A devoted Christian and avid proponent of liberal education, Charlotte Mason developed a philosophy that became an international movement of parents and schools to reform education. This philosophy forged a synthesis between new and old educational approaches during a time of great educational upheaval and the birth of the progressive movement.

Through her biography and writings, Mason is shown to be a modern educational reformer uniquely in touch with the heart of the Christian liberal education tradition. Though at war with the modern scientism and utilitarianism of her day, Mason nevertheless embraced elements from the emerging fields of physiology and psychology as she advocated for a Christian liberal educational model that respected children as persons and embraced the riches of all knowledge for all children.

In this book, author Jason Barney situates Charlotte Mason’s educational thought and practices within the context of her life and influences. He then explores Mason’s philosophy of education under the main principles that she espoused in her writings: children are born persons; education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life; and education is the science of relations. Readers will see that, in dialogue with the past as well as the present, Charlotte Mason stands as one of the giants in the history of education.