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Living Science Through the Lives of Scientists

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“That which has become the dominant idea of one person’s life, if it be launched suddenly at another, conveys no very great depth or weight of meaning to the second person—he wants to get at it by degrees, to see the steps by which the other has traveled.” (Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p.97)

Charlotte Mason happens to be talking about an idea of her own here, which she wants us to understand, but she knows that if she simply states her conclusions, it will have far less impact on us than if we “get at it by degrees.” The same is true for the principles of science. So then, why do we think it is acceptable to unload a bundle of scientific facts onto children and expect them to learn or simply memorize them? Is it because that is how we were taught, and therefore, we don’t know any other way? Or perhaps it is because we consider them common knowledge. Continue reading →

Embracing the Method

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I’ve had several opportunities over the last few years to lead workshops about Charlotte Mason’s method of science. Incredibly, there is so much to cover that even when I am given several hours and a particular topic or age range to focus on, I still find myself rushing because I know I cannot cover everything in time! Also, I know that there are so many of you who have not had the opportunity to attend a Charlotte Mason conference or retreat. Therefore, I have prepared an organized series of articles to share with you, starting with the nature work that begins before school and continuing through formal science.

Below is a chart that I created to show the progression of science within the Charlotte Mason method. Note that I’ve used the ditto mark (”) to indicate that an activity is continued in the next form. For instance, Special Studies are begun in Form 1 but are continued throughout all of the following forms. In fact, that is the theme of this chart — the idea that once an activity is begun, it continues throughout the student’s education. This is helpful information if you begin using Charlotte Mason’s method in a later form, because it may be necessary to spend a term giving some extra attention to the earlier forms before settling into the form that is appropriate for your child’s age. I also hope you will notice that we are building a foundation for science in the lower forms — a very necessary foundation. Continue reading →

Must We Read Only Christian Authors for Science

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I frequently receive the following question, or some form thereof. So I thought it might be time to answer it here.

I am wondering about the Christian content, or lack thereof, in your science guides and the books they accompany. Could you share a bit about your philosophy in this area and how that philosophy plays out in your science guides?

I guess the first thing you need to know is that I am a Christian. I proclaim those words with tears in my eyes because I know that it was only my Lord’s love for me that made my salvation possible, with precisely zero effort or warranting on my part.

The next thing you need to know is that while I am amazingly grateful for Christian authors and publishers that focus on the field of science, having “Christian” stamped on the cover does not tell me what I need to know about a book.

What I need to know is this:

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