2023 centenary conference

In our cultural moment of loneliness, depression, and general anxiety, a Mason education is especially timely. In response to Johann Hari, author of Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions, I soberly concur that the present norm for our children is disconnection. However, based on his prescription of reconnections, I propose that our children can thrive within a Mason education. As Mason says, our role as parents and teachers is to give our children “a vital hold upon as many as possible of those wide relationships proper to him” (Towards A Philosophy of Education, 2008, 120). Mason envisioned a multitude of connections for her students. More than ever, Mason educators can be confident in the life-giving nature of this approach to education and life as it is indeed for the joyful sake of the children. A practical theology of joy is the hidden gift within a Mason education. Practical theologian Mary Clark Moschella defines joy as the aliveness and attentiveness to the goodness of God in everyday life, which relies on the art and habit of attention. Mason deems this our most valuable habit, as it is rightly oriented to the goodness and beauty of God and moves us from disconnection to connection. My hope is that a practical theology of joy, inherent to a proper Mason education, will be rightly seen as a necessary gift to our children so they can successfully (and joyfully) navigate the complexities of our particular time.

Charlotte Mason joined great thinkers from the past to present knowledge as a whole.

Charlotte Mason emphatically declared her educational ideas to be a method rather than a system.  She related her insistence on method to a work entitled Treatise on Method by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, whom she called a philosopher.  From Home Education, published in 1886, to An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education, published after her death in 1923, Charlotte Mason referenced this work and the ideas contained within it. Five of her six volumes on education name it, quote from it, or otherwise refer to it.

Upon inquiry into the work in question, we discover that Coleridge’s understanding of method is nothing less than a global approach to all knowledge, with special reference to the earlier philosophers, Plato and Francis Bacon. He related his thoughts on method to a natural progression of the way the mind approaches learning. Charlotte Mason embraced this wholistic view of knowledge and made it the foundation of the educational practices she developed.

Her understanding of knowledge as a unified whole created a framework that continues to make her educational practices relevant today as students are encouraged to find connections and meaning as they learn. The use of particular methods, such as narration and the keeping of nature notebooks, operates within this framework.

This presentation will offer a brief overview of Coleridge’s Treatise on Method with special attention to critical details that are fundamental to Charlotte Mason’s understanding and design for education. She postulated that the laws of education, though imperfectly understood, were as inevitable in their effects as the law of gravity. This particular work helps to illustrate that when fundamental truths are apprehended, they may be implemented in a multitude of ways. The better we understand the natural laws that govern the way we think and learn, the better our teaching practices will be.

This session is a summary narration of my centenary monograph: "Strike the Shepherd: From Continuance to Dissolution in a post-Charlotte Mason World – Four Principals’ Experiences (1923-1960)".  In my presentation, I will focus on the the impact of the death of Charlotte Mason in 1923 on the College and in particular I will explore this through the experiences of the subsequent four Principals from 1923-1960. Excavating the archeology of Charlotte Mason College after the death of its Founder in January 1923 offers fascinating reveals as to its history, impact, unfolding, and eventual demise. Mason died at the height of the PNEU and her trained teachers were serving in numerous schools both private and State-centered. The model of training was focused and efficient, and had moved from producing only governesses for homeschooling families in the Empire, to one that met the instructional needs of a burgeoning school-based approach within the UK. Upon Mason’s death, the leadership of the College brought apprehension to the Ambleside Council as well as to the constituency and stakeholders in the PNEU.

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Despite the dissolution of the College, Mason’s work goes on as is evident in its worldwide appeal, in America and beyond. The world of homeschooling alone captures a broad attention as families attempt to apply Mason’s ‘liberal education for all’ to the home. Moreover, a growing number of schools have embraced Mason’s model and desire to make it relevant to today’s children. Micro-schools, educational cooperatives, tutorial groups, and independent and charter public schools all demonstrate that Mason’s realised pedagogy has made a resurgence into the current educational world.

In recent years, some have questioned whether a dated, British-based educational philosophy can fully support the expansive needs of today’s children as diverse, global citizens. Much has been made of the limitations of oft-used books and resources that haven’t traditionally incorporated as many of the voices and viewpoints we know to be critical for a child’s development as a thinker, believer, and doer in today’s world. In this session, we’ll discuss the gaps between Mason’s philosophy, which inherently supports a broad and diverse education, and its application, which can fall short of her thoroughly inclusive vision when our diligence wanes. We’ll explore Mason’s ideal of “a comprehensive, intelligent and interesting introduction to history” while clearing up common misperceptions about living books. Through this presentation and discussion, participants will be inspired to eagerly pursue the heart of a Mason education with confidence while understanding that her principles already support an ideal body of work for communities of black, brown, white, and multicultural children globally.

In a rural county in the coal region of Pennsylvania, USA, Gillingham Charter School offers the only free public Charlotte Mason education in the United States. After 12 years of presenting a banquet of learning through narration and living books, Gillingham educator, Nicolle Hutchinson, can provide a plethora of examples of what Charlotte Mason education has done for children by sharing their real stories, their own words and their parents’ perspectives.

In this session you will experience narration in a classroom as a student! You will learn firsthand what it is like to focus your attention, collaborate with your classmates to recall the details of a reading and discuss the ideas presented by the author. After the lesson, there will be a Q & A time where participants can ask any method and classroom management questions. Gaining the skill as a facilitator for this kind of lesson will be a benefit in leading small groups of all kinds, including homeschooling families, Sunday schools, book clubs, and various classroom settings.

This presentation spells out what I have done for many years in teaching essay writing at our Charlotte Mason School for a wide range of abilities and personalities. It begins by inspiring with the idea; it points out key distinctions between traditional essay instruction and Charlotte Mason’s approach. A thorough understanding of the what, and why is established by unique opportunities to actually participate in the process as student. During this session parents/teachers will take a “raw” narration and move through clearly defined steps to have a classic 5 paragraph essay. We believe the process works- but for many there is a logistical hurdle of How-To. In this session, experience the process so that you can facilitate it! This talk will have handouts for use during the presentation along with handouts that clarify key points to take home. The grade range of relevance for this talk varies but it is typically appropriate for students to begin writing essays between 7th and 12th grade.

Students never outgrow narration! Join me as I unpack my best tips and hints for classroom management within the Charlotte Mason method along with unique ideas for keeping older students challenged and engaged. After 16 years of using Ms. Mason’s method with my own children and 7 years of using The Method in a classroom setting, I want to share the life giving techniques that “boots on ground”, coupled with careful poring over Ms. Mason’s volumes has produced in our community and graduates. This presentation skips over the basics of narration, assumes you understand the superiority and the effectiveness of the technique and goes deeper into application. Ideal for Upper Forms and classroom teachers as well as all who want to be challenged beyond the basics.

A demonstration of the intellectual atmosphere narration creates in a classroom, compared to traditional question-based methods.

This session will provide a side-by-side comparison of narration-based lessons and traditional question-based school lessons.  Two short lessons will be conducted, one picture study (art) lesson and one history lesson targeted for children between the ages of 10-12. Each lesson will be brief so that attendees can experience the difference of atmosphere and effect of a narration-based lesson as compared to a question-based lesson. These lessons will illustrate the special relationship-building nature of narration and highlight the way in which narration allows each child to take ownership of the knowledge presented in a lesson.Twenty to thirty minutes will be allowed for discussion so that attendees can develop and discuss how the way that lessons are conducted in class will have an effect on children’s future relationship to learning and lessons. The question posed will be, “If the lesson is done this way (narration or questioning), what will be taking place in the children’s minds during future lessons?” And further, “if we use these methods for an extended time, what might be the long-term results in the way that they think and learn?”

What is the role of memorisation in education? In her essay Towards a Philosophy of Education, Charlotte Mason condemned meaningless, monotonous memorising, or “word memory:” “a passage to be memorised requires much conning, much repetition, and meanwhile the learners are ‘thinking’ about other matters, that is, the mind is not at work in the act of memorising.” Such repetitious tactics could not lead to something that lasts.

Instead, for Mason, “mind memory” involves ‘digesting’ what has been learned so that it may later nourish the soul. What the child digests, and how, and especially why bears careful consideration. For Mason, the process of re-membering took shape through several methods: Recitation, Memorization, and Narration. Should Mason’s three-pronged approach to memory be implemented today? What is the drawback to privileging Narration? What is the food of memory?

This session will engage with these questions and provide practical responses by relying on the transcendentals to outline meaningful categories of memory: Goodness (maxim/proverb), Truth (Scripture), and Beauty (poetry). The presenters seek to complicate the assumption that “word” memorisation stands in direct contradiction to Mason’s well-articulated practices of Recitation, Memorisation, and Narration. Drawing on their experiences in primary and secondary schools, the presenters will also discuss what qualifies as the “food of memory” which fosters memories that endure and shape the child past his or her tenure in formal education.

The Charlotte Mason philosophy has long been acclaimed for its emphasis on engaging the senses to enhance learning. Central to this philosophy lies the power of visual memorisation—an approach that recognises the profound impact of visual stimuli on the cognitive development of children. By incorporating captivating visuals, such as images, art, and nature, this methodology creates an enriching environment that sparks curiosity, ignites the imagination, and fosters lifelong learning.

One of the core principles of the Charlotte Mason philosophy is the belief that engaging all the senses is crucial for effective education. Visual memorisation, in particular, plays a pivotal role in this process. By utilising captivating visuals, children can actively participate in the learning experience, connecting ideas and thinking critically. Through exposure to diverse visual content, children develop a deep appreciation for the world around them, cultivating a sense of wonder and curiosity that fuels their thirst for knowledge.

Nature, too, holds a special place within the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Encouraging children to observe and interact with the natural world, visual memorisation of plants, animals, and landscapes not only enhances their understanding of nature's beauty but also fosters a profound connection with their environment. This connection with nature provides a rich backdrop for learning and stimulates creativity, empathy, and a sense of responsibility towards the natural world.

Additionally, the philosophy embraces the power of art as a means of expression and cultural understanding. By introducing children to great works of art, visual memorisation cultivates their aesthetic sense, nurtures emotional intelligence, and exposes them to diverse cultures and ideas. This exposure broadens their horizons and enhances their ability to engage with the world in a meaningful way.

The power of visual memorisation within the Charlotte Mason philosophy cannot be overstated. By harnessing the captivating nature of visuals, children are inspired, engaged, and empowered to explore the world around them. Through the combination of engaging the senses, nurturing imagination, connecting with nature, and embracing art, this methodology provides a holistic learning experience that fosters curious and creative minds ready to make a positive impact on the world.

Since the publication of Home Education, teachers and parents have turned to Charlotte Mason’s volumes and articles in order to learn a simple, yet robust, method of education. But while we usually associate her principles with the education of children, her life and writing show us that she applied these principles much more broadly. In this session, we will see how Miss Mason applied her method as she taught her educational philosophy to others - trainee teachers, parents and academics - and learn how we can continue her work by emulating her approach in our interactions with others in a variety of settings.

We will look at first-hand accounts of Miss Mason from In Memoriam, at her published volumes, and at her response to Maria Montessori’s article in the Times Educational Supplement. In particular, we will consider how Miss Mason connected with her readership, her students, and the general public. We will pay special attention to her respect for others as born persons and examine how she promoted her educational philosophy by trusting in living ideas. In short, we will explore how, for Miss Mason, the means of education must align with its desired ends and so her efforts to share her method with others embodied her principles.

Finally, we will reflect on how we too can share Charlotte Mason’s philosophy with others in a respectful, living way and so continue her legacy beyond the classroom and into our homes, social groups, and community organizations.

While the charm and benevolence of Charlotte Mason's educational practices naturally draw educators to them, they can become dust in the hands of parents and teachers who adopt them without understanding the philosophical presuppositions that undergird them. At the root of  nature journaling, picture study, living books, and narration are beliefs about what human knowers are like, how they come to know, and the knowledge we seek to impart to them that diverge dramatically from the mechanistic approaches that Mason observed in seed form in her day and that we have been educated by and still contend with in the 21st century. This presentation makes explicit these contrasting views of the knower, the known, and the process of knowing in order to encourage educators to reflect on their own learning journeys and to begin what Esther Meek call's "epistemological rehabilitation."

This presentation will explore Charlotte Mason’s attitude to the Bible and her ideas about how it should be interacted with in the home, in the classroom, and daily life.  Various contexts are of significance to appreciating Mason’ ideas, and they include Mason’s own Christian beliefs, her (biblically-based) educational philosophy; the way she negotiated the challenge of the higher criticism, and the need to safeguard children from scandalous parts of the OT on the one hand, and contemporary rational scepticism towards miracles, on the other. Mason’s 6 volume Saviour of the World poetic paraphrase of the Gospels owes its nature and shape and purpose to these settings and the paper examines a few examples of Mason’s poetry (e.g. The Samaritan Woman at the Well/Wedding at Cana), so as to demonstrate how she puts into practice her biblical hermeneutics and what their implications are for teaching the Bible through reading, retention, and re-telling.  Overall, it is shown how Mason’s child-centred philosophy believes that a long and deep socialisation into the Bible serves to provide the growing child with a love and respect for the Scriptures that will serve to protect them from all contemporary attacks on faith in the Bible, and also, as in her own case, enable creative retelling of biblical stories. The presentation will be of interest to academics, home educators, teachers and all those curious about the context and relevance of Mason’s poetry for contemporary religious education, Biblical, and moral learning which we explore further in part 2.

The presentation begins with an exploration of the impact of Charlotte Mason’s faith on her pedagogical approaches. We discuss her ideas about home learning including whether her ideas about child-centred learning are still prevalent and useful today, particularly in relation to moral education (Nutbrown et al., 2022). We discuss how Charlotte Mason’s pedagogical approaches can be utilised in current day Religious Education (RE) and if it is appropriate or detrimental, desirable or inauthentic, to extrapolate her approaches from her Christian faith.  We have created metaphors to capture this debate in our forthcoming monograph.  

Next, we examine the ‘Saviour of the World’ poetry, asking how relevant it could be to both faith based and secular educational settings. In particular, we look at and analyse specific examples from Mason’s rendering of Biblical stories in the ‘Saviour of the World’. More broadly, we consider how Biblical texts are used in RE and moral education today, including creative hermeneutical approaches or innovative uses of art, rapping, song, music and so on.  We conclude by discussing contemporary positioning of the Bible, drawing on insights from wider debates about the nature of 21st century RE. This presentation will be of interest to academics, home educators, teachers and all those curious about the relevance of Mason’s poetry for contemporary RE, Biblical and moral learning.

Charlotte Mason claimed that atmosphere was the creation of a thought environment in the classroom, built collectively on the students’ relationships with their family, teachers, classmates, learning, society, and with God. She believed that children had a natural appetency toward things “lovely, honest, and of good report,” and the right atmosphere could help enrich their minds and hearts. As Essex Cholmondeley reminded us, discipline and life can be transplanted in a classroom, but atmosphere must “be built up.”

Though we may agree that children may retain these appetites, what factors today seem unique in their effect on the current classroom atmosphere, and on the task our teachers face in producing and purifying it? If home environment is a standard, what challenges today do teachers face from homes? What has Covid taught us about atmosphere? What does the exposure of children to the atmospheric conditions in the world today: from polarization, to self-promotion, to media propagation, to changing definitions of family relationships create in our classrooms?

In order to not feel overwhelmed or adopt a spirit of fear, we must more fully embrace consistently and bravely the same overall principles that Mason espoused, with a heart to build the best atmosphere possible in our schools. What are the practices that still freshen classrooms today? How can the weakened appetites of children be restored? How can we better partner with families? And most importantly, when will we learn that in spite of our best efforts, the Savior of the World must breathe life into our classrooms, beginning with us.

Some recent thoughts on atmosphere from Susan Schaeffer Macaulay will be shared to encourage and admonish us.

Nature Study is one of those things that when shiny and new-to-you holds a certain appeal – however, when practiced consistently, can present some unique challenges. Daffodils in spring, acorns in the fall – how can you keep it fresh without trapsing all over the world!? Additionally many people struggle by trying to include ALL of the things in EVERY session and so burden this special time with over-eager expectations. And ironically the idea of a nature journal being a thing of beauty can frustrate both the artistic and the non-artistic alike – though for different reasons. Let’s talk about this. What DID Charlotte Mason say? (Not social media) What WERE the components and how can they be best utilized. This hallmark of a Charlotte Mason Education has, unfortunately for some, seemed unachievable… at least consistently. Understand 6 distinct components essential for Nature Study and how we have used them successfully… consistently.

Young people today will face unprecedented challenges resulting from the effects of changed climate and an unpredictable and changing Earth System. In the US the Next Gen Science Standards and in the UK, the Morecambe Bay Curriculum, seek to deliver cross-cutting themes to better equip students for these changes, acknowledging the planetary effects on social, political, and economic systems. Mason advocated for an embodied approach guiding cross-cutting themes through the “science of relations” as a student’s knowledge-hunger must be fed science, for “we all live in the world.” (VI, p. 14). Her pedagogy encompassed the advance of the newest science, delivered in “a combination of field or laboratory work, with such literary comments and amplifications as the subject affords.” (VI, p. 222). Mason’s summary follows from Sir Richard Gregory address to the Education Science Section of the British Association: What was best for one race or epoch need not be best for another. The essential mission of school science was to prepare pupils for civilised citizenship by revealing to them something of the beauty and the power of the world in which they lived.

Over 24 years and four editions of The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourses (2021) John Dryzek has explained the ways key discourses advance science that represents sound stewardship of natural resources and citizenship, and those that deny it. A new addition to the 2021 edition includes a chapter on “gray radicalism”--an anti-environmental backlash supported by American Evangelicalism that goes beyond climate change denial, and represents a hostility to environmental concern. This paper raises the possibility that Charlotte Mason home education circles represents an important field to contest this discourse and proposes pathways for school and home educators to marshall the Out of Door life both of and for children.

This presentation will outline the screens policy of a UK school that is seeking to operate within the Charlotte Mason tradition (Heritage School, Cambridge). It will argue that we move toward fullness only as we engage for ourselves and develop meaningful real world relations. Common forms of screen overuse and misuse pose a unique new threat to healthy human development because they displace real world relationships and activities and undermine attention and initiative. It is the responsibility of educators, therefore, to overwhelmingly prioritise the real in curriculum design and delivery and to nurture an alternative real-world orientated culture in the wider school community. Support from parents is essential, given that screen overuse and misuse predominantly takes place outside of school hours. Strategies deployed by Heritage School to address the challenge of screen overuse and misuse, including banning smartphones, will be described, as will evidence for their impact.

Did you know that your powers of observation and curiosity are not static traits but skills that you can develop and enhance? How can you get more out of every nature ramble? Developments in neuropsychology have opened doors in our understanding of the brain and cognition and how you can train yourself to see more and to be more curious about what you discover. Naturalist and illustrator John Muir Laws will demonstrate simple and fun techniques you can incorporate into your own recreational nature study, classroom, or family outings. You will learn an adaptable three-step approach that will dramatically increase your memory and observational skills, focus and heighten your curiosity, help you think more creatively, and give you a framework for exploring mysteries in nature with your students.

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“Narrating is not the work of a parrot, but of absorbing into oneself the beautiful thought from the book, making it one’s own and then giving it forth again with just that little touch that comes from one’s own mind.” - The Story of Charlotte Mason, p. 125

This immersive, 3.5 hour seminar will dive into the “act of knowing” through a wide array of subjects and ages in a Charlotte Mason curriculum. Narration is not a trick or device, but It is a process which makes all the difference between a child knowing a thing and not knowing it. Attendees will experience lessons in history, literature, picture study, geography, and more and then practice various types of suitable narration together. Guided by Nancy’s and Kerri’s combined experience in relational education of over 50 years, attendees will learn how narration progresses through the years, how to troubleshoot when it doesn’t go as expected, and how it prepares students for life beyond high school. Join us if you are new to narration, if you need reorienting, or if you want encouragement and a deeper understanding of this lifelong process.

Join John Muir Laws in this immersive session outside to learn how to practice nature journaling yourself and help your students embrace an out-of-door life.

*Attendees can stay in the field with John Muir Laws for the whole afternoon or leave or join at the halfway point.

Join Deani Van Pelt for a walk around significant places to Charlotte Mason and her work.

Much of the Charlotte Mason community has moved well beyond the need to explain why diverse books and resources are critical to the ongoing success of her legacy and work. Many parents and educators want to include ideas from people who reflect their unique children, local communities, and the world. Desire is not impeding this work; it is the lack of readily available resources and how we interpret them that holds us back. This discussion will answer the following questions: What does the Charlotte Mason community need to help make her vision of diverse and inclusive living a natural and fruitful part of our work and lessons? What can we do to bring that work forward and make it accessible to all?

What are the major issues facing those leading Charlotte Mason schools today? How should we approach effective Mason teacher training, school budgets, curriculum choices, relationships with parents, school board selection and dynamics, cultural changes in relationships, wise marketing, and more. Join this panel of experienced school leaders, facilitated by Bobby Scott, to discuss these questions and others in this collaborative conversation. Bring your own questions and ideas.

Charlotte Mason’s life was devoted to children, and yet the lion's share of her work was directed at adult education. During the formation of the PNEU in the “Draft Proof” she noted that other professions “enjoy the help and profit of association…the wisdom, the experience, the information of each is made profitable for all…every member is cheered by the sympathy of his fellow workers.” (Cholmondeley, p. 21). She believed in the immense power of mothers, in consort with the Holy Spirit, to “work wonders” and named the many endeavours of the movement directed to ‘parents.’ While the home education movement that advances her ideas turns to ‘mother culture’ to describe and recommend continuous learning for the home educator, the focus today has not yet engaged with the possibilities for Mason’s methods to be employed for ‘the seven ages.”

This springboard conversation incites conversation by sharing several avenues that offer possibilities for Mason’s methods to apply to adult learning today–both formally and informally. How might organisations employing Mason’s methods develop training? What would community festivals or ecotourism look like “Mason-style”? Could singing folk-songs together, or forest bathing improve social capital in communities? By generating discussion with participants of these possibilities we hope to open innovative approaches for the future of Mason’s legacy.

In our digitally overloaded world, pressures for perfection can even trickle into our lives as parent-teachers.  Charlotte Mason presented us with a philosophy that describes an ideal education, but can a busy parent in our fast-paced society still bring that ideal to life in the education of their children while being the taxi driver, nurse, and mom – all roles that Charlotte Mason herself never played? Let’s investigate what role today’s home educating parent would play in the educational ecosystem if Charlotte Mason were teaching today.  How have pressures changed?  How does the digital revolution changed our ability to think and learn and relate and to access a breadth and depth of education that is comparable to that of Miss Mason’s day? Does the discipline of habit fly in the face of current educational values?  Have we grown beyond some disciplines? Are there others that we need to seek out more fervently? Which elements of curriculum have diminished in relevance or have since become relevant?

Given the answers to these questions, we return to this question: how does the modern parent sanely deliver a stellar education as outlined by a champion of children who never had children herself?  And finally, what outcomes should we expect of such a modern Charlotte Mason educating parent’s efforts?  I propose there is much to be hopeful about.

Most people claim that the human species is the only one capable of using language, while others disagree. But, one thing is certain: we, the humans, are the only ones able to tell stories. From the paintings on the cave walls to the online narrations on Zoom, we are the homo diegeticus: the narrative species. We know Charlotte Mason intentionally used narration as part of a specific method developed in the XX century, but she also said that, "If you picked up a bracelet lying by the way it would be no credit to you. It is precisely the case with us. These principles are picked up, found, a find which is no one’s property; they belong to all who have wit enough to take them" (Mason in L'Umile Pianta, p. 14, 1922). Where did this bracelet come from? Did someone else find it throughout history? It certainly was also found by the Greeks, who used narration as an introduction to Rhetoric. Also, we see a glimpse of narration in the middle ages in the thoughts of Hugh of Saint Victor and Bernard de Chartres, and also in the Renaissance with Erasmus and Comenius. As we said, in the XXth century Charlotte Mason found this precious bracelet hidden underneath the ashes of the Industrial Revolution and its utilitarian ideas. As Educational trends often blot out what we know to be true, the practice of narration became forgotten once again, but homeschool families had rediscovered this treasure by digging into Charlotte Mason's method. Modern science now confirms many aspects of her educational philosophy, especially the use of narration as an important tool in educational practice. But, what is the future of narration? Can it be applied to online classrooms, such as Zoom? Our answer is, "Yes, definitely." And hundreds of students in Brazil are benefiting from the use of narration at Dulcis Domus Academy. Barbara Lores is the academic director, and will discuss the history and future of narration by presenting her experience with these narrative online classrooms from preparation time to exams week.

Narration is an integral part of a Charlotte Mason education yet it is a difficult skill for some children to acquire. To produce a spoken narrative, various linguistic and cognitive skills have to be integrated. Autistic individuals have difficulties with some of these skills which means they may struggle to produce coherent, oral narratives. With the correct support, autistic children can improve their production of narratives. By attending this presentation, you will learn about the linguistic and cognitive skills that are in play when an individual produces an oral narration. You will also learn about the characteristics of autistic children’s narrations and the difficulties they may experience. You will learn techniques to support them in their production of narratives. This will allow them to experience the benefits of a Charlotte Mason education and will support them in other areas of their lives.

Narration is the primary learning tool used throughout all the subjects in a Mason education. The etymology of the word narration is from the Latin words for both “knowing” (gnarus) and “telling” (narro), which captures the two sides of this practice–assimilating as well as expressing. Mason did not claim originality for this idea of telling again and stated, “The method is as old as the mind of man; the distressful fact is that it has been made so little use of in general education” (1925e, p. 161). Since Mason believed in the significance of the narrative and the importance of oral language in the learning process, she took an everyday practice and formalized it in the classroom. If students were telling back summaries or filling in a worksheet, it would be hard to know what ideas they were processing. But the wonderful thing about narration is that it is a story. And stories or narratives are always told from the point of view. According to Ochs & Capps (2001), part of what makes narratives powerful is the way they “do not present objective, comprehensive accounts of events but rather perspectives on events” (p. 25).  Storytellers take moral stances in their retellings of a story or narrative. This session will explore how narration is not simply a reading comprehension activity but a practice that allows students to engage in texts while incorporating their own personality, unique background, and personal experiences. How can narration show individuality?  How can narration explore ideas and not just facts? We will explore how narration allows space for self-agency and moral formation.

In 1966 Roland Barthes wrote an essay entitled, “Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives” setting off since then numerous articles and discussions on the value of the narrative.  In 1990 American educational psychologist, Jerome Bruner wrote his landmark book, Acts of Meaning in which he shows the importance of the narrative to bring all of us into our culture.  In 2002 Cambridge University Press came out with its book, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative with a second edition in 2008.  In 2009 Norman Holland wrote his book Literature and the Brain.  These are only a few of the many books and articles written on the value and importance of narrative in recent history.  Charlotte Mason already had determined the important use of narrative almost a 100 years before Barthes 1966 essay, and she called it the Literary Form.  In this session I will trace some of the important ideas and thoughts of more recent writers on their beliefs about the narrative and I will compare these with Mason’s beliefs.  Was she right to depend so heavily on “living” books?  Was she ahead of her time in her use of the literary form?  Can you imagine going from a system of education that depended on memorisation to a system that used the narrative?  That was revolutionary.   We will learn more about Mason’s use of the narrative and the work of recent writers.

Whether it be Saint George encountering the dragon, Harry Potter the basilisk, or Luke Skywalker his own father, the hero's journey is the narrative structure of our own journey through life. Carl Jung countered Freud’s personal unconsciousness by positing a collective unconsciousness populated not only with dreams we share in common, but also with the archetypes of religious symbols, mythical stories, folk tales and literature. He writes, “This collective unconscious does not develop individually but is inherited. It consists of pre-existent forms, the archetypes, which can only become conscious secondarily.” (C. G. Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, 43)

The thesis I put forward is that through narration, we connect ourselves to this shared tradition, providing both direction and meaning to life. The method of narration prescribed by Charlotte Mason coheres with this picture of narrative is a life-giving practice connected to deep and profound substance. Upon narrating in a lesson, she calls for “a little talk in which moral points are brought out.” (Charlotte Mason, Home Education, 233) It should not be surprising to find narration a fit tool for plugging into the collective unconscious, as Mason describes narration as an art already present in every child’s mind brought forth by the presence of interesting and compelling narratives. In this paper we will see how a Jungian perspective enables us to see how narration takes seriously Mason’s viewpoint that children are whole persons by linking intellect with emotion and character. Even though this paper will take a scholarly approach by synthesizing Jung and Mason, this will be inspiring to those practiced in the art of narration and will be interspersed with practical insights for Charlotte Mason educators.

Charlotte Mason purported two essential thoughts: the nature of the child as a whole person, and the reality that narration is "knowledge touched with imagination." These two aspects integrate in the words children use to make sense of the world as they interpret its complexities. Children are natural storytellers as  they describe personal experiences, the life of the imagination, and the things they learn in relationship to God, man, and the natural world. It might be said that the child IS a narration, as they recount their unfolding experiences as beings in the world. This session will explore the narrative life of the child in the stories they tell and the meaning they make as multidimensional persons who live a storied life.

“All school work should be conducted in such a manner that children are aware of the responsibility of learning; it is their business to know that which has been taught.” – Charlotte Mason

Will children educated through Charlotte Mason be well prepared for life? Professor Sean Maguire will speak about how the intuitive truths that Charlotte Mason observed about how children learn over one hundred years ago still apply to children today. Narration is a normal practice in a Charlotte Mason education. It is an incredibly valuable skill to have when pursuing higher education, but the skill is novel and hard to grasp for many students entering colleges and universities. Professor Maguire will share about how he sees the skill of narration serving children well as they move on into any aspect of life—including Law School.

In Mason’s pedagogy the subject of citizenship is not only part of the feast, but supports the entire curriculum that is “aimed at the public good.” While the PUS student read Plutarch and Formation of Character, and learned French so they could enact “brotherly kindness” towards their neighbours to the south, Mason’s intention was the development of thinking citizens of service to the nation. Scholarly research in diverse fields such as urban development, social work, education, and political theory all seek to catalyse learning towards inclusive citizenship in children and young people today. This work materialises in curriculum, community-based approaches to student engagement, as well as participatory research approaches such as citizen science.

This panel presents local examples of youth-engaged citizenship projects from the Institute of Science and Environment and the Institute of Education, including ‘Moss of Many Layers’ funded by The National Environment Research Council (NERC) as part of the programme ‘Arts based public engagement with climate change’. This presentation contributes the case of Lancaster-based charity Escape2Make, an innovative model of youth-led organisation where 11-18s engage in creative workshops with local businesses towards making a difference in the community. We propose that the youth-led model exhibits the educative power of narration and activates agency in profound directions. As a preventative mental health model it presents possibilities for addressing the epidemic of declining youth mental health, as well as improved social mobility. As a creative-industry business approach, the model develops delightful learning towards discovery of “captain ideas.” The case will be described in a way that both researchers and practitioners in diverse fields, as well as home educators, can locate potential for activating citizenship through new forms of narration in youth-led community engagement.

This paper will show how Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education as virtue formation applies in medical education.

While U.S. medical education morally forms physicians-in-training, it does not follow a virtue formation framework. In recent years medical ethics education has increasingly emphasized professional formation, focused on shaping behaviors and skills, not virtue formation. Despite the development of competencies for medical professionalism, there is no consensus about medical ethics education regarding goals, expected knowledge and skills, or best practices in pedagogy. Thus, the framework for moral formation in medical education is wide open.

This paper argues that Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education as virtue formation – rooted in the twin principles that children are created persons and that education is the science of relations – applies to medical education in the moral formation of physicians-in-training. The key that unlocks this relationship between Charlotte Mason and medical education is that virtue requires a cosmic narrative to name what is truly excellent. This view of narrative-shaped virtue draws on Alasdair MacIntyre’s moral philosophy and Hugh of St. Victor’s philosophy of education as conformity to Christ, who is divine Wisdom. To riff on Søren Kierkegaard, one must learn backwards (into the Christian metanarrative) in order to live forwards as a wise physician.

As a case example, the paper presents the vision for a new explicitly Christian medical school in the U.S. accreditation process. A distinguishing mark of the medical school is its commitment to virtue formation as fundamental to the training of good physicians, not mere technicians of the body. The curriculum frames virtue formation within the Christian narrative of creation, fall, and redemption. This cosmic narrative framing enables the curriculum to engage in fundamental issues that the traditional medical curriculum does not address but only assumes, such as: What is medicine? Why is medicine even necessary and what is medicine for? What is health? What is illness? Such framing creates a space to provide a robust constructive account of medical education that is incarnational: embodied, integrative, relational, and imbued with wonder. The curriculum integrates head and heart, spiritual and medical, scientific and clinical, and theory and practice, oriented toward the virtue formation of competent and compassionate physicians in service to patients as whole persons.

In a 1924 article that appeared in the Parents’ Review, G. F. Husband wrote: “The value of narration does not lie wholly in the swift acquisition of knowledge and its sure retention. Properly dealt with, it produces a mental transformation.”

For many past decades, research and educational reforms have focused on producing students who are able to think well. Terms like “critical thinking” and “problem-solving” have driven the discussion and taken the form of breaking most intellectual tasks down into steps. Students are presented with the steps they are supposed to take to when they approach new information, but these methods have failed to produce the desired results. By every measure that we use to report on educational success, our students appear to be struggling to think well.

Perhaps we need a new line of approach, and narration is exactly what is needed to reverse this condition. Rather than attempting to teach children how to think, narration requires that they do so, and that practice produces startling results. Recent research on memory and learning has linked the practice of speaking aloud to longer-term retention and connection of knowledge.

When narration is used consistently for an extended period of time—years—it shapes the way a learner processes knowledge, connecting new things to those already learned. It changes the way a person thinks and produces a difference that may be called a mental transformation. Narration leads to good oral and written communication skills and develops global, wholistic thinking that lays a solid foundation for any intellectual pursuit.

This paper will consider the effects of narration on the way that a person thinks and show how a wider application of Charlotte Mason’s method of narration in schools has the potential to develop our students into excellent thinkers.

Storytelling is a universal human experience that transcends time, geography and culture. Stories are essential to early child development, as well as to our ongoing wellbeing. Charlotte Mason recognised that storytelling is part of what makes us human, and she observed that “children have a natural aptitude for literary expression.” Mason took a literary approach in most of her teaching, relying on living books to connect students with many great minds across many different subjects. It is unsurprising then, that studying literature itself was very important to Mason.

Today in the UK children spend a compulsory 12 years studying literature. And yet research shows that one in five young people leave the education system without a “minimum level of literacy proficiency.” This has been linked to ongoing poorer mental health, weaker personal relationships, less professional success and less involvement with society on both a local community and a national political level.

In this session we will look at the UK’s National Curriculum for Literature spanning Key Stage 1 (age 4-7), Key Stage 2 (age 7-11), Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) and Key Stage 4 (age 14-16), and examine why the system is failing so many students. We will examine samples from the plethora of supplementary resources now available and ask whether they can enhance a student’s education or are simply a “warm dilutent” and a distraction.

Mason’s teaching practices perhaps more closely resemble a book club than a modern classroom, and we will ask whether this is feasible in a society of increasing class sizes, compulsory examinations and fast paced lifestyles. We will look at Mason’s simple solution of living books and narration and ask whether it is enough to simply “read worthy books, many worthy books.”