A Visit to Ambleside
By Kerri Forney, CMI Executive Director
August is a delightful time to visit Ambleside, England, where Charlotte Mason had her home and teaching college. It is also the home of the Armitt Library and Museum Centre that houses the Mason archives. Shannon Whiteside and I spent the month researching in the Armitt putting together the full list of booklists and exams for each term that Charlotte Mason and then her successors sent out to schools and homeschools across the world. We are excited for the further insights that will come from analyzing these primary sources which undergird our work with the Alveary as well as providing guidance for others doing curriculum development across the globe.
While in Ambleside, we went each Sunday to St. Mary’s Church where Mason attended and is buried. The first Sunday we were there we met a lovely older lady who had attended Fairfield School when she was 8 and 9 years old back in the 1960’s. This was the practicing school for the students at Mason’s teaching college. It was fun to meet someone who had experienced the same relational education that we are providing for our students today! She has been very generous to agree to write up some of her memories of her time at the school and you can look forward to reading them soon. In the meantime, what would you guess would be the things that stood out to her from so long ago? What do you think your students will remember about their relational education when they are in their 70’s and 80’s?
SPOTLIGHT: Need a book recommendation? Be sure to check out the Bookshelf. This is a wonderful resource with over 1,000 curated living books and resources to use as free-reads for your students (and yourself). You’ll find the bookshelf under “Teacher Resources” in your Dashboard.
NOTES:
- From the Hive: We hope you’ve seen Alveary’s tips for combining students in the Course Planning Sheets, but sometimes it’s just as helpful to hear what’s actually working for another member. One member is looking for ideas for combining more subjects and finding a more peaceful rhythm. What has worked for your family? Join the conversation in the Hive.
- Office Hours: Need help finding something in Alveary? Want to talk through a Reflective Practice prompt or think through something that isn’t quite working? Join us for Office Hours on September 28. Bring your questions, and we’ll talk through them together.
- Commonplace Quarterly: A magazine to encourage families in the practical application of Charlotte Mason’s principles. Get all past digital issues + new releases (digital) for just $25/year with code CMIDigital25.
Have a wonderful weekend!
