Episode #8 | Freedom Within Boundaries

Although I’ve been studying Mason’s philosophy of education for a few years now I still had some unanswered questions about her first principle.

• How does Mason’s theory of child development compare to the well-known theories today? 
• How do I respect my child’s personhood and still set boundaries? 
• What does Mason’s first principle, children are born persons, look like in practice? 
• How do I know if my child’s school views children as born persons? What should I look for?

I invited Dr. Jack Beckman to chat with me and answer a few of those questions. In this episode we discuss how Mason’s philosophy compares to the well-know child development theories today, how parents can give children liberty while still setting boundaries, and what he looks for in schools that respect children as people. 

Dr. Jack Beckman began his career as an Early Childhood educator in the classroom, then as an educational leader, and finally as Professor of Elementary Education at Covenant College. He is a graduate of George State University, Covenant College and Cambridge University. He is also a Fellow at the University of Cumbria, UK, where he works with a team of colleagues to develop a research agenda on the life and work of Charlotte Mason.