Mason-Inspired Methods for Teaching Writing
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Written by Jessica Boling
jessicaboling.wordpress.com
www.TOSMagazine.com
“Time for writing!” My announcement silences the chatter of several young voices at the Charlotte Mason-inspired co-op where I teach. The students take their seats and pull out black-and-white speckled composition books. They listen as I read a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, our selection for copywork and dictation.
The Charlotte Mason approach enriches a student’s English education in many ways. Families who incorporate Mason’s ideas in their home school introduce their children to quality literature (what Mason terms “living books”) at a young age. Students thrive when they are encouraged to read interesting stories, firsthand accounts, and beautiful poems. On this rich foundation, parents can build their children’s writing skills by using several Mason-inspired methods: copywork and dictation, written narration, and literary analysis. (more…)