Homeschoolers cover an entire spectrum of different educational methods. On the one end, you have unschoolers, families that believe in self- or child-led learning. Relying on real world experiences, they learn by living. On the other end of the spectrum, you find parents who have "school at home." They may set up a classroom environment, use structured curriculums, and rely on schedules to keep things moving smoothly. And of course, there is everything in between. There are as many different ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. Explore the different methods, ideas, and approaches that make the homeschooling experience so rich.
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| Learning Styles |
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Knowing your child's learning style can help you teach him or her in the best way possible. Explore these diverse ways of learning and get tips on the best way to help your child grasp and learn new material.
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| Eclectic Homeschooling |
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What do you call the homeschooler who doesn't necessarily subscribe to a certain homeschooling method? Well, the term eclectic fits just perfectly. Eclectic homeschooling involves a diverse and unique approach to learning at home.
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| Unschooling |
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Unschooling is more than just not going to school. It is following your child's interests to get the most out of learning through living.
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| Montessori |
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The Montessori approach to education can work very well in the home environment. Learn about incorporating Montessori techniques at home, national support organizations, and how to find resources and materials.
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| Waldorf |
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Explore the Waldorf philosophy of education and see how it can be integrated into learning in the home.
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| Classical/Trivium |
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The classical method of education, based on the Trivium, is a traditional model of learning and teaching. Read more about this method and find out how homeschoolers are using it to teach their children at home.
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| Charlotte Mason |
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Charlotte Mason's philosophy and model of teaching can be used with great success in the home. Explore this method and find ways to incorporate this teaching and learning style into your homeschool.
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| Moore Formula |
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Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore were pioneers in the homeschooling movement and have given generations of homeschoolers inspiration, know-how, and ideas that make learning at home fun, less stressful, and more rewarding. Learn more about their philosophy of education and their methods with these resources.
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| Unit Studies |
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Unit studies are a creative and dynamic way to integrate core subjects into topical learning. They can excite interest in your child and can help you cover a number of subjects in a shorter amount of time. Learn more about unit studies and how to incorporate them into your own homeschooling methods.
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| Co-Ops |
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What do you do when you are overwhelmed and feel like you can't do everything all by yourself? Join a co-op! Co-ops pull together the resources, strengths, and gifts of several people to help provide a more diverse, complete, and rewarding educational experience for your children.
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| Online Programs |
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A virtual school in general refers to a program in which your child is at home, but takes courses over the Internet. These virtual schools offer online programs and often full curricula. They are usually administered by a public or private school. Thus, children enrolled in these programs are effectively enrolled in a school and skirt the definition of a homeschooled student. There are some controversies regarding these programs, but they do provide an alternative that is appropriate for some families. Learn more about how these programs work, what to expect, and how to get the most out of them.
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| Vocational Training |
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Vocational training offers teenagers and yound adults the opportunity to learn a trade, often with on-the-job training.
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| Community Colleges |
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Many community colleges around the country have opened their doors to homeschooled teenagers, giving them an opportunity to start their college careers early, to gain classroom experience and college credit, to challenge them with more difficult materials, and to expand their horizons. Many parents look to community colleges to provide instruction in materials that they are not well suited to teach themselves.
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Structured homeschooling gets an A+ |
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A new study from Concordia University and Mount Allison University has found that homeschooling -- as long as it's structured or follows a curriculum -- can provide kids with an academic edge. "Structured homeschooling may offer opportunities for academic performance beyond those typically experienced in public schools," says first author Sandra Martin-Chang, a professor in the Concordia Department of Education, noting this is among the first nonpartisan studies to investigate home education versus public schooling. |
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CLASS Homeschools |
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CLASS is a pioneer of the modern home school movement and has helped thousands of families to get started—and succeed—in home schooling. CLASS consists of thousands of home schools throughout the United States and around the world, with students ranging in age from four to adult. CLASS is accredited by the National Association of Private Schools. Graduates are being accepted by leading colleges, universities, and military academies. |
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Child-Led Learning |
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Amy Bell |
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The term "unschooling" was coined by John Holt to mean not sending children to school. The term has been stretched and changed since then, and those of us who refuse the entire school model have taken the word "unschooling" for our own. Other terms associated with unschooling are natural learning, child-led learning, discovery learning, and child-directed learning. We don't divide our day into "school" parts and "non-school" parts, because there are no school parts. We live; we learn; we try new things; we go back to things we've loved a long time.
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Mater Amabilis |
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Mater Amabilis is a free online homeschool curriculum, which takes the methods of Charlotte Mason and applies them for the 21st century Catholic family. Offering a detailed and flexible syllabus for each age level, Mater Amabilis can be used as a complete curriculum or simply as a springboard for learning. |
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