Charlotte Mason in the 21st Century

The concluding chapter (Elton-Chalcraft, Van Pelt, and Millar) locates Charlotte Mason’s pedagogy and practice in the wider educational and political context by reorganising her 20 principles under three themes – educational (vision), political (structure), and operational (culture). First, Mason’s vision for education is aligned with a range of current educational thinkers. Second, Mason’s ideas are mapped into debates shaped by governmental structures concerning multicultural and critical perspectives, meritocracy and segregation, academic freedom, parental/carer involvement, and state control. Finally, the operational challenges and opportunities of Mason’s ideas are summed up as documented by the chapter authors’ diverse voices from six continents, which suggests that her vision addresses fundamental human needs that transcend cultural and temporal boundaries. Our hope as editors is for an awakening not only of children’s minds and hearts but also the possibility of educational transformation that serves both human flourishing and the common good.