If you are new to homeschooling, some of the terms other homeschoolers use and the different homeschool styles they refer to may leave you with even more questions. Worry not! We’ll help you navigate through the different methods for homeschooling so you can choose the right approach for your family.
One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility to customize your child’s education based on a particular instructional philosophy, your child’s specific needs, and even the way you envision an ideal learning environment.
- Traditional Homeschooling
- Roadschooling
- Worldschooling
- Unschooling
- Eclectic Homeschooling
- Classical Homeschooling
- Montessori Homeschooling
- Homeschooling with Unit Studies
- Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
- Waldorf Homeschooling
Which Homeschooling Methods Are Best?
While there are different ways to homeschool, the right approach will depend heavily on your goals. Some parents know that they’re going to be putting their child right back to the classroom during a short period of time so they choose a kind of homeschooling that replicates the school experience. And some families are even able to transform their home education period into a worldwide travel adventure!
That means that the “best” homeschool method is simply the one that meets your specific criteria. Let’s see what facets of home education you should consider when choosing the style that suits your family best.
Here are valuable questions to ask as a parent:
Personal Values
- Do you want your homeschool style to assist you to instill a selected value system to your children?
- Do you like better to leave value systems out of your specific homeschool approach?
Educational Philosophy
- Do you ascribe to a selected educational philosophy that might affect how you approach your child’s education?
- Are you neutral in terms of educational philosophies and prefer to focus on other aspects of education?
Homeschool Duration
- Do your skills long you propose to homeschool and whether your child is going to be returning to the classroom at some point?
- Is your homeschool duration open-ended?
Educational Goals
- Do you have specific personal, family, or educational goals that you simply want your child(ren) to accomplish while homeschooling?
- Will you be taking each homeschool year as you come to it, rather than having overarching goals?
Family Circumstances
- Are there personal, financial, or medical circumstances that would affect how you homeschool?
- Do you like better to homeschool regardless of family circumstances?
Flexibility
- Do you like better to follow one homeschool style which will define everything you are doing in your home education model?
- Are you comfortable mixing and matching homeschool approaches to make whatever blend of homeschool style most closely fits your child(ren)?
Now that you have taken stock of your feelings about how you want to approach homeschooling, it’s time to take a look at some of the most popular types of homeschooling methods. This will help you dig into the specifics of each approach to find the ideal fit for you, your homeschooler, and your family.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
