A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levinson

Note: I occasionally accept review copies from the publisher. Posts written from review copies are labeled. All opinions are my own. Posts may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation for any purchased items.

Although I’m a beginner to homeschooling ideas and styles, I think it’s fair to say that A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levinson provides a great overview to the Charlotte Mason style of education, albeit from one home educator’s perspective.

The author’s personal homeschooling style was certainly not for me, and the author’s opinions throughout the book was rather irritating. For example, it seems she was a bit extreme in censoring, such as she refused Dickens in her curriculum for years because he wrote a “ghost story” and those aren’t allowed in her house and she censored artwork by covering body parts with sticky notes.

But I’m interested in the general precepts of the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling and this book provided a nice overview. I like the emphasis on the fine arts: studying various artists by looking at their artwork, rather than reading about them, and reading classic literature rather than kid summaries of classic literature. I liked the emphasis on narration with young children, and I’ve tried to incorporate more of it in my school at home time with Raisin. (He struggles to write, so it makes perfect sense.)

I liked how A Charlotte Mason Education was so very short (less than 100 pages) and written in a personal, conversational tone. It made it a quick one-sitting read. Even though I can’t say I loved the book because of the author’s extreme personal opinions interspersed throughout it, I feel I have a nice feel for Charlotte Mason education now thanks to reading it.

Reviewed on April 2, 2012

About the author 

Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid is a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother seeking to make the journey of life-long learning fun by reading lots of good books. Rebecca Reads provides reviews of children's literature she has enjoyed with her children; nonfiction that enhances understanding of educational philosophies, history and more; and classical literature that Rebecca enjoys reading.

  • I remember being irritated with this book, too; so much so that I put it down and never finished it. Sticky notes over body parts? Please. Talk about a sure-fire way to obsess over what’s under those sticky notes!
    I think you’ll have better luck with A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola. It’s more readable, less hysterical.

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