Archive for the ‘Homeschooling 101’ category
Escaping the Public School Paradigm
There is no one right way to homeschool, and each family will work out the system that works best for them. One important thing to remember however, is that the public school system really doesn’t have to be the “model” for how we “do” school. In fact, if we thought the public school system was […]
Eclectic Homeschooling
Eclectic Homeschooling is a term that has become popular as homeschoolers gain confidence and become savvy consumers of different methods. It simply means picking and choosing what works best for you and not being afraid to make decisions or change your mind. An eclectic homeschooler may use one publisher for math and another for science. Or, she […]
Computer Based Learning Method
As this type of home schooling method is becoming more popular, there are increasing varieties of how students use the computer for their home schooling. Some computer-based curriculums have the curriculum on CDs or DVDs. Others are more like distance learning courses taken through the Internet. In fact, many universities and colleges are starting to […]
Literature Based Method
Sonlight Curriculum is probably the oldest and one of the most popular of the literature-based home school curriculums. Rather than use textbooks, which can be rather dry and uninteresting to many children, literature-based curriculums use “living books” like Charlotte Mason advocated. Students read historical fiction, first-person accounts and books written by people with a passion […]
Lapbooking and Notebooking
Both lapbooking and notebooking are similar to Unit Studies in that there is a focus on a particular concept or theme. Lapbooking allows the student to create an abbreviated “show and tell” of what they learn, while Notebooking carries it to the next level, creating an on-going notebook on a subject. Both methods are a […]
Homeschool Myths and Stereotypes
If you have homeschooled long, you have probably had this conversation: Unfortunately, any group can be stereotyped, and a few bad examples can make the rest look bad by association. Don’t let these stereotypes bother you though. While somewhat amusing at times, what others think of your family is not what is most important. What’s […]
Traditional Homeschool Method
This approach mimics what happens in the public school classroom. It compartmentalizes subject areas, uses textbooks, and relies on teacher-driven content. Focus is on the national (or private institution’s) standards Involves lectures, grade-level textbooks, workbooks, drill and memorization, practice problems and review, testing, and grades Lots of reading and writing Full school day Goal is […]
Unschooling Method
Based on the teachings of John Holt, unschooling allows children to take control of their educational choices. Unschooling is student-directed instead of teacher-directed. Unschoolers often take issue with the current, expert-based education system, choosing instead to trust the individual’s ability to guide their own education by following their interests. Focus on a child’s natural desire […]
Which teaching method should I choose?
Many of the differences in homeschooling methods boil down to the following questions: how you want to be involved in teaching the amount of structure you want what you want your child to learn how you want to evaluate your child’s progress Each of these methods has a slightly different answer to these questions. How […]
Classical Method
This is the method used to train the greatest thinkers of the western world. A classical curriculum includes reading great works of literature and studying rhetoric and logic. Advocates of this approach are critical of progressive trends that, they believe, water down education. Their main goal is to cultivate independent thinkers, and develop great communicators […]
