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Discovering the Homeschool Method best suited for your family can be a bit challenging. There are many from which to choose. But it’s generally the first step someone new to homeschooling will take in determining things such as which curricula to choose, how to structure the day or what extras to add to the day or week.
Many homeschool moms describe their method as “eclectic,” meaning they take what works for them from a variety of styles, but if you look closely, most will fall back on one or two particular methods that seem to work best.
For us, using unit studies in a Delight-Directed approach, flavored a bit by Charlotte Mason, and coupled with lots of field trips, has worked out best. Yep, we’re a bit eclectic! I’ve blogged several times about delight-directed unit studies before, so I won’t regale you with yet another post about that. If you’re interested you can read my past writings in D is for Delight-Directed, Sleepless Thoughts — Delight-Directed Homeschooling, How to Plan Your Own Unit Studies, and 20 Field Trip Ideas. This year, we are also adding elements of the Principle Approach to our homeschool. While not mutually exclusive, using unit studies with this method will present some challenges for me in planning (more about that on Wednesday). You can read a little of what I’ve written about this method in Building a Foundation for Your Homeschool, P is for Principled, and Word Study: Education.
Instead of giving you every detail in how we use all of these methods, I will very simply describe several Homeschool Methods, and lead you to where you can find out more information. Exploring different options before you dive in to homeschooling will hopefully save you some time (and money).
Delight-Directed — This method bases homeschooling around the interests and passions (delights!) of your students. It is a well-known phenomenon that we all learn more when the subject matter matters to us. When curiosity is piqued, learning happens. You can read more about how we use this method in the articles I’ve listed above. You can also check out Walking by the Way and Lifestyle of Learning for more information.
I just published a brand new eBook that combines delight-directed learning with unit studies. Learn more about Delightful Planning.
Unit Studies — Simply put, Unit Studies are a way of teaching across the curriculum, using a particular theme. Themes can be based in geography or science, biographical or literature-based. Nothing is off limits, and you can likely incorporate most every subject into any theme. For example, if you wish to teach your child about the upcoming Olympics, you might learn about England and Ancient Greece (geography and history), the first Olympic games (history), Eric Liddell (historical biography), the human body– muscles (science), plus a plethora of character traits and Biblical principles associated with sports. Using unit studies brings your theme alive and solidifies learning by helping your student make connections. Plus they’re just plain fun. Some of our favorite resources for unit studies include Homeschool Share, Homeschool Legacy, Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett and Shining Dawn Books.
Principle Approach — The Principle Approach has been called “reflective teaching and learning.” It is America’s historic method of Biblical reasoning which places the Principles of God’s Word at the heart of education. Each subject is taught according to God’s Biblical principles and students are taught to think and reason from principles and leading ideas using The Notebook Method to Research, Reason, Relate and Record. For more information about this Homeschool Method, visit The Foundation for Christian Education (FACE), Pilgrim Institute, and A Cherished Keeper.
Charlotte Mason — Charlotte Mason was a British educator who lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Her motto, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life,” is the hallmark of this method. The Charlotte Mason method employs the use of living books, nature study, the study of artists and composers, memorization of poems and scripture, and copywork, narration and dictation to provide a gentle, well-rounded liberal arts education, with short lessons and the development of good habits. For more information, visit Living Books Curriculum, Simply Charlotte Mason and Ambleside Online.
Classical Education — Classical Education returns to the time-honored educational theory of Ancient Greece and Europe during the Middle Ages. The core of Classical Education is the trivium, a teaching model that tailors the curriculum subject matter to a child’s cognitive development. In the grammar stage (elementary), concrete thinking and memorization of facts is emphasized. In the logic stage (middle school), analytical thinking and the understanding of subjects is emphasized. And in the rhetoric stage (high school), verbal and written expression is emphasized. For more information, visit Memoria Press, Veritas Press and Tapestry of Grace.
Unschooling — Unschooling describes the homeschool method where the parent nurtures the natural curiosity of the child, trusting that the child will learn what he or she needs to know. Unschooling has gotten a bad wrap in the media, with the impression given that unschoolers have no discipline, do whatever they want, when they want, and use no curricula. This is simply not true. Most unschooling families provide their children with a host of educational opportunities and resources. They just allow learning to happen more naturally, without a set schedule of expectations. The Delight-Directed approach we take is sometimes considered a method of unschooling. I generally say it’s a hair’s breadth away. For more information visit Growing Without Schooling.
Traditional — I call this method “school at home” rather than “homeschool.” In this method, a family will attempt to bring the classroom into the home, by replicating the traditional idea of school, typically by using a “boxed curriculum” that contains everything you need, including lesson plans. If you’re worried about educational gaps, this is probably the method for you. For more information, visit A Beka, Bob Jones, and Alpha Omega.
What homeschool method appeals to you most?
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