I’m going through some of my school binders and came across notes from the CM group I attended a couple years back. Here are some other posts I’ve written on Charlotte Mason. It’s hard for me to summarize what a Charlotte Mason Education means – there is no one definition, but here are some high points from the notes in the group:

– Incorporating our faith into study.
– Habit training children (and adults!)
– Encouraging a relationship with nature/extended time outdoors; nature study for science.
– Exposure to great ideas and allowing them to make the connections. Don’t tell them what to think allow them to think.
– Living books (no “twaddle” or pointless stuff.)
– Meaningful memorization work, not just pointless stuff but scriptures, hymns, good poems, etc.
– Work towards independence in reading; internal motivation.
– Narration (telling story back in own words, good for later note taking in college.)
– Copy work (for handwriting & to aid memorization.)
– Combination of phonics & sight/whole word approach to reading.
– Teacher directed learning: structured lessons in morning, free time in afternoon for child led exploration.
– Short lessons & focused attention (20 minutes tops, but focused entire time.) Teaching young children to lengthen attention span.
– Hands on math, tactile & manipulative.
– Proficiency in one language besides english, AND latin.
– Daily physical activity.
– Delaying formal lessons (sit down table work, handwriting) until after six years of age. Until then, much reading, nature time, arts, hands on activities, still learning but not formal lessons.