Our Classrooms

While many of us love a good period film or Victorian novel, we are not attempting to sentimentalize or recreate a bygone era. Charlotte Mason principles are adaptable to our time and place, and our teachers are continually synthesizing and integrating contemporary best practice.

As we follow new research on the brain and child development, we regularly see evidence that Charlotte Mason was very intuitive about how children learn. Her writings and instructional guidelines support many of today’s best practice methods. For example, research shows that small group instruction, inquiry-based science, reading high-quality literature and letting children choose which books they want to read are all important for learning. Research also shows that children reap important benefits from connecting with nature—an important component of a Charlotte Mason education.

At SCCS we also embrace attachment-based learning and foster a trauma-aware approach within the classrooms. Routines like morning meetings and closing circles help children to connect with each other and their teacher. Charlotte Mason believed that children learn best in a community where they are valued, respected, encouraged, and held accountable. In all of these ways, contemporary research dovetails and reinforces a Charlotte Mason approach. 

Charlotte Mason was considered radical in her lifetime for believing that all children— both boys and girls in Victorian England—regardless of social status, should receive a rich liberal arts education. SCCS agrees with her high opinion of all children! We work to provide a beautiful and equitable education that prepares the whole child and cultivates the love of learning.