Last weekend I packed my bags and made my way to the St. Francis Retreat in Old San Juan for an “extended immersion in the methods Charlotte Mason used with her students as a way to get to the core of her philosophy.”

The CM West Retreat in Old San Juan 2019 started on Thursday with a pre-retreat hike. This was a great way to meet a few of the ladies beforehand and shake the nerves I had from traveling to a new place to be with complete strangers for the weekend.

Every single detail in the retreat was thoughtfully planned.

The speakers were amazing and brought Charlotte Mason to life!

The activities were engaging.

Spending this much time in nature was such a refreshing break from my normal routine. Meeting moms and making new friends was such a blessing.

My key takeaways from the retreat were:

• Lessons can be delightful
• Lessons build relationships
• Maternal love sets the atmosphere for education
• My role as a teacher was challenged and expanded

I excitedly employed the new methods I learned this week! What a difference in the children, in myself, and the atmosphere.

If you’d like to learn more about Charlotte Mason West, click here.

For more information on the Charlotte Mason method of education, check this out!

And if you’re brand new to homeschooling and would like to learn what method would work best for you, download this free e-book from Simply Charlotte Mason.