A Brief Sketch of Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason (1842-1923) was a British educator whose ideas and methods focused on living ideas,  the science of relations, habit training and so much more than can be shared in a brief sketch.

She became a teacher and then later established the House of Education, a training school for governesses. While teaching, she realized that the parents of children being educated would benefit from access to basic knowledge about children and education. The Parents' Educational Union or PEU was formed and later a periodical review was created to aid in this effort. In 1892, the word National was added to PEU and became PNEU, or Parents' National Educational Union.

She wrote a series of geography books and then later a six volume set of books setting forth her teaching ideas and methods of education.

Some of the terms and words which are most familiar to us in connection with Charlotte Mason include narration, living books, habit training, focused lessons, copywork, prepared dictation, nature study, handcrafts and artist and composer studies.