Charlotte Mason Study Guide

The content of this book is fantastic. I will read it again. The issue is the binding completely fell apart during my first reading. Every 10 or so pages fall out in clumps.

I think the title is a bit misleading. This book is a wealth of information in and of itself! I read it after I had already read all of the Original 6 Volumes by CM herself. This handy litte book by Penny Gardener is a treasure chest for anyone intersted in pursuing this method of education. It is well written in "bite-size" pieces and easy to read/understand. It is very compact and we are using it in our monthly support meetings with great success.

This book is a must have. Not only do I have the book, but I was able to hear Penny annd Karen Rackliffe speak at our HS conference. What wonderful women. They inspired me beyond measure. They were funny, and open, and inspirational, just like both their books! 5 starts all the way!

If you love the Charlotte Mason method, then you will want to grovel at Penny Gardner's feet after reading this book. She has given us an invaluable tool for implementing the sometimes hard to understand nuisances found in CM's Original Home Education Series. Think of this book as a Study Guide for each volume. It takes most, if not all, of the most important quotes from the entire series, and arranges them into 20 different "Study Topics". The topics include quotes taken from the series, testimonials from other CM users who have been successful in implementing the particular subject, insights and prose from Penny Gardner herself, and quotes from scripture. All of these elements work cohesively to create a much deeper understanding of the topic, thus eliminating most of the frustration one endures when first reading CM's original work. There is even an in-depth chapter on Narration, the cornerstone of Charlotte Mason's philosophy.I found every chapter (Study Topic) to be a rewarding reading experience. I felt as if I knew exactly what I was suppose to do and how I was suppose to do it. All confusion was eliminated. If you own, or a planning to purchase, Charlotte Mason's Original Home Education Series, then you most definitely need this book.5 Stars (plus more) for keeping the dream alive...Thanks Penny!

I wish I had discovered this book earlier in my journey into researching Charlotte Mason's methods and philosophies of education. It provides such a wealth information about what Charlotte Mason actually said and taught through her own extensive writings. The topics covered in this book include: child-rearing and discipline, habits and character, the habit of attention, narration, the way of the will, the way of the reason, goals of education, the 3R's, geography and history, the arts, outdoor education, nature notebooks, and much more. For people who want to read Charlotte Mason's six-volume set, this study guide could provide just the helping hand needed to dig into Mason's writings for themselves. Gardner's book would also make an excellent outline for use in a support/study group setting. If you're seriously interested in learning all you can about Charlotte Mason and her educational methods, I recommend that you read Catherine Levison's books for the practical how-to's, Karen Andreola's book for inspiration, and by all means make certain you have a copy of Penny Gardner's book on your shelf so you can delve into Charlotte Mason's writings and thoughts for yourself. You'll be glad you did!

Penny Gardner has given a great service to educators who want to learn more about Miss Mason. She has taken the golden nuggets of Charlotte Mason's lectures and articles, condensing and reorganizing them into study topics. This makes Miss Mason's methods much easier to understand and impliment. Thank you, Penny, for saving us time and effort in our studies! Now we can get down to the business of teaching our children with simplicity and good sense.