Nicolle M. Hutchinson, chief executive officer and director of education at Gillingham Charter School, Pottsville, was in North Carolina on Thursday celebrating the historical educator who inspired the school's teaching method.
Hutchinson was one of the speakers at the 10th annual Charlotte Mason Education Conference held this week at Gardner Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina. The event celebrates "the centenary (1914-2014) of the PNEU (Parents' National Education Union) Liberal Education for All Movement in our homes and schools of the 21st Century," according to the institute's website at www.charlottemasoninstitute.org.
From 8:45 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Hutchinson gave a speech, "Gillingham Charter School, Renewing the Liberal Education for All Movement," according to the website.
"Since Mason's philosophy was founded on natural law, focusing on the ways all human beings learn and live, the methods are universal and applicable in both sectarian and nonsectarian areas. In her plenary session, Nicolle will share why Mason's ideas need to be in the public school and share some ways to make it happen. The good, the bad and the ugly will be revealed, and participants will leave with plenty of practical advice," according to the conference session abstract, which is available on the website.
From 1:30 to 2 p.m. Thursday, she talked about "Mason in the Public Arena."
From noon to 1:30 p.m. today, Hutchinson and Evelyn Hoey, principal of the private Charlotte Mason Community School in Detroit were scheduled to give a talk on "Children, Poverty, Teaching & Charlotte Mason."
Hutchinson could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The event is organized by the Charlotte Mason Institute, Roanoke, Virginia.
Gillingham Charter School, the first charter school in Schuylkill County, opened in fall 2011. Hutchinson said previously it was one of the only public schools in the U.S. which bases its teaching method on principles developed by Charlotte M. Mason.
Charlotte Maria Shaw Mason was a British educator who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and whose ideas led to a method used in home-school settings as well as some private schools, according to Hutchinson.
The Charlotte Mason method of teaching is centered around the idea that education is an atmosphere, a discipline and a life. This is the 100th year of the centenary of Mason's Liberal Education for All Movement, according to www.charlottemasoninstitute.org.