Charlotte Mason’s Education is an Atmosphere

In the Charlotte Mason homeschool, we hold fast to three main instruments of education: Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. In this post, we hope to unpack the concept of education being dependent on atmosphere.

What does Miss Mason mean when she says “Education is an atmosphere”? 

…for a decade or two we have pinned our faith on environment as a great part of education; as, say, nine-tenths rather than a third part of the whole. The theory has been,––put a child in the right environment and so subtle is its influence, so permanent its effects that he is to all intents and purposes educated thereby. (vol 6 page 95-96)

It seems that we all agree that environment plays a big role in the growth of a child. Research has constantly been done on the power of nurture versus nature, which helps prove Miss Mason’s idea that education does not depend on one’s family background, but is affected by the opportunities that a child is given in life. 

But first, let’s take a look at what a Charlotte Mason atmosphere is not. 

What Atmosphere is Not

When we say that education is an atmosphere we do not mean that a child should be isolated in what may be called a ‘child environment’ specially adapted and prepared, but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere both as regards persons and things and should let him live freely among his proper conditions. It stultifies a child to bring down his world to the ‘child’s’ level. (vol 6 page 95) 

Sometimes we think that when we say that education is an atmosphere, we need to create a special environment for our children. Some educational philosophies live by this principle, for example, where everything is made child-sized, such as child-sized brooms and cleaning equipment and kitchen tools. In the Charlotte Mason method, we don’t need to lean over backwards to offer “specially adapted and prepared” rooms and things.

What does it mean to say that we take into account “the educational value of his natural home atmosphere”? I believe this includes Miss Mason’s emphasis on an atmosphere of learning. For example, she highly encourages outdoor time, where the child gets the chance to learn about the different trees, flowers, and insects right at his doorstep. The CM method also puts an importance on the child learning necessary life skills, such as skills in the kitchen and in the household. 

Aspects of Atmosphere 

Schools may add Latin and sums and whatever else their curriculum contains, but the actual education is, as it were, performed upon a child by means of colour schemes, harmonious sounds, beautiful forms, gracious persons. He grows up aesthetically educated into sweet reasonableness and harmony with his surroundings. (vol 6 page 95-96) 

From this passage, we can see that atmosphere that affects a child’s education can include the following: 

• color schemes: this includes a well-designed home, room, or work area 
• harmonious sounds: this includes music and discourages discordant noises 
• beautiful forms: access to pretty, decorative plants, sculptures, and furniture can fall under here 
• gracious persons: here we are challenged to grow in our own maturity and graciousness! (oops!)

Take a look at Miss Mason’s example of a well-planned child’s room: 

“Peter’s nursery was a perfect dream in which to hatch the soul of a little boy. Its walls were done in warm, cream-coloured paint and upon them Peter’s father had put the most lovely patterns of trotting and jumping horses and dancing cats and dogs and leaping lambs, a carnival of beasts . . . there was a big brass fire-guard in Peter’s nursery . . . and all the tables had smoothly rounded corners against the days when Peter would run about. The floor was of cork carpet on which Peter would put his toys and there was a crimson hearthrug on which Peter was destined to crawl . . . there were scales in Peter’s nursery to weigh Peter every week and tables to show how much he ought to weigh and when one should begin to feel anxious. There was nothing casual about the early years of Peter.” (vol 6 page 96)

But this doesn’t mean that, as stated earlier, that atmosphere depends only on the physical aspects of a room. Let’s continue reading below: 

It is there, about the child, his natural element, precisely as the atmosphere of the earth is about us. It is thrown off, as it were, from persons and things, stirred by events, sweetened by love, ventilated, kept in motion, by the regulated action of common sense. (vol 6 page 96-97) 

Here we learn that Miss Mason emphasizes the child’s natural element. 

Things A Child Can Learn from Our Natural Surroundings

Let’s take a look at some of her examples of what that the child can learn from the natural conditions around him:

• sharing household ways with his mother
• romping with his father
• being teased by his brothers and petted by his sisters; 
• lessons by his “tumbles”; 
• self-denial by the baby’s needs, 
• the delightfulness of furniture by playing at battle and siege with sofa and table; 
• veneration for the old by the visits of his great-grandmother; 
• to live with his equals by the chums he gathers round him; 
• intimacy with animals from his dog and cat; 
• delight in the fields where the buttercups grow and greater delight in the blackberry hedges
• intimacy with his betters, and also with cook and housemaid, blacksmith and joiner, with everybody who comes in his way 

(From: vol 6 page 96-97) 

Here we can see that, whatever the natural surroundings of our children, they can learn numerous things. 

But Miss Mason discourages introducing “artificial elements” or “softening with cushions,” and emphasizes the importance of children “facing life as it is.” This means that, when we as parents feel sad or anxious, our children naturally notice it, and we don’t need to try to shelter them from natural circumstances.

But there’s an important caveat: when the cause of our anxiety is about our children’s grades, it can hinder the love of learning. 

Is Your Home Atmosphere Anxious? 

According to Miss Mason, the atmosphere in the home, school, or homeschool affects whether the child develops a love of knowledge or a love of good grades: 

But a school may be working hard, not for love of knowledge, but for love of marks, our old enemy; and then young faces are not serene and joyous but eager, restless, apt to look anxious and worried. The children do not sleep well and are cross; are sullen or in tears if anything goes wrong, and are, generally, difficult to manage… (vol 6 page 97) 

The above description is common in the school system. But sometimes, it’s also possible for us as homeschooling parents to cross the line. Although we are admonished not to shelter our children from the cares of daily life, it’s an unnecessary burden when we cause our children to feel anxious about something that needs to be relegated to the backseat of a love for knowledge. 

Let’s continue reading: 

Then teachers think that lessons have been too hard, that children should be relieved of this and that study; the doctors probably advise that so-and-so should ‘run wild’ for a year. Poor little soul, at the very moment when he is most in need of knowledge for his sustenance he is left to prey upon himself! No wonder the nervous symptoms become worse, and the boy or girl suffers under the stigma of ‘nervous strain.’ 

The fault has been in the atmosphere and not in the work; the teacher, perhaps, is over anxious that her children should do well and her nervous excitation is catching. “I am afraid X cannot do his examination; he loves his work but he bursts into tears when he is asked an examination question. Perhaps it is that I have insisted too much that he must never be satisfied with anything but his best.” Poor little chap (of seven) pricked into over exertion by the spur of moral stimulus! (vol 6 pages 97-98) 

I am deeply burdened whenever families I coach are too concerned about grades. There’s nothing wrong with grades when used as a tool to gauge how much our children have learned and grown. But when it becomes a preoccupation, as Miss Mason points out, our anxiety as parents form an atmosphere that affects our children, too. 

A Beautiful Alternative: Cultivating a Love of Knowledge 

Instead, what kind of atmosphere do we cultivate in the Charlotte Mason method? 

We foresee happy days for children when all teachers know that no other exciting motive whatever is necessary to produce good work in each individual of however big a class than that love of knowledge which is natural to every child. The serenity and sweetness of schools conducted on this principle is surprising to the outsider who has not reflected upon the contentment of a baby with his bottle! (vol 6 pages 97-98) 

Setting an Atmosphere that Loves Learning 

If we can take away only one thing from the concept of education being an atmosphere, I believe it should be the intentional setting of an atmosphere that values, enjoys, cherishes, and seeks learning. 

In what ways do you think you can do that in your home? Share them in the comments below.