQ Website https://tftc.io/ Newsletter tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/ Twitter https://twitter.com/tftc21 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tftc.io/ Nostr https://primal.net/tftc Follow Marty Bent: Twitter https://twitter.com/martybent Nostr https://primal.net/martybent Newsletter https://tftc.io/martys-bent/ Podcast https://www.tftc.io/tag/podcasts/ Disclosure: Bitcoin services are provided by Block, Inc. Bitcoin services are not licensable activity in all U.S. states and territories, and not all services are available in all states. Bitkey is not available in New York. Block, Inc. operates in New York as Block of Delaware and is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Bitcoin is a non-deposit, non-bank product that is not FDIC insured and involves risk, including monetary loss. For additional information, see the Bitcoin disclosures: https://help.cash.app/btcdisclosures Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at http://square.com/go/tftc**!** #squarepartner. Offer expires December 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm PST. Offer for $40 off the cost of one Square Stand, $75 off the cost of one Square Terminal, $100 off the cost of one Square Handheld, or $200 off the cost of one Square Register, excluding applicable taxes. Limited to one discount per product type per seller account. Each code is limited to one redemption per account holder. Valid for new Square customers located in the US only. Offer not valid with guest checkout. Square reserves the right to modify, revoke or cancel the offer at any time. Offer cannot be combined with any other coupon. Void where prohibited, not redeemable for cash, and non-transferable. #squarepartner #blockpartner

The living ideas that Charlotte Mason says should inspire our education have been educating great minds since the beginning. The Inspired Homeschool is now available! https://amzn.to/4aKPCGJC.S. Lewis, Leonardo da Vinci, Blaise Pascal, and Joan of Arc were homeschooled. Jennifer Pepito reveals how history's greatest minds were educated, and what it means for your homeschool today.Jennifer Pepito, author of The Inspired Homeschool and host of The Restoration Home podcast, joins Mystie to share how Charlotte Mason's principles have been lived out through history's most inspiring figures. With over 25 years of homeschooling her seven children, Jennifer offers a vision for joyful, confident learning that goes far beyond boxed curricula.In this episode:✅ Why the most influential people in history were homeschooled — and what that means for Christian homeschooling today✅ How Charlotte Mason's living books approach transforms the way children learn✅ The surprising power of quiet time, free play, and time in nature✅ Why reading aloud is the most powerful thing you can do to pass on values to your children✅ How to stop comparing your homeschool to public school standards — and trust your children's God-given capacity to learn"We overestimate the power of a boxed curriculum or a trained teacher, and completely underestimate the power of our own love for God." — Jennifer PepitoWhether you're just starting your homeschool journey or 25 years in, this conversation will encourage you to build a homeschool rooted in faith, virtue, and joyful curiosity.

Send us Fan MailWhat does it look like to educate your children well when you're also milking cows, fixing tractors, and butchering chickens? In this episode, Noah sits down with Todd Smith — a former teacher and school administrator turned homeschooling, homesteading dad — to talk about integrating education and farm life instead of letting them compete.Todd shares the vision of "domestic monasticism" that led three families to co-own an 86-acre farm in East Tennessee, and why a life shaped by prayer, study, and labor forms children who are thoughtful, compassionate, and hardworking.In this episode:Why education is more formation than information — and what that frees you fromStarting with the end in mind: defining who you want your children to become before deciding what curriculum to useWriting a family vision statement (and why keeping the whole list in front of you is a recipe for discouragement)Charlotte Mason's simple daily framework: something to know, someone to love, something to doOral narration, commonplace notebooks, and copying Scripture — low-cost tools that actually build readers and writersA day in the life on St. Mary's FarmWhen the pigs get out and the tractor breaks: treating "distractions" as the curriculum, not interruptions to itAn honest conversation about family roles, complementarianism, and how Todd and his wife divide farm, income, and educationPractical first steps: choose one book, read it together, and make your child the resident expert on one part of the farmResources mentioned:Todd's packet of planning questions and skill lists for homesteading families The Monkhood of All Believers by Greg PetersThe Benedict Option and Live Not by Lies by Rod DreherCharlotte Mason's educational philosophyThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienConnect with Todd:Instagram: St. Mary's Farm TennesseeEmail: tsmith@fcsva.comUntil next time — be faithful, be humble, and keep redeeming the dirt.Support the show

Welcome to the Homeschool Mom Book Club 2026 — a year of reading chosen entirely for you. Can I ask you a question? Who is nurturing you? It’s a question most homeschool moms never get asked. We pour everything into our children — our time, our creativity, our patience, our presence — and somewhere in all that nurturing, we forget that we are humans with needs too. Who Is Nurturing You? I’ve been there. I spent years showing up for everyone else and calling what was left of me enough. Occasional Wednesday nights at Starbucks with a latte and a journal were the thing that kept me going. I thought that was enough. It wasn’t. It’s cliche, but it’s true: I was surviving, not thriving. I craved time to read and write and learn for myself — not just enabling it for the kids. And when I began reading for me, I realized I could answer some of the challenges I was noticing in my homeschool family. After nearly two decades homeschooling and six years coaching women who home educate, I’ve learned that books, and their authors, can be incredible resources for us as home educators. I’ve also learned, from my own life, and the lives of other homeschool moms, we consistently DON’T put ourselves on our to-do lists. We leave our needs, our interests, our rabbit trails last on our lists. Our social lives can be abysmal (funny that onlookers are concerned that our kids aren’t socialized, when mom is driving them hither and yon, waiting in the parking lot while they meet new friends and do cool things). That’s why the Homeschool Mom Book Club 2026 exists. And that’s why I want to invite you into the 2026 lineup — twelve books, one per month, chosen entirely for the woman doing this work every single day. A Gift for the Mama Who Keeps Coming Last If you’ve been putting yourself last in your homeschool, I made something for you. It’s called the Permission Slip — 14 daily anchor practices for the homeschool mama who keeps coming last. It’s free and it’s yours. Grab it here: Yes, I Give Myself Permission You Are the Most Important Curriculum in Your Homeschool Before we get to the books, I want to say something I come back to again and again in my coaching work with homeschool moms: You are the most important curriculum in your homeschool. Not the books you choose for your kids. Not the actual curriculum you pull out each morning. And not the co-op or the field trips or the Charlotte Mason inspired nature study either. You. The way you show up. The way you regulate. Even the curiosity you model. The grace you extend — to your kids and to yourself. That is what your children are absorbing every single day. So investing in yourself isn’t something you do when you finally have time. It’s the most important work you can do for your homeschool. And a good book — and a community of women to think about it with — is one of the most accessible ways to begin. How the Homeschool Mama Book Club 2026 Works One book a month. Twelve months. Four quarterly themes that build on each other — so the reading isn’t just a list but a year-long conversation with yourself. When you’re listening to yourself, able to hear two thoughts in a row (because you know that is hard to do with kids afoot), and willing to unpack the challenges in your homeschool mom life, you’ll move toward enjoying the charms of your homeschool family life. And here’s the part I want you to hear clearly: you don’t have to read the book to show up. I know, crazy, right? A book club where you don’t HAVE to read. Of course, you’ll be more deeply benefited if you do. But I know I wouldn’t have been able to read a book a month in my busiest homeschool years and I’m certainly not expecting it of anyone else. Come for the conversation, come for the community, and come because for one Friday morning a month someone is asking what you think and what you need. Every month in the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective we gather for four Friday sessions built around each book: Roundtable Chat — the big question the book is really asking Book Club Discussion — diving into the ideas together Writer’s Room — putting pen to paper on what surfaced for you Actionable Strategies — taking what you learned and building it into your real homeschool life https://youtu.be/WX9ALm-uODU?si=j3xVN-WWRQWkyJWm The 2026–2027 Homeschool Mama Book Club Lineup ☀️ Summer — Your Inner Life June, July, August We start by turning inward. Before we can talk about education philosophy or creative practice we need to know ourselves a little better first. June — Atlas of the Heart by Brené BrownDo you actually know what you’re feeling — or are you just reacting to it? Brown maps 87 emotions and gives you the vocabulary to finally understand what’s happening inside you — and why it matters for every relationship in your home. July — The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne StabileWhy do you parent and teach the way you do? This warm, witty introduction to the Enneagram helps you understand your core motivations, your stress responses, and the invisible rules you’ve been living by without even knowing it. And when you join the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective (where the Homeschool Mama Book Club lives, you’ll have access to a workshop on how the Enneagram works in your homeschool family.) August — The Life That’s Waiting by Brianna WiestWhat would your life look like if you stopped forcing it and started living it? Wiest’s newest collection of essays is for the mom who has been pushing herself toward a life that doesn’t quite fit — and is finally ready to choose differently.

Poem VIII from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Here's a look at how you can schedule high school work while still using the wonderful Charlotte Mason Method in your home school.

Here's a look at how you can schedule high school work while still using the wonderful Charlotte Mason Method in your home school.

Keegan Spittle asks whether the Charlotte Mason method should adapt to the demands of college, or colleges should adapt to the demands of the Charlotte Mason method.

Welcome to episode 194 with Jennifer Pepito, Cindy West and Alicia Hutchinson. Cindy West is the founder of Our Journey Westward a homeschool science and nature study and a long time homeschool mama. Alicia Hutchinson is the creator of Learning Well and a homeschool mama of many years.  This is such a fantastic episode whether you are starting to homeschool or in the thick of it.  Jennifer, Alicia, and Cindy talk about self-care, a Charlotte Mason education, getting outside, what their ideal homeschool day looked like, and so much more.  Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press! To support the podcast and Jennifer pre-order her newest book Inspired Homeschool. This incredible book gives you stories of famous home-educated artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, authors, and statesmen and outlines the lessons we can learn from them as we raise the next generation of great thinkers.  Looking for ways to make learning come alive and give your children the education of a lifetime? Check out the Peaceful Press curriculum. In this episode:  Finding micro-moments of self-care The key elements of a great homeschool day  Foundational principles for your children Stewarding your marriage in every season  What we loved about homeschooling You can learn more about Alicia at her Learning Well You can learn more about Cindy at Our Journey Westward If you're looking for inspiration for your homeschooling, check out Jennifer's new book The Inspired Homeschool. Pre-order now for exclusive bonuses You can learn more about Jennifer here: Jennifer's Instagram You can learn more about Alicia and Cindy here:  Alicia's Instagram and Cindy's Instagram  Some Amazon Affiliate Links 

You have been researching homeschool curriculum for weeks, filling carts, reading reviews, and asking everyone what they use. What if none of that matters as much as what you do before you ever open a single book?This episode shares 3 simple tips that will make a bigger difference in your homeschool this year than any homeschool curriculum purchase ever could:✅Why your attitude and atmosphere are more important than the curriculum you choose✅How to take a CEO planning date that prepares you for the whole year✅1 tradition that creates lasting memories your kids will still talk about decades from now✅3 questions to ask about each child before buying any homeschool curriculum✅Why knowing your learner always comes before choosing any programJoin the waitlist for the new homeschool support community mentioned in this episode and be first to know when it opens.Resources for You Raising Leaders Not Followers Course waitlistNew homeschool support community waitlistYour Biggest Homeschool Decision This Year Is Not CurriculumRaise your hand if you've already started looking for curriculum. Maybe you've already spent hours reading reviews or filled up an online shopping cart. What if I told you your biggest decision in your homeschool this year is not curriculum? It's the atmosphere and the expectations you create before you ever open a book. Today I'm sharing three simple tips that will make a bigger difference in your homeschool than which curriculum you buy.Tip #1: Prepare Yourself Before You Prepare for SchoolThere are moms like yourself that spend weeks organizing books, labeling bins, printing out schedules — but almost no time preparing themselves. What kind of mom do you want to be this year? Peaceful? Flexible? Intentional? Joyful? You really do need to decide that before you move forward, because when you are ready, your kids will automatically follow along.I want to strongly encourage you to take a CEO homeschool planning date. I used to do this. I still remember one particular planning date — we were living in Idaho, and there was a coffee shop called Bootser's. I went up there for a whole Saturday morning and worked on things to prepare for our homeschool that year.Get somewhere you can be by yourself with a notebook and a calendar. You're not going to plan the whole year — I don't even understand when people say they plan the whole year in a day. What if your child, three weeks in, doesn't understand the Pythagorean theorem and you've got to go back? Plan an overall idea of what you'll cover each month, but the weekly details? Plan one or two weeks at a time. Life happens. My past two weeks, I had no idea I was going to spend two weeks helping my mom recover from surgery. That just wasn't what we expected. But I had the freedom and the blessing to go be there for her.One of the most important things you can do before that planning date is pray. Ask God what He wants you to do, how to plan for this year, what is special about each of your children right now. When mom is prepared emotionally, the whole homeschool changes.Charlotte Mason was having dinner at her home once and asked her guests — what is the most important thing in your home? Someone said bookcases. Someone said the cradle. She said no. Space is the most precious thing, because that will help you clarify your attitude and create a life-giving atmosphere.Mom, a life-giving atmosphere starts with you. For some of you that may mean purging the clutter. Have a garage sale before September. Maybe it means getting rid of some extra activities — even that tournament team your kids are on. You need to look and see what is really life-giving and what will make a lifelong impact on your children.Charlotte Mason said — education is an atmosphere, a discipline of life. And a mother's attitude shapes the home more than the curriculum you choose. She spent enormous time preparing mothers, not just preparing lessons.Tip #2: Create Traditions Your Kids Will RememberAlmost all of you get on social media and take a first-day-of-school photo — and those are cute, I love them too. But I want to challenge you to create at least one tradition that goes deeper than a photo.My mom took each of us four kids out for an individual back-to-school lunch before school started. I still remember sitting in a little restaurant in the mall with the windows open where you could watch people walk by. We'd go buy school supplies after lunch. I do this with my grandkids now — usually Jason's Deli because they can get a free ice cream cone with their meal.But the number one tradition in our home? Ice cream sundaes for breakfast on the first day of school. The first year I did this, my kids came to the table and their eyes got wide as saucers. Hunter, the youngest, as a senior in high school, still expected ice cream sundaes. Last year I started it with my grandkids, and they came downstairs and were thrilled — because they'd heard all about it from their parents.These weren't educational moments. But they are something my children remember. And something my grandkids are already hearing about and looking forward to.Choose one tradition this year — not ten, just one. Maybe it's pancakes shaped like their age. Maybe it's donuts with dad. Maybe it's a special prayer or a family blessing over the children on the first day. Maybe it's a lunch date or buying something new.You see, God knows children remember experiences better than lectures. In Deuteronomy 6, God created annual family traditions around Israel's calendar. In Joshua 4, they built a stone memorial so that when children asked, what do these stones mean, the parents could tell the story of what God had done.I have a memory from 50 years ago — I was in a high school youth group, we went to Colorado, we were studying Joshua, and we each brought back a small stone and built a stone memorial in the churchyard. I don't know if it's still there. But I still have that memory. That's the thing about memories. They come back and jog your mind. What experiences are you giving your children?Tip #3: Don't Choose Curriculum Until You Know Your FamilyMany of you are going backwards. You're choosing the curriculum first and then trying to fit your family into it. Instead of asking what curriculum should I buy, ask these questions first.Who are my children? How do they learn? What season is our family in? What kind of homeschool do I want?If you're homeschooling a six and eight-year-old while a two and four-year-old are running around, that is going to look completely different than when those older ones are teenagers. You need to know your family before you ever start choosing homeschool curriculum.What is your personality? Are you willing to change something if it's not working for your kids? I remember using a particular math program all the way through, but when it came to algebra, it just was not clicking for one of our kids. I changed it and found something that worked. Are you so tied to the choices you already made that you'd fit the child into the curriculum instead of the other way around?What is your family's schedule? Do you have special needs in your family? How big is your house? What is your stress level? Just because your friend loves a curriculum doesn't mean it will be right for your family.Before buying anything, write down these three questions for each of your children. What is one strength of this child? What is one struggle of this child? What do I want this child to love this year? Then buy the curriculum.Maria Montessori developed her educational ideas at the turn of the 20th century by observing children before she ever created any materials. She didn't begin with the curriculum — she began with the child and their needs. Her students became confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners. They had the tools of learning. They could think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly. Great educators always start with the learner, not the program.What You Actually NeedAs I've talked to hundreds of homeschool moms, I've realized something. You don't need another curriculum recommendation. What you need is encouragement. You need a community of other people walking beside you. You need accountability.So instead of asking what should we study, ask — who are we becoming as a family? What atmosphere do I want in our home? What traditions will my kids remember? What actually fits our family — not everyone else's?Those questions will shape your homeschool far more than another curriculum purchase. Moms don't need more curriculum. They need support. You don't need another planner — you need confidence. You don't need more information — you need community.If you'd like to hear first when our new homeschool support community opens — with a special founding member discount — join the waitlist at howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait. The link is in the show notes wherever you're listening.And if you're watching on YouTube, would you please leave a comment and let me know your biggest takeaway? What is the one thing you're going to implement this week as you plan for your next homeschool year?

In this episode, we explore Mother Culture—the intentional care of a mother's mind, heart, and soul—and how it shapes the atmosphere of the home. Rooted in Charlotte Mason's philosophy and expanded by Karen Andreola, this idea reminds us that what a mother is, her children will naturally receive. We emphasize that true soul nourishment must be grounded first in a faithful, obedient relationship with the Lord. Time in God's Word is not optional—it is the foundation. From that place, mothers can be refreshed and strengthened through good books, beauty, rest, and meaningful daily rhythms. Rather than a luxury, Mother Culture becomes a way to live with intention—allowing mothers to serve their families with joy, cultivate a life-giving home, and faithfully pour out what the Lord is first pouring into them.   Watch the Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rrg2Z43sNd0    Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org Subscribe to the NHC email at www.nohighercalling.org 

Poem VII from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Today on The New Mason Jar Podcast, Cindy and Dawn chat with returning guest Denise Gaskins, veteran homeschool mother of 5, math coach, and author about her new book Charlotte Mason's Living Math Why did Denise finally write this book? How Denise applied Charlotte's principles to teaching mathematics Why this book includes paintings, puzzles and discussion prompts What kind of accuracy is the most important in a deep understanding of mathematics? How can we discern if a child is understanding concepts versus just parroting back information? Does Denise recommend a specific math curriculum that works with this living approach? What is an example of what a living math lesson might sound like? How can we use art in teaching math? What does Denise think is the key idea of a Charlotte Mason math education? For the full show notes on this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/144. 

Can you keep using the Charlotte Mason Method with high school students? Absolutely!

Can you keep using the Charlotte Mason Method with high school students? Absolutely!

Art Middlekauff issues a challenge to parents and teachers to read Charlotte Mason's six volumes in two years, starting on August 1.

Poem VI from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Are you constantly wondering..."Am I doing enough?"It's one of the biggest fears homeschool parents carry—and after nearly 30 years homeschooling seven children, Jennifer Pepito has a very different perspective.In this episode, Jennifer shares why perfect homeschool days aren't the goal, why family connection matters more than checking every academic box, and how her oldest daughter—despite what she describes as an "imperfect" homeschool experience—graduated summa cum laude, earned her law degree, and was preparing to take the bar exam.We also discuss:• Why many children don't need to read on the same timeline• How read-alouds, audiobooks, and rich conversations build lifelong learners• The surprising connection between movement, outdoor play, and learning• Homeschooling multiple children with family-style learning• Homeschooling a child with special needs• Why trying to recreate public school at home often creates unnecessary pressure• How to build a homeschool filled with curiosity, connection, and joy instead of comparisonIf you've ever worried that your homeschool doesn't look "good enough," this conversation might completely change the way you think about learning.Connect with Jennifer:Amazon LINK to book Website: thepeacefulpress.comInstagram: @jenniferpepitoFacebook: @thepeacefulpressPinterest: @thepeacefulpressPodcast: @restorationhomeResources from Cheryl:

If you thought Charlotte Mason was only about living books, think again! Here are the subjects that use "things" for living ideas.

If you thought Charlotte Mason was only about living books, think again! Here are the subjects that use "things" for living ideas.

Charlotte Mason responds to Maria Montessori in this classical open letter from 1915. Read by Jennifer Talsma.

If you've ever wondered how to help your child move from oral narration to written narration (and eventually into formal essay writing) this conversation with Karen Glass is exactly what you need.Karen Glass, a longtime homeschool educator and Charlotte Mason expert, breaks down the entire writing journey in a clear, practical, and encouraging way.Karen explains what narration really is, why it matters, and how it naturally builds the foundation for strong writing skills. She walks through when to introduce written narration, what it should look like in the early stages, and how to avoid common pitfalls that frustrate both parents and students.One of the most helpful parts of this conversation is learning how to manage expectations. Many homeschool parents feel discouraged when written narrations don't match the richness of their child's oral narrations. Karen explains why this is completely normal and how writing develops over time with consistency and patience.You'll also learn:When to transition from oral to written narrationWhy you should never stop oral narrationHow to handle spelling, grammar, and handwritingWhat realistic expectations look like for young writersHow to build consistency in your homeschool writing routineWhen your child is ready for formal essay writingSimple steps to introduce composition and structureWhy editing is the key to strong writingHow to help your child care about writing as a craftKaren also shares how narration naturally leads into composition, making formal essay writing far less intimidating than many parents expect. By focusing on clear communication, structure, and revision, students can grow into confident writers without the need for complicated programs.If you're homeschooling using Charlotte Mason methods (or simply want a more natural, effective approach to teaching writing) this episode will give you both clarity and confidence.Show notes and transcript: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/charlotte-mason-narration-essay-writing/FREE Homeschool Planner Calendar: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/free-homeschool-planner-calendar/Homeschool START Course: https://www.made2homeschool.com/a/2148255817/KNcPGL3tGetting Started With Shakespeare Guide: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/exploring-shakespeare-children/FREE 5 Day Gentle Homeschool Reset: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/gentle-homeschool-reset/While you're here, would you take a minute to leave a rating and review in your podcast app? Send me a screenshot of your review and I'll send you a $15 gift certificate to my shop! Just email me your review screenshot at Amy@HumilityandDoxology.comJoin Made2Homeschool for exclusive content and community: HumilityandDoxology.com/M2H ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.made2homeschool.com/a/2147529243/KNcPGL3t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Homeschool Planning Guide: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/homeschool-planning-guide/Year of Memory Work: https://humilityanddoxology.com/year-of-memory-workFollow Humility and Doxology Online:Blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/HumilityAndDoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/humilityanddoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/humilityanddoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amy's Favorites: ⁠⁠⁠https://humilityanddoxology.com/favorites⁠⁠⁠This podcast and description contains affiliate links.

Poem V from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. How does that look in your science lessons?

Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. How does that look in your science lessons?

Are you craving more connection and less chaos in your homeschool life? This week, I got to sit down with the brilliant Dawn Garrett, Homeschool Better Together's community manager and an experienced homeschool mom whose kids have all graduated and flown the nest. (Yes, she survived—she's living proof.)We got candid about what “togetherness” really looked like in her homeschool. Dawn shared the honest ups and downs: the seasons when being together at the table was the perfect fit—and the moments when togetherness just wasn't working. Hear how she pivoted, created new rhythms, faced those inevitable sibling squabbles, and nurtured the deep family bonds that have lasted well into her kids' adulthood.We also dug into the importance of community for moms—especially when overwhelm strikes. Dawn dishes on finding mentors, being encouraged by fellow homeschoolers, and how relationships with both your kids and other moms are what really matter, long after the worksheets are graded.This one is jam-packed with real talk, encouragement, and more than a few laugh-out-loud stories—because let's be honest, if you've never measured your day by whether someone's book crossed “the tape line” at the kitchen table, are you even homeschooling?What you'll learn:Dawn's “origin story”—why she went all-in on homeschooling (spoiler: the desire started long before kids arrived)The power of morning time as the anchor for their best homeschool days—and what happened when she had to let it goWhy being together is beautiful… until it isn't (and how to recognize when it's time to try something new)The messy, hilarious reality of sibling relationships at home (and the infamous masking tape table trick)How the atmosphere you create—over years—helps kids remain connected long after graduation (yes, even when you thought they might never stop bickering)Simple, practical ways to foster relationships, reconciliation, and wonder at your homeschool table—even on days you want to wave the white flagWhy community with other homeschool moms is essential for your sanity, confidence, and growth (plus, Dawn's tips for finding true connection—even if it's online)What to do when you're in the thick of overwhelm: where to focus, what to drop, and how to “step out of the chaos and into the wonder.”Mentioned in this episode:Cindy Rollins' resourcesAmbleside Online (for Charlotte Mason inspiration)The Homeschool Better Together CommunityYour Next Steps:Ready to build honest, lasting relationships in your homeschool? Join our free online community for encouragement, resources, and real connection.Never miss an episode! Be sure to follow, subscribe, and leave a review so you don't miss what's next.Find out more about Homeschool Better Together resources for your best homeschool year.

Kathy Dlugolonski explains how a Charlotte Mason feast can be the best thing for our children with special needs.

Send us Fan MailCharlotte Mason argues that all education is ultimately self-education. Unless a student makes the choice to assimilate knowledge into himself, he will not learn anything. If this is so, what role is there for a teacher? Can a student actually be educated into virtue or wisdom?In this episode, Jonathan and Ryan read and discuss the opening chapters of Charlotte Mason's book A Philosophy of Education.Charlotte Mason's A Philosophy of Education: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9781922348050Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780060935467Ambleside Online: https://www.amblesideonline.org/Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9781402782831John Senior's The Thousand Good Books: https://seascs.net/documents/2017/10/John%20Senior%20The%20Thousand%20Good%20Books%20List.pdfTwo ways to support the show and unlock bonus episodes:Download and subscribe to Ekho: ancientlanguage.com/ekho/Subscribe to New Humanists+ for bonus episodes: buzzsprout.com/1791279/subscribeNew Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/Links may have referral codes, which earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. We encourage you, when possible, to use Bookshop.org for your book purchases, an online bookstore which supports local bookstores.Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.comSupport the show

Poem IV from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

For today's episode of The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn welcome back Sheila Carroll of Living Books Press to discuss all things nature study. Why Sheila believes nature study to be so crucial to a Charlotte Mason education How the mother's interest in the natural world can inspire her children What did Charlotte Mason mean when she said we were all meant to be naturalists? Where to start if you really haven't done any nature study yet? What was the nature study movement in America and it's possible influence on Mason? Restoring a vision for the primacy of God's creation in our families What changes has Sheila seen in families when nature study becomes a regular part of their lives? What could nature study look like for a family just starting out? For the full show notes on this episode, please visit https://thenewmasonjar.com/142. 

Dr. Meek on the mother's smile as a form of philosophical formation and a form of epistemic access to reality, why it's important to see oneself being seen (as beloved), and how modernity operates as a barrier to such interpersoned philosophy.  BIO: Esther Lightcap Meek is Professor of Philosophy emerita at Geneva College. Meek's books include Longing to Know: The Philosophy of Knowledge for Ordinary People (2003); Loving to Know: Introducing Covenant Epistemology (2011); A Little Manual for Knowing (2014); and Contact With Reality: Michael Polanyi's Realism and Why It Matters (2017). Recent books are Doorway to Artistry: Attuning Your Philosophy to Enhance Your Creativity (2023), and with Lisa Cadora, Knowing as Loving: Philosophical Grounding for Charlotte Mason's Expert Educational Insights (2023). Her newest book is The Mother's Smile: Philosophical Formation in the Welcome of Mothers and Friends (2025). PODCAST LINKS:- The Mother's Smile (book): https://wipfandstock.com/9798385236473/the-mothers-smile/ NEWSLETTER:Subscribe to our podcast newsletter and get ***40% OFF*** any Wipf and Stock book: ⁠http://eepurl.com/cMB8ML⁠. (Be sure to check the box next to “Podcast Updates: The Theology Mill” before hitting Subscribe.) CONNECT:Website: ⁠https://wipfandstock.com/blog/category/podcast/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Wipfandstockpublishers⁠ *The Theology Mill and Wipf and Stock Publishers would like to thank Luca Di Alessandro for making their song “A Celestial Keyboard” available for use as the podcast's transition music. Link to license: ⁠https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/⁠.

Mrs. Pell describes the effect of Charlotte Mason's ideas on the home education of girls in this vintage 1918 article with an editor's note by Tabitha Wirges. Read by Tabitha Wirges.

What Is an Education Anyway — And Who Gets to Decide? Forget every notion you have been told about what an education is. I want to ask you something I ask every single woman I work with in coaching. What do you believe an education is? And the second question — the one that tends to stop people cold: What did you believe an education was before you started homeschooling? Most of us never actually chose our definition of education. We absorbed it. From school, from our parents, from the culture around us. And then we built an entire homeschool on top of it. And then we wondered why it felt so heavy. And if you’re just starting out and wondering where to begin — I made something for exactly that. The 7-Day Confident Homeschool Roadmap is a free guide that walks you through your first year with clarity rather than overwhelm. Grab it below. Get your free 7-Day Confident Homeschool Mom Roadmap What Is an Education Anyway? The Definition Most of Us Inherited If you grew up in a conventional school system, your working definition probably sounds something like this: Education is the successful delivery of academic content across subjects. Demonstrated through coverage, completion, and measurable progress. Coverage. Completion. No gaps. Not falling behind. Making sure it’s enough. Sound familiar? That definition is exhausting. And it’s not even working in schools. Teachers leave many pages of their curriculum undone at the end of every year. There are interruptions. Substitute teachers. Sick days. Stops and starts. There is no perfectly covered, hundred-percent-completed, no-gaps education happening in a classroom either. And the very academic kids who were force-fed information and tested weekly? How much of that actually stuck? How much of it translated into a purposeful, meaningful life? It is not possible to create a perfectly covered education. Not in a school. Not in your homeschool. The sooner you stop measuring yourself against that standard, the sooner you can build something that actually works. If this is landing for you and you want to hear me unpack it further — I’m also diving into this on my YouTube channel. Same episode, same conversation. Watch it here → https://youtu.be/1T8pINVSeXc Do You Need a Teaching Degree to Define Your Child’s Education? And if you question whether you have the intelligence to answer that question — don’t be in self-doubt. Of course you do. This is your child. Does it seem daunting? It likely does. But it doesn’t have to. I’ve stopped counting the number of times I’ve been asked if I’m a certified teacher. Nope. I’m not. Does being a certified teacher enable me to educate my children better at home? Nope. It doesn’t. In fact, statistically, being a certified teacher has no bearing on a child’s home education. Teachers have classroom management skills. They know standardized learning materials. They have years of experience that homeschooling parents might not have in the beginning — and I am not denying those skills for a moment. But it doesn’t mean I’m not more motivated to learn how to engage my children’s education than someone else. When I asked a kindergarten teacher about Grade 2 math, she didn’t know what to say. When I asked a high school English teacher how to approach a history discussion with an elementary-aged child, she was stumped too. Turns out, teachers don’t have the full breadth of knowledge either. And I’m certainly not claiming to either. Why do we think we need to? Google doesn’t have it all. Neither does YouTube. But both are pretty helpful. And when they aren’t, there are always books. Lots and lots and LOTS of books. You just need to know where to find the information. A little research and it’s findable.  So Where Do You Find What You Need? When I was in junior high, we bought our first computer: a Tandy EX 1000. The only computer training we had was a Logo program that did next to nothing for me. I attempted to wield x’s and o’s. I’m pretty sure they meant something, but I didn’t understand. Some thirty years later, anyone who wants to know how to use a computer knows. Anyone who wants to know how to Google, YouTube, Facebook, Tweet — they figured it out. Why? Because they found out, by themselves. Tada. The human mind is capable of figuring things out because it wants to. P.S. You might wonder how I went about structuring a thirteen-year-old’s academic education. Self-Education: The Heart of What an Education Really Is Why do we assume kids need everything taught to them? We assume something needs to be done to them. Before anyone sat them down and formally taught them anything, they had already learned animals, language, and how to navigate relationships. In their first year. Their second. Their fifth — long before they ever walked through a kindergarten door. Kids want to learn. It’s simply what they do. When we ask the question — what is an education anyway? — we’ve just begun to really consider who our children are and what they need. And that is exactly what Charlotte Mason was pointing to. What Is an Education Anyway? Here’s What Charlotte Mason Said. “Self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid on the surface of a child’s nature.” — Charlotte Mason I have returned to this quote more times than I can count. Because it points to something we already know intuitively. We keep forgetting it when we sit down at the kitchen table and default to the curriculum, the workbooks, the boxes of books, the online programs everyone else is using. Your job is not to pour information into a vessel. Your job is to raise up the child right in front of you. So what does that actually look like in a real homeschool? Here’s one mom’s answer. What Does Real Home Education Actually Look Like? A mom I worked with had been homeschooling for six years, three kids, and had done a lot of the external work — curriculum, systems, showing up every day. And then she went deeper and found her own answer to the question of what an education really is: “Education is a process of exposure to knowledge while learning involves personal processing and growth. Character traits like discernment, self-confidence, and self-management are important outcomes that continue developing long beyond formal education years.” She also said something that stopped me: “Even if no one was watching or assessing my approach, I would maintain similar objectives and methods.” She has found her own answer — not borrowed from the school system, not borrowed from a curriculum company. Entirely hers. And that is what I want for you. For me, the answer starts in the same place it always has — in wanting to engage my child, teach them when necessary, and capture their little hearts. I am most definitely motivated to do that. And so are you. That’s why you’re here. Want to keep going? This conversation continues on my Rethinking Education YouTube channel. Find it here → https://youtu.be/lkFJglpaoqs What is an education anyway? What Is an Education Anyway? Questions to Sit With This Week As you move through your week, gently ask yourself: What definition of education am I actually operating from right now? Did I choose it — or did I absorb it? Where might I be able to trust what is already working in my child? If no one was watching or assessing my homeschool, would I do anything differently? You don’t need to answer all of it today. Just noticing is already meaningful work. Want to Go Deeper? If this post resonated, the podcast episode What Is an Education Anyway? goes much further — including the five shifts I see happen when a homeschool mom finally loosens the grip of a definition that was never really hers, and what it looks like when peace replaces pressure in a real homeschool home. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. When you’re ready to take the next step, here are three ways I can help: If you’re in your first year — start with the free 7-Day Confident Homeschool Roadmap. It will give you a clear, grounded foundation so you begin with confidence rather than overwhelm. If you’ve been homeschooling for a while and something feels off — take the quiz to identify the real root of your frustration. It’s free and takes five minutes. And if you’re ready for a real reset — book your free Aligned Homeschool Reset session. This is where we get clear on what’s actually going on in your homeschool and your life — and you walk away with a whole lot more peace than you arrived with. Teresa Wiedrick is a certified life coach and graduated homeschool mom who supports homeschool moms in building a life — not just a lesson plan. Her work focuses inward, because most homeschool overwhelm has nothing to do with curriculum. Book your free Aligned Homeschool Reset Session I help homeschool moms trust themselves, edit expectations, and make intentional choices that create a more confident, connected, and present homeschool life. Book your Reset Session with Teresa People also ask… Self-Directed Learning: the Art of Encouraging Independent Homeschooling Building Connection with Tamara Strijack of the Neufeld Institute Is there an art and a science to an education? Why Seasoned Homeschool Moms Still Struggle (And How to Break Free) How do I unschool my child: 5 ways to move toward it in your homeschool Can you homeschool without a homeschool room? “Should I Homeschool My Child?” Here's What You Need to Know Why You're Losing Confidence as a Homeschool Mom (and How to Get It Back) How I transitioned from homeschool to public high school 5 suggestions about buying a new curriculum How to Start Homeschooling Confidently in Year 1 What's the connection between self-directed learning & free play? Latest episodes What Is an Education Anyway? Your Answer Changes Your Homeschool June 8, 2026 5 Reasons Your Homeschool Child Won’t Do Work & How to Motivate Your Child June 2, 2026 Crush 1st-Year Homeschool Frustrations and Plan a Smooth Year 2 May 30, 2026 Encouragement for Homeschool Moms in the 1st Year May 30, 2026 Transitioning into Homeschool High School: What We're Really Talking About May 26, 2026 Registered Homeschooling vs Online Learning BC: What Really Matters May 19, 2026 Homeschool Year End Review: Celebrating your Success & Growth May 12, 2026 When You Buy New Homeschool Curriculum: 5 Clever Suggestions May 6, 2026 The Truth About Homeschooling the “Right Way” — But What Works May 5, 2026 9 Steps to Thrive: Confident Homeschool Mom in Year 1 April 28, 2026 What If Your Unrealistic Expectations Are Actually Your Greatest Asset? April 21, 2026 Overcome Imposter Syndrome: How to Build Confidence as a Homeschool Mom April 14, 2026 How to Get Started Homeschooling in 2026 April 11, 2026 9 Mistakes That Make Your 1st Homeschool Year Stressful (& How to Avoid Them) April 9, 2026 How to Make Confident Homeschool Decisions (Without Seeking Permission) April 7, 2026 How to Homeschool When Everyone Has ADHD (And You’re Exhausted) March 31, 2026 Exhausted Homeschool Mom? 8 Things That Will Give You Hope March 24, 2026 Stop Second-Guessing as a Homeschool Mom (& Use Your Magic) March 17, 2026 “You’re Not Falling Apart. You’re in the Winter Homeschool Slump.” March 10, 2026 The Lies Homeschool Moms Believe That Makes Everything Harder March 2, 2026 You’re Not Failing. You’re Caught In An Inner Critic Loop. Here’s How to Get Out February 24, 2026 How to Stop People-Pleasing as a Homeschool Mom (One Mom’s Story) February 17, 2026 How to Stop the Inner Critic as a Homeschool Mom: The Charmed Life I Was Chasing (& the Pattern I Didn’t Know I Was Living) February 10, 2026 The Most Important Way to Take Care of Yourself as an Overwhelmed Homeschool Mom February 2, 2026 How to Do Kindergarten in Your Homeschool: A Fun & Effective Guide January 29, 2026 The Real Reason You’re Overwhelmed (It’s Not the Curriculum) January 26, 2026 Unexpected Feelings When Your Homeschooler Gets Accepted to University January 22, 2026 How to Stop Being a Hostage to Homeschool Pressure (& What to Do Instead) January 19, 2026 The Truth About Finding Your Homeschool Rhythm January 13, 2026 The Confident Homeschool Mom Podcast: Introducing the 1% Pivot January 6, 2026 Purpose-Driven Homeschool Planning for 2026: How to Recalibrate the Year with Clarity December 23, 2025 1% Shift to a Calm Homeschool Life December 23, 2025 12 Things I've Learned About Homeschool Moms: Self-Care Tips for Overwhelmed Homeschool Moms December 10, 2025 12-Day Homeschool Mom Self-Care Challenge to Come Back to Yourself December 2, 2025 What is the Reimagine Your Homeschool Group Coaching? November 18, 2025 Not Just a Homeschool Mom — Why You’re Disappearing (And How to Come Back) November 11, 2025 Teaching World War to a Homeschooled Eight Year Old November 10, 2025 Reimagine Your Homeschool: Feel Free, Inspire Curiosity and Do What Works November 5, 2025 the role of imagination in a home education November 4, 2025 Helping Our Kids Live Their Lives on Purpose: A Practical Guide for Homeschool Moms October 28, 2025 How to Set Realistic High School Expectations? Learn Human Development October 20, 2025 How to Build Homeschool Routines that Support YOU October 14, 2025 Why Deschooling? To Feel Confident, Certain & Good Enough October 7, 2025 The Ultimate Guide to Building Boundaries and Healthy Relationships for Homeschool Moms September 23, 2025 Ultimate Homeschool Overwhelm Quiz That Reveals Your Hidden Stress Triggers in 5 Minutes September 15, 2025 Start Homeschooling in British Columbia: How to Decide September 9, 2025 How to Create an Effective Homeschool Routine that Works for You September 2, 2025 Interest-Led Homeschool for Confident Moms: An Enneagram 8 Mom's Story of Growth August 28, 2025 How Do I Unschool My Child? 5 Simple Steps to Set Them Free August 19, 2025 Top Tips for New Homeschool Moms in Season 3 August 11, 2025 Subscribe to the Confident Homeschool Mom podcast YouTube Apple Audible Spotify Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventureLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (function(m,a,i,l,e,r){ m['MailerLiteObject']=e;function f(){ var c={ a:arguments,q:[]};var r=this.push(c);return "number"!=typeof r?r:f.bind(c.q);} f.q=f.q||[];m[e]=m[e]||f.bind(f.q);m[e].q=m[e].q||f.q;r=a.createElement(i); var _=a.getElementsByTagName(i)[0];r.async=1;r.src=l+'?v'+(~~(new Date().getTime()/1000000)); _.parentNode.insertBefore(r,_);})(window, document, 'script', 'https://static.mailerlite.com/js/universal.js', 'ml'); var ml_account = ml('accounts', '1815912', 'p9n9c0c7s5', 'load');

Poem III from Charlotte Mason's The Saviour of the World Volume I Book II.

Are you focusing so much on academics that you're forgetting the bigger picture of education?In this episode, we talk about what Charlotte Mason meant by “raising the whole child” and why homeschooling is about so much more than grades, curriculum, and checking boxes.We discuss:• character and habits• emotional regulation• life skills• home atmosphere• meaningful work• raising capable, responsible childrenBecause homeschooling is not just preparing children for tests—it's preparing them for life.

H. W. Household describes and endorses Charlotte Mason's approach to English literature in this vintage lecture from 1922. Read by Greg Rolling.

When is schoolwork really finished? If your child refuses the last five math problems, drags through copywork, or resists the assignment you carefully planned, the issue may not be laziness or defiance. It may have meaning.In this episode, we rethink what completion really means in homeschool. We explore intrinsic motivation, rote practice, sensory needs, Charlotte Mason's wisdom, gaming “grind,” and the parent's role as coach rather than taskmaster. We also talk about how to document learning without turning home into school.Join us as we trade arbitrary finish lines for meaningful progress.Resources:Register for the Brave Writer Book Reveal on June 1st and 2nd – our biggest event of the year!Sign up for our free training webinars in June. It's professional development for parent educators!Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopBrave Writer class registration is open for summer classes!Visit Julie's Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie's new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingFind community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsStart a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that's sure to grab and keep your child's attentionSubscribe to Julie's Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa's Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.comConnect with Julie:Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriterConnect with Melissa:Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.socialProduced by NOVA

Miss C. D. Lawe applies Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education to the summer months in this vintage article from 1917. Read by Jennifer Talsma.

What does it look like to homeschool faithfully through changing family seasons, chronic illness, and the everyday realities of motherhood? In this encouraging homeschool conversation I spoke with Beth Howard about Charlotte Mason homeschooling, mother's education, lifelong learning, and finding joy in the daily work of home education.Beth Howard is a writer and educator whose work focuses on helping mothers continue their own intellectual and spiritual growth while homeschooling their children. In this conversation, Beth shares how her family began homeschooling, how her approach has changed over time, and why Charlotte Mason principles have become such an important framework in her home.If you are a homeschool mom feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or stuck, this episode offers practical homeschool encouragement and realistic wisdom. Beth talks honestly about navigating homeschooling while managing chronic pain and autoimmune illness. She explains why hard homeschool days are often connected to stress, health, or outside pressures rather than curriculum problems, and why faithfulness matters more than perfection.You'll also hear a thoughtful discussion about mother's education and why learning is not only for children. Beth shares how she created her own rich educational life during a painful health season through books, notebooks, nature study, and intentional learning. She explains how mothers can pursue truth, beauty, and goodness in small ways, even with little children at home.If you love topics like Charlotte Mason homeschool methods, classical homeschooling, mother culture, homeschool habits, nature study, homeschooling with littles, and Christian homeschool encouragement, this episode is for you.Show notes and transcript: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/mothers-education-beth-howardLife Skills Now: https://sl290.isrefer.com/go/LSN5/arsloan/Homeschool START Course: https://www.made2homeschool.com/a/2148255817/KNcPGL3tGetting Started With Shakespeare Guide: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/exploring-shakespeare-children/FREE 5 Day Gentle Homeschool Reset: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/gentle-homeschool-reset/While you're here, would you take a minute to leave a rating and review in your podcast app? Send me a screenshot of your review and I'll send you a $15 gift certificate to my shop! Just email me your review screenshot at Amy@HumilityandDoxology.comJoin Made2Homeschool for exclusive content and community: HumilityandDoxology.com/M2H ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.made2homeschool.com/a/2147529243/KNcPGL3t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Homeschool Planner Calendar: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/free-homeschool-planner-calendar/FREE Homeschool Planning Guide: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/homeschool-planning-guide/Year of Memory Work: https://humilityanddoxology.com/year-of-memory-workFollow Humility and Doxology Online:Blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/HumilityAndDoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/humilityanddoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/humilityanddoxology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amy's Favorites: ⁠⁠⁠https://humilityanddoxology.com/favorites⁠⁠⁠This podcast and description contains affiliate links.

Our special guest today is the one and only Cindy Rollins! Cindy homeschooled her nine children for over 30 years using Charlotte Mason's timeless ideas from the beginning. She is the author of Mere Motherhood: Morning Time, Nursery Rhymes, and My Journey Toward Sanctification and others, including Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love and her latest Beyond Mere Motherhood: Moms Are People Too.  She hosts The New Mason Jar Podcast and runs an active discipleship group at patreon.com/cindyrollins. Her heart's desire is to encourage moms. She lives in her mostly empty nest in the Lexington, Ky area with her husband Tim. She loves interacting with her 18 grandchildren. In addition to a social media presence on both Facebook and Instagram, you can find Cindy and her newsletter, Over the Back Fence, at her website: https://morningtimeformoms.com/ In today's episode, the Scholé Sisters talk with Cindy Rollins about artificial intelligence, its dangers and how to avoid them, and also how to interact with it prudently.  You're going to love this conversation! *** It's just about time for our annual Scholé Sisters Summer Swag!!! This year is an especially good year. If you are a Sophie-level member of the Sistership continuously throughout all the summer months, you will receive a Scholé Sisters book bag! Make sure you get yours by becoming a member at scholesisters.com/join. *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss175 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Today on The New Mason Jar, Cindy and Dawn are joined by Celeste Cruz, Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom of eleven and executive director of the CMEC How Celeste came to know about Charlotte Mason's philosophy Some opening thoughts on CM's approach to history through both books and other things What are some of the tools we can use for studying history, and what is their natural progression? How does Celeste work these tools into her own homeschool? What is the value of these tools when students are already narrating? Why is it so important to consider the teacher's role in using these history study tools? How can we support our students in the process? See the full show notes for this episode at https://thenewmasonjar.com/139. 

If you've ever wondered if your child is actually listening—or worried you're doing something wrong—this episode is for you.Today we're talking about what's really going on when young kids don't respond the way we expect, and how to gently teach listening in a way that builds confidence instead of pressure.In this episode, we cover:What's actually age-appropriate (especially for little ones)Why “I don't know” doesn't mean they aren't learningHow to use Charlotte Mason-style narration—without turning it into a testSimple ways to build attention and listening skills over timeBecause at this age…you're not measuring what they know—you're nurturing their ability to pay attention.If you're just starting homeschooling or feeling unsure if it's “working,” this episode will give you clarity and peace.

Charlotte Mason Inspired Mini-Series: Imparting Morals to Our Children with Liz Cottrill, Special Patreon Release   Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."   *Transcription Below*   Questions and Topics We Discuss: What are the benefits of reading and reading aloud and how can we prioritize making this a frequent rhythm in our homes? What do the Gospels teach us about God's view of children? As parents, if we focused on nothing else, what is your highest recommendation for cultivating a moral and righteous character in our children?   Liz Cottrill is mother of six and grandmother of fifteen who homeschooled for 35 years. For 17 years, Liz has worked with her daughter, Emily,  in their family-owned Living Books Library serving local homeschool families in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. For the past 25 years, Liz has been discovering and teaching about the beauty and purpose of a Charlotte Mason method of education. This led to the development of A Delectable Education podcast. In addition, she does personal consultations with homeschool families around the world. Her greatest passion outside of family and teaching about Charlotte Mason is developing and teaching women's Bible studies. Liz is a reading maniac and delights in spending time with her family and walking and biking with her husband.   Books Liz Mentioned: The Chronicles of Narnia Heidi Little House on the Prairie Series The Yearling Little Britches Series The Secret Garden Where the Red Fern Grows Little Women The Singing Tree The Little White Horse Books by Beverly Cleary and Carolyn Haywood   A Delectable Education Website   Living Books Library   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:08)   Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 1:59) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   I want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria and Savvy Sauce Charities.   Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at Chick-fil-A.com forward slash East Peoria.   If you've been with us long, you know this podcast is only one piece of our nonprofit, which is the Savvy Sauce Charities. Don't miss out on our other resources. We have questions and content to inspire you to have your own practical chats for intentional living. And I also hope you don't miss out on the opportunity to financially support us through your tax-deductible donations. All this information can be found on our recently updated website, thesavvysauce.com.   Today is the final episode in our mini-series, where we've been learning the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy. And today we're going to tie it in with general parenting principles, all of which are rooted in scripture.   My guest is Liz Cottrill, and she has parented babies to adults, and she's also a grandmother. So, we have a lot to learn from her experience. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Liz.   Liz Cottrill: (1:59 - 2:03) Well, thank you so much for having me. I am just honored to be with you today.   Laura Dugger: (2:04 - 2:08) Will you just begin by sharing your testimony with us?   Liz Cottrill: (2:09 - 4:12) Well, it's kind of long, but I'll make it as short as I can. I grew up in an unbelieving family, but we were churchgoers. And when I was 12 years old, I put my trust in Christ.   After listening to a 17-year-old boy at a youth group meeting who presented the gospel so clearly for me that I understood and wanted to receive Christ. And then I met my husband in high school in German class. Actually, I don't remember very much German, but I was interested in him and he with me because we were Christians.   And we just got off on that foot together. And we have been married 46 years, always trying to put Christ first in our family and in our life. I have six children who are all grown now.   Two came to us by adoption later on in our life. And I have four married children with 15 grandchildren. And grand is just a minimal word for what they are.   I have been homeschooling for 37 years. I graduated my last child just this past spring, and it's been a long journey. It was illegal when I first began.   And I struggled to know the right path, you know, when and how and what subjects to teach and all of that. And a friend gave me a copy of Susan Schaefer McCauley's, For the Children's Sake, which I immediately gravitated to and started the narration way of teaching and using nature and art. But it really was another five years before I understood a lot more about Charlotte Mason and tried to implement more of her ideas.   And then when my grown daughter Emily, 15 years ago, started reading me her actual writings, it wasn't really until then that I started to understand her method.   Laura Dugger: (4:13 - 4:23) Well, and that's incredible. You mentioned it was illegal at that time to homeschool. And you've said before that you and your husband had never even heard of homeschooling when you met. Right.   Liz Cottrill: (4:23 - 6:15) So, how did you make that choice? You know, it's funny. I had my first child, and I remember a conversation with friends in the nursery at church when we were out of the service with our little ones.   And some of them were teachers, and they were talking about how it would be so wonderful if we could just keep our children out of public school and teach them Ourselves. And that put a little seed in my mind. And then I heard Dr. Dobson interview someone on homeschooling when she was about maybe two. And a year later, a friend took me to a kind of clandestine meeting of homeschool people with a national educator who was big on the idea. And we just decided that was the way we wanted to go. There were people that were actually being prosecuted for truancy and things like that when I started.   But we just wanted to be above board right from the beginning. So, I called the school board and just said, “I'm not going to send my child to school. I'm going to keep him at home, but I just want you to know he is being educated.”   Sorry. And so, you know, they didn't mind it. But I kind of marveled that I did that.   And I had to kind of beg, borrow and steal materials from friends who were ex-teachers and so on and didn't know really what I was about. I just remembered my own experience and tried to replicate that as best I could. And anyway, it was a process.   And by the time my fourth child was in school, there were absolutely no laws at all on the books about homeschooling in Michigan where we live. So, there had been several stages of them becoming more open to it over the 10 years since I started.   Laura Dugger: (6:16 - 6:44) Wow. And I love how that seed was planted through a conversation. And I've spoken with some mothers who have chosen to homeschool, and I've always been intrigued by this concept of morning time.   They say that they use that time to gather their children and read the Bible together. So, even broader than that, will you vision cast what type of healthy rhythm is available with Charlotte Mason's recommended schedule?   Liz Cottrill: (6:45 - 8:29) Well, she was a proponent of very short lessons, which for children under nine would be a maximum of 20 minutes long. And some of them are even shorter. And so school morning does run along at quite a little cliff because you're constantly changing pace.   But that is something that most six- and seven- and eight-year-olds love. And we do begin with Bible. And if you have children of multiple ages, the schedule broadens out for them.   I am not personally a big fan of the quote unquote morning time because all of her morning is together and separate and then together again. And what happens a lot of times when you have too long of a gathering of all ages is that the older children are then left with all the real hard toil at the end of the morning. And, you know, the little kids usually can only stand, you know, maybe half an hour at the most.   But we always sing a song and then had our Bible lesson, which Charlotte Mason has a wonderful plan for how to study Bible as a school subject so that they get to know the entire story from Genesis through Revelation. And then usually we have some poetry and then we just move into all our subjects, which vary from day to day. I mean, math and reading and things like that happen every day.   You know, some days we have art, some days we have geography, you know, all those things happen at various times through the week and not every single day. So, that helps you to cover a lot of ground in a week. That makes sense.   Laura Dugger: (8:30 - 8:36) That does. And so that may be the focus in the morning. And then what does that open up for the afternoon time?   Liz Cottrill: (8:36 - 9:43) So, afternoons are especially for young children, mostly free for them to play and explore and enjoy nature. There are some recommended activities that could occupy some of the afternoon hours, especially if you live in Michigan like I did. And we're snowed in much of the time in the winter months. ‍   But handicrafts and nature walks and reading and housework and things like that could be part of the afternoons. They're more open ended. They're not time limited the way school lesson mornings are.   So, it ushers in a sense of maybe a more leisurely pace in the afternoon, would you say? Yes. And, you know, you might say this afternoon after we come in from play or nature study, we're going to draw.   But there's no regulation that that has to end after 15 minutes or something. You know, some children get really involved in making up their own play or having a puppet show or just doing whatever they want with their free time. And they don't want to be curtailed, you know?   Laura Dugger: (9:44 - 9:56) Sure. And I'm wondering then for the mother, if she's the one doing the homeschooling, is that the time when you used it for lesson planning or preparing for the next day's work?   Liz Cottrill: (9:57 - 10:20) Or doing the laundry and getting dinner ready and all the other million things you have to do every day. Yeah, I usually encourage moms to take 10 minutes to plan for the next lesson day. And sometimes they get that done even before lunch so that when lunch happens, you know, basically their mind is off school and just on to all the other life that we have.   Laura Dugger: (10:21 - 10:29) Wow. And if this is new to someone and they hear 10 minutes to plan the next day's lessons, how is that possible?   Liz Cottrill: (10:32 - 11:06) Well, mostly because a lot of your lesson is already determined by the amount of time you have. There's only so much you can do in any lesson. A young child would have maybe 9 or 10 lessons in a morning.   But usually there's been some preplanning in the summer or before that school term starts. So, a lot of it, you already know what you're doing. And so, we're just specifically troubleshooting or figuring out what's going to happen the next day.   You know, so we give a right amount of math work or choose the vocabulary for the reading lesson or whatnot.   Laura Dugger: (11:07 - 11:41) Okay, that's helpful. And you say that your own education began when you were born into a family who loved and valued books. And Charlotte Mason is quoted saying, “The most common and the monstrous defect in the education of the day is that children fail to acquire the habit of reading.”   So, Liz, what are some of the benefits of both reading and reading aloud? And how can we prioritize making this a frequent rhythm in our homes?   Liz Cottrill: (11:43 - 15:13) I have to preface what I say by saying that this is a huge problem in our culture today. I don't know if you know that my daughter Emily and I started a library for homeschool families. And I have about 20,000 books in my library that we loan out to 40 to 50 families each year.   They have a membership, so they have access to wonderful books. But it wasn't long into this journey almost 20 years ago that I realized that most moms had not even read Little House on the Prairie. And very common children's books were a mystery to them because our culture has kind of lost the art of reading.   I think it's a pretty known fact that only one in four adults ever reads even one book in a year. And I guess books are critical to our culture. They're definitely integral to the whole education process of our children.   They can learn so much more through a whole book than they can through a few paragraphs in a textbook. And the bottom line is that you can't give your children what you don't love yourself. So, the best way to ensure that you make your child become a reader is to be a reader yourself.   So, children, I always say, have to be surrounded by books. There are even education studies out worldwide in all socioeconomic brackets that children who grew up in a home of 500 books or more automatically become readers as adults. I just think that's fascinating.   So, they need to be surrounded with books, but they need to see you reading. And we need to make time to read to them from the very youngest ages. They should be well into early chapter books by the time they ever start school.   And so, reading as a family is just a wonderful, enjoyable activity. I think that when I say they need to see you reading too, I just want to add that that doesn't mean on your phone. Because for all they know, you're looking at YouTube or Facebook or something like that.   I had a friend who said that she really woke up to this one day when her kids were running through the room and she was reading an actual book and her son stopped and said, what are you doing? It just shocked her because she was a reader, but she didn't often read from an actual book. I do think reading as a family builds a wonderful culture in your home.   It is one of the wonderful ways of keeping a family together. You have common jokes and insights and just conversations because of the things you've been reading together. And Charlotte Mason said that our books are our greatest teachers.   And I think that's because they fertilize a child's imagination. They give them so many ideas about the world that they just can't receive from TV or just our normal life. Reading really is the most countercultural thing that you can do.   It slows down our life, the pace that we all live at. It gives us time to spend together to relax. It brings a sense of peace in the home.   Just a lot of enjoyment to life. I can't imagine living without books.   Laura Dugger: (15:14 - 15:30) And Liz, I just get so excited to hear you describe all of this and some of the benefits and the culture that's added. Are there any other books you talked about? Little House on the Prairie.   Are there some other chapter books that you have especially fond memories of sharing with your family?   Liz Cottrill: (15:32 - 16:24) Well, it's no secret to the world, if anybody has ever heard me talk or read anything I've written, that Heidi by Johanna Sperry is probably my all-time favorite. I had my six-year-old daughter, my third daughter. I read it to all my kids.   I read all the books through to her over several weeks or whatnot. And at the end, she said, read it again as if it was a little picture book. And so, I just started it over again and we read it again. ‍ ‍   And then I promised her I'd read it to her every year while she was growing up. So, it's a precious book. I love Ralph Moody's Little Britches series for children and all the classic things, Anne of Green Gables and The Yearling.   And oh, my goodness, how many would you like me to say?   Laura Dugger: (16:25 - 16:29) Feel free to share a few more and I will put links to these in the show notes.   Liz Cottrill: (16:30 - 17:39) Well, the Narnia series and The Secret Garden, Where the Red Fern Grows, Little Women, The Singing Tree by Kate. It's pronounced Charity, S-E-R-E-D-Y. I could go on and on.   The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Gouge. Just dozens. And the fact is that great books are still being written today, but they're like a needle in a haystack.   And so, if you go back to books published before 1970, you are going to find just amazing books that still speak to children. Because adventures are always adventures to a child. They don't care if they were driving horse and buggy or old cars.   And books that children loved back in the last century, in the 20th century, it was the golden age of children's literature, they say. There were as many books published in the 1930 to 35 era as were in the previous 500 years for children. And it just grew from there.   Laura Dugger: (17:39 - 17:47) And there are a few reasons for that before 1970. Didn't that have to do with the library and with publishing houses?   Liz Cottrill: (17:48 - 18:40) Yes, the government passed an educational bill, 1964, I believe, President Johnson, that funded school libraries. So, all of a sudden, all of these small county schools and libraries that had very limited resources and had to be very picky and choosy about what books they put into their library had a flood of income. That produced a flood in the publishing houses of producing books of all kinds.   So, there is a lot of junk out there and unhelpful stuff. But the classics that I grew up on back in the 60s, Beverly Cleary and Carolyn Haywood and all the series they wrote for children are just timeless. My grandchildren still enjoy them, even though they like the latest and greatest, too.   Laura Dugger: (18:41 - 24:25) Sure, but that's helpful to have that context to realize that previously it used to be only the best of the best were able to be published. And that changed. And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Did you know you can go to college tuition-free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right. Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University. Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia.   This online, self-paced program includes 13 associate's degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees, and two master's programs, including an MBA. 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Other than our special Patreon Release episodes, our content is now available in video form in addition to our audio only, and we have written transcriptions for every episode.   Visit our website today, thesavvysauce.com, to access all these forms of interviews. And while you're there, make sure you sign up for our email list to receive encouragement, questions, and recommended resources about once a month to promote your own practical chats for intentional living. I also want to remind you about the financial side of Savvy Sauce Charities.   As you know, we recently became a non-profit, which means all your financial support is now tax deductible. There are multiple ways to give, and we would be so honored if you would share your financial support with us so that we can continue producing free content that is accessible to the general public. Your money will go to support creatively getting the gospel message of Jesus Christ to the nations as we continue to share the good news on every episode.   And I say this is reaching the nations because The Savvy Sauce podcast is downloaded in all 50 United States, as well as over 100 countries around the world. Your financial support also supports practical needs, such as aiding our team to continue producing helpful content that is practical and uplifting and always pointing to Jesus. Your financial support, furthermore, will help us continue to expand our reach and secure future projects we have planned for this ministry.   If your ears are hearing this message right now, I am specifically asking you to give. We are so grateful for any amount, and our team will continue to seek to be good stewards of the gifts offered to us. 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We are all about sharing around here, sharing resources, sharing joy, and sharing the good news about Jesus Christ. ‍   We ask that you also will share by sharing financially, sharing The Savvy Sauce podcast episodes, and sharing a five-star rating and review. You can also share any of our social media posts on Instagram or Facebook. We are grateful for all of it, and we just love partnering together with you.   Now, back to the show.   In addition to reading, handicrafts are another piece of the Charlotte Mason education. So, can you explain what is meant by that term handicrafts?   Liz Cottrill: (24:26 - 25:45) Well, it's a huge arena of things, but it's basically learning to work with your hands, doing purposeful tasks, making things that will make life beautiful. So, it's aesthetic as well as useful. So, I think we all could see that learning to knit is great fine motor training for a child, but being able to make a handmade sweater for someone is serviceable and lovely.   But all kinds of things, woodworking, embroidery and sewing, paper folding and origami, clay modeling, weaving, all of these things, basically a child can start at the rudimentary stage and develop over the years. And there was a huge emphasis with Charlotte Mason that these crafts would then give children opportunity to help and serve others. So, if you know how to work well with your hands, you'll be able to help someone change a tire, or you will be able to make cookies or gifts for people who are sick or shut in or lonely.   Just you'll be a useful person. And she was very interested in the whole person, not just training the mind.   Laura Dugger: (25:46 - 26:02) And I would love to know, I'm sure there's a lot of brain science behind this, even like we know that movement and physical activity, that there is a mind-body connection and how that even unlocks emotions. So, I wonder what is freed up when we work with our hands?   Liz Cottrill: (26:03 - 27:04) One of the things for little children in school, because this was part of the morning lessons, the training process the first few years, as they get older, they work more in that free afternoon time we were talking about. But it gives them a rest from all the effort of paying attention and thinking through things in school. And then there are just the benefits that we all benefit from serving other people.   We all benefit when we are doing something productive and not just rambling around the house, bored and looking out the windows and causing mischief too. So, I think it benefits the mother in many ways, because the children are trained up to learn how to do chores and housework. So, the whole family can be working together.   They can learn how to garden together. That can be a handicraft, for example, that brings in food. And then they can learn to can as they get older.   And, you know, the sky is the limit.   Laura Dugger: (27:06 - 27:32) That's really helpful to hear. And regardless of schooling choice, there is another Charlotte Mason principle that we all may relate to in parenting in general. And she explains the principles of authority on the one hand and obedience on the other are natural, necessary and fundamental.   So, what can this look like in our parenting?   Liz Cottrill: (27:33 - 29:31) You know, she also said that we as parents are deputed as the authority of our children by God. And I think when we realize that this is a God given office that we hold and by authority, I know a lot of people recoil a bit in our day and age, but she meant that we were made by God to lead and guide and protect the children under our care. And children naturally look to us for those things, don't they?   So, when that relationship is understood and a parent is comfortable with the fact that they are the authority in their child's life, the children stay in that role most naturally, too. They respond with trust and obedience. So, loving leadership, you know, is not, as some people think when we say authority over your child, it is not like being overbearing and dictatorial and arbitrary or inconsistent.   And, you know, both ends of that spectrum are a disrespect of the child as made in the image of God. And as someone who God has entrusted to you to bring up, to know him. So, much of what is considered love in our era is just pure child centeredness or indulgence of the child.   We think that's love and love and discipline go hand in hand. And by discipline, I don't mean corporal punishment at all. I think there are many ways to guide a child that help them feel that security, that someone knows the boundaries, that I'm safe within this space.   I have a lot of freedom as long as I obey within these limits. I think we're all like that, right.   Laura Dugger: (29:32 - 29:45) Absolutely. And you parented six children. So, what insight do you have for helping us teach our children to distinguish between I want and I will?   Liz Cottrill: (29:46 - 32:01) And this was a very helpful thing when I started reading Charlotte Mason, to have her distinguish some of these things, because, you know, as parents, we can get into power struggles with our children because we tell them or ask them or prefer them to do a certain thing. And they just don't want to. So, she taught that the will is our decision maker.   It's what causes us to choose things. It's our independence. I can say yes to this or no to this.   Right. But this is sometimes a struggle, even for us adults. I mean, the candy bar is laying there.   You know, you shouldn't eat it, but you want to. So, we all have big and little struggles with what we want versus what we know we ought to do. And she said children should have a sense of ought that they should know there is a right and a wrong.   So, she talked about how we can teach our children what we should do is what helps the other person or gives them their due rights. But the will can get kind of weary of making a lot of decisions, too. And we all talk in our day and age about decision fatigue.   Right. And so, she taught parents to teach a practice with their children how to rest the will when it is in that struggle or turmoil of having to decide whether I will clean my room because mother has asked me. But I do not want to do this nasty job.   So, she said to teach them how to turn their thoughts momentarily to some other thing. Think about something pleasant and desirable that you love just for a moment and then return to the decision at hand, and you will discover that automatically your will is stronger and able to do what it ought to do instead of just what you want to do. And it's really the whole call of Christ on all of our lives.   You know, he said, follow me, lay down your life, don't serve yourself, but serve others. And those are hard things. But when we think of him and the joy of serving him, they become easier to us.   And so, we're beginning to train our children to that habit, too.   Laura Dugger: (32:02 - 32:32) And like you said, yes, that's beneficial to all of us. Charlotte Mason is also quoted saying, the question is not how much does the youth know when he has finished his education, but how much does he care? So, Liz, from your experience home educating many children, how can each of us bring up our own children so that they do care and they do desire to be lifelong learners?   Liz Cottrill: (32:33 - 35:10) I think first is to recognize that every child has an innate desire to learn. A baby is curious from day one, right? We just see them interested in everything.   They're interested in things we have long since forgotten about. They notice everything. And in Charlotte Mason's method of educating, the entire curriculum was called a feast because there were so many different kinds of things.   You know, it's like a big smorgasbord for learning. And I think that in itself builds a lot of care and interest. You know, I think it's also the way God gave us his word and his world and said, taste and see that the Lord is good.   So, when we let our children learn a little bit of this and a little bit of that, they are tasting all kinds of things and discovering new delights all the time and things they would never have noticed or been interested in otherwise. I think it is not pushing our children ever in school. We have very false ideas sometimes about the level a child should be at.   We think more is better all the time. And we're always either pushing or pulling them, dragging them through where they're not really quite ready. I think it's also not leaning on rewards or penalties when it comes to school subjects, especially.   They're maybe not the best idea of parenting in any arena, but knowledge, Charlotte Mason said, is delectable. All kinds of knowledge. And I think that this carries over outside of school to help a childcare is to talk about interesting things with them all the time.   I think in general; parents don't talk to their children a whole lot anymore. We don't have just conversations on other topics that are not currently the hot thing on social media or something.   Interesting your children in a lot of different things is like amending your garden soil in the spring, you know, adding lots of different things so that you ensure a good crop. I think that when you give your children a little of this and that, you are automatically appealing to their instinctive curiosity. And you're giving them the idea that there are dozens and hundreds of things to know and they pursue them then.   Laura Dugger: (35:11 - 35:43) Well, learning is such a value in part because we hope to grow wise and provide a home environment where our children can grow wise as well. And it makes me think of Proverbs 9 10 that says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. So, how can we experience the Holy Spirit as our supreme educator and encourage our children in the same way?   Liz Cottrill: (35:44 - 37:01) Our children have a natural thirst for knowledge and truth. It's in the heart of every person who's made in God's image. And the spirit, of course, is the one who leads us into all truth.   There is no truth that is not God's truth. So, you stand as a teacher in Charlotte Mason's way of teaching. You are outside in a way you recognize that your child is the learner, and you are just presenting the lessons and the feast.   And it is amazing to see how the spirit does work in our children. One morning, this was brought home to me just personally by the Lord when I was reading the beginning of the book of Mark to my boys during our Bible lesson. And when I got to the phrase where John the Baptist says, “prepare the way of the Lord.” It was like the Holy Spirit tapped on my shoulder and said, “that is what you will be doing all morning.”   Because we don't know what God is going to use in their life. And the Holy Spirit does. So, I think it's a lot of trust that he is active and breathing life into our school lessons.   Laura Dugger: (37:02 - 37:03) I love that.   Liz Cottrill: (37:03 - 37:52) Prepare the way for the Lord. Yes. And, you know, we just are constantly amazed at what our children's insights into the scripture are.   But they have those insights when they're doing an art lesson and looking at a beautiful painting. They'll say, oh, this reminds me of or they receive instruction morally from their stories that they're reading. And even in geography and natural sciences, you know, they're seeing all the things God's made and it increases their wonder.   And, you know, the Holy Spirit speaks to them in all kinds of areas. So, I think allowing them to explore and engage, which, you know, traditional workbooks and textbooks do not allow for as much.   Laura Dugger: (37:53 - 38:37) Well, and even as you're speaking, it makes me think about Philippians 2:13, because you're talking about the part that is our part to do. But it also says, for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. So, that is helpful to realize we can help prepare the way for the Lord.   But he's the one who's going to give us and our children the desire to obey and learn these things. Well, and kind of on that topic, what control do you believe that we as parents have to influence the divine life of our child?   Liz Cottrill: (38:39 - 40:38) Well, I think God, in all his wisdom, made parents to be the primary influence in our child's life. You know, Deuteronomy talks about to teach these things to your children while you walk and while you sit and while you lie down and all those things. I'm not quoting it exactly, of course, here.   But so, it's a way of life. We have our mind on God, and he is the center of our life. Our children are automatically going to assume that that is a normal way of being.   But, you know, to a baby, we actually are God to them. We control everything for their life. And so, they begin learning and they're going to have their view of the world and of God shaped by our attitude toward our children, by our behavior toward them, the way we care for them.   If God is our orientation, he's going to be there when we're having fun or even in our discipline moments. God is going to be our reference point as a family. So, they grow up in this culture where God is first, and we look to him and everything.   And I don't mean this means we have to talk to our children about God all the time, but I think it's a pattern of life. I also think that as parents, we teach our children much about God and how to live with him and others in the world. When we are humble Ourselves, when we go to our children, when we have offended them and ask their forgiveness, when we have behavior issues with them and we ask God for wisdom with our child.   We just bring prayer or his wisdom into situations naturally. And I think they just automatically assume or realize our reverence for God by our own demeanor, our own attitude toward God every day Ourselves.   Laura Dugger: (40:39 - 40:45) Well, and furthermore, what do you see the gospels teaching us about God's view of children?   Liz Cottrill: (40:48 - 45:12) I'll tell you, this was my biggest turning point in accepting Charlotte Mason's method of teaching, because I thought if this was what she said was at the heart of her educational method, I could trust her to learn about the things I didn't understand about her method yet. I think it begins with realizing what Jesus said that you cannot enter the kingdom of God unless you do so as a little child. And why is that?   Because children are naturally humble. They're naturally weak. They're naturally poor in spirit.   And he said, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. So, it helps us to remember when we're working with children that this is God's way, because our children can cause some friction in our life, right? They can be obstinate and oppositional and irritating and slow and whining and frustrating.   It's natural for us to push back on those things. But when we realize their character is being formed, that we're accountable to God for these things, then her three rules from the gospels that we should not offend children, which means we don't sin against them. We don't hurt their body or their feelings.   We treat them as we would treat our own friends. We would never say things to our friends that we all feel quite free to say to our children sometimes. And we need the humility, like I've said before, to go to them and ask their forgiveness and to pray with them and to reconcile with our child and not just assume, oh, well, they'll understand when they're older or just, I guess it didn't hurt them that much.   We should never assume those things. Jesus said, do not despise the children. So, when we don't think that they're worthy of the best books, that they are worthy of learning important ideas straight from the truth of books, and we think they have to have dumbed down materials that are just shaped for their, what we consider thimble full of ability.   I think when we're impatient with our children in school lessons and, you know, as a homeschool mom, I did it for so long and I know how easy it is, but we have to ask God for the patience and kindness of Jesus. And we can just very easily dismiss our children that their thoughts are silly. We can belittle them for ideas they have.   We can use our words to make them feel small. And I think Jesus was saying, don't despise them. And then the third thing he said was not to hinder them.   And again, I think by holding them back, by not allowing them to progress when they're ready to learn more, by assuming that they're too young for this or that, sometimes I think we're babying them too much and holding them back. That's a hindrance. I think that especially middle school boys, we don't like them to be growing up, and we don't allow them to exert some of the independence that's just natural with them getting to that age.   So, we just need to remove things in our lives that are going to make school a struggle for them, which doesn't mean we don't require them to learn, but we need to allow them to make mistakes. I mean, how are they going to learn to solve math problems if we're always saying, no, you're doing it the wrong way, and take it out of their hands and show them the way we do it. It's better for them to get the understanding by trying several times.   We let them do this when they're learning to walk and talk. When they start talking, they say things, and only we as mothers know what they're asking for because it isn't clear yet. Well, that is true of every single area of their life.   So, not hindering them means that we work with them and allow them to grow up into the things that they're getting understanding about. And I think sometimes in school lessons, not hindering them is just if they have trouble keeping their hands busy doing what they're supposed to be doing, then let's remove everything in their reach that is going to tempt them to fool around and not pay attention.   Laura Dugger: (45:13 - 45:26) Well, as parents, if we focused on nothing else, what is your highest recommendation for cultivating a moral and righteous character in our children?   Liz Cottrill: (45:28 - 46:32) Well, obviously reading the Bible to your children is a wonderful moral instructor. But I think that novels and poetry and tales, fairy tales, fables, all those things are the children's best teacher. Charlotte Mason said, knowledge touched with emotion is what our minds absorb.   And so, when you're reading a book and you become excited or tense or nervous, I mean, you can watch heart monitors and EEGs, how the mind changes when we're reading different parts of things. And as a parent, a book is the third party that the child will accept much more easily than if we just try to instruct them. I think books engage their imagination and kind of give them a chance to practice life in a safe way.   So, they may have thought that doing a particular thing is a smart idea. But when they encounter a heroine in a book who does it and it doesn't turn out well for her, then they learned a lesson safely.   Laura Dugger: (46:33 - 46:55) I love that thinking about the book as a third party and maybe even a mentor, someone to partner with us to help cultivate that character. And Liz, you have so much to offer, even with your living books, library and your podcast and so many things. If we want to learn more from you after this conversation, where would you like to direct us online?   Liz Cottrill: (46:56 - 47:45) Well, on our website, A Delightful Education dot com, we do have some teacher training videos, we call them, but anybody would be welcome to watch those. And I have done a whole hour long talk about moral instruction through all kinds of literature for children that would, I'm sure, be of interest to any parent, regardless of what educational method they follow. I've made videos on how to teach a child to read and how to keep the wrong books out of their hands and things like that.   So, that would be one specific, but https://www.livingbookslibrary.com. We haven't done a lot with that website, but it's still there. And there are lots of blogs and archives that I've written about children and books and discipline and things like that.   Laura Dugger: (47:45 - 48:03) Wonderful. We will link to that in the show notes for today's episode. And Liz, you may already be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge.   And so, as my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Liz Cottrill: (48:05 - 48:57) You know, I think as a Christian parent, the best thing you can do for your child is to spend time alone with God yourself every day, even if it's three minutes. We need to learn to listen to him and his word, and we need to bring our concerns to him and orient Ourselves to him because the job we have before us is life and death, really. And if I was to add to that, I would say, learn to really listen to your child.   They're telling you all kinds of things, and we need to hear what's really in their heart and deal with their heart issues. And that's probably why I say spending time with God, not only for our own personal growth and maturity, but it is our lifeline as a parent to be able to have wisdom for our children.   Laura Dugger: (48:58 - 49:22) Well, and Liz, you have modeled that so well, and you're just a wealth of knowledge. And it's been encouraging just to hear your courageous decisions, even going back to choosing to homeschool at a time when it was not even legal, but trusting in your Lord. And you've modeled that for all of us today.   So, thank you for all that you've shared. And thank you for being my guest.   Liz Cottrill: (49:23 - 50:22) Well, I am so appreciative of your wonderful questions and thought-provoking things that you've asked. And can I just add one other thing? Oh, please do.   So, I don't know if your listeners are aware of the fact that I am totally blind and have been since birth. And so, I know how scary it is to venture out into homeschooling. I know what a struggle it is to find books to read because there weren't a lot available to me as a blind mother, either for school or just for fun.   So, I just think that one of the reasons God planned for me to have this handicap through my life is just to encourage moms that we really do need God's sight and wisdom. And no difficulty you have before you is too great for Him to help you to navigate the waters of raising children.   Laura Dugger: (50:22 - 54:17) That is beautifully said. And I just appreciate you sharing that. Thank you for opening up to us and what an incredible perspective you have. So, thank you, Liz.   One more thing before you go.   Have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you.   But it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own.   So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a savior. But God loved us so much.   He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news.   Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what he has done for us.   Romans 10:9 says, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. So, would you pray with me now? Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place.   I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity.   In Jesus name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him.   You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned.   So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone. Say it out loud.   Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged.   Luke 15:10 says, in the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. The heavens are praising with you for your decision today. And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with.   You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.‍

Elsie Kitching's 1917 allegory about Charlotte Mason's ideas and the history of thought. Read by Lisa Joss.

We're back for one last episode of Season 11, in which we have been taking a deeper dive into the curriculum as laid out by Charlotte Mason. We have a very important practice to share with you on the podcast today to help you finish your school year well and to get off on the right foot for the one to come. Charlotte Mason, Volume 6 (Amazon) (Living Book Press - use code DELECTABLE for 10% off!) ADE Vol 6, Chapt 10 Reading List Episode 241: Seasonal Reflections Form Level Recap Episodes: Episode 83: Form 1B Recap Episode 84: Form 1A Recap Episode 85: Form 2B Recap Episode 86: Form 2A Recap Episode 87: Form 3 Recap Episode 88: Forms 4-6 Recap Episode 264: The Time-Table Episode 232: Forecasting Short Synopsis Episodes Awaken Living Books Conference July 17-18 in Traverse City, MI ADE Teacher Helps and Training Videos (check back over the summer for new additions!) ADE Patreon ADE Curriculum Cohort (registration for 2027 cohorts start Nov 1, 2026!) Sabbath Mood Homeschool's Nature Explorers Rotation B (available for purchase May 10, 2026!) Sabbath Mood Homeschool's Understanding Biomes (Rotation B available for purchase by the end of August, 2026!) ADE on YouTube  

What if your child's long, winding stories are not a distraction from learning, but the very foundation of it?In this episode, we explore the art of narration: the natural ability children have to tell what they notice, remember, imagine, and understand. Inspired by Charlotte Mason and the astronauts of Artemis 2, we look at how vivid description, precise vocabulary, metaphor, and careful listening help kids turn experience into language.We also talk about oral narration, written narration, jot-it-down practices, observation, public speaking, and why parents can become a child's own Mission Control.Listen in, and let's learn how to say: Copy kid joy!Resources:Learn more about Brave Writer's Worldbuilding class and other enthusiasm-sparking online classes!Explore NASA's “Observe the Moon Like an Astronaut” activityFind our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopBrave Writer class registration is open! Visit Julie's Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie's new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingFind community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsStart a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that's sure to grab and keep your child's attentionSubscribe to Julie's Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa's Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.comConnect with Julie:Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriterConnect with Melissa:Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.socialProduced by NOVA

How do you feel about classical music? Like art, music is a language in itself that conveys thoughts and ideas that words alone cannot. Charlotte Mason recognized this and included musical appreciation in her curriculum as knowledge that was due to all children. Join us in today's podcast and get inspired to begin your own musical education if you haven't already. Charlotte Mason, Volume 6 (Amazon) (Living Book Press - use code DELECTABLE for 10% off!) ADE Vol 6, Chapt 10 Reading List Composer Study Guides from Tillberry Table Music Study with the Masters series from Simply Charlotte Mason Great Musicians series by RaeAnna Goss (info here; shop here) ADE on YouTube