High School Composition
By the Alveary Team
We often hear questions about high school composition, and many of them come from common misconceptions about how writing is taught in a Charlotte Mason education. Composition is not an abrupt shift or a checklist of assignments, but a skill that grows naturally over time. Here’s how high school composition is approached:
Once students have achieved a basic fluency with words and ability to "tell back" their narrations in written (or typed) form, we start introducing directed composition assignments which become gradually more in depth throughout the HS years. We start these specific composition assignments in the 7th grade lessons, but some students may be ready a little earlier or later depending on their particular needs.
Some of our main goals throughout our high school composition program are to help students find delight in experimenting with words and to learn how to use them well and wisely. Following the example we see in Charlotte Mason's curriculum, we work to have students writing primarily about their books or observations in other subjects so they have had a chance to find topics and ideas of interest and can then focus on communicating about them and going deeper in their composition assignments. We also balance a practical approach to college preparation with a conviction that it is beneficial for students to explore many different types of writing. This means that while students are learning the basics of essay writing, argumentation, research, and revision in the HS years, they also continue to work on skills such as verse writing, descriptive writing, dialogue, and more.
Membership Spotlight: If you currently have a high school student, or will soon, as you start thinking about transcript and credits be sure to check out the High School Handbook if you haven’t yet. It includes sample transcripts and helpful tips for determining credits.
Notes:
- 2026 CMI Conference: In a distracted age, we are gathering to slow down, pay attention, and be faithfully present. Join us July 23–25, 2026, in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Learn more here!
- Social Media: Want to share your homeschool with the Alveary community? We’re looking for a few members to be featured in a Day in the Life with Alveary on social media. Click here if you are interested.
- Office Hours: Here is the recording of this week’s Office Hours with Donna Johnson.
- Course Registration: Registration is open for CMI winter courses including the CORE teacher training course, Mason’s Principles: Parts 1 & 2, and the Virtual Immersion Masterclass. If you are interested in diving deep into the CM philosophy, snag a spot today.
- In the Company of Ideas: Join us this month in the Hive as we discuss the monograph by Dr. Shannon Whiteside titled “Narration and Retelling: Charlotte Mason’s Living Method of Learning.
- Brilliant: As an educational non-profit, Charlotte Mason Institute has been approved for free Brilliant premium accounts for all Alveary students!! Brilliant is focused on supplemental STEM teaching and practice with a focus on mathematical and quantitative problem solving and computer science. They specialize in optimized learning experiences that are interactive, adaptive, and fun! Set up a free account using the Alveary only link here.
