Some people feel that a Charlotte Mason education lacks diversity, and I understand where that idea is coming from. There are those who feel that “Charlotte Mason is white-washed,” and many parents and teachers think that using her philosophy will lead only to European-centered history and accomplishments. A couple of years ago, I answered the question Is a Charlotte Mason education good for Black children? Today, I’m expanding that discussion to include diversity within Charlotte Mason lessons, in general.
Increasingly, people are discussing the need to diversify the feast within a Charlotte Mason education (within ANY education), and though I continue to receive negative feedback from outliers who relish all-white spaces and curricula, the overwhelming response has been extremely positive.
In this video, I weigh in on the conversation as a Black homeschooling mom of four who has used Charlotte Mason’s philosophy to guide my children’s lessons from the very beginning.
Thank you to everyone who is standing with me in my efforts to bring Black and Brown voices to the table. You’re spreading my message far and wide, and other friends have joined in, sharing their thoughts, resources, and talents with the broader community as we work together to provide our children with an inclusive and relational education filled with life-giving books, things, and ideas.
Other diverse Charlotte Mason resources
Charlotte Mason City Living (“We, too, are making history” series) – Erika Alicea is a Puerto Rican Charlotte Mason mom who regularly shares multicultural inspiration and resources on her blog. She also offers a list of recommended multicultural resources and diverse artist studies at The Art of Color.
Stories of Color (What did Charlotte Mason think of diversity?) – Stories of Color is a community-cultivated, lovingly curated book source for Charlotte Mason homeschoolers on the pursuit to bring more diverse, multicultural ideas and perspectives to life for their children.
Charlotte Mason for All (podcast) – This podcast is hosted by a culturally and ethnically diverse group of Charlotte Mason mothers who are committed to living out the Gospel in their parenting.
A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond – My new book is a guide for families of all backgrounds to celebrate cultural heritage and embrace inclusivity in the home and beyond. Pre-order by May 17th for free bonuses! And stay tuned for details on joining my book launch team.
Well said Amber! I appreciate your voice in the Mason community.
Thank you! I appreciate your support and encouragement.
Thank you Amber! Wondering – what are your favorite history spines for each cycle/time period?
That’s a tough question. I don’t really have a spine that I love. I usually use smaller, topical books to help unfold the story of whatever time period we’re in, and I share most of them in my historical time period posts here on the blog. In general, we’ve used spines from Simply Charlotte Mason and A History of US (Joy Hakim) in recent years.
I support what you are doing 100%. Thank you for all your work! You will bless so many.
I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know that you’re supportive. Thank you!
Your work is so amazing, Amber! We are excited to use your “Melanated Tales” pack for our oldest daughter in her 1b year next year. I’m wondering if you have a suggestion for good books for “the heroic age” of our country that 1b students study? The recommended book in the curriculum we use isn’t the only picture of “heroic” Americans I’d like her to see. Thank you so much!
Thank you, Cara. I really appreciate that. For 1b, I focus on Native American stories (picture books) for the heroic age. I also include a few picture books on African kingdoms. I know this isn’t their own country, but I think it’s so important to show our children the majesty of these kingdoms well before they learn about slavery in America. The books are on this page: https://heritagemom.com/2020/05/27/african-african-american-resources-for-early-modern-history/. And for my youngest (1b this year), I’m using my Joyful Generations Heritage Pack. It will take us 2-3 years to get through it. It’s not the heroic age, but it puts heroes in front of him that are different than what’s found in any curriculum. I hope this helps!