Welcome to week 7, The Reign of Law in Education, in the Charlotte Mason Home Education Read-Along series! Though I try to get these posted on Mondays of each week, there will inevitably be times that I won’t. Please keep reading though! I am amazed at how much Charlotte’s writing is affecting my approach and perspective within our home life and homeschool!
The Reign of Law in Education
This week we are reading pages 37-41 of the Home Education volume. If you would like to see the rest of these posts all in one place you may view them HERE. And don’t forget to download your free worksheets to go with each reading! If you are interested in a Charlotte mason “curriculum”, our favorite resource is Ambleside Online.
Common Sense and Good Intentions
Charlotte explains that parents trust in their good intentions and common sense too much and that the method of all education should be orderly, regulated progress under the guidance of Law. From what I can gather, Charlotte means the “law” to be the word of God and His principles. But she is very specific that this is not just a matter of parents teaching the bible to children, but more of LIVING IT OUT in front of them so that they may see with their own eyes what obedience to the divine laws look like in the lives of their parents.
Law-abiding lives often more blameless that pious lives
My gathering from this section is that she is calling out hypocrisy in parents who teach religion but do not truly emulate its code of conduct. And she warns that children WILL notice whether we believe what we are teaching by observing our behavior and character.
‘Mind’ and ‘matter’ equally governed by law
She continues to argue that all mental, moral, physical and spiritual progress is governed by laws, whether written or unwritten and that real progress and blessing are a direct result of obeying those laws. Even unbelievers benefit from obeying these laws, though they may not even acknowledge the LawGiver.
Antagonism to Law shown by some religious persons
I found this section very interesting and refreshing. Charlotte pinpoints how, sometimes, our spirituality can get in the way of learning to apply the other laws of mental, physical and moral disciplines. She explains that this is why, often, non-believers do better that believers in many other areas of life. If believers would apply themselves to these areas in addition to spiritual laws, they would be prosperous as well. Without realizing it, the pious ones have become antagonistic towards the laws that would benefit them.
Parents must acquaint themselves with the principles of physiology and moral science
Charlotte makes sure that she explains that she is not advocating for disregarding the Divine Law and its teachings, but rather, there is a need for practical education as well. Parents must set their children up for every success by understanding, not only spiritual matters but natural matters as well. That we must be willing to teach and model profitable thinking in all areas of life to ensure their success.
My Takeaway
I think the thing that struck me most in this section is when Charlotte tapped into the fact that we need to be governed by spiritual law, but also of moral, mental and physical laws as well. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard God’s people (and myself!) over the years ask why unbelievers were more blessed than them.
Well, Ms. Mason hits the nail on the head here saying, “In the meantime, the non-believer, who looks for no spiritual aids, lays himself out to discover and conform to all the laws which regulate natural life-physical, mental, moral; all the laws of God, in fact, excepting those of the spiritual life…”
When I put this all in perspective in regards to educating my children, I see a beautifully practical approach.
What was your takeaway this week??? How has reading through Charlotte’s volume changed your perspective on education or your home atmosphere??? Don’t forget to download this week’s questions by clicking on the image below!
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