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66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
not just information but thoughtful and profound essays, December 31, 2001
After reading some of this authors' magazine columns, I read this book as my introduction to the Charlotte Mason method of home education. Overall the tone of the book is very serious. This is not a fast read by any means. It is not difficult to understand but I found that I was savoring the words and reading it slowly. Some of Andreola's statements were so profound that they made me stop to ponder the ideas. At the end of each chapter is a listing of questions for further thought or discussion. These would be great to use for group discussion such as at a homeschooling support group meeting.Andreola is very interested in the Charlotte Mason method and her passion for the method comes through clearly. She is very thorough in her discussions about ways to put into practice Ms. Mason's theories. One of my favorite things about this book is that first and foremost it focuses on the importance of a happy and healthy home and family life for raising children. The backbone here is teaching the children respect, values, and virtues. Once those foundations are in place then it is time for introducing "school subjects". All the components of the over 100-year-old Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling is here: using living books instead of textbooks, using narration instead of testing, teaching reading, writing, music, nature study, poetry, history and music. This book is so well written. It is not a quick read manual of how to implement the Charlotte Mason method; it is a well-thought out series of essays and personal reflections. Many times while reading the book I wanted to highlight passages and makes notes in the borders. This is a book to buy and keep for future reference. Even if you are homeschooling with Charlotte Mason's method as an inspiration this book is useful. The book heavily refers to Christianity but if that is not your belief system I feel you can still apply everything to your homeschooling, just ignore the references to Christianity. Andreola repeatedly states that she didn't intend this book to be a replacement of Charlotte Mason's original books and she urges the reader to go on to read Mason's books as well. I think Andreola's book is a great introduction and if you want more then go on to read Mason's works. Addendum: This addendum is being written 18 months after my original review was posted. Even after reading this book I felt a little confused about the day to day planning of how to homeschool with this method. This missing link was bridged by attending a workshop given by another author/homeschooling parent named Catherine Levison, which was an oral presentation of the information presented her book called "More Charlotte Mason Education". If you want a quick read that focuses on the bare bones of how to do the Charlotte Mason method (not theory) then I suggest reading "More Charlotte Mason Education". If you are looking for a faster read about the theory of Charlotte Mason education then I'd recommend either Catherine Levison's "A Charlotte Mason Education" or Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's "For the Children's Sake". Andreola's book "A Charlotte Mason Companion" is wonderful reading when you have the time and desire to ponder over her thought-provoking passages. I am now in a book discussion group where we are reading Andreola's "A Charlotte Mason Companion" together and discussing it. We read the sections aloud and stop to discuss our thoughts, and when the chapter is finished, we discuss the questions that Andreola provides at the end of every chapter. This discussion group has been enjoyable and an invaluable source of support and fellowship between other mothers homeschooling using the Charlotte Mason method.
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by Anna Botsford Comstock
by Charlotte Mason
