"The question is not — how much does the youth know when he has finished his education — but how much does he care?"— Charlotte Mason
Heritage is deeply influenced by Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education. Charlotte Mason was a 19th-century British educator who dedicated her life to improving the quality of children's education. She understood that true education means educating the whole child — mind, body, and spirit. Her philosophy begins from a foundation of truth — that all children are born persons, created in the image of God. She believed that this understanding must influence everything about our approach to education.
At Heritage, you will see and feel Charlotte Mason's influence. Believing relationships come first, we have intimate classrooms to ensure that every student is known, cherished, and challenged according to his or her personality and needs. We seek to provide a beautiful and orderly environment that fosters intellectual and spiritual growth, and students are trained in habits that form the foundational skills for lifelong learning. Our duty as educators is to present students with a feast of rich, living ideas. In our carefully selected curriculum, students are exposed to great works of art and music, literature and history, science and nature. Our desire is to cultivate a delight in knowing, a desire for truth, and a love of beauty — ultimately pointing them to the Source of all that is good, true, and beautiful.
A key component of Charlotte Mason's methodology is the practice of narration. In simple terms, narration is the "art of telling back" what has been read or heard. This practice strengthens the habit of attention, develops language skills, and leads to greater understanding. As students tell back and discuss, they not only learn the material, but they make connections about God's world and their place in it.