You’re ready to start your journey, but not sure what style of homeschooling you want for your family? Let’s break it down. You can always do a Google search for more information and for other styles, but these are the most common. And you do NOT have to settle on one style and stick with it forever. You can mix and match based on the situation, project, subject, or mood for the day.
| Traditional Textbook Approach | For those who went to public school as children, this is the textbook approach. Lots of worksheets and reading textbook material. Just remember that not all learning comes from a book. |
| Unschooling | Child Led Leaerning based on their interests. Operates on the idea that children do not have to be forced to learn. They will learn through their natural curiosity of the world. Generally do not use any curriculum, but will use lots of resources, libraries, and the outdoors. |
| Eclectic/Relaxed | Almost an Unschooler, but will usually have at least one curriculum, normally math. Not worried about teaching every subject every day and few, if any, have set schedules. |
| Unit Study | Incorporates multiple subjects using a theme or piece of literature. Still need math and language arts curriculum based on the child’s grade level. Unit Studies will cover lots of science, social studies, applied math, art, and some writing/language arts. |
| Classical | Based on a three part process: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. Heavy emphasis on living books (can be fiction or non-fiction, but well written), logic, and chronological history. Well Trained Mind is a great book to help with this style. |
| Charlotte Mason | Charlotte Mason was an educator in England during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Believed in educating the whole person and not just the mind. Focus on a liberal arts education: establishing positive habits; short age-appropriate lessons; narration to teach the child to think clearly; dictation - particularly Scripture - to teach spelling and grammar; art and music; and nature study. |
