The Threefold Way of Learning: Atmosphere, Discipline, Life
Patterns for Life audio Chapter 3
Chapter 3 of Patterns for Life: An Orthodox Reflection on Charlotte Mason Education
‘We cannot commit a greater offence than to main or crush, or subvert any part of a person,’ is another way of saying, ‘But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.’ This by no means relieves us of our duties as parents and educators to train and teach our children in the way that they should go; rather it ups the ante for us not to settle with the methods devised by the secular world. After all, the goal of the secular education system is to produce a product. Our goals are to become and to raise saints.
~Patterns for Life, p. 40
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As we continue to consider what it means that our children are persons we need to spend some time thinking about the tools we have at our disposal to help them learn.
We are not free to manipulate them or to force or coerce them into learning. Our focus has to be on relationship and communion rather than trying to fit our children into a system that does not take into account the reality of who they are.
Charlotte Mason concluded that we have 3 tools at our disposal for this purpose:
1. Atmosphere: This is not just our physical surroundings, though they have a part to play in it. Atmosphere encompasses our attitudes, the way we relate to one another, the activities and things we value. Atmosphere is the very first “tool of education” our children encounter when they are born.
2. Discipline: This refers to the discipline of forming and maintaining habits that allow us to pursue an education. This includes academic habits, of course, but it also encompasses much more than just academics.
3. Life: Here life is referring to the life of the mind. Our minds don’t get turned off when lessons are over — they are always at work, processing, assimilating, integrating the ideas we encounter day in and day out.
When we first encounter the idea that we are limited to only 3 educational tools it may feel somewhat discouraging. Many of us have learned to relate to the world and to others through means that Charlotte Mason says are off limits (manipulation, force, intimidation, bribery, etc) and it seems difficult to be confined to only these three things. But oftentimes we discover that less is more, and as we think about these tools we will find that they are quite powerful.
Some things to consider:
Think about the atmosphere in your home. How is it working with you in your educational efforts? Are there any ways in which it is working against you? How does our own behavior contribute to the atmosphere of our home?
What disciplines/habits have you formed that have turned out to be helpful in the education of your children? Did you form those habits deliberately? Are there any habits that your family has that hinder your work?
What does it mean that “education is a life”? How do we feed the minds of our children?