265 episodes

Through twice monthly conversations, three moms who have studied the Charlotte Mason method of education and put her ideas into practice in their homes join together to share with one another for the benefit of listeners by giving explanations of Mason's principles and examples of those principles put into practice out of their own teaching experience. These short discussions aim at providing information, support, and encouragement for others by unfolding the myriad aspects.

A Delectable Education Charlotte Mason Podcast Liz Cottrill, Emily Kiser and Nicole Williams

    • Education
    • 4.9 • 940 Ratings

Through twice monthly conversations, three moms who have studied the Charlotte Mason method of education and put her ideas into practice in their homes join together to share with one another for the benefit of listeners by giving explanations of Mason's principles and examples of those principles put into practice out of their own teaching experience. These short discussions aim at providing information, support, and encouragement for others by unfolding the myriad aspects.

    Trusting the Method with Bethany Glosser

    Trusting the Method with Bethany Glosser

    This season, we are interviewing experienced Charlotte Mason moms, inviting them to tell us how they've come to "Trust the Method." In today's episode, Bethany Glosser, mom of six children, teenagers to preschoolers, shares her experiences both successes and "failures" and has important words to bring us about our ultimate hope for our children.
    Quotes
    Mothers owe 'a thinking love ' to their Children.-"The mother is qualified," says Pestalozzi, "and qualified by the Creator Himself, to become the principal agent in the development of her child ; . . . and what is demanded of her is a thinking love. • • • God has given to thy child all the faculties of our nature, but the grand point remains undecided-how shall this heart, this head, these hands, be employed? to whose service shall they be dedicated? A question the answer to which involves a futurity of happiness or misery to a life so dear to thee. Maternal love is the first agent in education.'' (1/2)

    "Of the three sorts of knowledge proper to a child,-the knowledge of God, of man, and of the universe,-the knowledge of God ranks first in importance, is indispensable, and most happy-making." (6/158)
    Books
    For the Children's Sake, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
    Links

    INK Newspaper

    Morgan Conner's Reading Lessons

    Living Literature Courses with Jono Kiser

    Beauty and Truth Math

    Climbing Higher Math

    ADE's Patreon Community

    • 28 min
    The Time-Table

    The Time-Table

    Charlotte Mason encouraged us to use a time-table to ensure lessons were kept short and varied. Today on the podcast we're talking about this essential tool, why Miss Mason called it the first principle of a well-managed schoolroom, and how we can make one to fit our family today.

    "Time-Table; Definite Work in a Given Time. -- I shall have opportunities to enter into some of these points later; meantime, let us look in at a home schoolroom managed on sound principles. In the first place, there is a time-table, written out fairly, so that the child knows what he has to do and how long each lesson is to last. This idea of definite work to be finished in a given time is valuable to the child, not only as training him in habits of order, but in diligence; he learns that one time is not 'as good as another;' that there is no right time left for what is not done in its own time; and this knowledge alone does a great deal to secure the child's attention to his work." (1/142)

    “In the first place, there is a time-table, written out fairly, so that the child knows what he has to do and how long each lesson is to last. This idea of definite work to be finished in a given time is valuable to the child, not only as training him in habits of order, but in diligence; he learns that one time is not 'as good as another'; that there is no right time left for what is not done in its own time; and this knowledge alone does a great deal to secure the child's attention to his work.” (1/142)

    “It is impossible to overstate the importance of this habit of attention. It is, ..., ‘within the reach of everyone, and should be made the primary object of all mental discipline’; for whatever the natural gifts of the child, it is only so far as the habit of attention is cultivated in him that he is able to make use of them.” (1/146)

    "Miss Kitching's introduction to the discussion of this subject involved the following points:
    "1. That the P.U.S. time-table is intended to serve simply as a guide to the teacher in making her own, for it stands to reason that no two schoolrooms are identical as regards the work done, or the time allotted it.
    "2. That in making her own time-table the teacher must be careful that no two lessons requiring the same mental effort follow one another in close proximity.
    "3. That it is better to leave the term's work unfinished, than to rush the pupils through for sake finishing the work set.
    "The general outcome of the discussion was to the effect that some modification of the programme and time-table is absolutely necessary, each teacher using her own discretion in the matter. Somebody very wisely remarked that Miss Mason intends the programme to fit the child, and not as some wildly imagine, the child to fit the programme." (L'Umile Pianta, May 1915, pp. 58-59)

    "It is evident that the young lady at home has so much in hand, without taking social claims into consideration, that she can have no time for dawdling, and, indeed will have to make a time-table for herself and map out her day carefully to get as much into it as she wishes." (5/261)

    Talkbox.mom 
    Beauty & Truth Math

    Episode 258: Afternoons

    ADE's Schedule Cards

    Schedule Cards in Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese

    ADE's Patreon Community

    • 41 min
    What Does it Mean to "Trust the Method"?

    What Does it Mean to "Trust the Method"?

    The theme of this season of A Delectable Education: Charlotte Mason Podcast is "Trust the Method." But what does that mean? Are we just supposed to blindly follow a dead woman's advice from the 19th Century? Emily, Liz, and Nicole discuss these questions and more to help set the stage for the year to come, starting with "Why are you choosing to educate your children in the first place?"

    "The object of this organisation is not merely to raise the standard of work in the schoolroom. Our chief wish is that pupils should find knowledge delightful in itself and for its own sake, without thought of marks, places, prizes, or other rewards; and that they should develop an intelligent curiosity about the past and present. Children respond and take to their lessons with keen pleasure if they have even tolerably good teaching; and the want of marks, companionship, or other stimulus is not felt in those home schoolrooms where the interest of knowledge is allowed free play." ("A Liberal Education for All" Pamphlet, 1928, p. 31)

    "Those who do not regard education as a vital whole but as a sort of conglomerate of good idea, good plans, traditions and experiences, do well to adopt and adapt any good idea they come across. But our conception of education is of a vital whole, harmonious, living and effective. Therefore, every plan rises out of a principle, and each such principle is a part of a living educational philosophy, and does not very well bear to be broken off and used by itself." ("A Liberal Education for All," p. 33)

    “The reader will say with truth,––"I knew all this before and have always acted more or less on these principles"; and I can only point to the unusual results we obtain through adhering not 'more or less,' but strictly to the principles and practices I have indicated. I suppose the difficulties are of the sort that Lister had to contend with; every surgeon knew that his instruments and appurtenances should be kept clean, but the saving of millions of lives has resulted from the adoption of the great surgeon's antiseptic treatment; that is from the substitution of exact principles scrupulously applied for the rather casual 'more or less' methods of earlier days.” (6/19)

    “In the matter of education, we are hovering round the truth: that education is not merely a preparation for life, but the work of the lifetime is boldly announced. And, given thus much insight, is it conceivable that the education in question is no more than the cramming of a few text-books? Like religion, education is nothing or it is everything––a consuming fire in the bones. How is it that we do not see, through the hurry of eating and drinking, getting and having, that our prime business here is to raise up a generation better than ourselves?” (5/145-46)

    She trusted that parents and teachers do not have to, “develop the person; he is there already, with, possibly, every power that will serve him in his passage through life.” (3/75) 

    “Like all the great ventures of life, this that I propose to you is a venture of faith, faith in the saving power of knowledge and in the assimilative power of children. Its efficacy depends upon the fact that it is in the nature of things, in the nature of knowledge and in the nature of children. Bring the two together in ways that are sanctioned by the laws of mind and, to use a figure, a chemical change takes place and a new product appears, a person of character and intelligence, an admirable citizen whose own life is too full and rich for him to be an uneasy member of society.” (A Liberal Education for All, No. I. Theory, by Charlotte Mason, https://charlottemasonpoetry.org/a-liberal-education-for-all/)


    For the Children's Sake, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

    Charlotte Mason's Six Volumes


    John Taylor Gatto's article

    Episode 4: Three Tools of Education

    Charlotte Mason's Short Synopsis

    Episode 167: Method vs. System

    ADE's Patreon Commu

    • 45 min
    Intro to Season 9: Announcements! New PEC! New Products!

    Intro to Season 9: Announcements! New PEC! New Products!

    A Delectable Education is back for its NINTH year. We have grown a lot over these past 8 years, and so has the Charlotte Mason Community. We are honored to be here sharing with you all still. In this episode we are sharing some big announcements like our 4th Annual Parents' Educational Course Reading List, our 4th Annual Online Conference (coming February 2024) and new Teacher Helps and Training Videos to help your school year go smoothly. We're glad you're here with us.
    Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray 2024 ADE Book Club selection (Find the suggested reading schedule here)

    Episodes By Topic: Explore previous episodes grouped by subject

    2023-24 Parents' Educational Course: A suggested reading list curated for the modern CM educator

    ADE at HOME 2024: Our fourth annual {Virtual} Conference, check back for more details in November. Registration begins November 24, 2023.

    Teacher Helps: Products we've created to help you plan, forecast, and implement lessons

    Natural History Planner

    Form 3-4 Bible Lesson Breakdowns (Revised Form 1-2 Bible Lesson Breakdowns here)

    Form 1-2 Literature Breakdowns (Available August 7, 2023)

    Upper Forms Geography: If you have previously purchased these, you can re-download the revised copy from your Purchase History

    Recitation Planner with optional add-ons for printable Bile Passages

    Teacher Training Videos

    Sabbath Mood Homeschool Science Curriculum: Nicole has completed her curriculum with High School Ecology

    ADE's Patreon Community

     

    • 41 min
    Season 8 Closing Ceremonies

    Season 8 Closing Ceremonies

    The end of the school year and the end of this podcast season is cause to pause and reflect. The ADE ladies review the past year and encourage you to not just slam the books closed, but pause to remember the good and give thanks. The episode closes with a fitting devotional to help you gain perspective on the value of the past year and inspire you for what lies ahead.
    Show Notes:
    Seven Days that Divide the World, John Lennox

    Episode 241: Seasonal Reflections

    Seasonal Reflection Questions

    ADE at HOME {Virtual} Conference (First weekend in February each year, access for 3 months following)

    Awaken: Living Books Conference July 21-22, 2023

    ADE's Patreon Community

    Parents' Educational Course

    Episode 232: Forecasting Lessons -- How to plan

    Beyond the Forum Podcast with John Lennox

    • 28 min
    CM in Your World--CM in Other Countries

    CM in Your World--CM in Other Countries

    Charlotte Mason's educational method was worldwide in her day and, thanks to persons like Mariana Mastracchio, this is happening again in our day. This episode closes out the ADE series on Charlotte Mason in Community for this season. It is an inspiring personal account of how one American-Brazilian mother is impacting the country of Brazil to bring Charlotte Mason's method to that Portuguese speaking nation.

    Charlotte Mason For All Podcast

    Mariana's Podcast and the Mentorship 

    - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/descobrindocharlottemason/

    - Website: https://descobrindocharlottemason.com.br/

    Publishing Company, Editora Ideias Vivas

    - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/editoraideiasvivas/

    - Website: https://editoraideiasvivas.com.br/

    Schedule Cards in Russian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese

    Charlotte Mason Colombia

    Charlotte Mason Online

    Charlotte Mason France

    Russian language resources:

    -www.uchimdoma.com 

    -https://vk.com/mamauitman (NOTE: May not be accessible in all areas of the world)

    -Luda's Video Seminars:

    Образование - это атмосфера

    Образование - это жизнь

    Образование - это дисциплина

    Как учить не по учебникам

    * Contact Luda if you are interested in a Russian translation of the book For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

    • 31 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
940 Ratings

940 Ratings

susermajoo ,

Actually life changing

I am so grateful to the ladies of this podcast. Charlotte Mason appealed to me from early on once we had decided to homeschool our children, but it felt unfeasible in our environment and situation. I listened to episodes on repeat as I began taking in Charlotte’s words through her volumes. It revolutionized not only our homeschool but our entire family and way of life. Our homeschool is such a joy to everyone in the family and learning is a pleasure for us all. I do a yearly consult with Liz and it helps point me in the right direction every year. We’re in our sixth year and I currently have four students.

foremanj14 ,

Favorite as a new to homeschooling mom

I love this podcast. My oldest is only 3.5 and I have no history with homeschooling. This is so easy to listen to and so helpful as I start this journey. I started from the beginning and have truly found every episode helpful and inspiring.

Katherine617 ,

Timeless!

I recently started listening to the ADE podcast again from the very beginning and it’s just as good now as it was years ago when I heard them all new!! These episodes are perfect for revisiting for fresh encouragement and understanding, no matter how long you’ve been studying Charlotte Mason or using her method. I’m so grateful for the help and support these ladies have provided over the years to the Charlotte Mason community!

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