Homeschooling Methods - so confusing!

[HomeGrownBlessings]

Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, Waldorf, Classical education (Well Trained Mind), charter schools, private isps, etc. etc.

How do you decide what method to use without feeling like you're missing something or that your child will miss out on something? It's just so confusing because I read one thing/method, and I'm all excited about it and think it'll fit our family lifestyle and children but then I read something else and I think the same thing about that method LOL.

What have you guys done to narrow down your choices besides letting your child lead the way? Are there methods that like-minded mamas and families like us lean toward? I realize that every family is different and has different needs, but I need a little help here :scratch

How do you go about forming your own family homeschooling philosophy?

[Moon]

I think I'd start by writing down your personal reasons for wanting to homeschool. What are your personal long term goals?

We're relaxed/unschooly/classical. It's not all or nothing. ;) We started off very relaxed with classical bents, because that's what appealed to us (hub and I) the most. As the years have passed we've tweaked it here, bent it there, backed off of THAT, found this, etc. etc., as needed due to kids learning styles and needs.

[Mamatoto]

We just followed what felt right for our family and I just kept researching and reading and finding the right fit. And then wrote my own curriculum combining a few things together. :giggle

[Strumbelina]

There is not any one method that fits GCM mamas. There are all kinds of methods utilized and talked about on these boards. What you are doing is great, read, read, and read some more. It may very well be that you pick and choose different things from different approaches. I feel I am very relaxed but to some mamas on this board I would seem like a drill sargent while others would say I seem like an unschooler sometimes :shrug. Everyone is different and we all look at things differently. There is no ONE right choice for you, although I am confident you will eventually be drawn to what is BEST for your family. Your job now is to study the approaches, OR like a pp suggested just come up with your own goals, thoughts, etc. about HS and go from there. The former option is easier really, because the fact is, a lot of parents have already done a lot of research and thinking and doing and their input can be really invaluable.

There is a book by Lisa Welchel (sp?)....I think it is called "so you want to HS?". It is a really good synopsis (short) of many different approaches. Ordinarily I would not recommend her books as she is punitive, but this book doesn't have any of that in it (that I can remember :think). It helped me to know which methods I was interested in looking into deeper.......
HTH

[illinoismommy]

It gets even worse than that.... different books describe different methods different ways :eek

Yeah. I think I'm going to have a little bit of different styles... I like the classical approach for opening doors to different subjects, and for having some parental direction and because it looks good for higher math... I don't like the classical approach for what I've seen of too many hours of schooling in a day because part of my reason for homeschooling is to provide more hours for free play and exploration, not just sitting with books (unless I have a kid that just wants to sit around and read). I like the unschooling approach for the student choosing what they want to study and do with their time and to learn to manage their time... I don't like the unschooling approach because there are certain things that to me need to be learned and I want my child to learn them whether they become an interest or not. :shrug I like Waldorf and CM's idea about spending a lot of time in nature, and the natural toys... and I don't have to choose, I can do it all. :tu I'm not going to buy a curriculum either.... I'm going to do it myself.... I think its going to be fun, my husband wants to help too :-)

[Singingmom]

Be sure to spend time in prayer about it. Whenever I see another method yielding good results, I always have a moment of doubt about my own choices. But I always remember that God lead me to the philosophy I have now, and that settles it again in my mind. Not that He won't show me something new, but it eases my mind to remember that.

[HomeGrownBlessings]

Thanks so much for sharing your own experiences. It is a "relief" that there is no one way, but many different ways. Isn't it wonderful to really really really know our children so that we can meet their learning needs! I will definitely pray more about this - I am faithful that God will lead me (and dh) to the way which will be right for our family :)

And of course I will continue to read read read LOL.

Also, please continue to share your methods and experiences if you don't mind :yes

[Leslie]

You could take that fill-in-the-blank quizzes - "What kind of Homeschooler Are You?"

http://www.quizilla.com/users/guiltfree/quizzes/What%20Type%20of%20Homeschooler%20Are%20You%3F

I consistently score "Charlotte Mason," and that is the method I'm drawn to. Maybe it will give you some insight into what fits your personality/lifestyle.

[AmyWA]

Huh - I took that quiz and I came up as a Mr. Potato Head????? What does THAT mean...

Type: unspecified

Mr. Potato Head You have your ideal of how things should look, but youre flexible enough to allow for change. You are not bothered by changing methods, mid-course if necessary. You use an eclectic combination of curriculum sources.

[illinoismommy]

I got this "Abraham Lincoln You have a Bible and a library card what more could you possibly need? You prefer the Charlotte Mason Method of reading living books for everything: historical fiction, biographies, real histories, nature guides, etc. No soon-to-be-outdated textbooks for you."

:scratch

[Wholly Mama]

hmmmmm....I am Swiss Family Robinson. They've recommended unit studies for my family.

I am an unschooler at heart. But my dh feels that our family needs more structure, and I think my oldest ds does need structure to his day. So, we're working into some Charlotte Mason learning. I like that we can get it done early and then spend the rest of the day exploring our own interests.

[RealLifeMama]

I gotSalvador Dali!!

Salvador Dali Melting clocks are not a problem in your reality. You are an unschooler. You will tolerate a textbook, but only as a last resort. Mud is your friend. You prefer hands-on everything. If your school had an anthem, it would be Dont Worry, Be Happy.
I love Dali, LOL.

[ChristianMother27]

i'm researching/planning on doing something kind of "old fashioned" - doing some unschooling but also i want to buy some of the old fashioned readers and math books and stuff... i'm not sure how good those are at teaching (i.e. if they worked why write more?) but i have read some very good reviews of them so i dunno. i don't think i want to spend the thousands of dollars that some modern day curriculum costs. i'd rather do internet teaching than that. but yeh i picked homeschooling because all of the school methods had good points and i wanted to take the best of everything lol

[Mamatoto]

Swiss Family Robinson If you can grow it, pick it, preserve it, or butcher it, you own it. Otherwise, you do without. Youd prefer to live off-grid from the power company, since youre nearly self-sufficient already. You enjoy unit studies for the way they utilize all facets of life and truly incorporate life and education as a whole, not as separate entities.

Wow, that is such a cool quiz! What do your answers look like if you get Charlotte Mason?

I am :laughtears at the first question. We went for a walk today and there were these huge holes of mud in the field where I am thinking that they will put trees eventually...there must have been about 10 holes altogether...and my kids didn't miss one hole....my dd was caked with mud, I still have mud on my leg as I sit here, and my ds...well, he lost his shoes in the mud several times. :giggle

[ChristianMother27]

mine was this:
Salvador Dali Melting clocks are not a problem in your reality. You are an unschooler. You will tolerate a textbook, but only as a last resort. Mud is your friend. You prefer hands-on everything. If your school had an anthem, it would be Dont Worry, Be Happy. Visit my blog: http://www.GuiltFreeHomeschooling.blogspot.com

[Gailmegan]

:scratch I got Salvador Dali (unschooling) too! But I'm using a very bookish classical curriculum, which I love love love love love!!!!! Of course I am adding to it with outdoor stuff and crafts and hands on experiments, and am flexible about starting time, but I would never consider myself an unschooler!! :shrug I should have gotten Mr Potato Head. I think the problem is that for many of the questions I had a hard time choosing the answer that fit us the best. I wanted to check 2 or 3 for each question. :giggle

[ChristianMother27]

I wanted to check 2 or 3 for each question. :giggle


:yes same here :lol

[purplerose]

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Martha Stewart No project is simple for you, everything is very involved; lace, ruffles, and flowers make it a good thing. Your curriculum is heavy on fine arts: art appreciation/recognition, historical architecture, music, creative writing, and literary classics. If your students absorb a little math and science along the way, so much the better. Visit my blog: http://www.GuiltFreeHomeschooling.blogspot.com

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[Strumbelina]

I got Matha Stewart too. :scratch :shrug And.....I don't have a dining room table....how do you answer that quesiton if you don't have one? I had trouble answering some of the questions. Also I found sometimes what I wished the answer was really isn't the answer in reality. I don't exactly meet my ideals... :O.
I had to laugh at the Martha Stewart thing....I guess I can see some of it. I am very CMish.

[Mamatoto]

I don't have a dining room table either...so I tried to think if I did what I probably would put on it.

[blessedw/4]

Be sure to spend time in prayer about it. Whenever I see another method yielding good results, I always have a moment of doubt about my own choices. But I always remember that God lead me to the philosophy I have now, and that settles it again in my mind. Not that He won't show me something new, but it eases my mind to remember that.



:yes This is totally my advice, too. Pray Pray Pray ... :pray ask others to pray ... not give you advice, just pray that God would guide you. Many of the "methods" out there are truly so great ... but you can only do so much per child ... and God already knows you, as teacher, and your child, the student.
He has a plan to prosper you ... give you a future and a hope...

[churchpunkmom]

Lol, I got the Salvador Dali too! I'm starting with Charlotte Mason this year (Ambleside Online), but would totally love to unschool if I had the family support.. I figure my kids could use a little structure anyway though. ;) and CM keeps my dh on board for HSing. :)

[Wholly Mama]

Lol, I got the Salvador Dali too! I'm starting with Charlotte Mason this year (Ambleside Online), but would totally love to unschool if I had the family support.. I figure my kids could use a little structure anyway though. ;) and CM keeps my dh on board for HSing. :)


Hey, same here!! Are you doing year 0 or year 1? I started year 1 but everyone's been saying not to start year 1 until they are six, and my ds won't be six until november :shrug :shrug
Dh doesn't like the idea of homeschooling, and needs to see proof that we're doing something, so CM is what we're doing (instead of unschooling like I'd like to do!)

[churchpunkmom]

My ds actually just turned 6 - but as I was planning on doing kindy with him this year (and kindy is really yr 0) I'm going with year 0 instead of year 1. We got out of the habit of school last spring (was doing some letter of the week home-preschool) after dd was born, so I figure doing yr 0 this year (which I can include ds's 2 and 3 in) would help prime him for year 1 while being easier on me by letting me do the same thing with all three boys.

Dh doesn't mind that we're homeschooling, just feels like we need "something to show". He's also concerned about socializing.. don't know why.

[RealLifeMama]

To the OP, I just checked a book out of the library by Cathy Duffy.
It is called 100 Top Picks for Homeschoolers or something like that.
It has reviews of everything but the first half of the book is to help you determine your teaching style, your child's learning style, tell you about different methods, etc.