Teaching Methods
Children need
to learn how to govern themselves, and for this purpose Charlotte
advocated the deliberate training in habit.
The child learns the habits of attention, perfect execution,
truthfulness, even-temperedness, obedience, neatness, kindness, order,
respect, punctuality, remembering, cleanliness, etc. These habits
prepare the child for productive and happy adulthood - the child who
habitually arrives at school on time will not struggle to arrive on time
at work; the child who is habitually truthful will not defraud investors; the child who readily accepts instruction from a teacher will
readily accept instruction from an employer.
Charlotte Mason advocated short lessons for young children, becoming
progressively longer as the child matures. Initially, no more than
20 minutes should be spent on one subject before moving on to something
else. In this way, the habit of attention is reinforced, and the
child receives a broad education filled with many
varied subjects.
In the Ambleside curriculum, 'discipline' subjects (mathematics,
grammar) are generally alternated with 'inspirational' subjects (art
appreciation, poetry) so that the mind is constantly engaged on
different levels and does not tire.
