Wide margin refers to notebooks with extra blank space for annotations, used in Charlotte Mason education for nature journals, commonplace books, and encouraging active engagement with reading material.
What is Wide Margin in Charlotte Mason Homeschooling?
In Charlotte Mason education, "wide margin" describes two related concepts: special editions of Charlotte Mason's original writings formatted with enlarged margins for study notes, and practical notebooks with substantial blank space (typically three inches) alongside the main writing area. Both applications encourage the same goal—active engagement with ideas through personal annotation, reflection, and connection-making that transforms passive reading into meaningful intellectual work.
Key Takeaways
- Wide margin notebooks leave 3+ inches of blank space for annotations and reflections
- Used for nature journals, commonplace books, and study notes
- Encourages active engagement rather than passive consumption of material
- Aligns with Charlotte Mason's emphasis on personal relationship with ideas
- Creates lasting personal records of learning and intellectual growth
Common Uses in Charlotte Mason Homeschools
Nature notebooks benefit from wide margins where children combine sketches with written observations, field notes, and later research additions. Commonplace books—collections of meaningful quotes and personal reflections that Charlotte Mason recommended for students around age thirteen—use margins for recording impressions and connections between passages. General study notebooks allow students to annotate their narrations, add questions about content, and record supplementary thoughts. The extra space transforms note-taking from mere recording into genuine dialogue with ideas.
Why Margins Matter in Charlotte Mason Philosophy
Charlotte Mason believed children are "born persons" capable of engaging meaningfully with substantial ideas. Wide margins physically embody this respect—space explicitly reserved for the student's own thoughts signals that those thoughts matter. As Mason wrote about commonplace books: "It is very helpful to read with a commonplace book or reading-diary, in which to put down any striking thought in your author, or your own impression of the work... but not summaries of facts." The margin becomes where personal interaction with ideas happens, building what Mason called "the science of relations."
Where to Find Wide Margin Supplies
Wide-margin study editions of Charlotte Mason's complete six-volume series are available through Amazon and homeschool retailers, featuring 28% larger text with space for annotations. For student notebooks, options include The Gentle + Classical Press nature journals, Big Life Journal homeschool bundles, and general wide-margin notebooks in 8.5x11 or 6x9 sizes from Amazon. Rainbow Resource Center carries homeschooler's journals with wide note columns. Some families simply use regular notebooks and create their own margin by folding or drawing a line three inches from the edge.
Getting Started with Wide Margin Practice
For younger children, begin with nature journals combining blank sketching space and ruled lines for observations. Introduce the concept of writing impressions rather than summaries—"What did this make you think?" rather than "What happened?" Around age thirteen, consider starting a commonplace book where students copy meaningful passages and add personal reflections in the margins. Model the practice yourself; children learn annotation habits through seeing adults engage the same way. The goal isn't perfect notebooks but cultivating the habit of active, reflective engagement with ideas.
The Bottom Line
Wide margin practice embodies Charlotte Mason's conviction that education is about forming relationships with ideas, not just absorbing information. The physical space for personal reflection transforms students from passive consumers into active thinkers. Whether through nature journals, commonplace books, or general study notes, wide margins create room for the intellectual work that makes learning meaningful and lasting. It's a simple practice with profound implications for how children approach knowledge.
