Pass on knowledge using the best books
Developing a philosophy of education--bit by bit, or post by post
In my first post outlining my philosophy of education, I stated that passing on knowledge ought to be one of the five central roles of receiving an education within the walls of a school. And that the knowledge ought to be acquired by reading books. To achieve this goal, I stated that schools should:
Focus heavily on passing on knowledge, and the primary means they should do so is through reading “living books.” Charlotte Mason described living books as those that are written by an author who is knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter and writes in a conversational style. Living books make the subject matter come to life; they are not dry like textbooks. They don’t just list facts; they involve the reader's emotions, making the content easier to remember.
This task of school contributes to the larger purpose, or end-goal, of an education: self-sufficiency and human flourishing in a free society. You may wonder, but what should children, who leave school poised to flourish in a free society, know? What knowledge, exactly, are we passing on?