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Atmosphere

The Charlotte Mason education philosophy.

Atmosphere

The Charlotte Mason education philosophy.

The bracing atmosphere of truth and sincerity should be perceived in every school; and here again the common pursuit of knowledge by teacher and class comes to our aid and creates a current of fresh air perceptible even to the chance visitor, who sees the glow of intellectual life and the moral health on the faces of teachers and children alike.

— CHARLOTTE M. MASON —

The bracing atmosphere of truth and sincerity should be perceived in every school; and here again the common pursuit of knowledge by teacher and class comes to our aid and creates a current of fresh air perceptible even to the chance visitor, who sees the glow of intellectual life and the moral health on the faces of teachers and children alike.

CHARLOTTE M. MASON

At Ambleside, we do not define children by their strengths or weaknesses. Children are not — like unmolded clay — ‘incomplete and undeveloped” beings. Instead, we view all children as persons, created in God’s image, with a vast potential for a fruitful life filled with interests and relationships.

 

Children as Persons
Who hasn’t been defined by character or ability? “You are very musical”…or athletic, bright, or mathematically inclined, says a teacher. “You are tone deaf, clumsy, average, and have no aptitude for math,” says a grandparent. Defining a child is a common way to identify who he is, to locate something he is good at, to bolster his self-esteem, to place him in the right track in school, to direct his extra-curricular activities.

 

As persons, all children at Ambleside:
● Experience a broad, rigorous curriculum.
● Calculate, solve, attend, explore, ponder, recite, paint, and sing.
● Are held to a high standard in relationship to self, others, ideas, and work.
● Learn without the external motivation of grades, rewards, punishment, or manipulation.
● Participate actively in the learning process each day.
● Learn to complete punctual, accurate, neat, work.
● Demonstrate complex thought, mastery of material, and academic skill.
● Receive support as they master the habits of a life well-lived.
● Encounter a wealth of ideas and knowledge in well-written books.
● Complete tasks worthy of their attention, time, effort, and thought.