Charlotte Mason’s Principles 11 & 12

“Education is the Science of Relations” is the second of Charlotte Mason’s core principles. The first is principle #1: Children are born persons. All of the other principles connect with the core principles.

Education is the science of relations means that all educational subjects and daily living are connected through the Holy Spirit.

The science of relations works through Charlotte Mason’s three instruments: atmosphere, discipline, and a life.

1. Atmosphere: While this includes our temperament and home aesthetics, it also includes what we expose our children to: music, art, church, and community.

2. Discipline: Discipline means habit training in the physical and intellectual. We are always habit training whether it’s good habits or bad habits. We must remember that our children are not machines but instead born persons. Therefore, we must allow grace and mercy when habit training.

3. Life: Education should not be confined to the classroom. Instead we must show our students that we are educated everywhere we go. We learn from other people as well as good books.

All the principles work “in vital harmony.” When we teach our children as persons, they will be able to form quality relationships that will “motivate them to live virtuously” (Karen Glass, In Vital Harmony, p. 168).