Charlotte Mason (1942–1923) was an educator who most notably transformed the entire sphere of children’s education during her lifetime. Mason’s philosophy of instruction is best summed up in two personal mottos that she held true to. Those mottos are: “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life” and “Education is the science of relations.”

Mason placed great emphasis on the reading of the most excellent classical literature, and she coined the phrase “living books” to denote those writings that “spark the imagination of the child through the subject matter.” 

Mason unequivocally believed children were born persons in the image of God and should be respected as such. She also believed children have a natural love for learning and devised strategies that facilitated the stimulation of healthy mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth through the creation of positive learning atmospheres. She believed that children should feast upon the best ideas, which she called “mind-food” and that even the youngest children should be given “ideas, clothed upon with facts” as they occur, breathing inspiration into the tales of history while cultivating a creative mind. Her approach is entirely child-centered and propelled by the love of Christ.