From the waters of fantasy to nonfiction, I made the Cathartic leap from a college graduate in May with a B.A. in history and certifications in early childhood, elementary, and middle school math to that of a professional teacher a few days before Gillingham Charter School commenced for its 2012-2013 school year.  With an exuberant, “Yes!” to the invitation to teach middle school math and Title I reading and math, I could not be prepared for just how special the experience would be.  It was an irrevocable baptism into Charlotte Mason’s relational education of which I knew nothing.  Even as a child homeschooled from kindergarten through sixth grade, I marvel that I had never been knowingly exposed to Mason’s philosophies prior to accepting this teaching opportunity. My earliest aspiration as a pre-school child was not to be a teacher but a “lollipop lady” to give lollipops away to children in need.  Prior to igniting the passion to be a teacher, I imagined myself as a Russian fugitive during World War II, world-traveling explorer and …