Rating: 
Summary: Highly recommend - even for dads!
Review: I highly recommend this book especially for those homeschoolers out there who have heard of Charlotte Mason but have a very vague idea of who she was and what her method was all about. Catherine Levison has taken an elaborate amount of time and energy to compile an easy to use manual on the how-to of a remarkable woman's method. I have and will continue to recommend this book to my friends and fellow homeschoolers (and to my 3 sisters as well who are not homeschoolers). Also, my husband, with his very busy schedule, has been able to learn more about Charlotte Mason through this book, therefore, allowing us to be on the same wavelength as we teach our children using this method.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I loved this book! Catherine made it so simple for me to get started with Charlotte Mason education while still absorbing all of the many writings of Charlotte Mason. I was able to teach my children while continuing to study. Thank you Cathy for simply making Charlotte Mason simple.
Rating: 
Summary: A practical how-to for those who want some specifics
Review: I read and enjoyed some of the other books on the Charlotte Mason method (by S. S. Macaulay and the Clarksons) but I still was unclear on exactly how to implement the program with my child. Catherine Levison's book took me by the hand and gave me concrete examples of how to implement the CM method. Especially helpful were the sample schedules, from Levison's own home school and from Charlotte Mason herself. This is the book that actually got me started on implementing the CM method in my home school!
Rating:
Summary: Helpful and useful---a real treasure!
Review: I wasn't sure after reading some of Miss Mason's original works exactly how to apply the method practically in my own educational efforts with my children. This helpful little book steered me toward Real World applications better than anything else I had yet found in any other Charlotte Mason related books or resources. The topical treatment of the various academic subjects was easy for me to use. I think this is a great book to start with if you're new to Charlotte Mason's ideas. Practical, practical, practical!
Rating:
Summary: Helpful and practical.
Review: I've read Charlotte Mason's original works and every other book on Charlotte Mason topics, but I always had trouble with the details of practically applying Miss Mason's methods with my students. Levison's book took the mystery out of the method. Within the first 24 hours of reading A Charlotte Mason Education, I started applying the methods with my children and we loved it! I knew Charlotte Mason's methods were what I wanted to use... and this great little book made it possible. I highly recommend this book to anyone seriously considering implementing Charlotte Mason's methods in their home or school.
Rating:
Summary: Levison's book helps you get started!
Review: I've read three books from Charlotte Mason's six-volume set, loved them, and am glad they're on my shelf. However, Catherine Levison's little book is the one that helped me to get started adding nature study, art appreciation, and poetry into our homeschool. And now even science is studied in a more literary manner. CM's ideas are wonderful...I'm glad Levison gave us a helping hand toward implementation.
Rating: 
Summary: An ok Charlotte Mason starting point...
Review: If you know absolutely nothing about Charlotte Mason, this might be the book for you. Frankly, I would recommend Karen Andreola's book over this one as a starter for those interested in Charlotte Mason, or better yet, if you can afford it, buy Charlotte's books! :-) I am surprised at all the high reviews of the book...someone is seeing something that I didn't, and maybe you would too? I am a homeschooling mom of four boys and use a classical/charlotte mason style in my home. I have been homeschooling now for five years and come from a family filled with educators. I felt that this book was lacking in meat/substance, and had I not been familiar already with Charlotte Mason's overall ideas, probably would not have felt that a Charlotte Mason education was worth my time or consideration...however, in all fairness, the author does give some resources and ideas for implementing Charlotte Mason in your home that are nice to know. I'd check it out of the library though, or look for it used at yardsales? I will be reading her second book since I bought it for a steal at one of those aforementioned yardsales, and I understand that her second volume has more meat, and maybe that one is better? I hope so.
Rating:
Summary: Great introduction!
Review: If you're brand new to Charlotte Mason and looking for a quick reference of the practical how-to's of Mason's educational methods, then this is the book for you! I believe that this book successfully accomplishes what it was written for--to present the reader with a step-by-step, topic-by-topic introduction to Miss Mason's methods. This book isn't an in-depth treatment of Charlotte Mason's entire philosophy of education, and I don't believe it was meant to cover anything more than just the practical how-to's. If you're looking at your home educational efforts and thinking something like, "How can I quickly and easily add art appreciation and poetry to our curriculum?", then you'll find the answers here. I find this to be one of the easiest to use, most helpful home education books on my shelf. I refer back to it often (ie: "I need more ideas for Nature study. I'll go back and see what Levison recommends"). The book is short, to the point, and written from the wisdom of a long-time homeschooling parent who spent several years digging through Charlotte Mason's original books and many out-of-print resources to distill Mason's vast writings on the philosophy of education into the practical nuts and bolts of how to do it at home. Presented in a manageable and readable format. Contrary to some opinions, Levison's second book, More Charlotte Mason Education, definitely isn't a rewrite of this first book. More Charlotte Mason Education does go into greater depth on things like the life of Charlotte Mason, but none of the practical how-to's are repeated from one book to the next. Please don't start with Book Two unless you're already using CM methods almost exclusively in your home school, or I think you'll probably find yourself wondering why the author didn't talk about most educational topics that need to be covered in your homeschool (the first book gives the most information about what to do and how). I think it's probably best if someone buys both books. They're definitely a set that compliments and completes one another.
Rating:
Summary: Great Tool!
Review: This book has been a great tool and has given me guidance with homeschooling my children. I didn't know where to start and after I read this book I am now on my way to really teaching my children and know that they are truly learning.
Rating:
Summary: Good Starting Place
Review: This book is a great starting place for those who want to home school but don't know where to start.
|
