The Science of Relations is Charlotte Mason's core educational philosophy asserting that education is fundamentally about helping children form meaningful, personal connections with knowledge, nature, people, and ideas—rather than simply transferring information.
What is the Science of Relations?
The Science of Relations forms the philosophical foundation of Charlotte Mason's educational approach. In her 12th principle, Mason wrote: "Education is the Science of Relations; that is, that a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we must train him upon physical exercises, nature, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books." The word "science" here means systematic understanding—Mason was articulating that education follows knowable principles about how humans naturally form relationships with the world around them. Children aren't empty vessels to fill with facts; they're persons who form living, vital connections with knowledge.
Key Takeaways
- Education is about forming connections, not transferring information
- Children naturally form relationships with knowledge, nature, people, and ideas
- Living books and direct experiences create personal connections better than textbooks
- The goal is breadth of connection: how much does a student care about learning?
- Parents facilitate encounters rather than forcing predetermined connections
The Four Key Relationships
Mason identified four primary categories of relationships that education should develop. Relations with Self: understanding one's own personhood, character, and moral development. Relations with Others: connections with people, including historical figures encountered through living books. Relations with the World/Nature: direct observation and interaction with the natural world, handicrafts, and physical engagement. Relations with God: the highest relationship, which Mason considered the foundation of all others. A well-educated person has formed rich connections across all four areas.
What This Looks Like in Practice
The Science of Relations isn't about creating themed units that artificially connect subjects ("apple week" where you count apples in math, read about Johnny Appleseed, and bake apple pie). Rather, it's about providing a broad feast of ideas through living books, nature study, art, music, and varied subjects—then trusting children to make their own connections. A child reading about Queen Elizabeth in one book may excitedly recognize her name in another. Another child notices something completely different. This is the science of relations honoring each child's individuality. Your role is facilitating rich encounters, not dictating what connections should form.
How It Differs from Other Approaches
The Bottom Line
Charlotte Mason's Science of Relations reframes what education means: not coverage of content, but the formation of meaningful connections between the child and the vast world of ideas, nature, people, and ultimately God. The measure of education becomes not "how much does this student know?" but "how much does this student care, and about how many things?" For homeschool families drawn to Charlotte Mason's methods, understanding this philosophical foundation helps everything else—the living books, nature study, short lessons, narration—make sense as tools for facilitating these vital relationships.
