I have recently become acquainted with the Charlotte Mason approach to education and homeschooling. Overall I am quite impressed with her ideas. In the introduction to her books she gives a 20 point summary of her philosophy
(see http://www.homeschool-portal.com/Charlotte-Mason-Principles.html)

Generally speaking, I find her language rather archaic (in our time)and somewhat difficult to understand.

I quote two principles:
17. The way of the will: Children should be taught, (a) to distinguish between 'I want' and 'I will.' (b) That the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts from that which we desire but do not will. (c) That the best way to turn our thoughts is to think of or do some quite different thing, entertaining or interesting. (d) That after a little rest in this way, the will returns to its work with new vigour. (This adjunct of the will is familiar to us as diversion, whose office it is to ease us for a time from will effort, that we may 'will' again with added power. The use of suggestion as an aid to the will is to be deprecated, as tending to stultify and stereotype character, It would seem that spontaneity is a condition of development, and that human nature needs the discipline of failure as well as of success.)

18. The way of reason: We teach children, too, not to 'lean (too confidently) to their own understanding'; because the function of reason is to give logical demonstration (a) of mathematical truth, (b) of an initial idea, accepted by the will. In the former case, reason is, practically, an infallible guide, but in the latter, it is not always a safe one; for, whether that idea be right or wrong, reason will confirm it by irrefragable proofs.

My question: Is there someone who is well acquainted with the Mason philosophy who can explain to me in simple English what she is saying in these two points?

I would love to have some feedback and then we can discuss the issues in greater detail.

Take care
Grandpapa from Homeschool Castle at www.homeschool-portal.com