The Different Methods of Home Schooling
Learning The Different Methods of Home Schooling may be important.
There are a variety of methods that can be applied in the area of homeschooling. The method
you select will have an impact on the curriculum and style of teaching. The following are some of the most popular
homeschooling methods.
The Charlotte Mason method is named after Charlotte Mason, who is known as the originator of the homeschooling
movement. She herself was a homeschooler, and she wanted to establish a basic plan for a complete and effective
homeschooling program. The Charlotte Mason method emphasizes poetry, fine arts, classical music, crafts, and
classical literature. This method is designed to encourage an awareness of literature and involves reading to the
child every day. The child is then asked to tell what he or she has heard. This starts at the age of six. By the
age of ten, the child is expected to write narrations in a book. Mason encouraged the use of nature diaries as
well. The child writes observations of nature in the book as well. This creates a sense of respect for the
environment in the child. Mason thought that good behavior and character were critical for a child’s complete
personality development.
The Eclectic Homeschooling method is a combination of several techniques. Innovative parents rely on their own
judgment to select topics that make up the curriculum for their own child. These parents are always looking for the
best products they can find to help them meet the needs of their home schoolers. Many of the curricula in this
method are improvised. This means that, while the basic curriculum is established, parents change it to adapt to
the individual needs and interests of their children. The curriculum is generally established according to the
temperament, learning style, and interests of the children. These programs typically include visits to libraries,
factories, and museums.
John Holt, a public educator in Boston, developed the ‘unschooling’ method. Holt believed that children learn
best when they learn at their own pace and are guided by their own interests. He wanted to ‘unschool’ the child by
requiring parents to take their cues from the children. This approach has no set curriculum, schedules, or
materials. It is the most unstructured of the homeschooling techniques.
The Montessori Method had its start in Italy. It was found that children go through extremely sensitive periods
in which they experience periods of intense concentration. In these phases, children will repeat an action until
they receive some measure of self-satisfaction from it. This method relies on prepared environments to facilitate
learning. All materials utilized in this method are meant to satisfy the child’s interior desire for spiritual
development. Materials for this method range from simple to complex, and they are relatively costly.
Whatever method is selected, the underlying concept is flexibility and a strong interest in the child’s own
desires. The key is to use children’s desire for knowledge to further their education.
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