Recommended Books
There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity.
There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love.
ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX
Thank you
We must seek constant improvement as teachers in order to encourage our students to seek constant improvement for themselves.
These books will help you improve as a teacher.
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habit is ten natures
Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason, Vol. 1
Volume One of the Home Education series is the perfect place to start reading Miss Mason’s work, especially if you have little children who have yet to begin any formal schooling, or if you have Form I students. Here are the nuts and bolts of nature study, habit training, and daily lessons.
This volume is broken up into bite-sized sections. I recommend just reading one section a day to chew on.
Ennobling the Masses
Norms & Nobility by David V. Hicks (New Edition)
A new and more affordable edition of David Hicks’s preeminent work. Without this book, Scale How School would not have come to be.
This is an academic work, and it is not light reading; however every classical educator should have a copy of this book (apparently an audiobook is in the works). Start reading bits here and there. You will be amazed to see your understanding increase as you stretch yourself with this timeless and consequential work.
If you get bogged down in a chapter, skip to another, and return to the difficult parts later. The Light of Christ will unlock your comprehension.
a master-thought
School Education by Charlotte M. Mason, Vol. 3
If you are getting rained on in the trenches of your homeschool, this volume will help you weather the storm, and it will help you weather it well. Many of Miss Mason’s most famous and well-loved quotes are found in this treasured volume.
This volume is also broken up into bite-sized sections, but every bite is rich with wisdom and master-thoughts. Savor this one by reading a section a day.
How frugal is the chariot
Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child by Anthony Esolen
A powerhouse in cultural criticism, Esolen’s acclaimed satire reminds us that the deep societal decay we see around us has been happening for some time.
This book may be preaching to the choir when it is read by the faithful homeschool mom, but it definitely will add fuel to your homeschool fire. The book reads fast and is not too difficult a read. The use of irony packs a special punch that keeps the pages turning.
A right to the best we possess
A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte M. Mason, Vol. 6
“I should like to add that no statement that I have advanced in the following volume rests upon opinion only; every point has been proved in thousands of instances, and the method may be seen at work in many schools, large and small, Elementary and Secondary.” -Charlotte Mason
Miss Mason’s magnum opus, a work that embodies her life’s work, Volume Six is recommended reading to fully encompass her Philosophy of Education.
This volume is not broken up into bite-sized sections with subheadings. It is organized into typical chapters, making it a little harder to digest in small and short, meaty readings for the busy homeschool mom. Many Charlotte Mason influencers will tell moms to read this volume first, since it encompasses the entire philosophy. I find this volume to be somewhat more advanced reading than Vol. 1 and Vol. 3.
Despise not the revelations of God
The Book of Mormon, Maxwell Institute Study Edition, Edited by Grant Hardy
It appears that this edition may be out of print due to the exorbitant price for the paperback. If you can find an affordable used copy, I recommend picking it up. It appears that Grant Hardy has put together an annotated version that has similar features to this edition, however according to reviews, the binding of that newer annotated version is absolutely terrible. If the binding can be fixed, I will purchase that version.
I love the section headings. I love the prose format, and the verse format when applicable. Truly a lovely way to read the Book of Mormon. I adore the woodcut of Ammaron showing the record to the young, ten year old Mormon. “I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe… .“