Ambleside Schools International Articles
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ASI Update - 8.21.206
As some of our Ambleside schools welcome students back this week and others prepare for their first day of classes, we are reminded that the beginning of a school year is filled with anticipation and joy. New teachers are settling into their classrooms, students are meeting new friends, and families are establishing rhythms that will shape the months ahead. Across our network, we encourage you to join us in praying for wisdom, perseverance, joy, and a deep sense of God’s presence in every school community. As Proverbs 16:3 reminds us,”Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
One of the meaningful ways many Ambleside schools mark the beginning of the year is through a School Blessing and Dedication. Parents, students, teachers, staff, and board members gather to recommit themselves to God’s purposes and to affirm the responsibilities they have toward one another. Read more about this tradition below.
We also invite you to join our Community Prayer Time on Tuesday, August 25, at 7:00 p.m. We hope you will make plans to pray with Ambleside leaders, educators, parents, and supporters from across the network.
Thank you for your partnership, your prayers, and your commitment to the work God is doing through Ambleside schools around the world.
Grace and peace,
A Renewal of Christian Education
A Charlotte Mason Perspective
Ambleside Schools International mission statement calls for the renewal of Christian education. This renewal goes beyond merely teaching a Christian worldview. It reorients the entire process of teaching and learning to be deeply rooted in this worldview. Every educational system has an underlying philosophy that informs its pedagogical practices. Unfortunately, much of modern education has been shaped by Enlightenment-era thinkers whose philosophies still dominate our schools today.
Read the Ambleside article: https://amblesideschools.org/a-renewal-of-christian-education-a-charlotte-mason-perspective/.
Ambleside Traditions
School Blessing and Dedication
Each year, Ambleside schools begin by gathering the entire school community for a School Blessing and Dedication. Parents, students, teachers, board members, and staff come together to recommit themselves to God’s purposes for the year ahead. Through prayer, worship, and shared promises, each group is invited to consider its unique role in the life of the school and to affirm its commitment to serve faithfully. It is a meaningful opportunity to pause before the busyness of the year begins and remember that the work of education ultimately belongs to God.
The School Blessing and Dedication highlights the partnership that makes an Ambleside school flourish. Parents are invited to renew their commitment to support the school and foster a love of learning at home. Students are challenged to submit their hearts, heads, and hands to God as they learn, serve, and grow. Teachers, staff, and board members likewise reaffirm their calling to lead, teach, and serve with wisdom, humility, unity, and love. Together, the community acknowledges that the formation of children is a shared responsibility that requires faithfulness from everyone involved.
The gathering concludes with prayers of blessing over every member of the school community. Teachers are prayed over as they embrace their calling to guide and nurture young minds. Students are blessed as they begin a new year of friendships, challenges, and discovery. Families are encouraged in the important work of cultivating homes filled with peace, joy, and faith. By beginning the year in this way, Ambleside schools establish a clear foundation: that learning is an act of discipleship, that each person has a God-given role to play, and that the school community will walk forward together in dependence on God’s grace and guidance.
Training Events
Three-Day Internships
An Ambleside Three-Day Internship is much more than an introduction to Charlotte Mason’s philosophy. It is an opportunity to experience a living education firsthand. Through engaging and thoughtful discussions, participants explore the foundational principles that shape an Ambleside classroom, including the nature of the child as a person, the formation of habits, the practice of narration, and the power of living ideas. Whether you are a teacher, school leader, parent, or homeschool educator, these principles will challenge and enrich the way you think about education.
What makes the internship unique is the opportunity to step into Ambleside classrooms and watch these principles come to life. Participants observe experienced teachers across multiple grade levels and subject areas, seeing how philosophy shapes every aspect of teaching and learning. Following each observation, Ambleside staff lead discussions that connect what was seen in the classroom to Charlotte Mason’s writings, giving participants practical insight they can immediately apply in their own schools, homes, and ministries.
For more than twenty-five years, the Three-Day Internship has served as a starting point for educators and families seeking a richer vision of education. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, practical tools for implementation, and renewed confidence to cultivate wonder, wisdom, and character in the lives of children. It is an experience that continues to shape classrooms, schools, and families around the world.
Ambleside Three-Day Internships
- Crystal, MN – RiverTree School – October 26-28, 2026
- Cape Town, South Africa – The Vine School – October 27-29, 2026
- Ocala, FL – Ambleside School of Ocala – January 25-27, 2027
- Fredericksburg, TX – Ambleside School of Fredericksburg – February 22-24, 2027
- Fredericksburg, TX – Ambleside School of Fredericksburg – March 8-10, 2027
- Lone Tree, CO – Ambleside School of Colorado – March 8-10, 2027
- Newberg, OR – Ambleside of the Willamette Valley – April 5-7, 2027
- Holland, MI – Calvary Schools of Holland – April 21-23, 2027
Register Today: https://amblesideschools.org/three-day-internship/.
Bonus Ideas
Throughout the week, I often come across articles, videos, or media that touch on topics close to my heart. Some explore the shifting landscape of education, marriage, or cultural trends that may impact our students and families, while others highlight the beauty and truth found only in the Lord. These pieces don’t necessarily reflect my personal views or endorsements, but I share them as opportunities for our community to consider, reflect, and discuss the world around us.
Article – Passing the Torch: How Faith Moves Across Generations
When faith is embedded in everyday routines through conversation, ritual, and visible commitment, children are more likely to internalize it as part of their enduring identity. Read the article.
Podcast – He went after social media. AI is next.
Jonathan Haidt sounds the alarm on AI, warning that the threats to children could go “far beyond” social media and arguing that policymakers can’t afford to give AI companies the same free pass. Listen to the podcast.
Book – You Are What You Love by James K. A. Smith
Who and what we worship fundamentally shape our hearts. We may not realize, however, the ways our hearts are taught to love rival gods instead of the One for whom we were made. Learn more about the book.
Bonus Podcast – Amusing Ourselves to Death
On this episode of the Restoring the Soul podcast, Michael Cusick and Andy Crouch discuss why the real problem isn’t screen-time limits but the entire posture of a life shaped around “easy everywhere.” Listen to the podcast.
Employment Opportunities
Ambleside Teachers willingly become Charlotte Mason students and consistently and faithfully implement her method. They eagerly seek to increase their expertise by reading, discussing, practicing, and attending Ambleside’s educational training. Teaching at an Ambleside school is truly a calling. If you feel led to teach at one of our member schools “for the children’s sake” check out the job listings below.
Highlight – Ambleside School of the Willamette Valley (OR)
Hiring for the 2026-2027 school year.
All Employment Opportunities: https://amblesideschools.org/employment/.
Many thanks for all you do for the community; very grateful for each of you. Please let me know anytime we on the ASI team can be helpful to you!
Blessings,
