Education As Discipline
"By this formula we mean the discipline of habits formed definitely and thoughtfully whether habits of mind or of body…"
— Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason understood—long before sophisticated imaging technology confirmed it—that the physical brain is shaped by its experiences. Mason knew life could be “duly eased” for children “by those whose business it was to lay down lines of habit upon which behaviour might run easily.”
Thus, The Vine School teachers help pupils cultivate habits proper to learning and mature living. During this formation, The Vine School teachers work alongside families, equipping pupils to live full, satisfying lives—rich in devotion to God, service to others, and continued personal growth.
“By this formula we mean the discipline of habits formed definitely and thoughtfully whether habits of mind or of body. Physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structure to habitual lines of thought, i.e. to our habits.”
— Charlotte Mason
At Ambleside / The Vine School, pupils learn the discipline of education as they practice the habits proper to learning and mature living:
- attention
- narration
- careful approach to work
- obedience
- mature relationships with others
- critical thinking
- generous spirit
- reverence
- courtesy
- physical fitness
- moral fitness
