Thursday Plenary
Plenary: a meeting at which all the attendants of the retreat gather together to hear the speaker.
Twenty Principles
Plenary Presented by Art Middlekauff
Charlotte Mason first introduced her theory of education in a series of lectures in 1885 which were published in 1886. In the years which followed, she wrote many additional articles and books. However, over time she increasingly felt the need to distill her theory of education into a concise summary or synopsis. She completed this in 1904, and it is now commonly referred to as her “Twenty Principles.” In this plenary, we will consider the meaning and significance of each of these twenty principles, thereby surveying Mason’s theory of education according to the structure she herself formalized in her synopsis.
Friday Early-Morning Session
Savior of the World
Immersion Presented by Art Middlekauff
Charlotte Mason wrote, “Poetry is, perhaps, the most searching and intimate of our teachers… As we ’inwardly digest,’ reverence comes to us unawares…” Mason believed that poetry plays a crucial role in the spiritual formation of Christ’s disciples, so much so that she wrote six volumes of poems for use in school lessons. In this immersion session, we will experience an actual Bible lesson, illuminated by poetry, according to the method laid down by Mason herself.
Friday Morning Session
Morning Immersion
Three hour Immersion Presented by the CMER Team
Ever wish you could be a fly on the wall during a Charlotte Mason lesson? If you are interested in experiencing the Charlotte Mason method first-hand, we have a special offering just for you.
Taking the posture of students, we will participate in a sampling of elementary-level lessons as they might be experienced in a home environment. In the morning, we will gather for a variety of short lessons. After lunch, we will meet to debrief and discuss the experience.
The lessons will be presented according to Mason’s philosophy of education. However, we do not wish to convey that this is the “only” way or even the “best” way; but to demonstrate a possible way.
During the three-hour immersion, we will enjoy lessons in Bible, Geography, Composer Study, Shakespeare, Natural History, Picture Study, Poetry, and more.